I blinked hard to keep from joining in. “Tell them we were happy to help.”
The girls nodded at my words and then positioned themselves on the stick-drawn constellation. The tallest girl was the first star in the handle. The others stair-stepped down in size until the tiniest girl assumed her post as the final star in the cup. At a signal from the oldest girl, all seven raised their arms and shot into the night sky.
When the Big Dipper re-appeared over the tower, Anna pointed at her pendant. The stars were back in place. She hiccoughed through her sobs. “That . . . was . . . so . . . cool.”
I couldn’t stop looking at the sky and smiling. Was the last star in the cup shining a little brighter? Her delighted peals of laughter still rang in my ears.
“Pssst, Allie.”
I walked to the edge of the clearing and spotted a pair of golden orbs seemingly floating in the night air.
“Beck?”
He stepped through the trees. “I saw the whole thing. You and Anna together, well, awesome doesn’t cover it.”
“Looks like we’ve finished our job at the Devils Tower,” I said.
“That’s why I’m here,” Beck said. “Mike thinks we should split just in case somebody saw something and called the sheriff.”
Beck joined us and spoke to Grace. “We need to get you folks out of here.”
Joe said, “My friends should be here soon to carry me out.”
“No problem,” Beck said. He picked Joe up, wheelchair and all.
Before she left, Grace pressed a small package into my hand. “Don’t open it until you get home.”
I tucked it into my jeans pocket, opened my mouth to thank her, but when I looked up, she’d vanished into the night. I walked to the flat rock, whispered my final farewell to the moonstone and walked from the clearing.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
AFTER A FLURRY of phone calls on the trip back to Gillette—mine to Faye and Junior, the Bradford twins to Melissa, Anna to her father and Mike to his wife—we found an all-night diner and ate our weight in pancakes, eggs and bacon.
At five a.m., exhausted but full and happy, we waited at the Gillette Campbell County Airport for transport back home. Eppic Air assured us they’d arrive by seven.
Beck and Nicole were sprawled on the floor, backpacks tucked under their heads for pillows. Mike slumped in a chair, his chin on his chest. Anna and I sat together in silent companionship. She hadn’t said much since we’d left the tower. I couldn’t tell which particular issue was troubling her. Her estranged mother? The fact that she was part fae? The magic she’d witnessed and participated in? Her star pendant? I decided to take a stab at it.
“Sorry about your mom,” I offered.
“We were never close. She just bought me stuff and did her own thing.”
“What about your dad?”
“He’s okay. He’s a doctor and it seems like he’s always on call, so he’s gone a lot. He’s trying to get custody of me though,” she said.
“Is that what you want? To live with your dad?”
She shrugged. “Not really. I’d just be living with his housekeeper.”
Okay, I’d covered the family. Now what?
She squirmed a little and then blurted, “I’ll tell you what I want. I want to stay in Peacock Flats. It’s hard to explain, but I feel like I belong there.”
I gaped at her in surprise. “You do?”
“I know you live in a travel trailer and all, but maybe I could find somebody to stay with . . . ya know?” She leaned toward me, eyes wide with hope.
“Anna, Peacock Flats isn’t southern California. No malls. No pool parties. One freeway. Just lots of apple trees and cows. Our high school is teensy and—”
“I don’t care about that,” she said. “It’s about family. Don’t you get it? I finally feel like I’m part of a real family.”
I bit back a smile. Our mother, Faye, had never married our father. I had no clue even who he was until I was fifteen and extorted the information from Faye. And then, even after knowing about him, Mike was married to a woman I’d never met and had three children who didn’t know I existed. Is that the kind of family she wanted?
“Bet I know what you’re thinking,” she said with a grin.
“Mmm, not sure you do.”
Actually, she did. I stared at her in disbelief as she related my concerns about our unique family. She finished with, “And it’s all okay, because I belong to you guys. I’m tougher than you think, Allie.”
I thought it over. “In that case, I know somebody who’d probably let you stay with her.”
Despite her pestering, I refused to tell her more until I checked with Kizzy.
That settled, she glanced over at Beck. “Is he your boyfriend?”
“Ex. He’s all yours.”
She gnawed on a thumbnail and tried to figure out how to frame her next question. I knew what was coming. “His eyes glow,” she said. “Nicole’s too.”
I’d never shared Beck and Nicole’s closely guarded secret with anyone without their permission. Even though I was beginning to trust Anna, old habits were hard to break.
I looked away from her questioning gaze. “You need to talk to Beck about that.”
“Well, I don’t think they’re werewolves, but there wasn’t a full moon last night so I guess they could be. Vampires are out, ’cause they can be in the sun and . . .”
She rattled on, naming every paranormal creature she could think of with one exception. No lust demons. When I didn’t respond, she eventually wound down. We leaned against each other and dozed off.
At precisely seven a.m., the Eppic Air Cessna taxied to a stop on the runway. Before we boarded, Mike called the Campbell county sheriff and left an anonymous message suggesting someone should check a certain house on Brigit Lane for suspected drug activity. He concluded with, “You’ll find two men and a woman duct-taped together. FYI, don’t believe a word they say.”
Beck and Anna sat together on the flight home. It looked like Beck was doing a little “healing” since there was a whole lot of touching going on. Either that or he was using that damn dazer of his. Note to self: offer sisterly advice to Anna Starr re: Beck Bradford.
When we walked into the Vista Valley Air Terminal, Beck said, “Holy crap!”
A five-piece mariachi band stood next to the door. After the words, “Uno, dos, tres,” they launched into their welcoming tune. Dennis McCarty and Junior unfurled a long “Welcome Home” sign. Everybody inside the terminal cheered, and the hugging began.
Faye managed to wrap her one free arm around both Anna and me. Andy, Faye’s chicken farmer fiancé, Kizzy, Charlie and Dennis were next. I saved the best for last.
I looked over at Junior. He held out his arms and mouthed the word, “Emerson.”
I stepped into his embrace, wrapped my arms around his neck and wordlessly pressed my cheek against his. His breath hitched in his chest as he fought to control his emotions. I’d already spent a lifetime’s worth of tears, so I just smiled and said, “Aren’t you going to kiss me?”
And, boy, did he kiss me. Though my eyes were closed, I saw the flash of dozens of camera phones. Whoops of delight echoed throughout the terminal.
When we came up for air, Junior burst into laughter. “Look at Mama.”
I gasped. “Your mother’s here?”
Junior pointed at the mariachi band. Much to the delight of the crowd, Mama Martinez was performing a solo salsa dance. He said, “Come on, we can’t let her dance alone.”
Before long, everyone joined in, even Kizzy and Charlie. The place was rocking. It was a welcome home the likes of which Vista Valley had never seen and would probably never see again. The heavy burden I’d lugged around for months sprouted wings and soared away. Though I hadn’t a clue how to do the salsa, I danced with unbridled joy.
Epilogue
I BARELY HAD TIME to catch my breath, and it was Faye and Andy’s wedding day. Anna was staying with Kizzy until the custod
y issue was sorted out, which meant she got to be in the wedding and wear a hideous dress exactly like mine. To her credit, she didn’t bitch about it nearly as much as I did.
When the big day arrived, Anna and I walked Faye down the aisle. I slipped my arm under her sling. Anna clung to her other hand. Andy waited on a platform at the front of the Peacock Flats Grange, looking a tad pale. His brother stood next to him. Beck and Junior were ushers. All four wore pale blue tuxedos. Mama Martinez sat front row center.
Faye, of course, wore white. She’d told Anna and me, “I waited one hell of a long time for this wedding and I’m doing it up right.”
The entire town of Peacock Flats turned out, and I knew why. Instead of invitations, Faye put a notice in the weekly paper. Along with the date, time and the names of the bride and groom, it said, “I will be escorted by my TWIN daughters, Alfrieda Carlotta and Anna Starr Emerson. A free chicken dinner will follow the nuptials.” Mystery solved. Half of them came to the wedding to eyeball the mystery twin. The other half came for the free chicken dinner.
Throughout the ceremony, Beck’s piercing gaze never left Anna. The two of them had been practically inseparable since we’d returned home. Even though I sounded more like Anna’s father than sister, I’d threatened Beck with seven shades of hell if he did anything to hurt her.
Junior and I were doing fine. For the moment. In his line of work—professional heartthrob—he had more than his share of temptations. Let’s get real. At seventeen, (going on thirty-five), I had another year of high school and college ahead of me. Junior was my first love. Maybe my only love. Time would tell.
As the reception wound down and the pile of chicken bones grew to immense proportions, I slipped away to change my clothes. I had one more duty to perform and today was the day.
I hopped in my car and drove to the address given to me by my Tuatha de Danaan great-uncle, Brian Cassidy. I’d made him a promise, and it was time to deliver. The address turned out to be the Vista Valley Holiday Express just west of the freeway. When I pulled into the parking lot, I spotted Cassidy’s Escalade, Teagan behind the wheel. I parked next to him and stepped out of my car.
The window of the Escalade zipped down. Teagan looked me over and flashed his terrifying, fang-filled smile. “Little miss. How nice to see you alive and well. Please report to room 115. Your esteemed uncle awaits you.”
My esteemed uncle was there along with a producer from CNN. They had Uncle Brian’s videotape of me doing my thing, but also wanted an interview to go along with their upcoming special, “Are Faeries Living Among Us?”
Faye had given her permission for the interview, but insisted they disguise my appearance and voice so I could live a normal life. Well, at least a semi-normal life. The producer agreed. I watched as the camera guy filmed Brian Cassidy doing some pretty spectacular faery tricks. Vanishing. Reappearing. Stuff like that.
By the time he got to me, the producer was trembling with excitement. He verified my information, showed me the tape Teagan had shot and began asking me questions like, “Is this you?” “How did you stop time?” And finally, “You’re part fae, but it looks like you were using that pendant.” That question was the one I’d been waiting for.
“It’s true that I’m part fae,” I said, “but my power came from the moonstone. It’s gone now, so I’m just like any other girl.”
The producer’s brows knitted in concern. “You mean you can no longer perform feats of magic?”
“That’s right,” I said. “Like I said, I’m just a regular girl. No more magic.”
He was pretty disappointed but felt he could tweak the video Teagan had shot and make it believable. Having fulfilled my duty, I bid Uncle Brian goodbye, told him to give my best to Luminata and split.
As I walked to the parking lot, I looked at the new ring on my left hand, the one given to me by Grace Peterson. It had come with a note.
Somehow it doesn’t seem right. Your sister has a star pendant. The moonstone is gone. You have nothing. Until now. Kiowa magic is strong. Your friend, Grace.
Unlike the moonstone, the ring wasn’t flashy. It was just an oblong lapis stone embedded in a silver band. Four vertical lines were carved into the silver band on each side of the stone.
I walked past the Escalade, nodded to Teagan and stopped ten yards from my car. I pressed the thumbnail of my right hand into one of the vertical grooves on the ring. The headlights flashed three times and the engine burst to life with a roar before settling into a subdued purr. The driver’s door flew open. Smiling my secret smile—the one without the dimples—I stepped to the car, drove out of the parking lot and headed home to Peacock Flats.
Life is good.
(Please continue reading for more information.)
Acknowledgements
Many thanks to all my friends who have allowed me to use their names throughout the Unbidden Magic series, particularly Special Agent Dennis McCarty, the best Canadian FBI agent ever.
About the Author
Marilee is either reading and completely oblivious to the world around her, or staring at her computer screen, waiting for inspiration to strike. (She calls it writing.) Every now and then, she can be found upside-down. Praying she won’t pop a vein in the process, she believes the inverted position increases blood flow to the brain. Sometimes, it just makes her dizzy.
Marilee and her husband, Merl, live in Central Washington State also known as “The Fruit Bowl of the Nation.” Unofficial motto: “We never met a fruit we didn’t like.”
Having survived teaching high school students and raising three sons, Marilee is busy working on her next novel.
Table of Contents
Other Marilee Brothers Titles from Bell Bridge Books
Midnight Moon
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Five
Chapter Thirty-Six
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Epilogue
Acknowledgements
About the Author
Midnight Moon (The Unbidden Magic Series) Page 23