He nodded. He was really glad to have her here. She’d watch over him during the night. “I’ve asked the security firm to send me ten men. They should arrive around 1 p.m.”
“Good. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll go feed. Try and extend your meal until I come to collect you.”
He watched her leave and called the waiter over. The man glanced at the untouched glass and back at Copernicus. “She changed her mind. Could I have the dessert menu, please?”
†
Paloma looked at the horizon and back up the tree to where Tahlia sat silently. By all standards known to her, Tahlia was taking what was happening with Jemima quite well. Serenity and meditation weren’t means she thought Tahlia would ever apply. When it came to issues regarding Jemima, Tahlia was usually rash and frighteningly dangerous. She threw a glance at the horizon again. They had half an hour at the most to get indoors before sunrise. It would be so unfortunate to die at a time when she had attained everything she had ever wanted— a beautiful wife and a daughter she adored. Tahlia suddenly materialized next to her and it was only millennia of training and composure that kept her from yelping.
The black eyes were warm as they studied her. “Thank you, old friend.”
Paloma nodded. Her life was irrevocably linked with Tahlia’s. Not even Inger would ever understand how deep and strong the bond was between her and Tahlia. If need be; she would’ve stayed out today and burned to a crisp as long as she was there with and for Tahlia. So, standing watch under a tree for three hours was nothing for her. She followed Tahlia as they raced back to the city. The time alone seemed to have done Tahlia good, for though she was fast, it was nowhere near the breakneck pace of earlier. They entered the bunker through one of the secret passages that opened up into the training room. With a brief nod, each went their own way. Paloma was eager to see Inger and kiss her daughter. When she entered their apartment, Inger was lying on her side facing away from the door. Not wanting to disturb her sleeping wife, she quietly began to undress and walked to the small lounge. She was about to step on the handle to access her crypt when Inger turned to face her. Paloma’s heart warmed when she saw a small fist swinging in the air. She quickly approached the bed and smiled down at her feeding daughter.
“She has a ferocious appetite,” she murmured. The baby’s eyes met and held hers. She hadn’t spent any time around babies, except for that one night when she came across Inger as a baby, but she could tell that her daughter was not acting anywhere near how a child her age should be acting. There was an intensity about Isis that defied her age and a presence that was unmistakable.
“She takes after her mother,” Inger said with more than a little heat in her eyes. Paloma returned the look with one of her own and stretched out next to Inger and tenderly kissed her daughter’s crown.
“You’re up late.”
Inger smiled adoringly. “I wanted to see you first.” Paloma melted at hearing that. “On top of that, my sexy wife ambushed me earlier and had wrung me dry. The nap afterwards was quite invigorating.”
Paloma chuckled softly as she played with Isis’ tiny fingers. They were both quickly engrossed the antics of their daughter, who after she had been fed and burped, decided to entertain her parents by blowing bubbles and grabbing their noses as they leaned in to plant kisses on her face. After twenty minutes, the baby’s eyes began to droop. Paloma glanced at Inger.
“Do me a favor and visit your parents later.”
The smile on Inger’s face froze. “Why? What’s wrong with my parents, Paloma?”
“I would rather you talk to them and find out yourself, darling.”
“Oh, Paloma…”
Paloma gathered Isis in her arms and carried her to her crib where she tucked her in with a soft kiss. She returned to the bed to gather a distraught Inger in her arms.
†
Jemima was lying on the couch in the lounge, the TV playing softly in the background, when Tahlia entered the suite. She heard her walk over to the crib and sat up. Tahlia was looking down at her daughter, before she ran a finger down the baby’s cheek.
“I was waiting for you to come home.”
Tahlia turned and Jemima was caught in the black stare. Tahlia moved away from the crib and came to stand next to the couch. She appeared so distant and that worried Jemima. Maybe the time alone had not restored Tahlia’s equilibrium. But even then, somewhere in that cold husk was the woman she loved with all her heart.
“Will you sit with me so we can talk?”
Tahlia looked at her couch and back at Jemima before she took a seat. Jemima caught a whiff of Tahlia’s scent. She always smelled dangerous, like an electric storm. Over the years people had always wondered how she could love such a powerful being. What they didn’t know was to have such a powerful being love her, was addictive.
“What did the doctor say?”
Jemima blinked slowly. “My body’s creating new cells. They’re not sure what causes it, but they’re making it a priority.” Tahlia didn’t blink or react to the news in any way and that confused Jemima. “You don’t seem surprised?”
“I picked up on your heartbeat three days ago.”
Jemima swallowed hard. “Heartbeat? I…I…” She stopped abruptly and reached out and grabbed Tahlia’s hand. “What does it mean? Do you know what’s happening to me?”
Tahlia looked at her, her eyes dark with an unnamed emotion. “You’re becoming human again.”
Jemima shot to her feet and began to pace. Human? She was to be human again. She hadn’t been human for many decades. With the birth of Aria she had been forced to start consuming human food so she could produce milk for her growing baby. As vile as it was, she had known that she was making the sacrifice for her child. That made it almost bearable. However, becoming human, was something entirely different. She turned to look at Tahlia and found her following her with her eyes.
“I’m scared, Tahlia.” She came to kneel before Tahlia. “I’m scared of what this means for us. For Aria.” She placed her hands upon Tahlia’s knees. “I know I’ve wounded you, but I beg you to not abandon me now. Please, help me through this and forgive me my careless words of earlier, my love.”
†
Tahlia wasn’t sure what she had expected to happen when she saw Jemima again. The time spent in the nook of tree, had been a struggle to find serenity. She might not have found peace, but she got a few answers. As much as it was going to hurt to do it, she’d have to take a step back and allow Jemima to make a decision about this. Take the cues from her. She had seen the other couples struggle to find a coherence amongst themselves; one that worked for them. Tahlia could see that love was not an issue they struggled with, never that. Mixing two races, one alive and the other dead, was the hardest for them to deal with. Was that what she would have to go through with Jemima again? Was she still capable of doing so after all this time? Here she was, looking into the eyes of the woman she loved and she was more scared at that moment than any other time in her life. Jemima was the only person, who could destroy her and she wouldn’t know how to begin to defend herself.
“I will not abandon you, Jemima. For the sake of our daughter, we need to work through this.” A look of pain flashed over Jemima’s face and Tahlia looked away. She didn’t want to hurt the other woman, but they needed boundaries. Even after all these years. “I will consult Mendelsohn later to find out if he knows of any similar cases.”
Jemima gently turned Tahlia’s face so their eyes met again. “I will make this right, Tahlia. Just give me time and your support, so I can get there.” She brought Tahlia’s hand to her lips. “In the meantime, know that I love you forever and beyond.”
VI
Jessica lifted her hand and waved to draw Howie’s attention. He smiled as he approached her table. He leaned over and kissed her cheek. He looked fresh and suave and in love. She shook her head slowly. The country bumpkin had finally grown into himself.
“Being in love suits you, Howie.”
> He blushed. “It’s Howard now,” he said with a sheepish grin. “Letitia insists that I use my full name. Make’s me sound more manly.”
Jessica’s eyebrow shot up. “Ok, Howard it is then.” She looked around for the waiter. “I’m starving. And you?”
“Just lemon water for me.”
She blinked at him. Howard usually ordered at least three dishes off the menu every time they went out to eat somewhere. “That’s it? You must be joking, Howi…Howard.”
He shrugged. “Letitia thought that I could lose a few pounds before the wedding.”
Letitia again. Jessica sat back in her chair and skewered Howard with hard look. “Exactly what are all the changes Letitia wants you to ‘consider’ now that you’re dating her?”
Howard blushed again and looked around to see if anyone had heard that. “Come on, Jess, it’s not like she decides everything that happens in my life.”
“Oh yeah? Well, let me see then. Where are you getting married?”
“Pier Sixty.”
“Whose decision was that?”
“Firstly, Letitia always wanted to get married there and secondly, I like it too.”
“Ok.” She leans forward. “Let me guess. You’re probably not going to stay in Red Hook anymore. Am I right?”
Howard frowned and sat back. “My apartment’s too small for the two of us.”
“Where does she live now?”
Howard hesitated. “Why are you doing this? When you shacked up with Clarissa, I didn’t put you through this twenty questions crap.”
“Just answer me, Howard.”
He reached for the water carafe and poured himself a drink and mumbled the area over the rim of his glass.
Jessica threw her hands up. “You’re flat is luxurious compared to that place. What the hell, Howie?”
He drained his glass and stood. “Maybe coming here wasn’t such a good idea.”
“You can run now, Howie, but I know where you work and live. You’ll definitely see me again.”
She watched him walk away and cursed under her breath. Just as she had thought. This new girl had her claws deep inside Howie and was planning on milking him dry. Gentle, naïve Howie, didn’t stand a chance against her. Jess saw the waiter and signaled him. Howie deserved better, much better than some gold-digger. She could’ve been more sensitive in her approach, but she was glad that she raised her concern. The waiter arrived at her table and she placed her order. After breakfast, she was going to find out a little more about this Letitia woman. No one was going to take advantage of her friend. She took a sip of water and sighed. She didn’t even get to talk to Howie about Raven.
†
Syria looked at the men climbing out of two Range Rovers and grimaced. The security guys had arrived. And they hadn’t even made an effort to blend in. They were dressed in khaki shirts and jeans and their large muscled builds and crew-cut hairstyles, called them out for what they were. Ex-military. From her post high up in a tree, overlooking the lodge, she watched as Copernicus met them at reception. He had booked five extra rooms for the men, but with one short, she had offered her own room. She didn’t need it and if she wanted to remain alive, she needed to be outside. She had made a short excursion in the jungle earlier to familiarize herself with the sounds and smells of the place. If they were going to spend a few days trekking through it, she needed to know what to listen out for. She didn’t only have Chuey to worry about, but there was her stalker too.
The men and Copernicus disappeared into their respective rooms and Syria shifted her body to settle in for the rest of the day. A movement in her periphery made her stiffen. A painfully thin man moved out of the jungle and slinked towards the lodge. He stopped outside the room that Copernicus had occupied the previous night and seemed to listen for something. After a minute he moved away and slipped back into the jungle.
Chuey was keeping tabs on them. Syria was curious as to why. She slid from her perch in the tree and cloaking herself, followed the man. He obviously knew the jungle well, for he moved with ease and speed through the thick foliage. Around her birds and primates created an atmosphere of a jungle theatre and Syria had to focus hard so she didn’t become distracted by it all. The man suddenly stopped and turned around. Was she following too close behind? He scanned the area with sharp eyes before he continued. This time Syria made sure that she kept a reasonable distance, but still stayed close enough not to lose him. They must’ve travelled about one kilometer from the lodge when they entered a clearing.
Bingo!
The stocky body of Chuey was easily recognized amongst the other skinny ones. The man she had followed, came to kneel before Chuey. They exchanged words in a dialect and Chuey didn’t seem happy with whatever the man had to say. He kicked out at the man and Syria noticed that all the others cowered in the face of Chuey’s anger. By his reaction, it was clear that whatever Chuey had in mind for them was definitely not good. She stayed until Chuey walked off into the jungle with his malnourished followers trailing behind him.
†
There was a soft knock on the door and Inger looked up from the brief she was reading to glance at her watch. Eight a.m. She had been here since six and was hoping to leave before the rest of the staff showed up. The knock came again and this time she invited whoever it was in. Her heart sank to the bottom of her soles when Alexandra Mears entered. She was dressed in a dark pantsuit that fit her tall body like a glove. Her dark hair was pulled back in a ponytail.
“Good morning.”
Inger rose from behind her desk. “Alexandra. Did we have an appointment?”
The woman shook her head slowly. “No, but I was in the neighborhood and thought you might appreciate…” Her hand came from behind her back and she held up a paper bag. “…these. They are the best Danish in town. I stumbled upon this bakery by accident.”
Inger looked from the bag to Alexandra. She needed to nip this, whatever is was, in the bud. And quickly. Paloma had been uncharacteristically accepting when she had told her about Alexandra, but she doubted her wife would be amused the second time around.
“Alexandra, I don’t know what this is, but I think it should stop.”
The woman held up the bag and grinned. “It’s only Danish, silly. I promise.”
Inger skirted her desk. She was dressed in jeans and a sweater since she had hoped to only finish a few most pressing briefs and then go back home. She wanted to see her parents and if Paloma’s expression was anything to go by, Inger determined that she needed a whole day to get to the bottom of things. The way Alexandra was eyeing her outfit, made Inger regret the tight jeans and sweater.
“Look, I appreciate the gesture, but I can’t take them. Nor can you drop in unannounced like this.”
The woman’s eyes were still roaming her chest when she spoke. “Your receptionist buzzed me in, so technically, it wasn’t unannounced.”
“You know what I mean, Alexandra. If you need our services, I would appreciate it if you would make an appointment like everyone else.”
The blue eyes sparked. “And what if I simply want to say hi to you?”
Feeling her ire slowly build at the other woman’s obstinacy, she inhaled deeply to calm herself. “I’m married. Happily married, Alexandra, and I am not in the habit of cheating on my spouse.”
“Spouse?” Alexandra placed the paper bag on the desk and smiled. “You’re married to a woman? That’s interesting.”
“The sex of my partner is beside the point. I really want you to stop this or else we need to sever all ties.”
Alexandra held her hands up, her eyes warm with amusement. “Easy there, tiger. I promise not to show up unannounced again. Are you happy now?”
“And no more gifts and dinners.”
“Well, if I hope to become your friend, I think we’ll share a meal or two in the process, don’t you think?”
Inger wanted to slap the woman, instead she walked to the door and held it open. “I need to think about that. A
s you can see, I have a lot of work to get done. Thank you for stopping by.” Alexandra smiled and with one last leer, left. Inger blew out a long breath and leaned against the door.
Thanks to Alexandra’s intrusion, her focus had been broken. With a sigh, she gathered the documents she’d been working on and placed them in her briefcase. She left a few instructions for her staff with the receptionist on her way out.
The bunker was silent when she stepped off the elevator and she made a detour to the kitchen. The chef and her staff had set up a breakfast buffet and after a quick greeting, she grabbed a plate and helped herself. She was walking to the table when Gabriella entered, dressed for work. She gave Inger a surprised look.
“Morning. Aren’t you going in to the office today?”
“Just returned from there. I went in early so I could spend the day with my mothers.” She grinned. “Our mothers.”
Gabriella turned away from the buffet, frowning. “Why? Is something wrong?”
Inger pointed with her fork at the buffet. “Get your food and then we’ll talk.”
She smiled when Gabriella served herself in record time. She loved having a sister. They might not be sisters by blood, but over the years, they had grown quite close and Inger had found a valued confidant in Gabriella.
“What’s wrong with them?” She picked up her fork.
“I don’t know, but Paloma arrived home just before dawn. She didn’t say much, but she told me to try and talk to our parents today.”
Gabriella placed her fork on the table and reached inside the pocket of her pantsuit. She pulled out her phone and dialed a number.
“Who are you calling?”
“I’m taking a personal day.” She took a sip of her coffee. “Good morning, Fran, could you please clear my schedule for the day. Yes. Yes… even that one. Tell them I’ve had a family crisis that couldn’t wait. Thank you, hon.” She placed the phone on the table and picked up her fork again. “So, how’re we going to do this?”
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