by Bob Dattolo
He whistled, “Daaaamn. Spells on her parents?”
“Yeah.”
“Why was that happening?”
“At a guess? It’s because whoever was working with Armand and Burnes is trying to get to me through you all. That’s why I’m out here trying to arrange payments. I’m hoping it stops others from being sucked into this. If…if anything happens? Make sure you reach out to me, okay?” He didn’t react until I hit him with a tiny ray of light.
“Okay. I can do that.”
The adults reached some sort of quiet decision, and Paul’s dad took command, “We will pay for his ring. Thank you for being there for our son and watching out for him…and our pack.”
“You’re welcome. I’m here if I’m needed. Paul knows how to reach me.” His mom pulled her purse and grabbed a check. “As it is, I have eight other stops like this to work through, so I need to get going.”
She handed me a check a moment later. “Payment in full.”
“Thank you.” I slipped it into my pocket. I’m not sure I’ve ever dreamed of nonchalantly receiving a check for a hundred million dollars, yet here we are. If things continue like this, I’ll have most of a billion dollars in my pocket. That’s messed up. In a good way, but still. So, so messed up.
Paul got a hug from me before I stepped away from the table. “Now, I need to roll. Good luck with everything.” I didn’t wait for a response before leaving through a portal to my bedroom to drop off the check.
Next stop? I’m thinking…Tom.
My next stop was positively heavy with the scent of lion shifters. Just overflowing with it. That’s probably good, since that’s what Tom is. If he wasn’t, I’d be wondering just exactly what is going on here.
And where’s here? A house of some sort. I have no idea if it’s his house or not. I’m pretty sure his parents are the alphas of their pride, so that’s something. Then again, some of the group shifters like to get one house and everyone lives there. I have to think that gets harder as people have kids, but since shifters don’t have kids easily, maybe not? It’s pretty rare to have shifters with three or four kids. At least close together. Maybe over a few centuries or something. Then again, I know that some of my classmates have brothers or sisters. They could be crazy old and not really siblings, at least as other people think of them. When your parents can be any number of hundreds of years old, your brothers and sisters could very well be older than the country while you’re still getting your driver’s license. You can’t tell me that makes you really feel like a norm brother and sister relationship. It’s hard enough to relate to someone that is more than a decade older than you are. Can you imagine the issues when someone is a century or two older?
You might as well tell people you’re an only child. It may not be accurate, but it’s pretty freaking appropriate.
There are plenty of voices reaching me, from the house, that is. No arguments going on, so that’s a plus. Starting off with an argument taking place made me wonder if I’d be going from issue to issue. That may still happen, I guess. I’d have to say that Tom’s alive somewhere in here, since I’m not sure my magic would work if he’s dead. I have a feeling it’s some sort of tracking thing that I’m doing, and tracking doesn’t work when someone’s dead. When they pass over, the connection dies, and you can’t use the same thing to locate them. Apparently, finding bodies is notoriously difficult, if not impossible. It makes me wonder if I can do it. Then again, I am triggering more on the ring. I don’t know, I just feel like he’s alive.
Then again, can I locate my parents? That’s…that’s something to think about. Not that I want to just yet. Let me get through this garbage first and then see what’s happening that way. Given the layers of spells that they had on the house and property, I have to think that they’re protected from that. After all, the government would have been all over them before now. I have to make a note to ask Mom about that at some point and see what’s going on that way.
I’m not shocked that no one comes to the door before I get there. I’ve heard time and time again how shifters do that, but that’s typically when people drive up in a car. I didn’t do that, just appearing out of thin air. If anyone actually heard me appear, it’s just random footsteps outside, which could be anyone at all.
The doorbell is a stately sound, far louder than I expected it to be for a place filled with shifters. It could be a quiet thing, and it’d still be heard. The sound is barely gone before someone answers the door. As you’d expect for a shifter place, they’re pretty naked. Hung, too. Unless he’s a shower? If so and there’s minimal growth, he’s probably just under six inches. Honestly, I’ve run into some girls that are size queens. I’m not one of them. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll take it, but I prefer one that allows more movement, and the average size in the US is perfect for that. Then again, it makes multiple guys easier to handle. Especially if you’re trying to wedge two in the same spot.
Man, I haven’t gotten laid enough recently. Going from daily in school to like three times in the past two weeks is kind of a letdown.
“Can I help you?” At a guess, he looks about 25, but the sound of his voice makes me think he’s closer to 100 or possibly more. Too bad I can’t feel ages like I’ve heard some others can. I can feel power, usually, which tends to indicate age. Roughly. The older someone is, the more powerful they are on average. It’s just that half of the people don’t read well that way, so it’s foolish to base it on that. Especially since there’s no real reason to do it. There’s no benefit to figuring out someone’s age unless your goal is to talk about current bands or something like that.
“Hi. Is Tom home?”
He blinked slowly, sniffing again and again, “He’s here. Can I get your name? You’re not familiar.”
“I’m Ceri? We were in the same dozenal in the academy before it closed?”
He blinked a few more times, this time quicker, “Umm…Ceri?”
“Yeah?”
He didn’t move for a few seconds, “Wait here.” The door closed, and he ran off.
So, is this how they normally answer the door here? It could be. I can’t say that it’s a horrific way to do it, but it is a little weird. A lot weird. Just not something to really think about.
Voices rose inside the huge house, some of them far enough away that I couldn’t make them out. Others coming in pretty clear, letting me know that they were all gathering somewhere. Well…this could be good or bad.
Someone approached the door again, and I expected the same guy, but it ended up being a young boy. Maybe eight years old? His smile threw me, since I was expecting a different look.
“Follow me?”
“Suuuure?” He didn’t really wait for me to come in before he turned and walked way. I guess he’s confident that I’ll close the door and follow him? Shifter kids can’t shift from birth, but it happens somewhere around kindergarten or so. Maybe five years old. That means he can shift and is far, far stronger than a normal human adult. In almost any other situation I’d say that he’d be perfectly safe if I were human. Even if I were a weightlifting guy. He either thinks he can take me…or he doesn’t think anything at all will happen.
When we reached a huge great room, I honestly had a thought that he was acting, and this was really a set up. I’m very nearly positive that every shifter in the pride is there. My quick look shows me something like 30 shifters of various ages around the room, mostly on the other side. Tom’s front and center with two adults that look at least something like him close behind him.
The kid that led me in moves ahead to the side, standing with a couple that put their hands on his shoulders. They’re smiling, too.
Soooo…this isn’t an attack? If it is, it’s not starting out as I would have expected it to.
Tom’s smile got huge as I stopped walking, looking across everyone. When he ran to me, I have to admit that I prepared for an attack…only to be met by a huge hug, squeezing me tight. He didn’t kiss me, which was a possibili
ty. We’re touchy-feely as a group, but we don’t typically kiss unless we’re getting amorous. At least not a real kiss. He kept it shifter platonic, with just a hug.
“Holy crap…you’re okay?” He stepped back, looking me up and down.
“Umm, yeah? Why do you ask?”
He frowned, “You haven’t heard?”
“Noooo? Heard what?”
He looked back at the couple that I have to think are his parents, then back to me, “Some of the others have gone silent. We have no idea what’s going on with them.”
“What do you mean gone silent?”
His father spread his hands, “We’ve been coordinating getting Tom’s class to go to the same academy. You all seemed to get along well, and we wanted our son to have allies in a new school. We haven’t been able to reach some of them, while others dropped off the face of the Earth. No response to calls or emails over the past few days.”
I frowned, “I was just at Paul’s place. He didn’t mention anything?”
Tom tugged me forward, “My parents were coordinating everything. No issues with Paul, other than some questions from his parents and his alphas.” He stopped just before his parents, “Ceri? I’d like you to meet my parents, Josh and Renee.”
My wave was aborted as his mom grabbed me in a hug. I could have reacted, but her smile and outstretched arms stopped me from trying to punch a hole through her large enough to watch TV through.
“Ceri! It’s wonderful to meet you. We’ve heard so much about you!” She rumbled against my chest, telling me she’s purring. That’s too awesome. Tom barely ever did that in school. It’s…soothing, I guess is the right word.
“Umm, hi? Nice to meet you as well.” Another set of arms joined us as Tom’s dad stepped in. They held the hug for longer than I expected, then backed off.
“Can you guys tell me who you lost contact with? Aaaand why everyone is here? This is rather intimidating.”
Tom laughed, getting more laughter from his pride, “I’m sorry. We’ve had issues this past week, and the ring you made for me is the only reason we’re still standing.”
“What do you mean?”
His father waved around the room, “We’re a decent size pride. We’ve gotten along with the other families and groups in the area, but we had a larger pride try to come in and take over. Apparently, they’d been scoping us out the past month or two. When they figured out that they’re both larger and stronger than we are, they attacked. Tom’s the only reason we’re here. He fought them to a standstill pretty much on his own.”
Tom’s smile was big enough to endanger the muscles on his face, “They were shocked when I showed up to the party.”
“What the hell happened?” I’m angry enough that some of my power starts to leak, getting others to send out a spurt of fear.
Tom laughed again, “Don’t worry about it that way. They started with small attacks, going after some of our people. They didn’t kill anyone or try to suck them up, just take away fighters. We didn’t have a clue what was happening until their entire pride showed up in the backyard. This was a few days ago when I was at the store. I came home to find this huge thing going on in the backyard, with the alphas about to challenge my parents…”
His mom’s smile was brutal, “We were far weaker. They’d have taken us without a problem. Tom showed up…and now the pride isn’t a problem any longer.”
My smile started to match hers, “They all dead?”
“Not all of them. Just the bad ones. We’re working through absorbing the survivors and taking over everything.” Tom practically preened at that, “No pride lands, but they were loaded with money and stocks and businesses. Their people are pretty good. None of them are here right now. We have folks with them as they go check everything over.” He hugged me again, letting me go quickly, “My parents would have been dead without the ring. Thank you. You quite literally saved my family. My pride.”
“You’re welcome.” I’ll admit, I feel good about that. “That’s actually why I came? The ring?”
He frowned, “You’re not taking it back, are you?” The pride around us stiffened.
“Nope! I came to talk payment. Since we’re not in school any longer and I’m staying where I am, we need to set up the actual payment. Things have been happening, and there’s solid concern that someone may be trying for me.”
Fear shot through the room from him, “Trying for you? Who’s stupid enough to do that?!”
I shrugged, “No idea. Someone was behind Burnes. Someone strong as hell. They nearly killed Stacey, my mom, and me. I was able to stop it from happening, but whoever is backing them is powerful as hell and stopped me from finding everyone’s family members and sharing some of the pain.”
Even more fear came from him, “Jesus…they nearly killed you and your mom?”
“Yeah.”
His dad grabbed his shoulder, “What the hell, Tom? Why are you so scared?”
He looked back over his shoulder, “Dad…I told you who her mom is. Rasphael? If someone tried for Ceri and nearly killed her and Ceri and a powerful mage? We can’t stand against them. Like at all.”
His dad blinked a few times, “Rasphael…I didn’t…are you serious? As in the Rasphael? This isn’t someone else with the same name?”
“No. Mom’s the Rasphael. Given what I saw taking place? Yeah…no, you guys couldn’t stand against them. Saving my mom and Stacey very nearly killed me. I didn’t recover until a few days ago…and I actually died a few times in the middle there. It took being in the between lands and more power than I can explain to get me healed.”
Tom knows what I am and what Mom is, so he understands the severity of what I’m not quite saying, “Jesus fucking Christ…we need to build a separation, then. I can’t be seen as one of your people. We can’t. I don’t want my family to be killed.”
“That’s why I’m here. We talked about a hundred million? Paul’s already paid for his.”
His mom stared at me in shock, “Oh fuck that…no way. A hundred million? I know that’s what was talked about, but that’s…no…”
Her response threw me, “Umm, too much? We can do payments…”
His dad answered as his hands tightened on Paul’s shoulders, “No. Too little. If there’s that kind of power roaming around, then I think we need more of a separation. That means more money or else people will still think there’s a tie-in between you and our son. Our pride.”
“Oookay? Then how much? I’ll be honest, I don’t need the money. He could keep it as far as I’m concerned, but I get the idea here. No one will believe he’s not a gateway to me if I do that. Not that I get why it matters to others, but apparently it does?”
Tom nodded, face serious, “It does. Very much so.”
“Okay…so how much is a good separation? Keeping in mind that we were lovers and I’m new to magic, so selling at a discount.”
They exchanged looks, then his dad nodded to someone on the side that stepped forward. He has a bookish sort of look about him, even if he does look like a muscular surfer guy that would tear lengthwise through a horse to kill you for messing with him, “Given the power of the ring? I’ve never heard of one that strong being made or even sold. A billion? Two? You’ve noted your parameters, so it can be lower, but anywhere south of 250 million might be an issue. Not definitely, but possibly.”
Tom’s mom frowned, “250? That’s not enough, is it?”
“Can you guys afford that much?”
Tom snorted, “We cleared tons of money from the attackers. So much. It’s crazy.”
The guy from the crowd nodded at that, “Several billion. We’re still working through the valuation. It would be simple enough to make that payment. I’m just concerned that the amount should be higher.”
I raised my hands, “I get it and I’ll accept whatever you guys want to pay. The reality, though, is that when I made them I had virtually no money of my own. None. I would have accepted 10 bucks. A ride to the mall. Anything. I
still don’t get how much things like this go for. It doesn’t make any sense to me, especially since I can make them the way that I do. Don’t think you have to pay more because of me.”
Their finance guy cocked his head, “That makes more sense. Knowing that, the amount can be lower. I’d still feel safer with it being 250, though. That may provide us the protection and space if someone comes here. As long as you don’t have a relationship ongoing?”
That hurt a bit, but I nodded, “Well, I don’t want to lose Tom as a friend, but we won’t be going to school together any longer, so…we’ll probably lose touch at least compared to what we had before.”
His parents shared another look, “All right. 250 million. Do you accept checks? We can do a direct deposit?”
“Anything is fine.” The finance guy ran off at my response, letting me focus on Tom’s parents again. “Now…who have you lost contact with?”
The rest of the pride broke up as his parents moved me to a small sitting area and we sat together. His dad started talking as my butt hit the cushion, “We found a solid school for Tom and the others. It’s perfect. It’s not quite as good as Lledrith was, but it’s way up there. Still a boarding school. It has larger classes and a larger student body.”
His mom nodded, “It’s where I attended. I loved it there.”
“We’ve been working with the other parents,” his dad fell into thinking, “we were never able to reach Christine or Rachel. We’re not sure what’s happening with them. We fear the worst there.”
I waved away his concern, “They’re fine. Christine has an apprenticeship with a very strong mage. She’s good. Rachel is living with me and going to school with me.”
Tom sighed, “Oh thank God. I couldn’t figure out who’d take out Rachel…”