by TL Reeve
“The boots set it off,” Abraham added.
Fallon laughed. “Well, I can’t be all prim and proper like Grainger.”
Grainger frowned. “Oh, ha, ha.”
She took a moment to examine each of the guys standing before her. Their attire could be considered semi-formal with each of them having their own stylistic flair. Warren wore a pair of slacks with a blue sweater vest and a black button-down shirt—no tie. Abraham wore jeans with a fitted dress shirt, while Grainger wore his usual tactical pants, agency polo shirt. Suān ní wore dress pants and a shirt. If she had to guess who helped him throw his look together, it'd been Warren.
“Well, if we’re ready, I think we should go.” Her hands trembled as she walked to the door. “Don’t want to be late.”
Warren joined her. “Don’t worry, Fú zé, we’ll be right beside you the whole time.”
Fallon stepped up to the door of her aunt’s house and this time, the atmosphere was different. She couldn’t put her finger on what the changes had been, except it didn’t feel so oppressive. She lifted her hand and knocked, again, unlike other trips, her aunt wasn’t waiting for her. Did she forget? Fallon snorted. No, her aunt never forgot anything. Beside her, Warren squeezed her hand. Suān ní decided to stay within her shadow just in case and Grainger, well, since the little episode in the hotel room, he’d been content to hang back and not make any more moves.
The door opened, drawing her attention back to the house and her aunt stood before her. Her raven-black hair had been pulled back into a severe bun and she wore a red dress, not her normal attire. Fallon glanced down at herself and felt a bit out of sorts. The dress she found earlier seemed practical at the time, now, she wondered if she should have gone with the more expensive one.
“Ayí,” Fallon said, bowing. “Thank you for inviting us.”
Her aunt arched a brow. “Where is the familiar?” Her clipped tone set Fallon on edge.
“He’s staying within my shadow for the time being.”
“For the best.” Her aunt ushered her in. “In the parlor. Tea is waiting.”
The absolute formality of the situation unnerved Fallon. Even with the overbearing tension lifted, she hated the house. It always felt as though the walls were closing in on her and she shouldn't be there. Tonight had been no different. She stepped into the house and followed her aunt into the room she called the parlor and took a seat on the sofa across from where her aunt stood.
“This tea is only for you Fú zé. You alone must drink it.” Her aunt handed Fallon the small china cup. “Drink all of it.”
Fallon glanced at the guys and they were as confused as she was. “I don’t understand.”
“You will,” her aunt replied. “Drink.”
Fallon sniffed the cup and frowned. She recognized the smell; however, she couldn’t place it. “Well, here goes. If I die, let my brothers know I did my best.”
Grainger snorted and Warren elbowed him in the ribs. “We’re right here.”
She drank down the contents in one go. It was easier that way, in case it tasted like shit. The warm brew rolled down her throat and into her stomach, chasing away the chill. “Not bad.” The room tilted and she grabbed the armrest. “Woah...” She shook her head. “Guess I drank it too fast.”
The room swam before her, the dark drab wallpaper was replaced with crisp white walls with pictures of children and adults. The sound of children’s laughter along with another adult’s voice twined with the roll of the room. None of it made sense, Fallon shook her head, trying to clear her head, but it didn’t work.
“Listen to me, Fú zé.” Her aunt appeared in front of her. “It’s time to remember everything.”
Fallon scrunched up her face. “What?”
Ayí pressed her middle finger to the middle of Fallon’s forehead and repeated herself. “Remember.”
Fallon slammed into the back of the couch as the room disappeared. When she opened her eyes, Suān ní was standing beside her, wearing his guard uniform. Damn, he was so freaking sexy. The smashing of glass startled her, drawing her attention to the left. Home. Her mother and father were yelling. Ji and she were carrying bags out to the car.
“What is going on?” She reached for Suān ní, but he wasn’t there. “Suān ní?”
“Mistress. Your memory.” He motioned her to come closer.
Fear kept her rooted. “I don’t think I want t—”
Despite her hesitation, she snapped into her body, reliving everything. Fear, anxiety, worry. She glanced up at the house she’d called home her whole life and sobbed while trying to pack the vehicle. She didn’t understand. None of this made sense. She’d opened her mouth to ask Ji what was going on when her mother and father came running out of the house followed by Lu and Lyle.
They all jumped into the vehicle while Lyle and Lu followed behind them in an... No, wait. It can’t. How... They drove an Enforcer. The same vehicle she too drove while in Window Rock. What is going on here? The images flashed together in rapid succession and somehow, she remembered everything, though she couldn’t see each picture placed before her. They had to leave. Someone told PBH where their house was. Her mom and dad were targets. Which meant they all were targets now.
Fallon gasped as the memory threw them back into another time when she and Ji were younger. They were at their aunt's house. She shook her head trying to grasp what was happening to her. The door opened and there her aunt stood, but there were others. Crow and Rey. How do I remember their names? They greeted her family with open arms. Again, slips of memories filled her mind and she couldn’t breathe. She loved being at her aunt’s house. They had family dinners there. Played games. Laughed. The house was warm too. She had a place there.
Wetness dotted her cheeks and she wiped it away. Why am I crying? The second she settled into the house she knew and loved, everything shifted one last time. Screams echoed around her. There were voices, several of them. They were layered one on top of the other. Her mother’s face appeared in front of her then her fathers. There was sadness there. Pain. She didn’t understand any of it. Darkness crept in around her and the last thing she saw as she floated away was her aunt’s face. Remember, Fú zé. Remember...
Fallon shot straight up, sucking in a deep breath. Even though she hadn't opened her eyes yet, she could tell the air around her changed. It was as though she'd come home. She slowly opened her eyes, almost afraid if she did, all of what she'd seen would be a lie. Instead, what she saw allowed the rest of her memories to fill in the holes. This was the house she remembered. Which meant Rey and Crow were somewhere around the house.
“Ayí?” She winced at the harshness of her tone. “Where is everyone?”
Her aunt came to her side and took her hand. “Give yourself a moment. You’ve been asleep for quite a while.”
Didn’t feel like it. “Uh... Did I fall asleep on you?”
Warren chuckled. “I have never seen anything like that before.”
“Who knew witches held so much power,” Abraham added. “It’s incredible.”
“You didn’t fall asleep.” Ayí cupped her cheek. “I hated being mean. I hated keeping you away from here.”
“I’m so confused.”
“I hope not too confused.” The deep rich voice struck a chord within Fallon.
“Rey?” She turned her head, her vision not a hundred percent clear. “You're real?”
The man laughed. His light amber eyes sparkled with excitement. “I hope so, or else Ayí and I are going to have words.” The clip of his boots on the floor grounded Fallon. “If you ask nicely, I bet Crow will come say hi too.”
A sob filled her chest. “What did you do to me?”
Her aunt wrapped her arms around her. “What we had to, to protect you and your siblings.”
“But I thought I lost everything.” Fallon swiped at her tears while trying desperately not to ugly cry in front of Grainger, Warren, and Abraham. “I thought I was alone. and everyone hated me. I thought...
” A cry of sorrow fell from her.
“I know,” Ayí whispered. “I know.”
“No.” Fallon pushed out of her aunt’s arms and stood. The room tilted on its axis and Warren was there to steady her. “No. You don’t get to say you understand anything of what you put me through.”
“Fallon,” Rey said, reaching for her.
“No. I have blamed myself every day for my parents dying and this whole time you knew the truth! You sent us to Window Rock. You made sure I knew you hated me—us. You ripped my life out from under me.” She took a shaky breath. “What did you give me, so I’d remember?”
Her aunt sighed. “Huperzia tea.”
Fallon’s gaze snapped to Grainger’s. “Did you know?” Then she looked at Warren and Abraham. “Did any of you know?”
Warren and Abraham lifted their hands. “No. Nothing. Like I told you, I could make it for you. My mom made it.”
“He’s telling the truth,” Abraham said. “We had no clue this was going on.”
Grainger didn’t say a word. “You knew. You’ve always been in on this, haven’t you?”
“Stop!”
Fallon glanced over her shoulder and fresh tears from her eyes. There he stood. The man who’d been protected by her aunt and her uncle Rey. Their third, Crow. Her uncle. He hadn’t aged a day since she’d last seen him, which was stupid to think since they were all shifters. She stumbled toward him and Crow met her halfway. He didn’t talk much due to his tongue being cut out when he was a child, so to hear his voice... “Crow.”
He pressed her face to his neck and squeezed her tight. The man trembled or maybe it was her—both perhaps? She clung to him. Of all the adults in her life, Crow had been the one she could spend all of her time with. He had this light about him and well, he’d been a natural magnet for kids. He stepped back to stare at Fallon then grinned. The big old dopey grin he always gave her when he was excited.
Missed you, he mouthed.
“Me too. I mean, I guess, I couldn't have. Right, but right now I feel like it's been a hundred years since I saw you.” She wrapped her arms around him again, afraid if she let go, she'd wake up and it would all be some fever-induced dream.
“We should talk,” Rey said. “We were about to have dinner if you’d all like to join us.”
“We would,” Warren said. “Thank you.”
Crow wrapped his arm around Fallon's shoulders and guided her into the dining room. As they crossed the threshold, she came to a stop. She glanced at her uncle then to her aunt and other uncle, Rey. Kids. Two of them looked like Crow and Rey while the other three appeared to be orphans. I’ve missed so much.
“This is the other reason we had to wipe your memories.” Ayí pointed to the four empty seats. “Please, sit. Your familiar is welcome to join us.”
Suān ní slipped from her shadow and swirled to life in the chair closest to where Fallon stood. “I think I need a minute.” She sat hard in the wooden chair and winced.
“We should start from the beginning,” Rey said, passing around the salad before pointing to the travel mugs on the table. “First, those are for you, Abraham and Grainger. We weren’t sure if you were able to feed before your arrival.”
“Thank you,” Abraham said, taking one of the mugs.
“I appreciate it,” Grainger added.
“Ji has this block on his memories. He too believes you went to the movies and your parents died in a tragic accident.” Ayí passed the roast to Warren. “It’d been easier for all of us if your memories matched up.”
“Lu and Lyle?” She took a piece of meat and stared at it. She wanted to laugh. Nothing about the meal was traditional. Her aunt didn’t have chopsticks on the table. Was the part about her parents being Americanized true, then? She had so many questions.
“They have been part of PRA since they were fifteen. They have been working on the same type of team you’re on.” Ayí shifted another dish to one of the children at the table.
“I’m so confused right now.” Fallon scrubbed her face. “I’m guessing not all my memories were wiped?” She pointed to the food. “Americanized, really, Auntie?”
Ayí grinned. “Sometimes, Rey reminds me, comfort food fills the soul.”
Fallon sagged in her chair. “So, all of you work for PRA then? Since...”
Rey elbowed Crow and winked. “We’ve been members for as long as I can remember, same with Crow. We met your aunt when she and her sister, Nian Zhen, were running this safe house for children. We never left.”
“Your father,” Ayí shook her head, “he came along a couple of years later. He was a chiropractor, just starting out. He fell head over heels for your mother. But, our secret life. Nian denied him several times, but your father, he was determined. When he learned about what your mother and I did for a living, he joined up. He didn't have the cunning or the skills to be an agent, but he gave it his all.”
“Wait, are you saying my father was human?” Fallon sat there dumbfounded. She’d always assumed both of her parents were shifters.
“Yes.” Her aunt nodded.
“Wow. I need a moment.” She searched her returned memories of her father. Most were still foggy but what she did recall, she frowned. She’d never seen her father’s tiger form. “Crazy. This is all crazy.”
“If you don’t mind me asking.” Warren filled his plate with food as the platters were handed to him. “Are all of these children part of the program?”
Rey chuckled. “Not even close. Two are ours. The other three are waiting for their guardians to pick them up and bring them to Window Rock.” He pointed to the boy beside him. “This is Trey.” Then he pointed to the boy across from them. “And he’s Daniel.”
Crow beamed like a proud father before signing, Daniel is my son.
How her mind could process the sign language as quick as it did surprised Fallon. “He's the spitting image of his father.”
The boy’s cheeks turned a shade of pink. “My dad told me all about you.”
“Both of our dads,” Trey added. “Are you mad at them still?”
It was hard to put into words what Fallon felt. Yes, there’d been anger and resentment there, but also understanding too. Her parents had a reason to wipe her memories at the time and though she might never comprehend the reasons behind it, it was what it was. She had the right to feel betrayed. She also had the right to feel happy.
“I have tons of feelings,” Fallon said. “Yes, I’m angry. I’m hurt and feel betrayed by everyone. I also understand whatever went wrong, your mother, my aunt did what she thought was correct.”
“We all sacrificed,” Rey murmured. “We all lost.”
Fallon winced. She understood that part too. “I know. It’s so much to take in. I have so many questions for all of you. I’ve missed so much.”
“This mission is a priority,” Ayí stated. “We're your backup.”
Once dinner was finished and the children were allowed to go play, she followed her aunts and uncles into the study. Relearning all she did about her family respooled the connections cut by the block on her mind and false narrative. She sat beside Crow and held his hand while the guys gathered around her where they could.
“There is one more thing we need to discuss.” Ayí sat in front of Fallon. “This is the hard part of this job.” In some ways, she wondered if her aunt had any feelings. She'd always been so detached. Hardened. It was a bit unnerving.
“Sure. Rip the band-aid off, right?” Fallon quirked a brow.
Her aunt blew out a breath. “I wish, Fú zé. I wish. At the site where Gabriel and Natalie are working, they found another body. They thought it was one of the lab workers.”
Dread filled her stomach. The irrational need to run away and never come back filled her. She didn’t need this truth. Whatever it was, it could wait or never be said. “Don’t tell me. I want to remember tonight fondly. Not...” She swallowed hard. “Please don’t.”
Crow squeezed her hand and eased her head to his
shoulder. Even with his calming presence, she couldn't rein in the sensation of losing control. It didn't make sense, but hell, nothing made sense of the last couple of years. What was one more thing?
“Fú zé,” Rey murmured. “Lu is—”
A cry of anguish fell from her followed by Crow's sorrowful howl. No. She didn't want to believe it. Lu couldn't be dead. Wouldn't she have felt it? Shouldn't she have known her brother was dead? Was the magic blocking her memories also keeping her from knowing the truth about her siblings? “No. I refuse to believe he's dead.”
Ayí swallowed hard and wiped her eyes. “Kalkin called and confirmed it. Lyle is on the way here and he’s gone feral.”
“What?” Warren placed his hand on Fallon’s shoulder and bursts of calming, loving energy pushed into her. “Why hasn’t Kalkin told us?”
“I don’t think he had time. Everything has gone fast since Natalie and Gabriel arrived in Salem. This revelation took all of them by surprise. Add in Lyle, well, you can see where Kalkin might not have thought about telling you.” Ayí took Fallon’s hand and squeezed. “We will avenge all of them, my little bird. I promise you; Lu and your parents won’t have died in vain.”
She couldn't process it. At some point, Fallon shut down as she sat there, cuddled to her uncle while everyone around her continued to talk. She retained bits and pieces of what her aunt said about the mission. The rest of it was a jumble of words. Lu, her mom, and her dad were dead. Lyle had gone feral. Ji and she were the only two left. Ji didn't have his memories.
By the time she walked out of her aunt’s house, she could barely stand upright. Her mind was heavy as was her heart. She didn’t even have the energy to say anything to her familiar or the guys. She wanted to sleep and never wake again. What should have been a simple tea and go back to the hotel, turned into an awakening she wanted no part of.
