by I. T. Lucas
“I put a note on the clan’s bulletin board,” Carol said. “Everyone is invited, but I don’t think they will all come on such short notice.”
“I hope not. Parker is going to freak out.”
Wonder cast him an amused glance. “The more people come, the more money he’ll get. I think a large turnout is going to make him very happy.”
“I hope you’re right. I’d better see if the guys need my help organizing the tables.”
“See you later.”
As Magnus entered the gym, he hardly recognized the place. All the machines had been pushed flat against the walls and hidden behind a partially done wall of balloons.
The center was roped off like a boxing ring, and about a dozen or so Guardians were arranging tables and chairs around it as if it was a dance floor.
In one corner, Anandur was sitting with a big-ass helium tank and inflating one balloon after another, while Ingrid and Sylvia were tying and adding them to the ever-growing wall hiding the equipment.
Above it all, Amanda stood on a chair and was issuing commands. “That’s too close, Liam, you need to leave more space between the tables so people can push their chairs back.”
Magnus walked up to her and looked up. “You’re unbelievable. I don’t know anyone who could’ve pulled off a party this size in one afternoon.”
She smiled and executed a theatrical bow. “Thank you. By the way, Jackson and Tessa are here. Do you want to talk to him?”
“Sure. Where is he?”
Amanda looked around. “They are over there.” She pointed somewhere behind the tables. “You can’t see them because they are on the floor, unpacking the tablecloths. That’s their assignment.”
“Do you need me to do anything?”
“Once the buffet tables are set up, you can help carry things from the kitchen.”
“Yes, ma'am.” He saluted before heading to where she’d indicated Jackson was.
He knew the guy, but not well. Jackson was running around trying to grow his pastry business. Last Magnus had heard, the kid had rented a large bakery, hired several bakers, and was supplying a bunch of coffee shops with pastries.
Not bad for a nineteen-year-old.
He found the young couple unpacking boxes and organizing piles of paper tablecloths in several colors, or rather shades. White, and several shades of blue.
As Magnus approached, Jackson lifted his head. “Are you going to tell me to take it easy on the kid?”
“How did you know?”
He pushed to his feet and offered Magnus his hand. “Because I would have done the same if he were my kid.”
“Parker is not mine, but you’re right. I feel as if he is.”
“If you want to worry about something, it should be about me being able to get aggressive with a twelve-year-old. I hope he’s big for his age.”
“Not really. He’s a scrawny computer nerd. But when we move to the village, I’m going to work on that.”
“Good luck.” Jackson smirked. “I can’t get Roni to move his ass. I need him on the drums, and they require stamina. He gets winded way before the rest of us are ready to call it a day.”
“Who is us? Is Gordon back?”
“No, but Tessa joined the band. She sings.” Jackson looked at his mate with adoring eyes. “Like an angel.”
Hopefully, she could really sing, and Jackson wasn’t listening with his heart rather than his ears.
“That’s great. When are we going to see you guys perform?”
“When Roni gets his shit together, and we are actually ready to go in front of an audience.”
“Do you want me to tell Parker anything before you guys meet at the ring?”
“Tell him not to be scared. If he can come up with something to annoy me, that could be helpful.”
Magnus laughed. “I can give him a few pointers.”
Jackson narrowed his eyes at him. “Oh, yeah? Like what?”
“It’s going to be more effective when you’re not ready for it.”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right. But now I’ll just keep thinking what it could be.”
On the floor, Tessa chuckled. “Jackson thinks he’s perfect.”
“Why? Do you have any complaints?”
She shook her head. “None. You are truly perfect.”
“So why did you say that I only think I am?”
Magnus left the young couple to their teasing and headed back to the dungeon level.
Both doors were open, but Vivian was back in the larger suite, looking amazing in the dress he’d gotten for her.
“Getting ready already?” He pulled her in for a kiss. “I love how this dress hugs your curves.”
“What curves?”
“Stop it.” He slapped her butt lightly. “I don’t want you to talk or think like that. You are beautiful and sexy, and I’m one lucky guy to have snagged you.”
Vivian smiled and lifted on her toes to kiss him back. “In your eyes, maybe. But I’m going to meet a lot of new people today. I want to leave a good impression.”
“Oh, you will.” He gave her a smoldering look over. “Starting tonight, every guy in the village is going to cast me envious glances.”
“You’re sweet.”
“No, I’m not. It’s exactly what’s going to happen. Is Parker up?”
“He’s in the shower. Why?”
“I have a few pointers to give him before the fight. I just spoke to Jackson. He needs Parker to annoy him so he can get aggressive.”
“How is he going to do that?”
“He can start by calling Jackson a pretty boy. The guy is truly blessed in that regard.”
She arched a brow. “More than you? Impossible.”
“Sadly, it is true.”
“What else can he say to aggravate Jackson?”
“Well, anything that would be offensive to his mate, but that’s a big no-no.”
“He is mated at nineteen?”
Magnus pulled Vivian close against his chest. “Jackson is very fortunate. He didn’t have to wait long for his one and only. And so am I. Kian had to wait almost two thousand years for Syssi.”
“Wow, that’s a really long time.”
20
Vivian
As Magnus put his hand on the gym’s door, Vivian lifted a hand to stop him. “Give me a second.” Looking down, she twisted her dress a little, making sure that the side seams were perfectly aligned. Next was the hemline that was supposed to reach only a couple of inches above her knees but had a tendency to ride up her thighs. The dress wasn’t tight, only form-fitting, but still, it wasn’t the same as wearing a pair of leggings and a T-shirt and forgetting all about it.
“You look gorgeous.”
She glanced at Parker, whom she trusted more to tell her the truth. “Do I look okay?”
“You look awesome. Except for the lipstick you got smeared on your teeth.”
Horrified, she reached with her finger but then remembered she hadn’t put any on. “You!” She laughed, wagging her finger at him.
“Made you laugh.”
“Are we ready?” Magnus asked.
Vivian nodded.
Parker pushed the door open and walked in as if he owned the place.
When cheers and claps erupted, her son lifted his arms and kept walking as if he was the boxing champion of the world and the crowd’s favorite.
“Thank you all for coming to my ceremony,” he called out.
“Not shy, is he?” Magnus whispered in her ear.
“I had no idea he had a showman in him. He loves the attention.”
“Apparently.”
Amanda walked up to Parker and gave him a hug. “Does that meet with your approval, Master Parker?”
He looked around, his eyes taking in the balloons and the other decorations and the tables with people sitting around them. There must have been close to two hundred immortals there, all smiling at Vivian’s son.
“Oh, yeah. I like it a lot. Thank you f
or organizing it.”
Amanda beamed. “You’re welcome, my darling.”
“Is there going to be a DJ?”
Vivian wanted the floor to split open and swallow her. Parker was acting like a spoiled brat. What had gotten into him? Was it the impending immortality?
“No DJ.” A huge redheaded guy approached and ruffled Parker’s hair. “Live music. We have big pipes, and small pipes, and several excellent dancers for your entertainment.”
Parker eyed the big man suspiciously. “You’re joking, right?”
“Nope.” He offered his hand. “I’m Anandur, Magnus’s partner.”
From behind him, a beautiful man with long blond hair stepped forward. “I’m Brundar. Anandur’s brother.” He didn’t offer his hand, but he dipped his head.
“It’s nice to meet you,” Parker said with a smile.
Shaking Anandur’s hand, Vivian nodded at Brundar. Some people were germaphobes and didn’t like shaking hands. That was okay with her.
The greetings and introductions continued until Amanda put a stop to the procession. “Okay, people, that’s enough. Everyone, please get back to your seats.”
She took Vivian’s hand on one side and Parker’s on the other. “This is Vivian.” She lifted their conjoined hands. “And this is Parker, her son, and the star of tonight’s event. Please give him a round of applause as a welcome to our clan.”
The clapping that followed was deafening, but Parker was grinning from ear to ear, eating up the attention. Who knew that her computer prodigy, as he liked to refer to himself, was a stage animal?
Suddenly, the clapping stopped, and everyone’s eyes shifted from Parker to whoever had just opened the gym’s doors.
Vivian turned on her heel and lost her balance. Luckily, Magnus caught her elbow to stabilize her.
“My apologies for the late arrival.” The most stunning man she’d ever seen strode toward her.
With her eyes riveted on the guy, Vivian noticed Syssi only in her peripheral vision. It took her confused brain a split second to put what she was seeing together.
So that was Kian. Syssi’s husband. The big boss. Amanda’s brother. The goddess’s son.
He certainly looked like a god.
“Holy Batman,” Parker murmured.
Kian’s intense gaze shifted from Vivian to Parker, and a big smile brightened his severe expression. “Young man.” He offered Parker his hand. “I assure you that I’m not Batman.”
Parker shook what he was offered with a raised brow. “You don’t get out much, do you? Holy Batman is an expression. It’s like holy moly.”
Vivian felt faint. She and Parker needed to have a talk about boundaries, and what was appropriate to say to whom and when.
“Who is moly?” Kian asked.
Syssi patted his bicep. “It’s the same as wow.”
“Oh, now I get it.” Kian didn’t seem bothered by his pop culture ignorance. Still smiling, he turned to Vivian and offered her his hand. “It’s my pleasure to welcome you and your children into my clan.”
“Thank you.”
She didn’t want to mention that their welcome wasn’t a sure thing. If Parker didn’t transition, Kian and his clan would be erased from her and her son’s memory.
Amanda clapped her hands to get their attention. “Let me show you to your table. As the guests of honor, you are sitting right here up front.”
Vivian looked at the roped-off arena and swallowed hard. “When is the fight supposed to happen?”
“After we eat.” She winked at Parker. “And after this boy gets his presents, so he’s in a good mood.”
Parker’s eyes sparkled. “I get to open my presents now?”
“No, darling. But you see that big box with your name on it? It’s full of envelopes. And guess what’s inside those envelopes.”
“Money?”
“You got it.”
Parker threw his arms around Amanda’s waist and gave her a hug. “Thank you.”
Her eyes widening, Amanda teetered on her spiky heels, but recovered quickly and hugged him back. “Aren’t you just precious.” She kissed the top of his head.
As Vivian took her place at the head table next to Syssi and Kian, she felt like a celebrity. But since the food was served buffet style, she didn’t get to sit down for long.
Following the crowd to the buffet, she shook hands and accepted words of welcome, as many more clan members introduced themselves. Eventually, though, she gave up on trying to remember everyone’s names.
All along, Magnus stood protectively by her side, and then carried both their plates to the table. There were many advantages to having an old fashioned fiancé.
Wow, he was her fiancé, wasn’t he? In so many words, Magnus had proposed. Except, he hadn’t really asked her. Not that it was important. She kind of liked it that he’d taken it for granted that if she loved him, she wished to marry him. That too was old fashioned but nice.
“Are you okay?” he whispered as they sat down.
“My feet hurt from standing in these gorgeous shoes you’ve gotten me, and my face hurts from smiling too much, but other than that and the upcoming fight, I feel incredible. Your clan is so warm and welcoming.”
“They are like candy. A small serving is great, but too much can make you nauseous. Wait until you move into the village. I can just imagine all the visitors you’ll get.”
“About that. Where exactly are we going to live, did you check availability?”
“Not yet.” He turned to Kian. “We need a three-bedroom house. I guess the only ones available are in the new phase, true?”
Kian nodded.
“Are we going to be the first ones to move in there?”
“Second. Merlin arrived yesterday, and he didn’t want to share a house with anyone, so we had to rush the opening of the second phase.”
“Merlin moved here? I didn’t know he had such plans.”
“Who’s Merlin?” Vivian asked.
“He is a doctor from the Scottish arm of the clan. A fascinating fellow.”
“In what way?”
Magnus waved a dismissive hand. “Describing him is going to take away from the effect. When you meet him, you’ll understand what I mean.” He switched his attention to the food on his plate.
As Vivian tried to imagine them living together in a brand new house, the image wavered and refused to solidify. The truth was that everyone was acting as if Parker had already transitioned, and making plans for a future that wasn’t guaranteed.
But maybe that was the right attitude. She often mulled over what Amanda had said in regards to negative energies inviting negative experiences. Perhaps focusing on the positive outcome created a positive energy that would help it manifest?
21
Magnus
After the meal was done, Anandur together with several Guardians put on a short sword dance performance, and then it was Kian’s turn.
As he rose to his feet, Magnus wrapped his arm around Parker’s shoulders and whispered in his ear, “Here comes the ritual speech.”
When the room quieted down, Kian began, “First of all, I want to thank Amanda for organizing this event.” He waited for the claps and cheers to subside. “I also want to thank the Guardians for the entertainment portion of the evening.”
As the dance team stood up and took a bow, more cheers and clapping ensued.
They’d done a fine job, but a sword dance wasn’t the same without kilts and the actual swords. Then again, it had been an impromptu performance.
When Kian lifted a hand for everyone to hush down, his serious expression heralded the ceremonial part of the event. “We are gathered here to present this fine young man to his elders. Parker is ready to attempt his transition even though he is not thirteen yet. I applaud his courage for volunteering to go first and prove that he, as well as his mother and sister, are Dormants, enabling them to join our community while still in the dormant state.”
As Kian clapped his
hands, signaling for everyone to join him, Parker seemed to grow a couple of inches taller, straightening his spine and squaring his shoulders.
Magnus had planned on giving the kid a little pep talk right before the fight, but it seemed that after Kian’s speech it wasn’t necessary.
Kian lifted his hand, and the clapping stopped. “Vouching for Parker’s maturity and readiness to attempt his transition are Guardian Magnus and Doctor Bridget. Who volunteers to take on the burden of initiating Parker into his immortality?”
Jackson stood up and lifted his hand. “I do.”
Kian nodded and turned to Parker. “Parker, do you accept Jackson as your initiator?”
“I do,” Parker said.
“Do you accept him as your mentor and protector, to honor him with your friendship, your respect, and your loyalty from now on?”
Parker turned to look at Jackson, then shifted his eyes to Bridget who smiled and gave him the thumbs up.
“I don’t know Jackson personally, but if Doctor Bridget says he’s okay, then he must be. I accept.”
As another round of applause erupted, Kian waited until it was done, then continued with the ceremonial words. “Does anyone have any objections to Parker becoming Jackson’s protégé?” He glanced around and waited for a couple of seconds. “As everyone here agrees that this is a good match, let’s seal it with a toast.” He lifted his wine glass. “To Parker and Jackson.”
Parker reached for the wine glass in front of him. “Am I supposed to drink it too?”
Magnus lifted his. “This is the one exception when you’re allowed.”
They clinked glasses, then Parker clinked his with Vivian’s. Another round of clinking included Kian and Syssi, and then it was done.
Kian put down his glass. “Parker and Jackson, please come forward.”
Magnus got up together with Parker and escorted him to the roped-off matting.
As Parker bent down to go under the rope, Magnus caught his elbow and whispered in his ear, “You need to spur Jackson’s aggression, but you only need to last a few seconds. Can you do it?”