Southern Secrets

by Shelley Stringer

  Aunt Sue pulled me to her, hugging me close. “You’re a courageous girl, sweetheart. You have been through so much in your young life. I wish I could protect both of you better,” she sighed, and then shook her head. “It’s an awful feeling to think you’ve taught your children all their lives there are no monsters, and to not be afraid of the dark…only to find out you were wrong, monsters do exist.” She leaned over to Constance, taking her into her arms and kissing her on top of the head.

  After several moments, Constance sighed, and turned her head to look at me. “Yes, but in learning monsters do exist, Chandler and I have both learned there are true heroes too…” She grinned at me and took my hand in hers.

  “You’re in love, aren’t you?” Aunt Sue asked in wonder.

  “Well, yes. But what made you say that?” she shot back.

  “Because I’ve never heard you say anything so sappy in my life. You must be in love!” she exclaimed as I giggled.

  Constance just rolled her eyes and then tossed over her shoulder, “I’m hittin’ the hay. See y’all in the mornin’.”

  Aunt Sue touched my cheek when she left the room.

  “Just knock if you need anything,” I called out.

  After a quick shower, I donned some flannel pj’s and then settled under the covers with my laptop. I’d barely logged on when I heard someone gasp, and shattering glass.

  “Momma, what is it?” I heard Constance’s voice in the hallway. I’d been frozen for several seconds, then jumped from the bed and hurried over to fling my door open. Aunt Sue stood in Constance’s bathrobe, staring into the nursery.

  “I’m…not…I’m not sure,” she whispered as she turned to look at us, her face as white as a sheet.

  “What is it, Aunt Sue?” I asked, peering around her. I could see the white, cool mist we’d all become used to disappearing on the wall over the bed. Beau sat in the middle of the bed, wagging his tail and barking at the ceiling. The scent of gardenias hung heavy in the air.

  As I turned back to look at her, I realized large tears were streaming down her face.

  “Oh, Aunt Sue…it’s all right,” I began as my own eyes began to mist.

  “Why do I smell Kelly’s perfume?” she asked, her voice trembling.

  I placed my arms around her shoulders

  “Everything all right up there? We thought we heard glass breaking,” Ty’s voice carried upstairs.

  “Momma just dropped her glass, everything is fine,” Constance called down, stepping over to place her hand on her mother’s arm.

  “We believe it is Aunt Kelly, Momma. Chandler has been seeing her here since she moved in, smelling her perfume. You can add this to the list of things you might want to reconsider believing in,” she whispered, Aunt Sue looking back and forth at us. She nodded and then knelt to pick up the pieces of glass in the hall floor.

  “Don’t, let me go and get the dustpan. Just go on in and lie down. Constance, why don’t you stay with her for a bit?” I smiled at her as she nodded and led her mother into the nursery. Descending the stairs, I could hear the conversation in the living room.

  “How many do you have to guard the house?” Uncle Lon’s voice rose above the others.

  Another voice answered him. It surprised me, I didn’t know Dr. Renault was even in the house.

  “We’ve been split in half. We learned in our meeting yesterday there is trouble of another kind brewing in Atlanta, and we’ve had about twenty Aldon moved to Georgia. We’ve only got about eight or so to guard the neighborhood. Then tonight, we get this bit of news.

  “How did you find out?” John asked. I heard him pacing back and forth across the floor.

  “The few Aldon remaining here captured an Orco lurking about last night, while everything was quiet.”

  I heard Banton swear under his breath.

  Dr. Renault continued, “We managed to get out of him that this leader Dante is planning to make one last ditch effort to capture the girls before the remaining contingent ships back to Somalia to re-group. They’ve pulled all that remains of the Orcos in New Orleans, and a small band of renegades from down the coast as far as Biloxi and Mobile. We aren’t sure exactly, but they plan to hit you in the next forty-eight hours or so. They are pulling reserves back to Somalia within the week, for a large operation there. We have to be ready.” Dr. Renault voice took on a deep, serious tone I’d never heard before, and it alarmed me.

  “Can’t we just sneak the girls somewhere?” Uncle Lon interjected.

  “Too late for that. They have heavy surveillance on the house already.

  “Numbers?” Ty asked.

  “Our best guess is about forty or so. We can’t hold off against those numbers, you might have to involve your commander. Even with all of your SEAL team here, we don’t have the numbers we need,” Dr. Renault replied.

  I realized I’d been literally holding my breath, afraid to even move. I let out a deep breath, and then continued on down the hallway to the kitchen to retrieve the dust pan and take my medicine. After I’d taken my pills with a glass of water, I filled another to take to Aunt Sue, and turned. Banton stood in the kitchen doorway.

  “Sweetheart, I didn’t know you’d come down. How much did you hear?” he asked as he crossed over to me.

  I reached up to kiss his cheek. “Just enough to know you need to fill me in when you get upstairs. No secrets,” I added, pulling back to look at him.

  He nodded slowly and followed me back down the hallway. “I’ll be up in a few minutes, Andie,” he called. I walked back up the stairs.

  After I took the water to Aunt Sue, I hurriedly cleaned up the glass, and then returned to our bedroom. I shut the lamp off, and then snuggled down in a blanket on the window seat. Watching out into the night, I shivered. It had begun to rain and mist again, a repeat of last night’s weather. The swirling mist and fog around the street lamp at the end of the alley always created a spooky scene. My eyes strained up and down the alleyway and the street beyond, for any sign of movement. I knew they were out there, the blood-drinking, soulless Orcos who wanted to destroy the SEALs…kidnap me, Constance, and the babies…they were waiting for their opportunity.

  * * *

  It was another hour and a half before I heard anything from downstairs, but angry raised voices moved me from my perch on the window seat. As I flung my door open, Constance did the same, joining me on my trek down the staircase.

  “What the hell are we supposed to do…I don’t care if you do outrank me. Put me on report, I’d love a meeting with command. Maybe I can get something done about you, once and for all! You go ahead and make your threats…Yeah, we’ll see about it, when Commander Singleton returns from leave. In the meantime, there better be a report on file about my strong objections to your decisions on this!” Banton’s voice boomed. I heard him sail his cell phone across the room. The rather large hole in the sheetrock beside the living room window left the proof of just how angry he was.

  “Calm down, brother. He’s an ass, and this doesn’t surprise me. I just can’t figure out how he’s suddenly involved with our special team, they just brought him in since Brie’s attack in N’awlins. I’m going to put a call into a buddy of mine; he can get in touch with Singleton and straighten this out. In the meantime, we need to call Sam. At least Sam, Patrick and Olivia added to our ranks will help.” John tried to calm Banton down.

  Constance and I stood silently in the living room doorway. Banton looked up, shook his head apologetically as he considered the hole his cell had made in the wall, and then walked slowly back over to me.

  “Damn cell phone service is a bitch, huh?” Constance smiled lopsidedly at Banton. He put his arms around me. Everett chuckled from the sofa.

  Ty rose from the chair by the fireplace. “With the five SEALS, eight Aldon, and Sam’s crew – we’re fifteen strong. We can hold them off, until some neighbor hears the commotion and calls the police. When the Orcos draw a crowd, they always give up and leave.”

  �
�That’s just it. They are hoping with their numbers, they can strike and be out of here. It’s all or nothing,” Everett stated plainly as Constance shivered beside me.

  “You can add me to that number, I can shoot a gun,” Uncle Lon stated.

  Banton looked up at him over my head. “I hate to take you up on it, but we might need you. I’m calling my own father, too. He and Dr. Lane can help, they’ve already been transformed. They’re ex-Navy, they can fight,” he said. “But I might have to borrow Chandler’s cell phone,” he added as Everett chuckled again.

  “I’ll go and get it, it’s upstairs,” I replied. I pulled away and mounted the stairs.

  As I pulled my cell off the charger on the nightstand I noticed movement outside. Two men stood in the alley beneath the streetlight, watching the house. While I watched them, another one joined the group. They were focused on my window.

  I bounded back down the staircase, and called out breathlessly, “Who is watching outside?”

  “Why? There are four Aldon outside.” Everett replied, moving closer to me.

  “Because there are three Orcos in the alley, watching the house,” I stated as Banton placed his hands on my shoulders.

  Ty flipped his cell phone shut. “Sam and crew are on their way, they should be here in ten.” He nodded at John, and they headed for the back door.

  I handed my cell to Banton, and he immediately touched the screen, dialing his dad.

  “Hey…Dad? Yeah, it’s me. I need your help…” he walked into the dining room, checking out the window as he continued to talk with his father.

  “What’s going on? I caught just enough to know we’re in trouble again,” Constance stated as I nodded.

  Uncle Lon hugged both of us, and then passed us to take the stairs. “I’m just going to check on your mother, she was so upset earlier,” he muttered, climbing the stairs.

  “Well, I guess it’s better they know. At least I don’t have to keep lying to them anymore. It’s kind of a relief, although I can’t believe they’ve taken this so well.” She shook her head as Ty and John came back into the house. Banton finished his call to his dad, and joined us all in the foyer.

  “We have six Aldon outside, and Everett and Mr. Philippe will stay in the house tonight. We’ve warned Mr. Jackson, and he’s on the alert. Sam, Olivia and Patrick just got here, and Ben and Colin are on the way. They will all rack out down here, and Ev and Mr. Philippe will stay in the foyer upstairs. Ben and Colin are bringing some extra firepower; we’ll place everything when they get here.” Ty updated Banton.

  “There are supplies under the trunk in the greenhouse,” Banton added.

  “I’ve got some gear down at my house too. I’ll go and get those, and the ones in the greenhouse. You two get the girls squared away upstairs.”

  “No way, Brother. I’m going with you, I don’t want you out there alone,” Ty said. Banton nodded in agreement.

  “Be careful, please?” Constance pleaded as Ty pulled her in to kiss her.

  “I’ll be back before you know it. Go on up, and I’ll be there soon,” Ty kissed her on top of the head, and then slapped her on her rump when she started up the stairs.

  “Y’all be careful,” Banton spoke softly as the other SEALs slipped out the front door. He turned to me and motioned up the staircase. Beau followed close behind us.

  When he had our bedroom door shut, he hurried over to the window, searching back and forth into the darkness. I pulled the covers down on our bed, watching him as he paced back to the bedroom door. He pulled it open, leaving it partially ajar.

  “I need to hear, if anyone is in trouble,” he muttered, returning to the bed and settling down beside me on top of the covers.

  “You aren’t coming to bed?” I asked.

  “No, I’ll nap, but we’ve got to stay on guard tonight. I don’t know how much you heard downstairs…”

  “Enough to know we’re in trouble. Forty or so Orcos, led by Dante…intent on getting to me and Constance before they go back to Somalia?”

  He nodded, and pulled me over into his shoulder, wrapping both arms around be protectively. “Yep, that pretty much sums it up. I can’t believe this is going to come to a head with Singleton out of town, that moron in charge, no help from the Navy…” His temper surfaced again.

  “Who is in charge?” I asked, playing with the hair on the back of his neck.

  “Remember the drunk superior from the Christmas ball, the one who tried to maul you on the dance floor…Commander Reed? Well, he’s back,” he said disgustedly.

  “Oh. Isn’t there someone else you can go to?” I asked. He shook his head.

  “I don’t think it will do any good, but John knows someone who might get word to Singleton. But it may be too late by then.” He sighed, kissing the top of my head. “Dad, Will and Dr. Lane will be here in two hours…that gives us almost twenty. And the Aldon could be wrong about the Orco numbers.”

  My cell buzzed in Banton’s pocket. Retrieving it quickly, he checked the text. “Four buddies from John’s old team are close enough to be here in three hours. They are coming to help us.” He switched the text off, and then slipped it in his pocket.

  “That will help a bit, right?” I asked apprehensively.

  “Yes, but the Aldon may not appreciate it…that’s four more Navy personnel who will know about them,” he replied, shaking his head. “I hate jeopardizing their trust, but your safety is more important. Try to get some sleep, Baby. I won’t leave you tonight.”

  I nodded and snuggled down beside him. I heard the front door open and close several times, alerting us to the arrival of Ben and Colin. Even with the presence of all the Aldon and SEALs, I couldn’t relax enough to fall asleep. I lay awake for hours, watching him pace and then return to the bed to pull me into his side. I’d never seen him so unhinged, and it frightened me.

  Chapter Forty-One

  I woke to the sound of Mr. Matt’s low, soft voice. “How is Chandler holding up under the threat of all this danger?”

  “She’s doing incredibly well. We were supposed to meet with Lane and Renault this morning about the amnio. I guess we’ll get the results here, since they both stayed here last night,” Banton reasoned.

  I rolled over and stretched.

  “You’re awake…I’m sorry. I hope we didn’t wake you talking.” Banton reached out and swept the hair back away from my eyes.

  “No, I was awake. Hello, Mr. Matt. It’s good to see you. ”

  “And you, Chandler. Although I wish it were different circumstances.”

  I rose and crossed to the bathroom. “I think I’ll shower and change.”

  As I opened the bathroom door, I noticed the guns and ammunition beside the window seat. In the warm, sunny light of day streaming through our bedroom window, I’d almost forgotten about the danger still lurking somewhere outside. Rushing through my shower, I dried my hair quickly and then braided the partially damp strands into a loose braid. I was in a hurry to talk to the doctors about the test results.

  When I came out of the bathroom, Banton was alone.

  “Where did your Dad go?” I sat down on the bed beside him.

  “Evidently, your Aunt Sue took over kitchen duties, and she’s cooked breakfast. Dad went on down,” he said as he pulled me over to kiss me.

  “Let’s go down. I’m anxious to talk to Dr. Renault and Dr. Lane,” I said as I looked up at him. He just nodded, and pulled me up from the bed.

  As we rounded bottom of the stairs, we found everyone sitting around the dining room table.

  “Good morning, sweetheart. Are you hungry this morning? I’ve fixed French toast and omelets,” Aunt Sue greeted us.

  “Sounds wonderful, Aunt Sue. Thank you. Actually, I was hoping to talk to the doctors in private,” I replied. Banton nodded at Dr. Renault. He rose, joining Dr. Lane silently as they followed us into the kitchen. As we sat down at the table my apprehension grew tenfold.

  “Chandler…Banton, we don’t have any conclusive
results for you, about the status of the babies’ transformation. They definitely follow your genetic code. We just can’t be sure if they will be genetically half-breed, or completely Aldon children.”

  “Does everything else look all right?” Banton asked as he squeezed my shoulders, holding me close.

  “Well, we have some concerns. The babies don’t seem to be gaining like we’d hoped, one in particular, so we need to supplement Chandler's diet. They are lacking in minerals, and we don’t like the panels we ran on their blood. We don’t usually see this problem in normal Sange-Mele children, but we do see it quite frequently in Aldon children,” Dr. Renault informed us.

  “Doc, even if they are completely transformed, everything will be all right, won’t it?” Banton asked.

  “We hope so. There can be multiple problems at the end, and during delivery. We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. I’ve done some extensive searching, because we can’t find another documented case of twin Sange-Mele or Aldon children. The multiple pregnancy may complicate matters, but we are trying to be prepared. We have another medicine we want to start, and some protein and iron injections we need to do weekly, maybe more.”

  My head began to swirl. I’d been naive to think I’d breeze through this pregnancy without some complications.

  “Do you want to know what sex the babies are?” Dr. Lane asked softly, glancing back and forth between us.

  “Um…Banton?” I looked up at his concern-filled eyes.

  “We’ll do whatever you want, Chandler. Do you want to know?” he asked.

  I paused for several seconds, and then answered, “No. I think I’d rather be surprised and find out the old fashioned way.”

  “All right, then. We wait and find out when she delivers,” Banton answered, reaching to wipe the tears away that had formed on my lashes.

  Dr. Renault winked at me as he rose. “Don’t worry. We are going to keep a close watch on you. If the babies begin to struggle when they get bigger, your body can reject them and go into early labor. It’s part of the accelerated healing your own body does now because of the transformation. That’s why it is so hard for a woman who has been bitten to carry babies to full term. Your body tries to fix everything, and defends itself. If that happens we will take them early. Aldon babies can live outside the womb much earlier than human babies. I’ve seen it.”