“Distract her, or you’re really in for it.” Lucy called down from the top of the slope.

Her shrieks were building in volume. “How am I supposed to do that?” he asked.

“She likes animal sounds, especially cows. Moo.”

He shot Lucy a disgusted look, then shoved the screaming baby toward Nell. “Here. Distract her.”

Nell clasped her arms behind her back and stepped away. “I don’t know how.”

The Demon’s fists were going everywhere and she’d started to kick. Shit. He turned around and carried her back into the water.

He’d be damned if he’d moo.

Chapter 8

8

MAT GAZED DOWN at the naked baby playing with his toes in the bottom of the shower stall. How had this happened? How had he ended up taking a shower with a baby? Now, taking a shower with Nell, that would be different.

He belatedly remembered that big, pregnant belly and shook off the image. They were still parked by the covered bridge, and at this rate, they weren’t going to make it to Iowa before the Demon hit puberty. He slicked the last of the soap from his chest and decided he’d been caught in one of those nightmares where he was trying to get somewhere, but no matter what he did, he couldn’t make it.

A frightening thought struck him. First he’d acquired two kids. Now he’d picked up a woman. It was as if some satanic force were building a family around him.

“How are you doing in there?” Nell called through the door.

The Demon bent forward and sank all four of her teeth into the top of his foot. He yelped, wedged himself down to scoop her up. “You little—”

“We have no idea what kind of microorganisms were swimming in that river water,” Nell said. “Are you using lots of soap on her?”

He shoved her under the spray. “A whole bar.”

“You’d better not be trying any funny business with her in there, Jorik!” Lucy exclaimed. “I mean it!”

“Hush, Lucy,” Nell said. “Don’t make him any madder than he already is.”

The Demon was starting to sputter, so he pulled her out from under the water, then tucked her against his bare chest. She went after one of his nipples with her fingernails.

“Ouch!”

“You’re hurting her!” Lucy shouted. “I know you are!”

“I’m not hurting her!”

The Demon didn’t like anybody yelling but herself, and she started that lip-quiver stuff.

“I’m immune,” he growled down at her.

The quiver disappeared and a beamy smile took its place. He could swear he saw adoration glimmering in those blue eyes, and every bit of it was directed at him. “Forget it. I can’t be bought. ”

She gave a delighted baby vampire squeal, turned her head into his chest, and bit.

“Damn it!”