by Amy Sumida
Marcia smiled gratefully at Raza over her daughter's head, and he nodded to her. He'd be more aware of his tone now.
“We've come up with two possibilities for his next location,” Tiernan said. “The Pearl Thief—as we've started calling him—has helped the poor, the starving, and now, the repressed. We believe his next wish will be for the sick.”
“He's been moving steadily West,” Killian added. “So, we think he'll either move up a bit and go to Mexico or head across the sea to China.”
“Mexico,” Marcia said confidently, then blinked as if she'd surprised herself. She cleared her throat. “China has free public health care. Mexico does not. I'd bet on Mexico or perhaps Honduras.”
“You sounded almost compelled,” I noted.
“My wife sometimes has... hunches,” Raul explained.
“That's an uncommon talent for a fairy,” I said gently. “At least a pure fairy. Are you part human, Marcia?”
“My grandmother was human,” she admitted.
“I'm half,” I reminded her. “It's not a crime or something to be ashamed of.”
“Not everyone feels that way,” Raul said as he took his wife's hand. “It's yet another reason we celebrated your ascension, Your Majesty.”
“Well, in some ways, it's good to have some human in your blood.” I nodded toward Juliana. “You don't have to worry about iron and I'm assuming it made conception easier.”
“Indeed it did.” Raul grinned. “We were blessed nearly as soon as we started trying.”
“No hundred year wait for me,” Marcia declared. “In fact, we're thinking about having another child so Juliana will have a sibling close to her age.”
“That's wonderful, and congratulations,” Killian said. “I'm sorry to be abrupt but can we return to your hunches, Queen Marcia? How accurate are they?”
Marcia shrugged.
“When Marcia says something is so, it is,” Raul said firmly.
“I thought the Cintamani protected itself and its user from psychic abilities?” I mused.
“Perhaps it's just the abilities that can be used to track the Cintamani,” Raza suggested. “Rowan did see the pearl in use; this isn't the first premonition concerning it.”
“But then why haven't any of the extinguisher psychics had premo—” The ring of my cellphone cut me off mid-word. I pulled out my phone and looked at the caller ID. “No way,” I whispered in amazement.
“Let me guess: it's the Trance Twins,” Killian declared.
“One of them,” I confirmed before I answered. “Alex, how are you? Usually, I hear from your sister.”
“She's seven months along and cranky,” Alex muttered.
Alex's twin sister, Alexis Kavanaugh was pregnant. Although she wasn't a Kavanaugh anymore. Now, she's Alexis Murdock. She married my old nemesis-turned-pseudo-friend, Brendan Murdock, and they were expecting their first child. Because of Alexis's abilities, she knew the sex of her child without the help of an ultrasound. They had already decided on the name Jareth for their son. Yes, like the Goblin King in Labyrinth. They both love that movie.
The Kavanaugh Twins used to be eerily close—as in finish each other's sentences close. But when they first became extinguishers, they were a bit cocky. They hurt a Hag by forcing their way into her mind together, and she cursed them. The curse ensured that they'd spend their lives together but if either one of them fell in love, their bond would be severed. The curse came true and the Twins lost their ability to use their talents together. But they got through it. They still work together, though with less annoying sentence-finishing, and they do a damn fine job despite what they see as a handicap.
Alex had despaired when Alexis first found Brendan, but Killian and Daxon had given him some advice that changed his life. They told him to find his own lover to focus on—that he should start shaking a lot of hands and put his psychometry to good use. The Twins, or Trance Twins as Killian calls them, were blessed with an abundance of psychic abilities. In addition to psychometry, they had precognition, telepathy, and clairvoyance. They're the extinguisher team that High Councilman Murdock always sends when he wants something thoroughly investigated.
But back to Alex. He's able to learn a lot about a person by simply touching them. So, he shook a lot of hands and found the love of his life. A year after Alexis married Brendan, Alex married an extinguisher named Elizabeth Sloane. They now have twin boys who are already exhibiting signs of inheriting the Trance Twins' abilities and connection. I couldn't be more happy for him. But, as I said, it was usually Alexis who called to catch up with me. Which meant that...
“This isn't a social call,” Alex confirmed. “We saw something, Seren. Both of us did. Do you know how long it's been since we both received the same vision?”
“Years,” I said. “Close to five.”
“Yep.”
“Did this vision have something to do with a man holding a giant pearl?”
Alex chuckled. “That it did. I think we've found your Cintamani thief.”
“Is he in Mexico?”
“Dang it, Seren! How did you know that?”
I looked up at Marcia and grinned. “You're not the only psychic I know.”
Alex snorted. “Yeah? Well did Killian tell you the thief is in Aldama, Chiapas healing children with cancer?”
“Children with cancer?” I whined. “Oh, come on!”
“I know,” he huffed. “This guy is extraordinarily annoying with his good wishes gone bad. I'm glad I'm not the one who will have to give him the smackdown.”
“You got anything else for me?”
“Nah, this is the first time we've seen him and I have a feeling it will be the last. All we got was the location.”
“That's more than I was hoping for, Alex. Thank you.”
“Thank Anu,” he said. “I have a feeling this one came from on-high.”
“Well, look at him go—interfering and all.” I chuckled. “I'm proud of him.”
“I'd be prouder if he interfered enough to stop this guy,” Alex grumbled.
“That's what he sent me to do.”
He snorted. “Yeah, I suppose so.”
“Besides, you know that being direct isn't his style.”
“He's switched it up before.”
I went silent.
“Sorry. I forgot about your dad,” he murmured.
“It's okay. I understand why he couldn't be saved and he's with my mom now.”
“That he is. And I'm sure he's damn proud of you.”
I swallowed past the sudden dryness in my throat. “I hope so. Kiss your boys for me, Alex.”
“And your kids for me,” he said. “Anu guide and guard you, Seren.”
“I think he just did.”
Alex snorted again.
“Oh, and Alex?”
“Yeah?”
“The psychic who told me about Mexico wasn't Killian. Love you, Buh-bye!”
“Wait! What? Who—”
I hung up, giggling.
Chapter Forty-Six
The flight to Chiapas, Mexico took over fifteen hours. We landed around 8 AM, by which time, I was so sick of flying that I'd decided the next time I traveled, I was twilighting. I didn't care if I had to leave my husbands behind; they could fend for themselves.
I'd done a little research on the plane. Chiapas was the poorest region of Mexico and Aldama was one of the poorest cities in Chiapas. The thief was going for broke. Okay, maybe that wasn't the best idiom to use but you get my meaning. He was looking for the most unfortunate of the unfortunates and he had probably found them in Aldama.
I slumped down the metal stairs, off the plane and toward the line of vehicles that waited for us. A hunter, an extinguisher, and a vex stood near the bottom of the steps, looking like the beginning of a joke (a hunter, an extinguisher, and a vex walk into a bar...). I assumed they were the representatives sent to greet us. I nodded to them but before I could say anything, a man threw open the door of one of the extinguisher SU
Vs and popped out like a half-naked girl from one of those giant cakes. With a hand clutching the roof and his feet still firmly inside, he swung his free arm up and outward dramatically as he leaned out of the vehicle at an angle.
“Here I am to save the day!” Councilman Karmen Dinello sang as he jumped onto the tarmac. “It's Kar-r-r-men with a K!”
“That's not how that song goes,” I said dryly.
But my lips couldn't hold my grimace. I grinned broadly as my exhaustion disappeared, then ran forward to hug one of my best human friends. I'd gone to Council school with Karmen and—
“Me too! Me too!” Extinguisher Abigail Teagan leapt out after Karmen. “Don't forget me! Here I am, ready to save stuff too!”
I pulled Abby in and made it a group hug.
“What are you guys doing here?” I asked, still grinning.
“I think I made myself pretty clear.” Karmen gave me one of his signature looks—kinda cocky and funny all at once.
“Yes, Mighty Mouse, you've come to save the day,” I said. “Did you fly down from San Francisco?”
“No, we walked.” Abby rolled her soft green eyes and tossed her short blonde hair. “It's a lovely stroll this time of year.”
Karmen's dark looks made Abby seem all the brighter, but he had his own ways of getting noticed. “Where's that hunk of burning dragon love you're married to?” He whispered and somehow managed to do it loudly. “You know I'm here for him, right? I mean, you're great and all, but it's him I truly love.”
“He's—”
“Oh, there you are!” Karmen declared when he spotted Raza walking over to us. He pushed me aside to get a better look at my husband. “Doing the human thing, are you?” Karmen grimaced at Raza's tawny skin and lack of claws and wings. He sighed but not in the way he usually did when he saw Raza. “I was hoping to see you all Dragon-Djinny.” He waved his hand at the Raza expanse. “You couldn't do a quick shift for your biggest fan, could you? And perhaps open a few more buttons on your shirt?” Karmen lifted his brows hopefully.
The brow Raza lifted quashed that hope.
“Stick around. I'm sure he'll pop a claw later,” Killian said as he stepped up to kiss Abby's cheek and shake Karmen's hand. Except when he held out his hand to Karmen, Karmen stuck out his cheek to get a kiss too. “Not happening, K-man. Not after you made your lust for my Beast Brother clear.” Killian slapped Karmen's cheek lightly. “I'm no one's second choice.”
“But I lust after you both equally!” Karmen declared as he held his crossed fingers behind his back. “I swear it!”
“Nathair-Sith can smell lies.” Killian's expression went stern.
Karmen's jaw dropped as he looked at me for confirmation. I subtly shook my head and his face relaxed into relief.
“Murdock sent us,” Abby finally answered me, sort of.
She meant Head Councilman Murdock of the San Francisco Human Council House as opposed to the High Councilman Murdock I'd reported to before hopping a jet to Mexico.
“He said his uncle said that you said you could use the help,” Karmen announced, then frowned. “I think that was one too many saids for a single sentence.”
“Especially since I never said that.” I chuckled. “But I'm glad you came.”
“My Beast Brother and I will take another SUV,” Killian declared as he nudged Raza away, “so you guys can spend some time together.”
“Aw, come on!” Karmen whined. “Not him. Leave me the sexy dragon and take the blue fairy.”
“Excuse me?” Daxon growled indignantly.
“Sorry, but your not my color,” Karmen slicked invisible lint off Daxon's shoulder and gave him an apologetic look that also looked completely unapologetic. “That shade of blue brings out the yellow tones in my skin. A relationship between us would never work.”
“Well, you got one thing right,” Daxon muttered.
Raza sped up and got into the SUV behind Karmen's before anyone could stop him.
“You owe me one,” Killian said to Raza as he climbed in after him.
Karmen pouted and sighed deeply as he looked over the remaining men. “We can fit one more with us. Let's see... he loves me, he loves me not.” He pointed back and forth between Daxon and Tiernan. “He loves me—”
“That's not a choosing thingy,” Abby protested.
“Thingy?” Karmen shot back. “Is that the technical term, Extinguisher Teagan?”
“I don't know the word for it,” she huffed, then fell silent.
I followed her gaze to Torquil.
Abby and Torquil had a scandalous (at first) affair. Extinguishers don't date outside their kind and they especially don't date Fairies. But when I began dating Tiernan, things had started to change. And Abby had been the first to jump on the fairy bandwagon. She and Torquil had been hot and heavy for awhile but their love had finally fizzled out. They just didn't have enough in common to make it work.
“Hello, Abigail,” Torquil said softly.
“Hey, Torq,” she whispered. Then she cleared her throat and strengthened her voice, “How are you?”
“I'm well, and you?”
“Yeah, she's good, sweetie.” Karmen patted Torquil's shoulder, then shoved him in the direction of another SUV. “Run along now. Okay? Bye-bye.”
Torquil looked at me and I shrugged; I wasn't going to give him commands concerning his personal life. He pressed his lips together and transferred his stare to Abby. Abby stared back.
“So nice to see you!” Karmen moved between their line of sight. “You look great, real fit. You been working out?”
Torquil sighed and walked away.
“Don't come back now, ya hear?” Karmen called after him.
“Karmen!” Abby hissed.
“Trust me, girl, you don't want to deal with that,” Karmen said quietly. “At least not up close and personal.”
Abby grimaced. “Yeah, you're right.”
“If you three are finished reminiscing, we should probably head to Aldama,” Tiernan said from inside our SUV.
Daxon had taken off to join Kill and Raza while we'd been distracted with Torquil.
“Oh, good!” Karmen declared. “You're the one I wanted, Tiernan-tight-ass! I just didn't want to hurt the Blue King's feelings.” He jumped in the SUV and took the bench seat beside Tiernan. “Have I ever mentioned how much I love you in jeans?”
“Yes,” Tiernan said tonelessly.
“Oh.” Karmen pursed his lips, considering. “Have I ever mentioned how much better your jeans would look on my bedroom floor?”
“Karmen!” I snarled.
He yipped and jumped for the safety of another seat.
Chapter Forty-Seven
We weren't rushing in this time. The Councils, Coven, and Casters had agreed to work on a plan together. They'd located the Pearl Thief before my group had landed but they hadn't approached him. Instead, they set up a perimeter of guards several yards out from his location and were keeping an eye on him until we arrived.
“Have you had animals rushing the raths?” I asked Karmen as we drove to our base camp.
“Yeah, lots of animals made a run for it but that's not the biggest problem,” Karmen said as he handed both Tiernan and me a folder. “The thief bought himself—well, acquired himself—a huge piece of property and started wishing it into a paradise. I mean, it's already pretty out here; he didn't have to do much to it. But he did build himself a compound and plant a bunch of gardens around it. He's got several buildings, including his residence, and some high freaking walls with armed guards patrolling them day and night.”
“I thought he was healing sick kids?” I asked.
“Oh, he is,” Abby took over. “Word spread quickly and now there's a steady line of supplicants waiting at his gates from dawn to dusk.”
“Supplicants?” I gaped at her.
“He's claiming to be an avatar of God.” Abby rolled her eyes.
“Ironic, since Anu is the one who sent me to stop him.” I grimaced.
> “People are buying his bullshit,” Karmen said grimly. “He's got followers even though he isn't preaching anything beyond: look at me, I'm the hand of God and I can heal you. He built apartments for his followers to stay in—people who have come from all over Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and Brazil. Some have even flown in from America. Word of the savior is spreading.”
