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“Let’s get out of here and get some dinner,” Raphael said.
“Good idea,” my mom answered. Jerome and I plodded along together, a step or two behind the angels and my mother.
“Did you feel better after your breakdown?” I asked.
“Yes.” He smiled at me. “It was nice to just get everything off my chest and not have to worry about ever seeing these people again.” I wrapped an arm around his shoulder, which was awkward for both of us, because we were the same height and I had wings.
“Do you think Helia’s wings will be red too?” Jerome asked.
“They’ll probably be gold, she strikes me as that type,” I answered.
Gabriel did not join us for dinner, but Duke did. I had almost forgotten he was in town. His hotel was closer than Mom and Dad’s house, so my mom forced Jerome and I into his room, made us both shower and put on some new clothes that didn’t look or smell like we’d been in them for more than 24 hours. Then Duke, Tabitha, and Walter joined us for dinner.
“How did the highway patrol know you guys were coming?” my dad asked at dinner.
“My boss,” Duke sighed. “He refused to let me come to my girlfriend’s assistance without notifying them because there was a murder investigation going on. Then he demanded to know if anyone was coming with me. And Tabitha and Walter admitted they were since they are both supernaturals.”
“We told him we were coming to offer support to friends and not work,” Tabitha added.
“If something like this happened in my neighborhood, I’d hope my friends would come offer emotional support,” Walter said. Tabitha was a new mom. This wasn’t her first child, but vampire babies are complicated. They couldn’t nurse or take formula from a bottle. Tabitha’s husband, Derrick, made the trip with them, leaving the older kids with her mom. They both said they needed a break from the chaos of a house full of kids.
Derrick, whom I’d never met, came to dinner too. He was a tall, good looking guy, in his 30s, maybe. He was a fire elemental, not a vampire. All our food arrived at the table possibly hotter than when it came out of the kitchen.
“Oh, careful,” Tabitha said to my mom, as my mom reached over to tickle her baby’s chin. We looked at her for a moment and then she lifted her daughter’s upper lip, exposing canines meant for breaking skin.
“Was she born with them?” Mom asked, genuinely curious. I was too, for that matter.
“All vampire babies are born with them,” Tabitha nodded. “Even half vampire babies.”
“A few less sleepless nights as she teethes,” Mom said cheerily, and then reached over and picked the baby up. “Why did you name her Gabriella?”
“Because Gabriel told me I was pregnant,” Tabitha said. “Well actually, Soleil did but she learned it from Gabriel.”
“Yeah, he’s creepy that way,” Mom smiled. “He told me the day after we conceived that I was pregnant with Helia.” After dinner, we returned to the hotel. My father escorted the Marshals in and then they all came back out with their stuff.
“Your father hates this hotel chain,” Duke told me, getting in the SUV. “Tabitha, Derrick, and Walter are following us to a different hotel chain that your father does like.”
“My father has opinions, and some of my uncles are involved with a boutique hotel in the area,” I said.
“One that has suites and hot tubs, from what I gathered,” Duke said. We drove the seven miles into Chesterfield to the hotel my uncles were involved with. Mom parked. Dad got out. Tabitha, Walter, and Derrick parked next to us. Then Dad started taking our shopping bags out of the back.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
“You two can’t sleep on the fold-out for eight weeks.” Dad said. “Come on, get out.” We dutifully followed him.
“Ah, Monsieur Raphael, come in, we just received a call. We have three suites available and one is needed for long term, I understand.”
“Dad, Jerome and I can’t live in this hotel for eight weeks. Or longer, if it takes longer to get the places torn down and rebuilt.”
“Yes, you can. I’m getting it at a discount because of your uncles, and here; I know you’ll each have your own bed, someone to clean up after you, and if you’re too tired or sad to cook, you can get food,” Dad said. “This nonsense with Helia isn’t going to be resolved any time soon. Putting you and Jerome here ensures we know you are being taken care of, while we figure out the situation with Helia and the girls. Also, they have laundry services so you can get all your clothes washed without having to fight with everyone else to use our washer and dryer. You and Jerome will still have to come by and take care of the unicorn after you both feel a little better.”
“Dad....” I started and he held up his hand.
“Do me a favor, don’t protest, don’t explain all the reasons this isn’t a good idea, and don’t tell me it’s unnecessary. If you want to thank me, just give me a hug and don’t argue.” I stood rooted to the spot, but Jerome walked over and hugged my dad, without argument. In turn, the Marshals did too, which was very awkward to watch.
Dad went to the desk and got keys. He handed a sleeve with two keys to Walter.
“Sorry, since you and Duke are both alone, you’ll have to bunk up. They didn’t have a fourth suite,” he said.
“My own bedroom?” Walter said. “I can share the suite with Duke for that. I haven’t slept in a bed by myself since I got married, and normally, there are three of us; one of my boys is having issues with night terrors.” Walter had three boys and all three were emotionally damaged by their maternal grandmother, who made fun of them for being half fairy.
“Once we get Helia a place of her own, bring the family up for the weekend and we’ll work on that,” my father said to him. “Angels can’t have nightmares and it’s nearly impossible for others to have one around them.”
“Huh,” Jerome said, sounding a little startled. His face was serious, even for him. “You’re right, I haven’t had a nightmare since I moved in with Soleil. I used to have them a lot.”
A bellhop took all Jerome’s and my shopping and put it on one of those trolley things. My father handed a black credit card to the manager.
“I want all room charges on that card—food, movies, mini-bar, snacks—anything they need goes on that card, plus the room charges. Go upstairs,” my dad said, shooing us.
“For the record, I didn’t expect him to move us to a new hotel or pay for our rooms,” Duke said as we stepped in the elevator. Derrick looked a bit bewildered.
“Dude, she knows,” Jerome reassured him. “That’s just the way Raphael is. That big bag isn’t clothes; he insisted I get a new gaming console tonight along with a few games, on top of buying me clothes and new shoes, and I have big feet, my shoes are expensive. I tried to get cheaper shoes when I realized how much those cost, but he wouldn’t let me. He kept telling me I was a growing kid and needed good shoes to protect my feet from fallen arches and other stuff. You just have to remind yourself he has more money than he knows what to do with and he likes to spend it on people that matter to him. That makes him happy, and since he makes everyone else happy, you can’t begrudge him being happy, even when it makes you uncomfortable.”
“Well put,” Duke said to him.
“Your dad is like this all the time?” Derrick asked. “I thought Tabitha was joking when she said he showed up at a job and ended up paying for the entire trip because he didn’t like the hotel you guys were in and thought the government per diem was too low.”
“She wasn’t. I would bet a donut that my father comes up to my room later and hands me that black credit card and tells me to charge all of your meals to it if we go out together, or anything else you might need.”
“Or want,” Jerome added. “Five of the archangels are generous to a fault. For example, Remiel is always renting private boxes to watch Cardinals games. While he usually uses the 30 or so tickets included with the box for his brothers and some of his cousins, he’s always telling me if I want to invite a friend, I can. He also has it catered, meaning we get free food and drink throughout the game. The adults even get free alcohol.”
“Wow, that’s not cheap,” Derrick said.
“I know. I checked on the price after the first time I went,” Jerome told him. “See, I told him I was a Cubs fan, not a Cards fan and he joked that no one was perfect, that was the beauty of family; love despite the imperfections. But then, when the Cubs were in the pennant race last year, he sent Soleil and I tickets to a Cubs game and tried to pay for our entire weekend in Milwaukee.”
“They were a welcome to the family gift,” I told Jerome.
“I know but being he’s such a huge Cardinals fan, sending me to a Cubs game in Milwaukee was pretty incredible.” I hadn’t told Jerome that Remiel was only a Cardinals fan because he felt sports brought us all together. If Jerome had continued to love the Cubs, Remiel would probably start cheering for them instead of the Cardinals. But Jerome was being won over since moving to St. Louis. Remiel was a Blues fan for the same reason, despite despising hockey.
“Agreed,” I said. Derrick agreed too.
“It’s always like this?” Derrick asked again.
“No, sometimes the brothers fight,” Jerome said. “But that’s pretty fun, too.”
“All angels are descended from the archangels,” the bellhop said as the elevator door opened. “The archangels remain close because they are brothers and because they feel they have to.”
“Really?” Derrick asked.
“Yeah, I saw a speech Raphael and Azrael gave one time about the history of supernaturals and humans, as well as reasons to always stay close to family, at least emotionally if not geographically. It was enlightening.”
“Okay, this is a two-bedroom suite and a baby bed are being brought in,” he said. “Although I saw you had one with you. Do you want the other one? It’s brand new and it’s supposed to go home with you. A member of the staff has run out to get it.”
“See?” Tabitha said.
“We have a mobile baby bed; your dad doesn’t have to buy us one. Should I go talk to him?” Derrick asked.
“You could, but it wouldn’t do any good,” I sighed.
“Your mom asked if she occasionally caught fire at dinner,” Tabitha said.
“I noticed. One of my nieces is angel, witch, and human; she catches fire when she loses her temper.”
“What?” Derrick asked, looking bewilderedly at his wife.
“I just have this feeling we’re going to end up with new clothes for Gabriella unless we leave like three hours ago, before dinner and that conversation.”
“My mom knows all the best specialty shops,” I told her and hung my head. The elevator dinged behind us and Dad got out. My mom was with him.
“Sir, I appreciate it, but we have a mobile baby bed, you don’t need to buy us a new one,” Derrick said and we all just looked at him.
“I saw that you had one,” my dad responded. “It looks like a serviceable model. But it never hurts to have two, just in case she decides to projectile vomit in her bed at 2 in the morning.”
“Or catch fire,” my mom added. There was another ding. We all turned to see what kind of fancy baby bed was being brought in and Remiel stepped out.
“I guess I’m early,” he said, smiling at Duke. “When you guys get unpacked, can we talk shop for a little while?”
“Yes,” Duke said.
“Excellent,” Remiel looked at Jerome. “Would you mind if we hooked up your video game console in Walter and Duke’s room, and you played games while we talked?”
“Nope, can we set it up in Derrick and Tabitha’s room? Then he and I can talk while he watches the baby.”
“Oh, my goodness me, what an adorable baby!” Remiel exclaimed. “And oh, where are my manners! I’m the archangel Remiel. I’m the least best-known of Raphael’s brothers. As such, I’m also Soleil’s uncle and Jerome’s great-uncle. I used to work for the FBI.”
“I know who you are sir,” Tabitha extended her hand. “It’s an honor to meet you.”
“You must be Tabitha? Gabriel told me about meeting you and how stunning you were. Is this your wee one?”
“Yes, sir, her name is Gabriella, since it was through Gabriel that I learned I needed to take maternity leave. The man holding her is my husband Derrick, who doesn’t work in law enforcement and gets weak-kneed around talk of anything gory.” Remiel shook hands with Derrick and kissed the baby Gabriella, who gave him a small bite on the cheek that healed almost instantly and made Remiel laugh. Both parents went to apologize and Remiel held up his hand, explaining he knew she had her fangs and it was okay, he was expecting it.
Mom settled all our stuff in mine and Jerome’s suite. Dad and Remiel helped set up Tabitha and Derrick’s room, and then Dad found there was a PS5 or something already in the room. We all followed suite and moved into Tabitha and Derrick’s room as a group for small talk. I was waiting to see what kind of baby bed the staff would buy with Dad’s money. I suspected it would be flame-proof and not plastic.
Turns out I was right. The mattress was flame-proof and the rest of the bed was metal. It looked like a prison cell. The box proclaimed it had won every safety award for baby beds possible. Derrick looked at it and appeared very uncomfortable, which I understood. It was hard to deal with my parents sometimes. They meant well, but they were overwhelming. We all headed to my suite, minus Jerome, Gabriella, and Derrick.
“It’s definitely arson,” Remiel said as soon as my door closed. “I’ve already given a character reference about it not being Valerie that set the fire. I’m going to ask all the brothers to provide the same, unless they know something I don’t and suspect her. I personally suspect our serial killer. He threw a Molotov cocktail through one of the back windows. He hit Valerie’s room directly, probably because he didn’t know the layout of the house. When the fire reached Jerome’s lab, it became unstoppable. Even magic wouldn’t put it out. They had an elemental and a fire-eater and still couldn’t stop the blaze.”
“I can’t believe they would suspect Valerie,” my mom said. “Are they fucking insane?”
“They didn’t know her,” Dad said, putting a hand on her shoulder.
“I don’t care,” Mom said, and it ended in a sob, which started me crying, and I walked over and hugged her.
“They’ve agreed to release part of the victimology profile,” Remiel said. “Families that are all one species or share a general weakness are being encouraged to contact local law enforcement if they notice anything suspicious at all. They’ll get a lot of calls from people that mean well but are actually reporting a delivery guy or someone genuinely lost in their neighborhood. But that’s just part of it. They said they had hundreds of calls today about suspicious persons that were all just normal people. I’ve officially been asked to consult on the case. I asked if I could bring my niece in on it and was given the green light.” My mom bit her lip but said nothing, and my dad’s hand tightened on her shoulder.
Was it my fault that Valerie was dead? I hadn’t even considered that before now. Had the killer found out I was hoarding that surveillance footage and firebombed my house to destroy it, thinking it was empty or that Valerie would get out? Or had it been a devious scheme that ensured someone died and the evidence disappeared?