“I also need Dawn to—not so much abandon the fire as learn other traits as well. These can be borrowed, needless to say. A power can be locked in a ring, a bracelet, even a specific shirt. As long as she wears it she will have the ability to use it.” Mona pulled a stray hair from her black dress and frowned.
“Why are you in charge of this again?” I asked. I had just learned she was just like my father, though it still didn’t explain why they got married. Why had my mother told me that she was nothing more than a mortal girl with whom my father was infatuated? Why not tell me that she was just like them?
“Because I am a wish demon. I make things happen. You know in folk tales they call me a fairy godmother.” She laughed hysterically at the mention of it. “I am the one who is going to make the Harbinger’s escape flawless. Miranda won’t even know what hit her.”
“John said that he was guarded by hundreds of soldiers,” I muttered.
“John is a pawn. A stupid little pawn,” Mona said angrily. “I don’t trust the words of pawns.”
“Dawn, Mona is well skilled at what she does. She was nice enough to take my place when your father and I split. It was also nice of Mitch to stick around after I left you with your father when you were seven. You can trust her.” My mother’s voice was small but I knew she meant every word of it. “Certain memories were replaced when you moved in with your father. Things had to be altered in order to keep you protected.”
“What is up with you guys hiding things? Did you really think that you would never have to tell me what I was? That I would just walk this world wondering why no matter what I did I couldn’t choose a side to be on?” I asked. I was getting tired of all the hiding, I just wanted everything out in the open so that there were no more secrets.
“We had to. Sheridan had no idea who you girls were. So there was no way that she could find you if you were hidden. You cannot find the second without finding the first,” my father said, finally looking at me. “We did what we had to in order to protect you. To protect all of you.”
“So why is she the first?” Helen asked. Though some of the anger had drained from her face she was still upset. “I knew what I was long before Dawn ever knew.”
“Do you ever listen to anyone child? Earth …Wind … Fire … Water!” My mother looked up at Helen and her eyes glistened. “If you want to know more about your bloodline then I suggest you ask your mother.”
“My mother left me twenty-one years ago on the doorstep of the couple that raised me. Just a note was left with me.” Helen’s eyes waned for a second then she shook her head. “How am I supposed to ask her anything if I don’t even know who she is?”
“We will get to that blood shortly,” Mona butted in angrily. “I need the support of all parties involved before we begin this little game. I also need to know the one person who you wish to take your place, because once I get with them you and I are going to be leaving this beautiful house and going back to Dallas.”
“So, to sum it up, Dawn has to be here but be with you in another form?” my mother asked. I could tell by the way she spoke that was something that she did not want.
“I cannot have her seen here in her new form … For this I will need power. Those that can spare trinkets, witches that can enchant objects. I can provide anything for them if they desire.” She spoke to Max. “Of course, they will have to do this without knowing what it is going to be used for.”
“Of course, I have several in my group who would be willing to help just by asking,” Max said. I could tell this was a little much for him. He was the only non-celestial being in the entire room. The accumulation of their power in comparison to his must have been stifling.
“That would be fantastic.” She clapped her hands together again. “So it is settled. Hopefully in two to three weeks’ time we can bring the Harbinger boy here.”
“So we are going to save Wesley?” I felt excitement surging through me. I was finally going to live up to my promise.
“Well the correct answer would be, that you are going to bring him back,” Mona said, pointing.
“How are we going to get her out of there?” My father asked. “She cannot just walk out of the camp with him.”
“That is where things get a little complicated,” Mona sighed. “Dawn can be summoned but a Harbinger is really neither demon nor angel so he, in turn, cannot be summoned. However, we could teleport him.”
“We do have some very good teleporters here,” Rose said wistfully. Something had snapped in her and for those few seconds she looked like the girl I met in Dallas.
“Yes, and we will need them. Dawn is going to need a way to communicate.” Mona looked around the room for suggestions.
“I can talk to Shawn telepathically,” I said, thinking of my brother.
“Yes, he would be a great addition to this group. Damien, speak with your son and see if he is willing to be our communication device.” My father nodded. I knew Shawn would not object. However, he wouldn’t like the fact that I would be in New Mexico without him.
“There is also Peter,” My mother said.
“The Reaper?” Mona asked. “If he touches that boy he will die. Unless! Max, do you have the ability to create an amulet that would allow the boy to be teleported by Reaper air?”
“Possibly, I would have to speak with Peter about that.” Max wasn’t too sure of that part of the plan but I supposed anything was possible.
“Reaper-proof gloves?” Rose laughed. “Not sure if that is something we want getting out to the mortals of the world.”
“They would be destroyed once the boy was here,” Mona groaned, rolling her eyes at the girl. “OK, so now we get on to the fun stuff.” Her demeanor changed. The Mona a second ago was strong and driven; the one that was standing before us now was nervous.
“Helen,” my mother started, standing up and walking around to the girl and putting her hands on her shoulders. “I want you to meet Bridget.”
“Yeah, I met her already, remember, in the round table section,” Helen said with scorn.
“Why are you always such a smartass?” my mother asked, her eyes hardening.
“She gets that from her father,” Bridget said slowly.
“How would you know about my father?” Helen asked the woman.
“Because I am your mother.” Bridget tried to smile but she was so nervous it came out as a quiver of the lips.
“You?” Helen asked softly.
“Yes, me,” Bridget answered her.
“Why did you give me up?” Helen demanded, looking hard at the woman.
“Because I had to. It’s not exactly smiled upon for a demon to have a child in Hell conceived by an angel. Not to mention, if I was found out I would have wound up like Puriel and Vetis. I had never spent time above ground, I didn’t know how to live in the human world. I did what I thought was best for you.” Bridget bit her bottom lip and it looked like she was fighting tears.
“Who is my father?” Helen demanded. Her face had softened.
“I am,” Aros said with his thick accent.
Helen’s eyes got large when she looked at the tall angel behind her. I saw a change in her. That mean demeanor that had been invading her body seemed to just wash away. Bridget stood up, walked over to the girl and put her arms around her.
“There wasn’t a day that went by that I didn’t think about you,” Bridget said. She began to sob. Helen wrapped her arms around the woman who had given birth to her and gripped on tightly. Aros hesitated before joining in on the family hug, but once he had his arms around Helen her demeanor was completely changed.
“So is she the only one getting a family reunion?” Rose asked, her voice still harsh.
“You want to know why I was the one that delivered and helped raise Dawn?” Mona asked. Her eyes were fierce.
“Not particularly, but I have a feeling that you are going to tell me anyway.” Rose rolled her eyes.
“Twen
ty-three years ago I made a choice. I had been seeing this guy for quite some time. Here and there throughout the ages. He was Earthbound and I would steal away in human form to see him. Neither of us knew what the other was. So I wound up knocked up, he freaks out because he already has two kids living with his ex-wife,” Mona said, smiling. I had a feeling I knew where this was going and I was going to scream if it was true. “I learned, the day I had you, what he was and he learned about me. By then it was too late to turn back. I put you into the care of a nice couple and paid them a healthy sum of money so that you would grow up with everything you ever wanted. If they needed anything I provided it. When Damien came to me and asked me to be his wife I jumped for it. I couldn’t raise my own mixed-blood daughter but I could at least have a hand in the raising of one.” She frowned. “Can you guess who that little girl was?”
“I have a feeling you are going to say Krista but she would have been born thirty-six years ago.” Rose looked like she was doing the math in her head.
“You are a smart-mouthed pain. I suppose that is a trait that you got from me.” Mona looked at a shocked Rose.
“You’re telling me that she and I are step-sisters?” Rose pointed at me and frowned.
“Well, I suppose yes,” Mona chuckled.
“So who is my father?” Rose asked quickly, looking at Helen and her parents.
“I tried to convince him to come. However, his oldest had some big graduation or something and he won’t be here.” Mona wrung her hands together and frowned. “He wasn’t too thrilled that I contacted him.”
“Oh.” Rose’s voice was soft and her eyes looked hurt.
“I know I’m not how you pictured me. You are not quite how I pictured you,” Mona said, looking at the girl’s arms and gauged ears.
“No, I was definitely not picturing you when I thought of the woman who brought me into this world,” Rose said, her face changing as well. She didn’t soften like Helen. She was still hard but the way she was looking at Mona said there was still hope.
“What about me?” Krista jumped, her voice excited. She had been waiting for this day most of her life.
“Your mother would be proud of the way you turned out. She was one of those that the only reason she was a demon was because she had no clue what side to fight for.” Mitch spoke softly but with purpose. “Sadly, she met her final demise twenty years ago.”
“What happened?” Krista asked sadly.
“She pissed off the wrong demon and he split her in nine different directions. A piece of her exists in each level of Hell. Her soul is trapped in a bottle somewhere at the bottom.” Mitch looked at my mother and his eyes watered. “When Puriel told me of your death it sickened me. Not only had I lost your mother but I had lost you as well. So I traveled for a while with the two of them until they split. I spent the first seven years with Angie but when she remarried I chose to spend the rest of my time working with Damien. Imagine my surprise when I learned that you had been brought back.”
“So you are my father?” she asked hopefully.
“Yes, I am quite proud to say that I am.” Mitch smiled at Krista as she bounded across the room and threw herself into his arms. It was sweet seeing Mitch gripping on to the small girl. They were both in tears. Mona gazed at them hopefully.
Rose got to her feet and looked at Mona. “I can forgive you for leaving me. I just don’t know if I can forgive you for helping raise Dawn. Ever since I have met her it seems that I follow in her shadow.”
“I wanted to get you back. Damien dug through all sorts of law books looking for loopholes in adoption guidelines but aside from proving your parents were unfit there was nothing I could do. You were in a good home, a home that I had made sure to provide for you.” Mona’s shoulders slouched. “I don’t ask for your forgiveness, I only ask for your understanding.”
Rose huffed and looked at me.
“Sisters. This is a fucking joke.” She turned around and stormed out of the room.
Chapter Twenty-Two: Big Plans
Two hours later I was walking to my room. The events of the evening were still on my mind. Each of the others had met their parents for the first time. It was nice, yet scary. I mean, these beings had not been in their children’s lives at any point. Now everything was more complete. Helen was officially balanced. I had heard her laughing in the hallway as I had walked by on my way upstairs. Rose and Mona were still in the study talking. I couldn’t believe that Mona had a child. Hell, I was still grasping that she was a demon. I figured this had to be some violation of Celestial Law with my parents dragging the others into our happy family. If the Creators didn’t know about them then they sure as hell knew about them now.
My parents had hugged me tightly and told me they loved me before disappearing outside. I assumed they had a lot to talk about now that Mona was here. I didn’t like the fact that I was going to have to leave again. The thought of leaving behind my troops bugged me. I would do anything for Wesley, even if it meant that I had to leave things here in order to bring him back. I opened the door to my room and jumped. Peter was standing by the window, his hood pulled off his face, his black eyes staring, and as usual his lips remained sewn shut.
“So you did get my message?” I smiled.
Yes. Of course I came. I told you to call me anytime. The voice in my head had a hint of wit in it. I wondered if all the time he was spending amongst us was giving him a sense of humor.
“Have you seen him?” I asked, taking a seat on my bed. I had a feeling he was not going to do much more than just stand by my open window.
I see him often. Who do you think managed to mail the pictures to you? Peter asked.
“Well I was hoping it was you, but I figured you would come and see me.” I pulled my ponytail loose and fingered my hair, taking a second to fix my bangs.
The letter was one thing to travel with. To travel through space with enchanted images is quite a bit different. Peter spoke as if this was something that I should already know.
“Do you know about the meeting?” I raised an eyebrow.
I know there was one. However, I do not know the circumstances. I have a feeling I will be hearing of it soon enough as I heard a voice calling to me hours ago. You were first so I came to you.
“That was nice of you. I do think that what they want of you could be a bit more important.” I shook my head. “I just needed to know that he was OK.”
He’s not exactly OK but he lives. Peter’s eyes looked at me and for a second I thought that I saw some emotion. Maybe he was learning some tricks being around us these last few weeks.
“Then I shall let you get to your next stop.” I stretched out my legs ready to fall asleep.
Do you have any news to share with him? Peter asked.
“Tell him I miss him,” I said, realizing I couldn’t share any information about what was going to happen.
Peter left me with a nod. I shut out my lights and lay back down on my bed. I was asleep only moments later. The darkness welcomed me like an old friend. I drifted off and it swallowed me whole.
***
As soon as my feet hit the carpet the next morning everything started moving fast. I think she was waiting for me because the second I was in the kitchen she was pouncing. I put my finger up the moment she opened her mouth and she promptly closed it, grinding her teeth together. That was probably the most unladylike act I had ever seen Mona do.
I poured myself a cup of coffee and hid a smile behind the rim of my cup. Once I had drunk half its contents I looked at her again and nodded.
“Thanks,” I said. I yawned and put the cup down on the table.
“You’ve thought about what I said last night?” she asked crossing her arms.
“I don’t have much of a choice, do I?” I asked leaning backward, stretching.
“Not if you want to save the boy,” she answered me. She looked extremely overdressed for it being so early. I was beginning to think t
hat she just woke up one morning and said: I’m never having bed head again.
“Well then, I suppose that is your answer.” I smiled wide. “I just don’t know who would make a good me while I’m gone.”
“There’s not an exceptional fire carrier that you have grown attached to?” she asked me, raising an eyebrow.
“There’s one I guess but wouldn’t she be missed?” I questioned her.
“Leave that to me. What’s her name?” She uncrossed her arms and put them delicately at her side.
“Kelly,” I said simply and Mona walked off.
“Meet me in your room in twenty minutes,” she yelled.
I finished my coffee minutes later and put the cup in the sink. If things were going to be moving this fast I’d better start packing. Then again, if I took anything from that room wouldn’t someone know? I grabbed a quick shower and went back to my room to get dressed. Throwing on a black sundress and my Vans I sat down on the bed. Mona and Kelly entered the room a few minutes later. The look on Kelly’s face was confusion.
“What’s going on?” she asked me, her violet eyes flashing.
“I need your help,” I said, standing up so that I was at eye-level with her.
“Of course, anything,” she said. I loved my troops. They were eternally faithful and that made my heart beat with pride.
“I need you to be me for a few weeks,” I said and she broke into laugher.
“You’re kidding me, right?” she said, shaking her head. “How I can I pretend to be you?”
“Mona has her ways of making it happen. I just need someone who can make it appear as if I am still here.” I touched her shoulders and she quit laughing.
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