by R. D. Brady
“I’m holding you to that. And I will have a place for Victoria, I mean Nyssa, within twenty-four hours.” Henry shook his head. “That’s going to take a little getting used to.”
“It will be better for her, though.”
“I suppose you’re right.”
Jake drove up in a golf cart. “Your chariot awaits.”
Laney smiled, giving Jen one last hug before climbing in. She waved at Henry and Jen as Jake pulled away, then turned to face forward. She watched Jake from the corner of his eye. He seemed happier, more relaxed than she had seen him in a while. “So, how’s Mary Jane?”
Jake growled. “Who told you?”
Laney chuckled. “Jen. She said you seem pretty happy.”
“It’s not like that. I mean, Mary Jane’s been through a lot and—”
Laney put her hand on Jake’s arm. “Hey. Cut that out. If you have found something good, hold on to it with both hands. Life is short, Jake. We know that better than most.”
“Are you following that advice with Drake?”
Laney felt her cheeks flame. “Uh, well, that’s a little more complicated.”
“Oh, sure, it’s your love life, so it’s complicated. Mine is straightforward.”
Laney nodded. “Exactly.” Ahead, the chopper sat waiting on the helipad. Laney frowned as it started up. “I thought you were flying me back.”
Jake brought the cart to a stop. “Actually, there was another volunteer for that job.”
Laney frowned, spying two legs underneath the chopper, walking toward the front, before the person they belonged to appeared. Only five-foot-two, he was bald with a muscular build that professional body builders would envy. She grinned. “Yoni.”
Laney gave a Jake a quick hug. “Go see Mary Jane,” she whispered.
Jake swatted at her. “Get out of here.”
Laney laughed, climbing from the cart and heading for Yoni Benjamin. He met her halfway, twirling her off the ground. “I have missed you,” he said. “Don’t ever do that again.”
She didn’t think she had hugged or been hugged over the course of her life as much as she had been in the last few hours. She grinned down at him as he put her down. “How’s Sascha? How’s Dov?”
“They are great. And Sascha made me promise to get you to promise to come see them as soon as we get all this Elisabeta mess sorted out.”
“I will. I miss them. Dov must be getting so big now.”
“He is, and he’s talking up a storm.” Yoni’s smile was full of pride. “And in a few months, he’s going to be joined by a little brother or sister.”
Laney’s face broke out in a smile. “What? Oh, Yoni, that’s great. I’m so happy for you.”
“Thanks. And just so you know, both Sascha and I expect you around for when the little one shows up. None of this ‘the whole world is gunning for me’ excuse. Sascha said you need to have this all wrapped up before she goes into labor.”
“I will get it done because I would not like to cross Sascha.”
“Smart girl.” Yoni held the chopper door open. Climbing into the copilot seat, Laney buckled her seatbelt as Yoni did his final preflight run-through. A few short minutes later, they were flying over the estate.
Laney looked down, once again smiling. She really did love this place. And hopefully, once everything settled down, she could once again call it home.
Chapter 18
Two of the large cats slipped through the trees, crossing the path twenty yards ahead of Danny. Both cats were yellow, one darker than the other. He thought it might be Jerry and Cinnamon, but he still hadn’t figured out how to tell all the cats apart.
“Pretty cool Laney’s coming back, huh?” Rolly asked from next to him.
“Yeah. They think the governments are going to drop all the warrants.” Danny smiled. Seeing Laney had been so good. He’d hated that she’d been forced to hide away for so long.
But that wasn’t the only thing making him smile. Henry had told him this morning that today was finally the day he was going to propose to Jen. It was funny. Henry always seemed so confident. Yet he’d been a bundle of nerves ever since he’d bought that ring. Danny had been the one assuring him it would be fine. Talk about role reversals.
He glanced at his phone. Nothing. Come on, Henry.
“I still can’t believe Samyaza turned all of them on her like that. I mean, it’s Laney, a real-world superhero. How could anyone think she was the bad guy?”
“Well, Samyaza has had a lot of practice at being the actual bad guy. But I’m hoping those days are numbered, too.”
“Any luck tracking her down?”
“No.”
And that fact was eating at him. He had tried every way he knew to track her down, but he had come up empty-handed. He’d been the one who’d linked up the activity in the Bay of Cambay and contacted Matt. He had a few dozen areas around the globe flagged for any sort of activity. Göbekli Tepe had been a surprise, though. That attack had seemed to come out of nowhere. And that was the problem. His approach was entirely reactive. He could let Matt know when something happened, but he couldn’t do anything to prevent something from happening.
He’d also put tracers on Elisabeta’s bank accounts, her holdings, her associates, but there’d been no movement on any of them. He hoped that meant she was laying low, but he couldn’t help but feel they were all in the eye of the storm, and whatever was coming was going to devastate them all.
A horn sounded from the front of the preserve, pulling Danny from his thoughts. He exchanged a grin with Rolly before they started to jog back down the path. A minute later, they stepped out of the path. Lou and Zach were already there, moving toward the silver SUV as the driver’s door opened.
A tall blonde woman stepped out with a smile. Sascha Benjamin turned, hugging Lou, only the slightest hint of a belly to show for her pregnancy. Zach disappeared around the side of the car before reappearing only a moment later with a small boy with light brown hair rubbing his eyes sleepily. Dov Benjamin, Yoni and Sascha’s two-year-old son, looked like he’d just woken up from a nap.
“Are you ready to see the cats?” Zach asked.
Dov nodded, looking around. His eyes went wide as Tiger slunk out from the trees, followed by Snow. Letting out a squeal, he squirmed in Zach’s arms, scrambling to get down.
Zach lowered him with a laugh. “Okay, okay. I can see when I’m not wanted.”
But Danny knew that wasn’t true. Dov adored Zach. And the feeling was mutual. Dov was a big reason why Zach had started to come out of his shell after all the damage his parents had inflicted on him.
Dov tottered over to Snow. “White,” he said, flinging his arms around Snow’s neck. Not to be left out, Tiger walked over and licked Dov’s cheek. Dov wrapped a little fist in his fur as well.
Sascha watched the little group in amazement. “I still can’t believe how good they are with him. He’s going to really miss them.”
The cats weren’t going anywhere, but Sascha and Dov were. With everything going on, she and Yoni decided it was probably best if she and Dov headed out to Arizona to stay with her parents until Samyaza was found. It was only a precaution, but no one was interested in placing either of them in harm’s way. Although, it was going to be awfully strange at the school without Sascha there as the mother hen.
Of course, it was already strange at the school. Once Laney had been made public enemy number one, a lot of families had pulled their kids from the school. Only the kids of those families that truly knew Laney—or the kids who had no family to speak of—were left. Just this morning they found Noriko gone. She’d left a note saying she was going away with Gerard. That had not eased anyone’s concerns.
Lou smiled at Sascha. “We got the rest of the cats together. I thought Dov might like to take a walk with the full pack of leopards.”
“It’s a leap, not a pack,” Danny said.
Lou rolled her eyes. “No one cares, Danny.”
Sascha smiled. �
�I care, Danny, and he would love that.”
“All right, little buddy. How about a ride on Snow?” Zach picked Dov up and deposited him on Snow’s back, careful to stay right next to him, his hands still on Don’s waist.
A sharp intake of breath gave away Sascha’s nervousness. Zach met her gaze. “I won’t let anything happen to him.”
“I know. Well, let’s get this party started. We have a plane to catch.” Sascha followed alongside Tiger, running a hand through his fur as Snow led the way down the path.
Danny watched them go, the sight of Dov on Snow’s back reminding him of a scene from The Jungle Book, when Mowgli rode on the of the big bear Baloo. The rest of the teens at the school might have all had somewhat of a rocky childhood, but Dov was getting one that was downright magical.
“We lead an unusual life,” Rolly said.
“True, but the stranger it gets, the more I realize I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.”
Rolly grinned at him. “Me, either.”
Chapter 19
Galeton, Pennsylvania
The little cabin was quiet as Drake approached. This type of rustic living was not what he was used to. Before he’d revealed himself to Laney, he’d lived in a three-bedroom luxury suite in the Bellagio. Room service, maid service, concierge—anything he’d wanted was only a phone call away. Now he was residing in a three-bedroom cabin that had creaky wooden floors, no insulation, and one bathroom that had not been renovated since the eighties. Yay for pink tile.
And yet despite the material losses, he wouldn’t change a thing. Well, maybe a few less chaperones and one more bathroom. But he’d found a feeling of contentment since he’d linked up with Laney again that he could not remember having before. And although he would deny it to his dying breath, he had to admit there was a feeling he got seeing Patrick making tea, Cain singing to Victoria/Nyssa, even Cleo slinking in and out that was not . . . unpleasant.
He’d just finished his patrol of the perimeter. Henry had sent a dozen men, half Fallen or Nephilim to guard the place, but Drake still performed a perimeter sweep every ninety minutes. Laney had left three people incredibly important to her in his care. He had no intention of letting anything slip through his fingers.
A rustle of the leaves to his right caused him to whip around, the hair on the back of his neck rising. Cleo slipped into view with a huff that sounded suspiciously like a laugh.
“Very funny, furball.”
Cleo huffed again. Laney’s giant cat seemed to take great joy in sneaking up on him and showing Drake just how close she could get without his notice. Truth be told, he was a little unnerved by it himself. At the same time, he knew if she could sneak up on him, she could do the same to anyone else who attempted to breach their defenses. He did not mind that one little bit.
“Any problems?” he asked.
Cleo just looked at him before slinking back into the trees. He shook his head.
I’m asking a cat for a security report. Oh yeah, I’ve fallen down the rabbit hole.
Entering the cabin, he walked into a very domestic scene. Cain was putting the last of the morning’s dishes in the dishwasher. Patrick was wiping Nyssa’s face. Drake frowned, looking at her. She was cute, there was no doubt, but she was one messy eater.
“Oh, good job.” Patrick wiped the last remnants of applesauce from her hands and undid the straps from the high chair, pulling her into his arms. “Oh, someone’s getting so big.”
Patrick’s cell rang. He walked over to where it laid on the counter, jiggling Nyssa on his hip, and she giggled in response. Patrick’s face fell. “It’s the Church.”
Cain turned from the sink. “You should talk to them. Avoiding them’s not going to work forever.”
“I suppose.” Patrick caught sight of Drake and smiled. “Drake.” He held Nyssa out to him.
“Um, shouldn’t Cain—”
Cain held up his hands. “Up to my elbows in dirty dishes. Your turn.”
“Uh, okay.” He took Nyssa under the arms, holding her out awkwardly.
“She doesn’t bite.” Patrick swiped his phone from the counter. “Why don’t you walk her around outside for just a little bit? She’s about ready for a nap.”
“Um, okay.” Drake awkwardly pulled her into his side and stepped outside, pretending he did not see the amused glance between Cain and Patrick. Drake took a seat on one of the rocking chairs, placing Nyssa on his lap. “Okay. Now what?”
Nyssa looked up at him with those big blue eyes of hers. She blinked a few times, then let out a large yawn. Drake tucked her into his chest and began to rock. She snuggled into him, one hand wrapped in his shirt, the thumb from her other hand in her mouth. She yawned again, her eyelids starting to close. She flung them open a few times, trying to fight sleep.
“It’s okay, little one. Go to sleep.” Drake gently rubbed her back.
Her eyes closed. Her breathing evened out. He sat there contentedly rocking, just listening to the quiet and enjoying the light breeze. Even though, right at this moment, without Laney here, he felt like he was in a bad remake of Three Men and a Baby, he had to admit there was something enjoyable about sitting and rocking with Nyssa. He’d never really considered kids before. To be honest, he wasn’t sure he could have any, at least biological ones. But right now, he couldn’t help but think about him and Laney with a little girl with Laney’s red hair and Drake’s sense of style.
He chuckled. Laney seemed terrified of the idea of them having been lovers in a past life. He didn’t think him sharing his visions of them in suburban family bliss would calm those fears any. Besides, to say they were nowhere near ready for that was an understatement. With the chaos of Laney’s life, the conversation of “where do you think this is heading” was going to have to wait a long, long time. Drake ran a hand through Nyssa’s hair. She let out a little sigh.
He leaned down, whispering in her ear. “But if it’s all right with you, I think I might just let myself pretend for a little bit that you are mine and Laney’s. And I promise, I will protect you like you are.”
He smiled as she snuggled even closer. Before he knew it, his eyelids were trying to close. Maybe just a quick nap, he thought, letting his eyelids close as he held Nyssa securely.
Then his eyes flew open. Oh no, I am not doing this. As tempting as it was, he needed to do another perimeter sweep. “You’ll just have to nap for the two of us,” he whispered as he stood, careful not to wake her as he carried her back into the cabin, nodding at Cain.
Cain was sitting at the table with a crossword. He started to stand when Drake stepped in with Nyssa. Drake waved him back down, mouthing, already asleep.
Cain nodded, retaking his seat. Patrick’s raised voice came from his bedroom as Drake passed it. Sounds like Patrick’s phone call is not going well.
He pushed open the door to Nyssa’s room with his foot and made his way to the playpen they were using as a crib. He carefully laid her down. He frowned as her brow furrowed. Grabbing the stuffed chicken from the corner of the playpen, he placed the toy in her arms and then pulled the blanket over her. He watched for a moment to make sure she was actually going to stay asleep. He’d been fooled before. Convinced she was well and truly out, he let himself out the back door.
He rolled his shoulders, relieving some of the tension in them. He was tempted to continue the nap he’d begun on the front porch. The sun was warm.
But instead, he headed for the trees. One more patrol and then maybe a little nap. He paused as he neared the security perimeter. The woods had gone quiet. He couldn’t hear any of the security guys. A tingle ran over his skin just as Cleo roared.
And even without Laney’s ability, he knew exactly what message Cleo was conveying.
Danger.
Chapter 20
Baltimore, Maryland
Henry stood on the lawn watching the chopper carrying Laney and Yoni fly off. He smiled, feeling that at least at this moment in time, all was right with the world. Hav
ing Laney back here made the place feel like home again. It was strange. He hadn’t known she existed five years ago, and now, having his sister by his side helped complete his world.
A tingle ran over his skin. And there’s one of the other giant pieces. He turned as Jen walked toward him. She’d stepped inside to call about Noriko again. “Any luck?”
“Maybe. It seems Gerard chartered a plane.”
“Out of where?”
“Martin State. It was recorded heading over the Atlantic. The flight plan says London.”
He studied her, noting the furrow between her brow. “But you’re not buying that, are you?”
Jen scowled. “No. When I get my hands on Gerard . . .”
Like Henry, Jen’s acquisition of a little sister was new to her as well. She and Noriko had been spending more time together, but they still weren’t highly bonded. Probably because their lives had been so different. Jen had been in and out of foster care since she was seven. Even before that, her mother wasn’t exactly the warm and cuddly type. Noriko, in contrast, had been completely and totally loved by Aaliyah, the woman who’d raised her.
Henry knew Jen didn’t entirely understand her incredibly trusting, naive sister. Jen had been skeptical of humans since she could talk. Noriko only seemed to see the good in people, and that included Gerard. And Jen had not exactly embraced the Fallen. But Henry couldn’t quite shake the picture of Gerard’s concern about Noriko after her last vision in the animal preserve.
“What?” Jen demanded.
He winced, knowing Jen was not in an “I’m open to alternative opinions” kind of mood. “It’s just, I don’t think Gerard will hurt her. He seems to care for her.”
Jen looked like she was going to yell at him, but then her shoulders dropped. “I don’t think he’ll hurt her, at least not intentionally. But Noriko’s been so sheltered her whole life. She is not ready to deal with someone like Gerard.”
Henry had to admit that was true. Even unintentionally, Gerard could really hurt an innocent girl like Noriko. “It’s going to be okay.”