After saying goodnight to Delilah and Shade, and telling them that Wilbur would be going with us to Otherworld, I headed back to his house, to pick up Nerissa, and to tell Wilbur that his brother was finally free.
Chapter 8
Delilah
I BLINKED, YAWNING as I rolled to a seated position. The other side of the bed was empty and I could hear Shade in the bathroom, whistling as he took a shower. I thought about joining him, but I had taken a shower the night before and, after all these years, I still didn’t like getting wet. Sniffing my armpits, I decided I could wait till tonight, and pushed my way out of the bed, yanking on a pair of jeans and a long-sleeved top. I threaded a brown leather belt through the belt loops, then slid my feet into my bunny slippers and headed downstairs. The smell of bacon and eggs drifted up from the kitchen, where Hanna was preparing breakfast.
As I dashed down the stairs, the house echoed around me. It was too empty. After talking to Tim and Jason, I had decided it was time to approach Shade with a discussion about adoption. Whenever the Autumn Lord decided to father my child was up to him, but that wasn’t going to prevent me from starting our family now. Only one thing remained as an obstacle: Shadow Wing.
Realistically, I knew that some of us might not survive facing him, but I was running on faith. The Autumn Lord wanted me to bear his child. I held onto that as hope that there would be a future for us after the battle. And my sisters would make it through, too, because I needed them to. Holding tightly to my optimism, I headed into the kitchen.
As I slid into a chair, flashing Hanna a cheery “Good morning,” she handed me a plate with eggs, bacon, and pancakes on it. I poured a waterfall of syrup over the entire breakfast, much to her look of dismay, and dug in, biting into the soft, fluffy cakes.
“Mmm, you outdid yourself this morning.” I waved my fork in appreciation. “These are fantastic. Blueberry!”
“Thank you. I tried a new recipe.” Hanna paused, then sat down beside me, a cup of tea in her hand. “May I ask you a question?”
She had become fluent in English since she came to live with us, her sentence structure becoming less stilted with each day. She still had her Northlands accent, almost Norwegian in nature, but she seemed much more relaxed than she had in the beginning.
Hanna wore her hair in two braids. She had let it grow long since she had come over Earthside, and had finally settled on a style that seemed to fit her—jeans and pretty floral tops. Some days she wore long skirts instead of the jeans, but she had never taken to makeup and she reminded me of a retro-hippie, albeit a tidy one. She had also discovered cowboy boots and wore them constantly. She still looked weatherworn, and every year of her age, but her face had acquired a softness to it that she hadn’t had at first.
“Of course. What is it?” I asked through a mouthful of bacon.
“Don’t talk with your mouth full,” she said, sounding for all the world like Iris. “I’m wondering if you’d like me to stay on after you face Shadow Wing. I’d like to, but I realize that you and Shade may want to bring in your own choice of a nanny and housekeeper, especially now that Iris has left.”
I blinked. I hadn’t even thought of hiring a nanny, and Hanna had become as much a part of the family as Iris had. I wiped my lips with the napkin.
“Hanna, you’re part of our extended family. If you want to leave, we wouldn’t try to stop you, but as long as you want to stay, you’re welcome. I’ll need someone to help me with the baby—babies—however many we end up with. And the gods know, I suck at playing housekeeper. Hell, it took Iris dumping my litter box on my bed to teach me to tend to myself. If you want to stay, Shade and I would be happy to have you. If you need a raise, just ask.”
She nodded. “I thought as much, but we never really formally talked about it. I came home with Camille, and when I offered to move to the Barrow with her, she told me you’d probably have more need of me than she would because she has all nature of servants out there. But...you just never know in these situations.”
“Have you ever thought of going back to your home?” I asked, cautious because I knew that was still a sore subject, and probably always would be.
Hanna pressed her lips together, silently regarding her cup of tea. I went back to my breakfast, thinking she wasn’t going to answer, but then, after a moment, she began to speak.
“When Hyto kidnapped Kjell and me, he killed my husband. He carried him high into the air and dropped him on a quarry of sharp rocks while I watched. I had managed to sneak my daughters away safely—girls were disappearing from the area and I was smart enough to realize why—but they were the only ones from my family who escaped.”
I leaned back, taking a deep breath. Hyto had tortured Camille, and even though he was dead, hearing about what else he had done gave a real scope to how sadistic Smoky’s father had been.
“Do you know where they are?”
She shook her head. “No. I have no idea where they escaped to, or if they even still survive. I’m afraid to find out, to be honest. As long as I don’t know, I can imagine them happy and healthy, with families of their own. Hyto destroyed my world. In the end, I destroyed Kjell to release him from the torture. I killed my son to save him from the dragon. I don’t think I could withstand finding out that my daughters fell into a bad end. Sometimes, ignorance truly is a saving grace. Do you understand?”
She glanced over at me.
I nodded. “Yeah, I think I do. If you don’t know what happened to them, then they’re still alive in your mind and heart.”
She took a sip of her tea. “Yes. And that way, Hyto didn’t strip everything from my life. I will be forever grateful to your sister, Camille. She gave me the courage to stand up and say, “No more.” And for that, I bless her. But going back to look for my daughters? No. If something happened to them, it would mean Hyto truly did devastate my life.” Carrying her cup back to the sink, she glanced at the ceiling as we heard Shade clattering around overhead. “Staying Earthside is best for me. It’s a different life. I don’t want my old one back. There are too many heartbreaks in Otherworld—in the Northlands—for me.”
I LEFT SHADE at home—he and Roz were planning to start winterizing the house and land—while I headed for the Supe Community Council meeting.
Frank Willows, a werewolf, was the president and when I checked my email before bed, he had put out a call for an emergency meeting at eleven AM. I wasn’t sure what was going on, but the memo had been brusque. Frank was a good guy with a level head, so when he sounded worried via an email, I knew there was something up.
As I passed the Wayfarer, I felt a pang. I knew Menolly missed working there, but Derrick made an excellent acting manager and I had my suspicions that eventually the portal in the bottom of the bar would be disabled, and then Derrick would buy the store outright.
I arrived at the Supe Community Council early enough to help set up. Frank was standing in the corner. I made my way over to him, touching him lightly on the shoulder.
“Hey Frank, what’s up?” I could smell the worry on him. Weres had a way of exuding a certain set of pheromones when they were agitated. Something had definitely triggered Frank.
He blinked. “Thank you so much for coming, Delilah. Can I talk to you alone for a moment?”
I nodded. “Of course. Your office?”
He led me back to a small office which was neater than I could imagine keeping it. But Frank was meticulous. He shut the door behind us, motioning for me to sit down.
“I was hoping you’d arrive early.”
“What’s wrong? I can smell you across the room.” I took the chair, accepting the candy bar he tossed me from his desk. Frank knew my weakness for sweets.
“I have a favor to ask. Well, it’s a little more than a favor. I know you’re likely to say no, but please think it over. Talk over your concerns to me, because I really want you to say yes.”
An urgency in his voice made me straighten up. He really was worried.
“Okay. Ask.”
Frank took a deep breath. “I need you to accept my post.”
“What do you mean?”
He frowned, fidgeting in his chair. “I need you to take over as president of the Council. Effective today.”
Surprised by the request, I sat there, candy in hand, uncertain of what to do or say. Finally, I cleared my throat and leaned forward. “What’s going on, Frank?”
He cast his glance down. “My family and I are leaving Seattle. My grandfather is the Alpha of the New York Bright-Eyes Wolf Pack. He’s been feeling poorly lately, but everyone thought it was a bug. Then yesterday, he fell into a coma. Come to find out, he’s been keeping a life-threatening heart condition secret, even from Gammy. My father can’t leave here, he’s too busy with farming. He owns the farm I manage, plus five others. Since I’m the eldest son, I’m the one who’s expected to go back to New York and take over as leader of the pack when my grandfather dies. Which could be any day. And if he dies without me there, it could mean trouble among the alpha contenders.”
I blinked. “Oh Frank, I’m sorry. I didn’t know your father owns your farm.”
“It’s a family business. My father will assign one of my brothers to take over management, and he’s funding my family’s trip and relocation. We’ll move into Gammer and Gammy’s house, and take care of Gammy while we’re at it.”
“At least you have a place to go.”
“Yeah, and we’ll be fine. It will require some adjustment, but we should be able to handle it. But I have to leave tomorrow morning. I want the person to take over this post to be someone who fully understands this agency. You and your sisters are the ones who pretty much founded it, so I think it’s time for you to take the role you’ve long deserved, Delilah. The Council loves you. They respect you.”
I didn’t know what to say. We hadn’t told Frank about the demonic war so he wasn’t up to speed on what what we were facing, and I didn’t want to add to his worries by doing so now. He had been the leader of the Supe Militia, a branch of the Supe Community Council, but I could easily find someone to take his place. We had plenty of warriors who I could trust, but Frank was right. Nobody knew the organization like I did, given that I had been the driving force behind it. I couldn’t very well start something this important, then abandon it when I was needed. Frank had served us well, but he deserved to go with an easy conscience about the Council.
“I’ll do it.” I stared at him, thinking that this was the last thing I needed to add on my plate, but I’d work out the logistics later. “We’ll announce it today.”
He let out a long breath and leaned back, a look of relief spreading across his face. “I was so worried I was going to have to argue you into it. I admit, I was prepared to guilt trip you if necessary.” With a wolfish grin, he wearily rested his elbows on the desk.
“That rough, huh?”
Frank nodded. “That rough. We’ve lived here in the Seattle area for over a hundred years. We love the woodlands here, and the atmosphere. My wife and the children aren’t happy about the move, but there’s no real choice in this matter. They’ll adjust. And I have to do my duty.”
“Duty,” I said softly. “That’s something I understand all too well.” At his querying look, I shook my head. “Don’t ask. You don’t want to know. Just do what you have to and I’ll manage here. If I can’t run it by myself, there are plenty of people who can help. Now, let’s get out there and help them set up.”
As he followed me out of the office, I thought, this feels right. Not easy, not something I would necessarily choose, but right. I’d figure it out as I went.
BY THE TIME I got home it was near four. I had stopped for groceries and caved at the pizza counter in the store, ordering three large meat-eaters pizza. By the time I got home, it was pouring again and the parking space in front of the house looked like a massive mud puddle. At least we had had the driveway paved some time back, so there was no trouble getting into and out of the house.
I no sooner had opened the door, heavy bags in hand, than Shade was there, taking the groceries from me.
“I’ll run back and get the pizzas,” I said, dashing down the steps before he could say a word. When I returned, he was back at the front door.
“I need to talk to you now,” he said, gently maneuvering me over to the porch swing.
“Not you, too? Everybody seems to have something urgent to talk about today.” I laughed, but then stopped. Shade looked serious. So serious that I began to think that the day had a monopoly on bad news. “What’s happened?”
“We have company and I wanted to prepare you before you stumbled in on them.” He shook his head again as I started to speak. “Quickly—if I take too long they’ll be out to find out why. I told them I was going to help you bring in the food.”
“Who? Who’s here?” If Shade was nervous than our guests were worth caution.
He licked his lips and then, sitting beside me on the swing, said, “My sister, Lash is here.”
“I like Lash.” I wasn’t sure where the problem was. “Did your mother come, too? She’s a little intimidating, I admit.”
“Not my mother. Honey, my father’s sitting in our living room right now.”
His words dropped like lead. I stared at him.
“You’ve got to be kidding me! Your father? What the hell is he doing here?”
Shade’s father was full-blooded Stradolan, the only race who could interbreed with shadow dragons, but the children of such unions were sterile. And only Stradolan men could breed with shadow dragon females.
Shade’s father had effectively disowned his son for refusing to follow in his own footsteps. He was known as the Enforcer, and he punished wayward spirits in the Netherworld. Because Shade had taken a different route, his father had shunned him. So the fact that he was sitting in our living room either foretold one hell of a turnaround, or trouble. Or maybe, both.
“My father is here with Lash. I’m not sure why—they just got here. But he wants to meet you. So, let’s get in there. And please, don’t offer them pizza. Lash could eat it and she probably would out of courtesy, but the Stradolans eat energy, not food. My father would be terribly offended. He doesn’t have a good sense of humor.” Shade grabbed the pizzas out of my hand and hustled me inside.
“I’m not dressed for meeting him—” I started to protest, but Shade vanished into the kitchen with the pizzas and food while I leaned back against the wall, holding my breath.
I could hear the murmur of voices coming from the living room, but I wasn’t about to go in there by myself. If Shade wanted me to meet his father, he was jolly well going to be by my side to deflect what I imagined was going to be a painful scrutiny. With a name like the “Enforcer,” my father-in-law didn’t exactly inspire confidence.
Shade was back in a flash. He took a deep breath, wrapping his arm through mine.
“Are you ready?” he mouthed.
I nodded. “As ready as I’ll ever be. Do we have to do this?”
“I’m afraid we don’t have much choice.”
And with that, he swung me through the arch, into the living room.
LASH WAS AS I remembered her, tall and elegant with rich brown skin. Where Shade’s hair was amber, hers made me think of caramel, done up in a chignon of braids that looped down to her shoulders and up again to catch beneath a dragon-shaped cloisonné barrette. She was wearing a mustard colored chiffon gown, shimmering with layers of orange and flame red woven into the skirt. The dress floated around her as though it had a life of its own.
Next to her stood a man who looked vaguely like Shade, but he was almost a blur, as though he had his own personal shadow surrounding him. He was around six feet, shorter than his son, and it was difficult to get a read on his expression because his face seemed cloaked in shadow. I could see his features if I didn’t look directly at him. His eyes were white, with brilliant plum colored irises, and there was a murkiness about his appearance that I suspected was the Str
adolan energy coming through.
Lash moved forward, lightly embracing first her brother and then, me. As she leaned in for a hug, she whispered, “This wasn’t my idea, please believe me.”
Lash and I had gotten off to a bad start but Smoky had helped win her over, and she had come to our wedding, along with her mother, Seratha. They had both been cordial and made me feel that—if I didn’t fully belong in their family—they were willing to be patient and give me a chance. I didn’t expect that from Shade’s father. In fact, Seratha had warned me never to interfere in the relationship between the two men, nor to hope for any sort of blessing from him.
As she backed away, Shade turned to his father.
“Welcome to my home, Sir.”
The Enforcer—I had no idea what his name was, nor whether he would even give me a name with which to refer to him—stared at his son, silent for a moment. Then he turned his gaze to me. I felt like he was looking at me inside-out and had the sneaking suspicion he could see far more than I thought he could.
“So, this is where you’ve come to rest,” he finally said, turning back to Shade. “You’ve fully dedicated yourself to the Harvestmen, then? And you won’t change your mind?”
Shade lowered his gaze, but he kept his shoulders straight. “Yes, Sir. This is my life.” He still hadn’t introduced me, but I wasn’t broken up over it. In fact, I thought that perhaps I was better off just keeping my mouth shut and trying to get through the visit as unnoticed as possible.
“Mind your manners, boy. Introduce me.”
Great. So much for that hope.
Shade inclined his head. “As you will, Sir. This is my wife, Delilah D’Artigo. Delilah, this is my—” he paused, looking confused. I wondered what was wrong until it hit me. The Enforcer had disowned his son, so if Shade referred to him as ‘Father’ it might only cause a deeper rift.
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