In The Dark

by Sarah K. Jensen

  So, she’d kept her secret. That was until Joan showed up and she knew she could tell her. Joan became not just her best friend, but also her martial arts instructor. She taught Memphis close combat. Unlike the distance fighting she’d done most of her life, she now knew how to take down an opponent when it was up close and personal.

  “Memphis?”

  “It’s not the where really. Shane was the first real friend I’ve ever had. He needs me, and I like being needed. I’m good at what I do, and I like working with him. We’re friends.”

  Laif seemed to think that over. “You couldn’t be friends and maybe stay home?”

  She raised a brow. “You don’t want me to work after we’re married?”

  If she were being honest, it was a dream come true. She’d been supporting herself and Callan since she was fifteen, and she’d always wanted to be a stay-at-home mom. Of course, she’d still go out and fight, but she’d love to be there when Callan got out of school. And she wanted to have babies with Laif.

  “I know it’s not politically correct, but my mom was home while we were little. She was a registered nurse, but she left it for us kids. She went back to school to update her certificate, or whatever when Mikia was a freshman in high school. It was just nice having her home, and I want that for our kids. I can afford to take care of you if you’ll let me.”

  Memphis just about jumped for joy. How she wished her mom had been home when she was little. How she wished Gary had been a man and taken care of them. How she wanted to be there for Callan. “I don’t need to work to see Shane. But I can’t just sit around the house; I need to be doing something while you’re off building houses and Callan’s at school.”

  Laif nodded. “What do you want to do? If you could do anything in the world, what would it be?”

  She shook her head. “You’ll laugh.”

  He made an X over his heart while shaking his head. “Cross my heart. I won’t.”

  Had he not seen it when they’d kissed that first time? Of course, everything had happened so quickly and had been so intense that they’d both missed so much of what had been there. Buck up and say it. “I always wanted to teach literature. I love reading, and when I was a kid, I wanted to teach other kids. To help someone learn to love reading, to let them have a place to escape when life gets hard. If they read, they’ll always have another world to go to, another place.”

  Laif squeezed her hand. “Now why in the world would I find that anything other than amazing? You’re amazing. And I love you even more for that dream. If you want to go to school, baby, we’ll make it happen. And you can take courses online as well, so you will be home for Callan.”

  She had finished high school, against all odds, and had always wanted to go to college, but never had the means. To be able to go now was beyond her wildest dreams. But to go, Laif would have to pay for it.

  “Um, I appreciate that you want me to go to school, but—”

  “Memphis. Don’t start on money, please. I can afford to send my wife to school. If that’s what you want to do, then do it. If you want to do something else, then we’ll work it out and you can do that. You don’t have to worry about things like money anymore. I’m not as well off as my parents, but I’m doing okay, and money is for enjoying life, so you can do what you want. Okay?”

  The thought was so foreign to her that she didn’t know what to say. Money, for enjoying life? Try money was for keeping food on the table and a roof over your head. Yes, she sometimes had enough money for Callan to be able to do things he wanted, but it scared her to think beyond that.

  “Memphis?”

  She stared into his eyes.

  “Do you love me?”

  She nodded.

  “Are you going to marry me and spend the rest of your life with me?”

  Again, she nodded.

  “Then let me take care of you and Callan. Let me do this for you. And in return, you can be my wife, the mother of my children, and teach me how to be a more effective Caomhnóirí na Oíche so that I can make a real difference. And teach me about those weapons. Can you do that?”

  Now that it didn’t seem so one-sided—Laif doing everything for her—she could contribute and even add to their life, she nodded. “I can do that. And yes, I want to be your wife and even go to school and get my teaching degree.”

  Chapter 22

  Memphis wondered if there was a way to get in touch with Ian. She still couldn’t call him Dad. But she wanted to tell him her news and ask him to come to the small wedding they would have next Saturday. She also needed to talk to Shane, ask him to walk her down the aisle.

  “I can’t believe you’re marrying a man you’ve known for a couple of weeks,” Joan said, playing with the frayed edges of Memphis’s grandmother’s afghan. “I can see how happy he makes you, but don’t you think you’re rushing things a bit. I mean, how much can you really know about the guy?”

  Memphis hadn’t told her about their kiss, and part of her didn’t want to. It was too personal. But she knew her best friend. Joan would never back down unless she was sure about Laif not hurting her. And Joan did know the rest.

  “There are things I haven’t told you. Things I didn’t know about until a couple of days ago. It seems when a Caomhnóirí na Oíche finds their soulmate,” Memphis blushed, but continued, “they, um, see each other’s past. All of it. It’s kind of quick, so there are things I don’t remember and will have to learn, but the big stuff, we know. We can’t hide anything from each other.”

  Joan looked as if someone had just told her a swarm of flying pigs had taken a spin around the city. “Holy freakin’ cow. You’re not kidding?”

  Memphis shook her head.

  “He saw everything?”

  Memphis nodded.

  “And he didn’t freak out?”

  Memphis smiled at the memory. “No. I did though. He seemed so much better than me. But the crazy thing is, he thinks I’m better than him. We’d both made mistakes. We’ve both learned from them and sought forgiveness from God. No one’s perfect, but he’s pretty amazing. Most of the time.”

  Joan smiled, having heard already about Laif’s freak-out about Callan. Memphis didn’t tell her about the latest freak-out, the fight freak-out. Those things were just between her and Laif. “Well, I guess that makes it easier to know you’re not making a huge mistake. I didn’t know my Haden for long when we married, and I wouldn’t change the three years I had with him for anything.”

  Memphis knew the pain her friend still felt at the loss of her husband. Joan had told her that when someone was taken from you in such a tragic way, you never completely got over it, but thanks to Kiley, she had been able to go on—to live.

  Joan still missed her husband every day, but she was happy. If left to face life alone, Memphis knew she could go on because God expected all His children to endure. But she hoped and prayed she’d never be tested the way her friend had been. She didn’t want to lose Laif or Callan.

  The air in the room changed. Charged. Ian stood in the middle of the living room, almost giving Memphis a heart attack. “Can’t you call out, or knock, or something?” she asked him.

  One look at Joan, and Memphis could tell that her friend’s heart had almost stopped as well.

  Ian smiled, bowed, and lifted Memphis’s hand to his cheek. The gesture was comforting. “Aw, princess, I didn’t mean to frighten you or your friend. I do apologize. But you were thinking about me and I came as soon as I could.”

  On their own, her lips quirked upward. “I do believe you are quite charming when you want to be. Hello, Ian.”

  His eyes flashed a look of pain. “You’ll not call me da?”

  Uncomfortable, Memphis bit her lip. Could she. He hadn’t left them on purpose, but she’d always thought of him as Ian. Wouldn’t it be disrespectful to her mother to call him Dad? Of course, her mother had loved him, and she knew he’d loved her and her mother, so maybe she could. “I can,” she whispered, “Dad.”

&nbs
p; Ian beamed at her, seeming to put off a glow of brilliant white light. “Thank you, darlin’ girl.” He turned to Joan, “Now, introduce me to your friend.”

  “Dad.” Yeah, she kind of liked calling him that. “This is my best friend, Joan Foster.”

  Ian smiled, bent over her hand, and kissed it. “A pleasure, my dear.”

  Joan smiled. “I can’t get over that your dad looks to be our age. This whole fae thing is a little hard to take in.”

  Memphis knew what she was talking about. Even though Memphis had always believed in the fae, she didn’t know her father was one, or that they still came around.

  Ian laughed. “You should see my Móraí. She still looks twenty. So does our queen. And they are both older than the world you know.”

  Okay, that was old. Memphis hoped she’d age well.

  Joan plucked the afghan off her lap and stood. “I’m going to go. I’ll give you a bit of time then send Callan over to meet his grandpa.” She shook her head after looking at Ian again and left them alone.

  “So, you’re getting married to that young buck?” Ian asked good-naturedly.

  “I am.”

  “Good girl. I am happy for you.”

  Memphis’s relief was instantaneous. She didn’t realize how much she wanted his acceptance. “Thank you.”

  “So.” Ian took her hand and led her to the sofa. “I bet your young man needs a few lessons in fighting, and maybe a weapon of his own?”

  Memphis nodded. “They’ve done things so differently. Why don’t they have the broadsword? And there are other weapons?”

  Ian seemed to ponder the questions, and when he answered, Memphis knew he was leaving things out. “The broadsword is protected and will come into play sometime in the future. As for other weapons, they were hidden many years ago, waiting for a family who would uphold their responsibilities with honor.

  “Not many families take on the burden. In most families, only one or two members take the charge. The Craig’s and the Begay’s are the first families in hundreds of years where each family member who can see are active fighters. In the Craig’s, their daughters do not fight, of course. They probably could, but I believe that the trait has been hidden from them. Your son, Callan, he can see the Oíche Scáthanna, can he not?”

  Memphis hadn’t given it much thought over the years, but in the past, it had only been the women in her family. “He can. Why is that?”

  Ian lowered his face and sighed. “I believe this is something to discuss with you and your young man.”

  That sounded foreboding. Fortunately, Laif was on his way over or at least would be soon. “You won’t say anymore?”

  “Not yet, lass. Trust me in this. You want him here.”

  Memphis decided she wouldn’t push it. “I’ll get some tea while we wait. Callan should be here soon. Unless it’s best he not hear this?”

  “He should hear it too. It concerns him.” Ian stood when Memphis did and took her hand. “I am sorry that I wasn’t around for you and your mother. You’ll never know how much I wanted to be.”

  Memphis thought she could. As much as she wanted to always be around for Callan. “I think I do. I understand why you weren’t. And I’m over it. I’m the person I am today because of it. And I have my son. I probably wouldn’t if things had been different.”

  She kissed her dad on the cheek. “You said that when you were done with this life, you’d be with Mom again, right?”

  He nodded.

  She smiled. “Good. Then the two of you will be happy again. That’s all I want. For you and Mom to be together again.”

  Memphis made her way to the kitchen and had just put water on to boil when the front door burst open and Callan hollered, “I’ve got a grandpa!”

  She heard Ian laugh and say, “That you do, lad.”

  Forgetting the tea, she went back to the room to find her son staring at her dad. “My mom told me about you. You don’t look old enough to be my grandpa.”

  The smile on Ian’s face said it all, he was happy to finally meet his family. “No, I don’t. But I can make myself look older, so when I meet your friends, they won’t know that I am fae.”

  Callan grinned in return. “Seriously. That’s so awesome. So, what do I call you?”

  Ian seemed puzzled. “Why, Granda I guess. Unless there is something else you’d like to call me.”

  “I like that. It sounds Irish. Did you know that Laif’s dad’s from Ireland? I haven’t met him yet, but we’re going over there tonight for dinner. I bet you could come. They’d all want to meet you. I’ll have to wear a stupid tux, but Mom says it’s what you wear when you get married, and we’re getting married next week, so I’m wearing it tonight to practice.”

  Ian smiled and said he’d love to meet the rest of the Craig’s and that he was excited about the wedding just as a knock came at the opened front door. Memphis needed to get Callan to start shutting the door when he was excited. Standing there was Laif and Shane.

  Laif entered, inviting Shane in as well, and said, “We’d be happy if both you and Shane could attend dinner tonight. I’m sure Shane has a lot of questions for us, and I’m sure we all have a lot of questions for you, Ian.”

  Ian nodded. “It would be my honor.”

  “We should go get Joan and her daughter,” Laif added. “They’re family as well and should be here.”

  Callan ran across the hall and into Joan’s apartment. All the while, Shane just stared at Memphis. He still looked like someone had kicked his dog, and Memphis wanted to make him feel better.

  Wrapping her arms around him, she said, “This will be okay, if you’ll let it. I’m still the same women you saved all those years ago. Can you accept me?”

  He stared at her still, not saying anything.

  This was it, Memphis decided. She’s lost him, the first person who had loved her, no questions asked. He’d treated her like she’d meant something. And because of what she was, she’d lost him.

  “He’s your dad?” Shane finally asked. “And he’s younger than me.”

  Memphis held her breath. “You’re not going to tell me to get lost?”

  Shane raised his brows. “Now why would I walk all the way over here to tell you to get lost? I’m just trying to figure your family out. And trust me, it’s no easy feat. Not with all I’ve learned about you this week.”

  Letting out her breath, Memphis smiled. “Well, Ian is my dad. He’s fae. And he was about to tell us why Callan can see the Night Shadows.”

  Memphis had made peppermint tea and set out almond cookies on a silver tea tray Callan had picked out at a yard sale and given her one year for Mother’s Day. She sat between Laif and Callan on the sofa. Laif loved that he knew things like that about her. That had been an important event for her, one he’d seen but overlooked with everything else he’d seen in that first kiss. Seeing the tray now, he remembered.

  Laif took Memphis’s hand, bringing it to his lips, and kissed the soft, creamy skin of her knuckles. He loved her hands. Gentle and strong. Lightly calloused. A strong woman’s hands.

  They all looked to Ian, who stood near the window, facing the small group. “I hope what I tell you doesn’t make anyone upset, but I’m afraid that it may.”

  Memphis gave a nod. “Just tell us, Dad. Whatever it is, we’ll get through it.”

  Glancing around the room, Ian stopped for a moment longer on Callan and then settled his gaze on Laif. “You look so much alike. Callan looks more like you than his biological da. There is a reason ye two favor so much.”

  This was it, Laif thought. He was going to say that Callan was meant to be his son and that God had made them look so similar.

  “Your family is from Ireland. Isn’t that correct, Laif?”

  Laif nodded. “My dad is from there.”

  “And you have family there still?”

  “Sure. Uncle Ewen and Aunt Kathy live in Dad’s parents’ house. It’s been in the family for a long time. And then I have an aunt that I�
��ve never met. Dad said she ran off when she was seventeen and got married. She doesn’t have anything to do with the Craigs.”

  “Her name is Fiona Craig-Riley,” Ian said.

  The implication hit Laif immediately. “No way. Jacob Riley—” he couldn’t make himself finish the thought.

  “Is Fiona’s eldest son.”

  Laif was going to be sick. He was sick. Swallowing the bile rising in his throat, he dropped Memphis’s hand and covered his face with both hands. Memphis had made love to his first cousin. It shouldn’t matter, but it did. He couldn’t make himself look at her.

  When the guy from his imaginings had been someone he’d never know—that had been hard, but now. The man was his cousin.

  As he waited for the nausea to subside, Memphis moved from the couch, and he knew she felt him pulling away from her. He’d not meant to, but it was just too much.

  “You mean that I’m really related to Laif?” Callan asked. “I have his blood in my veins? This is great! We are family! We were meant to be together from the beginning!”

  Laif dropped his hands and looked into the beaming eyes of his cousin’s son. No. His son. Callan was right, they were meant to be a family. He smiled, grabbed Callan into a bear hug, and said, “You’re right. We are a family. But it doesn’t matter to me whose blood is in your veins because you are my son. Not my cousin’s. You’re mine.”

  The last word rang with such conviction, such strength, that Laif knew it was true. He loved Callan and Memphis and they were his.

  He raised his eyes to Memphis, saw the tears in hers, and wished he hadn’t put them there. “I’m sorry,” he mouthed to her. She nodded, turned toward the window for a second, wiping her eyes. When she turned back, she asked Ian, “Is that why Callan can see them? Because he has the blood of the Craigs?”

  Ian nodded. “Aye, lass. All yer children will be able to see, if they are worthy.”

  Laif watched as Memphis, Callan, Shane, Joan, Kiley, and Ian sat at his parents’ dining table and spoke with the members of his family. Callan had taken one look at his parents’ small mansion and whipped around to Laif and asked, “Are you super-rich? This place is bigger than half our block.” It wasn’t, but for a kid of twelve, it probably seemed that big.