by Randi Darren
Frowning at that, Miles gave Sam an odd look.
“Yes, I did. We came to an arrangement,” Sam explained, interpreting that look immediately.
“Of course, you did,” Miles grumbled shaking his head angrily. “Because you’re still you.”
“I mean, I’m still an Incubus planar lord,” Sam agreed. “But I’m not who I once was. Irma and I will likely be expecting our first child in a year or two, by the way. Would you care to be their godfather?”
Miles looked dumbstruck once again. Opening his mouth, he took in a breath then let it out in a short huff.
“This is all a lot to throw at me at once, Sam,” Miles complained.
“And yet here I am, offering it all free of charge,” Sam countered, holding his hands up. “You’re Uncle Dave to Irma, so I’m doing my best here.
“And before I get too far off track, the real reason I’m here. Eugenia is trying to get in touch with the Originator. Her Father. Apparently she made brief contact with him and he wasn’t very happy with her.”
“Course he wasn’t,” Miles said, looking annoyed. “Wait, she actually got in touch with him?”
“That’s what she said. She’s trying to convince him to come back. Apparently, she’s realized the error of her ways,” Sam explained. “I get the impression he’s not going to budge, but… if he did, I can’t imagine the Silent One being very happy about that. But you might be happy, hmm?”
Miles eyes flicked to Hillary and Irene behind Sam, then back to the Incubus.
Nodding his head once to the unspoken question, Sam confirmed his trust in those two.
“I mean, sure, I’d be happy if he came back. We could finally fix the whole thing,” Miles said. “But… he left because Z-the Silent One made a threat that couldn’t be countered. We’d be right back where we started.”
“Yeah, I figured the same thing,” Sam admitted. “But, here we are. She’s trying to get in touch with dear old daddy.”
“He’s not really her dad,” Miles muttered, looking off and to one side. Clearly lost in thought. “I mean, not like that. He’s got kids. Met quite a few of them. She’s not really his daughter though.
“They just call him that because he made them from nothing. They have no parents except him.”
“They?” Sam asked.
“Mm? Oh, the Angelics. Elementals. Others like Eugenia,” Miles said, his brows drawing together as his mind clearly churned away at something.
“But not you,” Sam pushed a little.
“No. I was born in a different—”
Miles froze before he could finish and looked at Sam.
“I have a job for you by the way,” Miles said, changing the subject. “And I find that I suddenly need it taken care of as soon as possible. By a PMC with a lot of firepower.”
“And what’s the job then?” Sam asked, letting the subject be diverted. “Keep in mind, I’ll have to run it by Irma. She runs the company, I just work there.”
Chuckling at that, Miles couldn’t help himself it seemed and grinned.
“That’s my girl,” he said, then he sighed. “I need a bodyguard for a young boy. He’s about ten, give or take.”
“A body guard for a ten-year-old,” Sam said slowly.
“That’s right. Because he’s not a normal ten-year-old. I need him protected and now,” Miles said. “His parents are constructs that I made. Living golems made from the shells of a married couple. They died rather young and had very strong spirits.
“They’re as normal as any other person, but I’m starting to see some wear and tear on their souls. Being trapped to a golem, but not actually being in it, is starting to grind away at them. Soon enough, they’ll have to be released.”
“Okay, and you need me to watch the boy because that’s soon?” Sam asked.
“No, it’s probably ten or fifteen years from now that I’ll have to pop the souls loose, but he needs a bodyguard because he needs one,” Miles said. “The golems don’t know what they are though, and they don’t know their son is different either. So you’ll have to play it kinda straight. I’ll tamper with their memories so that you’re the dad’s older brother though. Uncle Samuel. Any others you take with you as well will be added to their minds.
“As to why I need it, because honestly, your news frightens me. I need you to provide protection for about three months to a year. After that, I can find someone else to take care of it.”
“Uh huh,” Sam said. “And what are you paying for the gig?”
“I’ll be godfather to all your children. Even those you don’t have with Irma,” Miles, the Guardian of the universe, the Curator, offered.
“Done. That’s a deal,” Sam said hastily. Having the Curator as godfather to any children he had was beyond any type of value he could put on such a thing.
Especially since Melody had agreed to be godmother to Irma’s child with him already.
“Great. His name’s Mitch. He lives in Miami. I think you’ll like him,” Miles said.
Fourteen - Golem Life -
Sam leaned to one side and slowly turned the page in the rather large report.
You know. I really don’t care much about these things.
This is something for someone who has a mind for such things.
Like a little—
“You don’t care.”
Looking up at the speaker, Sam couldn’t help but grin.
Standing near the doorway to the large meeting room was Decima.
“Not in the least,” Sam admitted easily, flipping the report closed. “Should I?”
Decima frowned at him, folding her arms.
“My first response was you should as you’re our leader, but you’re not. Irma is,” Decima said, shaking her head.
“I believe Tiffany calls me shared office equipment,” Sam said, grinning all the wider. “Then again, I think she said that just to get me to bend her over the copier and have my way with her.”
Which he had.
Decima lifted her chin up fractionally. Then she reached over and shut the door with a quick push.
“I’ll summarize it for you. Everyone is worn down in one way or another. Tired,” Decima said. “Our last mission pushed everyone beyond their normal turning point. Too many missions too close together.
“And yes, before you say anything, I know I’m partially the cause of that. I pushed them. I admit that. And now I’m telling you that they need a break, so I’m pushing for that.”
“Got it,” Sam said, leaning back in his chair. “And how long do they need off, and who needs the most time?”
“A month, and Abigail,” Decima said walking toward him. “She’s adjusting very well to this life, but she has no combat experience before this. It’s taking its toll and she needs rest.
“After her would probably be Wren. She takes a lot of duties on herself without anyone suggesting it. I’d like to force her into an off-duty state.”
“Okay,” Sam said with a shrug of his shoulders. “I have a contract we can’t say no to, though. I need two people to go with me. It’ll be anywhere from three months to a year.”
Decima stopped not far away from him.
“That’s an odd timeframe. Details?” she asked.
“Bodyguard job. For a kid,” Sam said. “I’ll need someone who can cast a glamour or hold an illusion, and one other.”
“Irene, Stacia, Jes, or Hillary then,” Decima listed off quickly. “From the duty roster I put together, which I doubt you check, Jes is with Inese as they do the setup for that… facility.
“Stacia and Irene are currently going through the process of removing themselves from the affairs of their old coven. With their work here, there’s really no point in continuing that farce. I think Stacia will have to drink some of her kin to get her point across but it shouldn’t be too bad.”
“Which leaves Hillary. Who really had about as much combat experience as Abigail,” Sam said with a long sigh.
And that meant he’d ha
ve to hire contractors outside the company to make this work.
“Surprisingly, she’s fine,” Decima murmured. “I get the impression her childhood was no picnic. She’s tougher than one would expect.
“You said you needed one other though. What’s the requirements of that role?”
“They’d have to act a part and pretend to be that for a time,” Sam said with a shrug of his shoulders. “With any luck this’ll be a short-term protection job and we hand it off after three months. Worst case, twelve months.”
“Long time to assume a role,” Decima said, her face becoming a thoughtful frown. “And that means Hillary will be out of pocket for quite a while as well as the secondary. And you.”
“Yup. But this is a contract we have to take. It’s… from the Curator,” Sam murmured. He knew for a fact that Decima was aware of Miles.
Looking surprised, Decima actually leaned away from Sam.
“Truly? How curious. I can see why you’d be adamant about taking the job,” Decima said. “Fine. If that’s the client, then I’ll take the extra role. Hillary will be the infiltrator. I’ll have the duty roster altered.
“Wren can provide tactical decision making for the team while I’m gone, and Irene and Stacia can do the mission planning once they return.”
Laughing softly, Sam didn’t bother to argue with her. He’d let her find out her role later on.
It wasn’t his fault she didn’t ask any questions about the persona she’d be adopting.
“What’s so funny?” Decima asked, looking as if she were unsure if she was supposed to be insulted or not.
“Nothing. Nothing at all,” Sam said. Picking up the report, he held it out to her.
Taking it from him, Decima continued to watch him warily.
***
“You didn’t tell me this is what the job would be,” Decima growled, her hands clenched into fists. She looked like she wanted to punch something.
Given that she was wearing a blouse, skirt, flats, and her hair was styled for the times, it looked very strange.
“You didn’t ask,” Sam said flicking the house keys up onto the island in the middle of the kitchen. “You just volunteered.”
“I dunno, I think it’s kinda funny. Chill out, mom,” Hillary said, wandering through the living room with her arms linked together above her head. “Kinda funny that I’ll be pretending to be younger for once. Usually I have to look older.”
Giving Hillary a quick once-over, Sam wondered about that. She looked a lot like she normally did in her “human Hillary disguise”.
Just younger.
“What?” Hillary asked, meeting his eyes. Then she gave him a grin and shifted her hip to one side with one hand on it. “This is what I looked like when I was fifteen. Human is one of the few bodies I can just grow through. Like it? I thought I was just average, but looking back now I was damn sexy.”
“You look the same as you always do in your Human skin,” Decima grumbled.
“Really? Huh,” Hillary said, then looked down at herself. “I guess it’s mostly the same. My hips got wider two years after this though. My boobs got bigger too. They were already pretty nice, though.”
Hillary felt at her chest, then her hips. Seeming to inspect herself.
“I guess outside looking in, the differences aren’t that obvious. To me, though, it’s an entirely different body,” Hillary said, then looked back up at Sam. “If it bothers you, Sam, I’ll be sure to shift my age up to the legal one tonight before we go to bed.”
Decima shook her head angrily at that but didn’t say anything.
“And you expect me to just… sit here and… and… and play housewife?” Decima asked, looking at Sam again. “For a year?”
“I mean, that’s what you agreed to,” Sam said with a shrug of his shoulders. “If you want, we could get Tiffany to switch places with you probably. No one’s met you yet so that should be fine. We don’t officially start our disguises till we ‘move-in’ tomorrow.”
Instantly, Decima shook her head at that, dismissing the idea.
“No,” Decima said. He got the impression that there was something else there, but the Witch-hunter didn’t seem to want to discuss it. “No. This is my job. I’ll handle it.”
Sighing, Decima wandered over to the stovetop and laid a hand to it.
“A damned housewife. What the hell am I supposed to do as a housewife?” Decima asked, almost to herself.
Sam rolled his eyes with a smile and walked over to where Hillary was just sitting down on the couch. All the furniture had been moved in today by the Curator under an illusion.
Tomorrow, moving trucks with things that Sam, Hillary, and Decima had personally asked for would arrive. From electronics, to plates and cups. Everything they picked out specifically.
Taking a seat next to Hillary, Sam looked at the TV on the wall as she turned it on.
“It’s because she can’t cook,” Hillary said softly. “Can’t cook, doesn’t know how to use most of the appliances, and as far as I can tell, she’s a virgin. Being locked down in a house with an Incubus as her ‘husband’—who really is her husband—can’t be easy and with nothing else to do. I bet she puts out in the first month. Not that I blame her. If it were me, I’d jump in your bed night one and shove the Doppel out of the way.”
Ah. Those are all very good points. This is probably the furthest thing from Decima’s personal experience as it could be.
Lifting the remote up, Hillary began to rapidly cycle through the channels.
“Oh nice, it’s got the movie channel,” Hillary said. Then she leaned into Sam and put her hand on his thigh. “I’m really looking forward to playing house for a year. Gonna be amazing.”
Sam didn’t quite agree with that.
He really wasn’t looking forward to not seeing Irma for long stretches of time. Thankfully scheduled portals would make it considerably more convenient but even then, he knew he’d miss her.
“Do I really have to go to school, though?” Hillary asked, looking at Sam with a grimace. “I already went to high school once. Really would rather not go again.”
“Yeah. You do. He’s at your school as a middle-schooler. You need to be there to watch him during the day,” Sam said. “Be thankful the middle school and high school are joined. Otherwise you’d be a middle-schooler. Were you a cute kid?”
Hillary didn’t respond to that.
Instead, she lifted the remote and started changing the channels again.
***
Standing with his hands in his pockets, Sam watched as the moving crew continued to unload the truck.
By and large, most of what they’d asked to be sent over was electronic and creature comforts.
Like Hillary’s giant television that apparently she can’t live without.
“Excuse me, Mrs. Hallsy? Where do you want this?”
One of the movers had a box that was labeled as “plates” in front of himself. His question was directed at “Decima Hallsy”, the lady of the home.
“What?” Decima asked, turning to look at the man. She’d been sorting through boxes that’d been put to one side. Sam had no idea what she was looking for, but she was definitely searching for something.
Decima had ended up staying home with Sam for the movers after dropping Hillary off at school.
She wasn’t technically old enough to drive yet, being a freshman in high school. If they stayed here for a while they could probably get her a learner’s permit.
“Where—uh, where do you want your plates Mrs. Hallsy?”
“I don’t care,” Decima said flicking a hand in a dismissive gesture. “Somewhere in the kitchen.”
Dressed in a summer dress, she looked like an ideal and beautiful “housewife”. Sam had heard Hillary helping Decima get into costume this morning. Picking out her clothes, helping her with makeup, and even her hair.
Closing the box she’d been sorting through, she made a harrumph-like noise and then came over to Sam.
“Something in particular you’re looking for?” he asked when she reached him.
“My purity seal carving knife,” Decima said. “I can’t find it. I know I packed it away, but I swear it isn’t here now.”
“It’ll show up,” Sam said nonchalantly. “Or we’ll buy you a new one. It isn’t like they’re unique or one of a kind.”
“I liked that one, though,” Decima complained with a sigh. “I’d broken it in and the handle felt right in my hand.”
“Like I said, it’ll show up, or we’ll get you another one. You can stand in the shop and grab each one till you find one you like,” Sam said. He was terribly amused that Decima seemed to be this upset over a simple carving knife.
Decima grunted at that and then slowly turned around when she reached Sam’s side.
“They stare at me,” Decima muttered. “Hillary put me in clothes that are ill fit for the time, didn’t she?”
Glancing at Decima, he wasn’t able to see anything out of the ordinary. Then he looked at her face again and didn’t have to think much further than that.
Hillary had definitely put some time into Decima’s make up. She hadn’t caked it on or over-applied it in any way at all.
She’d just barely put enough on Decima to draw on her already good looks and highlight them.
Especially her eyes.
“They’re staring because you’re very attractive, with a lovely body,” Sam said honestly. Unable to look away from her. “You’re beautiful, Decima.”
Decima took in a sudden breath as her cheeks colored.
“I don’t much like this role,” Decima groused.
“Really? I think this is a good opportunity for you to gain some experience,” Sam disagreed. Then he slid an arm around Decima’s shoulders and pulled her into his side. “Besides, I get to call you wife in public and put my hands on you. Definitely a win for me. Just think, we’ll even have to take Mitch and his parents to dinner or have them over. And you’ll have to act your part.”
Decima was an angry statue of tension under Sam’s arm, but she didn’t pull away, shove him off, or move from his side either.