Protect

by Laura Wylde

  I brought him the digital photos and DNA samples for complete verification of harpy identity, closing the files of several other cases involving malicious attacks. Interpol recognized the two unidentified harpies as two sisters from Berlin who ran a boarding house for women and disappeared during an investigation of four factory workers who were last seen on their property.

  I told him we were approaching the problem of the nests as cautiously as possible. We needed to locate the primary nests and strike all of them at the same time. Our efforts were to prevent an army, not track down individual harpies. We were still discussing strategies when Lenny called in. “Hey boss.” His voice crackled a little in the speakerphone. “I’ve got the coordinates for a nest in Queens and one in Brooklyn. My contact says if you don’t act before they hear the news of the Central Park raid, they’ll move to a new location and become more difficult to find. They had only started building their nests. so they won’t have a problem leaving them. There is a covey in Newark. No coordinates, but it’s large and heavily guarded by gargoyles. The city isn’t safe. A war is coming.”

  I glanced at the commissioner, who sat with his hands folded over his chest, his eyebrows buried behind his black-framed glasses. “Is Manhattan a wrap?” He asked, ignoring the dire prediction.

  “Manhattan is a wrap; for now. Word is out that it has become a key defense position for gate keeper law. The underground was weakened considerably when the vampires were driven out. If there is retaliation, it will be outside our home base. Either Newark or New Jersey.”

  I spoke up. “Okay, Lenny, let’s head home. Jack and Jamie should be on their way back by now.”

  Commissioner Mullins reached across the table and shook my head as I picked up my jacket. “I’ll inform homeland security for additional forces. Thanks for the tips. If you learn anything else…”

  “It goes without saying,” I answered, reproofing him slightly. I hesitated. “If you want my advice, keep your forces in stealth mode. Any open, large-scale conflict could cause an interdimensional incident.”

  He nodded and returned to brooding, his chin dropping deeply into his neck. I couldn’t help feeling sorry for the chap. It wasn’t easy for him to grapple with species he had once thought were just the products of children stories. Like most people when first meeting the stuff of mythology, he went the emotional circuit from shocked, to flabbergasted, to curious and finally, acceptance. Unlike most, he had accomplished this in a short time. As a lawman, his immediate opinion had been to treat all law-breaking creatures the same as humans. This, he had discovered, did not work, and nearly wiped out the precinct before turning the policies for dealing with them over to the shape-shifters.

  Now he was in a position where he would have to work with gate keeper policies. Personally, I felt it was time humans opened a dialog once again. After all, it was their dimension, but the gate-keepers felt humans were still too barbaric and ill-mannered. They had made the phoenixes the mediators a millennial ago and hadn’t opened a dialog with humans since then.

  I returned to Central Park in our unmarked car to pick up Lenny. He was still talking to Freddie, but when he saw me, he slipped something to the coyote and strolled away, his hands in his pockets, whistling aimlessly. He didn’t walk directly to the car. He veered off onto a walking path that looped over a hill before swinging to the side of it and meeting me in the avenue. He jumped in quickly and we headed home.

  Tanya

  One hour stretched into another as I waited for my men’s return. That’s how I thought of them now, “my men”. Whatever was decided once the battle was over, I would always think of them as “my men”. I was glad for the coffee machine. I was glad for their never-ending supply of finger-foods. I was glad for the security camera watching the front porch. I munched on crackers, cheese and fruit, while my eyes stayed glued to the camera.

  Daniel’s short message relieved me in only one respect. He was alive. I had no way of knowing in what condition, or if the others had survived the encounter. I tried not to let it nag at me, but I was worried. I began to appreciate what my mother had gone through when my dad was in the military and stationed in Iraq. I had been so young at the time, I couldn’t understand what caused her anxiety. Now I knew.

  I didn’t excuse her from distancing herself from him, yet at least I could feel more sympathetic toward her behavior. She was always a little nervous and short-tempered, probably as a result of stress. I did my breathing exercises, and swore, I wasn’t going to be like that. I might be nervous, but I was never going to become short-tempered.

  Jack and Jamie arrived first in what appeared as a bright flash on the camera. They landed just inside the gate in full phoenix form than shape-shifted into humans. Right behind them, a black Lexus pulled up. The gate swung open and the vehicle slid inside. Daniel and Lenny stepped out and the four approached the entrance together.

  I didn’t wait. I ran from the office to the living room and threw open the door before any of them had the chance to touch the key panel. I grabbed the first two in sight in an embrace so tight it was practically a death hold, before breaking off to include everyone. They were all there! All alive and well. Tears of emotion welled up in my eyes, but they were tears of joy.

  “Is it over?” I asked finally, my voice cracking.

  “It’s over,” said Daniel. “At least for the time being. We have a lot to talk about though, so I think we should all get comfortable.”

  Lenny’s idea of comfort was to pop up a giant bowl of popcorn and retire to the living room. It seemed like a very good idea, so the rest of us followed him. We were ready to relax. The events of the last three weeks had kept our heads in a whirl and our stamina on the brink of collapse. We sat close enough together that each movement created a rustling touch, a brushing against someone else. The connection was a warm, uninterrupted current traveling in a circle.

  “I think,” said Lenny, his head thrown back to rest against the top of the couch. “The Sphynx owes us. He said he’s very distressed he gave us misinformation. He doesn’t know how that happened.”

  Jamie was playing that silly game men like to play, where they count how much popcorn they can accurately flip into their mouths. He stopped to take a more dignified pose as he joined the conversation. “He’s got a mole that’s working the other side.”

  “I don’t think so. The badgers would know. They swept through all Bryant Park and found nothing. It’s the Gorgon. They never can be trusted.”

  Daniel was tapping his knee, his face serious. “Are you sure all the badgers can be trusted? Maybe it was one of them.”

  “They’re tight, boss. None of my contacts tried to mislead us. The Sphynx really ought to get back together with Ra. He’s gone halfway off his rocker.”

  Jack gave on of his rich, full-bellied chuckles. “Oh, no, little buddy, your ancestors weren’t there. The relationship was chaotic. It’s just as well they both developed new interests. The Gorgon could have misled him out of sheer mischief, but it’s highly unlikely she’s taking sides. Still, we need to be open to the idea that there is a counter-spy in our midst.”

  I really wanted to know more about the Sphynx and his relationship to Ra, but it wasn’t the right time for a history lesson. What they were discussing had serious implication. It underlined the meaning of the words, “for the time being”. We may have won the first round, but it sounded like the real struggle had just begun.

  “What did you give Freddy?” Daniel asked Lenny abruptly.

  “The keys to an uptown apartment. He’s entertaining some sirens. The sirens don’t want war with us. They hate living underground. Freddie thinks he can persuade them to help us.”

  “They aren’t exactly law-abiding.”

  “Mainly because they love luxuries. But when they’re well-paid, they’re pretty happy.”

  “We’re not going to make it a habit of paying sirens to behave.”

  “I’m just pointing out they can be managed. They like it he
re. They haven’t even caused any shipwrecks in years.”

  This was probably my cue. It was a subject they weren’t going to bring up on their own. They were bound by a gentleman’s code. Chivalry is not a top performer for the twenty-first century, so it was time to let them know they didn’t have to take things so far. It didn’t matter. “Well, then. If the harpies are out of the way and the sirens aren’t considered a threat, there’s no real reason for me to stay here anymore, is there? I should go back to my apartment.”

  Jack had just returned from the kitchen with a bottle of wine and five wine glasses. The phoenixes like sweet, dark red wine. It poured thick and filled your taste buds instantly. He set his cargo carefully on the coffee table and raised his head to look at me. “No, you shouldn’t. You caught the underworld’s attention. You’re a target.”

  I took the glass he handed me and settled deeper into the couch cushions. Now that I was safe, I felt I was developing a feel for cloak and dagger tactics. “I could make friends with Bunny. That way we’ll know more about what the sirens are up to.”

  Lenny threw a piece of popcorn at me. “Never, ever trust a siren. Do you think I deal with them directly? They are mercenaries, hired assassins. They sell out to the highest bidder. You’re no match for Bunny, no matter what you may think. For the right price, she’d sell out her mother.”

  “Then what? I go into a witness protection program and scrap my university career? I don’t think I want to start over.”

  “You don’t have to start over,” said Daniel. “You can stay here, with us. That is, unless you want to leave. Do you want to leave?”

  I shook my head. “No. I meant every word I said. I love you. I love all of you. Are all of you sure you’re okay with that?”

  “I love you,” he agreed. “I don’t want you to leave.”

  “You can have a hundred other lovers and I wouldn’t care,” said Lenny. “As long as you made room for me.”

  “I find it a little hard to understand,” I admitted. “The men I’ve known have all been somewhat possessive. Unless it was a casual fling. But you’re not casual about it, are you?”

  Jamie was the closest to me on the couch. He put an arm around my shoulders and pulled me even closer. “I’m not feeling casual about it. I love my team mates. We’ve known each other for centuries and are deeply bonded. I love you. That you love us all equally makes me feel good. Don’t take that away from us, Tanya. You are a part of us now.”

  What do you say to four phoenixes who claim to love you? You don’t say anything. You hold out your arms and embrace them. You drink in the sweet nectar of their kisses. You bathe in the scent of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. You unleash fiery passions you never knew existed. You surrender in a splash of wine, among tangled legs, popcorn and cushions. You surrender with complete joy.

  The hot, heaving breathing in my ears slowed and I looked around at our disarray. “There’s one thing I should do,” I declared in a firm voice. “I need to return to my apartment to get the rest of my things and close it out with the landlord.”

  “We can help you with that,” agreed Daniel.

  Besides my books and a few items of sentimental value, I didn’t have a lot to pick up. My primary motive was in settling my account with the landlord and checking my postal box. The stamp collector was waiting inside the hallway. As soon as I opened my box, he peered in eagerly. There was a stamped letter from my mom. I tore off the stamp and stuffed the letter in my handbag without reading it. She sent a letter once a month as a duty to be performed. They were short clips of “hi, how are you?” followed by her financial status and her position for receiving company, which usually boiled down to “unavailable”. If anything occurred of a serious nature, she would call me.

  Jamie and Jack had already gone up the stairs to pack. I stopped by the landlord’s office to notify him and collect my deposit. He wasn’t there, but his wife took my keys with a scowl and told me I wouldn’t get my deposit back until the apartment had been inspected. “I know you held a party with four gigolos that lasted a week,” she quarreled. “You don’t fool me, young lady. If you wrecked the place, you’re not getting back a penny.”

  I could have defended myself and told her they were police officers, but maybe it was better she didn’t know. Plus, it amused me. For the next three years, the building would be gossiping about the swinger in 4B. If you’re going to go out, go in flames.

  I had just started up the stairs when I heard Bunny call out to me. I turned around. “Is it true?” She demanded. “Are you leaving us?”

  I hid my surprise. “Do you listen at keyholes?”

  She crossed her arms in front. “Damned right! It’s been hell since you left! Do you know who has taken your laundry hours? The gay couple!”

  “What do you have against gays?”

  “The usual! It’s bad enough that we women are at a surplus and I’ve had to curb my appetites. But gays! They are so pretty, you just want to eat them, but they’re ‘oh, don’t touch me!’ What a waste of man flesh.” She cocked her head and looked at me as critically as possible for someone who was half-drunk and staggering. “C’mon. I heard about your wild fling. Four guys in your apartment. Way to go, girl. You can’t tell me you haven’t salivated for the gays.”

  Despite Lenny’s warning, I was having a hard time trying to keep from feeling sentimental toward Bunny. I chuckled. “Probably not in the way you mean. I’m giving away some of my things. You can have my sequined dress if you want it. It would look good on you.”

  “How much did it cost?”

  “Three hundred dollars.”

  “Kind of cheap, but I’ll take it. Just as long as it wasn’t a department store special.”

  “I’m going to miss you, Bunny. Take care, will you?”

  “Yeah? Well, you should just go. All that sugar coating makes me sick. And take that parrot with you. I can smell it all over you.”

  The rest of the move went without incidence. As we were leaving, I saw the slightly opened doors of the other tenants. From each door poked a slightly visible head. I waved, and they all waved back without leaving their rooms. I felt light instead of nostalgic. I was closing a chapter on my life but leaving the door open for future adventures.

  That night we sat in the living room celebrating my official move and our commitment to each other. I told them about my encounter with Bunny. Jack roared with laughter. “Say, Lenny. It looks like Tanya is developing her own informants. You may have some competition.”

  “Tanya’s cool. You’ve got two cool people pounding the beat, you’ve got a better grapevine,” drawled Lenny from his stretched-out position on the couch. He looked cool. Lenny liked to dress in black. It gave him almost a gangsta look. His hair staggered across his forehead in spiky locks that repeatedly flopped over his brow no matter how often he combed them back.

  I laughed. “I’m not sure I want to pound a beat, but I do want to be part of the team. Your loyalty toward each other amazes me. It inspires me. Has it always been this way?”

  Jack poured some more champagne and sat back with his hands crossed at the stomach. This was always a sign he was about to tell a story. “The first human designs didn’t have emotions. They weren’t much different than the fish in the sea. They ate. They bred. They felt pain and pleasure. That was all. They had the intelligence to do much more, but they didn’t because they didn’t have the drive. Emotions changed that.”

  “Aren’t pain and pleasure emotions?” I asked.

  He waggled his finger. “They are survival mechanisms. What gives them pain, they know to avoid. What gives them pleasure provides nourishment, so they are drawn to it. Ultimately, the humans were given the same emotions as the gods. They handled them as poorly. In fact, they made such a mess of things, there were no longer true leaders, only the corrupt and powerful.”

  “Oh, kind of like now,” I said, waving my glass around. The champagne was getting to me, but I didn’t care. That’s what it was for
.

  “Exactly. As soon as they saw that the humans had absorbed all the emotions and all of the traits of the gods, from the most treacherous and vile to the noble and aspiring, the ancients knew there was nothing they could do about eliminating the worst qualities in humankind, but they could send protectors for the pure of heart. There are many guardians. They each have a service to perform, such as the Bear Clan who defend the wilderness, and Brownies, who help the poor, but the phoenix was created with one of the strongest emotions of all; empathy toward others.Because all phoenixes are symbols of hope and unity, our allegiance to each other is the allegiance of brothers. This is probably why we all feel attached to you. You have a lot of empathy and a strong sense of loyalty, Tanya. That makes you our queen.”

  “I second that!” Roared Lenny, raising his glass and dashing down the bubbly liquid in a single gulp.

  It got a little messy, with glasses clicking together and spilling in luscious drips down our arms to lick, then kiss each other as we toasted again, but nobody complained. There was plenty of time later to clean things up. For now, this was our moment and it was beautiful.

  We slept all in a heap on the floor, the cushions supporting us. I woke before the others, which was a first. I think the battle with the harpies had taken more out of them than they were willing to admit. They all looked so peaceful, so content. They looked like knights from the Round Table, and I felt like Guinevere. With permission to kiss all my knights. How could it possibly get any better?

  I walked over to the windows and opened the shutters. A new day was streaming through. It lighted the trees filled with song birds and glittered on the morning dew. I was excited and a little frightened. It was a life I had imagined, yet never believed in. It was full of adventure and danger. It was full of love and sacrifice. I was ready.

  Also by Laura Wylde

  I hope you enjoyed reading Protect. If you’re interested in reading the second book of The Phoenix Night Shift series just click the link below: