by Alexie Aaron
Ted bore the pain and responded by telling Mia his heart.
Wyatt opened his eyes and lifted his hands. He looked at the tattoos. “Your love must be true,” he said.
Mia got up and studied the symbol on Ted’s shoulder. Ted ran his finger along the one on her chest. “It’s beautiful,” he said. “Thank you for doing this for me, Mia.”
Mia smiled and kissed him gently. She pulled on her shirt. “How soon will you know?” she asked Wyatt.
“A week. I know you wanted this taken care of before your son is returned to you, but it will take time. Ask your grandfather to stay to protect Brian. Mia, I cannot guarantee what they will do.”
“I understand that, Wyatt.”
“You are one of us, which will hold some weight.”
“I hope so.”
“The favor, Wyatt, I would like it to be on me,” Ted said. “Mia is my property.”
“I agree, but there will be nothing owed. You both have honored me with your trust. For this demon, that is beyond special.”
They stayed and talked about books and movies. Wyatt had some classic movies that he invited them to come over and view with him, once all this was done and dusted. Ted agreed and shook the demon’s hand before he left.
Mia stood there while Wyatt read her husband.
It was quick, and Ted wasn’t overly bothered by it.
“You’re a man of science, very complex, yet you love a magic maiden. Very interesting,” Wyatt said.
They left Wyatt standing on the porch. He watched the two as they walked to their vehicle. He hoped he would be able to intercede on Mia’s behalf. It showed her caliber that she came forward as soon as her memory returned.
~
Maggie was overjoyed to see them. She danced around and wagged her tail so hard she fell over.
Mia laughed as she searched the edge of the woods with her eyes. Ted paid the Monroes, and they seemed receptive to having Maggie back when the need arose.
Ted walked up and put his arm around her. “Is she there?”
“I can’t see her, but she’s good at camouflage.” Mia raised her hand.
“There, Mia, I can see her glowing eyes.” Ted pointed the entity out.
Mia smiled. “It’s nice to know some things stay the same.”
They arrived back at the farm and walked into the office. Cid was working on the computers.
“Jake’s on a holiday,” Cid said. “I can’t find him anywhere.”
Ted sat down and started working on the problem.
Mia walked over and kissed Cid on the head.
“What’s that for?”
“It’s for caring about Jake. I’m going inside to start supper.”
“You’re cooking?” Cid asked, worried.
“I can make a steak, baked potatoes, and how about carrots?”
“Sounds good. Call if you need any help,” Cid said.
“I’ve got this, Cid. Relax,” Mia said.
Cid waited for Mia to leave. “Okay, what have you done to Mia? Hypnosis?”
“I think she’s happy,” Ted said.
“She is, isn’t she?” Cid said. “What did the two of you get into while you were gone?”
“We got matching tattoos,” Ted said.
“Yeah right,” Cid said and went back to work.
Mia no sooner got started when Cid called her from the office. “Burt’s coming over. I invited him for dinner…”
“Okay, I got it covered,” Mia said.
“Burt has a big appetite.”
“I remember, Cid. Calm down,” she ordered.
Murphy moved into the kitchen.
“Hey, Murph, we’re having steaks.”
“How did it go?”
“Wyatt is going to look into things. Ted and I got matching tattoos.”
Murphy started laughing and took Maggie out to play.
Mia shrugged her shoulders and put another large russet potato in the oven. She started peeling the carrots. She heard Cid come in. “Put another tater in, Mia. Mike’s coming.”
“Is he bringing a lawyer? Should I call Alan?”
“Oh… I don’t think so. I think he wants to follow up on the investigation. I heard the feds are going to give us a consultant’s fee.”
“Really? Cool.” Mia started cutting the carrots. Cid frowned. Mia handed him the knife and went to wash another potato and count the steaks. “You really don’t trust me, do you?”
“First, you guys come back and Ted tells me you got matching tattoos and…”
Mia whipped off her top and stood there.
It took Cid a moment to focus on what was on one of Mia’s breasts. He walked over and examined it.
“Let go of my wife’s boob,” Ted ordered. “Mia, honestly, you’re going to give the boy an erection.”
“Ted!” Mia exclaimed, turning red. “He didn’t believe us about the tattoo.”
“It’s fake right?”
Ted took off his shirt and directed Cid’s face to his shoulder. “Nope, it’s real, and it’s forever, dude.”
“Cool. Hey, that’s the symbol for eternal love.”
“Yes it is,” Mia said, grabbing her husband’s hand. “It also means Ted owns me, in demon.”
“How do you feel about that?” Cid asked, his eyes returning to her chest.
Ted picked up Mia’s shirt and handed to her. “Put this on before I have to get the hose out.”
“Why, Ted, I thought you were tired,” Mia teased.
“Mia Martin, get your butt upstairs and put on something decent.”
Mia saluted and left.
“Dude, she did that for you?” Cid said.
“She wanted it on her face. I said no.”
“Good thing. I love that face.”
“I beg your pardon.”
“I mean, Mia’s a beautiful woman and… I give up,” Cid said, going back to cutting the carrots.
“Did you read anything in Neal’s diary that Mia should know?”
“I think she should read it when she’s ready. It seems likely that either the farm manager or Neal’s father killed a bum who was squatting in the house. It’s probably his ghost that attacked them.”
“Shame.”
“Yes. We have to help her get through it. I suppose the tattoo was a distraction?”
“No, it was a condition of the demon who is going to help Mia.”
“Really?”
“There’s something else. The tattoo wouldn’t adhere if we weren’t in love with each other. It only works on true love.”
“Wow, so it proves what you two have been trying to tell the other for weeks now. Man, had I known this, I would have inked you myself.”
Ted laughed.
“I could do it. I read a book about prison tats.”
“You just want to get your filthy mitts on Mia’s boob.”
“Well, yes,” Cid said and ducked.
Mia heard them downstairs. She had stopped to admire her tattoo in the mirror. She didn’t want to cover it up. She chose a button up shirt and a push up bra. She unbuttoned it so that the tattoo could be seen. She smiled. She supposed that Bev and Audrey would lecture her with feminist concerns, but Mia loved that it proved that she and Ted loved each other. “Thank you, Wyatt,” she said and pulled up her hair and tapped on Sariel’s tat so it would disappear.
Chapter Thirteen
Mia sat on the porch swing with a bottle of beer and watched as Mike exited his car. Ted walked over and shook hands with him. Mia hoped there was an apology too. Mike opened up his trunk and brought out Mia’s duffle bag. Ted carried it into the house.
Mike walked over and put up with Mia examining his bandaged face. “If there is any scarring, I’ll have Judy give you some cream,” Mia said.
“Mia, I’m sorry for ratting you out,” Mike said.
“It’s done. I have to deal with the repercussions from the memories, but all in all, it had to happen sometime.”
“Meg showing up… No
w, that was pure Cooper.”
“Heh heh, I figured that once she saw you vulnerable, she would start nesting…”
“Gee, I thought you were trying to embarrass me.”
“Nope.”
“You look different.”
“I’m the same old Mia,” she said, but she felt a bit tipsy. What was in that cold glaze Cid had her taste? She hoped it wasn’t alcohol because she didn’t do too well with booze and beer.
He looked down at her. He looked around first and then peeked down her blouse. “Oh my god, you do have a tattoo. Cid said you did. Ted too. Shit, Mia, you ruined my favorite breast.”
Mia adjusted her shirt, pushing his hands away. “I like it. I wanted it on my face, but Ted said no.”
“Oh, so you’re listening to Ted now? That’s a shocker.”
“Be kind,” Mia scolded. “So what brings you out here?”
“I wanted to bring your stuff and make amends. I figured the longer Ted and I were at odds, the worse things could get.”
“That was very mature of you. I hope he apologized.”
“Yes.”
“It wasn’t you he was punching.”
“I figured, Whitney or that Lobo character.”
Mia’s face clouded. She started to feel strange. She took another pull from the beer.
“What’s wrong?”
“Please don’t take this the wrong way, but I don’t mind if you tease me about Whitney. He and I are fair game. I would, however, appreciate if you didn’t drag Lobo through the mud, please.”
“Fair enough. I’m sorry, Mia.”
“I forgive you.”
“Tell me about the twin tattoos?”
“I went to visit a friend that Orion and I had made during the Old House investigation. I wanted to consult him about me making restitution…” Mia shared the chat with Mike, omitting that Wyatt was a fallen angel. “I was so happy when the tattoos stuck. It sent a signal to Ted that we are meant to be together.”
“I don’t know about the two of you meaning to be together, but I know you love him. He loves you too, so I may as well look to other shores.”
“Far shores, far, far, far shores,” Mia said, motioning with her hand and the empty beer bottle.
“You little bitch,” Mike snapped.
“That’s Mrs. Little Bitch, Dupree,” Mia insisted.
He started laughing. “Don’t break my nose again. Hey, thanks for the eye and chin lift.”
“You’re welcome. I had to sell my soul to Gerald for those extras.”
“So how much is it going to cost to get that tat off your boob?”
“It stays on. It’s for forever.”
“I’m skeptical.”
“Wow, thanks for supporting my marriage, asshole,” Mia said and got up.
Mike got in her way. “Don’t be mad.”
“How the hell can I not be mad?” Mia asked and ducked under his arm and went into the house.
Mike sat down on the swing.
Mia came back out and handed him a beer. Her breath reeked of whiskey.
“Thanks, Mia. What are you drinking?”
“Beer. I brought you one because I can’t have you expiring from thirst on my porch. I already have a hot ghost. I don’t need two.”
Mike roared with laughter. Mia was toasted.
“Is he really hot, Mia?” Mike prodded.
“Hey, Murph, show yourself to this nonbeliever,” Mia said.
Murphy did.
Mike scratched his head. “Okay, I’ll give you handsome but not hot.”
Murphy set his axe down and produced two sizable biceps.
“Shit. And you still stick with the beanpole?”
“The beanpole is hotter,” Mia said. “No offense, Murph.”
“None taken. What’s this?” Murphy asked, pointing to her open shirt.
“Ah, a tattoo. Ted has one too.”
“Sailors and soldiers have tattoos,” he said.
“Ahem,” Ted said from the bottom step of the porch.
Mia looked over at him and grinned. “We were talking about our tats.”
“Mia, are you drunk?”
“Maybe.”
“Dupree, you’ve been here thirty minutes, and my wife is drunk.”
“Hey, don’t look at me.”
“Ah, dude, that’s my fault,” Cid said from the doorway, weaving a bit. I’ve been having Mia taste my whiskey glaze.”
“Cid, she just exposed herself on the porch before or after Murphy did a Mr. America pose. If you’re going to get her drunk, you have to watch her.”
“Why would you tempt Mia?” Cid asked Murphy.
“Wait, I can explain,” Mia said, slurring her words. “Mike said Murphy wasn’t hot. Murphy was just demonstrating that he was hot. I said my husband was hotter,” Mia said, running her hand behind Ted, looking at his ass.
“Hold on, Mia,” Cid grabbed her. He whipped off his shirt and posed with a wicked smile on his face.
“Whoa,” Mia said, her mouth dropping open.
“Mia, close your mouth. Cid, how much whiskey have you had?” Ted asked, trying to keep control of the situation.
Mike started laughing. Murphy joined in. Burt pulled up to the house to see Ted trying to maintain some sort of order. He strode over and up the steps. Cid had his shirt off, and Ted had Mia facing the wall. Mike was laughing, and he thought he heard Murphy’s laughter too.
“What’s going on?”
“It all started with a whiskey glaze and a question about who was hotter,” Mike said.
“Did you start this?” he asked Mike, amused.
“No. But I arrived at the right time. Watch this. Mia, show Burt your new tattoo.”
Ted reached for Mia but was too late. She whipped open her shirt.
Burt was thunderstruck.
“It matches Ted’s,” Mia said, pulling on Ted’s shirt. He relented and took off his shirt. With the tat and his hat off, Burt had to admit that Ted was hotter than Cid. But Mia was on fire. Her shirt hung open, and she had on a push up bra, and there was a twin tat to Ted’s. “It’s beautiful,” Burt said. “Native American symbol for eternal love.”
“See,” Mia pointed. “Burt knows tats. Burt’s pretty hot…”
“Mia Cooper Martin, get in the house,” Ted ordered before he broke out laughing.
“You see, Burt does this thing…”
Ted picked up Mia and carried her over his shoulder and into the house. She waved at the guys as she left.
They heard water running upstairs. Ted came back down. He went in the kitchen and brought out beers.
Burt took one. Mike was on his second, and Cid was too drunk to have one. Ted took a drink. He looked over at Murphy. “You’re not drunk. I’d like to know what your excuse is?”
Murphy just whistled.
“I have a question?” Cid asked. “How many have kissed Mia?”
“Oh come on,” Mike said as the others all had their hands up. “Gentlemen, her husband’s right here, and I don’t need another broken nose.”
“Have you kissed her?” Burt asked.
“No.”
Ted was surprised. “Have you seen her naked?”
“In Lund,” was all Mike was going to admit to.
“Okay, so my wife basically has no secrets. He glared at Cid who was quite happy with himself. Murphy was smiling too.
“But she loves you, dude,” Cid said. “She could have any one of us. Don’t you claim otherwise, Dupree. But she wants you, Ted.”
Ted looked around, and his friends nodded at him.
“She wears your mark,” Murphy reminded him. “She’s very happy about that.”
“Yes, she seems to be,” Ted said, smiling. “She’s a handful, fellas, so I would appreciate you not tempting her further. That goes triple for you, Stephen,” Ted said, looking at the ghost. Murphy put his hand over his heart.
~
The shower finished and her stomach full of steak, Mia was sobering up. T
ed had an arm around her just in case. The group talked about the good outcome of Whitney’s rescue.
“Tom makes a great investigator,” Mia said.
“It’s all that law enforcement training,” Burt said. “Which brings up a point. Do you think we should have some self-defense training?”
“It couldn’t hurt,” Mike admitted. “But no boxing for the bruiser.”
Mia nodded. “Ted’s way too dangerous.”
“I’m sitting right here, pumpkin,” Ted said.
“I’ve always wanted to learn ninja skills,” Cid admitted.
“I felt more confident after working with Ed,” Mia said. “He’s a very hard taskmaster though. I don’t think you wusses could handle it.”
“How did we go from hot to wusses?” Mike asked.
“I sobered up. How embarrassing. I apologize for…”
“Oh, no. I haven’t laughed that hard in days,” Mike said. “The look on Ted’s face when Cid took his shirt off was worth the drive.”
“Asshole,” Mia said.
“I know you love me, Cooper,” Mike said, avoiding Ted’s glare.
“Mike, could we get back on subject?” Burt asked. “Mia, do you think that Ed could teach us some basics?”
“I think so. I’ll ask him. We better have Judy on hand if you guys break anything.”
“How’re your bone healing skills?”
“I’m okay in a pinch, but you guys should probably avoid breaking things,” Mia said, thinking. “Cid, this steak is amazing. The glaze may have cost me my reputation and my marriage, but it’s good.”
Ted put his arm around his wife to reassure her.
“We are down a team member,” Cid said. “Jake hasn’t returned.”
“Do you think he’s just throwing a snit because he wasn’t taken to the last investigation?” Burt asked. “He is pretty sensitive.”
“He was playing a videogame when we left. He was all into…”
“Which game, Cid?” Ted asked.
“Road to Angkor Wat.”
“That’s in beta testing,” Ted said. “There are some nasty bugs in the game. They sent me a copy to see if I could help them. Players disappear…”
“Players or their avatars?” Mia asked.
“Avatars,” Ted said, looking at his non-gamer wife kindly.