by Black, Tasha
“This is what I hoped you would say,” Drago exclaimed, clapping him on the back. “I will join you, brother.”
“So will I,” Burton added.
Riggs was relieved at the thought of having his brothers along, but didn’t want to get them in hot water with their mates.
“The women will not be pleased,” Riggs warned. “Maybe it’s best if I go alone.”
“No,” Drago said, his blue eyes flashing.
“And miss the ninjas?” Burton asked. “No way. We’re coming too.”
“Let’s leave a note for them,” Riggs suggested. “We won’t be back to make s’mores tonight. And we don’t want them to worry.”
Drago nodded and sat at the makeshift desk in the corner. He grabbed paper and pen and began to laboriously write a note.
“Do we need weapons, brother?” Burton asked. His dark eyes were so solemn.
“I do not think so,” Riggs said. “Karate is a sport of honor. I will fight bare-handed.”
“We will stand beside you, brother,” Burton said worriedly.
“Okay,” Drago announced, folding the paper and placing it in his pocket. “I’ll slip this under the door on our way out.”
“How will we get there?” Burton asked. “There are only two horses.”
“We’ll take the truck,” Riggs laughed.
“You can drive it?” Burton sounded amazed.
“I flew our spacecraft, Burton, and I rode around in the car with Sage all day today,” Riggs reminded him patiently. “It’s a fairly simple contraption. The combustion engine is woefully inefficient and terribly noisy, but relatively safe.”
“What about the keys?” Drago asked.
“The keys are under the floor mat,” Riggs said.
“These women are too trusting,” Drago muttered.
“They have us now, they don’t have to worry about protecting themselves,” Burton said proudly.
“Still, they should secure their vehicle,” Drago said. “Especially with ninjas afoot.”
He snuck off to the front porch and slipped his note in the door slot, then jogged to meet them by the truck.
The three of them barely fit on the bench seat.
Riggs started up the truck and they headed down the gravel driveway, the machine proving as easy to operate as he had hoped.
“Where is the community center?” Burton asked.
“It’s in town, just a few minutes away,” Riggs replied.
He knew why Burton was asking. His own bond to Sage was not yet secured and yet he felt the growing physical distance between them stretching him tight already. He could only imagine how his brothers must feel, leaving their bonded mates behind.
The road curved past trees and homes and eventually carried them into town. Riggs found the community center and parked outside. It was a large brick building. The windows glowed with warm light.
The three brothers slid out of the cab of the truck and headed for the door.
Riggs took a deep breath and pushed it open.
He expected to be entering a lobby. Instead he walked into the middle of a karate class.
An enormous open arena was lined with brightly colored mats. Two evenly spaced rows of people wearing white uniforms stared at him.
“Welcome,” a friendly voice said.
A small man with brown skin and a uniform with billowing black pants approached him, smiling.
“I’m Sensei Rick,” he said, extending his hand.
Riggs took it instinctively and shook.
“So you’re interested in studying aikido?” Sensei Rick asked.
“I’m here because someone has been vandalizing our…friends’ farm,” Riggs said. “And we have reason to believe it was someone from this school.”
He looked around the room, treating its occupants to a withering glare.
The students on the mats stared back at him, thunderstruck. They looked surprisingly nonthreatening.
Sensei Rick placed a hand on his shoulder.
“I’m sorry to hear about the farm,” he said kindly. “I know Helen Martin just passed. It’s good to know the Martin girls have friends looking out for them. But I don’t think any of my students would have vandalized their farm.”
“You are dangerous ninjas,” Drago said, stepping forward. “Who else would have done it?”
“No, son, this is an aikido class,” Sensei Rick said. “Aikido is the way of the harmonious spirit.”
“The way of the harmonious spirit?” Drago echoed.
Sensei Rick pointed at the wall.
A framed poster said:
“Loyalty and devotion lead to bravery.
Bravery leads to the spirit of self-sacrifice.
Self-sacrifice creates trust in the power of love.”
- Morihei Ueshiba (founder of aikido)
Something about the words made Riggs think instantly of Aerie, and he felt a warmth in his chest.
“How can you beat people up with that?” Drago asked.
“We do not beat people up at all,” Sensei Rick laughed. “But if an assailant should attack us, we restore them to harmony.”
Riggs blinked at him.
“How exactly would you do that?” Burton asked doubtfully.
“Would you like a demonstration?” Sensei Rick asked.
“Yes,” Riggs said.
“What’s your name, son?” Sensei Rick asked him.
“It’s Riggs,” he said.
“Students,” Sensei Rick said. “This is Riggs. He and his friends are interested in knowing more about aikido. Have a seat and we’re going to do a little demonstration.”
A murmur of shy hellos chorused up to Riggs as the students seated themselves on the mats.
The friendly atmosphere got the better of him, and he gave a little wave.
“Alright, Riggs, let’s say I’m walking down the street, minding my own business,” Sensei Rick began. “You come up to me and begin a confrontation. For example, you could ask me if I vandalized your friend’s farm.”
Riggs pulled himself up straight and marched over to Sensei Rick who was walking along the center of the mats, whistling.
“Did you vandalize my friend’s farm?” Riggs asked.
“Now, right here I have a choice to make,” Sensei Rick said, turning to his students. “I can choose to escalate the situation or I can choose the way of peace.”
“I want no trouble,” he said, turning back to Riggs with his hands up. “Can we talk about this?”
Riggs stared at him, wondering what he was supposed to do next.
“Now, let’s say he backs down and agrees to talk with me,” Sensei Rick said to the class. “We can talk as we just did and make a connection. We have harmony.”
There were nods and murmurs of assent.
“But,” Sensei Rick said, “what if he doesn’t want to talk?”
Sensei Rick’s eyebrows went up so high they nearly reached his hairline.
“Okay, son, grab my wrist and try and pull me in for a fight,” he said to Riggs.
Riggs looked at Sensei Rick.
He was a small man, practically child-sized compared to Riggs’s enormous form. And he was older than Riggs, much older.
It did not feel right to grab him.
“Really, son, it’s okay, just grab my wrist and pull,” Sensei Rick encouraged him.
Riggs grabbed Sensei Rick’s wrist and gave a tug.
Instantly, Riggs found himself flying through the air.
He landed on the mats with a mighty thump.
The students applauded politely as he got to his feet, still breathless with surprise. He did not seem to be hurt at all.
“And now he is restored to harmony,” Sensei Rick said in a pleased way. “Great job, Riggs.”
“I want to try,” Drago said immediately.
“Of course, you can all give it a try,” Sensei Rick said. “I just need you to sign some waivers for me. Evelyn, lead the warm-up while I get these guys set up for th
eir free class.”
Sensei Rick placed a hand on Riggs’s arm and led him toward a desk in the corner of the room. The other men trailed behind.
“I hope you’ll enjoy the lesson tonight,” he told Riggs. “And if there is anything I can do as far as the situation on Helen’s farm, I’ll be glad to help. We can talk about it after class.”
Riggs was sure he would not find their vandal among these people, but he was beginning to think maybe their visit would not be a total loss.
15
Sage
Sage stepped into the living room with a bowl of marshmallows and noticed a piece of paper on the floor near the front door.
She placed the bowl on the table and bent to retrieve the note. It was folded and had Arden scrawled on it.
“Arden,” she called.
Her friend came out of the kitchen at just that moment, carrying a plate of chocolate.
“What is it?” Arden asked.
Sage handed her the paper as Tansy came in with a box of graham crackers.
Arden unfolded it and began to read as Sage watched.
“Holy crap,” she murmured.
“What is it?” Sage asked.
Arden handed it to her instead of answering.
Dear Arden,
We are very sorry to miss evening s’mores with you and Tansy and Sage.
My brothers and I are going to the karate dojo to challenge the enemy who dishonored the farm. We know you don’t agree, but the films we studied explain that this is a “guy” thing that women must object to. And they showed us that standing up to bullies is the only way to gain their respect.
Do not fear, my beautiful mate. By the time you read this everything will be taken care of. We were created to be strong and fierce.
Love,
Drago
“A guy thing?” Sage huffed. “That women must object to?”
“Keep in mind that they learned everything they know from ‘80s movies,” Arden said carefully.
“I’ll give it to them - it is a classic plot,” Tansy said. “But they’re barking up the wrong tree if they’re going to Rick Johnson for answers. He’s literally the nicest man in this town.”
“At least he won’t hurt them,” Arden said. “And you have to admit, it’s pretty brave of them if they think they’re really going after ninjas or Cobra Kai or something.”
“How can you two react like this?” Sage demanded, throwing the note on the table. “What they’ve done is nothing more than stupid machismo.”
“Come on, Sage,” Tansy said. “You don’t really think that, do you? I’m not convinced they even know what machismo is.”
“I don’t care if they know what it is or not. This is too much,” Sage stormed. “Everything about them is just too much.”
“Not too much for us, Sage,” Tansy said quietly.
Sage looked up at her sister and Arden. They observed her solemnly, sadly.
“Well, it might be too much for me,” she told them gently.
“Just give him a chance,” Tansy pleaded.
“I got the school tax bill today,” Sage replied. “It’s higher than last year, way higher. I called to see if it was a mistake. They said they’re building a new middle school. It will have state-of-the-art computer and science labs.”
“That’s fantastic,” Arden said, then clapped her hand over her mouth as if remembering the first part of what Sage had said.
“It is fantastic,” Sage agreed. “But we were already scraping to figure out how to cover the taxes at the level they were last year. And how to pay the insurance, and all the supplies we’ll need for the fall season.”
Tansy lowered her face to her hands.
It hurt Sage’s heart every time her sister had to face reality about the farm finances. It didn’t seem to matter how many times they had the conversation, Tansy’s reaction was always as emotional as the first time.
“We have so many problems from every side,” Sage said gently. “And the vandalism was bad, but if we have fugitive aliens running off to beat someone up every time something goes wrong… Well, that makes our money situation seem easy to deal with.”
“Should we go after them?” Arden asked.
“In what?” Sage asked. “The tractor with the slashed tires?”
“They drove?” Arden asked, running to the window.
“Well, I hope they did,” Sage said. “The truck is gone.”
“I’m getting the sangria,” Tansy said through a clenched jaw.
“I’d rather have tea,” Sage said. “I want to have my wits about me when these bozos get back.”
16
Riggs
Riggs burst in the front door of the farmhouse, his brothers piling in behind him.
“It was amazing,” he said to Sage, who was seated on a large cushion on the floor.
“You’re back,” she said flatly.
“Did you find out anything about the vandal?” Tansy asked.
“No, but Tansy, you have to try aikido,” Burton exclaimed. “Come over here and grab my wrist.”
“No, no,” Drago said. “We have to tell them about peace and harmony first.”
“You were at a karate class, not a UN Summit,” Tansy said.
“The art of peace is the principle of nonresistance,” Burton replied.
“The true meaning of ‘samurai’ is one who serves and adheres to the power of love,” Drago added.
“Just grab my wrist, so I can restore you to harmony,” Riggs said to Sage. “Please?”
Sage slammed her mug down on the table, not seeming to notice that tea sloshed over the sides, and leapt to her feet.
It occurred to Riggs that in his excitement, he may have failed to properly predict Sage’s reaction.
“Look,” she growled. “We have problems, real problems. And you three take off without even talking to us about it. Then you come waltzing back, spouting platitudes, asking us to grab your wrists without a care in the world. You don’t worry about the fact that you just drove a car without a license. Or that you just appeared, all three of you together, in very public place, where you might have been recognized for what you are. You put everyone in this room at risk of jail for harboring a fugitive, or worse.”
Riggs felt her words as if she had punched him in the chest.
The worst of it was that she was right. He’d been so eager to save the day, he hadn’t thought about the possible consequences of his actions.
“I-I’m sorry, Sage, I—” he began.
“Good,” she said. “I’m glad you’re sorry. I’m sorry too. I’m sorry that I was stupid enough to believe that a man who has only been emulating a human for a couple of months would have the common sense the good lord promised a house plant.”
The room was deadly silent.
“I’m going to bed,” Sage said.
She stalked down the hallway toward her room.
Riggs lowered himself to the sofa and rested his head in his hands.
“Riggs,” Tansy said. “She doesn’t mean it. She’s just stressed out.”
“No,” he said, straightening up. “She’s one hundred percent right. I don’t know what I was thinking.”
“I know what you were thinking,” Arden said gently. “You were thinking that you love her and you want to protect her.”
Riggs nodded, afraid to try to speak.
“She knows that,” Tansy said, patting his back.
“I’m not so sure,” Riggs said.
“Give her time,” Tansy said. “Let her cool off, things will look better in the morning.”
He nodded, not wanting to contradict Tansy, whom he liked very much.
“I think I’ll just go for a walk before bed,” he said. “You should all enjoy your dessert. I’ll see you in the morning.”
“I’ll come with you, brother,” Burton offered brightly.
“No, thank you,” Riggs said. “I think I just need to spend some time alone.”
Burton nodded
but he looked taken aback.
Riggs understood why his brother was surprised. Ever since they had begun the arduous project of moving into human forms back on Aerie the brothers had been inseparable.
He realized, ruefully, that perhaps this sudden longing for private introspection was a sign that he was becoming more human after all.
“Have a good walk.” Drago clapped Riggs on the shoulder as he headed out the door. “And come back for us if you change your mind.”
“Thank you, brother,” Riggs said.
But he was already gazing out into the starry sky over the berry fields.
The stars were so far away on this planet. Perhaps this was what made him feel so small tonight.
17
Sage
Sage slipped into her room, pushing down the feeling of dread in her gut that told her she had been too harsh.
Usually when she spoke her mind she felt better afterward. It was the feeling of a sunny morning after a storm.
This time, she felt bone tired and sad.
She curled up in her bed without even getting undressed, staring at the darkened window as she listened to the hushed voices of the others in the living room.
She imagined the tightness she felt in her chest would have her up all night.
But she sank quickly into a deep and dreamless sleep.
The next morning she woke early, feeling disoriented.
For one blessed instant she thought only of the day ahead and how much she could accomplish since she was up at such an ungodly hour.
Then she realized she was still dressed, and the whole night before came crashing into her consciousness.
Get up and go about your business, she told herself sternly.
It would do her no good to worry about the boys’ adventure in town. Or the awful things she had said when they returned.
She showered and dressed quickly, then made her way to the kitchen.
Otis, blessedly, had not yet arrived, and she had the room to herself.
She threw on Grandma Helen’s favorite apron and set about preparing a big country breakfast.
