“Thank you, Ms. Carpenter,” Arthur said, smiling at Lilith as he meandered over to the table, studying the chairs before he picked one of them and sat.
“Please, call me Lilith. Ms. Carpenter feels a little too formal to me,” Lilith replied, finishing rolling out the crust, and moved it to the pan before starting on the next one.
“Hi, Art, Loretta, Halley!” Gina said cheerfully, picking up the cutting board and using the knife to push the vegetables into the salad bowl. “How’re you doing? I hope things outside weren’t too insane?”
“I’m doing wonderful, Gina! Even if life has been a bit more interesting since the two of you went public,” Loretta said, grinning as she looked at Gina, then gave Lilith a sidelong glance. “No one paid that much attention to me before this, but with Rachel coming out of the woodwork, suddenly my time has been in demand! Why, I was even asked to be a counselor for the high school!”
“I’ve been fine. Mostly, anyway.” Halley said, tearing her gaze away from Lilith and slouching her way over to a chair, which she dropped into heavily. “Just dealing with school.”
Rachel came back over and pulled out a pair of salad tongs, which she used to mix the salad while Gina washed the cutting board and knife, her voice calm as she spoke up. “Just to be clear and properly introduce you all, everyone, this is Lilith. I’ve already shown her a picture, but these are my parents and sister, Arthur, Loretta, and Halley.”
“Just call me Art. After the Advent, and King Arthur showed up, I got a lot of grief for the name,” Arthur said, watching Lilith work thoughtfully.
“It’s nice to meet you, Lilith! I must say, seeing you in person is incredibly different than pictures. You have a magnetizing presence!” Loretta said, taking a seat next to Arthur and shifting in her seat, then asked, “Do you want me to help with anything? It seems like you have lots to do!”
“We’ll be fine, Mom. We invited you over for dinner, not to have you fix it for us,” Rachel said, a scolding note to her voice as she moved to set the salad on the table.
“As for being magnetizing, that’s the fault of my power set. While I’m sure I’d draw some attention even without it, as I was made to be quite distinctive, my power is something called a captivation field. It makes me draw attention when I’m in the area, and it penetrates most mental shields. It even works through most cameras if someone is watching a live feed, though solid walls block it,” Lilith explained, watching as Gina dried the knife and cutting board before putting them away.
Gina snorted and added, “Assuming the walls aren’t glass, anyway. If it can be seen through, from either side, they notice you. You’re lucky it hasn’t caused any traffic accidents! I’m looking forward to more self-driving cars getting on the road.”
“Huh. That’s… an interesting explanation. I’d heard something about your power drawing attention, but what we hear from the media has speculation mixed in, too,” Arthur said, pursing his lips before he asked, “Some of them even thought it made people like you, though that doesn’t make sense after what happened in January.”
“It’s a load of shit, is what you mean,” Rachel said tartly, prompting a gasp from Loretta.
“Rachel, language!” Loretta exclaimed, looking mortified. The reaction prompted Lilith to blink, then make a mental note not to swear in front of Loretta. She didn’t swear often, but Gina and Rachel did sometimes, which was rubbing off on her.
“I’m calling it what it is, Mom. The reports they were given were incredibly precise regarding Lilith’s powers, those that they shared. While she can focus her power and make it almost impossible to ignore her, which came in handy yesterday, influencing what someone thinks isn’t possible for her,” Rachel said, pulling out the sauce and handing it to Gina while Lilith placed another crust on its tray. “The reports of mental influence mostly come from our relationship with her, as well as Shadowmind creating her. It’s conspiracy theories, honestly.”
“Well, at least Shadowmind is dead,” Art said, shifting in his chair as his smile faded.
“I wouldn’t be so sure of that,” Lilith said calmly, rolling the last crust vigorously.
“What?” Halley asked, her gaze jerking away from one of the pictures to look at Lilith intently. “I heard they found her body in prison! It was all over the news.”
“Yes, they did. However, she also contacted me mentally about the same time, which makes me less confident that her mind died with her body,” Lilith explained, glancing up at them and shrugging. “Am I absolutely certain she’s still around? No, of course not. However, I wouldn’t be surprised to hear that she attacked somewhere tomorrow just to make a point.”
No one replied to that, at least not immediately. None of their guests looked happy about her statement, which Lilith understood. Shadowmind was not regarded well across most of the globe for good reason.
“What do you think of her?” Halley asked, her tone challenging as she stared at Lilith. “She was your mother, right?”
“She was my creator. She hoped that I’d regard her as my mother, but Amber…” Lilith paused in mid-sentence, considering how to say what she was feeling, and let out a sigh, letting Rachel take the last crust while Gina spread sauce on the other two. “Amber’s actions are appalling, in my opinion. I’m grateful that she created me, but that doesn’t make the various things she’s done any less cruel or inhumane. I have very mixed feelings where she’s concerned, which admittedly may be by design. I know her past, and a lot of why she turned out the way she did. I’m simply not certain that it’s relevant anymore.”
“She did seem to love you, when we examined her mind,” Rachel said softly, pulling out the bowl of grated cheese.
“She loved the idea of me. I hadn’t been decanted when she was captured,” Lilith corrected, smiling as she went to wash her hands and the rolling pin. “While I’d like to believe that she does love me, I try to remain a little more objective where Amber is concerned. I’m not certain what will happen if we ever meet, which concerns me.”
“We’ll be there for you, either way,” Gina said, glancing over at the table as she added, “So, on a brighter subject, here’s how this works! Each of you gets half a pizza to put toppings on. Me and Lil are sharing one since my tastes are closer to hers, Rach and Loretta get another for their veggies to cross-contaminate, and Art and Halley get the last, since the heathens like pineapple on their pizza.”
“Oh, don’t give me that! Pineapple on pizza is a blessing from God!” Arthur retorted, sitting up abruptly, and Lilith couldn’t help a laugh.
“You don’t like pineapple on pizza?” Halley asked, looking at Lilith curiously. “Have you even tried it?”
“I have, and I don’t like the flavor combination. I’ve tried most things on pizza, really, and while vegetables and the like aren’t bad, they aren’t what I enjoy. When it comes to pizza, I’m definitely more of a carnivore,” Lilith said, smiling wider as she added, “At least no one here likes anchovies on their pizza. That put me off my lunch for a couple of hours, last time.”
“I suppose I can agree there. Even if Gina always distresses me with her dislike of obviously superior foods,” Arthur said, sniffing loudly, and prompting a laugh from Loretta.
“Well, let’s get started!” Rachel said, setting one of the pizzas to the side as she looked over. “Mom, first we’d better figure out how much cheese you want. You were going on a diet, weren’t you?”
“You just had to remind me,” Loretta said, throwing her hands up dramatically, and Lilith couldn’t help a laugh.
They went ahead and got to work, spreading around the counter as each pair worked on their pizzas, taking toppings from the bowls in the center of the counter. Once again Lilith was grateful that she’d designed it with plenty of space, even if six people did somewhat crowd the area.
Gina was far more haphazard about placing the toppings on her side of the pizza, though, something which Lilith had to resist the urge to correct. Lilith was carefully pla
cing each piece of meat to ensure an even spread across the pizza, and to also avoid cutting the meat once it was cut into slices. At least Gina wasn’t teasing her about that, like she had the last time they’d made pizza. The heroine was glancing up at Lilith frequently, amusement dancing in her eyes, and Lilith felt heat rising in her cheeks. Apparently, Gina didn’t even need to say anything, Lilith realized a moment later.
The meal also went fairly well, in her opinion, as Lilith slowly relaxed. She was still nervous around Rachel’s parents, but it eased pretty quickly. Halley, on the other hand… there was something odd about her, in Lilith’s opinion. The young woman didn’t talk a lot, instead watching Lilith and the others intensely most of the time, while occasionally asking questions that were just a little probing.
Eventually the dinner was over, though, and while the food was good, there was also too much of it, so they ended up sending some of the pizza with their guests when they left.
Chapter 26
Tuesday, April 30th, 2031
Eden Manor, Glendale
“Hah…” Lilith let out a breath as she flopped back on the couch and closed her eyes, slowly relaxing and letting her mind drift.
“Are you really that tired?” Rachel asked, her footsteps almost silent as she approached. “I know you were really tense about meeting Gina’s dad, but I didn’t think my family would prompt the same reaction. My dad has a similar personality, after all.”
“Mm… I’m not sure I’d say tired. Perhaps, but I’m not sure,” Lilith replied, not opening her eyes as she pondered, feeling a little guilty about her reaction. Not that guilty, but a little. It also took a little while for her to sort out her emotions, as well as the sense of relief that she felt. When she spoke again, her voice was musing. “I’m not sure why, but it was a little stressful. That seems strange to me, since I’ve met with far more people than that for a longer period of time. Yet… do you think it’s that I don’t really know those others, while here I’m trying to learn about your family? Is that normal, or am I overthinking—”
A faint hint of someone’s breath was the only warning Lilith got before a warm pair of lips pressed against hers, firmly interrupting her, and Lilith’s eyes snapped open to see Rachel above her. Then she melted into the kiss, forcing her tense muscles to relax again as she returned it. At least until she heard Gina laugh, and Rachel broke off the kiss.
“Shush, Gina,” Rachel said, pulling away and looking up at the blonde briefly, her eyes narrowing. Lilith could just barely see Gina near the kitchen table, a half-full wineglass in hand as she grinned broadly. Rachel looked down at Lilith and reached out to boop her on the nose. “And yes, you’re overthinking it, Lil. You always overthink things, it’s part of you being you.”
Gina nodded, taking a drink from her glass. Once she’d swallowed, the blonde chimed in. “She’s right there, that’s for sure. You try to find the cause of everything, Lil. Even when the cause is far more open-ended or hard to pin down. I think the answer is pretty obvious, personally. You’re something of an introvert, and find company exhausting.”
“I… well, possibly?” Lilith said, blinking at them, then glanced at the ceiling. “Circe? What do you think?”
“I do not have enough data to make a determination, but I believe that Gina’s assessment is not out of the realm of possibility,” Circe said, her voice carefully pitched so it didn’t echo in the room. “I did not see enough of your relationship developing in San Francisco to determine if you were like this toward the beginning there, but you were not entirely comfortable in Blooming Orchid’s presence for several days.”
“I… suppose that’s true. I thought it was just because she’d been through a lot of torment, and I wasn’t sure what I should say or do,” Lilith said, frowning unhappily. “Is that why she left?”
“Pfft, no, of course not!” Rachel said, shaking her head firmly as she sat on the edge of the couch next to Lilith, toying with a stray curl of Lilith’s hair. “Claire just wanted to get out and do something. Especially once she heard that someone sprang Doctor Johnson while he was in-transit.”
“Mmhm,” Gina agreed, circling the couch and sitting in a chair nearby. “I don’t think that Doctor Johnson realized he was creating his own nemesis when he had her kidnapped, but I’m pretty sure she’s not going to rest until he’s incarcerated. Plus, with Circe Beta with her, they’re going to have a lot harder of a time ambushing Claire again.”
“If you say so,” Lilith murmured, relaxing a little again as she reached up to stroke Rachel’s back, feeling the toned muscles beneath her dress. It took a few seconds before she added quietly, “I hate to ask this, but… did it seem like Halley was acting strangely to either of you? She was pretty quiet, and she watched me a lot.”
“You do have the captivation field,” Gina said, but it was Rachel who frowned.
“Well… it’s been a couple of years, so her friends could’ve changed her a bit, but I did notice she was far quieter than normal. I wasn’t sure why she might’ve been acting oddly, though… I really hope she isn’t jealous. That’d be icky,” Rachel said, her nose wrinkling.
“Jealous? Why would she be jeal—” Lilith began, then her brain caught up with what Rachel was saying and her mouth snapped shut. She blushed a little, clearing her throat before she continued, a bit more sheepishly. “Oh. Of course, um… right, that sort of jealous. Ah, Circe? You seem to be able to read motives more easily than me…”
“I do not believe that Halley Moore is attracted to you romantically, Mistress Lilith, though there were some hints that she might find you attractive in some ways. I believe she was trying to memorize as much about you as possible, especially as I am now seeing social media posts from her about you, as well as a picture that she took while you were rolling out a pizza crust,” Circe said, a hint of annoyance in the AI’s voice. “Perhaps I should have hacked her phone and deleted the photos she took, but I believed that would be stepping beyond your rules.”
“It would have been,” Lilith agreed, wincing slightly. “Still, there are worse photos that could be out there, based on what I’ve heard.”
“Yes, but it doesn’t mean it’s not incredibly rude of her,” Rachel said angrily, sitting up abruptly. “We invited her over for dinner!”
“Yes… but we didn’t say she couldn’t take pictures, just that she couldn’t record in the house,” Gina said, setting her now-empty glass on the table next to her. She didn’t look thrilled, more resigned than anything else.
“Precisely why I did not interject. However, I also noticed something else. Halley Moore was visibly restraining herself from gripping her glass too tightly and was careful about sliding back her chair as well. From the actions she showed, I believe that she has recently developed a degree of super-strength at a minimum. As her musculature does not appear enhanced, this is likely a boost that isn’t visible,” Circe added, and Lilith’s eyebrows rose quickly.
“Really?” Lilith asked, glancing over at Rachel curiously. “Have you heard anything about that? I seem to recall you two mentioning the possibility that she developed powers and didn’t tell you.”
“Oof… no, I hadn’t heard anything,” Rachel said, rubbing her forehead as she thought. “It could be just super-strength, but it could be something more, too. Enhanced strength is a common secondary power, after all, along with complete physical boosts. I doubt Mom or Dad know, either, or they’d have been prodding her about whether she had something she wanted to tell me.”
“It’s probably because Rach kept her powers secret from her until Halley graduated from high school,” Gina volunteered. “So did I, for that matter. As a teen, Halley was really gossipy, and I bet we’d have been unmasked inside a week if we’d told her. I don’t think she’s ever forgiven us for that.”
“Mm… probably not,” Rachel murmured, leaning back onto Lilith, which put a little pressure on Lilith’s stomach. Considering she’d just eaten, Lilith found it quite uncomfortable.
“Not on the stomach!” Lilith protested, squirming as she tried to get out from under Rachel.
“Whoops, sorry!” Rachel said, flushing slightly as she leaned forward again. “I almost forgot about that.”
“It isn’t a problem, it was just a bit uncomfortable for a moment there,” Lilith said, sitting up and taking a breath. “Now, then… what did you have planned for tomorrow, again?”
“The university wants to meet with me, supposedly to ask me to be a guest lecturer. I’ve been getting a lot of those requests lately,” Rachel said sardonically, leaning over to hug Lilith. “Anyway, after that I’m meeting with Shade to discuss some magical techniques. Don’t tell anyone, but he’s a bit frustrated at how narrow his repertoire is and wants to expand it. Since I have a lot of breadth, he’s hoping I can give him a few tips.”
“Mm, that’s surprisingly smart of him. I’ve always heard that he’s too proud to accept help from other people,” Gina said, watching Rachel thoughtfully. “Assuming he isn’t trying to seduce you, anyway.”
Rachel blinked, then laughed, her voice bright. “Oh, that would be funny, wouldn’t it? No, I don’t think so. I think he’s just focused on improving his fame, and he feels like he can’t do that if too many other people are helping. I mean, look at us! When we were part of Ocean Shield, there was a lot less attention for each one of us compared to the smaller teams.”
“Mm… when I looked at fan sites, Sky Defender and Ocean Spirit did seem to take the lion’s share of attention,” Lilith murmured, growing thoughtful about the subject, tapping her upper lip. “I never really considered that before.”
“Why would you? You didn’t want to be a superhero,” Gina said, then grinned. “Anyway, if Rach is going to be busy, want to go out shopping, Lil? I heard there’s a nice mall downtown. We could even get you a new necklace, so you aren’t always wearing that one.”
Queen's Move (Lilith's Shadow Book 3) Page 21
