by JD MITCHELL
Porter followed her with greedy eyes as she set the glass down. He tossed the decorative pillow to the floor and produced a tiny glass of his own. Ali watched with growing amusement as Porter settled into the chair and drank beer from the mini pint glass.
Ali gestured to Porter with her thumb. “I think it…,” she corrected herself. “…he likes me.”
Leigh pointed toward her beer. “You better keep sipping.”
Her smile faded into a frown. Jessica will be pissed if she caught Ali drinking. “Can’t he bring me tea or something?”
Leigh shook his head. “The Bwbachod are ale drinkers and they only like people who drink with them.”
Porter sounded like an alcoholic brownie.
“So he punishes you if you don’t drink?” Ali asked.
“Or if you don’t offer him Ale,” Leigh said. “Red put a kegerator in for Porter. It’s easier than remembering to put out beer every day.”
Ali laughed. “This little thing has his own Keg?”
“Yes, and he’s sharing with you… so take another drink.” Leigh said and faced the window again.
Reaching for the beer, she grumbled. “Peer pressure has reached a new level.”
She pinched her nose and drained the dark liquid. When the glass was empty, she set it back on the table, and smacked her lips a few times. The bitter taste made her shiver and she longed for gum.
Porter watched her; his beady eyes wide.
She produced a meek smile. “Thank you.”
A dark blur crossed the room. The empty glass disappeared along with Porter. She looked for her goblin friend, disappointed he left.
From outside a car door slammed, followed by a second door.
Here we go.
Leigh paced toward the front door in gargantuan strides, stopping short as Jessica barged inside the house. She was just barely visible from where Ali sat on the couch, but her stiff posture suggested she was fuming.
“Ali!” Jessica yelled.
Ali braced herself. “I’m in here.”
Jessica’s head snapped Ali’s direction as she stalked down the hall and entered the living room. It must have been an office day because Jessica wore snug jeans and a scarlet top. She never dressed so informal for court. Her hair dark was pulled back into a ponytail which only stressed the anger radiating from her eyes.
“We’re leaving,” Jessica gritted.
In the entryway, Red closed the door and fumbled with the keys in his hand. He no longer looked irritated, just defeated. “Can we please talk?”
Jessica didn’t look at him, instead her eyes darted to the coffee table, then to Ali. “Are you drinking?”
Ali glanced at the table. A full glass of beer had replaced the empty one.
“Oh, come on!” Ali moaned. She glared at Leigh and gestured toward the beer.
“That’s mine.” Leigh blurted as he scooped it up.
Jessica gave Ali a scowl indicating they’d have a long talk later. Then she spun on Red like a tornado changing direction. “I came. She’s here. Call the cab.”
Red nodded. “Ok. We’ll talk while we wait.”
“No, we won’t,” Jessica snapped.
Ali looked between the two of them. She knew what needed to happen and it wouldn’t be easy. Once Jessica made a decision it was like trying to reason with a feral dog, but Ali needed to put a stop to the cab idea.
She hesitated, trying to find the words. “Um… Jessica?”
“Not now,” Jessica snapped.
“Actually, there’s something I need to tell you.” Ali held her breath.
Jessica turned to Ali, then let out a startled yell as a dark flash zipped across the room. Porter stood before Jessica, a fresh beer stretched outward. It was almost comical. Porter seemed childlike in his offering, while Jessica looked horrified.
Moving deftly, Ali swooped in and grasped the glass.
“Thank you, Porter,” Ali said.
Everyone watched as Ali handed the beer to Jessica, who didn’t break eye contact with Porter.
“Red… what the hell?” Jessica finally asked.
Red sighed. “Can we talk now?”
Seven
Jessica didn’t care about alcohol consumption once faced with Porter. Instead, she sat quietly sipping her beer, peering at him. Ali was certain it was Porter’s existence that kept Jessica from storming out of the house.
“Porter adopted your home?” Jessica asked as she eyed Porter for the tenth time.
“The Bwbachod choose houses they like, not the people who live in them,” Red said.
Jessica snorted. “So, he might hate you?”
Red’s lips flat lined. “Listen, he keeps the house clean as long as I keep the fridge stocked with beer.”
“I get the appeal,” Jessica said dismissively. “What about the intruder in my house? A hot guy with poisonous skin is stalking Ali?” Jessica asked, skepticism seeping from her voice.
Jessica’s nude pump tapped on the floor. Ali had noticed the pumps twenty minutes prior, and there was no way Jessica wore those to work. Which meant Jessica changed her outfit before Red showed. It also explained the scarlet lipstick. The deep color was Jessica’s favorite date night accessory.
“That’s the gist of the situation,” Red said. His demeanor toward Jessica softened once she started humoring him. “You can understand why we wouldn’t call the police.”
Jessica’s steely gaze scrutinized Red. “Yes, I comprehend that I’d sound crazy if I told the police a supernatural creature tried to break into my house,” she said sarcastically. “What are you suggesting we do?”
Scratching his chin, Red looked around the living room. “I guess… you could stay here while we figure it out?”
Jessica glowered at the bean bag chair. “For the night? I don’t think so.”
“I thought we’d take them to my parents,” Leigh said cutting into the conversation.
Red’s face constricted. “You want to take them to the Tuatha de Danann?”
Ali’s interest peaked. The gancanagh hissed those words at Leigh earlier. She thought it was a curse in another language, such as “you son of a witch.” Now she realized it referenced a group of people.
“What else are they going to do?” Leigh asked. “They need help.”
“That’s not an option,” Red challenged. He didn’t show the same dampened temperament with Leigh that he used with Jessica.
“Why not?” Jessica asked, echoing Ali’s own thoughts.
Red paused, appearing to choose his words with care. “To start, Leigh’s parents are out of the country.”
“Can’t you call them?” Jessica asked.
Red nodded insincerely as though he considered it. He seemed to be placating Jessica, who skipped the question churning in Ali’s mind. Who, or what, are the Too-ah-de-Dan-ann?
Leigh answered. “That’ll be difficult.”
“Leigh,” Red’s low voice warned. “You know the rules.”
“Why can’t you tell us where his parents are?” Jessica asked, her nude pump rapidly tapping the floor once more.
Red’s forehead puckered. “Trust me. We don’t want to involve the Tuatha de Danann.”
Leigh gestured toward Ali. “They’ve already seen the kelpie, pooka, gancanagh, and Porter. At this point I don’t see why we need to hide anything.”
“We still have to be careful.” Red glanced at Jessica. “You’re an attorney, you understand the importance of discretion.”
Jessica lifted her chin. “I have no issues maintaining confidentiality.”
“This is way beyond robbing a seven-eleven and helping the culprit beat the wrap,” Red said.
By the way Jessica scowled Ali realized this conversation was about to devolve into a full-blown argument.
“Who are the Too-ah-de-Dan-ann?” Ali blurted. “I’ve heard that phrase twice today.”
Red blinked at her, looking at a loss for words.
“Screw it, I’m telling her,”
Leigh said.
“No.” Red shook his head. “I don’t know what the Tuatha de Danann will do if they discover you’ve told outsiders.”
“Mom and Dad won’t let them harm us,” Leigh countered.
“I’m not worried about you and me.” Red gestured to Jessica. “I’m concerned about Jessica and Ali.”
The implication of Red’s words weighed in Ali’s mind. “You mean they’ll harshly scold us I hope?”
“Ha,” Red said as he rubbed the corner of his eye. “Memory wipes, imprisonment, maybe worse.”
A lump formed in Ali’s throat. Imprisonment was a real threat, but were memory wipes even possible?
“We’re already aware this group exist, who are they?” Jessica asked.
Ali didn’t like that Jessica skipped right over the consequences to continue on her quest for answers.
After a pregnant pause Red sighed and rested his hands on his head. He stared at the ceiling, then sighed. “The Tuatha de Danann police these creatures. They also deal with the humans who find them.”
Ali read between the lines. She’d seen enough action movies to realize the three letter intelligence agencies kept their secrets intact. The Tuatha de Danann weren’t the familiar FBI or CIA, but it stood to reason an agency policing creatures fell into that category. The TDD. Even the mythological creature police had three letters.
Jessica crossed her arms. “I’ve never heard of this group.”
Red scratched the back of his neck. “That’s because you’re human, and they’re in the otherworld.”
“She’s not one of us.” Red’s words from the hospital rattled around Ali’s brain. In the moment, Ali assumed it was a secret club or a cult. She didn’t expect an explanation of Men in Black proportions. Which made the TDD what?
“You’re not human?” Ali suddenly asked Leigh. She followed the logic of his comment and arrived at a place she didn’t like. “If your parents are Tuatha de Danann that means you are too. So… what are you?”
Leigh held his hands out. “I’m still a person! I’m just…” He looked at Red.
“Druids,” Red said. His lips pressed together in a firm line. He avoided Jessica’s gaze and focused on Ali.
“Druids?” Ali asked. A magician mixing potions from Arthurian legend popped into her mind.
Without skipping a beat, Ali pulled out her phone and searched Tuatha de Danann. To her surprise, the search returned multiple hits. She read aloud before anyone noticed.
“People of the goddess Danu. The Tuatha de Danann are Irish gods who arrived from the lands of the west where they perfected magic.” Ali stopped. “Magic?”
Leigh gave an almost imperceptible nod.
Is this a joke?
When neither Red, nor Leigh commented, Ali continued reading. “They settled in Ireland, defeating the Firbolg, then the Fomorian, before being driven to the underworld by the Milesians. They live in the underworld as invisible beings and go by the name Aa-oos Si.”
“It’s pronounced ‘is-she,’” Leigh corrected.
“Whatever,” Ali said. The proper pronunciation of word Aos Sí, wasn’t her focus. She paused before she read the next sentence, uncertain of what this meant. “It’s says you’re invisible fairies?”
“It’s complicated,” Red cut in, still avoiding Jessica’s concerned gaze. “Half of what you’ll read is incorrect; I’m not invisible.” He pointed to himself.
Jessica clasped her hands together. “What’s the otherworld?”
For a moment, Ali’s mind wandered. The Google article said the Tuatha de Danann lived beneath the mounds, which Ali took to mean dirt. She envisioned dark caves venturing into the depths of the earth before they opened into large cavernous cities lit by lamplight.
Red took a steadying breath. “I understand you have questions, but please stop asking. I need time to figure this out.”
“This is insane,” Jessica countered. “You can’t bring me here, tell me there is a fairy world, and then refuse to answer questions.”
Red gripped an unseen object in his fist, then he released his fingers and made eye contact with Jessica. Neither of them spoke. Ali felt the tension rise but didn’t utter a word.
Jessica’s harsh gaze softened. “Fine.”
“Will you stay here until I formulate a plan?” He then added. “Please.”
Jessica puffed her cheeks out and studied her now empty beer glass.
“Porter?” Jessica called.
Two beady eyes popped around the corner of the couch.
“May I have a refill?” Jessica asked.
Porter grinned, revealing his yellow pointy teeth. In an instant both Porter, and Jessica’s glass disappeared.
***
Ali curled on the couch, listening to Jessica’s muffled voice as it rose and fell. The argument moved upstairs fifteen minutes prior. Jessica and Red couldn’t come to terms on an action plan.
Red conceded and agreed to contact Leigh’s parents but thought it might take a few days to reach them. That was too long to wait in Jessica’s opinion. She wanted to find a local member of the Tuatha de Danann and get help now. Red disagreed, but the argument was lopsided do to his refusal to articulate his position. The reasons Red listed so far were, “it’s a horrible idea,” “we can’t,” “I can’t say,” and “please trust me.” Jessica seemed tolerant at first, but it sounded as though her patience thinned.
While Ali had faith in Jessica, she sided with Red. She didn’t want to find out what the TDD did with humans who saw monsters.
Ali crammed a handful of salt and vinegar chips into her mouth, the crunch of chip after chip drowning the muffled argument. Her mind wandered to the creatures. The world was more dangerous than she ever imagined. A sexy guy with toxic skin? She’d heard of the perils of dating but come on. Ali hadn’t even been on a date and now she had to worry about this bull?
She shook her head and popped another chip into her mouth, savoring the tangy vinegar. Outside the large bay window, dusk spilled across the lawn. Shadows stretched across the grass in a patchwork of darkness. She traced each shape with her eyes, looking for monsters. No horses that she could see. Not that she expected anything.
A silhouette of a teenage boy took shape.
Ali blinked.
Two vivid blue eyes stared back at her.
Inside the house, Leigh shifted his weight and his reflection bounded off the window obscuring her view.
She looked closer.
The lawn was empty, and the stranger vanished. Was it a trick of the eye? She tensed, hoping her mind was inventing monsters in the shadows.
She was about to ask Leigh if he saw anything when a shadow crept out of the darkness. Whatever it was, it headed for the house.
Ali dropped the bag on the floor, sending chips tumbling onto the carpet.
From where he lounged on the couch next to her, Leigh gestured to the mess. “Hey.”
The silhouette took shape, resembling a leopard sauntering home. As it advanced, the head of a giant snake took shape, protruding from the leopard’s body.
Her finger shook as she pointed outside the window. “What’s that?”
Eight
Leigh’s eyes widened and he sprung upright. “The stairs… now!”
Ali scrambled off the couch, but Leigh caught her by the arm stopping her escape.
“Slowly,” he breathed.
She froze, watching the creature slink towards them. It stuck to the long shadows cast by the waning sunset; head hung low as it hurried on a path which suggested it might ignore them. The hybrid leopard-snake had hooves, and its skin wasn’t entirely fur. An elongated, black scaly neck extended from its torso and fed into the large head of a snake with sharp fangs protruding from an oversized mouth.
As it neared the window, its head lifted and two mustard eyes narrowed at the sight of her, sending her heart racing.
“Oh shit,” Leigh said.
Before Ali could react, it leaped, crashing through the win
dowpane. Glass shattered, the fragments raining onto the carpeting. Stunned, Ali tripped as a blur of yellow and black landed in the room. It snapped at Ali like a savage wolf, its predatory eyes focused on her.
Leigh grabbed Ali by the wrist, pulling her toward the stairs at a sprint. “Red!”
They didn’t get far before the creature cornered them, blocking the bottom of the staircase. A growl gurgled in its throat before it bellowed, the sound resembling thirty or forty dogs barking at once.
On instinct, Ali cupped her hands over her ears. She attempted to yell for help, but her voice was lost in the ruckus.
Leigh pushed her behind the couch, creating a barrier between them and the hybrid monster. Above them, heavy footfall raced down the stairs and Red charged into the room.
“What the…”
The creature snapped at Red, causing him to recoil.
Jessica’s head poked around the corner of the staircase, but Red motioned for her to retreat and she disappeared to somewhere on the second floor.
A flash near the staircase blinded Ali, forcing her to avert her eyes. The light dimmed and she saw Red held a glowing orb.
Without taking his eyes off the creature, Red yelled at Leigh. “Take the car and go!”
“I can help!”
The creature’s buttery eyes shifted to Leigh.
Ali froze.
It pounced.
Leigh dove sideways, knocking Ali to the floor. The creature sailed over them, landing inches from Ali’s head. The smell of wet dog permeated the air as she rolled out of its reach. A blinding light flickered across the room, colliding with the creature’s ribs in an explosion of gold sparks. It howled in pain, its hooves slipping on the wooden floor as it scrambled like a declawed house cat.
Leigh hauled Ali upright by the crook of her arms and pushed her through the smashed window into the dusk. She fell into a bush, the thin branches cutting her palms and digging into her arms. Grabbing a thick branch, she used it to pull herself out of the tangle of limbs.
“Come on!” Leigh yelled as he pointed towards the car.
“Wait! Where’s Jessica?” Ali spun to face the house.
Inside, the creature dove toward the staircase. Flashes of light filled the room, but Ali couldn’t see Red or the creature.
