Tss 3: Night's Son

Bobby meets the rest of the Lancel family.

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Chapter 17

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Dinner with the Lancels

I felt a mix of relief and nervousness as we arrived at Shayna's parent's house for dinner. I had taken only twenty minutes to get ready, but it took my wives almost two hours. Thanks to the maid's timely warning, that only put us half an hour late. I thought we were still a little early to have dinner, but I assumed her parents wanted to get to know me before we ate.

I'd like to say I wasn't nervous about meeting them, but I'm also trying to be as honest as possible in this journal.

I hate being late, and considering how important this meeting was for my short wife, I hated it all the more. Thankfully, her parents lived in a different neighborhood, and I was able to shave five minutes off that time with my less-than-safe driving.

Her parents lived in another gated community that didn't seem very different from ours. We were in Shayna's truck as we pulled into the driveway, which was only a little smaller than Consul Willmont's.

As we walked up to the door, I moved to walk right in, assuming that since we were expected and Shayna was with us, it would be fine. However, Shayna's disapproving hiss stopped me. "What are you doing?" she whispered, grabbing my wrist before I could open the door.

"This was your house, right?" I asked, confused. "Don't you just walk in?"

"I did when I lived here," Shayna informed me as though it was the most obvious statement in the world. "We need to be allowed in, now that I'm married."

This seemed like the most absurd thing in the world, but it wasn't my house, so I reached out and rang the doorbell with my right hand while I held our dinner gift in my other.

A moment later, a middle-aged woman opened the door that could be no other than Shayna's mother. Her skin tone was soft brown, but her blue eyes and facial features were a close match. She looked to be of mixed descent, like her daughter, but more Latina than black. Not to be crude, but if this is what I had to look forward to with my wife, I'm not complaining. This woman was a bit more handsome, but she carried her years with a quiet confidence that I found attractive.

I see you can be attracted to older women,

Charlotte mused in my head.

If you don't like my human guise, I could always take her form the next time we're alone.

You know that's not the case,

I mentally chided her.

I find you plenty attractive, even if I never thought I'd go for that goth milf look. And no, thank you. That'd be weird, thinking I was getting it on with my wife's mother.

Oh, you just like my big tits!

Charlotte replied with a cackle, but the older woman started speaking after taking the three of us in before I could respond to the succubus.

"You must be Bobby!" A wide smile split her lips. "What did you have to do to my daughter to get her to actually show up early?"

"Early?" I asked, confused. "I thought we were late."

"That was my doing," a young man in his late teens said, coming to the door. "When Dad told me to call her, I told her the wrong time, though I didn't expect them to be here this much earlier."

"Ethan!" Shayna snapped, rushing to enter the house and pushing past her mom. "You little twerp! What time were we supposed to be here?"

The older woman laughed as I tried not to cringe. Shayna wanted this to be perfect, and it looked like she was about to get into a fight with her younger sibling. "I see some things are still the same. Well, come in. Come in. Elly, it's so good to see you again. You look so happy! I'm glad you and Shayna were able to find a good-looking husband together."

"Thank you, Mrs. Lancel," Elly nodded, stepping up to hug the older woman. There was evident warmth between the two that warmed my heart to see, especially after knowing of Elly's difficult childhood.

I was surprised when I was pulled into a hug a moment after Elly was released. I awkwardly hugged her back before following Mrs. Lancel inside the house.

"I brought this for dinner," I said, holding out a bottle of wine that the maid had produced from somewhere. "I hope it's okay."

Mrs. Lancel took the bottle and examined it briefly, her eyes growing wide. "However did you get your hands on this?" she asked in a tone I couldn't tell if she was shocked or elated. "Ariberto—rest his soul—had a couple of these in his cellar but would never reveal where he got them. I always wanted to try a little bit."

I had to struggle to keep from flinching at her words. Was the maid

trying

to get us in trouble? Thankfully, Charlotte came up with an excuse, and I stumbled over my words, trying to repeat it.

"I, um... Yeah. C-Consul Willmont gifted it to me after I returned from a mission." I had to swallow hard, the lie not coming easily to my lips.

"Was that the one you were injured on?" she asked, genuine concern in her gaze as she looked back at me. "Such a sad situation. Shayna was pretty worried about you until she heard you were okay. You Knights are always doing such dangerous tasks, but at least you're keeping us safe. I'm so thankful my husband chose a safer profession, though the early years were nerve-wracking."

I managed to nod, unsure or unable to speak, as we followed her into a large family room. Once again, I couldn't help but compare this home to the tiny shack I grew up in. The furniture looked more than a little expensive, and was that a minotaur-skin rug?

No, it's a fake,

Charlotte informed me.

It's a regular bull's head, but the skin is cut to the size of an adolescent minotaur. Horribly bad taste, but this is a Knight's home.

Despite my lingering feelings towards most magical creatures, I was glad this thing wasn't real.

"Have a seat, and I'll go put this on ice," Mrs. Lancel informed us. "I'm sure Shayna will be back in a moment, and my other daughters should be around here somewhere."

I sat on the end of an oversized leather couch that I somehow both sank into and felt firmly supported, with Elly sitting right on my left. Shayna met her mom on the way out, and they hugged before my young wife joined us. To my surprise, she sat square on my lap instead of sitting next to Elly.

"Remember, we're madly in love," she whispered before planting a kiss on my cheek.

"How could I forget something so obvious?" I asked, gripping her covered thighs as I softly kissed the back of her neck. She wore a black and white knee-length skirt, calf-height socks, and a matching top barely covering her midriff.

"You really do love us, don't you?" Elly said next to me a moment before I felt her lips against my cheek. She wore a tight pair of denim shorts that came to mid-thigh and a pink and black half-button-up shirt.

I transferred my left hand to her lower thigh and turned to meet her gaze. "I do," I said, meaning it. "I know I haven't known you for long, but I couldn't imagine my life without either of you in it."

"Even with all my drama?" Shayna asked in a voice I barely heard, even with this body's fantastic hearing.

"It wouldn't be worth it if I didn't have to work for it," I said, squeezing her right thigh. "Despite everything, I'm glad things have worked out the way they have. I don't think I could respect or care for either of you as much as I do if it was all handed to me without any effort."

"Shhh!" Shayna whispered as we heard footsteps approaching, and I realized how dangerous that topic was getting. The love spell would have meant no drama had it remained on them. A spell that was tantamount to treason for my wives since they had it removed.

"Dad!" Ethan called out as he entered the room and took one look at us. "Shayna's being a slut on the couch."

I felt anger start to bubble up at the impudent kid's remark, but before I could act, Shayna squeezed the hand on her thigh and wriggled her ass against my crotch.

"Why wouldn't I be the perfect little slut for my amazing husband?" Shayna giggled in a manner that made me wonder who she was. She actually sounded air-headed. "He's everything I've ever dreamed of. You're just jealous that you're still too young to get a woman as amazing as me and still have to use your crusty socks. I've seen your file, you know, and the women talk. None of them are interested in a dweeb like you."

Holy shit, my wife is vicious!

I thought. I knew she had to be doing a bit of acting, but she was good at it. The ice queen took no prisoners, and even family wasn't safe from her barbed tongue.

Don't tell her I told you, but she actually cares a lot for him,

Charlotte said.

"Dad!" Ethan called again, this time sounding upset. I'd feel sorry for him if not for the fact that he'd started it.

"Don't listen to her, Ethan. Your file is sealed until you're old enough to join," Peter Lancel said sternly as the rotund man entered the room. He was just as large and bald as I'd seen him in the Lawyer's office while learning of my father's death. "And Shayna, you know better than to reveal certain things."

"Yes, Daddy," Shayna quit grinding against me and hung her head. I was grateful she stopped, not only because her father was in the room but also because my manhood wasn't correctly situated, and she was making me uncomfortably hard. I needed to adjust but couldn't do it with an audience.

Peter Lancel approached me, holding out his hand. I was faced with either shaking it while sitting down or standing and revealing the prominent bulge in my pants after Shayna moved. Then another idea struck, and I went with it.

My left arm moved to pull Shayna's midsection closer to me. At the same time, I used my body's incredible strength and agility to lift her and stand simultaneously. Shayna squeaked in alarm as my height meant her feet dangled as I held her up in front of me. I held my right hand out to shake and stifled a grin as Peter tried to crush it.

I kept my grip firm but didn't try to crush his in return, though I maintained a steady gaze to let him know I wasn't cowed. He probably outweighed me by over a hundred pounds, but it was mostly fat. I remembered him as a jovial counterpoint to Alie Luu's stern demeanor, but that was before I'd married his daughter.

"It's good to see you again, Mr. Lancel," I said during the longer-than-usual handshake.

The older man grimaced a moment later and let go. He also broke eye contact first, but it was to disapprove of how I held Shayna. Having won one battle, I decided not to be impolite and carefully let my short wife down. Thankfully, she didn't step away and reveal my predicament but instead turned her body to drape her arms around my neck, pressing her side against me and hiding my bulge.

"Isn't he just amazingly strong, Daddy?" Shayna cooed, again making me wonder where this side of my wife had hidden. I'd seen many aspects of her over the last couple of weeks, but the playful, almost ditzy cheerleader was new. It was the same airhead attitude she'd taken with her brother but with a very different tone.

"Yes, quite," Mr. Lancel grumbled before squaring his rotund shoulders and facing me. "I expect you're treating my daughter well and not making too many changes? She has a promising career ahead of her as a surgeon—if she can ever decide which branch to go into." The last part came out in a tone that only a long-suffering father could produce.

"Daddy!" Shayna grumped. "You know it's an important decision."

Mr. Lancel finally turned his gaze from me to his daughter before responding. "You promised to decide after you were married. You're married. Decide."

Something in the finality of his tone rubbed me the wrong way. This wasn't the same jovial man I'd met when he and Alie Luu read my father's will. Of course, he wasn't my father-in-law back then, either. Regardless, I wasn't about to let him speak to my wife like that.

"Peter," I started by using his first name, "your daughter is a grown woman doing quite well in her studies. As her

husband

, I'm more than willing to wait and ensure she makes a decision that she will be happy with."

The large man's eyes snapped to bore into mine. I didn't flinch as I met the challenge while keeping my face calm. Years of mastering my emotions wouldn't slip just because of this.

Shayna reached down, her hand finding mine as a gesture of support. I squeezed it gently and smiled at her before returning my attention to her father. I wasn't about to back down.

"Besides," I continued, "sometimes the journey is as important as the destination. I believe Shayna will find her way, and I'll be there to support her every step of that way."

"Don't fall for his tough-guy routine," a new voice chimed in. This time, I broke eye contact as I looked for the speaker. A woman who could only be Shayna's older sister walked down a set of stairs. She was pretty attractive despite being very pregnant. She had the same blue eyes as my wife, but her hair was a glossy black. "He tried the same thing with my Ethan. Dad's a real softy at heart."

Ethan?

I wondered, remembering that was Shayna's younger brother's name.

"Dammit, Carmilla," Peter groused and turned to face his daughter. "How else am I supposed to take the man's measure? Big Ethan was shaking in his shoes. I want to know that the men that marry my babies are strong enough to handle them."

"Oh, Bobby is more than strong enough," Shayna giggled and hopped up to kiss my cheek quickly.

"Tone it down a little," I leaned down to whisper in her ear. "I don't want your parents thinking I turned you into a bimbo. I like my women with brains."

Before she could respond, though, Carmilla said something that shed some light on Shayna's odd behavior.

"Wow, was I that bad after marrying my Ethan?" Carmilla finished walking down the stairs and faced her sister. This close, I noted that the older sister was a bit taller than her other siblings. She rubbed her protruding stomach as she took us in. "No wonder you pulled me aside to ensure my Ethan treated me well that night."

"Your mother wasn't like this," Peter commented with a glower.

"Of course, I was, dear," Mrs. Lancel commented as she walked in. "The difference is that I kept your head and balls so empty that you didn't care."

"

Mom!

" Shayna and Carmilla gasped at the same time.

"You're so bad!" Shayna added with another giggle.

"I'm sure Bobby knows what I'm talking about," Mrs. Lancel laughed as she kissed her husband's burning cheeks. "Especially with two wives to keep him occupied! Anyway, dinner is ready. Little Ethan and Erin are already in the dining room. Will big Ethan be joining us?"

Suddenly, I understood the confusion of the Ethans. Apparently, Carmilla married a man with the same name as her younger brother.

"He sent me a message, letting me know he couldn't make it," Carmilla said with a shrug.

Thankfully, I was no longer stiff as we made our way to the dining room, where I was introduced to the last of Shayna's family. Erin, Little Ethan's twin sister, offered a warm smile and a genuine greeting. Little Ethan glared between Shayna and me. The pregnant Carmilla sat at the table with graceful ease despite her protruding belly.

I waited for both of my wives to be seated before I sat, noting a look of approval from Peter at my gentlemanly behavior.

The dinner was a lively affair, filled with laughter and amusing anecdotes from Shayna's childhood that left me with a deeper understanding of my wife's upbringing. I couldn't help but admire her parents' ability to handle their children's spirited personalities with humor and love. Throughout the evening, Mrs. Lancel showed a mischievous wit, while Mr. Lancel displayed an affectionate side that melted my reservations about him.

The food was delicious: a chicken breast casserole made with a garlic and oregano cream sauce, potatoes, and lintels. Mrs. Lancel brought out the bottle of wine from earlier, and moods loosened up even more, though Carmilla complained about not being allowed to have any. Despite being just over eighteen, even the twins were permitted to have one glass.

Speaking of Carmilla, she didn't let her abstinence from alcohol lessen her mood. She sat across from me, and at one point, I felt her toes sliding up my inner calf. I managed not to cough or react, but it was close. I hoped she'd turn her attention elsewhere if I didn't respond.

Curious...

Charlotte thought to me but didn't elaborate as I tried to move my leg away. I wasn't about to enter

that

quagmire of a minefield during a family dinner! She wasn't even drinking the wine!

I turned my attention back to the conversation as Mr. Lancel was regaling us with a case he'd worked on long ago. It was apparent his children had heard the story a hundred times, but it was new to me.

"And then he said, 'That can't be. My child is a female!' The entire courtroom burst into laughter, and the case against my client was dropped." Peter gripped his belly and laughed, jiggling all his numerous rolls before wiping away a fake tear. "And that's why you always check the fine details."

I didn't find the story as funny as he did, but I pretended to laugh along good-naturedly. Just in case I ever forget what that story was and decide to reread this journal: a low-ranking Knight claimed his daughter was violated by another higher-ranking Knight's son, getting her pregnant. It turned out the 'son' in question was just a very butch young woman who was a little more than friends with the low-ranking Knight's daughter. It was a classic case of a father ignoring his child to pursue his own ends. He was trying to discredit the higher Knight and get himself promoted.

Unfortunately, Carmilla hadn't given up despite my attempts to ignore her. When Mrs. Lancel stood up to get dessert, I jumped up to help her.

"I really don't need any help with this," Mrs. Lancel said, though she didn't stop me from grabbing a tray of flaky treats filled with a sweet-smelling concoction.

Returning to the table, Carmilla smirked, and her foot resumed its caressing, now inching higher and closer to my knee. While not lewd, it was undoubtedly inappropriate for a married woman to behave this way with her brother-in-law.

During dinner, there were no other noteworthy incidents. Little Ethan continued to glare while his twin sister was the complete opposite—bubbly and excitable, though a little too inquisitive about my wives' personal lives. Mrs. Lancel proved to be a gracious hostess, and her husband even let down his guard enough to 'officially welcome me to the family!' It was evident that everyone had a high opinion of Elly, and despite her quiet demeanor, they managed to get her talking about her classes.

Both of my wives showered me with affection throughout the evening, which warmed my heart, except for the awkward moments caused by Carmilla's advances.

"It was great meeting you, Bobby," she whispered in my ear as I gave her an awkward, bent-over hug goodbye. "Hopefully, I'll get to know you better soon." Her playful nip on my ear left me baffled.

What the hell?

I asked the demoness in my soul.

She's a married woman. Shouldn't she be completely devoted and faithful to her husband? Or could my pheromones be affecting her? It didn't seem to have the same impact on Shayna's mom or younger sister.

No,

Charlotte gaffawed.

It appears Big Ethan is a big... wait. Sorry. I promised not to give you those details. Forget what I just said.

"That went really well," Shayna said as I drove us home. She sat in the middle of her own truck with Elly riding shotgun.