by Bonnie Lamer
I roll my eyes. “He’s married,” I inform her. When that doesn’t seem to shake her out of her stupor, I add, “And my father.”
That does the trick. Liza’s cheeks flush even deeper. “That’s the King of the Fae?”
“Yes. And my father,” I emphasize again.
Fortunately, Dagda seems completely oblivious to both our conversation and Liza ogling him. Yes, I realize some may find my father attractive, but I don’t want to watch anyone fawn all over him. His ego is big enough already. Plus, Tana would kill me if I didn’t put an end to it before it even began.
Kallen, the amazing husband he is, comes to the rescue. He asks Liza, “Do you have the coordinates for the lab? A map Xandra can use to teleport us all there?”
He proceeds to draw her away from Dagda and me. I’m not sure how much of it is because of the Dagda situation, and how much is because he realizes I’m doing something with my magic and Gabriel. He’s probably getting her out of the line of potential fire in case whatever I’m doing goes awry. I’d be offended if the odds weren’t 70-30 in favor of that.
I turn my attention back toward my aunt’s boyfriend and send out my magic again. Fighting the rebuffing spell around Gabriel, my magic presses in. Hard. His dark, chocolate brown eyes widen in surprise and find mine above Aunt Barb’s head. He doesn’t fight my magic, though. His only response is the slightest shake of his head. My brows rise in question.
Gabriel’s lips form one silent word. “Please.”
“Mom, stop,” Zyla whispers.
I turn to my daughter in surprise. “Why?”
“Because you’ll ruin it,” she whispers back.
My sudden state of shock causes my magic to fling back my way rubber band style. I gasp loudly as it hits me. From across the room, I hear Liza ask Kallen, “Is she okay?” Aw, that was real concern in her voice. I can’t help but wonder if it’s for my wellbeing or whether she’s concerned she’ll have to explain a dead supernatural in her living room. After all, Liza is a pragmatist.
“She is fine,” Kallen lies since he’s not certain himself.
Waving them both off, I try to make my voice reassuring, “I’m fine. Swallowed a bug or something.” Liza’s answering scowl makes me realize how insulting that was to her. Her house isn’t sterile, but it’s certainly without bugs. I shrug in apology. She just rolls her eyes and goes back to showing Kallen where we need to go.
Since I’m the one who will actually be doing the teleporting, I force myself to put my concerns about Gabriel aside and join them. Liza hands me the phone, and enlarging the image on the screen, she says, “Right here is probably the best place to teleport. It’s in the back of the building near the loading dock. I’ve asked that this area be cleared.” Glancing up from the phone, she asks, “Any chance you could create a vehicle to make it appear we arrived by normal means of transportation?”
Kallen smiles. “Yes, that can be arranged.”
Liza glances at him gratefully. Then her eyes return to me. She gulps back a little glob of nerves she’s been suppressing since I arrived. “Then let’s get this over with.”
Rolling my eyes, I mutter, “We’re not marching you off to your death.”
“No, just putting my job in jeopardy,” Liza snarks back. Underneath her snark and nerves, though, I hear the excitement in her voice. She loves this stuff, and she’s not worried one iota about her job. It’s the teleporting part that she doesn’t like.
I give her a knowing nod and smile. “Let’s go then.”
Chapter 13
I teleport everyone in two groups. Liza isn’t happy about it but concedes after I explain that it’s better than leaving half of someone behind. Not that I really think that would happen, I just think it’s better to be safe than sorry when transporting large groups. Plus, the look on her face when I say it is priceless. Makes me feel better about her going all gaga over my father.
We are now standing next to a line of dumpsters near the loading docks outside a bland office building. As promised, Kallen uses his magic to create a car just outside of the line of sight of the nearest camera. He pulls it forward to the dumpster area where we can pretend to get out of it. Liza requested the cameras to be turned off when she called, but none of us believe it really happened. The government isn’t very trustworthy that way.
The car isn’t a functioning one, it’s just a shell, but it looks good in case the cameras are on and scanning the area. Hopefully, no one decides to take a closer look because it has no engine and no car brand markings on it. I’m not even sure it has a steering wheel. I guess Liza could always try to pass it off as some sort of prototype for the car of the future. I’ll only suggest that if it comes up. She’s not quite aware of the fact that the car is missing a few pieces, and it’s probably for the best not to bring it up.
We make our way to the loading dock door, and Liza holds her key card against the card reader. There’s a loud buzz and a click as the door unlocks. She pulls the heavy steel door open and holds it for us. Kallen and I usher everyone else inside, and Liza steps in last. The door closes behind her with a clang, and Liza moves to the front of the group. She leads us down several corridors with walls so white, my retinas are threatening to go on strike if I don’t provide them with some sort of shade soon. To my right, I note that both Xavion and Zyla have donned sunglasses. Apparently, they have more control over such magic than I do. Good to know.
Finally, Liza stops in front of a door and uses her key card again. When the door buzzes, she opens it and says, “Here you go.”
Aunt Barb is the first to enter. She gasps so loudly that I rush in after her to make sure she’s okay. I find her staring in awe at all the shiny equipment before her. “I’m never leaving,” she mutters more to herself than anyone else. I half expect her to rush forward and start hugging something.
I laugh and pat her on the back. “If you stay, you won’t get to do the kind of research you want to do. You’d have to do the research the government wants you to do,” I remind her.
This seems to bring her back to her senses. “Right,” she says, squaring her shoulders. “Let’s get started.”
After a few minutes of searching, Aunt Barb rounds up all the stuff she needs to take DNA samples. After doing a round of cheek swabs, she and Gabriel get to work on the machines inputting data and specimens. While they work, I can’t help but ask Liza, “What did you say to get everyone to clear out of here?”
“I told them there was a supernatural bomb threat,” she replies with a smirk.
“Really?” I ask in surprise.
She shrugs. “Basically. I didn’t use those exact words, but I strongly suggested they let my team come in and do some testing just to be safe.”
I shake my head and laugh. “Clever.” Then another thought dawns on me. “Won’t they know we’ve used their equipment and what was done?” Worse, what will our DNA samples tell them. Damn it. I didn’t think this through.
Just as the panic is really starting to set in, Liza says, “Relax. My real team is on it.”
As if on cue, the door opens again. Two people come enter carrying electronic equipment under their arms. I wave at Dagda to get him to drop the magic he just drew. “They’re with Liza,” I assure him. I only know this because I recognize Alonzo. The tall, mocha skinned man gives me a curt nod before helping his coworker set up a computer and several other electronic gadgets.
“They’re going to wipe the data?” I ask Liza. Now that my mind is whirling, I don’t exactly trust Liza not to do further studies on our DNA. Even if it’s just out of curiosity and not with nefarious intent.
Liza nods. When she sees the suspicion growing on my face, she adds dryly, “No, I’m not keeping it for myself to study. I already know what you are, remember?”
She does have a point. Then again, she is an agent for the government and a really curious person. I tone back my suspicion, but I don’t let it go completely.
It’s a long and boring hour and
a half before Aunt Barb finally gathers us around the machine which has the results that we’ve all been waiting for. Everyone was too on edge to make small talk. Even the kids were subdued. As we gather together, Kallen slips his large hand around mine and gives it a reassuring squeeze. His expression is calm and confident when I glance up at him. The smile he gives me tells me that I should be, too. I nod and try to return his smile.
“You know,” Aunt Barb begins, “The whole ‘children from the future’ story has been a bit hard to swallow, Xandra. Very Hollywood-esque.”
Behind me, I hear a distinct snort from Liza’s direction. I shoot her a glare over my shoulder. She ignores me. But from that corner of the room where she is sitting with her team, I hear Alonzo ask his boss, “What the hell is she talking about?” I guess Liza didn’t give her team all the details when calling them here.
“I’ll explain later,” Liza assures him. Then she cuts off any further questioning with a shush so Aunt Barb can continue speaking.
Shaking her head in either awe or pity, I really wish I could tell which, Aunt Barb continues. “I’ve run the test three times. The results have been the same each time.”
“For goodness sake, will you please get on with it,” Dagda thunders. His patience has been holding onto the edge with just it’s pinky for the last hour. He’s about to lose it completely.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see Alonzo tense, debating if he needs to ready himself for a fight. Liza waves a hand at him, and he does his best to relax again. Smart man.
Recognizing the signs that Dagda is about to blow, Aunt Barb skips to the end. “I can say with ninety-nine-point-nine percent certainty that these children,” she holds up papers with Zyla’s and Xavion’s names on them, “are the biological children of Xandra and Kallen.” Picking up another piece of paper with Keelan’s name on it, she continues, “This one is the biological child of Kegan and Alita and an exact genetic match to their baby. They are who they say they are.”
It’s kind of fun watching the change that washes over my biological father. He was so ready with his ‘I told you so’ that his brain needs a moment to catch up. I can almost see the new neural pathways forming as he tries to comprehend the fact that not only was he wrong, but that he has two living and breathing grandkids that he’s been a bastard to since meeting them. And he says I need to work on my first impressions? He’s batting a big, fat zero right now when it comes to meeting new family members with grace and manners.
Patting my father on the shoulder, I’m only able to keep about half of the amusement I’m feeling out of my voice. “Don’t worry, you have years to spoil them in apology.” Dagda narrows his eyes at me, but behind his stern expression I see calculation. I think he really is trying to figure out just how many toys it will take to make up for his recent behavior. Maybe I shouldn’t have suggested spoiling the kids. They’re going to be enough of a handful without adding spoiling into the mix.
Liza shakes off her own shock over the situation. “You are always full of surprises,” she tells me. I don’t think it’s a compliment. Especially since I’m always warping her sense of reality. Nobody likes that. “Are we done here?” She’s ready for us to be on our way. Whether that’s because she needs time to process the fact that time travel is real, or because we’re pushing our time constraints for being in the lab, I’m not sure. Probably both.
I nod and walk over to her. Pulling Liza into a hug, I say, “Thank you. You’ve been a life saver.”
Clearly uncomfortable with such shows of emotion, Liza squirms out of the hug and steps back. “Always happy to help,” she mutters.
My turn to snort. “With enough coercion,” I tease.
Relaxing again, Liza admits with a glint in her eye, “You do have a way of making me see the alternatives.” There’s a smile in her voice though. She likes me. Even if she’s not ready to admit it.
“Thanks again,” I say more seriously. Waving everyone toward me, I add, “We’ll be going now.”
“Give me a second,” the blonde woman with Alonzo says. Her fingers fly across her laptop keyboard. “The cameras in the hallways are going back online.”
“That’s okay, we won’t be going out that way,” I inform her.
She looks up in confusion, but Alonzo shakes his head and mutters, “Just watch.”
Everyone gathers around me. Aunt Barb, Gabriel, Dagda, Kegan, and Alita, who has baby Keelan tucked against her chest, reach out and grab hold of my arms. In a blink, I transport them back to Aunt Barb’s apartment. When I return to the lab a minute later for the rest, the blonde woman is staring open mouthed at the spot where we disappeared.
“Show off,” Alonzo mutters at me. He pats his shocked coworker on the shoulder and says. “Don’t mind her. She gets a kick out of freaking us mere mortals out.”
I just grin and wave as I leave with the rest of my family.
Chapter 14
Back at Aunt Barb’s apartment, there’s something I need to do before we return to Fairy realm. As Dagda’s tongue finally finds the words to officially welcome his grandchildren and Keelan to the family, I pull Gabriel aside. The dread on his face tells me he knew this was coming.
“Spill,” I hiss while Aunt Barb is distracted in the fray of family introductions and getting to know each other. “Or I’ll tear down that carefully crafted wall of magic you have around you.” I feel Zyla’s worried eyes watching us from across the room, but I ignore her. I need to know that I’m not leaving my aunt in a dangerous situation.
“Zeus sent me,” Gabriel says under his breath.
Well, I didn’t expect that. “What?”
Gabriel glances at Aunt Barb to be certain her attention is focused elsewhere. Zyla and I both follow his gaze. My daughter takes the hint and moves closer to her Great Aunt, who is currently deep in conversation with Xavion. Zyla joins the conversation and shifts the other two ever so slightly away from Gabriel and me.
Satisfied Aunt Barb won’t notice our conversation anytime in the next few minutes, Gabriel turns back to me. “I’m Soter.”
He says this as if it should mean something to me. “I’m pretty good with my ancient Greek mytholo…history,” I amend, “but I don’t recognize that name.”
“I am a guardian. I deliver humans from harm.”
Shocked, I scan the room looking for an imminent threat while blurting out, “What harm? Aunt Barb is in danger?”
Gabriel moves slightly to block my panicked face from the rest of the room. “Keep your voice down,” he urges frantically. “She is not in any immediate danger. Zeus was concerned for your aunt’s safety when Hades was obviously plotting revenge against you. He sent me here to guard her. He figured you had the rest of your family covered.”
A wave of guilt washes over me. “I didn’t know Hades was coming after us.” Not until I discovered it was him who set the Pixies loose in the Fairy realm and gave Tana extra power to seek revenge on Dagda.
“I know that,” Gabriel reassures me in his deep, soothing voice. “So did Zeus. That’s why he sent me. He didn’t want to worry you if Hades decided to be smart for once and not go after you.”
Another thought hits me, and my guilt suddenly twists into protective anger. “Are you only with my aunt because Zeus told you to be?” I hiss.
Gabriel’s genuinely shocked expression has my temper settling back down to mild indignation for my aunt, instead of outright hostility. “I was never even supposed to talk to your aunt. Guardians are supposed to watch from afar, never being seen or heard.”
Okay, now I’m confused. “What? Then why are you living with her?”
“I was supposed to watch her from afar and just maintain her safety. But I found that I couldn’t keep my distance.”
I don’t like where this is going. The Olympian King of the Gods doesn’t like to be disobeyed. “So, is Zeus going to be pissed? Did you put Aunt Barb in even more danger?” I hiss. My mild indignation is once again headed toward outright hostility.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see Dagda trying to get my attention. He has welcomed the kids to the family. Now the weight of the coming fight is starting to press on him. I can tell from the worry lines gathering on his brow and around his eyes. He’s ready to go home and start planning our defense. Quickly growing impatient with still being here, he’s beginning to pace. I don’t have much longer for this conversation with Gabriel. “Just hurry up and tell me what’s going on,” I insist.
“I fell in love. I was following Barb, watching her, learning about her, protecting her, and I fell in love.”
Okay, I try not to think about how stalkerish that sounds. “Did she discover you or something? How did you meet?”
“I got permission from Zeus to make myself visible to her to see if she found me as attractive as I find her.”
