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

by K. B. Draper

  “Slow Netflix night. And now that you spoiler alerted it for me, I’m down to one of those freaking lame vampire movies for some action.”

  Daylen glanced at Blue with suspicion. “I’ve also never known you to be all … wound up.”

  “I’m not usually! I think it’s that geek Love Potion #9 crap you and Kanyon set me up for. I’m all weirded out. I woke up at four-thirty all freaking horny toad. That’s why I started making guinanhas and watching late night television.”

  “Ahh,” Daylen answered as if what Blue said made perfect sense. “I’m sure it’ll wear off. I’m going to take a quick shower and then I’ll make you breakfast to make up for all your pain and suffering.”

  “Loch Ness monster pancakes?” Blue asked.

  “Sure.”

  An hour later, Daylen walked into the kitchen, her hair still damp from the most amazing and satisfying shower ever. She smiled when she saw Kanyon and Blue sitting at the kitchen island with plates, forks, butter, and syrup already in front of them.

  “I heard we’re having monster pancakes,” Kanyon stated, a playful light in her eyes.

  Daylen laughed. “I’m taking requests.”

  “Bigfoot,” Kanyon replied quickly. “And I’m starving, so you can just make the feet. Couple of size thirteens, please.”

  “Loch Ness and feet, coming up.”

  Kanyon had already taken down most of the ingredients, bowls, and utensils she’d need, so Daylen had pancakes on Kanyon’s indoor grill in a matter of minutes.

  They all glanced at the doorway as they heard Ralph and Theo come tromping toward the kitchen.

  “Making monster pancakes. You have a request?” Daylen asked Theo.

  Theo moved to the end of the island to see the Lock Ness monster and two large feet sizzling on the grill. “Jabba the Hut. I’m starving.”

  “Ralph,” Daylen thought for a minute, “how about Cujo?”

  Ralph barked.

  Daylen flipped an extra-large foot shaped pancake onto Kanyon’s plate. “Theo, why don’t you grab you and Ralph plates.”

  “Sure.” He walked around the edge of the island. “Hey, this is the cologne that Jeremy had. It smelled good and women seemed to really dig it.”

  “NO!” Kanyon and Daylen yelled. But it was too late. He’d already picked it up and sprayed himself before either one could make a leaping grab for it.

  Blue gently laid down her fork and knife. “This is going to totally blow,” Blue mumbled before she leapt for Theo.

  “Kanyon, get her off him,” Daylen ordered.

  “But my pancakes will get cold,” Kanyon whined.

  “Want more?”

  “Awww, fine.” Kanyon crammed a big toe into her mouth before dropping her fork to rescue Theo, who stood like a frightened popsicle, as Blue proceeded to lick his face.

  Kanyon plucked Blue off Theo by the back of her jeans.

  “I love him,” Blue protested.

  Kanyon spun her around and gave her pant leg to Ralph. “Hold her.” Ralph clamped down and held on to the squirming, love-struck Blue.

  Kanyon then picked up the still-in-shock Theo, tossed him over her shoulder, and hauled him into the backyard. She dropped him next to the pool. “Boxers or briefs?”

  “What?”

  “Boxers or briefs?” Kanyon asked again.

  “Briefs,” Theo answered.

  “Too bad, wrong answer.” Kanyon pushed him into the pool. He surfaced splashing and gasping. “Take a few laps. When you’re done, towels are over there. Dry off, then you can come back in and have pancakes.”

  “But … what … I mean, why?” He sputtered.

  “You’re just too hot for the kitchen. You need to cool off.”

  “Oh, okay,” he replied as if that was a logical explanation, one that happened to him all the time.

  Kanyon saw one of Blue’s creatures making a beeline for him. She smiled. “See ya inside.” Her smile widened when she heard his high-pitched squeal and the frantic splashing.

  Daylen put two more feet on Kanyon’s pile of pancakes. “You forgot to mention the little furry guests in the pool, didn’t you?”

  “Totally slipped my mind.”

  “Thought it might.” Daylen looked over at Blue. “Blue, what do you think of Theo?”

  “That freaking dork better–”

  Daylen spoke over her little tirade. “Ralph, you can let her go now.” She sat a plate of Nessies in front of Blue and a pile of dog-shaped pancakes on the floor for Ralph. “Good boy.” She gave him a pat on the head. She left a plate for Theo in the microwave and slid her own plate next to Kanyon’s, picking up the silver bottle as she came around the counter to sit.

  Kanyon moaned. “I totally have a foot fetish now,” she said over a mouthful of pancake.

  The back door swung open and all three women shot varying ranges of surprised looks over their shoulders.

  Theo stood panting in the door, a towel wrapped low on his naked hips, showing off a lean torso and smooth chest with a well-defined set of pecs and abs. “They ate my clothes!” He pointed out the door. “Hairy balls of biting fur are in your pool and they ate my clothes.”

  Kanyon leaned toward Blue’s gasp of surprise. “Never underestimate the power of Wii-ercise.”

  When no one jumped in horror, Theo stomped a wet foot, causing him to nearly loose his balance and his towel. “Did you hear me? You have clothes-eating, mutant piranha rats in your pool,” he rushed to say as he tightened his grip on the towel.

  “Yeah, you can thank bug-eyes here for those,” Kanyon quipped then returned to her pancakes.

  Daylen leaned forward to see Blue open-mouthed and staring at a near naked Theo. “Kanyon, you might want to put a hand on her.”

  “Yeah, that’s all o-da’ natural lust going on now.”

  Daylen watched Blue for another second, glancing between her and Theo. She chuckled when Blue’s jaw dropped another half inch when Theo ran a hand through his wet mop of hair.

  Theo smiled widely, setting off the power of his two big dimples. “Blue, you made those,” he pointed out to the pool again, “those evil, underwear eating whatevers?”

  Blue shrugged a bashful shoulder.

  “They’re freaking cool. Well, besides them eating my shorts, but otherwise they’re totally badass.”

  When Blue didn’t respond, Kanyon reached back to snap two fingers in front of her face. Blue blinked. “Thanks,” Blue muttered.

  “There are sweats and T-shirts in the closet of the room you stayed in,” Kanyon offered.

  Theo wrapped his towel tighter. “Cool. Thanks!”

  Dressed and back in the kitchen, Theo took a few bites into Jabba then finally asked, “So who’s going to tell me what’s really going on here?”

  Kanyon picked up her empty plate and walked around the island to face him. “You’ll need to take the secret oath of …” she glanced around for inspiration, finding it on the stove, “pyrex-a-eatess.”

  “Pyrex-a-eatess?” Theo asked.

  “Yep, goes way back. It’s Greek or something, means death for the repeater.” Daylen and Blue both covered a chuckle.

  Kanyon leaned in close to Theo, a grave look on her face. “But before the oath, there are a series of tests and challenges. They will test your mind and body. Push you to the limits of your abilities and your sanity. You think you have what it takes, Theo?” She gave him a narrow-eyed stare.

  “Well, yeah. I mean Blue passed, right?” He asked nervously.

  “What the heck is that supposed to mean?” Blue barked. “If I passed? You’re the one that was freaking screaming over some little balls of fur.”

  “Balls of fur that have teeth!” He lifted his shirt to expose his torso and the little red scratches.

  Blue quickly spun away from Theo’s exposed stomach. “Wimp,” she mumbled.

  “It doesn’t matter who has passed or failed before you. This journey is your own.” Kanyon started again. “Stronger men have failed;
weaker men have prospered.”

  “I’m– I … if it means I can be with you guys,” he swallowed hard, “then I’m, I’m ready. Let’s do it.” He straightened his backbone.

  Kanyon nodded once. “Good.” She walked around the island, placed a hand on his shoulder, slapped a dishtowel across his chest, then pointed to the sink. “You got dish duty. Daylen, want to fill him in on the whole deal? I just need to check in on the set before we go find Ruby.”

  Daylen laughed. “Deal,” Daylen replied, picking up her plate.

  “I can’t believe you guys are for real, real superheroes.” Theo was still mumbling in the backseat of Kanyon’s car forty minutes later. “I mean, I can believe it, ‘cause well you’re you, but still.”

  “Not superheroes, Theo,” Kanyon replied for the hundredth time.

  Theo leaned forward between the seats. “You keep saying that, but your job is to find things that have powers that can be used for evil against innocent people. I’m pretty sure that’s the definition of superhero.”

  Kanyon gave Daylen a help me out here look. Daylen shrugged an ain’t getting any help here shoulder. “We don’t have capes,” Kanyon tried.

  “Wonder Woman doesn’t have a cape. Iron Man doesn’t have a cape. Aquaman doesn’t have a cape. Spiderman doesn’t have a cape. Wolverine doesn’t–”

  “Okay. Okay.” Kanyon held up a hand. “We don’t wear costumes.”

  “Yeah, I’ve already been thinking about that–”

  “I’m allergic to spandex,” Kanyon cut him off before he could finish.

  “That’s cool. Iron Man’s costume is made of a super-powered exoskeleton that–”

  “Theo, seriously, I’m not doing a unitard, cape or no cape, or an exo-skelo anything. Those guys in comic books are not real. Us,” she pointed back and forth between her and Daylen, “real. Get it?”

  Theo leaned back and sulked, arms across his chest.

  Daylen slapped the back of her hand across Kanyon’s arm.

  “What?” Kanyon furrowed a brow.

  “You don’t have to crush the guy,” Daylen whispered.

  “Seriously?” Kanyon rolled her eyes.

  “I’m just saying.”

  “Real-life superheroes? Costumes?” She thought of the sketch Blue had done of Daylen in the skin tight, cleavage sharing … “You’re right.” She picked up her phone. “I’m going to call Blue and have her start on that purple and yellow number.”

  “You’re going to let Smurfette-gone-wild design your costumes? That blows!”

  Kanyon flicked a quick glance back at Theo. “Fine. How about you design the weapons?” Daylen smacked her arm again.

  Theo shot forward. “This is going to be so cool. Do you want to do matching weapons like Batman and Robin? Oh, wait, no. How about–”

  Daylen held up a hand. “Theo, don’t we need superhero names first? Wouldn’t that help with the theme? Let’s start with Kanyon. I was thinking something with evil in it?”

  “Evil is kind of a villain’s name and the bad guy in Austin Powers,” Theo sighed.

  “Evilen. Eviltower,” Daylen offered.

  “I’m starting to sense a theme here,” Kanyon gave Daylen another quick look as they pulled into the drive of Ruby’s house that doubled as their office.

  Daylen gave her an innocent shrug.

  “Still a little villain-like,” Theo offered seriously.

  “Ms. Evilsilkenhosen?”

  Theo tsked. “Nah.”

  “Sunny-side up Evileggon?”

  “Ahh, Daylen. I don’t want to be the one to say this, but you kind of suck at making up superhero names. Maybe you should leave it up to me. I mean, I am an expert in all things superhero.”

  Kanyon parked next to Ruby’s car. “Yeah, maybe you should leave the superhero naming to Theo.” Kanyon winked.

  Theo reached over Ralph to open the door. “I have a superhero naming program on my computer. This is going to be awesome.”

  “Take Ralph with you,” Kanyon yelled out the window after him. When Theo and Ralph made it in the house, Kanyon spun in her seat. “Evileggon?”

  “Best I can do on one cup of coffee.”

  “So,” Kanyon nodded toward Ruby’s car, “her car is here. You ready to do this?”

  Daylen glanced at her aunt’s vehicle. “It was here the other night too. But,” she cocked her head, “something’s different.” She got out of the car and stared up at the house.

  Kanyon got out and stood beside her, looking at the house then back at Daylen. “Daylen?”

  “She’s here. I can feel her.” She closed her eyes. “Guilt,” she mumbled. She reopened her eyes when she felt Kanyon’s hand take hers.

  “You okay?”

  “Yeah.” Daylen blinked, then looked back toward the upstairs window. “So much guilt,” she stated with confusion in her voice. “I’ve never been able to feel her before, unless she intentionally lowered her shields while we were training. Something’s wrong.”

  Daylen started for the door. Kanyon caught her. “Wait.” Daylen started to protest. “Just wait for one second. You’re feeling guilt. Not fear or pain. She’s okay. Just take a moment to protect yourself. We don’t know what’ll happen if you get overwhelmed by another Seeker, there could be a nuclear reaction or something.”

  She took a deep breath. “You’re right. I …” She met the calm, deep blue of Kanyon’s eyes. She took another deep breath and let out a weak chuckle. “Nuclear reaction?”

  “Hey, you never know. Shields?”

  Daylen nodded. “They’re up.”

  “You’re sure you want to do this?”

  Daylen laid a hand over Kanyon’s. “This is a we choice. Are you ready for this? We don’t know what she’s going to say. Something is obviously bothering her. Maybe it’s something serious?”

  “More serious than you reading people’s voodoo vibes? Or that I can light a menorah with a wave of my hand? More serious than some dude who throws blue exploding energy balls taking a shining to us, or–”

  “Point taken.”

  “Whatever it is, we can handle it. We will handle it,” Kanyon reassured.

  “Alrighty then. Let’s go seek out some answers. And give her the big news?” Daylen lifted their linked hands.

  Kanyon quirked the side of her mouth before her voice dropped to a comforting whisper. “Yeah, I want her to know. I want everyone to know.”

  Daylen’s entire body reacted to Kanyon’s words. Her heart sped up as she gazed into strong, dark blue eyes. “Me too. Sooo … I guess we better do this then, Ms. Doomsday Evilhopen.”

  Kanyon laughed. “Evilhopen? Seriously, that’s pathetic.”

  “Like you could do better?” Daylen asked, leading Kanyon toward the back porch.

  “Totally. I’m thinking Superflame and her sidekick Jujubrain.”

  Daylen shoulder-checked Kanyon at the stairs. “Whatever. Superbrain and her sidekick Bunsen Burner.”

  “Bunsen Burner! Megatorch and her sidekick Whatchathinkin’.”

  “Fantastic-o Mind and her sidekick Tiki Torch,” Daylen countered.

  Kanyon chuckled. “Fantastic-o Mind?”

  “Still on one cup of coffee.”

  Kanyon playfully pushed Daylen up the rest of the stairs and into the house. “You know, we could also find out that we have even more badass powers.”

  Daylen glanced over her shoulder. “Why do I get the sneaking suspicion you’ve already thought about this?”

  “Duh. X-ray vision. Super speed. Super parking spot location powers.”

  “You valet your car everywhere you go.”

  “Because I don’t have super parking spot location powers.” Kanyon said, holding the door open for Daylen. “Holy crap!” Kanyon grabbed Daylen’s arm, stopping her. “I can’t believe I haven’t thought of this before!”

  “What?” Daylen asked half concerned, half suspicious.

  “I need a superhero car. Like James Bond!”

  �
��You already have a James Bond car.”

  “The,” Kanyon corrected.

  “The?” Daylen asked, moving into the kitchen.

  “The James Bond car,” Kanyon clarified.

  Daylen shook her head. “The James Bond car. Hate to break it to you but James Bond is a spy not a superhero.”

  Kanyon’s eyes went wide. “Ohhhh, I should go for Batman.”

  Daylen shook her head. “You do not need Batman’s car,” Daylen advised, starting up the stairs to her aunt’s office.

  “You’re right. I don’t need Batman’s car.” Kanyon shrugged and gave a little laugh as she followed Daylen up the stairs. “I mean, having Batman’s car would be ridiculous.”

  “Completely ridiculous,” Daylen agreed. She took two steps. “You’re Googling who owns the Batman car, aren’t you?” she asked, not turning around.

  “Duh.”

  They walked into Ruby’s office, which was empty. Kanyon put her phone in her pocket and began to walk the room. “You think she’s upstairs?”

  “I don’t know,” Daylen walked over to her aunt’s desk and shuffled a few pages. “I’m going to lower my shields.”

  Kanyon stopped along the wall of books. “You sure that’s a good idea?”

  “Not particularly, but I think I can lower them slowly to see if I can get some kind of read. It could tell me if she’s close or not.”

  “Just be ready to throw them back up.”

  Daylen nodded then took in a deep breath, letting it out slowly. Kanyon automatically took a step toward her. Daylen’s eyes immediately became heavy and she swayed under the emotions. Kanyon rushed forward and caught her, though Daylen had already slammed her senses shut. “I’m okay. She’s here. Right here.”

  Kanyon went back to the wall of books, stepped closer, and scanned the rows of titles. She’d always thought there was something off about the room, and more than once she’d seen Ruby standing in front of … She grinned.

  “What are you doing?” Daylen came to stand next to her.

  Kanyon pulled on the spine of the book.

  “Why did you–” They both retreated as the bookshelf clicked, moaned, then slid backward and into a hidden opening in the wall, exposing a doorway. Kanyon started forward but was met by a duck-walking Ruby.