“America?” Her face brightened.
An idea came to me out the blue. “Sure. If that’s what you guys want. My sister Gilly has an arts foundation, and she was just telling me the other day that she needs a lot of help. To be honest, I’m not sure exactly with what, but she needs good people, and you are definitely that.”
“I want very much to come to America. Baron talks about it so fondly, and says that it is a place where dreams can come true. He wants to take me to Disney World. It is the kingdom of magic.” She said that last part as if in awe.
I couldn’t help but laugh. “Well, I don’t know about you on those rides when you’re pregnant, but I see a trip to Disney World in your future.” Her eyes fluttered, and I could tell she was struggling to stay awake.
“I’ll take care of everything. Well, Angel and I will. When you’re better, you and the baby can come over, and we’ll get you set up. When Baron is on the mend, he can join you, and you guys can live wherever you choose. A new start for everyone.”
She opened her eyes again. “A new start. Very good. If he calls—” She paused for a moment. “Tell him that it’s too hard for me to talk to him right now. I need some time to get my head straight, too. As soon as he can have visitors, I will be first in line. Tell him that I love him. Tell him that I very much want to go to the land of magic with him. That will make him happy. Just promise you won’t tell him what happened here.” Her eyes begged me to comply, and I couldn’t say no.
I might lose Baron as a friend, but I made the promise.
Her eyes closed again, and she instantly went into a deep sleep.
Sitting in the chair next to her bed, I did the most important thing I could. I texted Gilly and told her we needed to build a new life for my friend Lourdes. She deserved that and so much more.
While Lourdes slept, I took care of business. Thank God for cell phones, texting, and e-mail.
In the three hours Angel was away, I arranged a trip to Florida for Lourdes. And to have a nursery installed in the home of their choice with a full staff available to attend to her every need before and after the baby was born. She’d almost been killed because she worked for me, but it wasn’t just guilt that made me want the best for her. Maybe I couldn’t change the world, but I could help this family. It was important to me that she and her child have a good life. I would do whatever I could to make that happen.
After that was taken care of, I read through my pile of Aspen e-mails. They weren’t as bad as I thought, except that now she and Huff were worried about the carbon footprint of their wedding.
The absurdity of the woman who wanted and had everything being worried about carbon footprints wasn’t lost on me.
The universe really is in whack mode.
CHAPTER 22
Once Angel returned, looking much more like his old self, I headed out for my next errand. I landed in the back of the pub in Montreal. I knocked, and when no one answered, I tried the door. It was unlocked.
I let out a low whistle as I entered. The dust was gone, and the space was spotless. Even the chandelier had been cleaned.
“I had a bit o’ help,” Mr. McMurphy said from the stairs, as he polished the banister with a rag in one hand. Maybe it was my imagination, but his shoulders weren’t as stooped, and he was moving much faster than any other time I’d seen him.
“Expecting company?” I took in the rest of the room. Even the glasses on the shelves behind the bar had been cleaned. “Holy cow. You have been busy.”
“A wee bit.”
“What happened?”
He motioned to one of the booths on the sidewall, and I followed. Before I could sit down, a pitcher of water and two crystal glasses appeared on the table. I gave him a sharp look, and he shrugged.
“You really are a hell of a lot more powerful than you led me to believe.”
He frowned. “I’m an old man with a bit o’ magic left in me. Nothing to get excited about.”
I winked at him. “You pretend to be old. From what I can see, you’re ready to go back into business.” I waved a hand around.
“There was a bit of trouble last night, and I realized my services could still come in handy. It won’t be a full-running pub as it was in its day, but I’ll be here to help when necessary.”
I leaned back and winced a little when my shoulder hit the wood.
“The dragons?” He must have heard what happened.
I nodded. “So this trouble you’re talking about?”
“The girls wanted to wait at the club just in case you returned. Siobhan caught a Kaling trying to use magic to leave with a human, and he damn near killed my niece before she took him down.” Clasping his hands, he pushed his thumbs together. “Just like her mother, that one; tough as they come. Damn fairy stabbed her with a poison knife right in the heart. Took me near an hour, but I saved her.” I could hear the pride in his voice. “Helped that she’s made of sheer will.”
A fairy’s knife in the heart was certain death. There was more than a bit o’ magic in this man. “Do you know if—”
“Yes, the Kaling was pure evil. Serving the Manteros. The darkness was in him so strong it was near bleeding out of him. Graves took care of a few others he found in the mix. Said once he knew what he was looking for, they were easy to spot.”
“Huh. I thought we were supposed to leave them alone so we could spy on them. I’m pretty sure my mom ordered me not to burn the place to the ground.”
Mr. M moved to a stool by the bar and leaned on it. “Aye, that she did. But as Niamh says, all bets are off when it comes to the Manteros. Can’t have darkness like that in proximity for too long. Best if Graves keeps the club for those who might not necessarily be on the side of the good but aren’t consumed by pure evil.”
“So let me get this straight. Nasty, stinky dragons and Fae okay; Manteros possessed by evil, not so much.”
“Aye.”
“Well, now that we have that cleared up, there’s something I’ve wanted to ask you but haven’t had a chance.”
“Anything, lass.” He took a sip of his water.
“I want to know if it’s just your magic protecting Bells.”
He cocked his head. “You saw me working the spells. What do you think?” I knew I was right. My mother and other mages were involved. I also knew he’d been told not to talk about it.
“I’ve never seen magic like what protects this pub from evil, so it makes sense that if you wanted to keep evil in—”
“Smart cookie, you are. I had a feeling when you watched me work the spells that you’d caught on. I told your mother there’d be no hiding the truth from you.” He smiled.
“Why would she want you to?”
“Politics, lass. Nothing personal. The council is keeping everything they do very close to the vest these days. The fewer people who know what’s going on with Bells, the better.”
“Yes, but I don’t consider Guardians just people.” I shook my head. “That didn’t come out right. I mean, we’re the protectors of Earth, so it makes sense that we should know what the hell is going on.”
This time his eyebrow rose. “I couldn’t agree more. Do you ask?”
“What do you mean?”
“Your mother, lass. Do you ever think to ask her these questions you are so curious about?”
Yes, but it’s doubtful she’d tell me the truth. Of course, I didn’t want to say that out loud. “It’s complicated.”
“Aye. You both have heads of steel, so I would imagine so.”
I scrunched my nose at him. “If you think I’m hardheaded, you should see my sisters.”
He laughed out loud. “Did you ever stop to think that perhaps your mother wants to tell you, but she can’t? As I said, the council is keeping a tight rein on things, and my guess is she tells you what she can. It cannot be easy having four of the most powerful women in the universe as your daughters. Keeping them safe must be a full-time job. Not to mention what it must do to her ticker every time one
of you girls almost gets yourself killed.”
“You don’t know my mother. It isn’t like that at all. We’re the ones who do the protecting. She raised us to be warriors and to fend for ourselves. Her only concern about us is that we do the job she trained us to do.”
He patted my hand. “ ’Tis quite a pity party you have there, young one.”
I shook my head. “No, that isn’t it. I don’t mean it that way. I’m proud of what I am, and so are my sisters. My mother made us strong, and she taught us well. She did a good job, along with our dad, setting us on the right path. She’s just not the most nurturing person you’re ever going to meet.”
“Is that respect I hear?”
Frustrating old geezer.
He hooted.
“Great, don’t tell me you can read minds, too.”
“A little, but your face is an open book. You are right about your mother doing her job. From what I’ve seen and heard, she’s raised four Guardians who rival any who have gone before, except for my nieces, of course.”
I smiled at that.
“You mentioned your relationship is complicated,” he continued. “Imagine how complicated things are for her when she wants to protect you but must put the universe’s well-being at the forefront. Cannot be easy for her.”
He had a point. He’d also changed the subject.
“Anyone ever tell you that you’re very good at diversion?”
He winked again. “A time or two.”
I could analyze my relationship with my mother another day.
“So it is your magic at Bells, along with my mother’s? And you’re the one helping Graves?”
“Aye, ’tis me, but I haven’t been doing it very well, evidently. Makes me angry at myself to let those dragons slip right through the magic.”
I sighed. “They had evil on their side. We’ve had run-ins with the Manteros before. The magic—Well, it rivals any I’ve ever seen. What I want to know is if you think Graves is on their side or ours.”
“Death walks the fence. He is neither good nor bad, but he gains nothing from evil taking over.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Death is about balance, and he’s the one who brought Siobhan to me last night. Niamh had a call, and I’d returned here. As I said, Siobhan waited at the club in case you came back and needed help. She was angry that she didn’t follow you.” He glanced at my shoulder again. “From the looks of things, perhaps she should have. Your people should have brought you to me.”
“I don’t think they knew. In fact, I never found out exactly what happened once I passed out. I need to ask somebody about that. Anyway, you changed the subject—again. I’m fine. Go on.”
His thumbs beat nervously against one another. “Graves said Siobhan followed the fairy to the entry of the club. I’d knotted the magic again so that if a Mantero tried to mask something, Graves would know immediately. He has permission to kill anyone who tries to walk out—well, except for the idiot humans who go in there in the first place.”
“I know. So the fairy that attempted to kill Siobhan was trying to leave. How did he get the jump on her?” Mr. McMurphy hadn’t lied about his niece. She was most definitely one powerful Guardian.
“No one saw, and Siobhan can’t remember. But when she hit the floor, Graves slit the fellow’s throat and brought her here. I hadn’t thought of it before, but there’s your answer.”
“What? I don’t follow.”
“If Death was as evil as everyone seems to think, he would have never found me.”
“What do you mean?”
He looked chagrined. “Evil can’t see this place, lass; I’ve told you time and again.”
“Oh, right. Sorry. I’m not firing on all cylinders. So you think Graves isn’t so bad?”
“May I ask why you are so curious about him?”
“Just trying to figure it all out and his place in it,” I admitted. “I know I keep saying this, but that the Manteros were in that club really does make me want to burn the whole place down.”
“Aye, my nieces said the same thing. But it’s patience we’ll be needin’. Graves has been able to come up with the location of a couple more of the Manteros’ hangouts through the information he’s received at Bells. So it will need to stay around a while longer.”
I wasn’t happy about that, but there wasn’t a lot I could do about it for now. “So you’re going to set up shop again? Help us fight the bad guys?”
He nodded. “There will come a time when those fighting on the side of good need a place where no evil can dwell. My guess is, even in your home you have those who have turned against you.”
I thought about what had happened a few weeks ago when one of our computer programmers had installed a virus that virtually shut everything down. That and the fact that the Manteros had controlled Gilly’s ex had made us all a little leery.
“This is a place where you and your kind are always welcome. It’s a safe house and will continue to be for as long as it’s needed.”
He sounded like that might be a really long time.
“Thank you for your time tonight.” I glanced down at my watch.
“Anytime, lass.”
I stood and leaned over and kissed the top of his head. “I should be mad at you for masking your magic, but I’m just grateful you’re on our side.”
He squeezed my hand. “Be gone with you, silly girl.”
I held my wrists in front of him, “Do you mind?”
“Not a bit.”
I touched them together and a few seconds later I landed in the weapons room. I’d meant to teleport to my bedroom, but once again my mind had wandered.
“Do you ever think about leaving a person a note or telling someone where you’re going?” Jake stood in the corner behind me.
“Jeez. You scared the crap out of me.” I whirled around. “For your information, I looked for you before I left, but you were busy talking to my mother.”
He leaned back against the wall. “So you took off so you didn’t have to be in the same room with her.”
What was it with everyone wanting to analyze my relationship with my mother? “No, if you must know, I went to check on Lourdes.”
He sighed. “That’s where you were for the first three hours.”
Damn GPS.
“I stopped by to chat with Mr. McMurphy. I was going to head out to London to check on the castle for the wedding, but Aspen was busy doing some charity thing with Huff.”
It took me a minute to realize why he was giving me an evil look.
“Oh, hell. I was off the grid—again.”
He raised an eyebrow as if to say I got it in one.
“It’s that damn pub. How about from now on when I’m in Montreal, you just assume that’s where I am.”
His tongue poked at the inside of his cheek. “Except when you’re ripped up and dying in the bottom of a basement where your comm doesn’t work?”
I rolled my eyes. “Yes, except for then.” I pushed myself up onto the counter. “I’m not going to win this argument, am I?”
The man didn’t say a word.
I know it’s low, but I faked a wince and moved my shoulder as if it hurt.
Concern slid onto his face, and I had to bite back a smile. “Are you okay?”
I pursed my lips. “Yes. But I think I may need some of those healing kisses again. I mean, you did such a great job last night.”
He didn’t fall for it. “That reminds me,” he said. “I’m curious. Did you happen to stop by the healers to make sure it was okay for you to teleport? Did it ever occur to you that you might have reinjured your arm again? For the third time in less than a week? Oh, and that you almost died for the third time in less than a week, less than twelve hours ago?”
This so wasn’t where I wanted to go with this. “I’m pretty sure we’ve already had this conversation, but to answer your question, no, I didn’t go to the healers. The wound has healed; for the most part anyway. I didn�
��t even pop a stitch.” I would never admit that at that particular moment my arm didn’t feel so great.
He reached out and put his hand on my shoulder, lightly, but I had to bite my lip from crying out. “That’s what I thought.” Taking his hand away, he moved to the door. “Courtesy. That’s all I ask, just let someone know you’re headed out. We can keep track of you, but when you go off the grid, like you’ve been for the last forty-five minutes, people worry.”
He slammed the door behind him.
Damn pub. Every time I went in, I ended up fighting with Jake. Why could I never just push the damn comm and tell them I was headed in? I needed to talk to Bailey. Maybe he could work with Mr. M so that if we walked into the place, it would send off a flare or something.
The crazy thing was, Jake cared. A lot. A guy didn’t get mad like that if he was just concerned.
Huh. I might be able to work this to my advantage. That is, if I could talk him into forgiving me. No easy task, since he was pretty pissed.
I looked up to see the guys in the control room watching me. Once I made eye contact, they all pretended to be very busy.
I needed to talk to Jake, but in private. And I had to do it now.
CHAPTER 23
Jake was in the kitchen when I found him, pulling a soda out of one of the Sub-Zeroes.
“You’re right about everything. I can be an inconsiderate bitch at times. Does that help?” I pulled myself up on the granite countertop, which wasn’t easy with one hand. If Mrs. P saw me, she’d swat me with a dish towel. She didn’t like ass on the counter where she made food; of course, she would never say the word “ass.”
He shut the door but didn’t turn to look at me, choosing instead to look out the back window into the darkness. It took a moment, but I realized he could see me in the reflection of the glass. I stifled a smile.
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