Fuller than a Tick (Fairy Tales of a Trailer Park Queen Book 10)

by Kimbra Swain

  “If you had wanted to get away, you could have just skipped upstairs,” he said as his face hovered above mine. In my panic, I hadn't thought of that. He kissed me once along my jaw. “I'm gonna let you go because you aren't ready. I feel that. I feel all of it.”

  I swallowed. “Okay.” It came out in a whisper.

  He released me, stepping back to give me room. A part of me wanted what he was offering. The other part screamed in protest. Time to run.

  “Goodnight, Levi,” I muttered.

  “Goodnight, Gloriana,” he said. Something in his tone seemed almost familiar. Comforting. Like he should have been calling me by that name all along. I convinced myself that he had just gotten my emotions all twisted up. Dismissing it, I climbed the stairs, not trusting myself to look back.

  Aydan got up just as the sun rose, and I went downstairs to make breakfast. I didn’t know what he liked, and neither did he. So, I made a big breakfast. As the bacon fried in the pan, Levi appeared, shirtless still. He punched the button on the coffee pot to start it up. I had forgotten to do it. He leaned over the counter, taking a peek at me. The shit-eating grin hadn’t gone away either.

  “Shut up,” I said.

  “I didn’t say anything,” he laughed. “Morning, Aydan.”

  “Hey, Uncle Levi. Mom is making breakfast,” he said.

  “Duh! I see that, Goose,” Levi teased.

  Aydan laughed. “Goose?”

  “Oh, yes. I’ve got a movie that we are going to watch together. You will love it!” Levi said, taking a seat at the bar in the kitchen. Aydan sat on the stool next to him. I kept my back to them. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to focus if Levi continued.

  “Great! Mom called my grandfather. He’s coming to see me, but I really want to meet my sister,” he said.

  “Grace, want me to go get Winnie?” Levi asked.

  “Maybe after breakfast. I talked to Luther this morning. They aren’t opening the diner today. She’s fine with them for a little bit. I called Finley too, but he didn’t answer. I want them to see first. Maybe they can be here when we bring Winnie home,” I said.

  “Sounds good,” Levi said.

  “Mom, why did you adopt Winnie when her mother died?” Aydan asked.

  “Um. Well, her mother, Bethany, had me listed as her legal guardian,” I said.

  “But her last name is Riggs like mine,” he said.

  “Yes, your father adopted her. It’s what made her his official daughter so that she could receive his Phoenix powers,” I explained.

  “That and your mom made her a full-fledged fairy,” Levi added.

  “How does that work?” Aydan asked.

  “It’s not complicated, but a royal fairy has to do it with approval from Summer and Winter,” I said.

  “So, she became a winter fairy first, then Phoenix?” he asked.

  “She was technically dead when I gave her the ingredients to become a fairy,” I said. “Our hope was that it would make her body morph into a supernatural vessel to contain your Father’s fire.”

  “It’s really cool. I can’t wait to see what she can do,” he said. “But she won’t know me.”

  “She’s smarter than her age. I bet she will,” I said. I hoped she would. I hoped this didn’t set her training back. She loved being the big sister even though we told her that Aydan would outgrow her.

  Rufus began to bark to let us know that someone was pulling up. His doggie hearing had its own supernatural qualities. He’d kept his distance from Aydan. His wet nose twitched in the air as he smelled the young man that had taken my baby’s place, but he wouldn’t get near him. The fact was in his bird form, Aydan could easily carry off a little wiener dog. Rufus would be a good snack. I’m sure Rufus’ instincts were to stay away from the predator much like he did when Troy was around.

  “Hush, Rufus. All that racket. I declare,” I said. “I’m going out to talk to him before he comes in.”

  “Alright. We will be right here,” Levi said as he scooped up Rufus. It seemed to quell the dog’s anxiety.

  Nestor pulled up outside in his old beat-up pick-up truck. Ever since Mable got out of our holding cell, I’ve stayed in contact with him constantly. I knew she wasn’t below using him to hurt me. He was tired. I could see it around the edges of his eyes and the slump of his shoulders.

  “You okay?” I asked.

  “I’m fine. What’s wrong with Aydan?” he asked. I hadn’t told him everything on the phone. I just wanted him to get here so that I could show him. It was hard to say that my toddler was now a teen.

  “You don’t look fine,” I said.

  “Gee, thanks,” he said trying to smile. He relented after I glared at him. “The wolves have been in Hot Tin every night. Late. I’ve just not gotten enough sleep.”

  “You need help. We can find someone to work with you,” I said. “I’m sure we could.”

  “Grace, what is wrong with my great-grandson,” he pressed, ignoring me. Sometimes I wondered if I didn’t get my stubbornness from him.

  “Do you know anything about Native American blessings? The kind they give to their supernatural beings?” I asked.

  “No,” he replied.

  “Well, some men showed up last night to bless Aydan. They took him out to the spot where Dylan died. They said a part of Dylan was still there. The part which was the full power and knowledge of a Thunderbird. It was Aydan’s inheritance. They blessed him, and that power settled on Aydan,” I said.

  “And?” he prompted.

  “And the inheritance couldn’t be placed in a child. So, they made him a young man,” I said.

  “They what! Did you know?” he blurted out.

  “No. Remy thought I knew what it entailed, but Dylan didn’t talk about the Thunderbird heritage much,” I said.

  “Is he okay?” Nestor asked.

  “He seems fine like it was a completely natural occurrence. He knows how things work, but he’s learning who we are. He’s anxious to meet you,” I said, as we approached the front door. Just before I opened it, I warned him. “By the way, he looks just like his father.”

  “What?” he said, as we stepped inside. Aydan jumped to his feet in anticipation.

  “Hello!” Aydan said enthusiastically.

  I nudged Nestor who stood with his mouth hanging open. “Um, hello, Aydan,” he said.

  “I know it’s a shock, but I’m so excited to meet you,” Aydan said smiling that radiant smile.

  Nestor walked toward him slowly taking in the change in Aydan. Levi sat silently in the recliner. Thankfully, he had decided to put on a shirt. He nodded his head toward the chair.

  “No, that’s fine. You sit there. I can sit over here,” I told him, as I made my way to the other chair in the room. I picked up a throw pillow to sit down in it.

  “I wasn’t offering the chair. I was offering my lap,” he grinned.

  I threw the pillow at him, and he died laughing. Now I knew why they were called throw pillows. I looked back to Aydan and Nestor who had just finished a big hug.

  “Aydan, your Uncle Levi likes to talk in your mother’s head. I assume he said something inappropriate,” Nestor said. He’d seen us talk through the mental bond enough to know exactly what we were doing.

  “You can do that?” Aydan asked.

  “Yes. Levi and I share a blood oath. We, unfortunately, are very connected,” I said.

  “Unfortunately? Actually, it sounds pretty cool,” Aydan said.

  “Thanks. I think so,” Levi said with a smile.

  “It’s fine until he starts saying rude things,” I said.

  “Then you throw a pillow at him,” Aydan surmised.

  “Or whatever else is handy,” I said.

  “And he loves every minute of it,” Nestor added.

  “I do!” Levi admitted.

  I rolled my eyes and decided to ignore him. Rufus stirred at my feet with a small growl, then we heard footsteps on the porch. Finley was here.

  He let himself i
nside before I could stop and warn him. Aydan turned from the couch to see him enter. He stood again to greet my brother.

  “What in the Otherworld is that?” Finley asked. He knew who it was without me introducing him.

  “A fully blessed Thunderbird,” I said.

  “Damn, Aydan. You look just like your father,” Finley said moving closer to Aydan.

  “Everyone says that,” Aydan replied. “Your hair is cool.”

  “Thank you,” Finley said beaming with pride.

  “It’s great if you want to look like a she-elf. Legolas would hit that,” Levi teased.

  I snorted as Finley’s blue eyes flared with anger toward Levi. Aydan thought it was hilarious.

  “Wait a minute. Do you know who Legolas is?” I asked.

  “Yeah, sure. Lord of the Rings,” he replied.

  “How do you know that?” I asked.

  “It’s in my head,” he said. “Lots of things are in my head. Like when Levi called me Goose. There is a reference there that I can’t place.”

  Finley smirked, “You called him Goose? He’s your wingman now?”

  “Yep. He thinks I should be sleeping with Grace,” Levi said. Aydan blushed.

  “Levi!” I exclaimed.

  Finley and Nestor laughed. “Well, I see he has good sense,” Finley said, rounding the couch to hug Aydan. “I’m your Uncle Finley, and I don’t need a wingman.”

  Levi coughed. “Sloppy seconds.”

  “Enough!” I growled.

  Aydan looked confused, and Nestor hid his face. I knew he was laughing.

  “Don’t blame me that you gave up a good thing,” Finley said.

  “I raised my ambitions,” Levi said with a wink to me. As if I didn’t know he was talking about me.

  “New subject, please,” I pleaded. “Aydan has lots of questions.”

  “I do. Who is Riley?” Aydan said.

  I slammed my palm on my forehead.

  “She’s my girlfriend,” Finley said. “She used to be Levi’s girlfriend.”

  “Oh, you stole her from him,” Aydan said.

  “No, I broke up with her,” Levi said.

  “And I’ve been gently picking up the pieces of her crushed heart,” Finley said.

  I groaned behind my hand.

  “Oh, I get it now. Sloppy seconds,” Aydan said. “Man, I’ve got a lot to learn.”

  I groaned again for effect.

  “Levi, please go get Winnie,” I said.

  “She isn’t here?” Finley asked.

  “No, we wanted to break it to her with you and Nestor here for support. If you can stay,” I said.

  “Sure,” Finley nodded. “I’ve got to teach my nephew about women.”

  “No, you don’t,” I said.

  “Yes, I need to know about women,” Aydan said.

  “You may decide you like men better,” I said.

  Aydan cocked his head sideways, then shook it. “Nope. I’m pretty sure I like women. I mean, I haven’t seen any, but I’m thinking women. Especially if they look like you, Mom.”

  “No one looks like your mother,” Levi said, as he walked over to me. He leaned down over me, then kissed me on the cheek. “Be back soon.”

  What the hell was that? I stared at him as he grabbed his jacket from the closet, then stepped outside. I heard a portal open, and I felt his presence move away from us toward town.

  “Wow,” Finley said. “What’s gotten into him?”

  “I dunno,” I said.

  “He’s tired of waiting,” Nestor said.

  “Waiting on what?” Aydan asked.

  “Your mother,” Finley said taking Levi’s place in the recliner.

  “Please. I’m begging you not to talk about me and Levi,” I said.

  Finley let it go, and Nestor started up a conversation with Aydan about Native American rituals. He wanted to know what Aydan remembered from the blessing ceremony.

  “Well, I felt very small, but then I saw a sparkling dust swirl around me. The next thing I knew, I had long legs and arms among other things,” Aydan said.

  “What other things?” Finley asked.

  I shot him a look.

  “Like other parts of me grew too,” Aydan said.

  “Oh! That thing!” Finley laughed.

  “I knew my mother’s face, and Levi was familiar. Both of you seem familiar too. I know the basics of life. Mom fixed breakfast this morning, and I knew she was cooking bacon,” he said.

  “Bacon is a given. Everyone knows from birth what bacon is,” Nestor explained.

  “Oh,” Aydan said missing the joke.

  “Do you know schooling? Like history and math?” Finley asked.

  “I suppose. I know numbers, additions, subtraction, and that kind of thing,” Aydan explained. “I know a lot of Native American history and the stories of our people.”

  “That’s amazing,” Nestor said. I sighed. “You okay, Grace?”

  “Just lamenting the loss of my pudgy little baby boy,” I said.

  “I told you, Mom. I’ll always be your baby,” he said.

  The conversation continued as Finley and Nestor got to know the new and improved Aydan. I continued to ache knowing he would never be a baby again. He was still my son. That much was obvious with his sandy brown hair and cobalt blue eyes. However, it wouldn’t be long, and he would be a man. It all happened too quickly.

  I met Levi and Winnie outside when they arrived. Winnie ran up to give me a hug. She squeezed tightly.

  “Momma, Uncle Levi says Aydan is different. What did they do to my brother? Do I need to burn them?” she asked.

  “No, little wildfire. Calm down. He’s just grown up a lot faster than we thought he would,” I said.

  “He’s bigger than me already,” she groaned. I knew the feeling.

  “Yes, he’s nearly a man,” I said.

  “Will he know me?” she asked.

  “He already knows he has a sister, and he can’t wait to see you again,” I said.

  “I don’t know,” she said.

  “What do you mean? You don’t want to see your brother?” I asked.

  “How big is he?” she asked.

  “He’s a teenager. Like the big kids at school,” I said.

  “I don’t like the big kids,” she said.

  “This will be different. He’s your brother. He can protect you from the big kids now,” I said.

  “What if I don’t like him?” she asked.

  “You will like him,” Levi said. “He’s pretty cool.”

  I held out my hand to her. She placed hers in mine. The warmth of her father’s power rushed over me in a familiar sensation. It felt good to remember. The ache was still there, but at least now my focus was where it should be.

  When we walked inside, Aydan waited for us behind the couch. Winnie let go of my hand and clutched my leg. Aydan looked confused.

  “Give her a minute,” I said. He nodded, but he looked like his heart would break if she didn’t respond to him. “Winnie, this is your brother, Aydan. Go say hello.”

  “He looks like daddy,” she said.

  “That’s because he is Dylan’s son,” I said.

  “Hi, Winnie,” Aydan said. He squatted down so he would be eye level with her. “It’s good to meet you.”

  “We’ve met,” she said.

  “Yeah, but I don’t remember it,” he explained.

  “Oh,” she said. “I think I liked you better as a baby.”

  My first instinct was to correct her, but I decided to let it play out.

  “I think Mom thinks the same thing,” Aydan said with a smile.

  “Whatever. I love you no matter what,” I said.

  “Do you?” Winnie said looking up at me.

  “Of course. You and Aydan are my children. I love you no matter what kind of craziness happens,” I said, stroking her sweet face with my hand.

  Bramble and Briar decided this was the perfect time to appear. They landed on the back of the couch looking
at Aydan.

  “Oh, he’s nice,” Briar said.

  Bramble elbowed her. “Down, Kitty,” he said.

  “Hi, I’m Briar,” she said offering a small hand to Aydan. He offered her a finger, and she shook it. “This is my…”

  “Mate. I’m Bramble,” he said, shaking Aydan’s finger. “We are Winnie’s protectors. If you are mean to her, like big brothers can be, you will deal with us.” The small guy’s threat amused Aydan.

  “Sure. Whatever you say. I wouldn’t want to make you angry,” he scoffed.

  “That’s right. You never know when a brownie is going to pee in your shoes,” Bramble said.

  “Ew,” Winnie exclaimed. “You better not pee in my brother’s shoes.” She stepped forward with her hands on her hips.

  Bramble bowed to Winnie, “As you wish, Princess.”

  “You are a princess?” Aydan asked her.

  “I am. My mother is a queen. So, I’m a princess,” she said.

  “Guess that makes me a prince,” Aydan said. The truth was, it did. He more than her. My blood ran through his veins. Winnie had some winter in her, but her father’s abilities over-shadowed it. I wasn’t sure she would ever be able to use any winter abilities. However, with his white feathers, I was sure my son would.

  “It does,” I said.

  Winnie approached him cautiously. She reached up to touch his cheek. “You don’t feel like Daddy,” she said.

  “I’m not warm like him. You got that power,” he said. “But we both can fly.”

  “I’m not too good at that,” she said.

  “I’ll teach you,” he replied.

  Levi moved closer to me wrapping his arm around my waist as I watched my children discover some common ground. No matter how many times he touched me, the tingle that it sent through me shook me to my bones. There was a new feeling there though. I’d always run from Levi’s advances, but I was suddenly filled with a dark gloom. A warning. I stepped away from him out of instinct.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked sensing it from me.

  “I dunno. It felt weird,” I said.

  “I’ve always touched you. It’s never felt weird before, has it?” he asked.

  “No. This was different,” I said.

  “I think that’s a great idea,” Winnie said. Aydan held his arms open, and Winnie walked inside of them to receive her hug. At least that was one less thing I had to worry about. The rest of the town would know about Aydan soon enough.