“Kelly!” my father shouted in relief, catching sight of me as I entered the sitting area located on the ground floor of the guest house. “We’ve been so worried.” He enveloped me in a tight hug.
“They’ve been saying some pretty damning things, Kel,” my brother said.
“If by they, you mean the Council, yeah I know. I promise we’ll explain everything, well what we know anyway. Sorry you got caught up in this.” I grimaced. I hoped Geoffrey still had a job when we got back. I didn’t imagine the mayor would allow him and his family to go without a permanent bodyguard for more than a day or two.
“What’s going on?” my Uncle Alan asked. “This whole thing seems crazy.”
Pilar stepped into the room behind me, carrying a tray. “I brought us all some tea. I thought under the circumstances, we could all use some.”
“That’s very thoughtful,” my omega father said, looking at Pilar with curiosity. “You’re the Hunter they sent to help our Kelly, aren’t you?”
“That’s Pilar, Dad, and yes, he’s the one.”
“And you’re engaged?” my other father, Pops, asked from where he stood. He’d been facing away when I came in, examining a painting on the wall, but now we had his full attention.
“I kind of told them everything I knew. Except about the secret history stuff,” Richard said sheepishly. He was sandwiched between his parents, my uncles Alan and Kim, on a sofa.
“Well, that saves us a bit of time,” Pilar said brightly, carrying the tray over to the coffee table in the middle of the group seating.
“So it’s true?” Pops pressed.
“It is,” I confirmed.
They all stared at me as if I’d suddenly grown two heads.
“Oh, pish. Leave him alone,” Dad said. He sniffed. “I think it’s terribly romantic. In the midst of danger, their hearts found one another!”
Pops sighed. “This isn’t one of your romance books, Rue.”
Dad shrugged. “I know, but it just goes to show, real life can imitate art and all that.” He beamed at Pilar as he took his seat once more in an armchair at one end of the table. “So thoughtful. Tea is always so soothing.”
Pilar smiled back, the careful one where he kept his teeth covered. My heart panged. I hoped that soon, he’d feel at ease enough and accepted by my kin to relax and not feel the need to hide any part of himself.
Pilar poured the tea and everyone sorted out their milk and sugar themselves. I sat down on a two-person couch and Pilar brought me a cup, settling down next to me with his own. I sipped it appreciatively. He’d remembered how I’d taken my tea and made it perfectly.
“Thanks, babe,” I told him, hoping he understood it was for far more than just the tea. It was for everything.
“You’re most welcome, nor brevis.”
I had a feeling that he’d just answered my endearment with one of his own. I vowed then and there to learn his language. It wasn’t fair to expect everyone around me to speak to me in mine. Besides, as things looked, I was going to need to be able to read and perhaps even write documents in this language. Sure, they had a computer who could translate things, but that would be a cumbersome thing to rely upon in the day to day.
“See, I told you they were sickeningly sweet,” Richard said.
“Shut it, Dick,” I growled.
“What’s this about a secret history?” Uncle Alan asked.
Pilar turned a somber gaze at him. “Well, you see, it all began with the crew of The Indomitable,” he began. When he finished, everyone was silent. No one spoke until Geoffrey placed his empty tea cup down on the table with a clatter before standing up.
“That’s…hell. So we didn’t all merrily vote to grant them titles and land as a courtesy, with them representing us in matters with the vamps.” He winced, glancing at Pilar. “Sorry, bad habit. I’ll try to do better.”
Pilar gave him a small, tight smile. “Change takes time and effort,” he agreed. “Habits can be hard to break.”
Uncle Kim threw him a baleful look. “He’ll try extra hard and break that habit right now or there will be some harsh words between us.”
“Sorry, Uncle Kim.”
“You’ll get an earful from me and your Pops too,” Dad warned him.
“I said I was sorry,” he muttered. He glanced at Pilar. “It won’t happen again if I can help it.”
I knew he meant it. Geoff was a large-hearted guy and no bigot.
“So, wedding tomorrow,” Pops said brightly. “I’m afraid we don’t have anything suitable to wear.”
Pilar and I exchanged looks. “It’s early enough that if we hurry, we can return to the store.”
I nodded. “Right, everyone, put your cups down.”
“Where are we going?” Uncle Alan asked.
“Shopping,” I said. “But don’t worry. Pilar can comm the guy and he can have some stuff ready for you to pick from.” I gave Pilar a pleading glance. He pulled his comm unit out of his pocket and walked out to find a quieter space to make the call.
“But we don’t have any of their kind of money,” Uncle Alan protested.
“We have that covered,” I reassured them all.
Pilar reappeared. “He’s waiting. He sounded quite excited to be dressing so many humans, actually.”
I laughed. “Right, off we go.”
They all followed us out this time, with minimal fuss. Luckily, the guesthouse was only a few blocks from where we had to go so we were able to walk there.
“This place is nothing like I imagined,” Pops said, looking all about as we walked.
He really had no idea, I reflected, but soon, he and everyone else hopefully would.