by JL Madore
“What’s that smile?” Kyrian asked, handing him a coffee. “We get some good news for a change?”
Z flipped back the plastic tab to access the hot java and blew at the steaming hole. “Looks like we added a little girl to our family of misfits. I knew when Bo saw her at the soup kitchen he was hooked, but her mother died in the streets, and he’s claimed her.”
“She got any family that might object?”
Zander sipped at the edge of the cardboard cup and shook his head. “Doesn’t seem so. I’ll have my lawyers look into it. He’s taking her home to get her cleaned up and settled now.”
“You okay with him heading back to the ranch?”
He nodded, and they got back to walking their patrol. “Yeah. He didn’t explain, but Phoenix found the Darkworlder messing with his head, and somehow captured her mind? Not sure how that works, but somewhere in this city, there’s a Djinn female shell with nobody home. Once we find her, we’ll be closer to finding our answers.”
“Good,” Kyrian said, taking a right past the old Gothic cemetery. “And for a change, wouldn’t it be nice if the answers didn’t bring all new questions?”
Zander sucked back a gulp of coffee and laughed. “Ha, what are the odds of that?”
Jhaia hated fighting with Layne. Granted, her sister was trying and stubborn. True, she was misguided and angry. At the heart of her, though, Layne was a warm, caring female who lived with passion and acted on her beliefs. People often found her caustic demeanor to be off-putting, but there was far more beauty to the girl than the exterior package.
Carrying a tray down the side entrance, she nodded as the guard opened the door for her. “Thank you, Marait. How has the evening passed?”
“Everything has been quiet, Mistress.”
Thank the Dark Prince. Quiet was a nice change. Maybe Layne finally gave in and was reflecting on her actions. Maybe Gheil’s words penetrated her thick head and had shown her the err of her ways. “Layne, come out and have a late-night snack with me. I made your favorites.”
When no sound came back to her, she wondered if her sister might be asleep. Odd. Layne generally prowled in the night hours and only stopped for sleep well into the morning. Perhaps with the blackout, she’d gotten bored and decided to turn in early.
Knocking on the open bedroom door, she stepped inside. “Layne, will you join me for something to eat?”
Her sister lay still on her bed.
“Please don’t hold a grudge. I want to understand what you’ve done? Without judgment. I simply wish to talk.”
Strange. It wasn’t like her to give any form of silent treatment. Since she was a child, Layne was an endless flow of chatter. She must be furious. “Fine then, I shall leave you to your thoughts. Enjoy the food. I’ll check on you tomorrow.”
And with that, Jhaia let herself out and thanked the guard for his service.
Bo busied himself in the kitchen with Austin while Ronnie bathed his little sweetie. “Am I crazy? My life is a giant ball of chaos, and I bring home a little girl who lost her mom. Why? I have no clue how to be a parent.”
“It’s never crazy to act with your heart wide open. You saw she needed someone to care for her, and you filled that void. “Austin pulled a batch of freshly baked blueberry biscuits from the oven and set the tray on the cooling rack. “Leadin’ with your heart is dangerous at times, and leaves you open for things to go sideways, but I’d take that not actin’ any day of the year.”
He watched her work, locating things with her fingers as she baked and washed. That her sightlessness rarely became an issue, simply made him admire her more. “Austin?”
“Mhmm.” She collected a large plate out of the cupboard and stacked warm biscuits on it. She set the food, a butter plate, and a glass of apple juice on a tray.
“Could we talk without it going any further?” Bo asked, knowing the answer before she replied. “I asked the twins not to say anything yet, and I need an objective ear.”
Austin stopped with the preparations and turned to face him directly, her gaze open, her smile soft. “Always. What’s on your mind?”
Bo told her about the raven-haired female and how she’d violated his mind. He explained how, now that he had the memories of them sharing time together, he was pretty sure they were mated. Everything inside him was an angry jumble of regrets, and yet, there was a flicker of hope that, like Kyrian and Cassi, maybe he could find this female and they could make it work.
“She put Cassi and Thea in danger. I let the enemy into Zander’s private quarters. Some things can’t be undone.”
Austin took both his hands in hers and squeezed them. “Mating you boys is never easy. Friend or enemy. Human, Dark, or Light. Truth or lies. Relinquishing control of your beast to join your warrior self is an act of pure trust. You’ll never trust this female if you don’t take the time to get to know her, and you’ll never know her if you don’t find her.”
“That makes sense but—”
“No buts. Start there. Find your mate. Try to understand why she did the things she did, and decide if you can live with it. Everything happens for a reason, Bo. The female. The little girl. Your world is unfolding, and you get to interpret what it means. Zander and the others will understand. Those who’ve been through it know what it’s like, and those who haven’t will follow your lead. Your future is yours to decide.”
Turning back to the counter, she gestured to the tray. “Now, let’s get upstairs. I bet, after a snack and a good night’s sleep, things will look a whole lot brighter.”
Danel kicked off his boots in the foyer and headed up. He bypassed the landing on the second floor, taking the stairs two at a time. He continued up to the third floor. Yeah, he’d called it an early night, but his section of Toronto was well-covered by local police, and there wasn’t a Darkworld contingent out at all. Which worked in his favor, since Ronnie called and needed him to make an emergency run to Walmart.
He laughed at how Kyrian would react, him buying a load of clothes, jammies, and whatnots from a bargain box store. Oh well, it wasn’t like Saks Fifth Avenue was open at four in the morning. All night shopping, baby.
“Good, you’re here,” Bo said, meeting him at the door to his suite. “Ronnie’s almost done fixing her up, and the kid’s still in a towel.”
Danel handed over the bags, and shrugged. “You’re welcome.”
Bo stopped, halfway to the bathroom and turned back. “Thanks, man. Sorry. I’m keyed up. You should have seen her there, hiding under garbage and old cardboard. I couldn’t leave her there. I just couldn’t.”
Danel gave the guy a break. The Viking’s life had been a bit of a clusterfuck the past weeks. And yeah, they’d all seen things in the street that struck them hard. He understood how a grubby kid with a dead mom might get to him. “No worries. Get the little monkey dolled up and out here before I eat all these biscuits.”
Austin laughed and handed him one.
“Hey, cool, they’re still warm.”
Bo handed the bags into the bathroom and snagged a bun off the top of the mountain when Austin wasn’t looking.
Danel popped his into his mouth and remembered what it was like to be a street kid swept up by well-meaning people. Been there, done that, got the scars to prove it. Zander thought he’d done him a solid getting him in as a scribe of Alexandria.
Hadn’t turned out that way. Old news.
This kid would have the force of nine uncles protecting her from the evils of the world. In a way, they had each suffered so the innocents who came after wouldn’t have to.
When the bathroom door opened, Ronnie came out with a blue-eyed blonde clutched to her finger and toddling behind. The Paw Patrol pj’s he’d bought were a size five but were rolled up at her ankles and hung at her hips. His breath caught in his chest. He was thunderstruck.
Dropping to one knee, he had no control over his Mark flaring. Bursting out in a brilliant copper glow, his beast roared his claim from within. “Hello sweet, g
irl. I’m Danel.”
Bo watched as Danel’s Dark Angel side took hold and Austin’s words from downstairs resonated even deeper. Everything happens as it’s meant. Ronnie rapped an arm around her mate’s shoulders, and D opened his arms. The girl stared at the sheathed stump where his dagger hand was severed by a Shedim.
She touched a finger to the fabric, her eyes wide. “Where’d your hand go?”
“Bad men hurt him,” Bo said, knowing she’d understand.
“Does it hurt?”
D shook his head. “Not anymore.”
“That’s good.” The little girl leaned forward and kissed his stump then smiled up at him. “Better?”
“So much better. Thank you.”
When he hugged her, she reached back to pet the feathers of his sleek, black wings. “Are you an angel too?”
They couldn’t have children of their own because of the disease Ronnie suffered before Danel. They’d been resigned to spoil their nieces and nephews—until now.
This is right, Bo thought, stepping back to give them a minute. Danel was clearly lovestruck, the guy’s beast weighing in big time. They were the family she needed, not him. Ronnie worked with kids in the hospitals and could help her understand the loss of her mom. This was Lady Divinity at work. He knew it deep in his soul.
“Are you all right?” Austin asked, reaching up to brush his damp cheek.
“Yeah. Everything happens as it’s meant to, right?”
Austin linked her arm with his and rested her cheek against his shoulder. “Mhmm. Always does.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Brennus finished his patrol with Taharqa, and the two of them hopped on the subway and headed back downtown. In hindsight, Kyrian should have stationed one of the transitioned Dark Angel brothers to take Guildwood because they could fly home instead of taking public transit. “How’s yer arm?”
Hark rolled his left shoulder, testing its mobility. “Only a flesh wound.”
At almost five in the morning, their subway car bounded and screeched along with no one else on board. Brennus pointed to one side of seats and stretched out for a nap, while Hark settled in a seat down the way and outed his phone.
Working with Hark was always a pleasure when things weighed on you. The Moor wasn’t one for wasted words and honestly, with Brennus’s mind racing, he appreciated it more than he could say.
Personal time? Kyrian said Colt wasn’t at the precinct and was taking personal time. Did that have something to do with their blow-job-showdown in the alley?
Stay the fuck away from me, Celt.
If Brennus wasn’t who he was, and Colt wasn’t a mouthy demon, he might have paid more attention to that. Instead, now he was left wondering what happened. They’d been getting off quite spectacularly until then.
“Hey buddy, you’re in my seat.”
Brennus cracked one eye open and frowned. Four skin-head tough guys were crowding Hark. He amped up his gift and checked their auras and mojo. Not Serpentines or any member of the Darkworld. Just run-of-the-mill human bullies looking for trouble. He closed his eyes again and left Hark to manage how things played out.
“You deaf, asshole?” the same guy snapped, kicking Hark’s boot.
Brennus chuckled to himself. Why they thought to pick a fight with a six-foot-six built, bald, black male who obviously could handle himself was beyond him. Oh well. He continued with his “just some guy chillaxing on the train” routine. He did open his eyes, though, to take in the show.
Hark glanced up and tucked his phone into the inside lapel pocket of his jacket. “I’m not deaf. There are plenty of open seats. Help yourself to one of those.”
“Did you hear that,” Asswipe One said, checking in with his friends. “This guy won’t give me my seat.”
“You’re gonna hafta take it then,” one of the others said, egging him on.
“Think hard about this, boys,” Hark said, still sitting, his body relaxed, feet crossed at the ankles. “This won’t end well for you.”
Brennus chuckled, and they turned on him. “What are you laughing at old man?”
Old man? He may have been born more than two-thousand years ago, but he didn’t look a day over twenty-nine. Rude. “Weel, I’ll tell ye. I’m sitting here, imaginin’ you four boys gettin’ put in yer place. It strikes me funny.”
“Put in our place? You got that backwards.”
Brennus shrugged. “I’ll wager that man can knock you all on yer asses without gettin’ out of his seat.”
Now it was their turn to laugh. “And are you planning on joining in?”
Brennus shook his head. “Och, no. An old man like me? I’m far too feeble to get into fisticuffs with the likes of you big, strong brutes. He’ll do fine. Oh, and he’ll do it without using his hands.”
“What?” Cue the pinched brows and dumb glances bouncing between them. “Now you’re being stupid.”
Hark snorted and took the bait. “Alright. On their asses, no hands, and in my seat.”
Brennus sat up and got his phone out. Hitting the camera icon, he started recording. “All right then, boys. Have at it. We haven’t got all night.”
To their credit, the bullies did try. Perhaps, unnerved by the buildup, they rushed Hark. That’s when the fun began. In less than two minutes, the four were ass-planted in an array of undignified positions on the train car floor and Hark remained on his ass, his hands firmly gripping his seat.
When the train brakes engaged, the two of them stood and moved to the door to exit. “Have a lovely evenin’, boys,” Brennus said, saving the video for later. “And thanks for the laughs. It was a good time.”
The two of them exited at Union Station and worked their way through the maze of construction that had plagued the iconic building for the past five years. When they emerged on the street, Brennus met Hark’s palm, and they said goodnight.
Hark headed back to the ranch. He had another destination in mind.
As the night sky gave way to the gray of dawn, Brennus hoofed it past the early arrivals at the St. Lawrence Market. Before his meltdown, Colt told him to swing by after his shift. It would be rude to not at least go check on the guy.
Especially the way things ended off.
Stay the fuck away from me.
Yeah, no, he didn’t think so.
Under the drugging pleasure of an Austin country breakfast, Bo and Phoenix sat at the island with Ringo and his drawing pad. Bellies full and ready to solve their current mystery, they reconstructed a likeness of his Djinn tormentor to take to Jhaia and her brother. Between the three of them, they were putting together a true likeness of the female of his nightmares.
“Her eyes aren’t that round,” Bo said, pointing. “They’re more almond shape. She has Asian heritage a generation or two back.”
He nodded when Ringo got that right. “And her hair is jet-black with vibrant green tips.”
Phoenix fingered through the colored pencils and handed him both a stick of Kelly and Emerald Green.
“Yeah, a bright mixture between those two.”
The shuffle of feet brought his blue-eyed girlie into the kitchen to join them. All washed up, with her jammies dragging on the tile floor, and sleep marks on her cheeks, she looked like a different girl. “I sleeped in a bed.”
He left his brothers to the artwork and picked her up. Man, she didn’t weigh enough. They’d take care of that though. He’d make sure Drina checked her out, and they’d go from there. “And did you sleep well?”
“I miss Mommy,” she said, hugging her dirty stuffed cat to her chest. “Kitty’s sad too.”
Bo pressed a kiss to her forehead and scrubbed Kitty’s ear. “I know, honey. Maybe we can keep you company for a while, until you’re not so lonely.”
Ronnie propped a cushion on one of the kitchen chairs, and Bo got her settled on top of it. He pushed her in and made sure she didn’t topple. Danel grabbed the girls each a plate from the counter and settled in beside her. ”Tell Bo what you decid
ed while we brushed our teeth, monkey.”
Bo rounded the table and sat opposite the three of them, pouring her a glass of juice. “Yeah, tell me. I’m all ears.”
“What?” she said, looking to D for a clue.
“Remember? We were talking about pretty flowers?”
She nodded. “Yes, I member. I have a new name.”
“You do?” Bo found her toothy smile infectious. “A new name? That’s very exciting. What is it?”
“First I picked Kitty.”
He nodded. “Yep, that’s a good option.”
“Ronnie says I’m too special to share. I needs my own.”
Ronnie nodded. “We talked about all her favorite things, animals and flowers and names of other people. She came up with it all by herself.”
Bo passed the plate of peameal bacon. “Well, don’t keep me in suspense, sweet girl. What did you pick?”
“Sunshine.” Her smile broke wide, and her golden locks bobbed against her cheek. “I’m warm and glowy and everybody likes me.”
The joy dancing in her eyes filled his heart to bursting. “Sunshine. That’s perfect. And you even have a song.”
Danel chuckled. “I hadn’t thought of that.”
Sunshine blinked at them. “I do?”
The three of them broke into a round of ‘You Are My Sunshine’, and her curls bounced along to the words.
Zander came into the kitchen carrying Niobi, and settled her in the bassinet. Kyrian came in from the foyer and Sunshine stared. “So many angels.”
Zander gave Bo a questioning glance, and he shrugged. Young children could sometimes see ghosts and angels and other elements of the Otherworld. It usually faded with age but wasn’t unheard of for an exceptionally sensitive human to retain the gift.
“Zander,” Bo said, gesturing across the table. “You remember Sunshine, from the soup kitchen, right?”
It still amazed Bo that Zander, the brutal Sumerian assassin, feared general of the Roman Empire, transformed into a gentle, loving father figure at the drop of a hat. What a difference a few years and a good woman made.
