Stand-in: Take 3 of the Kanyon and Daylen Series

by K. B. Draper

  Daylen dropped her head. “I didn’t know you knew.”

  “Yeah, well, no thanks to you. And speaking of you totally sucking, here’s what else I know.” She jerked a thumb toward the house. “Tall, dark, and mopey in there was happy when she was helping you with your detective gig. She’s a hero in real life, you know, not just meant to play one on screen.” Too much real for one day, Blue abruptly rose. “Anyway, I’m out. You can do whatever you want with it.”

  “Blue.” Daylen grabbed Blue’s wrist.

  Blue looked back over her shoulder. “Ahh man, you’re going to go all Molly McMushy on me, aren’t you?”

  Daylen stood and pulled Blue into a hug. “Yep. Deal with it.” She squeezed and smiled when she felt the tiniest of squeezes back. “I’m trying to set things right. I promise,” she whispered. Then, just to make Blue squirm, she added, “I love you.”

  As expected, that broke their embrace. “Geez!” Blue wiped at her shirt as if Daylen had left love cooties on her. “Save all that lovey-dovey stuff for Kanyon, ‘cause this Xena-Gabrielle spend six seasons longing after each other crap is getting freakin’ old. Like. Seriously. Old.”

  “We’re not–”

  Blue face palmed her. “Don’t. Just don’t.” And with that, Blue dismissed her, kneeling down to rub Ralph’s ears. “Ralphster, you want to go fetch some limbs before dinner?” Ralph barked once in answer and they both trotted off to Blue’s backyard bungalow leaving Daylen in their wake.

  Theo was still showing off his things to a trying-really-hard-to-look-interested Kanyon when Daylen reentered the kitchen. She moved toward a seat at the counter, absently watching Theo’s animated descriptions while her thoughts quickly drifted back to Blue and the info bomb she’d just dropped. Blue knew about her and Aunt Ruby. Most likely she only knew what Jo, Blue’s mother, was privy to, simply that her and her aunt had a knack for knowing, sensing things. Something that had happened a few times in Jo’s presence and had protected her in a couple of others.

  Daylen warmed at the memory of Blue arriving back in her life. It seemed like a lifetime ago when she’d received that frantic call from Jo, saying Blue was headed to L.A. on a Greyhound. Daylen had waited at the station for the shy, little girl that had spent long evenings at the restaurant when Jo couldn’t find or afford a babysitter. What stepped off the bus however, was Blue 2.0, the tattooed, pierced, indigo-haired, not-shy-at-all, independent woman she knew now.

  It had taken time, a whole lot of persistence, and a couple of financial threats from Jo for Blue to let Daylen check in on her from time to time. Though reluctant, Blue had let Daylen buy her the occasional dinner or cup of coffee. It was during those times that she’d caught glimpses of the shy, scared little girl that she’d once known hiding behind the fierce, sassy young woman who was trying to find where she fit in this world. Blue was forging her own future, pursuing what made her happy, and fighting all odds to have it. And we come full circle. Geez.

  Daylen looked up at the other woman in her life who was fighting to be something different than what everyone wanted or thought she should be. The audible groan that escaped her lungs had said woman lifting curious steel blue eyes toward her. They stayed, light blue eyes to dark, for a long moment. It was then Daylen knew something had changed between them. They were Guardian and Seeker. That bond would never be broken, at least not by her. Never again. But there was something else that passed between them, something Daylen knew but never allowed to lock into place. Kanyon was the woman she wanted to be with. There was no one else. There could never be anyone else.

  Kanyon needed to end the little intimate eye moment before the urge to jump the island and take Daylen into her arms overtook her. She pushed down the need, replacing it with her best “save me from geek overload” look.

  Daylen smiled and stood. “I’m getting kind of hungry. Theo, can you maybe finish showing Kanyon your things after dinner?”

  “Oh, ye–” Theo started but stopped suddenly, going completely still, his gaze fixed on something over Daylen’s shoulder.

  “Theo?” Daylen asked, following his stare. She saw an arm go flying by the window. She blinked, waited, and another arm sailed by. “Um, Kanyon?” Daylen questioned cautiously.

  “That’s just Blue and Ralph playing fetch,” she explained as she retrieved the food containers that had been warming in the oven.

  Daylen watched another appendage streak past the window and huffed out a quick laugh. “Silly me. When she said limbs, I crazily thought she meant from a tree.”

  Kanyon gave the window another absent glance. “They were throwing legs yesterday, but after my neighbor found one buried in her flowerbed it got confiscated.”

  Daylen laughed. “Only Blue.” She turned back to find Theo still transfixed on the window, all the color drained from his face. “Theo.” Daylen snapped her fingers.

  Kanyon plucked two pieces of chicken from one of the food containers and waved them in front of Theo’s face. “Leg or wing?”

  Theo’s eyes went wide then his legs went out from under him.

  Daylen shot Kanyon a look as she skirted around the edge of the island. “Seriously?”

  “What? I was just asking him what he wanted for dinner.”

  “Theo. Come on, buddy. It’s okay.” She gave Theo’s cheeks a few pats. “Blue is a makeup and special effects artist. The arms are props. They’re fake,” she offered, hoping her words would penetrate.

  Theo blinked once, then several times in rapid succession. “Fake?” He looked around noticing his knee high versus head high perspective and jumped up quickly. He looked at Kanyon. “I’m cool. I mean, severed limbs are,” he waved a hand, “nothing. I just, you know …”

  Kanyon raised a curious eyebrow. “Got low blood sugar?” she offered.

  “Yeah, yeah. Blood sugar. I better eat something.” He spun to the plate she scooted in front of him, the leg and wing prominently placed. Kanyon held back her smile as he gulped loudly.

  “Theo, why don’t you go get washed up and I’ll call Blue in so we can all eat together,” Daylen suggested. He nodded absently and moved toward the bathroom down the hall. “You’re mean,” Daylen offered as she took the silverware to the table.

  “Oh, I’m just trying to toughen the guy up a little,” Kanyon answered as she went back to fixing the rest of the plates.

  Daylen glanced at the pile of comic books, figurines, and replica weapons still on the counter. “Good luck with that. I’ll go get Blue and Ralph.”

  Theo returned to the kitchen just as Ralph trotted in with the severed arm locked in his jaws. Theo stopped, blinked once, and dropped. “What’s up with Wimpy Boy?” Blue asked as she stepped over him to make her way to the bathroom to wash her hands.

  “Low blood sugar,” Kanyon answered, as she too stepped over Theo to take the rest of the plates to the table.

  Ralph dropped the limb next to Theo’s head, then leaned down to offer Theo a chin-to-forehead lick.

  Theo started thrashing on the floor. “Oh man, gross,” Theo sputtered as he twisted and squirmed in an attempt to block Ralph’s next drive-by tongue assault. His sputters quickly transformed to laughter as Ralph tried to nudge his big head in between Theo’s flailing arms for another lick. “Okay, okay, I give. You win.” Ralph stepped back panting happily as Theo took his sleeve to his face. “You’re–” Theo started, as he opened his eyes to the bloody muscle and torn tendons end of the mutilated dog toy.

  Blue walked back in. “Is this like his thing or are you installing speed bumps in the kitchen?”

  Daylen walked over, picked up the limb, and held it out to Ralph. “Can you please go put this away?” Ralph took the limb and trotted off. Once he was out of sight, Daylen knelt by Theo and gave his cheeks another couple of taps. “Theo, time to get up now.”

  “Here, let me try.” Blue booted Theo with the side of her foot. “Wakey, wakey, nerds and bacy.”

  Daylen looked up to tell Blue to knock it off, only to f
ind Blue tipping a can of Mountain Dew. “Blue! Don’t you–” Daylen fell back on her butt to avoid the oncoming yellow downpour. “Seriously?”

  Blue gave a casual shrug. “What? Aren’t you supposed to give people soda or sugar or something when they have low blood sugar?”

  “A drink, not pour it in their face.” Daylen reached down and helped the stammering Theo sit up.

  Blue stepped over his outstretched legs. “It worked, didn’t it? Plus, there’s no way I was going to let him get his lip cooties on my can.”

  “Kanyon,” Daylen looked to Kanyon, who was already throwing her a towel. “Thank you. And you can stop laughing, she doesn’t need any encouragement.”

  “Right,” Kanyon said in fake seriousness as she waved a serving spoon at Blue. “Bad, Blue.”

  With Theo awake and dry and Ralph returned, they all sat down at the kitchen table and began to eat. Even Ralph, who despite his massive size, jumped up and sat in a chair with amazing grace and balance. Of course, Kanyon had first told him no, ordered him down, then attempted to muscle him out of the chair until Daylen finally interjected. “Let him stay,” then to Ralph, “if he promises to mind his manners.”

  “Fine,” Kanyon finally agreed as if she had a choice, but made sure she eyed Ralph with a great deal of disapproval.

  When they were all settled, Daylen took the lead on briefing Blue and Theo on the case and advising them of their needed assignments. Both agreed. Theo with wide-eyed excitement, Blue with an “if I have to” unimpressed sneer.

  As the last of the dishes were put into the dishwasher, Daylen said, “We should probably go. We all have an early day tomorrow.”

  “I’ll walk you guys out,” Kanyon offered, following them as they both headed toward the front door.

  “I’ll catch up. I want to say bye to Ralph,” Theo stated when Daylen stepped outside.

  “I’m sure he’s in the living room on the couch.” Kanyon gave a head nod.

  “So, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow,” Daylen offered.

  “Tomorrow. Right.” Kanyon stepped out on the porch to stand with Daylen.

  “Things went well tonight, don’t you think?” Daylen asked, anxious now that they were alone.

  “Yeah. You and Blue good? You seemed a little shaken when you came back in.”

  “I think so. She needed to get her two cents in about me pushing you away.” Daylen smiled.

  “Sorry about that.”

  Daylen waved off her apology. “It’s fine. All deserved and I think we’re through it. Sounds like she’s doing well and she’s quite the Kanyon fan these days.”

  Kanyon shrugged. “Give a girl free cable ...”

  “Ahhh, so that’s your secret to winning hearts, HBO and Showtime.”

  “Depends on the heart,” Kanyon said, taking a step forward.

  Daylen swallowed hard. “Right, I–” Kanyon slid a hand along her jaw, cupping the back of her neck.

  They stood there for a long moment, Kanyon tracing Daylen’s jaw with a seductive thumb. “Now that we’re doing the Guardian Seeker thing again, I want … need,” she corrected, “you to trust me. No matter the situation, no matter what happens between us,” Kanyon whispered. “No matter what happens between us,” she repeated. “I need you to trust me. Trust this.”

  “I do trust you,” Daylen whispered.

  “Good.” Kanyon smiled as she raised her other hand to cup Daylen’s face. “Because I’m going to kiss you now.”

  The heat that had been smoldering in Daylen’s core broke free and consumed her body. Though the kiss was soft and sweet, a simple touching of the lips, it was the look burning in Kanyon’s eyes that RSVP’d there was so much more to come.

  Kanyon stepped back as she heard Theo’s footsteps thundering toward them. “You better put your hands in your pockets,” Kanyon warned with a smirk.

  Confused, Daylen glanced down and found light blue sparks popping and cracking at her fingertips.

  “Kind of a cool trick to figure out if a girl is into you or not,” Kanyon smiled, lifting her own fingers and waving them to make the flames dance with the motion.

  “You–” Daylen narrowed her eyes at Kanyon’s cocky grin. “That was cheating,” Daylen said with no real heat in her voice as she shoved her hands in her pockets.

  “Thanks for dinner and letting us all come over,” Theo offered, bouncing out onto the porch. “I’m totally stoked about our secret mission tomorrow.”

  “I’m totally stoked too, buddy.” Kanyon patted Theo on the shoulder, trying not to stare at his hair, which was slicked up in a dog-slobbered cowlick.

  “I think Ralph likes me,” Theo said with another wide grin as he hitched his overstuffed geekbag back up on his shoulder.

  “I’m sure he does,” Kanyon answered.

  “Cool.” Theo turned to Daylen. “Umm, so Daylen, do you mind if Kanyon and I have a little private downlo’?”

  “No. You two have at it. I’ll just be in the car.” Daylen hitched a thumb over her shoulder. “Kanyon, thank you for tonight.”

  Kanyon gave her a wink. “Tonight was fun. We’ll have to do it again soon.”

  Daylen smiled. “Absolutely.”

  They both watched Daylen’s retreating form. When she opened her car door, Theo spun back to Kanyon. “Okay, cool. So, I just wanted you to know that I’ve been practicing a lot. I mean, I knew you’d come back at some point so I wanted to keep honing my spy skills.”

  “Nice.”

  “You know, just in case you gave me another assignment. I mean, I did good, right?”

  “Yeah, Theo. You did.” Kanyon gave him a genuine smile. “A very good job.”

  Theo beamed with pride. “I mean, I protected her just like you told me. I really did my best and it was kind of fun and all but … Ah,” he looked down at his shuffling feet. “I’m thinking I like the role of the techie, smart guy better. I just don’t think I’m cut out to be the superhero.”

  Kanyon squeezed her hand on his shoulder. “Theo, you did a great job. I appreciate you sticking with her and protecting her for me. And don’t worry, I’m back and I’m not going anywhere again, so you can officially have the techie, smart guy role.”

  Theo’s eyes lit up and a wide smile broke across his face. “You think we can get our own action figures?”

  Kanyon lifted a brow. “I already have my own action figures.”

  “Oh, right.” He thought for a second. “How about we get our own special weapons?”

  “Aren’t you banned from special weapons?” When his face dropped, then lit again, she quickly interrupted, “No outfits either.” When his face fell again, completely dejected, she couldn’t help but give him a little something. “How about this, we’ll figure out some kind of secret special superpower each one of us can have?” She pretended to think. “Like, I don’t know, what if I could do something like um … get flames to spark from my fingertips?” she asked as she placed her hand behind her back and willed her fingers to ignite.

  “Flames?” He wrinkled his nose. “Yeah, I don’t know, that’s kind of lame. Kind of a been-there-done-that power. Plus, I always thought it was a little too unrealistic.”

  “I guess you’re right. Totally unrealistic.” She smiled as she extinguished the flames. “Maybe you should go home and think about it.”

  “Okay. Cool.” He took a few steps and spun. “What if you could read people’s minds? Like their emotions? Tell if someone was bad or good? Like,” he waved a hand out in front of him, “Kanyon, the Super Human Lie Detector.”

  Kanyon wrinkled her nose this time. “Lame.”

  Theo crunched his forehead in thought. “Yeah, totally lame. I mean, who’d want a sucky power like that?”

  “Can’t think of a single person.” Kanyon shrugged.

  “Plus, you probably need something more ass-kicky.”

  “Yeah, ass-kicky is more my thing.” She gave him an amused grin. “You think about it and we’ll reconvene later.”

/>   “Okay. See ya tomorrow.” He gave her a quick wave and took off.

  “He is adorable,” Isadora said from behind Kanyon.

  “He’s something alright. But seriously?” Kanyon lifted her hand and flames shot from her fingertips. “This is not lame.”

  “You are getting quite good at that,” Isadora commented as she waved a palm through Kanyon’s flames.

  “Yeah. Funny how Daylen’s back and all of a sudden I’m a matchstick again.”

  “Funny? No. The power never left you. But yes, Daylen’s return seems to be helping in several ways.”

  Kanyon had the perfect eye roll prepared but Ralph came around the corner and Isadora dropped to her knees to greet him. Ralph ran into her arms, nearly knocking her over.

  “I take it you two know each other?”

  “We are old acquaintances, yes.” Isadora nuzzled into Ralph’s fur.

  “Why does that not surprise me? I have an early call, so if you want to talk you’ll need to do so in the form of a bedtime story.” Kanyon headed up the stairs.

  “I was more thinking that you would have a story for me?”

  “You a reporter for the Supernatural Times?” Kanyon asked.

  “I was a sort of herald and scribe in my time, yes.” She pretended to think. “I had not thought about taking it up again but ...”

  Though Isadora’s comment had been playful, it hit Kanyon suddenly that she’d never asked more about Isadora. She had no idea where she had come from or when she’d lived and when she’d died. She didn’t even know if she had lived or died? She could have always just been a supernatural intruder. “You were?”

  “Yes. Did you think me something different?”

  “No. I guess I’ve never thought about it.” Kanyon’s admission making her feel shallow and self-centered she quickly added, “I’m sorry.”

  “Sorry? Whatever for?”