Doppelganger Blood
Page 19
“Are you ready to relinquish the Grace?” Haniel is asking Taz.
“More than ready,” Taz replies.
Turning to me, Haniel says, “Thank you.” She disappears taking the blinding light with her and setting time into motion again. She leaves a lot of confused beings in her wake.
Chapter 34
All around us, beings are rising from where they fell. Some may have sustained minor injuries, but nothing more than scratches and bruises. I hurry to my friends and family just to be sure. They are all fine.
Kallen hugs me tightly. “She is gone?”
“Gone, gone, gone,” I say, kissing him between each gone.
“She will never return?” Dagda asks. Many around us stop moving, waiting in anxious silence for my answer.
I shake my head. “Just like Taz said, she will never be allowed back here.”
“I appreciate all the thank yous I’m getting,” my Familiar grouses. To my disappointment, only I and his doppelgänger can understand him.
“Thank you, Taz,” I say leaning down and putting my hands on either side of his face. I kiss his little forehead. He scrambles back pretending he doesn’t like it but I know he does. He’s just putting on a show for his new, what did Haniel call him? His new brother. “We need to come up with a name for your friend.”
“He has a name,” Taz says. “Dipweed.”
“Watch it, Goblin-made,” the other Tasmanian devil growls.
“Taz, be nice,” I admonish. “And that’s not his name. He’ll come up with his own.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Taz mutters.
Dagda comes to stand with us. “It is time to send all of these fine beings back to their own realms and territories.”
I nod. “I’ll bring the Giants home in just a minute.”
He smiles at my lack of complaints over the task. “Thank you.”
Dagda begins to walk away but I grab his arm. He turns questioning eyes to me. “I think it’s time we talk about our relationship.”
His eyes begin to darken and his face reddens. “I realize your use of the term father was nothing more than a way to get under your doppelgänger’s skin.”
He has it all wrong. I shake my head. “No, that’s not true.” Surprise lightens his emerald eyes somewhat. “I think you and I need to talk about how we can get my other parents and your wife on board with our growing connection as father and daughter.”
One of the happiest smiles I have ever seen attaches itself to his lips. He leans forward and kisses my cheek. “As soon as our guests leave, I am at your disposal.” He walks away. I assume he’s going to try to hurry the process along.
I lean my head against Kallen’s chest. “After I bring the Giants home, can we crawl into bed and stay there for a few days?”
His arms wrapped around me again, he whispers in my ear, “As long there is more than sleeping on the agenda, we can stay in bed as long as you like.”
I grin against his hard muscles. “Sleep really is overrated.” I lean back so we can kiss. A prelude to what will come very soon.
“Do they do that a lot?” Taz’s new brother asks.
“More than my stomach can stand. Let’s go find Tabitha and see if she has any bacon. We need to fatten you up.” Both Tasmanian devils amble away in search of whatever treats Tabitha will surely have waiting for them.