Ferus : Book 6 of the Heku Series

by T. M. Nielsen

  “Then you be her brother, and I’ll be her sister. She can still have Dain,” Alexis suggested. “It’ll be fun.”

  “Yeah, fun,” Emily said, and headed into the kitchen to make lunch.

  “How long are we staying?” Allen asked, following her in.

  “I don’t know. I kind of like it here.”

  “It’s been a week. We still need to talk about Miri.”

  Emily looked over at him, “Let’s go tonight and have fun at the party. You and I will talk tomorrow, I promise.”

  Allen shrugged, “Sure.”

  “Go get dressed, and tell Alex to get ready. We’ll leave in thirty minutes.”

  Allen nodded and left to get dressed. Emily ate quickly and took Dain from Alexis. They all met out in the garage and Allen tore of the big ribbon before they crawled into the new Durango and set off.

  ***

  “Mom, you promised,” Allen said as he walked into the kitchen.

  Emily dried her hands off on a towel and sat down, “Fine, let’s talk about Miri.”

  “I want Dad in on this too.”

  Emily grabbed her cell phone and dialed Chevalier, then put it on speaker and set it in the middle of the table.

  “Good morning,” Chevalier said.

  “’Mornin Chev… Allen’s here and he wants to talk about his little girlfriend.”

  “Mom…”

  “Sorry, Miri.”

  “Ok,” Chevalier sighed. “This’d be easier in person. Why don’t you let me come over?”

  “I don’t want to wait that long. I want to go back to the island,” Allen told him.

  “That far away is it?”

  “Yes, it is.”

  “Enough… I don’t like it, he’s 15,” Emily started.

  “Yes, I’ll admit he was born 15 years ago, but he’s not 15, not in body or mind,” Chevalier told her.

  “I love her, Mom… We want to get bonded.”

  “At 15? Over my dead body!”

  “Em… you got married at 17…” Chevalier began, but Emily cut him off.

  “Yeah and that worked out really well for me, too.”

  “I’m not you, Mom. I’m not some hick marrying…”

  “Hick?” she yelled.

  “I just mean that you were in a different environment that I’m in.”

  “15 is too young to get married, and having sex with Miri is statutory rape.”

  “Emily!” Chevalier said, shocked.

  “Well it is! She’s over 200 years older than he is.”

  “Everyone I know is at least that old,” Allen reminded her.

  “Exactly, which is why I suggest we stay here for a year and you attend high school. Get to know girls your own age.”

  “I have issues with that,” Chevalier said.

  “Then in the city. He can live in Council City and go to school in town.”

  “I don’t want to go to high school,” Allen told her.

  “What is the problem, then? Is it that he’s had sex, that he did it in your barn, that he has a girlfriend, or that that girlfriend is too old?” Chevalier asked, trying to clear things up.

  “Yes,” Emily said, irritated.

  Chevalier sighed, “Let’s deal with one thing at a time… starting with Miri’s age. 224 is not old, by any means, and Miri was turned at a very young age by the Encala.”

  “Oh good, so she’s an enemy heku, too,” Emily added.

  “No, she’s not. She immediately left for the Equites and has been with us for 221 years.”

  “Ok then, 224 is too old for a 15-year-old.”

  “How much older is Dad than you are?” Allen asked.

  “I’m not talking about me. I’m talking about you.”

  “224 is not too old for him, Em,” Chevalier explained. “She’s still very young.”

  “Even if 224 wasn’t too old for him… 15 is too young to be having sex,” Emily told them, and glared at Allen.

  “I’m only 15 in your mind.”

  “Funny… I gave birth to you 15 years ago. Am I wrong to assume that makes you 15?”

  “You know that’s not what I mean,” Allen said. “In many ways I’m older than you are.”

  “Allen… now’s not the time…” Chevalier started.

  “Don’t make me ash you, Boy… I can and you know it, then we can revive you when you’re 25,” Emily yelled.

  “25? Is that when I’m old enough to have a girlfriend?”

  “Yes”

  Allen sighed, “You try, Dad. I’m not getting through.”

  “Don’t even gang up on me about this. The entire heku population can try to tell me he’s old enough to have sex, and I’m not going to budge.”

  “How old were you the first time then?” Allen asked.

  Emily frowned, “That’s none of your business.”

  “She was 17,” Chevalier said.

  “Hey!” Emily yelled. “I was married though.”

  “How old were you, Dad?” Allen asked.

  Chevalier chuckled and Emily cut him off, “That doesn’t matter… things were too different when he was a kid.”

  “That’s true,” Chevalier said, “But you need to realize that in the world of the heku, things are different now, too.”

  “No, damnit. He’s too young to have sex, and he’s too young to get bonded to her.”

  “Why?” Chevalier asked bluntly. “Let’s name the 3 main reasons humans don’t… religion, pregnancy, and disease. Those 3 aren’t a factor here.”

  “Age… emotional maturity… He can’t go off and marry the first girl he finds!”

  “Why keep looking when I’ve found the one I love?” Allen asked.

  “Oh and Chev, don’t think you’re off the hook for allowing the little tramp to live on the island.”

  “Mom! Stop calling her names or I’ll make you,” Allen growled.

  “You’ll make me?” Emily asked angrily.

  “Stop it you two! You’re going to end up killing each other, and I can’t come stop it,” Chevalier yelled.

  Emily stood up and faced Allen, “As long as I’m alive, you won’t bond to any girl who opens her legs for you.”

  Allen stood, throwing his chair back into the wall, “I warned you…”

  “Damnit, stop it!” Chevalier growled.

  “It’s a stupid, immature decision that only proves to me that you’re 15!” Emily screamed.

  “Stupid and immature? Like dragging your kids out to stay in a house an enemy Elder gave you?” Allen yelled.

  “Wait… what?” Chevalier yelled.

  “That’s it…” Emily yelled, and hung up the phone.

  Chevalier slammed his fist down on the table and called for Zohn.

  “Enter,” Chevalier yelled when he heard a knock. Zohn walked in, frowning at the rage on Chevalier’s face.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “I’m going to make some phone calls, and I want to know if they’re lying to me.”

  Zohn nodded, “Ok.”

  He sat down while Chevalier dialed.

  “Encala Council,” a man’s voice said.

  Zohn gasped.

  “Which of you Elders bought Emily a house?” Chevalier growled.

  There was silence for a few seconds before William spoke, “We’ve purchased her a few gifts, but none of them was a house.”

  Chevalier looked at Zohn and he shook his head, indicating that William wasn’t lying.

  “Aaron?”

  “No houses,” Aaron responded.

  “Reese?”

  “Nope, no houses.”

  “They aren’t lying,” Zohn whispered.

  “Fine,” Chevalier said, and hung up the phone. He dialed again.

  “Valle Council,” Exavior said.

  “Who bought Emily a house and where is it?” Chevalier growled.

  “Well hello, Chevalier, problems?” Exavior asked.

  “Answer my question.”

  Exavior sighed, “We’ve purchas
ed several things, but not a house.”

  “Ryan?”

  “No, no houses.”

  “Sotomar”

  “Is there some kind of problem?” Sotomar asked.

  “Yes and I need to get to that house as soon as possible,” Chevalier growled. “Where is it?”

  “I swore I wouldn’t tell,” Sotomar said, sighing.

  “You bought the Winchester a house?” Ryan asked, shocked.

  “I did and it seems it’s serving its purpose.”

  “Tell me, now,” Chevalier yelled.

  “No, it’s her vacation home to get away from the heku,” Sotomar said calmly.

  “So help me if I lose her because of your stupidity, I will kill you.”

  “If there’s a problem then I will go.”

  “Tell me.”

  “No… I will go check on her,” Sotomar said, and the line disconnected.

  Chevalier stood up and threw his chair against the wall, shattering it into small wooden splinters.

  “What’s happening?” Zohn asked.

  “Emily and Allen are about to kill each other, and I can’t get there to stop it.”

  Zohn sighed, “You’ve tracked her phone?”

  “Yes, but I doubt she’s in Siberia.”

  “Allen’s?”

  “It shows his last location was on the island.”

  Sotomar took the Valle jet and arrived in Savannah within only a few hours. A rental car was already waiting for him, and he hopped in and sped toward the plantation. He gasped and pulled over when he saw Allen hitchhiking on the side of I-95.

  Allen looked at the sleek red jaguar with the dark tinted windows, and bent down to look in when the window rolled down.

  “Get in, Son,” Sotomar said.

  “That’s ok. I’ll get another ride,” Allen said, and stood up.

  “Just get in,” he growled.

  Allen stood his ground, “I don’t fraternize with the enemy.”

  “Oh for hell’s sake,” Sotomar said, and dialed the Equites Council.

  “Zohn here.”

  “This is Sotomar. I’ve driven to Emily’s location as promised, and found Allen hitchhiking at the side of the Interstate, but he won’t get in my car.”

  There was soft talking and then Chevalier spoke, “Give Allen the phone.”

  Sotomar handed it over, “Your Dad wants to speak to you.”

  Allen grabbed the phone, “I didn’t kill her.”

  “Where are you?”

  Allen shut his eyes, “I can’t say.”

  “Someone better tell me,” Chevalier yelled.

  “There’s no reason to get mad. I’m hitchhiking back to the island, and then Miri and I are going to go live at Kail Coven,” Allen explained.

  “Get in the car with Sotomar,” Quinn said when Chevalier didn’t answer. “Have him take you back to your mother and see if he can mediate this thing.”

  “You want me to ride with a Valle, and let him interfere with my family?” Allen asked, shocked.

  “As we have no other option… yes.”

  Allen shut the phone and handed it back to Sotomar when he crawled into the car. Sotomar finished the drive in silence and pulled up in front of the plantation as the sun began to set.

  “Get in there,” Sotomar said sternly. He and Allen walked up, and Sotomar knocked on the door.

  Alexis answered and gasped, “Mom!”

  “What, Alex?” Emily asked. She appeared in the doorway with Dain in her arms, then looked from Sotomar to Allen and stepped aside for them to come in.

  “I came in lieu of telling Chevalier where your home is,” Sotomar explained. “Now that Allen is here, let’s go into the study and discuss things calmly.”

  “You didn’t tell anyone?” Emily asked, and handed Dain over to Alexis.

  “No, I did not… as promised.”

  Alexis glanced nervously at Sotomar, and then took Dain up the stairs.

  “Please…” Sotomar said, and opened the door to the study. Emily walked in after Allen and sat on the small couch while Allen and Sotomar sat in chairs. “What exactly caused this fight?”

  “His little slut girlfriend,” Emily said, and glared at Allen.

  “Take that back!” Allen yelled, and stood up.

  “Sit!” Sotomar demanded, and Allen sat down with wide eyes. Sotomar’s voice calmed, “So the argument is about a girl?”

  “Yes, a heku that’s too old for him and loose at that.”

  Sotomar smiled slightly at Allen, “Do I understand correctly then, that you have a girlfriend and that you were engaged in sexual relations?”

  Allen nodded, “Yeah, and we kinda got caught.”

  “You are 15?”

  “Yes… but…”

  Sotomar held up his hand, “I understand that you are advanced beyond your age.”

  “I don’t care if he has the mentality of an 80-year-old… he’s 15!” Emily yelled.

  “Please, Dear, we’re speaking calmly here.”

  Emily continued to glare at Allen.

  “So this, heku, she is how old?”

  “224,” Allen told him.

  “Wow, a young heku.”

  “224 is not young,” Emily said, irritated.

  Sotomar smiled, “I see… so what is the problem then? The older girlfriend or the sexual relations?”

  “She doesn’t like any of it,” Allen told him. “Nor the fact that we plan to be bonded.”

  “Ok then… there must be a way to compromise.”

  “Like what?” Allen asked.

  “No compromises when it comes to my son,” Emily hissed.

  “See! I can’t work with that.”

  Sotomar put his hands up, “I am here to help as a neutral party. We have to find a solution or I will need to bring in Chevalier.”

  “Fine by me, at least he’s an adult,” Allen said, and crossed his arms.

  Emily stood up and got in his face, “Don’t you dare talk to me like that!”

  Allen reached out and pushed against Emily’s shoulders, easily sending her backwards onto her butt on the carpet, “Try to stop me, Tiny.”

  Emily scrambled to her feet and stared at Allen. He gasped, eyes wide, and groaned.

  “Emily! Stop it this instant!” Sotomar yelled, and Emily looked over at him and sat down as she released Allen from the burning. “I have negotiated agreements with all three factions that had less hostility than you two… my word… Can you just calm down!?”

  Allen nodded, “Sure, if she’ll keep a civil tongue in her head.”

  “Let’s start with no more name calling. What is the young heku’s name?”

  “Miri,” Allen told him.

  Emily started to speak, but Sotomar hushed her and she glared at him.

  “Very well… you two reside in Council City?”

  “No, we live in Island Coven.”

  “Emily… are you opposed to Allen having Miri as a girlfriend if there is no sexual conduct?” Sotomar asked.

  Emily sighed, “No kissing?”

  “That’s asking a bit much, Dear.”

  “I guess not,” she grumbled.

  Sotomar smiled, “You, Boy, are you ok to back off and go no further than kissing?”

  Allen shrugged, “That’s how it starts…”

  “I’m well aware of that.”

  “I don’t know.”

  “If it’s that or your mother keeping her a pile of ash…”

  “Fine, then, for now we can do that,” Allen agreed.

  Sotomar nodded, “Then no more bonding talk either until… what age?”

  Emily thought, “20.”

  “Twenty!? No way, I’m not waiting 5 more years to marry the woman I love,” Allen said.

  “Can we say 19 then?” Sotomar asked.

  “19 is too young,” Emily said.

  “You were 17 though, were you not?”

  Emily glared at him, “I was, and it was the dumbest thing I’ve ever done.”

&nb
sp; “19 sounds reasonable to me,” Sotomar told them.

  “Fine,” she yelled.

  “That means we can get engaged when?” Allen asked.

  “17?” Sotomar turned to Emily.

  “Whatever”

  “That is acceptable to both of you then? Engagement at 17 and bonding at 19?”

  “I guess,” Allen said.

  “Yes,” Emily finally told them, after a few minutes of silence. “But you keep it in your pants until 19.”

  Allen sighed, “Mom…”

  “No exceptions.”

  “What’s it hurting? You do realize you didn’t catch us the first time…”

  Emily glared at him, “No.”

  Sotomar smiled, “Maybe it would be best if he discussed this with his father.”

  “No way, Chevalier’s fine if he wants to screw the entire faction.”

  “I love her,” Allen growled.

  “You’re too young to know what love is.”

  “I am not! I’ve been with Miri for 8 months, and every moment I spend with her, I fall that much more in love with her.”

  “So you think!”

  “Calm…” Sotomar reminded them. “Just hold off on anything more than kissing until things calm down a bit, and then bring it up with your Mother and Father together.”

  Allen sighed and nodded, “Yeah, ok.”

  “You two have got to learn some control,” Sotomar told them. “You are both aware that at any moment you can kill the other… especially you, Allen.”

  Allen nodded and looked down at his hands, “I know.”

  “I need to get back to the Valle Palace. Shall I take Allen to Council City on my way?”

  Emily looked up at Allen, “You want to go back?”

  “Yes, I do.”

  “Fine, then you can go… but don’t tell anyone where this place is.”

  “I won’t. I know how important it is to you,” Allen promised her.

  Allen walked up to get his things, and Emily turned to Sotomar, “Thank you.”

  Sotomar smiled, “My pleasure, Child. I wish we could be friends again.”

  She shrugged, “I do too, but after what you and William did, I just don’t know.”

  “Maybe, someday.”

  “Yes, maybe.”

  “I’m ready,” Allen said.

  ***

  “Elder,” Derrick said, walking into the council chambers. “Valle Elder Sotomar is at the front gates with Allen, but the guards won’t let him.”

  Zohn gasped, “Sotomar has Allen?”

  “Let Allen in and bring him here,” Chevalier said.