The Wanderer's Children

by L. G. O'Connor

  “The one and only,” Sienna said smugly.

  Cara stared wide-eyed. “How’d you get these?”

  Sienna humphed at her. “Child’s play. I called in a favor from a friend of mine at Calvin Klein. The campaign is almost five years old, so it took him some time to get his hands on the file.”

  Cara shook her head and smiled. “Our little Michael.”

  Sure, Michael was one of the best-looking men she’d ever seen, but it wasn’t until the day in Connecticut when Sienna had outed him as a former Calvin Klein underwear model that Cara had learned about his former career.

  Back then, Sienna and Michael had been like oil and water, needling each other every chance they’d gotten. So it wasn’t a complete surprise when Sienna pounced on Michael’s embarrassment and called his manhood into question. Cara had never seen Michael that mad or mortified before or after that day. Warm, kind, and always in control, Michael typically had the most impeccable manners of anyone in the room—next to Simon.

  “I don’t know if I’d call him ours. Yours, maybe. And, he’s definitely not so little,” Sienna said, placing her finger directly on his crotch in one of the 9" x 12"s.

  Cara sized her up. “Come on, Senny, admit it. I saw you two together before we left San Francisco. You really like him, don’t you?” By the time they’d all returned from San Francisco, things had changed between Michael and Sienna for the better, or so Cara had assumed. But Sienna wasn’t talking.

  Sienna turned red, opened her salad, and picked up her fork.

  Cara frowned at her. “Come on. Why won’t you tell me what happened? It’s so unlike you to keep this to yourself—for so long!”

  Sienna just shrugged.

  “Senny, pleeeeeaaaaassssse tell me,” Cara begged.

  Sienna let out a breath. “He kissed me,” she muttered and put a forkful of salad in her mouth.

  Cara’s eyes widened. “What! Really? I can’t believe you’ve been holding out on me!” Maybe she’d been right about them after all…

  Giving her a dirty look, Sienna said, “That’s why I didn’t tell you. I didn’t want you to make a big deal out of it.”

  Catching the undercurrent, Cara decided to tread carefully and asked softly, “Did this happen in San Francisco?”

  Sienna nodded.

  Uh-oh. “Have you spoken to him since?”

  Sienna shook her head, and Cara could see her friend’s eyes glisten.

  Cara’s heart deflated. “I’m sorry, sweetie. What can I do to help?”

  Sienna brushed an escaping tear from her eye. “Nothing, I’m fine. He just promised we would talk about it, but there hasn’t been any opportunity since then. Like I said, it’s no big deal.”

  “Senny, if it wasn’t a big deal, it wouldn’t have made you cry,” Cara said gently. “You’ll see him at the party Saturday night. You should talk to him then…”

  Damn. Cara hated when crap like this happened. Sienna and Michael were two of her closest friends, and having friction between them was not good for any of them. In her heart, she believed they would make a fabulous couple. Granted, she knew Michael was not in the market for a girlfriend and, truth be told, Sienna was still recovering from her breakup with her boyfriend, Mark, whom she’d dated for four years.

  Rather than giving Sienna the engagement she had hoped for, Mark broke up with her to get engaged to someone else. Cara had never liked him. On the surface, he’d treated Sienna well enough, but Cara always suspected he’d cheated on her behind her back. For all Sienna’s bravado and tough exterior, she was really a marshmallow inside and deserved much better than what she’d been given.

  Sienna nodded. “I know.” She gave Cara a wan smile. “I guess I do like him… a little.”

  Cara gazed into Sienna’s eyes. “I love you both, but he’s an idiot if he can’t see what’s right in front of him.”

  Sienna shrugged and her mouth tugged up into a half-smile. “It was a good kiss…”

  Cara touched Sienna’s arm. “How about you show me some dresses? We’ll worry about Michael later.”

  Sienna nodded and picked up her sketch pad. They looked at designs while they finished their lunch. Sienna had come up with six incredible designs, three for the wedding dress and three for the bridesmaid dresses. Cara liked them all.

  Cara pointed to one in particular for herself. “If I have to choose, I like the one that covers my shoulders. Anything you can do to conceal my new Amazonian proportions from my family would be greatly appreciated.”

  There was a brief knock at the door before it swung open. A colorful man in his mid-30s sashayed in through the doorway.

  “Sienna, mia cara—” he said in a thick Italian accent, but stopped when he noticed Sienna wasn’t alone. “Please forgive me. I didn’t know you were in a meeting.”

  Sienna stood and smiled. “Nico, this is my friend and our client, Cara Collins.”

  Cara stood and extended her hand. “I’m very happy to meet you.”

  Nico beamed at her, taking her hand and kissing the top, rather than shaking it. “Cara is a lovely name. En Italiano, it means ‘dear.’ I’m so sorry to interrupt, but we are having a piccolo problema downstairs,” he said, holding his thumb and forefinger about an inch apart.

  “I’ll be there in five minutes?” Sienna stated more than asked.

  “Yes, of course, mia cara.”

  Nico turned to leave when he spotted the pictures of Michael still spread out on the conference table. He picked up the nearest photo. “Who is this juicy morsel?” he asked with a salacious look in his eye. “Is he one of our models?”

  “He’s a friend of ours,” Sienna said tightly, carefully removing the picture from Nico’s hand and gathering the rest to put back inside the manila envelope. Cara recognized the territorial tone of her voice.

  Nico threw up his arms. “I meant no harm,” he said and then narrowed his eyes. “Ah, he is your boyfriend, no?”

  A blush spread along Sienna’s cheeks. “He’s not my boyfriend, just a friend. A straight friend,” she emphasized, raking him with a glare.

  “Okay, okay. I’ll see you in five minutes, yes?”

  “Yes.”

  Nico left with the same flourish he’d entered the room with, closing the door behind him.

  Sienna sat with her head in her hands.

  “Senny, I should go. But I want to make sure you’re all right first,” Cara said, concerned.

  “Yeah. I’ll be fine.” Sienna sighed. “You’re right. I need to talk to Michael this weekend. I need to know if there’s anything there.”

  Cara got up and wrapped her arms around Sienna’s fragile shoulders. “Everything will work out exactly as it’s supposed to,” she said. Using her gift to soothe emotions, she pushed a loving energy into Sienna.

  “Thanks, I feel better already,” Sienna said with a puzzled look on her face. Then she squinted. “You did that thing again, like you did in Connecticut, didn’t you?”

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Cara said innocently and shrugged. “What time are you coming to the penthouse on Saturday morning? I want to text the girls.”

  The “girls” were all her bridesmaids: Jessa, Irene, and Cara’s sisters Emma, Courtney, and Camille. They were scheduled to meet to review the designs and to have their measurements taken followed by lunch and a spa afternoon.

  “Can we say eleven? That should give us the time we need to get everything done before we leave for the spa.” Sienna opened the door to her office. “I’ll walk you out. I need to get downstairs before Nico has a meltdown.”

  When they arrived at the elevator, Cara turned and gave Sienna another hug. “See you on Saturday morning, and I’ll say a little prayer that Michael, aka ‘the juicy morsel,’ ” she said air-quoting with her fingers, “snaps to his senses.”

  Sienna chuckled. “Speaking of Michael, tell him he needs to help you pick out some new clothes,” she said, giving her hand a squeeze.

  “Ha! He’s
been too busy. I had to replace him.” Since their one big trip to Barney’s in March, Michael hadn’t found time for another excursion.

  Cara left Sienna’s building and headed uptown to pick up Chloe and her SUV for her drive to Connecticut. Luckily, she wouldn’t see Michael until tomorrow. She’d have trouble keeping a straight face after seeing those campaign pictures. Sienna was right: he looked well endowed. She hoped he wouldn’t let it go to waste, and would use it for good…

  “Like making Sienna scream with pleasure,” she mumbled, before she realized that she’d spoken out loud.

  Chapter 9

  KAI

  San Francisco. Thursday, May 23, 12:00 NOON PT

  KAI JERKED AWAKE, the leather desk chair groaning underneath him. He sat up and yawned. Bleary-eyed, he passed a hand over his face, and then glanced at his watch. Noon. He released a brief sigh of relief; he still had some time to gather himself together.

  Cara’s file lay open on his desk. He’d spent some time reviewing it after they’d hung up and he’d discovered Melanie sleeping peacefully upstairs. Rather than waking her, he’d pushed her admission at Sequoia Park Hospital, an Angelorum-affiliated facility, to two o’clock.

  The night before had been hell. Neither of them had gotten much sleep. Melanie spent most of the night, shrieking and crying about the voices in her head as he’d held and comforted her. Thankfully, he had the foresight to send Sara and her Guardian Ishmael next door to stay the night, anticipating where the situation could lead.

  Too bad his impromptu nap did little to ease the dull ache behind his eyebrows.

  The leather chair squeaked as he leaned back and shut his eyes. Competing emotions played tug-o’-war inside of him as he tried to figure out how he should feel and what he should do. He loved her, and it killed him to dump her—even temporarily—into some institution. He rubbed his temples, trying to wake up and dispel his stress.

  Looking back, he could see the exact moment when the shit had quietly hit the fan. The downward spiral had started when he’d discovered the secret project he’d been working on for Forrester Research Labs wasn’t what it appeared. It had taken him almost twelve months to put all the pieces together and take action. Hours after finding the missing piece, he and Sara had been kidnapped. Nothing’s been the same since.

  An earsplitting scream tore through the air.

  Melanie. Kai’s eyelids shot open. His heart pounding, he bolted from his chair.

  Ten strong fingers bit into his shoulders from behind as he passed over the threshold into the hallway. “Wait!” Luke said through their telepathic link. “Let me go first.”

  The scream ended, followed by silence.

  Kai’s skin erupted in gooseflesh.

  Blade drawn, Kai’s Guardian stepped around him and raced for the stairs. Kai followed behind the hulking black-clothed figure. His lungs constricted with fear, taking the carpeted stairs two at a time.

  Luke stopped outside of the open bedroom door and held up his hand.

  “Wait here,” he said telepathically then cloaked and promptly disappeared. Luke’s deep voice sounded from inside, “Kai!”

  Kai raced through the doorway to find Luke crouched over a motionless Melanie, the blade no longer in his hand. Fresh from a shower and still wearing her white robe, Melanie lay crumpled on the rug outside the bathroom door, her blue eyes wide with fright and her lips moving in silent conversation.

  “Melanie!” Kai dropped to his knees next to them and brushed back a wet piece of blonde hair from her face. “Baby, can you hear me?”

  She stared through him with vacant eyes, her lips moving.

  Desperation crept into his voice. “Mel, sweetie, can you hear me?” He clenched his fist in frustration, overcome with helplessness. He glanced at Luke crouched next to him. “Have any ideas?”

  Luke’s dark eyes held empathy. He shook his head and let out a heavy sigh. “I wish I did, my friend.”

  Kai scrubbed his hand over his face and took a deep breath.

  “Do you want me to carry her over to your bed?” Luke asked softly as he stood up.

  Shaking his head, Kai gave him a weak smile. “Thanks. I’ll take her.” He appreciated the offer, but if he allowed Luke to do that for him, it would snap something inside of him. He’d feel like an even worse husband than he already did.

  Guilt chewed at his gut daily since he’d found out about Melanie’s demon possession and her unknowing hand in his kidnapping. Logically, he knew it wasn’t her fault. She had no knowledge of what had happened while she was possessed. Yet, he couldn’t help feeling betrayed. He and Sara could’ve been killed. He hated himself for feeling this way… for blaming her.

  Kai scooped Melanie’s petite frame up into his arms and carried her to the bed. He laid her down and secured her robe more tightly around her, not knowing what else to do.

  “Step back!” Luke shoved him roughly away from the bed. “Do you hear that?”

  “Hear what?” Hairs bristled on the backs of Kai’s arms.

  “Listen,” Luke hissed, snapping the hilt of one of the blades from his belt. It blazed to life in his hand.

  Kai listened while his eyes darted around the room trying to locate the source of the sound. Low murmurs at the threshold of Kai’s hearing. Whispers and overlapping voices, quiet, building into sharp static. Demonic whispers.

  A chill rippled down his spine and a familiar dull throbbing started at the base of his skull.

  Melanie sprang up from the bed, only the whites of her eyes visible. Her hair rose around her head, free-floating. Her mouth moved and demonic sounds filled the air.

  Holy hell. Kai’s eye widened in horror, and he froze in back of Luke. “Help her!”

  “I can’t use this blade, it’ll kill her,” he said. “Stay back!” Luke seized her by the neck and spun her into his chest. She went limp and quiet in his arms. The hellish whispers continued around them.

  His head jerked around to look at Kai.

  “Shit, she’s marked. Look.” Luke gave him a hard stare, his jaw tense. The skin on the back of her neck pulsed, and the shape of rune—a sigil—rose in angry red lines. “Go to Ishmael next door, stay with him and Sara.”

  “But—”

  “Go, now! They’re going to use her as a portal. Now go!”

  The pain in Kai’s head intensified as a black, inky haze rose out of the sigil on the back of Melanie’s neck, forming a dark cloud.

  Kai was no match for a demon; only Nephilim, like Luke, could handle the weapons necessary to destroy them.

  He looked between Melanie and Luke and his heart squeezed. How could he leave her?

  Luke glared at Kai. “I’ve got this, go to Sara. Run!”

  Black demon haze filled the room.

  Grasping the sides of his head, Kai did the only thing he could do… he ran to find his daughter.

  Chapter 10

  CARA

  Greenwich, Connecticut. Thursday, May 23, 3:00 PM ET

  AS CARA LEFT THE HIGHWAY, she lowered the back window for her canine companion to hang her head out. Chloe sniffed the air eagerly, her eyes partially closed and her ears pinned back in the sharp breeze.

  Ten minutes later, Cara spotted her landmark—the sign with the three house numbers. She slowed and turned the Land Rover onto the private lane which led to her farmhouse on the left. Another estate lay straight ahead with a third off to the right.

  As she drove up, the majestic gray shingled house with the wraparound porch came into view from behind the trees. Over twenty varieties of summer perennials were in full bloom surrounding the huge flagpole in the center of the circular drive, providing a colorful welcome.

  This really is the perfect venue for an outdoor wedding, Cara thought with a smile.

  She pulled into the circle and parked. Checking her watch, she had over an hour before the wedding planner arrived for the site walk-through. During the drive, Cara had received a text from her, apologizing profusely for the last-minute change
to their appointment.

  Glad for the extra time, Cara grabbed Chloe’s leash from the passenger seat and stepped out into the warm sunshine. With a quick tug, she opened the back door and Chloe leaped out, heading to the nearest patch of grass.

  Her business complete, Chloe raised her ears and twisted in a fast circle before returning to Cara’s side when Cara uttered the magic word: “Walk?”

  No sooner was the lead clipped to Chloe’s collar than she was off, tugging Cara down the driveway to the private road. Her ears were snug against her head so they touched as she broke into a brisk trot. Rather than stopping to sniff and meander like she usually did, Chloe led Cara with purpose toward the property up the lane.

  “Come on, Chloe. Slow down, will ya?” Cara frowned with her arm extended straight out in front of her. Passing a honeysuckle bush so quickly it was almost a blur, the sweet smell wafted after her. Only a couple of months ago, the fragrance would’ve set off a chain reaction of uncontrolled sneezes and watery tear ducts. Not anymore, thanks to her new Nephilim DNA. After a lifetime of allergies to almost every floral variety, she could now breathe their heady scents with pleasure.

  The top of the large colonial estate with Roman columns loomed closer over the eight-foot-high stone wall. Though well maintained, it sat unoccupied, judging by the lack of energy present the few times they’d come to Connecticut.

  Not today.

  Music filled the air and grew louder as they approached the usually vacant house. A male voice and guitar sounds could be heard from the other side of the stone barrier. The appealing melodic tenor brought a smile to Cara’s lips.

  As they drew near, Cara’s curiosity peaked and she decided to covertly investigate. Before she’d had a chance, Chloe surged forward, jerking the leash from Cara’s hand.

  Stunned, Cara watched Chloe tear away at greyhound speed with the lead dragging behind her, disappearing through the open black-iron gate.

  Freaking great. “Chloe! Come!”

  Nothing.