by Martha Carr
"I get that from you."
Jackson tried to get out what he wanted to say next but the words caught in his throat. "I should be getting back to my cabin. Ronnie's probably tired of feeding my dog and the furry mutt needs me anyway. I've been neglecting my business and scavengers are happy to hone in on your territory when your back is turned."
"It's okay, Dad. I'll be here. Is there a way to call between worlds?"
Jackson leaned back and laughed. "I'm pretty sure that hasn't come up yet. But I'll make sure messages get to you and I'll visit at least once a month until I get on your nerves and you tell me to go home. You can even come and stay with me. I'll give you the bed. The dog would love to meet you. We don't get a lot of visitors, as you might imagine."
"I'll bring a housewarming present."
"There you go... I could use anything." He smiled again, looking at his daughter. I would do anything for her.
"When I hear about anybody traveling to Oriceran I'll make sure to give them a letter for you. They can take it to the post office and let the pigeons deliver it."
"You've learned a lot about the world you come from and in such a short amount of time."
"Kind of a necessary crash course. There's still volumes I need to learn. Every day, lately it gets pointed out to me how little I know of the world right in front of me. I can't imagine how much more I could learn about Oriceran. Did you know that Earth has beings living underground and there's an entire railway down there? Running all the time!"
"I've heard stories. Tales make their way back to us on Oriceran, especially about the magic community here. It can be hard to tell what's real and what's not but I know there's a lot more than human beings realize. It's kind of funny how they go about their business every day with this assumption that they've discovered pretty much everything there is to know about their world and it really adds up to what could fit in a thimble."
Should I tell him? "I saw something the other day. The magic took me on a wild ride and I found myself on an estate somewhere here on Earth." She hesitated, not sure how to finish.
Jackson softened his expression, resting his elbows on the table. "You can tell me anything, for the rest of your life. I'm your Dad."
"This isn't your typical father daughter kind of conversation."
"We aren't your typical father and daughter, so we're good. Tell me. Maybe your old man can shed some light on it. Scavengers are good at hearing things others don't mean to tell."
"I found myself in an old basement. I swear if I didn't know better I'd have called it a dungeon. The whole cliche. Stone walls, beast at the other end, chained to a wall. That was bad enough. I thought they had created some kind of Frankenstein of their own like the bionic animals. He even had a pendant around his neck with the infinity symbol on it."
Jackson's expression hardened and he curled his hands into fists. Leira kept going, seeing the images in her mind.
"But, before I could see more a Witch and Wizard approached and the magic saw fit to yank me out of there."
"That's good," he said, heatedly. "The energy will protect you even against your own curiosity. It's part of being a Jasper. The light is always on your side."
"Even if it wants to keep me forever." Leira shook her head. "Just as I was about to get swept back across the veil and into my own body I saw something. The beast became a man and I swear, I've thought about it ever since I saw it. He knew I was there and was asking for help. I can't shake the feeling."
"But you have no idea where this was?"
"Other than on Earth, no. Somewhere green where the trees grow tall but that's not much to go on. Did you know that it was possible to create a shifter?"
"That's not new magic. It's some of the oldest kind and always filled with darkness. Light has no need to twist magic like that. Shifters have been rumored to exist for thousands of years but no one will talk about them. They're the pariahs of the magic world."
"Is there a reason for that beyond the usual ignorance?"
"I suppose it's because of what they were created from. They were made at least partially from unrestrained darkness. It didn't pass through them like practitioners, and even that has its consequences. The darkness becomes a part of them, reconfiguring their very essence and making it unstable. It's why they can shift. There's a belief that the darkness overrules any other impulses and eventually a shifter would turn on you in some pretty gruesome ways. If the old Wizarding families are playing around with that shit, they should be prepared to watch their own herds be thinned when a shifter or two gets loose and takes off their heads."
"If humans find out that the old families are picking them for their experiments then a new kind of hell will be unleashed as well. Thousands of years ago when they were doing this, I'm betting it was probably pretty easy to use the native population and get away with it. That won't be the case this time."
"That does add an entirely new dimension to it. I will keep an eye out for you from Oriceran and see what I can find out. See if anyone knows anything about a new population of shifters, but it won't be easy. Oricerans don't even like talking about them. It's our form of a bogeyman and plenty of people have superstitions about shifters."
"I saw some beautiful ones today, miles under the sea. They looked like mermaids but with tentacles for hair and they were part of the Silver Griffins. Like an underwater division. They were friendly, in a way. Didn't seem to care for humans much."
Jackson sat back in his chair, his eyes widening. "Wow... they may hold a piece of your puzzle for you." Jackson shook his head. "I don't know, it's a lot. Sea shifters and they work for the Silver Griffins. Mermaids are common on Oriceran but this is not the same thing. Not at all. Keep me in the loop and I'll do what I can. You have my word."
"When are you thinking of taking off for Oriceran."
"Tomorrow seems like a good day to go. There's not much reason for me to hang around here anymore except to annoy Turner Underwood. A worthwhile reason but maybe it's time to go home and see the dog. I'll be back though, I'm your dad."
"How about Thanksgiving?"
"Have no idea what that is, but sure. I'll come on your birthday too. When is your birthday?"
Leira laughed and said, "It's coming up soon, you haven't missed it this year. It's May 15th."
"The 15th of every May, I'll be here and I'll bring a present. Imagine what a scavenger can come up with." He gave Leira a wink. "Some pretty good shit out there, just lying around in Oriceran caves."
"Nothing stolen. I'm going to have to insist on that one."
"That's a deal. No presents that were stolen. Now, in my world, if you leave something lying around for longer than a few years, it's free to whoever finds it. You're just going to have to accept that rule."
"Deal... Dad?"
"Yeah, Leira."
"I'm glad Mara dragged you across the veil."
"Yeah, me too, kid. Me too."
Chapter Twenty-Five
Leira spent the rest of the day filling out the reports for the general and went to bed exhausted. The next day she saw her father off as he opened a portal in her living room and found herself missing him as soon as the portal closed. "Don't get weird, Berens. You just met him and he'll be back. You're a federal agent. We don't boohoo. Need to focus on figuring out where that estate is located and gather more information. That's a better use of my time."
She tried to reach Lois but for once, Lois was nowhere to be found. "She's probably off with Earl," said Patsy over Facetime. "I'll tell her you're looking for her. Maybe the general knows. He can always reach her. You want me to ring him for you?"
"No... no... it's not that urgent. Let's keep this call just between us, but if you happen to see Lois, ask her to call me."
"Will do," said Patsy, filling her mouth with green peanut M&Ms. Leira studied her face as she signed off, looking for any telltale sign that Patsy was lying to her but it was hard to tell. Patsy was always a little nervous. Something's not right. My spidey
senses are on high alert.
None of the magical community were out at Lavender Rock or at the Jackalope. It was as if everyone had gone underground. "I wonder if they've heard something. If they have, it was apparently bad news."
Leira finally headed home, remembering she had agreed to go to dinner with Alan Cohen and thought a shower was a pretty good idea.
Now, here she sat in the red velvet chair by the door, waiting. "I don't see why I can't meet him out there."
Eireka and Mara sat on the couch facing her as Correk leaned in the doorway to the kitchen. They had all gathered to see her off. Leira glared at Correk for telling her mother, who told her grandmother.
"I also don't see why my going on a date became a kind of team sport. Why are you all here?"
"Because this happens so rarely, dear and Elves don't live forever. I probably only have a good eight hundred years left in me. Who knows when this will happen again? It's like refusing to go outside and look at Haley's comet. Who does that?" Mara gave her a smile and a wink.
"Despite what my mother said, we're here to support you and take pictures." Eireka pulled out her phone and held it up, taking a picture. "Oh, that's a good one. I can put it on my Facebook page. Do you think Alan would let me get a good one of the two of you?"
"This isn't prom, Mom, and yes, I know you missed my actual prom, but you're not sucking me in with the psych hospital story tonight."
Eireka smiled, suppressing a laugh. "We have come a long way. I figured that one would wear off, but I was hoping it would take longer."
"Oooh, she's testy. Must be nervous. Have we done a background check on this young man?" Mara leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees.
"No, but the Feds have. We're good, you can stand down."
"I will never understand Berens women," muttered Correk, taking in Leira in a dress. She's beautiful. How did I not see that before? "I don't think I've ever seen you in a dress. No, wait, there was that ball in Chicago when we were trying to catch a killer and get back the necklace. This would be the second time and it's not job related. It's not job related, is it?"
"No, we're not going over a case. Fuck, I hope he's smart enough not to bring up work."
"Might want to chill on the swearing," said Mara.
"This is me. He might as well fucking get used to it or this is a one and done."
"Are you taking the troll with you? Where is Yumfuck anyway?"
"On one of his walkabouts. He'll be back when he's back." Leira smoothed out her dress, picking off a piece of invisible lint.
"Probably out fighting crime." Leira's going on a date... with someone else.
"Funny, not funny. Look, there will be no chaperones on this date. I am capable of protecting anything that needs protecting."
Mara noticed Correk shifting in the door. Interesting, but not surprising. How these two clever people can not see... ah well, time will tell...
There was a soft knock at the door and Leira jumped up to open it, ready to sprint out the door before her mother could ask for a group selfie.
Alan was standing there in a sports coat and slacks, his hair neatly tucked back. In his hand was a small nosegay of pink roses. "Hello...these are for you." He smiled nervously, holding out the flowers. "I wasn't sure what to bring you and the woman at the florist shop said you'd love them. She was adamant that all women do. I questioned her as thoroughly as possible and found no holes in her story." He smiled, the dimples in his cheeks showing as Leira took the flowers and held them up to her nose, breathing in the sweet scent of roses.
"You will find out as the night goes on I'm better at tracking felons than small talk." He looked down at his shoes for a moment, still smiling. "I'm hoping rigorous honesty will help me out when I say something particularly stupid."
Leira held the door open only a few inches, doing her best to lean down and grab her purse without letting go of the door. She could see a few of the regulars leaning over from their bar stools, trying to get a better look. Estelle shot Craig and Michael with the seltzer spray from behind the bar, ending their prying. "Act like you were born with some common sense," said Estelle, throwing them a bar towel to wipe up the spill.
"Aren't you going to invite him in?" Mara called out in a sing-song voice as Leira rolled her eyes. Of course it's Nana busting me.
Alan's eyebrows shot up, wrinkling his forehead. "Oh, is your family... are they inside?" He put a foot on the threshold, forcing Leira to open the door wider.
"Why yes, the gang's all here. Most of them anyway. Why don't you come in?" Leira held out her arm, ushering him in as she whispered, "Sorry..."
He looked at her, smiling, as he took a look around, nodding, holding out his hand. "Hi, I'm Alan Cohen, nice to meet you."
Eireka and Mara stood up, grinning broadly as Eireka ignored his hand and grabbed Alan in a hug. Mara waited and took her turn, stepping back to get a better look at him. Not bad. Better move fast, Correk. This one might be a keeper.
"Correk, nice to see you again." The two nodded at each other with a low grunt, causing Mara to roll her eyes. Eireka raised her phone, waving at Alan to get closer to Leira.
"Okay, let me get a few pictures. Humor me. Oh, you got flowers! Perfect. Hold up the flowers in front so we can see them in the picture. Leira, don't make that face. It's not your best. Smile and say whiskey! Wait, one more. Do you want to change poses? Oh, that's good, Alan. Come on, Leira, we could have been done by now. Boy, you two look good together. See, I got a few good ones."
"Okay, thank you, Mom. We're going to go now. Don't wait up because you'll be back at your own place. Correk, please let the troll know I'm out and tuck him in for me."
"What if Correk has plans? He might have met someone." Mara smiled mischievously, looking back and forth between Leira and Correk.
Leira startled and stumbled over her words. "Oh, right... Have you... I mean, did you? You don't have to..."
"Shoot her and put her out of her misery," said Mara.
Eireka laughed as Correk shrugged, his face warming. "I'll be here and can let in the troll."
"What?" Mara shrugged as Correk scowled at her.
"Okay, enough waterboarding for one night. We're leaving and not looking back, no matter what." Leira grabbed Alan by the arm and pulled him out of the guest house as a cheer of "Leira!" rose up from the bar, followed by a spray of seltzer.
Leira looked over to see several people spitting and wiping their eyes as Estelle raised her hand and gave a wave, a thin trail of smoke winding its way toward her red beehive.
Correk went to shut the door and watched Leira walking out the gate, still holding onto Alan's arm. A wave of anger ran through his chest. No, that's not possible. I don't feel that way about Leira. Not her.
Mara leaned close enough to whisper in his ear. "You can be a blind fucking moron sometimes, Elf man. There's still time, but you better man up and do something soon or forever hold your fucking peace."
"Berens women," he muttered, as he shut the door, wondering when the pair would head for their own home... soon, please with all that is good and right in the world, let it be soon. And what to do about Leira. Damn.
"Let's play Truth or Dare! Correk, you're going to go first."
"Fuck me..."
"Pick truth... we have questions."
Chapter Twenty-Six
Hagan sat in bed with Rose watching the news, holding her hand. His favorite part of the day. Whenever I'm with Rose. He looked over at her and smiled. She was wearing her reading glasses, looking down at a book, occasionally looking up at the television. It was her usual way of watching the news. With her other hand she was holding the book steady, keeping a finger where she was reading, doing her best not to lose her place. It took her forever to finish a book but she loved buying them, leaving a revolving stack by her bed.
"Rose? You have a minute?"
"Always for you," she said, looking at him over her glasses. "What's on your mind, Big Guy? Ooh, did you get the se
ed order sent? It's time to put in our vegetable garden if we're going to do that this year."
"Yes, order was sent last week. It's already on its way to us. I have a work thing I need to reason out and we both know you're the real brains of this operation."
Rose let out a chuckle, lifting his hand up to her mouth and kissing his wrist gently. "Smart man."
"Why we have thirty-five years tucked under our belts." He hesitated, pressing his lips together, blowing out a breath. Rose took off her glasses and shifted so she could see him better.
"Sounds like this is gonna be a good one. Are you asking for help or forgiveness? You know you'll get either one."
"Help, please." He thought for a moment about the doughnuts he had hidden in the trunk of his car where they'd stay cool overnight before he headed to work but decided to let that go. No need for verbal diarrhea. "I'm thinking about hanging back a little more on these missions. Helping out from the office more. They're getting more complicated and, well..."
The image of trying to get off that warehouse floor, and with help flashed in his mind. "This might be a younger man's game to face off with a sample platter of bogeymen. Something new pops up every day and they seem to always bring something no one's ever heard of before."
Rose patted his hand. "You don't need to convince me, dear. I know how tough you are, as tough as they come. It takes a strong man to know when it's time to stand down, at least part of the way. It's not a sign of courage to put yourself or your partner at risk just to prove something."
"I knew you'd understand. I just hope Leira doesn't think I'm abandoning her out there." Hagan grimaced, looking up at the news. Another week with no rain.
"Leira Berens doesn't operate that way. The woman is loyal to a fault and can see what people are really made of, inside. It's what has made her such a good detective. She will not only understand, she'll probably buy you those doughnuts you love so much and are currently hiding from me." Rose gave Hagan a sidelong glance, her lips pursed. "You know, you might share one or two with me once in a while. You're not fooling anybody with all your shenanigans, hiding them everywhere."