Angie was looking at Dad as I tried to beam a message to her, He said girls, sis. She lifted her eyebrows at Dad. “Girls?”
Dad grinned. “I wouldn’t forget you, sweetheart. We’ll build you and Jaydenn a worthy home. Your cottage is too small. Or we could build a larger home for all of you.”
Angie and I raced to him and hugged, one on each side. We sniffled our thanks as he folded his tree trunks around us. I angled my head to view Vyn and Jaydenn standing together. Vyn seemed to be in some sort of shock. He just stood there. Blank. Distant eyes on the edge of fear, it seemed.
Jaydenn grinned down at Vyn and said, “Looks like it’s official, we’re brothers now.” He laid a hand on Vyn’s shoulder, pulling Vyn out of his daze.
“Yeah,” Vyn finally said, slanting a look up to Jaydenn, “brothers. I like the sound of that.” He balled up his fist and threw a brother punch into Jaydenn’s brick chest. “Brother, Jay.” He chuckled, rubbed his now sore hand.
Jaydenn scoffed out a snicker. “Is that all you got, little one. We’ll have to work on that if you’re gonna hang with the big boys.”
Looking at those two, I couldn’t help but smile. Vyn, an only child—a hunter had killed his parents so many years ago. That could be the source of his family phobia, I hoped. That’s fixable, pushing him to love me isn’t.
Angie and I released off Dad and I looked up at him. He seemed so happy, smile lines around his eyes. Angie floated me a grin. She’d gathered herself like a big sister again. I tilted my head to Dad’s upper arm and held his hand with both of mine.
Vyn and Jaydenn chuckled about something.
“Okay,” Dad said, “that’s that. Boys, whattaya say we get started on some plans. And you girls wanted to go shopping, right?”
Shopping? Now? … I wiped my eyes and tucked some hair behind my ear. “No, Dad. I don’t need to go to the mall. I wanna stay here with you guys.”
Angie did a little nod of agreement. She pulled a silk hair tie from her bra, where she always kept them. Then palmed both her hands through her shining brown hair, pulled it back and tied it into a tail like a pro. Her little diamond stud earrings sparked with window light as she said, “Well, sis, how does lunch sound? Let’s go make us all a salad.”
“Now see, that’s our Ang,” said Dad. “You always know the way.”
That was the best idea I’d ever heard. My stomach needed attention, and a giant fruit salad sounded like a gift from Source.
While Angie and I sauntered off, Bub got to his feet as I said, “C’mon, Bubby, let’s get you a snack.” He didn’t hesitate, just started running toward the door, feet slipping on the hardwood and toenails clicking.
Dad voiced out behind us, “Don’t give him any fruit. I don’t want him fartin around the house. He’s got boar nuggets in the pantry.”
CHAPTER 7
While Angie, Bub and me crossed the dark flagstone tiles of the foyer, I glanced to my left and caught a glimpse of a deer feeding in the front yard. Bub ran over to the windows by the oak entrance door, gave a halfhearted “woof” at the deer, then wheeled around and padded back.
We stalled in the foyer, sat together on the brick bench that encircled the giant bronze statue of a hawk—a long ago gift from one of Dad’s friends. Standing like a folded-wing sentinel, the statue faced the front, seeming to gaze out the foyer windows and up to the distant Crag Mountains. Dad had named this brick sitting area “the reflection bench,” a place to sit in silence, a place to ask questions about life, or just vent. Over the years, this bronze confidant had taken brunt of my worries.
In the shadow of the hawk, I pondered, my gaze going up to the cathedral ceiling. Thick beams, diagonal wood slats. A ceiling fan dangled, blades turning slowly. I looked up to the loft and saw the small desk by the railing where I used to study. Bub sat on his haunches at our feet.
“Angie, I need to talk to you about something that’s been bugging me.”
“Yeah. What is it?” She started petting Bub’s head.
“It’s just, well, it’s about Vyn. I’m confused. Everyone keeps saying family and stuff like that. Just assuming things. I’m wondering if we’re together just because we’ve been friends for so long.” I paused for a sigh. “I’m not sure if he really wants the family thing. I mean, did you see the look on his face when Dad mentioned the new house? It was fear, Angie. Fear. To see that look, it scared the flap outta me. I thought he was going to run right then. My heart would’ve stopped, Ang, right there in the den. My heart would’ve stopped.”
Angie kneaded Bub’s floppy ears between her fingers. “You’re imagining things, Ellie. He loves you so much. There’s nothing to worry about. Right, Bubby?” She scrunched up his lips in her hand, shook his head as if he was talking. “Dat’s wite, Ewie, nuffin to woowy about. See, Bubby agrees with me.”
“Well, why hasn’t he told me then? Every time I say it, he just gets this nervous look on his face, sometimes he says, you too, and that’s something, I guess. But my heart just sinks. I won’t stop telling him. I can’t, that’s not who I am.”
She stopped petting, turned and arched eyebrows at me. “He’s never told you he loves you? It’s been— Source. I didn’t know that. It’s been years. Oh, Ellie, you must feel—”
“I do. It’s so hard to look at him sometimes. All this love I have in my heart. I just need to know he feels the same. But, I’m not sure anymore. I know it’s just three little words, but, it hurts so bad when I tell him, and he just looks at me.”
She laid a palm on my knee. “He loves you. I just know it. We all know it. That’s why we just assume. It must be about his parents. That’s all it could be.”
I dropped a sigh at the floor. “Yeah, you’re probably right, but—” The dam broke on a burst of breath. “I’m just, so, scared. I love him, so, much.”
She folded her arms around me. I wilted into my sister.
Her gentle hands rubbed my back and wings. “Don’t cry. I promise you, it can’t be what you think. It just can’t. I know Vyn. He loves you more than anything. He’d die for you, Ellie. He’ll tell you, I promise.” She paused. “Do you want me to talk to him?”
Into her chest, I shook my head no, her shirt soaking up my emotions.
Bub laid his head on my lap….
****
About fifteen minutes later, we walked into the kitchen to see the result of Dad fending for himself. The granite counter and stainless sink held a hodgepodge of crusted dishes, specked and splattered with blueberry. Dad had a tendency to overindulge. As far back as I could remember, Mom had always reminded him that there was more to being healthy than sweet: “Eat your carrots or roots or lettuce, honey,” she’d say something like that, or whatever happened to be on her mental list at the time. I tended to side with my dad. Give me a bowl of berries over a carrot any day. Raspberries had always been my favorite; a bowl of raspberries with sugarcane sprinkles. Yummy.
Bub sat on the white-tiled floor, looking up at me while I stood before the pantry with a handful of boar nuggets. When I reached down, he politely gummed one from my hand, munched it up, swallowed, and waited for another.
Angie was straightening up the dishes in the sink when I asked, “Why do animals have to eat other animals?” I gave Bub another treat.
“I don’t know. That’s just the way it is.” Plates clinked together as she stacked another.
“Have you ever eaten meat?”
“Yeah, I had boar meat once.”
Bub took another treat from my hand. “Eew, really, what was it like?”
“Kinda like chewing on a dirty shoe.”
“Well, that sounds yummy. Where’d you get it?”
She grabbed a rag, started wiping down the counter. “One of Jaydenn’s friends is a boar hunter for a pet food factory. He brought some over for us. He called them steaks.”
“Did Jaydenn eat them?”
“Yeah, you should’ve seen him. He devoured it like he was in love. Moaning and groaning. It a
lmost made me jealous.”
“But, it’s a dead animal, that’s gross.” I gave Bub the last nugget.
“Yeah, I guess. Males are weird though, so it doesn’t surprise me.” She walked to the island table at the center of the kitchen, began wiping it down.
“Okay, Bubby, that’s all for now.” While he finished licking his lips, I patted his head and said to Angie, “Well, you’re never gonna catch me eating an animal. I just don’t see the point.”
Beyond hungry, I went to the refrigerator, opened the door to see a cornucopia of colors—vegetables and fruits and glass pitchers of tea. My focus went to the bottom shelf, the fruit shelf, as I eyed melons of sweet indulgence and berries of every sort. Even as I reached out for a honeydew, Angie spoke up from behind, “Now, Elle, don’t forget to grab some veges. We need to take care of the boys.”
My head was still in the refrigerator. “I know how to make a salad, sis.”
With both arms full of salad makings, I dumped them to the island-table surface. A head of purple cabbage rolled off the table to the floor. If Angie wasn’t there, I probably would’ve left it, but, whatever.
Bub walked over, sniffed the cabbage. Then looked up at me with a doggie grimace, his brown eyes seemed to say, I’m not eating that. I picked it up, pulled a knife from a wooden block. Angie stood across, waiting, with her eyes on me. Why did she have to watch me so close, with a grin, as if she was studying a student? For some reason, I couldn’t begin. She was making me nervous. She’s such a turd.
She finally said, “I’ll cut up the veges. You’re in charge of the fruit.” A smirk while she pulled another knife.
Caught in limbo, Bub just stood there. He seemed to be trying to decide if he should wait for fruit scraps, or go to his doggy bowl full of crunchies. He looked at me, then his bowl, then me. “Sorry, Bubby, no fruit for you.” He hung his head, then loped over to his water bowl and began lapping it up. I couldn’t help but giggle.
With my attention back at the table, I raked some hair off my face, tucked it behind my ear, and got to work. The knife flew with surgical precision as I peeled, diced, and chopped like a culinary master. I scooped up handfuls and dumped the little works of art into the wooden bowl. Angie followed with various lettuces, cabbage, peppers and carrots. The masterpiece completed, we exchanged smiles, paused, and almost on cue we both said, “Lovely.” To which we giggled together. This was our little ritual saying ever since we were kids.
“I’ll grab some chips, you pour the tea,” Angie said as she headed for the upper cupboards across the kitchen.
We strolled back into the den, each with a tray. Mine with the salad bowls, forks and napkins. Angie’s tray held the drinks. Even as we walked across the room with our balancing act, the boys were leaned over the table. Dad tapped a finger on a paper, said, “Yes, that’s perfect.”
“Lunch,” I called out, while we went to the end of the table and set the trays.
Dad looked up, interrupted but polite. “Ah. Boys, let’s eat.” The boys tore themselves away. Angie and I snatched ours up. While we made our way to sit, Dad said, “Slide those chairs over here, girls.”
We did as he requested. I lowered into my chair, placed my tall glass of tea to the floor, crossed my legs at the ankles and placed my fruit salad bowl on my lap. Yummy. The lettuce leaf canopy over the fruit was a great idea, hiding my obsession. Eyeing down at it, I pushed my hair over my shoulder, picked up the fork, flipped the lettuce leaf out of the way and dug in. While the fruit exploded flavor in my mouth, I caught myself growling a sound of pleasure. Not very angel-like, so I raised eyes to see if anyone was watching me. Angie gave me a chewing grin.
The boys stood around the table, munching and crunching. Dad looked at me, causing me to pause with a swallow. He gave me a grin, moved his eyes around the room. Then set his bowl to the table and finished chewing. After a napkin swipe across his mouth he said, “Listen. I want you all to stay here this weekend. We can go over the plans and have some family time. There’s a game tomorrow and I think we should go meet the old team.”
That’s nice, except maybe the game, but, whatever. This fruit is awesome.
Dad has lifetime skybox seats at the stadium, along with all his old teammates. Thoughts about all we could do at the house that weekend ran through my mind. Read books with my sister again while the boys did their thing. And the sparkling swimming pool out back. Yes, we could go swimming again. Excited energy began to buzz through my wings. I relished the tastes on my tongue.
Dad went on, “The old team would make a perfect angel army, strong. It wouldn’t take much convincing. Tomorrow. We’ll break the news tomorrow. It’ll be a good time.”
Angel army? Okay, whatever.
After giving Dad a full-mouth smile, I stuffed another bite.
Jaydenn commented, “I’m looking forward to seeing their reactions when we tellem we’re finally ending those nasty dreks. It’ll be a party all right.”
My chewing stopped. I swung my gaze to Angie, up to Dad. “The drekavacs? What are you guys talking about?”
“Weren’t you listening, honey?” Dad said. After an inquisitive long look at me, he spoke to the room, “I think it’s time she knew. She’s ready. Come over here, Elle.”
Can’t I just enjoy my salad in peace? Why can’t he just tell me from there?
“Elle?” Dad reminded.
With my bowl placed to the floor, I made my way over to him. Everyone waited. Angie set her bowl to the floor, got to her feet and stepped over to me. My face felt tight, clenched teeth, aftertaste of fruit on my tongue. I looked up at Dad. “Well, what’s the big news, and please.” My gaze went around the room. “Could everyone just quit with all the sensitive Ellie crap. I’m tired of it, and you’re beginning to irritate me.”
Dad curled some sort of grin. He didn’t say anything for a long moment. Oh, it dawned on me, Ellie standing up like a big angel now. Please.
“Okay,” said Dad. “You know the drekavacs, right?”
Duh.
“We assumed you’d eventually figure it out on your own, but, we didn’t want to— well, you had nightmares, Ellie, when you were a kid. We were protecting you from those. We brought a doctor in and set a block in your mind. You healed and became our sweet angel, so we left it alone. So now, I’m going to say something, and I want you to listen close.” He paused, leaned in, drew his brows down over an intense gaze, and pushed the words directly at me, “Aron. Arod.” His tone was clear, deep.
Nightmares? I didn’t remember.
Then I did.
Flashes came like lightning: The sweating terror in the middle of the night, a cold rag held to my forehead by my mother while I sat up in bed gasping for breath and sobbing. The years of sleepless anguish, bawling into a pillow. The vision of a hunter dragging me to the moon when I was eight years old, while I screamed my little lungs out in horror:
My forgotten childhood.
Dad waited while I stood frozen to the floor … He spoke in a serious tone, “The dreks honey, they’re immature hunters, scavengers, tormenting spirits. They eventually transform into the vultures we know as hunters, adult and ruthless enemies. Then they fly away into the night, away from the light. But you need to know something. A hunter will be coming for you, with this war. We’ll protect you, though, so try not to worry. Ellie?”
NO!
My stomach tied into knots, a metal taste in my mouth as I trembled in memories.
Why is he telling me this?
Horrific, throaty, vulture sounds went through my mind like guttural air pushed through a constricted pipe, Urrrr ... long and drawn out so long. Even as it continued, I could smell his black feathers; the charred scent of my own fear filled each sniffled breath.
Angie said with her hand on my shoulder. “It’ll be okay, sweetie, I promise.”
Something skittered across the back of my mind. I jerked away, stomped across the room and sat in my chair, hunched over with my face in my cupped hands. I co
uldn’t breathe. The salad wanted to come up and I just wanted to go to sleep. Why the flap did he tell me? I was happy. I slept good last night. Was that the last night of peace I would ever know?
Angie had crouched down at my feet, her hands on my knees.
With images flashing in my mind, I muffled into my palms, “It was Dakarai, wasn’t it?” My hands dropped. I glared up at Angie and snapped out, “Tell me.”
“Yes, sweetie, it was.” She snatched my hand up. “Please don’t worry. We’ll help you, all of us. We’re all here for you.” She looked around the room for support.
Dad spoke up, “That’s right. Vyn can take care of you too. Isn’t that right, Vyn? I’d say it’s time you let her know a few things about you, now that the block is removed.”
“Of course.” Vyn walked over to me, placed his hand on my shoulder, dropped a kiss on my forehead and drew back. “Ellie, do you remember everything about that day?”
Thoughts twisted—Dakarai, the drekavac who had morphed into a hunter and tried to take me away. I was just an innocent child back then, picking flowers in a field when my young, fascinated mind, forgot about the time of day, dusk. I remembered Dakarai’s talons clamping down on my wrist and dragging me toward the moon. And the moment it all went blank, my mind going somewhere else as the world dissolved, and I wilted, slipped into darkness, only to wake up in the arms of my Dad. Then the nightmares came.
I pushed from my chair, stalked over to the wall of windows, gazed out to the forest while hugging myself. My heart raced, pressure building behind my eyes, but I couldn’t stomach any flappin consolation at that moment. Not from—
“What’s going on here?” my mother’s voice made me turn. She stood near the doorway in a blue sleeveless silk dress that hung almost to her heeled pumps. A cascade of straight blond hair spilled around shoulders and chest. Flawless white wings. Even though she appeared confused, she had the look. Six-five worthy of a magazine cover, and she was finally home. I dashed across the room and crumpled into her, she enveloped me into an embrace. With my face on her warm chest, my arms curled up in front of me, I breathed in the scent of her flower perfume. “It’s okay, honey,” she said, rubbing my back and wings, then questioned across the room, “Phillip. Well?”
Wings of Boden Page 5
