Chapter 15
Kizzy had enjoyed her first day back at work. As expected, a couple of coworkers hinted they would like to know what had happened to her so suddenly. She just smiled and changed the subject.
On her way home with Ruth, her phone rang.
“Hello?”
“Is this Kizzy Samuels?”
She didn’t recognize the phone number or the voice. “May I ask who’s calling?”
“Yes. It’s Noah’s father, Antonio. I think we need to talk.”
“Oh. Is Noah all right?”
Ruth glanced over at her, concern written on her face. Kizzy looked to her for any hint of trouble in her psychic senses. Ruth shrugged her shoulders while keeping her hands on the wheel.
“Noah is fine. We’re just concerned about that problem of yours and thought we might be able to help.”
Kizzy was tempted to ask which problem, but she didn’t want to give them the impression that she had several. Besides, she was pretty sure she knew what he meant. “Are you talking about the entity?”
“Yes. We may be able to help you find them. As phoenixes, we blend in with the colorful birds of the . We can soar above, pick out the exact location, get an idea of how many there are, if they’re armed…
anything to help Noah and Dante have nice, peaceful lives after this.
What to do with the information is up to you and your family. ”
Kizzy was excited. “Is it all right if I talk to my father about this? He’ll want to be involved, I’m sure.”
“Absolutely. I’d be happy to talk with him too. Is he a witch, like you?”
“Yes.” Kizzy was overwhelmed by their offer. She swallowed around a lump in her throat as she thanked him and promised to have her father call him.
As soon as she disconnected the call, she turned to Ruth and excitedly explained the other half of the conversation.
Ruth’s eyes widened. “They can find them? And then what do we do? You’re a doctor, and as a doctor, you can’t kill them.
Or you could…but then you’d just have to turn around and save their lives again. ”
Kizzy’s posture sagged. “You’re right, but they offered to help. Maybe… I don’t know. It’s a lot to ask.”
“You’d better not be talking about asking the Fierros to kill them.”
“No, of course not.” Kizzy rubbed her forehead, feeling a headache coming on. “Dad will know what to do. I sure as hell don’t.”
“Kizzy! You said ‘hell.’”
Kizzy laughed. “Yes, I did, and I might do it again.”
Ruth grinned as she drove into their father’s driveway.
Energized, Kizzy got out of the car and jogged up the steps to the side door. Throwing it open, she called out “Dad! Where are you? I have some exciting news.”
Aaron met her in the kitchen. “What’s going on?”
As soon as Ruth followed her through the side door and shut it behind her, Kizzy spoke freely.
“Only the answer to a prayer. Noah’s family has given me permission to talk to you about their paranormal status. And even more exciting, their willingness to help us root out the entity!”
Aaron took a step backward. “Paranormal status? What…is he?”
“It’s a good thing, Dad. They’re all phoenixes. Shape-shifters. Well, all the boys and Mr. Fierro are. His name is Antonio, by the way. And he would like to speak with you. He said they’d do anything they could to help.”
“Phoenixes? I never heard of any paranormal phoenixes. Are you sure they aren’t just pulling your leg?”
“No, Dad. I’ve seen them with my own eyes. Noah shifted, flew around the room, and shifted back.”
“So, they’re shape-shifters. I never thought the phoenix was anything other than legend.”
Kizzy shrugged. “Apparently there are a few pockets of them around the world. One group is in the . They’re distant relatives of the Fierros, but Antonio knows them well enough to get them involved if need be.”
“And what can they do?” Dr. Samuels asked. “Burn down the place and rise from the ashes?”
“Yes, although I’d never ask them to do that. It’s complicated. Phoenixes aren’t just a myth. They are real. As firefighters, they’re able to reincarnate if the worst happens.”
Aaron stroked his bearded chin.
“I can tell you something in confidence, Dad, right?”
“Of course.”
“I thought you didn’t want me dating a firefighter because he didn’t make enough money. He thought so too.”
Aaron’s posture straightened. “What? No. Of course not. I’d like any boyfriend of yours to have steady employment, but whatever his salary is isn’t an issue.
You’ve seen plenty of burn victims. And many firefighters inhale toxic gases too.
I imagine you’d be worried sick about him.
But this…immortality, this changes things. ”
“Yes, it does. And the possibility of getting rid of the entity, maybe even retrieving the last book, well, that changes everything!” She went to the refrigerator and grabbed a bottle of wine. “Would you like a glass?”
Aaron reached for the bottle. “I think we all might need one for the rest of this conversation. Thanks.”
“I’ll give you Antonio’s phone number. When you’re ready, you can call him.”
“I’m ready right now. Just dial the number and hand me the phone.”
* * *
“Kizzy! How’s it going?” Mallory said.
“It’s going weird. I wouldn’t bother you, but my father and Mr. Fierro thought we should talk. Your dad was doing some construction in Brazil, and my family’s nemesis is hiding out there, probably in the same area.”
“Uh-huh. I remember the map thingy we did.”
“The Fierros are going to try to help us find their exact location. Since our situations are probably connected, you could pinpoint where they should start their search.”
“I thought you knew the exact spot from scrying.”
“No. Just the general area. Having them fly overhead and find it from a logical starting point could save a lot of time. How would you like to help put a stop to the jerks who put a curse on you?”
“If it’s the same group, you mean.”
“I’m pretty sure it is. Not many people would curse a total stranger. But these horrible asshats would.”
Mallory couldn’t help getting excited. She’d love to know who cursed her and why.
More crucially, she’d like to be sure they wouldn’t do it again!
“But I don’t know the exact location. I mean, I think it’s near a certain bend in the river, but I’m not exactly sure.
Should I ask my father? He’s the one who could give precise coordinates, but he might ask why I need to know. ”
“I talked to Mr. Fierro and my dad. They said if you didn’t know, they would approach your father. It’s tricky, because they don’t know him, and I assume he’s human?”
Mallory chuckled. “Sometimes I wonder, but yes. As far as I know, he’s human.”
“They said if he asks questions and they feel they can trust him, they might reveal their paranormal status.”
“Dante made me think they weren’t supposed to reveal themselves to humans.”
“Yes. And if he freaks out, they have friends who can erase his memory.”
Mallory took a deep breath. “Is that safe?”
“Yes. They did it to Noah. I wouldn’t have let them if they hadn’t assured me they could do it completely safely.”
An upside would be that Mallory could share the whole monkey fiasco with her father. They had been getting closer lately. An even greater upside would be making sure these asshats couldn’t curse anyone else.
“I’m in!”
* * *
Five phoenixes glided over the River, their colorful tail feathers reflected in the slow-moving water. Aaron and Antonio sat in lounge chairs on the torn-up shore, mesmerized by the beautiful birds.
Mallory’s father, Nigel, exited a shack, bringing over a tray with a pitcher of lemonade and three empty glasses on it. He set everything on a rustic-looking coffee table. “I’ve never seen anything like them.”
Antonio smiled. “They’re pretty magnificent, right?”
“Magnificent indeed,” Aaron said. “I still wonder why you wanted to help us. It’s not your problem.”
“From what I understand, my sons are getting serious about your girls. If they become part of our family, we all have a problem. But together, we’re a solution.”
Aaron’s brows shot up. “A solution? You have a plan?”
“Wait,” Nigel said. “Before we get to that… Nothing has been said or decided yet, right? You seem to think Mallory will be joining your family.”
“Yes. My Gabriella thinks she will, and she’s never been wrong. That woman can spot a daughter-in-law at thirty paces.” He laughed. “I know this is more for Kizzy’s sake, but if Mallory ever needs anything, we’re here for her too. We’d do anything for family.”
“Thank you.”
Aaron looked thoughtful. At last, he spoke. “If Noah makes Kizzy happy, and she has trusted you with her secret and you have trusted her with yours, I don’t see anything wrong with joining our families.”
Antonio leaned toward him. “Thanks. Gabriella thinks he’s found ‘the one.’ They speak the same language.
He’s an EMT with ambitions to go on and become a paramedic—maybe someday a doctor.
Meanwhile, if he ever gets hurt in a fire, we can heal him.
She can heal the rest of the world. Together, they’d make a pretty powerful couple. ”
Nigel chuckled. “I never knew all this stuff existed. Thank you for trusting me with your secrets. Now that I know my construction troubles could have been fueled by magic and hidden agendas, I feel oddly better.”
“You understand how important it is to keep everything between the three of us, right?” Aaron asked.
“Who would believe me? Besides, after all my daughter finally told us, I understand it was your daughter and the Fierro family who were looking out for her. If I’d had any idea, I’d never have started this stupid project.”
Antonio glanced around the chained-off area that had been cleared.
“Oh, I don’t know if I’d call it stupid.
The idea was probably a good one. Most people never get to see this remote part of the world.
To take them on tours could be a good thing—as long as you coupled it with a healthy respect for the environment and talks about the interdependence of the plant and animal life along the river. ”