Page 49 of Death Dance

“With big forests so my turkeys run wild and free and happy until they have their dinner date with destiny,” I requested.

“A humane turkey farm where you are stocked and your birds live in paradise is a reasonable request. I may do an operation for each type of livestock. I will put thought into this.”

My brothers sulked.

I raised a brow at them. “If you happened to be wed and providing our father with grandchildren, he would quite probably shower you with his favor.”

That earned me three scowls.

I smiled my sweetest smile. “I am happily wed and providing our father with an elaborate ceremony on board a ship I stole from him. How are you contributing to his grandchildren?”

My husband nudged me with his elbow. “How are we contributing to his grandchildren?”

“However often I want, whenever I want, however many times I want, and you will accept being used at my leisure,” I replied in my most solemn tone.

“As I don’t see any problems with this plan, okay. I will take steps and discuss the predisposition issues with your father sooner than anticipated, apparently.”

I shrugged. “We’ll figure it out. And if we have to take similar steps to what I endured because of misfortune, so be it. The only thing we will change is that our child understands vampirism runs in the family and that we do as we do for good reason rather than out of prejudice.” I frowned and furrowed my brows. “Dad, how did I not turn out prejudiced against vampires? I don’t understand.”

“We’re terrible at being prejudiced,” my father admitted with a shrug. “You heard me make snide comments, but whenever you did see a vampire, I would hold the door for them just like I would everybody else. You saw through the words and looked at the deeds. You just didn’t realize that was what was going on. But your nature played a huge part of that. You were more afraid of my disapproval than you ever were prejudiced against the preternatural. I ultimately went the disapproval route more often than not.” My father huffed and puffed before settling in to glower at my spouse. “Please do something about that tendency.”

Emerick held his hands up in surrender. “I will attempt to correct any issues with disapproval.”

“Good.”

The elevator came to a halt, dinged, and released us, which likely spared my husband from a bad end at my father’s hands. “For the record, you don’t have to bribe Emerick. You’re already giving me what?”

“A few mines, this ship, and a few other surprises I have in the works. There is a difference between providing for you and apologizing to your husband about the blatant assaults your endless pit of a stomach surely makes against his wallet.”

I sighed. “Just try to be sensible, Dad.”

“I am being sensible. I have been waiting for a long time to get to do this, and I’ve been putting a great deal of thought into the various ways I can make certain your brood can readily provide for you. Your brothers? Bah.”

I raised a brow at all three of my brothers. “Did Dad provide you with farms?”

They nodded, and Eugene shrugged. “We just got one farm that provides what we need to make our favorite foods. The dowry for a daughter is old tradition, and vampires really do go wild over it; daughters are so rare that our father really will be expected to be excessive. I’m still trying to figure out how he even had you! None of the vampires anywhere near his age have ever had a daughter.”

“I assassinated all the male sperm, thus proving my place. The only ones I kept I murdered after they did what I needed,” I replied, engaging Eugene in a staring contest. “Clearly, I was vicious from before conception.”

My father snickered. “We were blessed with good fortune. Once my uncles found out about you, they began contributing to your more traditional dowry.”

I blinked. “I have a traditional dowry?”

“I have been informed that my uncles will never forgive me if I do not give it to you appropriately, which means I need to know what breed of livestock you would like, as it will require being hauled by beasts of burden, which are part of your dowry.”

I questioned everything about my life. “Were there horses where you grew up?”

“We had horses, although they are not quite the same as what you are used to. They are considered a primitive breed.”

“The appropriate number of horses to safely carry this dowry of the closest breed you can get, please,” I requested. “Emerick, you’re in charge of finding them a house near our house.”

Emerick sighed. “Can ‘near’ be within two hours?”

“Only if we have a house where their house is, because if we’re traveling two hours to see the horses, we’re staying overnight,” I countered.

“I can make these arrangements,” he promised. “We will have a home near every farm we manage, however. I go to my operations once a year, and I prefer not to stay in a hotel unless it’s required.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Those properties better not be just staying around empty the rest of the time.”

“They don’t. They serve as vacation residences for members of the brood.”

I could work around that. “Sign me up for therapy regarding the dowry. I’m going to need it. I don’t know if I’m going to be able to accept it with grace without therapy.”

Emerick snickered. “It’s a good thing you aren’t accepting the dowry. I am. Those presents are for me. You just get to benefit from them. You’re just going to have to get your own presents out of your family, Mrs. Lowrance.”

“You’re getting the mines and the ship,” my father reminded me. “But therapy is likely wise, especially once it sinks in that your dowry has a rather large monetary value. My uncles have been collecting pieces since my firstborn, waiting for the moment a daughter showed up. You’re going to need a large farm for a lot of horses, Emerick.”

I sucked in a breath, and my eyes widened. “They’ve been doing what for how long?”

My father’s smile had a rather wicked edge. “You will see soon enough.”