by K. B. Draper
“Never asking you about yourself. Who you were? Are?” she corrected.
Isadora smiled. “Well, if you are asking, then I guess there will be a bedtime story tonight.” She waved a hand toward Kanyon’s bedroom. “First, get ready. Then we shall talk about your day and my past ones.”
It took Kanyon a few minutes to change, wash her face, and brush her teeth. As she sat down on her bed with her back against the headboard, Isadora settled next to her. “Do you mind that I share your bed for our stories?”
“No, as long as you don’t steal my sheets and I don’t wake with your butt in my face.”
Isadora furrowed her brows. “Why in the heavens would I–”
Kanyon gave Ralph a pointed look. “Not all my recent bedfellows are that considerate.” Ralph scoffed before trotting off into the bathroom. Both women cringed at the lapping water sound that followed a few seconds later. “You’re disgusting,” Kanyon informed him when he reemerged, swiping his tongue over the wet fur of his mouth.
Ralph, completely comfortable with the label, leapt onto the bed, circled three times, and dropped at the women’s feet.
Kanyon shook her head. “You couldn’t have sent a dachshund? A toy poodle?”
“I cannot honestly see you with a dachshund or a poodle.” Isadora chuckled.
Kanyon sighed. “Right. Anyway, story time?”
“First you. Today.”
“I’m guessing you already know. Isn’t that why you’re here?”
“Yes. I guess so. But I am here to ensure that you are okay with today’s events.”
Kanyon took a long moment to answer. “Yeah. I am. I’d already decided my destiny was being a Guardian and I was prepared to fight for it. What I wasn’t expecting was that Daylen would walk back in and simply offer it all back to me.”
“And?” Isadora prompted.
“And I guess we’ll see. I think you know it’s more than a Guardian thing for me.”
“I do,” Isadora confirmed.
“So, there’s that. I’m not sure I’m good at …”
“Relationships?” Isadora offered.
Kanyon nodded.
Isadora gave Kanyon’s hand a comforting squeeze. “The important thing is you are both willing to try. Let it be that for now. I am confident that you both can figure it out together.”
“Right. Okay,” Kanyon waved a dismissive hand, “enough about that. Now you.”
Isadora laughed, knowing Kanyon was uncomfortable when the focus was on her; an irony being her beauty and profession drew her so much attention. “What would you like to know?”
“When were you … When did you …” Kanyon didn’t know how to ask someone when they lived and died, being they were sitting there in all impressions of a living and breathing person. “I mean, how did you …”
“How about this,” Isadora offered, “what if I simply show you a little of my life while I was on earth?” When Kanyon nodded, Isadora ran a soft hand down Kanyon’s face.
Kanyon woke with a gasp. “What the holy hell?” She dropped her hands, which she’d been holding up to keep the blowing sand out of her eyes. She looked around the room for the men on horseback that had been surrounding her. “Jesus.” She wiped a hand down her face. She felt like she’d just finished an all-night Spartacus marathon, minus a naked Lucy Lawless, but heavy on the gladiators. And Marcus, Mr. Badass gladiator, had been smack dab in the middle of them. Actually, she wasn’t sure of her timeline, wishing she’d paid more attention in history class. Isadora had lived in a time of ancient Egypt or Rome, she believed. She definitely wanted to know more, but next time she wanted the awake version so she could ask questions. She looked over at her alarm clock and hit the silence button before it started to shrill. She rubbed another hand over her eyes, telling them to “wakey, wakey”, but quickly realized she should’ve told that little message to her legs. They were so asleep she couldn’t even feel them.
She reached down to pat where she thought her legs should be and met hair versus sleeping pants. Her brain was a little slow to warm up, so the first thought she had was damn, I need to shave, but then she remembered her uninvited bed guest. “Ralph! Jesus!”
After a full minute of pulling, wiggling, groaning, and shoving, she finally freed herself and swung her feet to the floor. A couple of deep breaths and a good shove off the bed later, she stumbled her way to the bathroom. “I’d so be okay with a poodle,” Kanyon huffed.
Blue looked around the set as every man and a good portion of the women stopped what they were doing to watch Kanyon pass. “Geez, you’re like the sex whisperer.”
“Whatever,” Kanyon stated as she slowed, putting an arm out to stop Blue. “Did you hear that?”
“No, but I do feel you touching me.” Blue pushed Kanyon’s arm away. “Thought we agreed about personal bubbles, Uncle Badtouch. No fondling the goods.” Kanyon cut Blue off with a sharp “shhh”, cocked an ear, then took off between two trailers to a storage tent tucked in the back staging area.
“What the shit? Where are you going?” Blue asked, taking off after a now running Kanyon.
Kanyon stopped outside the opening to the storage tent, dropping to one knee as she tried to listen to the voices inside.
Blue bent over, a hand pressed to her side, and wheezed, “You didn’t tell me this would involve running. I charge extra for flipping running.”
Kanyon waved Blue back as she leaned in closer to hear the conversation coming from within the tent, which of course caused Blue to saddle up behind her. Kanyon was going to say something about her own personal bubble, but instead simply tucked Blue behind her. From what Kanyon could tell, there were at least two people in the tent and from the tone of the mumblings one of them was not very happy. Something crashed. “Go find Daylen and get her here,” Kanyon ordered.
Kanyon didn’t know if it was the crash, the ensuing cries of pain, or the seriousness in her voice, but Blue actually obeyed, taking off in a sprint toward Kanyon’s trailer.
“I should advise you that I am not a patient man.”
“Ohh-kay,” a fear-ridden voice replied.
“Where is it?” the deeper voice demanded.
“I told you, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Kanyon heard the slap of a hand across flesh, then a whimper of pain. “Do not play ignorant with me, boy. That will not end well for you.” Another slap.
“I’m serious. I, I don’t know what you’re talking about. And I don’t know where my brother is.”
“Crap. Calvin?” Kanyon muttered to herself. She couldn’t wait for Daylen any longer. Just as she set her feet to rush the tent, she felt a wet nose nudge her arm. Her head whipped around to find Ralph, his eyes low and his posture already set in predator mode. She gave Ralph a nod. “Let’s see if you can do something besides eat.” She smiled at the scoff she heard behind her as she hit the opening of the tent.
Kanyon went toward the attacker. Ralph alongside her, a low growl rumbling from between his bared teeth.
Kanyon’s plan of “launch yourself at the dark hooded figure” got interrupted when she caught the glint of a silver blade that he brandished as he spun to meet her.
“Well, well, well,” the man said with a laugh. “A Guardian with great beauty and good timing.”
“How do you know about–”
The knife he held in his hand vanished as he straightened from his fighting stance. “Know thy enemy and all that.”
Kanyon matched his disregard by chucking a disinterested chin. “Dark outfit, cloaked identity, deep raspy voice, overly-arrogant … blah, blah, blah. It’s been done a million times and yet it still never ends well.”
The man let out an amused grunt and though she couldn’t see his eyes, she knew he was giving her a head to toe once over. He spoke with seductive gravel to his voice. “I heard you were attractive. Striking, actually. It will be a pity if we have to end up killing you.” He stepped toward her.
Kanyon didn’t m
ove. She held a low palm up to Ralph who had stepped in behind her.
“You could be spared, you know. You simply have to accompany me to the darkside. I could offer you so much more than–”
Daylen ran into the tent, stopping in the doorway as she took in the scene. “Kanyon!”
Not taking his eyes from Kanyon, the man waved a hand in Daylen’s direction, “… so much more than that. Anything you want. Anyone you want.”
Kanyon’s fingertips lit with flames. “I’m good, thanks.”
He chuckled, taking a step back as he lifted both of his hands and two blue balls of light filled his palms. “And just when things were starting to get interesting. Oh, well.” He flicked his wrists toward Kanyon, but she was already throwing herself sideways when the blue spheres streaked past, shattering the wooden crates behind her.
Daylen slid to the ground next to Kanyon, already pulling her up to ready for the next attack. Ralph was stalking forward with his head lowered, eyes fixed on his prey, and ready to attack.
The man flicked Ralph a glance. “Cute puppy,” he chuckled, then vanished in a black swirl of smoke.
“You okay?” Daylen asked, giving Kanyon a once over.
“Perfectly,” Kanyon answered as she dusted off her pants. “But, who or what the hell was that?”
“I have no idea.” Daylen looked over her shoulder.
Kanyon patted Ralph on the head as he stood sentry over Calvin. “Good dog. But I still don’t want you drinking out of the toilet.”
Calvin was curled on the ground with both of his arms tucked protectively over his head. Kanyon reached out and touched his shoulder. He startled, trying to scramble backward. “Calvin. It’s okay. It’s me, Kanyon. The guy’s gone.”
Calvin blinked unfocused eyes up at her. “Kanyon?”
“Yeah. Come on.” She held out a hand. “You okay to get up?”
He clasped her wrist. “Yeah, I’m okay.”
Kanyon pulled him up and checked out his injuries. “You have a bloody nose and a busted lip, but otherwise you look okay. Want to tell me what just happened?”
“I, I …” He looked at the mess around them. “I don’t know. One minute, I’m in here getting things set-up. I was trying to, you know, get a lot done, trying to make up for some of the work since my brother, well, you know. I was hoping that when he gets back he wouldn’t lose his job or whatever. Then, all of a sudden, the dude was just here. He started asking me for an article. I tried to tell him I had no idea what he was talking about, but he didn’t believe me. He slapped me around a few times. Then, well, then you were here.”
Daylen stepped up next to Kanyon. “So, you don’t know what he was after?”
“No.”
“How about your brother? You know where he is?”
“No. And it’s weird that he hasn’t called. I just thought he was, you know, hooking up with Ellie, the makeup chick and well, he was just …” He blushed a little.
“Too busy to call. Got it.” Kanyon looked down at her watch. It was almost six. She had more questions for Calvin, but they needed to get back. “Calvin, head to the director’s tent, we’ll be right behind you.” He nodded and jogged out, eager to get away from whatever he’d just encountered. Kanyon looked at Daylen. “I don’t think he saw my human hibachi trick.” She looked down at her hands then at the wreckage. “Or saw whatever that was.”
“I don’t think so either. When I came in he was already curled up in a ball.” Daylen glanced at the pile of destroyed crates. “I have no idea what or who that was.”
“We’ll need to figure that out later. Right now, I need to get to the director’s tent and control the situation. Steven will be frustrated at another setback but he’ll still want to do the right thing and report the assault. Maybe we can head it off a little. Want to call in a favor to your Uncle Jack and see if he can help control this situation? Last thing we need is a bunch of police running all over the place.”
“Good idea.” Daylen looked Kanyon over again. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Yeah.” She smiled. I’m a Guardian again. “I’m good.”
Daylen didn’t need a translation for that smile, she knew Kanyon was happy to be back in her real-life superhero role. “Good. Okay, I’ll call Uncle Jack and catch up with you later.”
They headed out and Ralph fell in step alongside them. Kanyon caught Ralph’s eye and gave him a head nod toward Daylen in a silent request. Ralph took up next to Daylen as Kanyon split off in the other direction.
Kanyon gave Steven the quick supernaturally-scrubbed version of the incident. She advised him that Daylen was handling the PD contact, which made him relax a little. They got Theo settled in with the lighting crew and Blue in the makeup trailer. An hour behind schedule, the crew hustled to get the first scene set up as Kanyon ran back to her trailer to get changed. Luckily, first up was a quick chase scene on a motorcycle, then foot, so it didn’t require much hair or makeup. They’d get any close-in shots later.
Daylen was standing outside Kanyon’s trailer, ending her call when Kanyon walked up. “I have to change real quick. You get ahold of Jack?”
“Yeah. He’s sending your favorite detective. I also put a call in to Aunt Ruby, but got voicemail.”
Kanyon looked around. “Where’s Ralph?”
Daylen nodded. “Breakfast buffet.”
Kanyon pivoted slightly to see Ralph begging for a strip of bacon from one of the extras. “Some guard dog he is,” Kanyon muttered.
“He worked up an appetite,” Daylen offered.
Kanyon harrumphed. “I’ll be right back.”
Three minutes later, when the trailer door reopened Daylen gulped when Kanyon stepped out in her all-leather outfit, complete with a leather duster. “That was quick.”
“Been wearing this thing for dang near eight months.”
Lucky outfit, Daylen thought.
Kanyon looked over Daylen’s shoulder. “Time for me to go. I’ll be back in an hour or so.” Lt. Boston was striding purposefully toward them. “Have fun with Lt. Attitude.”
Kanyon strode off before Lt. Boston reached them. She swung wide to do a drive-by by Ralph who was now using pitiful eyes to con a chocolate long john from one of the set designers. “I told you to guard Daylen, not the donuts.”
Ralph eyed a plate of sausage links. Kanyon followed his gaze. “Jesus, do you have a bottomless pit for a stomach?” Kanyon grabbed a plate and loaded it with sausage links. “Here. Take this back over to Daylen.” She held out the plate, which Ralph took in his teeth and trotted back to Daylen.
Kanyon shook her head at the 160-pound dog’s ability to gracefully trot across the set with a plate of sausage held with the skill of a tux wearing waiter with a tray of mimosas at one of those Beverly Hills fancy schmancy restaurants that her mother always drug her off to for brunch. She watched Lt. Boston retreat a step when Ralph sat down his plate while eyeing her. He sniffed in her direction, scoffed, then dug into his pile of links.
Daylen waited for Ralph to settle at her feet and for Lt. Boston to bring her eyes back up. “He’s a good dog.”
“He’s the size of a water buffalo,” Lt. Boston retorted. Ralph scoffed.
Lt. Boston put her hand on her gun. “Did he just scoff at me?”
“Probably just has a hairball,” Daylen replied, stepping between the two. “Did Captain Laine give you any details of what’s going on here?”
Lt. Boston gave the dog another suspicious look. “No, not really. Only that you had a sensitive situation and I needed to respond and assist. So, what’s going on? Your girlfriend get a speeding ticket? I thought she’d gone back to playing pretty on the movie screen and gave up the wannabe detective gig?”
“Yeah, well. She’s back.” Daylen wasn’t going to get into those details.
“Perfect.” Lt. Boston groaned. “What now? She burn something else down? Drive someone crazy enough to jump off a roof?”
“You know that’s not what happened,�
� Daylen snapped with enough anger in her voice to have Lt. Boston raise an impressed brow.
“Easy, tiger. Just jacking with you.”
“Sorry,” Daylen offered.
“All good. What do you have?”
Daylen gave Lt. Boston a cleaned-up version of the morning’s events. She wondered as she spoke when exactly Lt. Boston would figure out that they, meaning their detective agency, were involved in cases that weren’t exactly normal. Lt. Boston was a smart woman. She wasn’t exactly sure the Lieutenant didn’t already have her suspicions. She’d have to believe that her uncle trusted her enough to handle it if and when she did, or he wouldn’t keep sending her out to assist them. But for today she chose to leave out the article and the mystery man’s little talent of throwing blue spheres of destruction and focused on the missing kids and the assault that needed to be reported.
Lt. Boston took notes as Daylen talked, asking only a few questions throughout the narration. “So, two people missing and we don’t think they just ran off to Vegas?”
“A possibility. Calvin thinks his brother is shacked up somewhere, but still concerned that he hasn’t called.”
“Calvin, the victim of the attack this A.M.?” She got a nod. “And the suspect this morning, you don’t have a better description?”
“No. Dressed in all black and he had a hood up, so I didn’t get a good look at his face. Kanyon heard a commotion and stepped into the tent. I came in a few seconds behind her and he took off.”
“About that …” Lt. Boston shut her notebook. “Why is it exactly that you and Kanyon are conveniently around when trouble breaks out?”
“I was here to see Kanyon, then well, stuff happened and I offered my services to the director.”
“Convenient.” Lt. Boston was going to say more but was distracted when Ralph finished his breakfast, stood, took his plate in his teeth, and walked it over to the trashcan. “He your dog?”
“Kanyon’s,” Daylen answered, impressed herself at Ralph’s actions.
“Explains the attitude, not the manners,” Lt. Boston mumbled. “Okay, well, let’s get on with it. Let’s start with talking to the brother, Calvin.”
