Theo wolfed the food as neatly as he could, considering he’d flown across two-thirds of the country. I hope she’s got protein coming up. He smiled as Sylvia plopped six eggs in front of him.
“I remember,” she laughed. “How you stay thin is a mystery.”
“I get my exercise,” he mumbled around a mouthful, reaching for more coffee.
Looking over the rim of his coffee cup, Theo’s ice-blue eyes narrowed, and he jerked his head toward the door. Sylvia, busy with six more eggs, was oblivious.
Jigs up. Rafi flowed out through the kitchen baseboards. He saw me. How odd. He’s not Djinn. But, he not only saw me, I believe he knew what I was. Huh.
“Sylvia, we need to talk,” Theo said, setting his dishes into the dishwasher and refilling his coffee. Why does it have to be Djinns again? Perfect, just freaking perfect.
“It’s time to walk Puddles. Want to see the reservoir?”
“I do.”
“Did you bring shorts? This is Florida, Bro. Just as hot, and a hundred times more humid.”
“I’ll be fine, Kid. Heat is my thing. Come on MP, let’s shake this breakfast down.”
There was caution tape around the basin, but the paths were still open for public use. About a quarter of a mile along, Theo slid Sylvia a side-eye and asked, “How much do you remember about Dad?”
“Oh. Well, not much, really. I remember his light hazel eyes, and he was so big. When he carried me I felt like I was on a mountain, the ground was so far away.”
“How far away?” Theo prodded, watching her.
“It sounds so lame, but I felt like the cars were toys, and the houses were like little playhouses. Why, Theo?”
“Sylvia, I need you to suspend logic for a while. Can your scientific brain do that?”
“I suppose. I’m being asked to believe the illogical about this reservoir failure.”
Theo blew out a sigh. Well, the failure isn’t logical, but here goes. “Okay. So, when I was about four, and Mom and Dad divorced, Dad met, fell in love with and married Nixelle, your mother. She was great, created no strain with Mom, and worked hard to make our family feel like a whole family.”
“Yes, I have good memories too. Long blond curls, happy blue eyes, and her smile. I was always glad I ended up with hair like hers. She taught me to swim. We played in the water all the time. I felt lost when she died.”
“I loved her too, Sylvia. Here is the illogical piece, so stay with me. Both Dad and Nixelle were, well, different. Mom knew but didn’t care. When Nixelle passed, Mom said she’d raise us both, as long as Dad would agree to a few conditions. He did so.”
“How do you know all this?”
“A box of their things came anonymously to Magic before you came for that visit, the one where we took the picture your surprise visitor found interesting. The contents of the package pieced together with what I knew firsthand, filled in the missing blanks. For a while, I didn’t believe it. I tested theories. Over time, I changed my mind.”
“About what, Theo? I’m not getting your point.”
Theo looked around for their smoke intruder. I can’t feel him, and I don’t see him either. Here goes nothing.
“When I said Dad and Nixelle were different, Sis, what I meant is they were, well, magic. As in magical beings.”
“Oh, Theo,” Sylvia burst out laughing, “You had me going there for a minute!”
“Look at me.”
Surprised, she looked, eyes wide as Theo’s face changed, eyes growing wide and yellow, nose pushing out like a snout, and while she stared, puffs of smoke, with sparks, blew out of his nostrils. Still holding her gaze, Theo returned his face to human form.
“Dad was a dragon, Sylvia. I’m a half-dragon. So are you.”
“That’s insane. This is the best trick ever, Theo, but stop it.”
Theo gestured to the reservoir basin. “How much water was in that thing, Sylvia? Fifteen billion and some gallons? So, say, 120 billion pounds of water? Give or take? You know what dragons have, Sylvia? Dragon skin. Impervious. A dragon can take a beating from all that water and come away unscathed. They live for centuries because you can’t hurt them.”
“It hurt me, Theo, look at my leg...” Sylvia’s voice trailed off as she looked at her unblemished leg. Her eyes met Theo’s, panicked.
“We heal quick, Kid. It’s part of the charm. Are you ready to hear the rest of the story?”
Sylvia nodded, her voice gone for the moment.
“Mom was human, Nixelle was not. Dad met her in Germany one night, down by the Danube. They were deeply in love, based on the letters in the box I received. Nixelle was a Nixe, a water sprite. She could shape-shift, but she lived in the water. Somehow they made it work, they made you and a lot of happiness for a few stolen years.”
Sylvia nodded and Theo continued. “Nixelle got caught in a fishing net. Dad fought to get her from the fisherman. In his anger, Dad lit the boat on fire; none of the crew survived. By the time Dad grabbed Nixelle, she’d been out of the water too long, Sylvia. All of Dad’s anger was for nothing. Nixelle died that night. Dad, in a way, did too. He was never the same.”
A tear ran down Sylvia’s cheek, and Theo’s eyes were gentle as he brushed it away. I hate destroying the life she made for herself.
“I’m looking at you and I can tell there’s more to this awful story,” she hitched.
“Dad asked Mom to raise us both as her own. He agreed to ensure our family wanted for nothing, but he knew he could not live among humans anymore. In her way, Mom loved him always, and she agreed to open her heart to you and love you like her own. Her main condition was that he take us to a witch and have us covered with a protection spell that not only kept us safe but blinded us from our magic.”
Theo mustered up a lopsided grin. “I didn’t know I was a dragon until I lived in Magic, New Mexico, for a while. A witch there lifted the spell. I had you come out to visit, thinking they could lift yours, but, with two magical parents, your spell was different, more complicated. During your visit, they could not help you.”
I remember that parade of women Theo introduced me to. They seemed so interested in me. Now I know why.
“Since then, they’ve been working on it and now feel they know how to lift the spell. But, and it’s a big but, you will lose the protection, and you must learn how to be a Dragon-Nixe.” He looked at her, his expression thoughtful. “To be candid, I don’t know what that will mean for you. If you must live in water most of the time that might mean your whole life as you have known it is over.”
“The reason I’m here, and why I’m putting all of this on you, is because your intruder is most likely a Djinn, or in the vernacular of today, a genie. For the most part, Djinns are giant jerks. Djinns,” he jerked his head towards the basin, “did your little water show here.”
“Are you kidding me, Theo? My wannabe eco-terrorist is a freaking genie? Oh, presenting that theory at the office should be a hoot. They’ll frog march me to a straitjacket. And if this is true, he ruined the basin? Why? Who does that benefit? Our water woes just increased tenfold. We were running out before. Now, what will happen?”
Theo’s ice-blue eyes bored into hers. “Sylvia, God created the Angels, then he made the Djinn. When He created humans, He asked the others to bow before humans, his greatest creation. The Angels did, the Djinns refused, believing humans inferior. For their refusal, God cast them away. Djinns swore an eternal promise to rend humanity, intending to prove to God that he erred. They’ve been at this, and at the root of much of humanity’s grief, for thousands of years.”
“Holy crap, Theo.”
Theo laughed. “They are that, Kid. Well, most. I know one who is decent,” Theo’s eyes crinkled. “Djinns create a shock wave within their forms and blast stuff with it. I once saw a Djinn flip a spaceship upside down.”
“What? That’s it! I’m getting you out of the sun.” Sylvia grabbed Theo’s arm and shook it, angrier than she could ever remember being. “Spac
eships? You’re off your meds, Theo.” A tiny plume of smoke rose from his shirt sleeve.
“You’re burning my shirt,” Theo said, his voice calm, eyes never leaving her face.
“What! Oh, crap! Oh my God, Theo, I burnt fingerprints into your shirt!”
“It’s OK, Sis. I brought others. I go through a lot of shirts.” Theo’s head turned, feeling the air for magic, glad to sense nothing. “If they can lift your spell, you won’t ignite by touch anymore. This is your magic leaking out in odd ways. You’ll see this more and more. I caught my toilet on fire once. Don’t ask.”
He caught a ghost of a smile behind her panic and gave her a little hug. “Let’s head back. I think you need to process, and I could stand to eat more. Being in flight for two days took it out of me.”
Sylvia nodded, her mind flailing. In flight. Holy crap! He flew, like with wings. From New Mexico! This is un-freaking-believable. I don’t believe it. I can’t. This is insane. We’re dragons? A sob burst from her chest.
Running hard, she charged back toward Martin Street and the shreds of normal that remained, leaving Theo to watch her grow smaller as she ran from her awful truth.
Chapter Five
Boggus opened the file from forensics and pulled out the cleaned up photo, looking at the men in the back. Every detail of the photo was now crystal clear, except these two faces which were just a blurred as they’d been on his computer screen. Weird.
Grabbing his camera, he uploaded the shots he’d taken of Sylvia and her tall, disappearing date, and shook his head in disbelief, staring at a face-on shot of the man, with Sylvia’s back to Boggus’ camera. Every detail of the photo, the slender chains on Sylvia’s wrist, the signage of the shops farther down the street, the shadows, are perfect. The man’s face, a blur. This makes no sense.
He leaned back in his chair, thinking. There was a WET protest scheduled for noon today at city hall. I believe Murph, a camera, and I need to take a drive. I want another set of eyes on this guy.
“MORNING, KID,” THEO’S face was kind, but his eyes held worry, and Sylvia gave him a hug on her way to the coffeepot. “What’s on the agenda for today?”
“Since I’m on vacation this week,” Sylvia’s blue eyes twinkled, “I thought we’d celebrate by going to a protest.”
“First Amendment, for the win,” Theo smiled back, heading into the kitchen with a pair of sweatpants in his hand. Not my first rodeo.
Sylvia plunked down across the little table from Theo. “I’ve had a night to mull on this, and I’ve got questions.”
Theo nodded, and stared at the kitchen corner, eyes hard. “You might as well show yourself, Djinn. I hate snoops.”
Rafi pulled his smoke out of the corner and took his human form. Theo tossed the sweatpants. “Put ’em on.”
Rafi pulled the pants over his long, well-muscled thighs and ass and leaned against the counter.
“Happy now, big brother?” Rafi’s voice carried a faint sneer.
“Since you’re still here, no, but it’ll work for now.”
“How about you, love? Are you sorry to miss the show?” Rafi’s slow smile sent lusty shock waves through Sylvia’s core, but she held his eyes.
“You do not have my permission to be in my house, Rafi. Don’t sneak in here anymore. I don’t know how or why you keep showing up, but I told you no, and I meant it.” Sylvia’s blue eyes were shading grey, her lips set. Rafi found her irresistible. I’m not going anywhere, love. You will be mine.
Theo leaned back. “What’s your name, Djinn? Why are you bothering my sister?”
“I am Rafi. Rafael if you prefer. She was at the reservoir, and I want to know what she knows.”
“She knows, only because I told her, that you did it with your shock wave trick. It looks as though you’ve finished your mayhem. Why haven’t you smoked out toward another attempt at mischief?” Theo’s voice took on a mocking lilt.
“Mis-chief.” Rafi snarled the word, his voice rising. “Mischief? I am a mighty Djinn, wreaking havoc, destroying humanity, inciting wars, famine, and pestilence. I don’t do ‘mischief’, whatever the hell you are, Brother.”
The sense of magic in the kitchen was palpable. Sylvia shook, sensing it as if through gauze. I’ve felt this before, always thought it was nausea. It’s not though, it’s my essence fighting within my core to escape, and it can’t. Theo told the truth. I am something else beyond what I thought of myself. This sucks! I like my little life of orderly science with a side of railing against injustice.
Pissed, she jumped up, went to the sink and ran the water, feeling her blood hum, hungry. She held the water in her hands. In an instant, water filled her kitchen to the ceiling, cracked the window over her sink, and burst out onto the side yard, leaving them all wet and wondering.
“That was interesting,” Rafi said, wet sweatpants clinging to his body. Sylvia’s eyes took in every ridge, transfixed. He leaned over, breath filling her ear. “I’ll be back, love,” he murmured, low, and trailed his smoke across her body as he flowed out the broken window.
Theo bent down to pick up the wet sweats, laying in a puddle, and tossed them in the sink. “He will be back, Sis. Djinns never listen.”
“I’m not sure I don’t want him to, Theo. He has this quality that calls me.”
“Sylvia, that’s called lust, and it’s nothing new. Do you really want to be number infinity with a guy who’s been boinking humanity for 3,000 years?”
PIRRO LISTENED, HIS face a mixture of his normal disdain and a new interest. “That’s magic. What is your plan?”
“She calls my spirit. I am staying.”
Pirro looked at Rafi, then away. I’ve interrupted his dalliances with humans in the past. But, if she is not human, I will respect this call.
“I want to continue this agitation over the water. I sense this will grow violent as it forces the stupid humans to pay more for less water. Fomenting that unrest amuses me. I will stay,” Pirro decided. “For now.”
PARKED DOWNTOWN, SYLVIA popped the Hyundai’s hatchback and pulled out three protest signs.
Water is a Human Right!
Water 4 People Not Lawns
No Tier Pricing on Water
“What is tier pricing?” Theo asked as they walked towards the meeting spot to rendezvous with Tina.
“The city is discussing having lower per gallon prices for people with large lawns and pools. Doing it that way means poorer people end up paying proportionately higher prices per gallon used. It doesn’t promote wise water use, and our area doesn’t have enough fresh water supply to sustain the usage levels we have now. Losing the Chiles reservoir adds to the risk that we’ll be in a rationing situation, with grass and pools valued over people. It’s a bad policy, Theo.”
“Hey!” Tina waved, her smile beaming from across the street, and Theo stiffened.
“Your Djinns have crashed your party, Sis. They could pull something and someone would blame your group.”
“What? Oh, hell no.” Sylvia took off across the street in a full-on sprint, running straight into Rafi, and knocking him, as big as he was, off his feet and back into the doorway. Shaking, she pressed her hands flat against his hard chest, her eyes blue fire. “Listen up, Rafi. Whatever your feckless agenda is with our water, you need to stop it right now. I’m not kidding around. Hey! Look at me!”
“Feckless? Are you entertaining the notion you are in charge of this moment?” Rafi grabbed her by the ribs, twisting, and pinned her where he’d been a moment before. His eyes went dark as he leaned in and kissed her, catching her bottom lip with his teeth as he cupped her head, then kissing her deeply, her mouth opening, tasting him as time suspended.
Sylvia’s eyes changed, glowing clear blue, and Rafi felt caught in their swirl. He’d never experienced encapsulated time; it was as if they paused, caught in a bubble beyond the world’s current, moving at a different speed, in an eddy for them apart. It is like being in the interdimensional plane, but one I don’t control.
Theo’s heavy hand on his shoulder, yanking him backward, broke the moment. The two men squared off, but Sylvia stepped between them.
“Theo, this is not the time or the place. Rafi, you and I need to talk, but later. I am asking you to not create a scene right now. Will you do that for me?”
Across the street, Boggus and Murphy watched the three, Murph snapping a few pictures that Boggus didn’t expect would help. Easing out of the car, he stepped across the street with Murphy on his heels.
“Ms. Bravian, how are you? Do you remember me?” Boggus asked, his eyes on Rafi, memorizing his face, then shifting to Theo.
“I remember you. Officer Boggus, right?”
“Detective, but yes.”
“Ah, sorry. This is my brother, Theo, visiting from New Mexico. He’s a sheriff there.”
“Detective,” Theo said, gripping his hand. “It’s a pleasure.”
“And you are?” Boggus looked directly at Rafi.
“Rafael Smith.”
“I’ve seen you around these protests before. Are you local?”
“No, just interested in the argument.”
That’s an odd way to put it. This guy is off. Boggus locked eyes with Rafi. Yeah, this guy is way off.
“Where were you the evening of the 22nd?”
“I was at the beach.”
“Alone?”
Rafi’s slow smile flipped Sylvia’s gut. “Detective, I am only alone if I choose. That day, I wanted to be.”
“Which beach?”
“Lido, in Sarasota.”
Boggus kept his face neutral. “Thanks for your time.” He turned, and walked to Tina and Pirro, memorizing Pirro’s face, and repeated his questions. Pirro was also at the beach, alone, but at Anna Maria Island. Liars, both.
“Rafi, don’t create a problem for me here,” Sylvia held his gaze. “Promise me.”
I am torn between my need for this woman and my loyalty to Pirro. His eyes held hers. “I will not agitate this gathering, but I will see you soon, love.” He leaned in, lips brushing her ear. “All of you, and we will become one. You feel this as I do. Do not turn me away again.”
Swimming for Air Page 3
