“CONNELLY!”
I took a deep breath. I had just put down my coffee and briefcase on my desk when Starks bellowed for me. I picked up my coffee and headed back out into the hall. The smell of cookies wafted down from Delilah’s office. Galina peeked over her desk at me and smiled a shy smile. Today her horns were a light lavender color and her hair was in two sleek braids. She looked as pretty as ever. My hair was messy from my helmet, but the ride to the office had been warm and refreshing, not hellishly hot like the Egyptian desert.
It was good to be back.
The SITO helicopter had taken us directly to the Cairo airport. When I argued about leaving Aaron and Eshe, Levins told me SITO informed her that Mr. Smyth was coming back earlier than expected, and we needed to get Kels back in California as soon as possible.
The flight home was quiet and uneventful. Kels slept most of the way, and Levins zoned out into the tiny movie screen on the back of her seat.
I spent most of the time fingering my empty holster, wondering about what kind of reception I would have in California and reflecting over the past couple weeks.
This Code Red had turned out to be more than enough excitement to last a lifetime. In the end all I had cared about was saving the child. It wasn’t the glamorous Hollywood detective world I had believed it to be, it was hard and exhausting. I looked over at Kels’s tousled head and wondered why I fought so hard to leave the CPU.
Upon arrival, Levins didn’t object to me taking Kels back to the Smyths’ house alone, which made me hopeful that my punishment wouldn’t include losing my job.
Surrounded by the warmth and comfort of the Smyths’ suburban home, with Kels safely by my side, the worries and troubles of the Code Red faded into the background. It seemed my hasty email plan for Mrs. Smyth with Galina had worked. There were no frantic messages left on my phone or in my email inbox. I called Mrs. Smyth and was happy to hear that she and her sister were doing much better, as I guessed she would be. She told me the doctors said she could return home in a few days, and asked if it would be alright if I stayed on a few more days, even though Mr. Smyth was going to be home sooner than she thought. I agreed of course.
It was strange how quickly life went back to normal within twenty-four hours. Egypt, the desert, Rahab all felt like a surreal dream that had faded quickly into the welcoming California sunshine.
My footsteps light, I walked into Starks’s office.
“Yeah Boss?”
Starks was waiting for me in front of his desk. He sized me up. I sipped my coffee, letting him stare.
“You’re in better shape than Levins,” he said.
“I was lucky.”
“The hell you were!” Starks roared and slammed his fist down on the desk.
I stiffened and kept my chin up. I deserved this, I knew that much.
He paced around me. “Of all the idiotic, immature, stupid, bonehead,” he paused to take a breath, “stunts you could pull, this by far was the dumbest!”
“You’re right,” I said softly.
He stopped and looked at me in surprise. “What?”
“I said you’re right. It was a stupid thing to do, an incredibly immature selfish thing to do.” I gazed at him steadily. “I have been a taking too many risks as an agent, endangering myself and my clients.”
He stared back at me suspicious. “Well, as long as you recognize that.” His chest deflated and he sat back on his desk. “Connelly, I’ve been worried sick,” he said gruffly.
“I am sorry.” I tried to sound as sincere as I could. I must have succeeded, because he grinned ruefully.
“Well, the irresponsible part of it aside, good job, Kid.”
“Thanks Boss.” I smiled back at him. There was an awkward stretch of silence.
“So, what happened after we left Cairo?” I asked.
“SITO operatives have infiltrated the temple and cleaned up the rest of it. Most of the people there were innocents, even if they were Anakites. But there were a few nasties hiding out that had been on SITO’s most wanted list. We got em, we got em good.” Starks had a wicked gleam in his eye.
“Did you find any more children? Are they safe?”
“There were of course angel children living there. We didn’t find any more captives, but we did find some evidence of,” Starks paused and cleared his throat.
I didn’t want to know what they had found. “Never mind, I think I get it,” I said.
He read my expression and said hastily, “Many children are a lot safer now thanks to you and Levins.”
I looked down at my coffee, glad that horrible human Rahab had been wiped out. Anyone who could do that to a child didn’t have any real humanity.
“Where’s the boy?” Starks asked.
“He’s up in Delilah’s office. His father is back in town, but working full time, so I’ve been staying with them until his mother gets back, which is actually this evening.”
Starks nodded. “He probably needed you now more than ever after what he’s been through. Poor little guy.” He looked at me curiously. “I read Levins’s report. So our detainee was actually his birth father? And his uncle wanted to drug him up and burn him to death in front of a bunch of nut jobs?”
“Yep.”
“Damn,” Starks whistled through his teeth.
“I’m filing for petition to tell his parents the whole story. I think they need to know for his protection,” I said.
“How do you know he won’t to tell his father now?”
“The kid’s been pretty quiet about it. I think he doesn’t really know how to process it. I’m going to try to get the Smyths to send him to one of our child psychologists once I tell them what happened.”
“Okay, I’ll trust your instincts on that.”
His response elicited a rush of pride that surprised me. “I appreciate that, Boss.”
“Connelly.”
“Yeah Boss?”
“There’s a place for you in the CIU if you want it.”
I stared at him. He was offering me what I had fought for, begged for, prayed for, for the past five years.
Suddenly I didn’t want it anymore. The whole Code Red experience had taught me how much I loved my job in the CPU. I swallowed. “Actually, if you don’t mind, I’d prefer to stay in the CPU. It’s a better fit for me.”
His eyebrows raised in surprise. “Is that so?”
“Yeah, it’s not that I can’t handle the CIU,” I rushed to say. “I just think the CPU is where I want to be, working with the kids.” I paused. “Although, maybe if you get the occasional Code Red case that involves a child, I could help out?”
Starks grinned and clapped me on the back. “You got yourself a deal. Alright, get out of here and get back to work.”
“Sure Boss.” I grinned back at him.
I floated out of Starks’s office, feeling better about my job than I had in years. With a smile on my face I headed back down to my office.
“Someone is in a good mood.”
I froze. Aaron was leaning against the receptionist desk. Both he and Galina were watching me. I looked around nervously, before I remembered SITO had cleared Aaron of all charges.
“You’re back?”
“Just got in this morning.”
“Eshe?” I whispered.
He lowered his eyes, and shook his head. Underneath the heavy shirt he wore I could see the slight movement of his wings drooping.
Grief shot through me, and without thinking I reached out to him. Although he was almost a foot taller than me, he crumpled into the hug. We stood there, wrapped in each other’s arms, uncaring who saw us. With my head on his chest I breathed in his heavy musk and listened to his beating heart. He was here at least and safe and free.
He pulled away first.
“Kels?” he asked.
“Upstairs, c’mon.”
Galina watched us go with an unreadable expression. I smiled at her reassuringly. As I led Aaron upstairs I explained to him my plan to tell the Smyths the truth.
“Would you like to be there?” I asked, stopping in front of the door to Delilah’s office.
Aaron looked at me earnestly. “Did you know that Chris Smyth is a relative of Rhianna’s?” he asked.
“He’s what?!” I stared at Aaron in shock. He could have told me he had a tail, and I wouldn’t have been more surprised.
“She was his favorite niece. He flew to Ireland after she passed and made it be known he was interested in adopting the child to family members who then contacted me. I never met him face to face, but I did a background check, and I knew that Rhi loved him growing up. It seemed the perfect cover for Kels, to be a part of a normal family across the globe from the Anakites, but one that was still connected to his mother. Although now that I think of it, that’s probably how Rahab traced a son back to me,” he said ruefully.
I shook my head in mystified. Well, that explained Mr. Smyth’s strange behavior when I had asked about Kels’s background. “So he knows about Kels?”
“Not about what he is. Chris thought Rhianna was involved with the IRA, and that I was on the run from the normal police. I thought it was safer to let him believe that. He’s never even seen a picture of me.”
I opened my mouth, but I didn’t have a chance to respond. The door we were standing in front of creaked open. We looked down at the top of a blond head.
“S’rah?”
“Hey Buddy, I’m here. And so is your papa.” I said it with some trepidation, worried what Kels’s reaction would be to Aaron’s reappearance.
Kels barreled through the door. Aaron caught up the whirlwind of five-year-old excitement in his arms. I smiled; I guess I didn’t need to worry. Kels snuggled into the hug as if he had been there the whole time.
I looked through the door and waved thanks to Delilah. She waved back, crammed in her too small chair as usual, in front of the main computer. A strong fragrance of fresh cookies lingered behind us as we left.
“S’rah I likes Delela! She gave me cookies, lots and lots of cookies!” Kels bounced in Aaron’s arms, the sugar rushing through his veins obvious on his face.
“I bet she did,” I responded. Kels knocked Aaron in the chin. I sent myself a mental note to send Levins wired up on too much caffeine, to Delilah’s office someday.
“Kels guess what?” I asked.
“What?” He wiggled in Aaron’s grasp. I wasn’t sure he needed to go to a psychiatrist after all; the trauma of the past two weeks didn’t seem to have made a dent. I looked from him to Aaron’s worn face and amended that. It had made a big dent in all of the adults. Even Levins was less prone to losing her temper these days.
“Whhaaaat S’rah?!”
“Your mommy is coming home today!”
“Mommy?” Kels grew still and stared at me wide-eyed. “Mommy is coming back?”
“Yes, didn’t I tell you she would come back?” I said.
He looked up at Aaron. “Does that mean my other mommy will come back someday?”
The grief that gripped Aaron’s face was too much for me to bear. I kept my gaze averted and focused on the boy.
“No, Honey, it doesn’t,” I said gently.
He scrunched up his face.
“But I have two papas right?”
Aaron hugged him closer. “Right,” he murmured.
Kels nestled close to his father and sighed.
“You guys go ahead to the car. I’ll meet you in a minute,” I said and watched them leave with an ache in my heart. After they disappeared down the stairs I pulled out my cell phone and called my own papa.
He answered and started talking eagerly, even though it was the middle of the night for him. “I have some interesting results for you about your case,” he said excitedly.
In a warm mood, I let my father drone on about the fascinating complexities of gene sequencing and how he found a shortcut to determine the genetic history of a blood type. When he discovered I was actually listening, he delved into the laboratory report results and the work he had been doing for the past week. I paced the second floor hallway, just happy to hear his voice.
“In conclusion,” he said, triumphant. “Your subject matter is in fact not actually half Homo angelus he’s less than half which explains the physiology of his skin tone and,”
“Daddy?” I interrupted, swallowing a lump in my throat.
“Yes Sarah?”
“I love you.”
There was a pause on the other line.
“I love you too,” he said his voice gratified.
“Is Mum asleep?”
“Yes, but I know she’d love to talk to you.”
“That’s okay. I’ll call her later this evening. I actually have to go. I’m still at work. Thank you for doing all that. I’ll pass along the information, it will be useful.” I didn’t have the heart to tell him we already knew Kels’s history.
That evening another parent, one who needed to be filled in on Kels’s true history was welcomed home. Mrs. Smyth was dressed as gaily as ever in lime green and bright yellow. Her face was paler though, and she was a bit thinner. I stopped her from frantically attempting to make dinner by ordering takeout. She needed to settle in and rest. After the food had been eaten, I sat the Smyths down. Mrs. Smyth sat on the couch, Kels clinging to her waist. With a disgruntled expression, Mr. Smyth took the armchair nearby.
“I’m not sure what this about Ms. Connelly, but please make it quick.”
“I have something I need to tell you about Kels’s history,” I said.
Mr. Smyth started and coughed. Mrs. Smyth glanced at him concerned.
“Mr. Smyth, it’s not what you think,” I said. “It has nothing to do with Ireland.”
He looked at me startled and sat back, still distrustful, but also thoughtful.
I took a deep breath and launched into an account about Homo angelus and Homo daemonis. I had given this lecture a few times, so I was not fazed by the incredulous expressions growing on their faces, but I was surprised by my own emotional response talking about my heritage. I was actually feeling proud of it. When I finished explaining that there were two other species of human on the planet, and that their son was part Homo angelus, there was a stunned silence. Mrs. Smyth was clutching Kels, and Mr. Smyth was shaking his head. Usually this was where I showed them my horn stubs and pictures of other daemons and angels. This time however, was different.
“Would you like to meet Kels’s biological father?” I asked quietly, before Mrs. Smyth could say I was crazy, and she couldn’t believe she had hired me. Her mouth snapped shut. Mr. Smyth surged out of his seat, his belly bouncing.
“That no good, worthless piece of,” he started.
“Christopher!” Mrs. Smyth said sharply. “There are eager ears present.”
“Kels, why don’t you go get that present you got for your mommy?” I asked. Kels looked at his mother eagerly. She nodded, and he raced from the room.
Once he was out of earshot I continued. “Mr. Smyth, you do not have to be concerned. Kels’s father is not a member of any Irish rebel outfit,” I said. No need to mention he had been a part of an angel terrorist group.
Mr. Smyth gaped at me. “You know about that?” he asked.
“Know about what?” Mrs. Smyth looked at me and then at her husband. “You told me Rhianna and her husband were killed in a car crash,” she said accusingly.
“Mr. Smyth, please sit down,” I said.
He did.
“Mrs. Smyth, he was doing it to protect Kels. He did need protection, but not for the reasons you believed, that is why I came into the picture,” I said.
“You?” Mrs. Smyth looked faint. “But I met you at the park, and your resume checked out…”
I explained that I was truly a qualified nanny, but also an undercover agent. By the time I had finished telling them about SITO and my position, Kels had returned with his gift, a leather stuffed camel decorated with brightly colored ribbons. Mrs. Smyth stared down at it blankly.
“It’s from Egyt!” Kels smiled proudly.
“Egypt?” she asked weakly.
“Yesh, bad Uncle Rahab took me to Egypt and locked me in a big room, that he said I could have all to myself, because he was going to bring both my daddies there, but he was lying, and then S’rah came and rescued me and found my other daddy, and we rode on a camel in the desert for a long time until a big helcopter came and took the lady that was really sick to the hospital, and we went to the airport where S’rah said I could get this for you. His name is Bob.”
Mr. and Mrs. Smyth just stared at him.
“I’ll go get his birth father,” I said taking the moment of stunned silence as an opportunity and slipped out to where Aaron waited in the car.
When we returned Mr. Smyth had his arm around Mrs. Smyth who cradled the camel in one arm and stroked Kels’s hair with the other.
“Papa!” Kels raced over to Aaron who swung him up in an overt display of affection. His other parents simply gaped in astonishment.
“Mr. and Mrs. Smyth I would like you to meet Aaron, the angel who is also Kels’s biological father,” I said.
“But, but, he’s,” Mr. Smyth stuttered, standing up. “He’s black,” he finished stupidly.
I had to restrain my laughter, the man had no idea. I turned to Aaron. “Show them.”
Gravely Aaron put down Kels, turned to face away from the Smyths and slowly took off his thin coat. He was shirtless underneath in preparation. His muscles rippled with the effort to spread his wings.
I let out a tiny sigh. He was stunning. He heard me and shot me a look that made me blush, as he spread his arms wide.
His wings unfolded like black velvet sails. They reached out and seemed to fill the room.
“Holy shit,” Mr. Smyth said and sat down heavily next to his wife.
Kels raced over to bounce in between the couple and giggled. “Holy shit!” he mimicked. “Holy shit!”
“Kels! Stop that!” Mrs. Smyth reprimanded.
Aaron smiled a deep smile that only I could see, and brought his wings halfway down so he could turn around to face Kels’s parents.
“You’re real. Angels do exist,” Mrs. Smyth said wonderingly. She turned to me. “Does that mean devils exist too?”
Aaron flinched at her use of the term.
I pretended not to notice his reaction. “We prefer the term daemon, and yes, we do,” I said politely.
“Wait, you are a dev, I mean, daemon?”
“I’m part, just like Kels here.” I said and bent down to show her my horn stubs.
“Can I touch them?” she asked. I thought about what Levins’s response would be and contained a chuckle. “Sure, just be careful, they’re a little sensitive.”
She reached out and touched the tip of my right horn and then pulled her hand away quickly.
“Wow,” was all she said.
“So you are telling us that Kels will grow those?” Mr. Smyth asked, one hand on his son protectively.
Kels looked at me wide-eyed. “Am I gonna have horns like S’rah?”
“No Kels,” I said.
His face fell.
I kneeled down next to him. “You get to have wings, like your papa. Imagine how cool that is,” I said softly.
His expression lit up, and I felt a warm glow of happiness. This little halfer was going to be all right.
Aaron and I spent the next hour answering the multitude of questions that the Smyths had. I showed Mrs. Smyth the lump on Kels’s head and the tender spots on his back, directing her on how to take care of them. We talked about the need for secrecy and gave examples of dire consequences when a daemon or angel went public. I also gave them the names of psychologist that would help them adjust to their new lives.
“Wait, do we need all this?” Mrs. Smyth interrupted. “Are you going to take him back?” She looked at Aaron who was sitting cross-legged on the floor, his wings spread out behind him for balance. There was a heavy silence. I kicked myself mentally, I hadn’t even thought about asking Aaron that.
Aaron looked around at the warm house and the two people holding his child.
“I was hoping I could be a part of his life again, yes,” he said.
Mrs. Smyth’s hand trembled.
“But I believe it would be better for him to be raised in such a loving, stable home,” he continued. “Right now, I do not even have a place to stay, let alone the stability to take care of a child.”
Mrs. Smyth burst into tears.
“Mommy, what’s wrong?!” Kels anxiously climbed onto her lap as Mr. Smyth put his arms around her.
Aaron and I sat awkwardly in front of them, as Mrs. Smyth’s sobs turned into sniffles.
“God bless you,” she said at last.
“He’s an angil Mommy! He doesn’t need to be blessed!” Kels said earnestly.
“He’s an angel because he brought you back safely to me,” she answered, hugging him tightly. “Aaron, you can stay with us until you find a place, right Christopher?”
Mr. Smyth cleared his throat. “Of course,” he said gruffly. He stood up and held out a hand to Aaron who scrambled up and shook the proffered hand gratefully.
I realized it was time for me to make room for the newest member of the family. My work here was done. I stood up.
“I’m afraid I must be off. I have some work to do,” I said.
They looked up in surprise, already have forgotten me. I swallowed my sadness and gave a cheery farewell wave.
“Bye S’rah!” My little pasta monster extraordinaire hadn’t forgotten me. He jumped off the couch and ran over to give me a big hug. I blinked back tears.
“I’ll walk you to your car,” Aaron said in a low voice. He pulled on his coat.
“It’s not my car, it’s SITO’s,” I responded haughtily. He just gave me an exasperated look. Abashed, I nodded.
“Sarah, would you still be willing to babysit on occasion?” Mrs. Smyth asked hopefully as I turned to go. “I mean now that we know about, well about the differences, we really could use the help. I’m not sure I could trust a normal person with Kels anymore.”
My heart swelled. “Of course Mrs. Smyth, I would love to.” I gently untangled Kels from around my waist. Mr. Smyth held out his hand, and I shook it.
Aaron followed me out into the balmy summer night. The night jasmine blooming on the fence along a neighbor’s yard wafted through the air, and the full yellow moon hung low in the sky, as if it were one of the orange street lamps abuzz with black insects. We crossed the street. I played with my keys, suddenly nervous.
“Sarah,” Aaron’s voice was low, his accent sending shivers down my spine. I turned to face him. He searched my eyes.
“Thank you,” he said. “For everything. My son is alive because of you.”
I nodded, the ambiance of the evening making me too lightheaded to respond. I had dreamed about a moment like this, and now that it was here I couldn’t get my brain to function or my mouth to speak.
“You should do something about that sunburn,” he said, touching my peeling nose lightly. “I have some of Eshe’s ointments and all of her recipe books. I want to revive her business her in California.”
“That’s a great idea,” I said, finding my voice at last. It came out low and throaty.
He stared down at me, his eyes luminous. My heart was beating so rapidly I couldn’t move.
“I have a question,” he said.
“Yes?” I whispered breathless. This was it, this was the moment. I had never felt this tantalized and nervous before.
“The secretary at your office, you and her are close?”
A shattering roared in my ears, as I registered what he had said. He had asked about Galina. Of course, he would ask about her. She was so beautiful. I was glad the darkness of the evening hid my embarrassment.
“Uh, yeah we get along.” Hastily I pushed the keys into the slot and unlocked the car. “Look, Aaron, I gotta go. You should go join your family.”
“But Sarah, you are a part of my family now.”
I was touched by his statement, but his question about Galina still stabbed me.
“We’ll be in touch.” I gave him a cursory hug and slipped into the car before he could respond.
As I drove away I tried not to look, but I couldn’t help it. I glanced in the rear view mirror. His silhouette was still in the middle of the street not moving. I bit my lip and looked away. My adventure was over, and I had to face reality.
Life would go on.
I had a job.
I had friends.
I had a good family.
I repeated those words to myself over the next couple days, every time I missed him. I buried myself in work, which was easy since Levins and I had a lot of paper work to do on Case 342.
It was mid-afternoon on another beautiful, but hot summer day as I tapped drearily at my computer, trying not to think about what happened a few nights back with Aaron. We had talked briefly since then, but I kept the conversations short and professional. Kels was safe, that was all that mattered.
“Coffee?” Levins smiled at me from the doorway to my office. I grinned back. This was one of the good things that had come out of the Code Red. We had spent the last week working through the paperwork from Case 342, and she had brought me coffee every day.
“Last little push,” she said, putting both cups of coffee down on my desk. Our relationship was uncomplicated now. We had had a serious bonding moment mourning Eshe together, she had even gotten teary-eyed.
She had also confessed that she and Starks were hooking up, one late night over a mound of papers. It didn’t bother me as much as I thought it would. I was actually kind of happy for them. They were a good match.
It was easier to forget my sadness with Levins around, I didn’t feel as lonely. She opened her briefcase and began sorting through the last of the paperwork. We sat across from each other, in respectful comfort and ease, working through the final report.
“Connelly, here are the lab reports you requested.” Galina interrupted us.
I looked up and gestured her to put them on the desk, before looking down again at the file I was perusing.
“Do you need anything else?” she asked hopefully.
“Thank you Galina, and no, but I will keep you posted,” I responded without looking up. “And please close the door behind you.”
She wilted a little, and left, closing the door.
Levins raised an eyebrow at me.
“What?” I asked grumpily. I was keeping a professional attitude with Galina, still stung from Aaron’s admission. I could sense she was a little hurt, but I wasn’t about to fall back into my feelings for her, knowing any moment she would be swept off her feet.
“Nothing,” Levins said and rifled through the folder Galina had put on the desk.
Scowling I returned to the form I had been filling out on the computer. Truth was, I missed Kels, I missed Aaron, and I missed Galina. Johnny and Quinn had returned home, but their mother had decided she needed to cut back on work and spend more time with her kids, which meant she didn’t need me as much anymore. The Smyths and Kels were attending a special bonding week in San Diego with other mixed species adoptive parents. Aaron was busy importing all of Eshe’s exceptional medicines, intent on continuing his grandmother’s business, but here in California where he could stay close to Kels.
I wasn’t really sure I wanted to see Aaron anyway. I tapped at the keyboard in frustration. Levins didn’t say another word, sensing I didn’t want to talk. The black cloud over my head grew with the afternoon, so by the time I went home for the day I was in a foul mood.
The next morning I was still irritable. I had a headache and woke up too early, my whirling thoughts not letting me sleep. Even my morning commute on my motorcycle didn’t cheer me up. My hair gnarlier than ever, I slouched through SITO’s parking lot, growling to myself. Spotting Galina’s car, my heart skipped a beat. She was sitting in the driver’s seat. I noticed the passenger seat was also occupied. Seething with jealousy and embarrassment, I ducked behind a nearby car, praying she hadn’t seen me. Fighting my rapidly beating heart and hating myself but unable to resist, I inched up until I could see into the car. What I saw made my stomach drop.
Galina was in an earnest conversation with an angel, an angel I knew so well. Aaron’s face shone with humor and pleasure from the passenger seat, as he conversed with the lovely daemon.
I wished fiercely at that moment that I could read lips, dying a little bit inside, desperate to know what they were talking about. Were they lovers? I remembered Galina’s reaction to Aaron the first time they met, and the subtle flirtation that I had brushed off as nothing.
Aaron had asked about her, but I didn’t expect him to move so quickly. I sank down again and buried my head in my hands. There was no way I could sneak into the office now without being seen, and I had no wish for an awkward confrontation. I had allowed myself to play a fool long enough. My mood sunk lower and lower, as the two of them remained inside the car longer and longer.
Finally I heard a car door slam, and I risked a peek. Aaron was striding out of the parking lot, his tall broad frame forcing the bitterness a little deeper in my heart. Galina stepped out of the car and rummaged through her purse, her beautiful legs gracing her sexy red patent leather heels. She locked the doors to her car, and disappeared into the office.
“Fuck them,” I said aloud to the empty parking lot and to the empty hole in my heart. Loneliness squeezed my chest. More than ever I didn’t feel like going to work today. I called Delilah.
“Connelly, report.”
“Nothing to report Delilah. Just curious, is there anything pressing in the office that needs me today? Because if not, I don’t feel too well and may take a sick day. Levins and I finished the full report on Case 342 yesterday.”
There was a pause on the other end. I couldn’t figure out if it was quiet because she was trying to find the answer to the question, or if she was surprised I was going to take a sick day. It would be my first in awhile.
“Take the day off,” was the answer.
“Ten-four,” I answered with relief.
Feeling extremely sorry for myself, I kicked the clutch of my bike into neutral and wheeled silently out of the parking lot. Half-hoping I wouldn’t pass Aaron on my way out, half-hoping I would, I looked both ways. He was not in sight. My motorcycle roared to life, and I zoomed away from location of that gut-twisting scene I had just witnessed.
I spent the rest of the day wallowing in self-pity, wrapped in a blanket on the couch, ignoring my phone, and watching television. My mind obsessed over all of the details of my interactions with Galina and Aaron. I played scenes over and over again, imagining the what-ifs. What if I had been more confident with Galina, what if I had been one hundred percent behind Aaron the whole time, what if I had given the perfect response every time, or behaved in the perfect way, what if.
What if. What if. What if.
Emotionally exhausted I passed out in the late afternoon.
Loud knocking woke me up. I opened my eyes to complete darkness. Confused I stumbled around, banging my knee on the coffee table. I cursed. The knocking grew more demanding.
“Coming!” I yelled my mind hazy with sleep and my knee throbbing. I yanked on the jeans that had been lying crumpled on the floor and staggered to the door.
“Yes,” I opened the door and my words trailed off. In the harsh light of my porch bulb stood the lovely sexy daemon of my dreams. The concern on her face made my heart pound.
“You weren’t at work today,” Galina said. Her lips seemed as soft as velvet and her eyes were wide and concerned. “We were worried.”
“We?” I asked, bewildered that she was standing at my front door.
“We.” The softly accented deep voice filtered out of the shadows, and Aaron stepped into view.
I swallowed hard, trying to figure out what they were doing here together. Seeing them together drove the dagger deeper into my chest. Were they completely oblivious to the way I felt about them?
“I’m fine. Thanks,” I said. The words came out harsher than I intended.
Galina’s smooth forehead furrowed. “You sure you’re okay?” she asked.
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
They stood there staring at me. The silence stole into my soul, growing to awkward proportions. I rubbed my horn stub fretfully. When neither made a move to leave, I opened the door wider.
“Would you like to come in?”
The smile that lit up Galina’s face was brighter than any light. My insides melted, and I accepted the fact that I would yearn for these two. She skipped past me and inside. Aaron followed more slowly. He paused in the doorway and looked at me until I was forced to meet his gaze. His eyes bored into mine with an intensity that made my palms slick with sweat.
“I brought this,” he said gruffly and shoved a bottle of red wine into my hands.
I stared down at the bottle, unseeing as he went inside.
There was too much going on for me to grasp what was going on. Galina was tripping around my kitchen chattering nervously like a schoolgirl, and Aaron sat on my couch, clearly uncomfortable. The tension was high. I sank down into my old wicker rocking chair.
I wondered if they were trying to find the nerve to tell me about their relationship. I sunk lower in my seat and allowed it to gently rock back and forth. Galina passed out two juice glasses and one coffee mug she had found, handed me the wine opener, and abruptly fell silent. They both looked at me, and I realized I still clutched the bottle of wine in my hands. Stiff like a zombie I popped it open and poured the ruby red liquid, the sound filling the silence.
Quietly we sipped our wine. I was not about to make a further fool of myself so I waited for someone else to speak.
Galina was the first to break the silence. “Connelly,” she said, hesitating. She looked at Aaron.
I clutched my glass to my chest.
“Connelly,” she started again. “We have something we wanted to talk to you about.”
I gritted my teeth, anticipating the fall of the axe. They were going to go on and on about how important our friendship was to them, and how they hoped their relationship wouldn’t get in the way of that yadda yadda yadda. I couldn’t look at either of them, so I stared into my glass.
“It’s about us.”
I forced my gaze up. Galina perched at the edge of her seat nervously coiling the end of her tail around her palm. Aaron just sat there, neck muscles pulsing as he swallowed convulsively. They were both agonizingly beautiful. I wanted both of them. I could love both of them. I was going to lose both of them.
“What about you guys?” I pushed the words out through my clenched lips.
“Not us,” Galina said indicating her and Aaron. “Us.” She pointed at me, then Aaron, then herself.
“Okay, what about us?” I asked, trying not to roll my eyes. They were going to fight this friendship thing to the bitter end.
Aaron’s wing tips were twitchy, rising above his shoulders, agitated. He looked so uncomfortable that I almost gave in and announced I knew what they were going to say, but my sad pride wouldn’t let me. I wanted them to stew in their own discomfort.
“Connelly, Aaron explained to me that you told him we were close, and that he did not want his feelings for you to get in the way of that,” Galina blurted out.
The words came so fast I didn’t register what she said.
Then it sank in. I nearly choked on the wine I had so casually drank a second before.
“Wait. What? Feelings for me?” I spluttered. I probably looked ridiculous with red wine dribbling down my chin and the stupidest expression imaginable on my face. Hurriedly I wiped away the wine and put down the mug.
“Sarah.” Aaron’s soft calling of my name enveloped me in sweet warmth. He rose and crouched down before me, so near I could smell the heady musk of his body, and took my pale shaking hand in his dark steady one. The restrained power in his fingers made me dizzy. “I feel a connection with you, a deep bond, and I think you feel it too.”
He stroked my palm. I stared at my hand fascinated by the tingles of pleasure running up my arm from the sensation of his fingertips brushing my skin.
“However, your friend here is beautiful and you do share species. She said she cares very much for you. I understand that your heart belonged to her first. I am sad for this, but I just want you to know that I wish to be friends with you above all, and assure you I will not try to intrude on your relationship with her.”
I looked at Galina whose eyes were riveted on my hands clasped in Aaron’s. She reddened when Aaron made his speech. Apparently she had chosen not to correct his assumption that we were a couple.
It was too much for me to sort out. An hour ago I had been convinced these two would argue for our friendship to work out in quite a different way. I looked at both pair of eyes watching me; Galina’s clear and lovely, Aaron’s commanding and hidden.
“I thought you were coming to tell me you were seeing each other,” I said, unable to think of a response.
There was a silence. They stared at me then at each other.
Galina giggled, breaking the tension. I burst out laughing. Soon we were both bent over, gasping with mirth.
Aaron looked confused. His wings drooped. I could see he wasn’t happy about our laughter.
I sobered and grasped Aaron’s hand in mine.
“Galina and I are not a couple. I thought you asked about us because you were interested in her,” I explained.
His wings lifted, and he looked shocked. “But I do not know her. Why would I be interested in someone I do not know?”
“Good point,” I said, biting my lip. “I’m afraid I have been listening to my own insecurities.”
“So, you and Galina are not partners?” he asked.
I looked over at Galina and caught a fleeting expression of yearning on her face, before it smoothed back into her usual cheerfulness. Startled, I realized the look was for me.
“Well, no,” I said unsteadily.
“But you are, what do you call it? Dating?” he asked.
I didn’t know what to say.
Galina interrupted. “I’m hungry,” she declared. “Since it looks like none of us is going anywhere, should I order a pizza?”
I wasn’t fooled by the fake bright tone in her voice, but I was at such a loss of what to say or do, so I nodded.
When Galina had left the room, I stood up. Aaron did too, still holding my hand in his.
“Aaron, I do want to be close to you.”
His pupils expanded, drawing in whatever courage I had found. I took a deep breath. I wasn’t quite ready for this.
“I am worried the bond you feel has to do with my role in your son’s life,” I confessed.
He opened his mouth to argue.
I held up a hand. I didn’t want to be persuaded.
“Let’s give it some time, get to know each other a bit outside of the case. At least I think I may need a little time to process all of this, as well as talk to Galina. Is that okay?”
“Of course, I came here to express how important you are to me. That is all. I have no expectations of you.”
I wanted to kiss him. But I didn’t. I just wasn’t sure, wasn’t ready for what that could mean. The sound of Galina on the phone with the pizza place broke through the tension, and he let go of my hand.
Awkwardly I settled down into the couch. Without a word, Aaron wrapped one arm around me and held me tightly against him. I felt as if my inner organs were melting as I felt the thrum of his heart in his chest. I tried to snuggle into his embrace, but the hardness of his muscles made it difficult. Finally I settled on removing his arm and leaning against the wing wrapped around his shoulder. He didn’t say a word as I made myself comfortable, watching me with his lion’s eyes.
Finally I found a good position and relaxed against him, letting the warmth of the wine and the comfort of companionship sink into my bones. I couldn’t believe how everything had turned out.
Having finished ordering our pizza, Galina tripped back into the living room. She took one look at how Aaron and I were snuggled on the couch and determinedly squeezed in on the other side of me, letting her tail slide underneath me, but not daring to fully wrap it around my waist.
We were quiet.
With a devious expression Galina put her hand down her cleavage and pulled something out. She held up a joint. “Anyone care to partake?” she asked shyly.
I clutched my chest. “I think I just lost my heart to you.”
She laughed. I brought out a lighter. Aaron, who did not seem to find it funny, refilled our glasses with wine. He shook his head when Galina proffered the joint to him.
The angel seemed a little bewildered by the two of us, but he looked much more relaxed than he had. It made me happy. Getting to know another side of him, one that wasn’t so intense, would be good, as it would be good for him to get to know another side of me.
“Connelly, did you hear about the new Code Red?” Galina asked, as I inhaled from the joint, savoring the moment.
I blew out the smoke in my lungs, careful to not blow it in Aaron’s face, and answered, “No, when did it come through?”
“Today, while you were sick. It’s another kidnapping.”
I coughed and sat up. “Kidnapping?”
“Yeah, little half-daemon kid. Got a crazy normals mother from around here, who stole the kid away, trying to do some sort of exorcise ceremony. But it gets better. Guess who the father is?” she said.
“Who?”
“Peter Kingston the third.”
“No!” I exclaimed.
“Who is this Peter Kingston?” asked Aaron, curious.
Galina smiled smugly for being the bearer of such news. “He’s just some rich playboy society type. Pretty famous in daemon circles. Nobody knew he had a kid. He’s kept it hidden for the past four years.” She turned to me. “Think you’ll get assigned to it?” she asked.
I fingered my glass thoughtfully. “Perhaps.” I wasn’t sure I wanted to delve into another Code Red this quickly. Then again, I thought about that poor little half-daemon child, kidnapped by their own mother. Of course I would take the case, if Starks asked me to.
“Well enough about work.” Galina raised her glass, the joint smoking in the other hand.
“May the devil chase you every day of your life and never catch you,” she said with a smile.
I smiled back. Aaron looked self-conscious when she said devil. I squeezed his knee. He smiled.
“To new beginnings, and new friends,” Galina continued.
Aaron and I raised our mugs.
“To peace between species,” he said.
“And to faith in each other,” I added.
Solemnly we clinked glasses and drank deeply. The red wine burned down my throat and warmed my belly, as I basked in the warmth of the company of friends. This evening, at least, I wasn’t going to be lonely.
End.
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