On Gwyneira’s flight back to her office, all she could think about was Mr. Bloodworth’s insistence on handing over Emrys Hawthorn like a juicy steak dinner on a platter. The Hawthorn family desperately wanted to find him.  They had ample funds to take on his case and clear his name, yet Emrys had darkened her doorstep for some peculiar reason.

When Counsel and Caldron’s sign came into view, depicting a ginormous golden caldron, Gwyneira steered her broom downward.  The dim lamp light illuminated a figure standing outside her firm, and once her feet touched the ground again, she recognized the vampire’s enchanting midnight-hued locks. 

“Emrys?” Gwyneira marched up to the front door, broom in hand, as she tried to read the label on a sack he carried in his arms. She’d let him spend the morning in her office, and had expected him to be gone by nighttime, back to whatever Inn he could afford.  Not outside her firm again.

“Good night, Gwyneira.” Emrys’ reddened ears perked up as he grinned.  “How did your case go?”

“Very well.” Gwyneira frowned as she retrieved her key from her coat’s pocket.  “Why are you here?  And what’s in the bag?”

“I wanted to discuss more about my case with you.” Emrys gazed around, like he was searching for something.  On instinct, it made Gwyneira glance behind them as she inserted the key into the lock and turned, until it gave way with a soft click.  “I also brought you a night snack.”

“A night snack?” Despite her apprehension, Gwyneira let Emrys in. 

Once they’d reached her desk, Emrys opened the sack and placed a pie box down. Dragon Dough’s Bakery embellished the top in a cursive font with a tiny black dragon printed alongside it.  Curiously, Gwyneria opened the box and the delightful scents of lemon and baked crust wafted throughout her office.

“Lemon meringue pie was a favorite of mine before I fully turned.” A touch of color bloomed in Emrys’ cheeks.  “Sorry, I didn’t know what you liked.  I just hated to come back here empty-handed.  If you don’t like it, I won’t be offended if you throw it away.”

“I could never toss out a perfectly delicious pie.” Gwyneira chuckled.  “Thank you, Emrys. I appreciate it. Lemon meringue was actually my mother’s favorite pie too.  She always baked them during the spring solace.  The kitchen smelled so sweet and just like lemons forever.” She dug out a plastic fork from the bag and cut herself a small piece, savoring the scrumptious lemony meringue and warm crust.  

“I’m glad you like it.  However, for future reference, what is your favorite pie?” Emrys asked.

Gwyneira stuffed another forkful in her mouth, swallowed, then replied, “Peach cobbler.  With a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.”

“Sounds delicious.” There was a wistful look in Emrys’ crimson eyes as he perched himself down in one of her chairs.  “I’ll be sure to remember that.”

“Not that I’m complaining since you brought pie, but why are you here, Emrys? Did something else happen? Did the police question you or try to get in contact?” Gwyneira asked. 

“No, they haven’t.” Emrys shook his head. “I guess I just wanted to see you. Uh, you know, to check up on the progress of my case.” His blush crept from his pointy ears, down to his neck. “I am your client now, right? Aren’t there things we need to go over? Like a payment plan and stuff?”

“Yes, I suppose we can go over those.  However, I must advise you that prosecutor Mr. Bloodworth has been hired by your family and is more than willing to take on your case.” Gwyneira watched him closely as he digested that new information, then added, “He’s one of the best vampire criminal defense lawyers in Sanguine City.  Great reputation for getting clients out of trouble, although a bit on the higher end side.  But it seems that won’t be a concern to your pocket since your family paid for him.”

“Bloodworth is on my family’s payroll, so that’s not too surprising.” Emrys massaged his temple.  “You didn’t tell him about me staying the morning here in your office, did you?”

“Heavens, no.” Gwyneira took another bite of her lemon meringue pie, then pointed her plastic fork in his direction.  “Tell me why you came here instead of asking your family for help.  They’re trying to help you, and Bloodworth is certainly more experienced than I in these matters.”

“Family issues.” Emrys dragged his tongue across his fangs.  “I don’t want Bloodworth to represent me.  I want you to.”

“Why?” Gwyneira asked.

“Do you always question your clients' judgement and why they chose you to take their case?  I promise I have the money to pay you, if that’s what you’re worried about.” Emrys slouched in his seat like a petulant child, crossing his arms over his chest.

“I’m questioning it because you’re clearly hiding something.  You can butter me up with pie all you like, but I’m not agreeing to anything until you explain what’s going on. Elaborate on these family issues.”

“It’s complicated.” Emrys flexed his ears inward with a visible cringe. 

Gwyneira cut another piece of pie.  “I’ve dealt with many complicated families.”

“My father cut me off from the family funds a few months ago because I want nothing to do with their blood harvesting business,” Emrys admitted.  “He keeps pushing me to move higher up in the company, but I don’t want it or anything to do with Hawthorn Veinworks.  I’ve been doing well enough with my delivery job.”

“Delivery job?” Gwyneira raised a brow.

“I bring people their food and vamps their blood.  Pretty simple stuff,” Emrys replied. 

“Which has no relation to your family’s blood harvesting business?” Gwyneira asked.

“Correct.  I wanted a fresh start after…” Emrys trailed off, shaking his head.  “I just needed to live by myself and forge my own path.  It’s not like my father is short of heirs to take over.  I’m his youngest son, after all.”

“Out of curiosity, how many brothers do you have?”

Emrys held up a hand, then another, counting off on his fingers.  “Twelve.”

Gwyneira brows shot up so high, it was a surprise they hadn’t flown away.  “That’s quite a huge family.  All brothers?  Any sisters?”

“Nope, no sisters.” Emrys shook his head.

“That must have been a handful for your mother.”

“Well, most of us don’t have the same mother.”  Emrys cradled the back of his neck. “Father has his precious concubines, all a part of the infamous Hawthorn harem.  My mother’s one of his greatest mistakes, after me. She was no concubine either, which was why she could not live within the mansion with those who birthed my brothers.  She was just a lonely witch who fell in love with a devil.”  

“I’m sorry, Emrys.” Gwyneira couldn’t even begin to imagine what that had to be like growing up for him, especially with how his father looked down on his mother. “Does your mother live here in Sanguine City?” 

Emrys shook his head, sorrow glistening in his crimson eyes. “I haven’t heard from her since I was a child and my father took me away.”

“Took you away?” Gwyneira had handled many child custody cases, and knew those with dhampir youngins were typically given full custody to the vampire parent. 

“There was an accident. And I don’t blame my dear mother at all because she had no idea how to raise a vampire baby on her own.” Emrys poked the bottom of his lip with his fang. “She didn’t know how much blood a small toddler like me needed to survive. She did her best to supply her own blood.“

“What happened?” Gwyneira asked softly. 

“She was already so stressed trying to take care of me and couldn’t understand why I couldn’t just live on normal baby foods.” Emrys tucked his arms around himself, gaze dropping down to his feet where Nightshade had perched herself. “I bit her neck. I think it was just instinct, you know? I didn’t know what I was doing. She was very fortunate she got me to unlatch. Sometimes, I still feel the phantom pains of that silver cross of hers.” He reached up, gently brushing his thumb against his cheek. 

Gwyneira’s heart tightened.  “You didn’t mean to hurt her. She should have reached out to a vampire pediatrician the moment you were born.”

“Like I said. I don’t blame her, Gwyneira. She didn’t know how to take care of me. She never should have had me.” Emrys shook his head. “After that, she called VCPS (Vampire Child Protective Services) and they rehomed me with one of my brothers.  I was crying the whole time, begging them not to take me away. And she was pleading with them to never bring me back.”

“I’m so sorry, Emrys.”

“You wanted to know about my family, and now you do.  Still want to pawn me off to Mr. Bloodworth?” Emrys scoffed, raking a hand through his long, midnight hair.  “Because I can tell you with certainty that his job will not be helping me.  He will help my father make this disappear, which means putting me back in a blood rehabilitation center and paying enough hush money to the Sanguine City police department to make that murder go away.”

Gwyneira had heard about the corruption on the force from her brother-in-law, but she’d never found herself so tangled up in the midst of it.  She’d already planned to take him on as a client, but hearing the reasons why that scumbag, Bloodworth really wanted to take him from her made her blood boil.

“Let’s get the contract signed up, okay?” Gwyneira met his gaze with a half smile.  “I’ll set up an installment plan for you, then you can pay monthly fees instead of getting smacked in the face with an exorbitant bill.  The first bill will be at the end of this month,” She reached over for her sticky notes.  “I’ll write out some starter amounts and you let me know which sounds suitable, okay?”

“Yes, that sounds good to me.” Emrys’ eyes lit up like an excited child’s on Nightfall Eve. All traces of his sorrows vanished, but Gwyneira knew old wounds like his never healed. 

After drawing up his contract and agreeing to a suitable payment plan, Emrys made himself far too comfortable in her chair. He’d stretched out like a lazy cat and cracked open a book, one with a more discreet cover that depicted red roses. Although the title Dangerous Love had her curious about its content.

“You do realize that just because I accepted you as a client does not mean my office is a B and B for you,” Gwyneira told him.

“I’m safer here.” Emrys peeked up at her from behind his book.  “Iron Fang’s crew is already hunting me down.  Those damn bat cops are too mouthy.”

Gwyneira grew pale.  “You better not lure any fanging mafia members to my doorstep, Emrys!”