“That’s when I made Daniel a demon slayer.”
“Wait a minute—were you fifteen when you and Daniel dated?”
“Yes, now—”
“But you said I couldn’t date until I was sixteen!”
Mom pressed her lips together. “And I’m so happy you listened.”
“It was like your one rule.”
“It was your father’s.”
“Which father?”
Mom narrowed her eyes. “Both.”
“Okay, so what happened? Sorry for the interruption.”
Mom laughed, then kept going. “My mother never liked me. She’s a grumpy woman.”
“Yes, I know.”
“She was determined I’d someday marry Holden’s father, since he was an alv from an important family in the alv community, and I refused to even hang out with him, so she punished me by taking me to what was then a boarding home for troubled alvs. That’s where I first met Maurine. I’d already made Daniel a demon slayer, because there was an alv in town here who called up demons and was using them for his personal gain, and no one believed me, so Daniel and I took him on together.”
“Mom! What?”
“That’s a different story.” She waved me off. “This alv’s son was at the boarding house too, and when I arrived, he wanted revenge, so he sent a demon on me. I was possessed by it. Before our teachers could find out, Maurine tied me up and drove me out to meet Daniel. Demons—especially fiends—tend to like changelings more than pures in case you haven’t noticed.”
I nodded slowly.
“So to get the demon out of me, she offered to house it instead. It entered her before Daniel could kill it, but the demon hated being inside her. She was naturally bubbly and always happy, so it didn’t take long for it to leave her.”
I cocked my head to one side.
“On a separate note, you should ask Daniel about the gang of demon alvs he took out in San Francisco after giving you up to Dad.”
That did sound like a good story. It also made me wonder what he’d been up to between giving me to my dad, then stepping into my life again. “I never knew Daniel was so cool. Always thought he was a nerd in glasses.”
Mom peeled out in laughter. It had been a long time since I’d heard that pureness out of her. She covered her mouth as Daniel stopped within the doorway. “That’s exactly what he is.” Her laugh turned mischievous. “A nerd in glasses.”
Daniel glared at her, then took his glasses off and rubbed the lenses clean.
Mom wrapped an arm around my shoulder squeezed tightly. “Rarely have I ever been as scared as I was today, knowing how hard it is to get a demon to leave.”
I rested my head on her shoulder and picked up her hand, then smiled at her.
A different thought popped into my mind. “You and Daniel should have another baby.” I jumped up.
“Come again?” Daniel asked. An intrigued glint glowed in his eyes.
“Oops would love a baby brother. Wouldn’t it be so cute having a little Daniel running around?”
He grinned and quickly tried to hide the smile.
“I’m forty-two,” Mom said, her cheeks turning red. “That’s not...happening.” Her voice trailed as her gaze met Daniel’s.
What if?
“You’re right. You two are too old,” I said quickly. After skirting around Daniel in the doorway, I said, “I’m probably going to start calling you Daddy anyway.”
He looked at me a little teary-eyed. Then reached out an arm, and I stepped in to give him a hug. “Thank you,” I whispered. Earlier, with everyone around, I hadn’t really gotten to talk to him. “I’m sorry. You were supposed to stay another night at the hospital.”
He smiled crookedly. “I was starting to get stir crazy. Asher’s down in the music room. Why don’t you see him out? We can talk more later.”
I nodded.
Daniel hovered outside Mom’s room, watching me as I headed down the stairs, before slipping into the room with her.
Was my fragile family actually going to start turning around?
Asher was on his phone, talking quietly as I entered. Seeing the stern expression on his face, I hesitated. After a few seconds, I inferred he was talking to his mom. The last time I had seen him talking to his mother, she was threatening to pull him out of school.
“I’ll be home in about twenty minutes,” Asher said. “Yep. See you soon.” With a sigh, he hung up the phone, then stood.
“It’s not even ten yet,” I said.
“It is a school night?” Asher yawned.
“You’re going to be there tomorrow?” I asked.
He smiled. “Yes. I’m pretty sure I’m going to fail our test in math.”
“I didn’t even remember we had one,” I muttered. After doing so little homework this week, in light of everything that had happened, it was strange thinking about returning to normal.
Normal.
Discovering Ferdinand’s role in everything had hopefully eliminated most of the drama, but there was still potential Samantha retribution. Plus. “How are you going to clear up that flyer about you being a suicidal murderer?”
“Laugh it off if anyone brings it up and tell everyone it’s not true. I think Jack had something in mind, too.” Asher pulled out his phone and spent a few seconds looking at something on it, making me feel like a third wheel. Part of the reason why I hated smartphones. “All right, I have to go.” He leaned down and kissed my cheek before heading toward the door. “See you tomorrow.”
“That’s it?” I said.
He paused, looking down at me, with a confused expression. “What do you mean?”
“You’re going to leave just like that?”
“How else should I leave?”
I didn’t know, but a peck on the lips rather than one on the cheek was preferable. “Hmm.” I pulled open the door for him and waved him outside with a bowed head. “Good night, Asher.”
He laughed and pulled me outside with him, before shutting the door behind me. He pulled me into a close, dancing position, holding my right hand in his left, with his hand on my waist. The song we’d danced to in the kitchen on our first date started playing from his phone. Ah. That was what he was doing on his phone.
“Shall we dance?” he asked.
I smiled.
He spun me around way too quickly, making me lose my balance, and caught me in the crook of his arms. A thoughtful expression stole through his eyes, and he ran his fingers through my hair.
“Thank you,” he said.
“For what?”
He pulled me up. “For finding out the truth. I feel free.”
Epilogue: December
Butter spat at me as I greased the hot frying pan for the chicken Asher and I were making. “Ouch.” I jerked back my hand.
“Watch out!” Asher grabbed the stick of butter from me. He picked up the pan.
“You do this a whole lot better than me,” I said.
“But it’s more fun with you.” He grinned.
The doorbell rang, and, after trailing my fingers up his arm, I ran to answer the door.
It was the first Friday of Christmas Break, and I’d finally been able to get a group together to hang out.
In the music room, Jack’s and my childhood friend, Benny, had set up his computer editing station. He’d driven up from Florida two days ago with his parents, who’d dropped him off at our house enroute to Chicago.
Jack’s house had been too close to Lydia’s, in their opinion, to let him stay over there.
Now, Lydia stood behind him as they worked on editing one of his videos together.
“You two about done?” I called as I peered through the peephole.
Jack stood on the other side. I figured it would be him, since it was still a few minutes earlier than the planned party start time. I opened the door, and he stepped inside.
“Hi, Champ,” I smiled, and he laughed. Between defeating the dragon and babysitting Oops, he deserved the nic
kname.
He held up a Christmas gift bag. “For the white elephant exchange. Where do you want it?”
“In the kitchen, on the table.”
“What are you wearing!” Lydia gasped.
I backed up to look at Jack’s attire. He was wearing a green flannel shirt and jeans.
Lydia scrambled over. “You look like you’re going hunting or something. Oh my gosh. And you did nothing with your hair.”
“I…” Jack stuttered.
“Benny, you have to have something he can change into. That’s not going to impress Izz.”
“I’m not trying to impress—” Jack began.
“What are you talking about?” Lydia asked. “Of course you are!”
A phone rang in the kitchen. “Tara!” Asher called from the kitchen. “I need you to watch the food.”
“You maybe should change,” I said to Jack. Catching my cue, I hurried to Asher. He’d waited all day to hear the outcome of Emma’s trial.
I took over stirring the chicken.
Holding his phone from his mouth, he told me, “Don’t brown it too much.”
“Got it.” I took a deep breath, and he retreated into the family room.
Anxiously, I kept looking between the chicken and him as he spoke with Ozzy on the phone.
Strangely, Ozzy’s confession had solidified his relationship with Emma. He was looking at a misdemeanor charge for underage drinking with a suspended license, while Aunt Isla, had been arrested for supplying alcohol to minors, among other offenses, and was looking at jail time.
Asher still occasionally got this dazed expression of disbelief that he had walked away clean from any wrongdoing last year.
Emma and Asher had never spoken since that Sunday run-in. I didn’t know if he’d ever talk to her again. Today was important to him because part of her sentencing involved charges of bodily injury to him.
Ending the phone call, Asher covered his face with one hand and bowed his head. He returned to the kitchen, looking glum.
“Well?” I asked.
“Sixty days in jail.”
My gut tightened.
“With a five-thousand dollar fine.”
“Wasn’t that like the maximum fine she could get?” I said.
He nodded. “It’ll always be on her record.” He took the chicken from me.
“Hopefully her family will have some closure now.”
I peered into the hallway, wondering when either Isabel or Livie would arrive. Benny, Lydia, and Jack were still upstairs. Daniel was out picking up some food for us. Currently, Mom was our at-home adult; but she was in her room, suspiciously sick.
Asher leaned to look down the hall, then whispered. “Is your mom pregnant?” he asked in a hushed voice.
“I think so,” I whispered.
“That’s awesome.” Pulling me close to him, he pressed his forehead to mine.
I smiled. “You know, if we got married and had babies, Daniel says they’ll all likely be changelings, given that William is one.”
His lips hovered suspiciously close to mine again. “I don’t care. I feel like God’s been preparing me my whole life to meet you,” Asher said.
“Your whole seventeen—”
As he kissed me, I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling myself up to him so he didn’t have to stoop too much.
The garage door vibrated closed, and Jerrick came in carrying bags of groceries. “Quit snogging and help out,” he said.
For good measure, Asher kissed my forehead before heading into the garage to help Daniel. I was about to follow, but Jerrick grabbed my arm.
“Can I flirt with your cousin tonight?”
“No!” I said, enjoying the control I had over him.
“But, the way I see it. Jack will be paired off with Isabel, right? And obviously you are with Asher, and Benny and Lydia have their weird thing going on.”
I laughed. “Weird thing?”
“So that leaves Livie and me—”
“No!” I interrupted. “Not happening.”
“But, I think she kind of likes me.”
“I’m going to help Daniel,” I said.
“No need. We got it all.” Daniel came in, loaded with several bags of groceries and Asher behind him.
“Hello, Daddy,” I grinned.
“Hello, sweetheart.” He winked at me before planting the bags on the island, and Jerrick set to work unloading them.
“Think it over,” Jerrick said to me.
“Are you going back to college after the break?” I asked him as Asher headed to finish dinner preparations.
“Yes,” he grumbled.
“Don’t drop out this time,” I said.
“Yes, mother,” he muttered.
“Admit you like it,” I teased.
“What?”
“Me bossing you around.”
Asher laughed while Jerrick rolled his eyes.
“Here’s that item you wanted.” Daniel handed me a grocery sack along with the extra change.
Stuffing the money into my pocket, I peered into the bag. Inside the packaging was a stuffed toy cat that had baby kittens. “Thank you.”
Footsteps echoed down the hall.
“He looks a lot better!” Lydia said from behind me.
Turning around, my eyes widened.
Jack had definitely transformed. Lydia must have raided both Benny and Holden’s old wardrobe, because he wore a green sweater with sleeves cuffed at the elbow that Holden used to wear, along with a pair of jeans, both of which more form fitting than his usual baggy wear, and she’d styled his red hair to give it more texture than his usual.
He looked uncomfortable.
“You look handsome,” I encouraged.
“I’m uncomfortable,” he complained.
“This was too much fun,” Lydia said. “You should have let me pick out your outfits more when we were dating.”
“No.”
As they descended into their usual bickering, and Jerrick and Daniel worked out a recipe nearby, Asher spoke over the chatter to me. “Now’s a good time to get that done if you’re going to do it.”
I sighed, then looked at the bag.
I’d spent the money. Might as well get it over with or Oops would end up with an extra present under the tree.
Christmas was going to mean something different to me this year. A warm feeling filled me.
Still, I had someone I wanted to forgive.
Quickly walking down the hall, I headed outside and crossed the street to Samantha’s house. The toy inside was something I’d gotten for Christmas one year that she’d really wanted. She’d asked her parents the previous year for it, plus the following two.
They never got it for her, because, by then, she was too old for toys in their opinion.
I didn’t hope to be friends again by giving this to her. We were too different now, and I enjoyed my new crowd. But there was still an ugly feeling between us that I wanted to at least try to lessen. Even if it was just the one inside me.
I knocked on the door.
Her younger sister answered. “What do you want?” she asked, looking me up and down with disgust.
Was there ever an age we moved beyond judging each other?
“Is Sam home?”
She rolled her eyes and turned around. “Samantha, it’s for you!” she called.
Samantha came running down the stairs. Seeing me, she stalled. “What do you want?”
“Merry Christmas.” I held up the bag.
Intrigued, she descended the remaining steps and paused within the entry. Taking the bag, she looked inside, then kind of smiled. “This is so stupid,” she said and laughed.
She took the cat out of the bag. “The exact one I wanted.” She looked at it for a few seconds. “I assume you still have yours.” She held it out to me. “It’s wasted here; you should give it to your sister. But...thank you for thinking of it.”
I took the cat back. I think I’d expected this outcome.
“Merry Christmas, Tara,” Samantha said with her rare, sweet, crooked smile.
A warm feeling burned inside me. “Merry Christmas, Sam.” As she closed the door, I turned around and headed down the sidewalk and crossed the street. Sighing, I paused and looked up at the stars, whispering, “I did it.”
The warm feeling sharpened, sparking my positive source.
A car came toward my house, driven by Uncle Alexander. He and Aunt Isla were currently separated. Ozzy stepping forward with his admission had opened the door for various investigations into not only Isla, but Alexander too. Now, all three of my cousins lived at Reuben Bastian’s Juvenile Residence for Alvs, but Uncle Alexander was able to pick up the girls for outings on the weekend. Ozzy currently didn’t want contact with either parent.
Alexander was dropping Livie off tonight, then taking Britta to a movie.
I waited as Livie got out. My blonde cousin had an inner glow to her that had been missing the first day I met her. An easy smile lit her face as she said goodbye to Alexander and Britta and hurried over to me.
I hadn’t realized how much I would love having a girl cousin live so close. “Hey!” I said and gave her a hug.
“Tara, I hope you don’t hate me,” she said. She waved again at Alexander as he turned the car around and drove off.
“Why would I hate you?” I asked.
“Ferdinand and I are kind of becoming friends.”
A strange feeling stole over me. “You see him there?”
“Yes, we share classes and have lunch together.”
I guided her toward the front door.
“I don’t know,” she continued. “He’s really nice. Being there has helped him a lot with storing positive source.”
We stepped inside.
“Of course I’m not mad,” I said. “Just be careful. And don’t give him your negative, like ever.”
She nodded.
“I mean it.”
Benny and Lydia were working on something on the computer, and Jack played the piano, so I led Livie to the kitchen.
Jerrick was cutting apple slices. Seeing Livie, Jerrick lit up. “Please,” he mouthed to me.
Pressing my lips together, I shrugged. He was right about the couples pairing off. I said to Livie, “You want to help Jerrick?”
“Sure.” She shyly eyed him.
Dropping the cat stuffed animal by the wall, I sat on one of the stools at the island directly across from where Asher worked. He stirred pieces of chicken in cream cheese, adding mixed vegetables to the mixture.
The Changeling's Source (Evedon Legacy Book 1) Page 42