by Livia Quinn
My shoulders sank and I walked to her with my arms open, “I’m sorry, Mom.”
“Oh, Jackie. I’m… I love you.” She looked over at my father. “We love you.”
For the first time in my life, I wasn’t hugging a fragile older woman in my arms. I mean, as I inhaled her familiar scent, she looked and smelled like my mom, but I felt her strength, as if I was plugged into her supernatural power, whatever it was. My father’s large hand clamped down on my shoulder and I flinched. Even after he retired he’d retained that aura of command but now I knew it probably came from his nature—after all, he was a dragon. “You’re a dragon,” I said out loud. Like he doesn’t know.
“Sit down, sweetheart, have some coffee,” my mother said.
I was suddenly exhausted. I looked at the clock over the kitchen door. It was 1:15. A mere forty minutes had passed since I drove down their street. I rubbed my hands over my eyes. “I want to pick Jordie up from practice,” I said. My mouth was operating on automatic. I looked up, stunned by a sudden thought. Jordie had lived with her grandparents for many years on and off.
“Does Jordie know?”
My mother was quick to exclaim, “Oh my lands, no, Jack. What do you take us for? Well…” she looked at my father who reached across the table and squeezed her hand.
“It’s a logical question, Sarah.” Of course it was. Jordie was also offspring. “No, son, she’s still a fairly innocent teenager like most of her friends.”
“What do you mean fairly innocent?” Fear rose quickly.
My father leaned forward, his narrowed golden eyes snapping to slits as they met mine, “I mean that girl is not stupid, Jack.”
Mom nodded. “We were forced to live like humans for a long time, Jack, to protect you and Jordie. You know how it is, now that you have a relationship with Tempest.”
My mind whirled with the implications of what she’d said. They knew about Tempe and me. Of course. The way she talked, they were probably friends with the Pomeroys. They’d pulled the same number on me as her parents had.
“Yeah, I know the drill. It’s the offspring paradigm.” Was I going to have to do something like this to my own daughter? As pain gripped my chest, I suddenly understood how difficult this had been for them. It must be like knowing a family member wasn’t going to live, and not being able to tell them for fear that they wouldn’t try to beat the odds.
“I can’t do this to Jordie. I can’t lie to her.” But I knew the instant those words left my mouth, and my mother looked at my father that I would, if that’s what it took to protect her. It’s what Paramortal parents do.
I sat down hard across the table from them. “Where did you go? When you… hit the road?”
It turned out the Langs were part of a large deployment group, like a Paramortal disaster team going into remote areas to restore the environment when humans couldn’t. Mother used the Indonesian earthquake as an example. “That was rather a fluke, darling. We were there on holiday when the Tsunami hit and then shifted into relief mode.”
“But how—I mean, you couldn’t use your power in front of humans, right?”
“People in that area of the world are more open to the mystical and besides they were in dire straits. In disasters of this scope, does it matter who rescues the victims—Marines, dragons, or aliens? Usually we’re less hands-on with the victims but it does happen, as you witnessed during the Chaos.” I had witnessed this myself.
I drank my coffee, kissed Mom, shook hands with Dad and promised to come back later. “I need to find Jordie and then I have to get back to work.”
When I left my parents’ I was reeling from the revelations of the day. Hoping to restore a sense of reality, I called Ryan to ask about his interview with Mrs. Karrakas. He sighed through the phone. “You know how she is. Apparently, Manny was working for her last Saturday before lunch. I haven’t had time to tell you, Jack, but she’s caused more trouble for Tempe while you’ve been gone.”
I listened, my teeth grating when I thought about the woman who’d accused Tempe of stealing a golf club which had eventually ended up in the slew, part of it inside Lancelot, an alligator shifter who was supposedly kin to me now. Squeezing my eyes shut, I pinched the bridge of my nose hoping to stop my head from throbbing. “What did she accuse her of this time?”
Ryan’s voice was sarcastic. “She claims Tempe didn’t deliver her garden supplies two weeks ago but I when I asked Tempe about it she just told me to check with her supervisor. Karrakas volunteered that she needed the chemicals for control and fertilization of the expensive exotic plants she propagates in her greenhouse.” Ryan did a great Karrakas impression.
“What did Tempe’s supervisor say?”
“He gave me a printout of the delivery confirmation,” Ryan said. “Tempe was hot and wanted to confront Karrakas but I talked her out of it.”
“Good work, Ryan.” It might have been dangerous to the councilman’s wife’s health, but it would have been fun to watch Tempe mete justice on Mrs. K. “I’ll follow up. Let’s see if Manny’s been seen by anyone.”
“Roger that. I’ll do a canvas of the neighborhood,” he offered.
“Good. Let me know what you find out and keep it on the ‘down low’ until I get around there to talk to Karrakas. It may be tomorrow morning. I doubt the Karrakas’ have a stellar relationship with their neighbors anyway.” Ryan didn’t ask but I offered, “I’m headed over to the gym.”
He hung up without commenting, which I greatly appreciated and I set my radar on the high school. I was getting a little… itchy. Did that mean I was in danger of changing? I concentrated on my goal, making up with my daughter.
Chapter 15
I felt lower than a dragon dropping
Jack
I wanted to put the Karrakas woman in jail almost as much as I’d wanted Georgeanne out of my life. They had something in common, being stone cold psychopaths. At the very least she had it out for Tempe. The thought of Tempe in danger sent a sharp alarm clanging down my nerves, vibrating painfully, urging me to protect her. At a minimum, I owed her an apology for the way I’d acted the last few months. Truth was, I owed her a whole lot more than an apology and I knew it.
As I drove toward the high school, I rubbed the skin on my jaw. It felt tighter, maybe it was because the muscles in my body were bigger. Was I having growing pains? I’d have to ask Conor. I shifted in the seat and speculated, Was I bigger everywhere?
It was understandable that I’d wonder wasn’t it? What if someone commented on my larger human form—it would make sense that I’d been working out a lot while I’d been off. I decided on that explanation should anyone ask.
Destiny High School came into view and I noticed some cars pulling out of the lot. Hopefully Jordie hadn’t caught a ride home with one of her friends. And there she was, walking out of the double doors with Andy, the delinquent teenage genie, and Jarell who, like my daughter, was Destiny’s hope for a dual basketball championship. An…eclectic group, I thought.
How much did Jarrell know? Had Jordie told him what really happened with Georgeanne? It was only natural that he would’ve been curious since I’d asked him to guard her from her own mother. But did he know about her villainous supernatural side?
Jordie stopped as soon as she saw me, flanked by her two bodyguards, for that was exactly what their body language telegraphed. The bronze-haired lanky genie kid and the athletic young African American had don’t mess with Jordie written all over them. Like I was a threat to my own daughter. I sighed, hands on my hips, momentarily incensed that these two pups would dare challenge me—whoa…where was this coming from?
I dropped my hands to my sides. They had every right to be protective. I’d hurt Jordie with my absence and they knew it. They were like big brothers to her. They were on her side. Which was fine while I was away. Well, now I was back, and it was time to prove I cared.
“Jordie.” I nodded to Jarell and then Andy. “Could you guys give me a minute with Jordie?
” They looked at me warily but when she nodded, Jarell said, “We’ll be right over there if you need us.”
I bristled a bit, must be the dragon ‘tude, but I tamped it down. “I appreciate you guys looking out for her,” I called to them.
Jordie and I stared at each other. Correction. I gazed at Jordie. On the other hand she seemed reluctant to open the conversation, just stood there with her weight slouched to one side, arms crossed, looking off toward her friends’ retreating backs, the classic picture of an affronted teenager.
It split my heart open. I’d done this. Me. Through my selfish actions, I’d caused this rift. Fine father I’d turned out to be. “I’ve missed you sweetheart,” I attempted.
She snorted and looked off, biting her lip. I knew my baby, knew she wanted to give in, but she was going to make me work for it. “Could’ve fooled me.” I waited until she looked up and cried, “Where have you been?” Her frustration was evident.
“I’m so sorry, baby. I’ve been…” I really hadn’t thought this through. “Not myself.”
“Ya think? You’ve been gone for five months. Haven’t even called me one time,” she said, her voice rough with pain and tears.
I ran my hand through my hair. “Look, do you think we could take a drive?”
She huffed and looked toward the gym. “I have practice in thirty minutes.”
She was lying. I almost called her on it but decided to negotiate instead. I was learning about women, even the younger ones. She wanted me to beg. So I’d beg.
“Bab—uh, Jordie, I know you’re mad at me and you have every right to be. But I want to make it up to you, try to explain.” How, I had no idea…
“We can talk in the morning,” she said and took a step toward her friends.
I felt a little frisson of fear. Her reaction seemed extreme but it was probably because we’d been so close, closer than most dad/daughter relationships. Had I blown it with her for good? I took a deep breath trying to figure out what to say. Maybe now that I’d made the first move I should give her the time she needed. Chicken.
“All right.” My hands itched to reach for her and give her a hug but once again, I wondered if it was the itch to change, so I just asked her if she needed a ride home.
Jarell said, “I’ll take her home, Sheriff Lang.” My head swung toward the young basketball player. Where had he come from? There was no anger in his voice, or even a hint of confrontation. Jarell was a great kid.
I nodded, “Okay, then.” Hoping for some reaction from her besides shooting daggers, I said, “I’ll see you in the morning.”
Then the three of them turned and walked back inside. I felt lower than a dragon dropping.
Chapter 16
Dutch
My body re-formed on Fierce Winds Isle and I strode down the beach to the tavern thinking about my family. What would Tempe do when she found out I had lied to her, yet again. This time I had a tiny pang of guilt, quite a feat for a djinni like me, and only because it piggybacked the lies my wife and I had perpetrated to keep our children safe from our enemies until Tempe quickened into her Tempestaerie.
I smiled as I remembered her fury when it happened the first time. Zeus’ smokin’ bullocks, but she had been glorious. Violent, angry… dangerous was a mild term for what she’d morphed into when she finally found out I was alive. I wiped a proud grin from my face with my sleeve as I entered the tavern through the cave’s opening.
Most of the Isle, and the supernaturals’ watering hole—the Moat of Morpheus—were well hidden from humans and protected. The members of the Collect had allowed the Moat to remain after the pact under their purview, subject to some strict rules.
Two warriors stood on the floor to the right of the entrance testing each other in a clash of swords, weapons unlike any seen elsewhere by the mere-mortals, except maybe the Dragon Knight’s. I spotted my quarry at the end of the bar.
The crowd was unusually odd tonight—some “freaks” sat in a corner surveying the rest of the room. One looked like a chimera with it’s lion head and goat feet and another sported snake like appendages that poked out of its cloak. Why any of them would think cloaks and hoods could disguise their true nature was laughable. This “gang element”, as my beautiful wife referred to them, would bear watching. I saw variants from other realms, shifters, fae and the odd unrecognizable creature and could detect their intent—for good or ill—through my innate djinn abilities.
As a whole they were a scruffy bunch wearing their scars, blood and dirt like badges of honor, though “honor” was not an appropriate word to describe them. Most of these cloaked beings would as soon stab you in the back than go to the trouble of a fair fight. Which was why the special conditions were in place.
It was a good thing I’d decided to bring a comrade to monitor the Isle as there seemed to be a greater variant presence than usual. All eyes tracked my progress, keeping a wary distance, ready to run should I decide to make a move. I categorized each threat but knew better than to pick a fight here.
Only one set of eyes regarded me with true fearless indifference though—my son’s. He’d changed since returning from the healer. It’d taken months for him to get back to full health after the poison that despicable variant had given him nearly killed him. River raised his head briefly then his lids fell as his attention returned to the drink in his hands. No more than a ghost of an acknowledgment of my presence, not even as much reaction as he’d show a stranger. What was he thinking?
Lately, I didn’t know my own son. I’d have to keep Tempe and Phoebe from seeing him this way until I could figure out what was wrong. Once easy going and likeable, River had become hard and dangerous. He was likeable enough, if you liked having your ass handed to you. Now River was a fullgrown djinni with the dark copper skintone, shoulder length hair and chiseled features that could cut wood. He looked dangerous, looked like a man on the edge. I wondered what it would take to set him off.
More than just his appearance, though, River’s personality had changed, shut down. I sensed his hostility, his desire to be challenged; it was a dangerous and precarious place for him to be, especially here in the Moat.
The healer had warned me about side effects from the treatment but at the time I’d had no choice. River had been clinging to life by one delicate strand, literally—a strand of hair his ex-girlfriend had used to keep him alive in order to capture the ultimate prize—me.
My nature wouldn’t allow me to wish I’d been taken in his stead. It would’ve been a catastrophe for our people if an enemy gained control over a truly powerful djinni and his wish granting. If not for Jack Lang and his plan, River would’ve died. I owed that young dragon many times over.
I took the stool next to River, and sensed everyone in the room sigh with relief. I chuckled, but when I turned to my son, and said, “River,” his name came out stiffly. Where were the easy words we used to share? The boy I taught to create fire in his hand, and bounced on my knee as he laughed with childlike glee was nowhere in evidence. We had become strangers and I didn’t know how to fix it. I couldn’t read him. He didn’t seem depressed… exactly… Perhaps that young healer on the Northshore of the lake who saved Dylan would have answers.
Instead of speaking, he merely raised his eyebrows as if I didn’t merit a comment. I was his father for Zeus’ sake and I was worried about him. His dark demeanor seemed to say Try me. I’d like that. But if not, who gives a rip.
Pain wrenched into my chest as the torment in River’s eyes flowed through me. We still shared a connection, but all it was telling me was that he was in some kind of trouble. I tried to ignore my unease. Have you contacted your mother?
We Pomeroys have our own version of a walkie-talkie, a mindlink. I was speaking to River on it right now but unless he opened his mind to his mother or Tempe, they wouldn’t be able to communicate with him.
No. I need more time.
More time for what, I asked, out of patience. Tempest has been waiting for months for your re
turn. I sensed they—or at least Phoebe, with her strong mother’s intuition, suspected he was close, but she would never envision him here among this collection of riffraff, the outliers of the supernatural world. This was not River’s kind of place. But neither was the Wasted Turtle, which was where he’d gone missing months back.
When are you going back to work? I asked. He’d told me a month ago that his contracting jobs, which had been suspended when he was kidnapped, were going to be abandoned unless he handed them over to another contractor.
River shrugged off my question and threw back the glass of amber liquor, bringing the glass down a bit too hard on the bar top. The crack rang in the room and conversation ceased, a couple of the miscreants squirming in their seats. The beings in this place stayed on a knife’s edge. He scanned the faces turned in our direction then his head swiveled around to face me, eyes flaring copper briefly.
I frowned. What is it, Son? His arm beneath my hand felt like stone and the muscles jerked nervously.
I don’t know what you mean. He rose and tossed a silver coin on the counter. I have to go.
Go where? My frustration bubbled over but I managed to tamp it down. When you’ve lived as long as I have you recognize a mule headed expression and understand when to stop pressing. Fine. You know how to find me if you need to. Don’t keep your mother and sister waiting forever. They’re worried.
And so is your father, I thought.
As he walked away it was obvious how much he’d changed physically. He was taller, thinner, though not weak, more like whipcord, honed to deadly strength. And so touchy. I sighed and kept my eyes on the room full of supes to make sure no one followed him with nefarious plans.
He’d taken several steps away from the bar when one of the men who’d been in the fighting match approached him. “Halt, Son of AbaJehban.”
Chapter 17
Listen, Lord Blowhard, my sister could take you in her sleep.
