Night Lurks

by Amber Lynn

  “I like it,” I say focusing back in on the conversation before my mind gets carried away. “You say they are bombs? We just throw them and they have the desired effect.”

  Marcus hops up and runs towards my bedroom. Guards don't tend to cross the threshold, so I find it a little odd. He returns with the sack that I stored in my closet. Not only did he cross the bedroom barrier, but he made it through to the closet. I think I would have preferred if he just asked me to go get the bag.

  “I want to double check the fine print. I did look at it with her before I left, but I don't trust that she didn't somehow alter it when I left the shop.” He dumps the contents out onto the coffee table. Will and Jake return and they are both carrying plates.

  “You didn't think to offer to make something for anyone else?” I ask. Jake deposits his plate in front of Clyde and takes his seat. Will follows the seat taking part of the action.

  “It is for Clyde, silly. He is always hungry and you said you were going to be heading to bed soon. I know you don't like to sleep on a full stomach. Everyone else is capable of getting their own food if they are hungry. Clyde would be able to feed himself with just a few modifications to the fridge. You should think about looking into that.”

  He has a point about me not liking to sleep with a ton of meat in my belly. I am not too sure about allowing Clyde access to the fridge. I see a lot of problems arising from that move, namely us being eaten out of house and home. I focus over on Will who is taking the time to cut his steak into small pieces. He catches me looking and smiles.

  “I am not used to having my meat still mooing, but Jake assured me that would be how I enjoy it now,” he says as he lifts a bite up to his mouth. He quickly licks his lips and then inserts the piece of cow.”

  By now, everyone is tuned in on the action. I hope that someone in the group knows the Heimlich in case Will ends up not being able to swallow the food down. My height makes it hard for me to perform the maneuver on anyone over the age of ten.

  “Holy cow, literally. That is a really good piece of meat. Do you guys only buy Kobe beef or something?” He begins to annihilate the rest of the steak like I am used to seeing the men around me do. Darn, I thought there would be at least one guy I could take out in public. Sebastian is usually elegant, but the other men have started to wear off on him and it isn’t always pretty.

  “Nah. You are just one of us now and can really appreciate the delicious hunks of protein the world has to offer,” Jake says clapping him on his back.

  “Any other points of interest from the witch front?” Alex asks Marcus directing the conversation away from the male bonding taking place between Jake and Will.

  Marcus turns his attention back to the paintball looking objects in his hands. One is red and the other is green. They don't look like something capable of banishing or freezing a person, but I will take Hilda's word for it. I am pretty sure she could make a flick of dust level an entire state if she really wanted to. You would think knowing that, I would try to work out my differences with her, but I just cannot find the motivation to put forth that kind of effort.

  “I think they are clean. I don't see anything that says I will magically fall in love with her once they are activated. We just toss them at our targets and they do the hard work,” he says putting them back into the bag. I see he is handling them like they are priceless pieces of glass and I am a little concerned on just how big of a wallop they really pack.

  “How many did she send you home with and do we know if they have any effect on beings that are not demons? What if a demon is able to move out of the way and one of them lands on one of us?”

  “You would think by now I would have remembered to ask more questions. None of us should be banishable, so I don't think that would be an issue. We will probably be frozen in place though if the other ones hit us. If you want further clarification and assurances, you are going to have to call her yourself. As far as quantity, she sent thirty-five of the banishers and five of the freezers. She claimed that we wouldn't need more than a couple of the freezers and the others were going to be put in storage for a rainy day. I took that to mean we wouldn't meet up with any Shagles and Kurkua on the mission.”

  “But I want justice done for what they did to all of you guys. I cannot just sit around and let all that slicing go unpunished.” Whether or not I am really turning over a new leaf because of all this angel business, I totally believe in an eye for an eye and they at least need to get carved as nicely as Marcus was.

  “The witch said not to worry and she would take care of everything on that front. She wanted you to hurry up and get Sebastian back so you could hear the big news. Don't ask for me to explain her comment.”

  It is probably just the big news about me being an angel. I think that is just about as big of news flash as one can get in their life.

  “Well that steak really hit the spot,” Will says standing and then grabs Clyde's empty plate and heads for the kitchen. It is good to see he cleans up after himself. “I am feeling a little jet lagged now. Am I sleeping with you again tonight?”

  “As far as I am concerned, we didn't sleep together last night. They only put you with me because it helped with whatever process you were going through. I don't think we will have the same problem tonight, so you will be set up with your own room.” When he woke up I wasn’t in the bed, so I could have denied sharing a bed, but I am sure one of the other guys would have filled him in.

  “Princess, the guard quarters are a little full. I am up on day watch, so he can use my bed for now, but we might want to start thinking about expanding. You have your mates keeping separate apartments that they rarely use and your little minion and her boyfriend are here more than their own place on most days,” Jonas says.

  “Just what are you implying? You think we should do a full-scale remodel to get everyone closer together? I don't know about you, but I like being able to send people out of my apartment and to their own place when they piss me off.”

  “You know we are just going to keep growing. The building is now full of guards and there aren't a lot of apartments vacant. We could even try to find a place that is closer to some woods, so Clyde can enjoy some greenery.”

  “I am liking this idea, Mommy. Uncle Jonas is a smart cookie,” Clyde adds his own two cents.

  “You do know the only place around here that has the amenities you are listing is the Collective, right? Are you suggesting I walk up to their door and ask if they are looking to sell?”

  “That is a great idea. Are we doing this now? I need to run and grab the camcorder,” Jake says moving to stand.

  “Sit down, idiot. We are not moving into the Collective's home. Even if they vacated it, I don't think I would want to live there.” Why we are even discussing a move, I still haven't figured out. I haven't been living in the apartment that long and I still love it here. Plus, the lack of space means they cannot add any more personal guards for me. I think that is a big mark in the we are staying put column.

  “Anyway you look at it, Sebastian needs to be involved in that kind of decision. He and I both own quite a bit of real estate in many different paranorm towns, so we might have other options available to us. I do agree with Nyx on not moving into the Collective's home base. If nothing else, it isn't a place to raise a family, and I know she is going to deny it until she is blue in the face, but even without an actual live baby, we are raising a family.”

  Okay, he has a point, but that doesn't mean I have to agree with it. We have all come together as a really weird family. There is no denying I have my two “husbands” and literally a crazy uncle in Walt. The guards are all kind of like brothers, there is Clyde and Will as my kind of children, and I cannot forget my little sister, Phee. They have all banded around me and for some reason I find comfort in that.

  I still don't want to move, so they might have a fight on their hands as far as that goes. If anyone feels they are getting too crowded, they can just start looking for alternativ
e housing.

  “I better get her to bed, guys. You know it isn't best to bring up life changing things when she is sleepy. She is entering the grumpy stage and will be getting hostile any minute now,” Alex says as he stands lifting me up as he goes.

  “Love you, my wolfman,” I whisper as he carries me off to bed.

  “I know. I love you, too.” He places me down on the mattress and works to start the process of undressing me. I didn't realize just how tired I was, but the night's events have exhausted my strength. “Everything will be back to normal tomorrow. I have a good feeling about that.”

  “Do angels need to sleep?” I ask as I start drifting off.

  “Next time you find one to talk to, you can ask them. For some reason, it isn't something I have ever thought about before,” Alex says and he slips into the bed next to me. The last thing I feel before totally nodding off is him cocooning himself around me. I have to say, it is a really nice feeling.

  Chapter 16

  Kids are scary

  I really need to let it be known that I greatly dislike having my dreams messed with. Is there some kind of bulletin board out there that I can post the message on? Alternatively, maybe I need to make a Facebook page for that purpose. Since everyone checks things on Facebook, that should get the message to the masses.

  Back to the reason I think my dream is not one of my own, I am back in the meadow from earlier today and it seems just a little bit too real for me. When I am in my own dreams, I have this fuzzy haze that validates that things happening in dream world aren't real life. This is handy because back in the early days of our relationship, I often maimed or killed Alex in my dreams. I would never want to do something like that in real life, at least not now.

  I look around and appear to be alone, which bites. If someone has something they would like to tell me, I would appreciate it if they hurry things along. I try to reach out to Alex, Sebastian, and Clyde to see if anyone is tuning in and get nothing but static in return. How boring.

  I don't feel like wandering around the flower fields, so I just take a seat and decide to wait whoever brought me here out. I grab a couple of the violets that are closest to me and start braiding them together. I am not extremely good at the task, but I make due and I am able to fashion a workable crown.

  “Hello,” a small voice says right next to me. I wish people would wear little bells on their shoes if they are just going to show up like that. It gets to be rather annoying.

  I look over and find a little boy sitting next to me. I don't have a lot of experience with children; this may end up being a bit interesting. I really hope my comment about kissing babies doesn’t come back to bite me.

  “Can I help you?” I ask. I have tons of questions I wouldn't mind asking, but that one seems like the most reasonable one.

  “I don't know. I was trying to find my mom, but I lost her and then I just showed up here with you and all these flowers. I don't like flowers. They are for girls.” That’s nice we already have something in common. I don’t really like flowers either, but when you are surrounded by them, you make do.

  I notice as he talks he is missing a couple of his front teeth. I figure he is about six, maybe seven. I am not basing my estimation on the missing teeth. For all I know, kids start losing teeth at two. I don’t exactly remember when I started misplacing mine.

  Looking at the boy, he has a curly mop of red hair atop his small face. He is in a normal pair of blue jeans and has a shirt with a blue dinosaur on it. Maybe it is a character from a television show. I couldn’t really say.

  “Where are you from? Maybe I can help you find your mom.”

  “I'm from New Jersey,” he says proudly. I haven’t really made a stop in the state, but I know there are many cities within it that would be more helpful destinations.

  “You don't happen to know any more information about where you live, do you, kid?”

  He looks at me like I have lost my mind. “Of course I do. I live in a yellow house on the corner. My friend Jimmy lives next door and we play soccer in my backyard. We live three houses away from my school.”

  Great. I am teamed up with a fountain of information. Where is Gabe? I bet he can just zap the kid home.

  “I don’t know how long we will be stuck here. What do you like to do for fun, kid?” I have no clue what topics to discuss, so I am going to try to keep it on the safe side. I doubt he will know much about my favorite topics, like which is the best gun to use in different situations.

  “Why do you want to know? Maybe I shouldn’t be talking to you. My mom told me about stranger danger and I don’t think I could find someone stranger than you. You probably kidnapped me and made me forget.” He starts narrowing his eyes at me like he is trying to figure me out.

  “Maybe it is better if we don’t talk,” I turn away from him. Don’t want him to think I am making a move to molest him or something.

  “You know what else?” he asks tugging on my pajama top. I kind of remember Alex taking clothes off, but I don't remember him dressing me. Oh well, I guess clothing is a good thing at the moment. If the kid is worried about me being a creeper, he should probably keep his hands to himself.

  “No, I don't know what, but I have a feeling you are going to tell me.”

  “I am not supposed to know, but my mommy and Jimmy's mommy can turn into really big lizards. I seen them do it once when I looked out my window. I have a pet iguana and they kind of looked like him, but they were pretty girlie colors and had wings.”

  “Just how old are you, kid?” Things are getting a bit more interesting here in dream world.

  “My name is Scott, by the way, and I am seven today. My mom was taking me to some special place to celebrate. She said there was going to be some really cool fire show and I would get to have fun. Now, I am stuck in a field of stupid flowers with you.”

  The kid is breaking my heart. Not really. It is probably best if I get as far away from him as possible. If Mommy was taking him to his fire ceremony, that means she was expecting him to go through his first transformation into a dragon. My life sucks. Without the mommy dragon here to help him, and me without marshmallows, things are going to get really entertaining. I wonder if my just coming online angel powers can protect me from becoming barbecue.

  Dragons aren’t an abundant species. This is the first time I have come across one. They must all be hanging out in Jersey. They aren’t any more dangerous than other paranorms, but a baby one getting ready to make their first change may be a handful. Without his mom around, I am not sure how well he will handle turning into a giant lizard.

  “Okay, Scott. Let's try to talk this thing out. Have you ever heard the word paranorm before?” Maybe if I can keep him talking he won't change into a fire-breathing dragon on me. The talking method has never worked for me before when I have employed it, but I keep trying.

  “Duh. Just about everyone I know is a paranorm. Didn't you hear me say my mom changes into a giant lizard? I don’t think that is a trait a whole lot of humans have.”

  “Hey, there is no need to get grumpy with me. How was I supposed to know your parents don't keep you under a rock?”

  “It is just me and my mom. My dad is some important person and Mom says he is off trying to make the world a nicer place for us.”

  “Fine. Any way you look at it, you are a dragon. I bet your mom didn't tell you that.” Ha. Top that, kid.

  “Really? That is so cool. Mom doesn't look anything like the ones I have seen in movies. She was way smaller and her neck wasn't right. I don't think her wings were big enough either.”

  “And of course you believe everything you see in the movies or on television. I can tell you now that things aren’t always what they seem, kid.”

  He stands up and stuffs his little hands in his pockets. The look on his face is one that graces mine all the time. The kid is pissed. If he was a girl, I would swear it was his time of the month. The conversation so far has just proven to me that I am not meant to sp
end any amount of time with children.

  “I told you my name was Scott. Quit calling me kid. I don’t know your name, but you don’t hear me ending every sentence with old lady, now do you?”

  The kid stomps off to whatever direction is left of us. It is probably a good idea. I am not even twenty-three and I already have someone calling me an old lady. With the kid gone, I take my little violet crown and put it on my head. See, I am not an old lady. I am a princess.

  I look over to where the kid was walking and don’t see him anywhere. Maybe Gabe, or whoever brought him here, sent him back home to his mom. I bet she is older than I am and I doubt he would call her an old lady. I don’t know why the comment bothered me so much. I have two mates that love me just the way I am and their opinions are the only ones that really matter.

  I decide I should probably wander after the kid to make sure he keeps out of trouble. I don’t know if other beings are going to magically appear in dream world and I don’t think the kid knows how to protect himself. Even if he is a little punk, I would feel bad if something happened to him.

  I hop up and brush off my legs. I haven’t seen any bugs crawling around, but for some reason it feels like they are swarming on my bare legs now. I make a mental note to tell Alex to make sure he dresses me in pants from now on.

  I follow the broken path of flowers to try to find Scott. He wasn’t gentle at all in his hurry to get away from me. I didn’t think calling him kid was that big of an offense, so hopefully there is some kind of backstory. It could just be that he is moody because he is fixing to turn into a dragon sometime soon.

  I wish Clyde was here with me. As one fire breather to another, maybe he could shed some light on the situation. If nothing else, the kid would have probably loved seeing a dog. It would have kept him busy while I tried to find a way out of our predicament.