“I’m going to find your sister.” He said it resolutely, like there was nothing else he could possibly be doing.
I tried to reel in my skepticism. “Do you know her?”
He shook his head. “No, but she’s of my kind.”
“Got it.” I was new to the whole paranormal thing, but I was beginning to understand the loyalty between members of the same kind of creature. It made sense, but it also frustrated me. Why did everything have to be so divisive? Besides, where did that leave me? What was I anyway? I shifted into a Pteron, but I knew I was part bear. Would I ever truly fit in anywhere?
“I’ll bring her to you as soon as I find her.” Eric misread the expression on my face. I didn’t doubt his dedication. It was more the principle of the thing.
“Where are we going exactly?” I asked Toby.
“It’s up north, on a small island.”
“So why aren’t we flying directly there? Why this talk of a boat trip?”
“We have to meet our tour guide first.”
“Tour guide?”
Toby shrugged. “Ask Eric.”
I turned back to him. “Who is it?”
“It’s actually two guides. If you tried to fly to the island yourself, they’d view it as an attack.”
“Two?”
“They’re twins, and I assure you they’re trust worthy. They’re actually your cousins.” He looked away. “They had contacted me already.”
“My cousins?” Did I have more cousins than just Rhett? “And why would they contact you about me?”
“Your mom has something to do with them calling. I didn’t get a chance to talk to them long, but these are cousins you’ll take a liking too. Like you they’re a mix, but a mix of a different sort.” He smiled, which made me nervous.
A mix? Was there more inter paranormal mating going on than everyone thought?
“Don’t worry about it, Bates. You’ll be fine.” He patted my shoulder. “You have Toby here for protection, don’t you?”
“Don’t you mean he has me for protection?” I grinned.
“That’s about right.” Toby took my hand. “Let’s swing by both of our places and pack. It sounds like this is going to be awhile.”
“What do we tell Georgina? She’s expecting us in New Orleans.”
“We’ll just have to go straight to New Orleans afterward. She’s the one who told you to look for answers.”
“That’s true.” I turned to Eric. “Thanks, I think.”
He smiled. “Anytime.”
“And be careful.” I knew Eric was putting himself at risk to look for Vera. I hoped he was successful. It’s crazy how I went from hating the guy to trusting him with my life and the lives of others I loved.
“I can’t promise careful, but I’ll try not to die.”
I laughed. “Good enough.” I waved goodbye before Toby led me back toward my new apartment. “Do you know anything else about these twins?”
He shrugged. “Nope, but considering everything we’ve faced lately, I think we’ll be okay.”
“Just don’t ditch me, and we’ll be fine.”
“I knew you wanted me around,” he teased.
I leaned into his side. “I’m sure I’ll find a use for you eventually.”
“You mean more than the stress relief and focus you found this morning?”
“Yeah, good point. That’s a very good use.”
He laughed. “I’m glad you think so.” He put an arm around me, and we continued walking. I tried to savor the moment, to soak up the pretense of normalcy. I knew I couldn’t pretend for long, but I was going to hold on to it for as long as I could. “You okay?” he asked worriedly.
“Yeah I’m fine.”
“No you’re not, but that’s okay.”
“It is okay.” I slowed down pace as my building came into view. I wanted to savor every moment.
Chapter Eight
Toby
Casey was nervous. She wasn’t particularly good at hiding any of her emotions, but it was her nerves that she wore on her sleeve. Maybe it was just because I knew her so well, but her eyes and the tension in her face told me all I needed to know. I hated to see her so uptight, but I also knew she had every right to be. Telling her to relax would just piss her off, and I definitely didn’t want that. Casey was back at my side and fully with me. I wasn’t screwing anything up.
“How many days do you think we’ll be away?” She pulled open one of her dresser drawers.
“At least a few.”
“How heavy of a bag do you think I can fly with?”
“I’ll carry our stuff, so the weight isn’t a huge deal, but we’re still going to be carrying it around with us. Maybe just grab one full extra set of clothes and whatever you want to sleep in. You know Georgina will have extra clothes for you when we get to New Orleans.”
Casey nodded. “And I’m sure she’s going to be particular about what I wear.” She paused. “Although did you notice how she didn’t say a word about what I was wearing today? She didn’t seem to care at all.”
“It’s because she thought she lost you.” I walked over to join her by the dresser. “She loves you, and she thought you were gone. That can do strange things to people.”
“Yes it can.” She got that far off look on her face which meant she was thinking about Vera. We were going to find her again. After everything we’d been through, those sisters deserved to be reunited for more than a few minutes.
“She’s a bit crazy, but Georgina is definitely someone you want on your side.”
“Absolutely.” Casey tossed a pile of clothes on the bed. “I wouldn’t want to be on her bad side. That’s for sure. If she finds out what I’m keeping from her I might be though.”
“Although she most likely already knows and she’s not making a big deal of it…”
“Why is this so complicated?” She pouted.
“Because it’s life. Life is complicated.”
She sighed. “When this is all over, we’re going to actually do something fun.”
“We can do anything and everything you want.”
“Good.” She kissed me lightly on the lips.
“Is that everything?”
“I just need to pack my toothbrush and stuff.”
I smiled. There was something so cute about her. I wished we were going away on a romantic getaway instead of whatever wild goose chase we were probably on, but I was lucky to have her back. I refused to complain when I had so much.
“Do we need to pack food? A first aid kit?”
“A first aid kit?”
“Well, I don’t actually know where we’re going, and we don’t exactly have the best track record for vacations.”
“That’s true, but I think we’re good. You heal fast now. So do I. A first aid kid isn’t going to do much.”
“Good point. I’m just trying to be smart about this, and sometimes I forget I don’t have to be so careful anymore. Part of me forgets I’m not human.”
“And that’s a good thing. Thinking you’re human is important. Remembering what it’s like to be human is too.”
“Do you?”
“Do I remember what it’s like?” I sat down on the bed.
“Yeah. Or has that started to fade?” She sat down next to me.
“I remember. It hasn’t been that long.”
“I wonder what it’s like to always know. To grow up that way.”
“You’ll have to ask your brother one day.”
She smiled. “Brother. That’s still a weird concept to me.”
“I can imagine, but he’s probably going to be a pretty good one.”
“I’m impressed you can say that.” She patted my leg.
“Why? Because he married Allie?”
She shifted uncomfortably. “Sorry. I just—”
“I’m happy. He’s happy. You’re happy. Allie’s happy. We’re all happy.” That was a bit of an over simplification. Jared probably wasn’t all that happy—altho
ugh if things worked out with Vera maybe he would be.
“What are you thinking about?” Casey called me out on being lost in thought.
“Your sister. Jared.”
She turned, pulling her leg up under her. “What about them?”
I shrugged. “Nothing in particular.”
“I was thinking the same thing. They can even be together for all I care. I just want to spend more time with her.”
“Healthy attitude.”
“As long as she doesn’t go after you that is.”
“Even if she did, I wouldn’t be interested.”
“Come on. Did you see Vera?”
“Yes, I met her.” I’d also carefully avoided seeing her naked to protect myself in just the conversation I was having now.
“She’s gorgeous. Absolutely gorgeous.”
“Not as gorgeous as you.” I wasn’t just saying that. I meant every word.
“You’re sweet.”
“Just sweet? I call you gorgeous and I get sweet?” I teased. “How does that work?”
She laughed. “I already called you perfect.”
“That makes it a little better.”
“Only a little?” She pushed my chest, sending me flat on my back on her bed.
“A lot.”
She crawled up my body before placing a feather-light kiss on my lips. “I love you, Toby. There’s nothing I’d ever want to hear more.”
“And there’s nothing greater I’d want to hear.” I pulled her down on top of me, just holding her for a moment. I had no idea how much crazier things were about to become, and I was going to take every ounce of normalcy I could get.
***
With a small bag packed we walked up to the roof. It was a clear night, and I couldn’t deny some excitement about getting airborne. Casey seemed just as excited, although the exhaustion was still clear on her face. Hopefully we’d get some answers soon.
We flew up north toward Maine. It wasn’t a short flight, but it was definitely something we could do in one shot. I’d never get tired of flying with Casey. She was so graceful as she soared across the sky in her own pattern, occasionally looking back to make sure I was with her. The best part is no matter how stressed she was, she still smiled. Flying came naturally to her, the way it should have. As much as I didn’t love everything about being a Pteron, I did love flying. There was nothing in the world quite like it—well, except for Casey. She was even better. Combining flight with Casey was one of my favorite things in the world. Life needed to settle down so we could enjoy it far more often.
We landed about twenty feet from the lake. It seemed silly that we couldn’t just fly in, but Eric had emphasized how important it was to wait for Casey’s cousins at the ferry landing. I didn’t voice my concern to Casey, but I wondered if they’d maybe shoot us down if we flew in. Most bears weren’t big fans of Pterons, and he’d warned us they might take our entrance as an attack. Knowing that didn’t make me feel all that confident about our trip. I had to rely on the fact that Casey’s family would be glad to see her. If they weren’t, we were just turning right around. There had to be someone friendly who could help us figure out what was wrong with her. And they’d fix her. They had to. I refused to accept that anything the boss did was permanent.
“You trust Eric, right?” Casey asked. “There’s no way he’d ever lead us into a trap.”
I didn’t respond at first. I was too busy admiring how amazing she looked with her wings.
“Toby?”
“Sorry.” I shook myself. This wasn’t the time to get distracted. “Surprisingly enough, I do trust him. I also looked into this place.”
“When?” She put a hand on her hip. “We’ve been together this whole time.”
“I just made a quick inquiry. This is a bear stronghold, and the names Eric gave match up.” I’d made the inquiry via text while talking to Eric. You could never be too careful.
“Okay. Sorry.” She looked so tense. I just wanted to get rid of that strain in her neck and muscles, but I knew the best way to do it was to find her cousins and keep moving forward.
“It’s okay. I know you’re used to being left out of things.”
“Do you think Rhett’s been here?” She took my hand as we started walking.
“Maybe. It’s hard to know. Like I told you before, he’s been off the grid.”
“How do you know that anyway?”
“I had my cousins try to find him after you went missing.”
“Oh.” She smiled. “That’s reasonable. I really will start trusting you more.”
“I’d love if you’d start trusting me all the time.”
“I do about most things.”
“Except you assume I’m keeping everything from you.” I attempted to keep things light, but it frustrated me how little she trusted me. I hoped she’d give me the chance to fully win her trust back. Having a secret meeting with Eric had been a really bad idea.
“Pretty much.”
“Is that the dock?” She pointed at a worn looking wooden platform. It didn’t look like much, but maybe that was the point.
“Maybe.” I picked up my pace, and she easily matched it. “It’s a dock.” A medium sized ferry was tied up to the dock.
“And that’s the boat. Great.”
“You don’t like boats, I take it?” I asked. Boats weren’t something that had come up much. When you can fly, you don’t usually worry much about other forms of transportation.
“No. Not at all.” She shivered.
“Maybe you’re cousins could help us make an exception then. Maybe we could just fly in.”
She shook her head. “No. I’ll play by the rules.”
“Casey?” A soft male voice called.
We both turned around when we heard her name called. We came face to face with a guy and girl. They were each around Casey’s height, but the guy was super muscular.
“Yes, I’m Casey.” Her confidence was back.
“Hey!” The girl pulled her into a hug.
Startled, Casey didn’t reply right away. “Hi?”
“I’m Daria and this is Maddock.” She gestured to the guy.
“Hi. You know my name, and that’s Toby.” She stepped away from the girl.
“Hi Toby.” Daria looked at me, and her eyes lit up a little. I didn’t like it. It didn’t seem like a typical bear reaction. None of this did. Bears were territorial, skeptical by nature.
Casey frowned lightly. I guess she’s noticed Daria’s reaction. I couldn’t say I minded the slightly territorial or jealous reaction. “Eric told us we’d be expected here.”
“Yes. We’ll take you right over.”
“Thank you.” Maybe this was going to be easier than I thought. I’d expected at least some reservations on the part of her cousins. Was this a red flag? Were things going too well? Was it a trap?
“Oh, we can’t take you.” Maddock shook his head.
“Not that we don’t want to.” Daria smiled at me.
“What do you mean you can’t take me?” Ok, maybe things weren’t going quite as smoothly as I thought.
“We only have permission to bring Casey over. She’s one of the family, so we can overlook that she has wings.”
“I’m not going without Toby.” Casey grabbed my hand. “He’s with me, so the permission to take me should also apply to him.
“Wait…” Daria looked between us. “Are you guys together?”
Casey nodded emphatically. “Yes. Very together.”
I smiled. At least Casey was confident about that.
“We’ve got a guest house a few miles down on this side that you are welcome to stay in, but I’m afraid you can’t take the ferry over.” The girl seemed genuinely disappointed I wasn’t coming. “If you weren’t with Casey I’d offer to keep you company, but I get the vibe you’re exclusive.”
“Keep me company?” Then it hit me. “You’re Casey’s cousins, right?
“Yes.” She smiled.
�
��But you’re not full bears.” Eric told us that, but now that I was with them I figured out what their other half was.
“Casey isn’t the only hybrid out there.” Maddock seemed to thrust out his chest in pride.
“Hybrid.” Casey smiled. “I like that word. It’s so much more positive than anything else I could come up with.”
“You’re half nymph.” I wasn’t asking. Nymphs and shifters occasionally produced children, and they slept together all the time. Nymps were notorious for their huge sexual appetites and willingness to explore anything and everything sexually. Like most Pterons, I’d steered clear of them whenever possible. I can’t say the same thing for the bears and wolves I’d known.
“Yes we are.” Daria grinned. “My cousin’s lucky to be with a Pteron that looks like you.”
Maddock shook his head. “You’d say that about any Pteron.”
“Like you wouldn’t? If Casey wasn’t related to us you’d be trying to jump her whether she had a boyfriend or not.”
“Ok. But you are related.” There was no reason to continue with that conversation.
“Yes, we are.” He crossed his arms. His angry stance actually put me at ease. At least he wasn’t going there.
Casey clasped her hands together. “Isn’t there some way you could make an exception and let Toby cross?”
“No.” Maddock shook his head. “But you’ll be in good company.”
“Good company? What do you mean by that?” I was busy trying to come up with a solution. I wasn’t okay letting Casey take off into possibly hostile territory without me, but I also understood how important this was. I couldn’t hold her back.
“There’s someone else booked to cross with you today.” Daria smiled.
“Who?” Casey looked to me, but I didn’t have any information to share.
“I’ll let her tell you herself.” Daria glanced at some spot in the distance behind us.
We both turned and watched as a woman walked toward us.
“Mom?” Casey started walking toward the woman, pulling me with her. I was glad she hadn’t dropped my hand. I wanted to be of any help I could.
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