| |
“Look at it, Vee!” Devon pulled Suzanne’s arm and spun her around. “It’s a mini you.”
Tyra came forward hands on hips. “Devon is right. I don’t think it should be in the house or around the baby.”
“I scanned her,” Velvet said. “I didn’t discover any sign of guile.”
Suzanne swirled out of Devon’s grasp. “You did what? You said you wouldn’t!”
“I never said any such thing.”
“When did you do it? I haven’t felt anything.”
“I’ve been doing it since you transformed in my office.”
“You trust it?” Tyra asked. Devon growled low making Suzanne move to stand behind Velvet.
“Tell them to stop calling me it.”
Devon bent at the waist to address her. Carmen was on his hip as usual. “If you do one thing suspicious, I will rip them dreads right out of your freakin’ scalp, then break your neck.”
“Devon.”
“I mean it, Vee.” He rose and turned to her. “She hurts anybody, I’m tearing her apart.”
“You stop that kind of talk. Suzanne is not the enemy, it’s still Jerome and the old one.”
“Maybe she’s the old one. She’s magic and a master of disguise.”
“She’s not a witch, she’s a sprite. Tyra you can tell the difference, right?”
“Yeah. It’s like with some demons and vampires.”
“Is that good enough, Devon?”
“Well,” Wilder spoke from the corner next to the dresser, he startled everyone except Tyra. He’d been so still and quiet almost blending into the woodwork. He pushed off the wall and went to Suzanne. Looking down at her childish face, he held her pointed chin in his palm. He smiled and showed her his fangs. “I think whether we agree on her sincerity or not, she should be kept near.” Suzanne gave him a bright smile, touching his hand on her face. “Is that what you really want, a home?”
“Well, who doesn’t?” Tyra asked, glaring at the two staring into each other’s eyes. “Hey!” She rudely stepped between them.
“What, Tyra?” Wilder frowned at the interruption.
“Back off,” she ordered.
“Suzanne is a grown woman and she isn’t human. Don’t you dare presume to give me orders on her behalf.”
“I knew it!” Tyra shouted. “Vee, he wants to keep her as a toy.”
“Miss Kincaid.” Suzanne pushed on Tyra’s hip. “I think that is between the vampire and the sprite.”
“Vee, you going to let this go on in your home with a child present?”
“For the last time,” Wilder said, raising his voice. “You mind your own god damn business for once! You have no idea what you are talking about anyway!”
“I know what is on your mind,” Tyra said. She roughly pushed Suzanne to the side to get in Wilder’s face. “She looks like Velvet’s child, but you vampires don’t care about anything once you start thinking about blood and heartbeats.”
“Shut up, Tyra.” Velvet warned.
“Step back, Velvet.” Wilder pushed her back. “I think it is time this one realized whom she is insulting left and right.”
“No.”
“I’m tired of her mouth!”
“Wilder!”
“I said, step back!”
“Yo, man.” Devon sat Carmen on the floor. “Take it down.”
“Devon, pick up that baby,” Velvet said. “Take her in the living room.”
“Vee.”
“Do it.”
“All right, but-”
“And stay there.” He picked up Carmen and tried to lead Suzanne out as well. She pulled back, going to stand next to Velvet. “Tyra, what is your problem? Wilder?” His eyes were flashing now and his fangs long and wet. He wasn’t just letting his nature out, he was upset.
“She’s just jealous,” Suzanne happily piped up. “She liked it when Devon was growling at me. But she went crazy when Wilder was looking at me. Nobody looks at her like that!”
“Suzanne, that is ridiculous.”
“Why you little-” Tyra made to grab her, but the little sprite was quick. She managed to put Velvet right between them. “See Velvet? She’s starting up already.” She pushed Velvet back up against Wilder and took Suzanne by an ear and her nose. She twisted and pulled her a foot off the floor kicking and screaming. “You weird looking trouble maker!”
“Let her go,” Wilder said, pulling Tyra’s ponytail. She let go of Suzanne to round on him with her fist.
“Come on, sprite!” Velvet dragged Suzanne along from the bedroom and slammed the door shut. She put a seal on it so the grappling pair stayed in the bedroom.
“What the hell is all that noise?” Leroy came down the hallway from the bedroom he occupied with Milly. “Boss?”
“Wilder and Tyra are having it out.”
“Well, ain’t you going to stop it? Who is that?” he asked, looking at Suzanne before she could answer the first question.
“Ask her.” She went down to the living room where Devon stood over Milly who was holding Carmen on her lap. She turned to find Leroy had trailed her. He and Devon gave her reproving looks. Suzanne came in and took her hand, smiling. Like there was something to be smiling about. And what was with her always holding her hand or hanging on her?
“I guess you’ll be happy when one kills the other,” Leroy said.
“Here, Leroy.” Velvet reached into her bosom, pulled out an old skeleton key. “Why don’t you go open the door and tell them to cut it out?”
“I’ll do it,” Devon offered.
“Forget it. You’ll try to protect, Tyra.”
“So?”
“Wilder will go after you.”
“So?”
“It is time y’all stopped treating him like he’s the one out of control. Tyra has been spoiling for it.”
“She’s a vampire slayer, what do you expect her to do?”
“Act like an associate, that’s what, Devon! All of you!” She tossed the key past his shoulder. “If he kicks her ass, she deserves it!”
“He’s your pet,” Devon complained.
“He’s my partner just like Milton. He’s a founding member, and technically, he’s your boss too! He could have fired any of you or not hired any of you to begin with.”
“Milton hired me. I’d love to see him override that!”
“Oh, get off his case, Devon,” Suzanne said in a loud voice. “He’s never done anything to you, but sign your paychecks!”
“You want me to turn you upside down or something?”
“You just try it,” Suzanne warned, clenching her fists.
“What are you doing?” Devon exclaimed as her body outlined in blue. He turned sharply to Velvet. “She’s glowing! She’s doing you!”
“All right, Suzanne!” Velvet hustled spinning her around. How was her aura blue? Her colors were orange and yellow before. “What do you think you are doing?”
“Oh, I’m just tired of him being a brat and thinking he can be threatening me any time he wants.”
“How did you get my aura? Suzanne?” She shook her by the shoulders when she wouldn’t answer. “That’s why you are always holding my hand and hanging on me! You sneaky little thing you!”
“I’m your sprite!” Suzanne yelled. “I am a part of you.”
“I told you I don’t want a sprite.”
“Sometimes things happen, Vee.”
“I knew it!” Devon shouted. “Put her out, Velvet. She’s too freaky.”
“Look who is talking,” Suzanne sneered back at him. “I’m here now and I’m hers. We made a deal, right Vee?”
“Um...” Did they? No, she never agreed, yet Suzanne had her light power and she purposely chose an appearance like her own. “No, you tricked me.” Velvet gave her a vigorous shaking. “Didn’t you? You planned this all along!”
“No, Velvet! It just happened.”
“Liar.” It was making sense now. Suzanne had been with her for months. At the office and in her home! “You used Carmen. You’ve been inside her all this time, using her like your puppets. The more I devoted myself to Carmen, the closer you bonded with me.”
“You wanted her.” Suzanne stated knowingly. “And I didn’t do anything wrong. You know how magic is, Velvet. Sometimes you don’t have to say it out loud to get what you want.”
“I can still throw you out. And purge all traces of you from Carmen.”
“If you do that Carmen and I will both die.”
“What?”
“Carmen is my other.”
“Carmen isn’t a magical creature.”
“But she has been touched.”
“Vee, don’t listen to that thing. Carmen ain’t been touched.”
“Maybe not.” She sighed and released Suzanne. “But I have.”
“Great!” Devon snatched Carmen out of Milly’s lap and stormed out of the house slamming the door.
~*~
“Devon!”
Rankin came up the street at a slow labored trot. Devon heard the weak cry for help due to his super hearing.
“Von!” Carmen repeated it, then stuck two fingers between her lips.
Devon tore his eyes off Rankin. Carmen heard it too. He whispered her name barely making a sound. She looked at him as if responding to her name. Rankin called again, this time Devon detected blood in the air. “Rankin!” Something big was coming after him. “Vee!” He screamed at the top of his lungs, howling at the end. After placing Carmen on the ground, he ran down the street to aid Rankin.
She ran out to the porch with Suzanne at her side. Like Velvet, she was suited up and held her battle axe ready to do battle. Devon came running back up to the house carrying Rankin over his shoulder.
“What?”
“A thing. Big. Smells like a wolf sort of.” He kept going, taking Rankin inside the house. After dropping him to the floor, he ran back to join Velvet on the porch.
“Sprite, you go inside and see to Rankin.”
“Yes, mistress.”
Tyra and Wilder ran out together, both in battle gear. They all ran out to the street without a word.
“Oh lord.” Milly sank beside Rankin’s torn body about to cry.
“Don’t worry, Milly.” Suzanne dragged Rankin further into the living room by his feet, and she seemed to use very little effort in doing so. “He’s an immortal. He’ll heal before the battle is over.” She placed a throw from a nearby chair over him, then quickly left to watch things from the yard. “Carmen.” She picked the baby up and held her on her hip. “Don’t cry, it’s all right. That monster can’t take the whole team.” Then she saw the wolf thing rise on its hind legs. Female and it had wings. “Oh no! It’s her!”
“Get in here with that baby,” Leroy cried and had to shake Milly off his arm to run into the yard. He took Carmen from her arms. “Come inside, Suzanne!”
“No, I’ll fight with my mistress!” she declared.
“You get your little butt inside,” Leroy ordered.
“Vee! It’s Samantha!” Suzanne screamed as Leroy shut the door.
~*~
A wing struck Wilder in the head and shoulder, he fell crashing on the windshield of a parked vehicle. Devon ran to aid Velvet in her assault on the huge car sized wolf bat.
Velvet threw her axe into Samantha’s throat, then drew her sword. She howled like a wolf while pulling the axe out, then attempted to use it to defend herself, but her movements were too slow and clumsy compared to Velvet’s excellent swordsmanship. In what seemed a futile gesture, she threw the axe back at Velvet who was taken by surprise. It connected with the side of her head. “Ahh!” Velvet backed off for a moment, it gave Samantha time to flap her wings and retreat.
“You okay, kid,” Velvet asked Devon as she touched ground. He was still bleeding from his wounds.
“Nothing I can’t heal.” He winced holding his side. She put an arm around him for support. “Thanks,” he grinned in her face and leaned his weight onto her.
Wilder and Suzanne met them in the yard. Tyra was crossing the street with a limp. She and Wilder briefly glanced at each other. Velvet knew they were both thinking what fools they were wasting their strength fighting each other.
“Everybody gonna be okay?” she asked, visually checking each one for signs of serious damage.
“Please, you’re the one needing stitches,” Tyra grumbled climbing the porch steps.