The Return (Haunted Series Book 21)

by Alexie Aaron

  “Ted was doing research at the Dark Vault, and he met this gargoyle named Jeff. Anyway, the necklace only seems to work in the daylight, but since at the time I was venturing into a dark pocket world, it wouldn’t work. I don’t remember taking it off,” Mia mused as she tied the oversized robe.

  “Your body must have absorbed it. Very similar to the way the birdmen keep their offspring from flying too soon. They place a medallion on the chest of the child, and it’s absorbed. I’m surprised the Gray Ladies didn’t spot this. Mia, I’m not sure I can remove it, or think that we should. Gargoyle magic is a tricky thing. Right now, it morphs into a shield guarding the most vulnerable part of a bird when its back is to its attacker. It has a mind of its own. I’m not sure it’s not sentient?”

  “A parasite? Like a flitch?”

  “No, nothing that nasty.”

  “Are you having me on?” Mia asked. She looked at his face and grinned. “You got me, Michael. You got me good.”

  “Now that I know it’s origin, I think it’s a good thing. You may want to alert old Jeff to its new powers.”

  “I wonder if he’s patented it?” Mia mused, thinking of Ted.

  “I wonder if it will work on angels?” Michael asked. “You said it becomes invisible?”

  “Seems invisible. It catches the light and repeats everything around you, so it kind of disappears.”

  “I don’t have any trouble making things disappear or disappearing.”

  “One of the original magicians,” Mia commented dryly.

  Michael laughed.

  Mia looked around her. “Where are the others?”

  “My helpers left after the grueling operation.”

  “Where is your guard?”

  “Don’t need them here. And I don’t need them to witness how horribly you treat me. I’m the Prince of Angels, even demons give me more respect.”

  “You have a point there. I am sorry for my ignorance. To me, you’re Michael, my former… boss?”

  “I’m still your boss, or I am now.”

  “Christ in a tank!”

  “Mia!” Michael warned.

  “I knew there was a catch. There’s always a catch. Next time, I’m bloody walking right into the light.”

  Michael grabbed her arms hard and stilled her. “Is there anything that I wouldn’t do for you?”

  “No.”

  “Then extend to me the same consideration.”

  “Fine, but no dog collars.”

  “I beg your pardon?”

  “I’m not your pet. I’ll be your employee and your friend, but I’m not your pet.”

  “No, you’re Sariel’s.”

  “I assure you I am not.”

  Michael started laughing again.

  “I think I’m going to risk hell and throttle you,” Mia said.

  “What was it like, Mia? What was Hell like?” Michael asked seriously.

  Mia walked up to him and took his hand and put it on her forehead. She opened up all the doors and let Michael walk through her mind house.

  He moved quickly through her memories. While he was there, he heard a strange clicking sound and an odd little voice reciting:

  You are the sun

  And I am the moon

  Without you

  I cannot shine

  Mia felt Michael leave, and she opened her eyes.

  “It unnerves me to see Lucifer so happy.”

  “See, I’m not the only one.”

  “What’s with the poetry?”

  “I’m really not too sure. I think, when my mind is open, I pick up on the all-bird network, activating on all stations all the time.”

  “Is it a birdman?”

  “If it is, it’s one I haven’t met.”

  ~

  Brian opened the door of his room a crack and peered in. “I don’t see it, Babcia.”

  “Listen, you can hear its talons clicking as it walks,” she said, opening the door. “Quick, come inside. We’ll shut the door until we find out if this bird is friend or foe.”

  Brian squeezed through the door with a very agile Babcia behind him. They walked around Brian’s small bed and found the raven scratching at something on the floor.

  “That’s where I hid the burn that happened with my last experiment.”

  “You’re a little boy. You shouldn’t be playing with fire,” Babcia told him.

  “It wasn’t fire. It was electricity,” Brian said proudly.

  Babcia narrowed her eyes. “Your parents need to warm your bottom.”

  “That’s what I’ve been telling them from the start,” a voice said from behind them.

  “Uncle Murphy!” Brian said, running to the ghost. “We have a raven in the house. See?”

  Stephen Murphy eyed the old woman suspiciously.

  “She’s not a raven, silly. Come look,” Brian said, waving him over.

  Murphy saw the raven, and the raven saw Murphy. Murphy knelt and held out his hand. The large bird hopped into the hand. Both were surprised how the ghost could hold the weight of the bird so easily. “He’s very old, Brian.”

  “He saved us.”

  “What are you talking about?” Murphy asked.

  “Where have you been?” Brian asked.

  “I have been taking care of the north pasture. Where have you been?”

  “At this old smelly library. That’s where we were attacked and Mom was almost killed. If not for this bird, Uncle Mike would not have been able to defeat the horrible ghost.”

  Murphy looked at the raven. It nodded.

  “That’s no ordinary bird,” Babcia said.

  “Who are you?” Murphy asked, trying not to panic at the mention of Mia almost being killed.

  “I am Sophia, Lazar Popov’s grandmother. Who are you?”

  “Stephen Murphy. This is my farm.”

  Babcia nodded. “But not now.”

  “We share it.”

  She nodded again. “You’re the landlord?”

  Murphy smiled. “In a way.”

  They heard the creak of the boards in the hall before the door opened and Lazar looked in.

  “Brian, I see you have guests, but I do need to remind you that your mother would be happy if you would rest for a while.”

  “But, Lazar, the raven is here.”

  “Mr. Murphy, can you take the bird outside so Babcia can settle the boy down?” Lazar asked respectfully.

  Murphy nodded. “Come, bird,” Murphy said and walked out of the room.

  Dieter was standing in the hall, his eyes open very wide. He waved Murphy and the bird into his room. He closed the door. He cleared off his desk. Murphy put the raven down.

  “Tell me what happened to Mia?” Murphy asked, being very careful to modulate his voice.

  “I’ll tell you all I know,” Dieter said and proceeded to tell him what Brian had told him and ended up with the departure of Victor with Mia in his arms.

  “Victor?” Murphy asked. “Not Angelo?”

  The raven shook its head.

  “Have you heard anything more?” Murphy asked.

  “Sariel came to tell my dad that Mia is with Michael.”

  Murphy frowned. “She won’t like that.”

  “Victor gave Altair a heart feather…”

  The raven croaked.

  Dieter watched the bird a moment before continuing, “If Mia needed the wings reinstated, he demanded they be a pair of warrior wings.”

  The bird began pacing the desk. It was clearly agitated. The raven pushed some folders off the desk. Under them Dieter’s laptop sat. The raven pecked at the top, croaking.

  “Open that thing before the bird wakes Varden and upsets Brian,” Murphy instructed.

  Dieter opened the laptop and started it.

  The bird gazed at the screen a moment. He pecked at the Word icon.

  Dieter selected it.

  The raven began to type:

  Visions of her

  Had a particularly

  Vivid clarity


  In the kneeling light

  When the sky was ablaze

  With a symphony

  Of golden hues

  “There’s no doubt about it now. This is the raven,” Dieter said, holding up the book of poems.

  “But what is he trying to tell us with the pretty words?” Murphy asked.

  “What do you feel?”

  “I’m a ghost. I don’t feel,” Murphy said gruffly.

  “I’m not an idiot, I’ve seen you… feel,” Dieter challenged. “Tell me.”

  “I see Mia the first day she turned and spoke with me.”

  The bird started to peck at the keys again.

  My Hell was living

  Serving a life sentence

  Exiled from you

  “From us?” Dieter asked.

  The bird angled his head and eyed Murphy.

  “I think this is about the raven and someone he gave a feather to.”

  The raven shook his head.

  “Sorry, not an ordinary feather. It’s about someone he gave his heart feather to,” Murphy corrected. “I sense that she was taken from him, or he was sent away.”

  The bird nodded its head and croaked.

  “Your mother heard this bird in her head the other day,” Murphy said. “Ask Mike or Lazar, they will be able to tell you more.”

  “Brian said Varden was screeching. Could he have called the raven?” Dieter asked.

  The raven turned its head but didn’t confirm.

  “Was the baby calling for the birdmen and you heard him?” Dieter clarified.

  The raven shook his head.

  “Do all birds hear the birdmen’s SOS?” Dieter asked.

  “No, only birdmen,” Mia said softly. “Hello, Hero.”

  Murphy turned quickly to hide his relief from Dieter’s penetrating gaze.

  “Mom!” Dieter rushed into her arms. “I was so worried.”

  “I’m fine, my son. I just peeked in at your sleeping brothers. Where is your father?”

  “Lazar is keeping him busy, making up problems with his prosthetics. He’s beside himself.”

  “I’ll go and find him, but first,” Mia said, gently untangling herself from Dieter. She knelt before the bird. “Hero, I give you my sword.”

  The raven croaked and flew and landed on her shoulder. Mia got up slowly and walked out of the room with the raven on her shoulder.

  Murphy pushed his hat back on his head.

  “You think you’re confused. My brain just exploded,” Dieter said.

  “She’s taller,” Murphy said.

  “She’s acting weird.”

  “She’s different, but Mia is always changing. You have to be very observant to see the changes coming,” Murphy told him.

  “We have to find out about this heart feather thing. I’m going to call Great-grandfather Orion,” Dieter said. “You follow her. Make sure she ends up with my dad.”

  Murphy nodded and disappeared.

  “And not you,” Dieter said under his breath. He knew in his heart that the day Mia became Murphy’s, it would be the day his mother would voluntarily walk away from life.

  Chapter Fourteen

  “You and I have a long conversation ahead of us. But I need to let my husband know I’m alive.”

  The bird nodded and flew off her shoulder.

  Mia smoothed her clothes. Altair had brought her as far as the aerie above the library. In one of the second-floor guestrooms, Mia found some clothing she had put into storage. With the exception that her shirt would no longer meet the top of her old cargos, they fit fine.

  Mia walked into the office and waved at Jake as she passed the monitors.

  “She returns,” he announced.

  “Indeed,” Mia said as she hurried into the barn.

  Ted was concentrating on a hinge when he caught something in his peripheral vison. He looked over and saw Mia standing there looking not unlike when they first met. Her hair was windblown. Her moss-green eyes were large as she studied him.

  “Mr. Martin, I believe you misplaced your wife,” she said, rushing into his arms.

  Ted scooped her up and crushed her to him.

  Mia heard:

  Press your body

  So close to mine

  That I won’t know

  If it is your heart

  I feel beating

  Against my chest

  Or my own

  “Something’s different,” Ted said, putting her down. “Did you get taller?”

  “Two inches.”

  He stood back and looked at her again. “Elizabeth’s been tweaking your face… That’s right, you broke your nose.”

  “Technically, it was broken for me. I’m not sure if Elizabeth was the one who fixed it. I think it’s a bit too perky.”

  “You’re beautiful,” Ted said. “You’re alive, and you’re beautiful.”

  Mia blushed.

  “Cid’s not home,” Ted said.

  Mia’s eyes lit up, and she raced up the stairs, followed by Ted, to Cid’s apartment. He caught her at the door and kissed her long and hard.

  There are things you can read from a kiss. Mia read Ted’s insecurities. Ted read that he didn’t have anything to be insecure about. The second kiss brought on passion that ended in the two of them entangled on Cid’s bed.

  Murphy stopped following Mia when he saw the look on Ted’s face. He heard them scramble up the steps and hightailed it away from the barn. He moved through the wall into the guesthouse/library where he found a box of Mia’s old clothes upended on one of the beds.

  “She didn’t have a stitch on,” Altair said, walking into the room. “I don’t think bird people worry about clothing, but Mia was mortified.”

  “She’s a lady,” Murphy said.

  “Guess so. It’s good to see you, Stephen. It’s been a while,” Altair said, extending his hand in friendship.

  “You’ve been gone,” Murphy observed, shaking it.

  “I was disciplined after not catching Mia in time. Michael sent me to patrol the mountains where the Gray Ladies are. No one was more surprised than I when Idra flew up beside me to tell me of Mia’s peril.”

  “You took her to Michael.”

  “Yes, and I brought her home, so don’t scowl. Mia invited me to stay for a while, and I’m taking her up on it. The mountains are too cold this time of year. I’m looking forward to a nice fire and a good book.”

  “Do you know about this heart feather thing?”

  “Not too much. I heard that the transplant worked. Mia can fly at any time, but I think that she’s not exactly keen on trying. I thought I’d stick around. Beats Angelo teaching her.”

  “Angelo’s trouble.”

  “For you, but not for Mia. You’re trouble for Ted.”

  Murphy set his jaw.

  “Back off. Wait until Ted’s had his lifespan,” Altair offered.

  “She’ll go with him into the light.”

  “Mia will outlive him by hundreds of years. And then there’s purgatory. Roumain will be trouble for you, Stephen.”

  “What about you?”

  “I’m immune.”

  Altair walked down the stairs and into the kitchen. “Do you know where the Martins keep the good stuff?” he asked, lifting a cheap bottle of whiskey up.

  “Top cupboard behind the Red Vines,” Murphy directed. “Should angels be drinking?”

  “We drink, eat, do everything you can’t,” Altair said, pouring a large measure of Lagavulin into a highball glass and swirling it before sipping. “Speaking of food…”

  Murphy shook his head as the angel grabbed an oversized bag of chips and headed into the library. Altair flicked his wrist and a large fire took hold in the grate. He lifted himself up and pulled a few books off the shelves. “These are my favorite. Have you ever read…” he said to an empty room. Murphy had already left.

  ~

  “Oh, dear,” Orion said, studying the text he received from Dieter. He was taking a break fr
om shelving books. Cid and Audrey seemed to be enjoying the project too much to rest. They challenged each other to fill the space first. It was a very nerdy game.

  “What’s the oh dear?” Audrey asked.

  “Dieter is asking about a heart feather. Cid, has anyone talked to the boy about the birds and the bees?”

  “Not my department. I doubt it. Ted’s not exactly sure himself. He thinks the tooth fairy brought his kids.”

  “Orion, honey, tell us adults about the heart feather,” Audrey requested.

  “Every full-blooded birdman possesses two heart feathers. One he can give to a human woman if he wishes to mate for life with her. My mother wasn’t full-blooded, so I never had them.”

  “Is the feather symbolic?” Cid asked, interested.

  “No. Once given and accepted, it gives the woman a matched set of wings so the two can mate while flying. It’s not the death spiral that the eagles go through, but it’s damn close.”

  “Why would Dieter be asking about that?” Audrey asked her husband.

  “The text didn’t say. It said, ‘Do you know anything about heart feathers?’ I answered, yes.”

  “Call him,” she ordered. “Ask him. The text was just a way of opening the conversation.”

  “Alright, but he should have just said so.”

  Cid had worked his way to the pile of books by the stroller. He picked up a few blood-soaked books and set them aside. Maybe Orion had a remedy. When it occurred to him that it was Mia’s blood, Cid became faint and had to sit down.

  “Why are you whispering?” Orion asked when Dieter answered the phone. “Then go outside.” Orion looked over at Audrey. “Dieter’s going outside.”

  “I heard,” she said, thumbing through a pamphlet about manners.

  “I can hear you now. Why do you want to know about heart feathers?”

  Audrey watched as the color left her husband’s face.

  “Victor. Our Victor? It doesn’t make any sense. I’ll explain it in person when we next meet. Don’t worry, I don’t think it’ll be a problem. We’re almost finished. Goodbye.”

  “We’ve got a problem,” Orion said, putting his phone away.