Chapter Five
H annah grinned, and Neekil could hear without sharing an earbud.
“Grunwald mansion. Paranormal murder attempt. Multiple stab sites. Compression bandages lined up.” The voice was Nylora. “Step on it.”
“The gate is closed.”
“We have the bar for a reason. Use it.”
“Hang on.”
The sound of metal cracking and the roar of the engine indicated they had gone through the gate.
“They are bringing her out. Fuck, she’s covered with blood. Bring up the insurance portal. Hannah Lee. Fucking eh! She’s listed. Call the blood bank and get four units. She’s paler than the marble.”
Hannah’s eyes widened.
“Call placed. Blood bank is getting it lined up. Here we are. First floor, lingerie and hunting gear.”
Nylora snorted. “Here we go.”
There was a lot of scrambling to get her into the ambulance, and then Nylora found the wounds, and the driver was going.
The heart monitor shrieked a solid tone. “Oh, no, you don’t. You are coming with us. I am not going to let you break my streak.”
Wet smacking sounds had a hard rhythm, and the heartbeat started again.
“Skip, something’s in here. She’s got something under her skin. It’s wrapped around her heart. Fuck. There it goes again.” More wet compressions and then, “There you are, you little fucker. Come here!”
There was some grunting, and then Nylora hooted in triumph. “Got it. Living vine. Two feet long. Damn. Right. Executive decision, this thing needs to die.”
A horrific screaming sound was in her ears, and Hannah looked at Neekil. He held her hand.
“Right. Got it. I did a sweep, and nothing else is in there aside from the toxins left in the wounds, and I can’t do shit about those in this rig. ETA?”
“Ninety seconds. Is she good?”
“IV’s in place. Bandages are controlling bleeding for now. I have stuck as many blood-controlling charms on her as I can manage, but they are going to have to go hard on her with painkillers and healer treatment. Maybe cold iron. This is messed up. Fucking old gods, they should stay dead.”
The next thing that she heard was the ambulance arriving and the end of the fifty-one treating her.
One of the drivers had to clean the blood out of their vehicle, and the other got a clean gurney.
That was the end of it.
Hannah looked over at the woman with dark skin and moon phases lit up, even in the daylight. “Oh. Wow.”
Neekil held her. “I had no idea.”
“Me neither. She... she knew all of it. How did she know all of it?”
“Dark fae with healing skills are rare. Extremely rare. She must have diagnostic capabilities as a primary skill.”
“She thinks I am mad at her.”
“She probably catches a lot of hell for knowing things she shouldn’t.”
“Right. I... died. Twice.”
“And she got you back both times and pulled out something we didn’t know about.”
She shuddered. “I am going to have nightmares again.”
“I will hold you through them, sweet.”
Hannah smiled. “Just holding though, right? No shenanigans?”
“Well, we do have to test out that new soundproofing.”
She laughed. “Well, for science.”
He kissed the back of her hand, and she grinned.
Hannah looked to Nylora, who was stuffing her face with pancakes, and nodded a thank you to her.
She checked through her phone and smiled, sending a text that indicated Nylora had better show up to the housewarming.
The dark-skinned woman checked her phone and nodded.
Hannah smiled. “This is going to be an interesting party.”
“My people will certainly enjoy seeing those that I work with and your family, of course.”
“Oh, yeah, that can’t go weird at all.”
He grinned. “Come on. Time to get some sleep for you.”
“Not for you?”
“I will hold you while you rest. It’s my favourite hobby.”
“Mhmm. Good thing for you, I have all the catering lined up, or I wouldn’t have time to nap.”
He grinned. “I do love your organization.”
Hannah snorted and put her earbuds away. “I need to get her something nice.”
“Well, Leonora is going to be throwing her a shower. Get her something nice for that.”
“Huh. I wonder if your brothers can carve something nice?”
“Using family. I like it.”
She chuckled. “Come on. Let’s get some hot cocoa into you and get you to bed.”
“If you paint your body with it, absolutely.”
They left with quickness because there were things to do, and those things were her and him.
* * * *
N ylora finished and said, “So, what do you think they need for their housewarming? Isocar got her present ready, but I am not sure what would be suitable.”
“Well, we are bringing you along, so that is our present.” Solor smiled.
“I am hardly a gift.”
Demuel muttered, “You have no idea how baby crazy his people are or the rest of the XIA, for that matter.”
“Why would that be?”
Solor smiled slightly. “Most of us join because we are in protector roles or our people believe we are expendable. I joined because doing paperwork all day, every day is boring as hell, and Demuel was already XIA before I got here.”
“By about six months. Solor was a quick study. He went through the academy in no time.”
“Well, I am glad he can study. Bump is going to need help with homework.”
Solor chuckled. “Why aren’t you going to be available?”
“Oh, if this goes well, I plan on having Bump’s sibling or two of them by the time Bump is in school.”
Demuel leaned in. “Really?”
“Yes. I was alone all my life. I don’t want that for my kids. I want a team of them so they never feel alone. They may feel irritated, but they won’t feel alone.”
Solor grinned. “I have siblings, and I can recommend it.”
Demuel nodded. “I agree. All the boneheads in my family are very excited to meet you.”
She chuckled and sipped at the apple juice she had ordered. “So, they know about my energy and pigmentation? It comes as a surprise to people.”
“Well, your flight to the hospital with Isocar helped illustrate who and what you were.”
She wrinkled her nose. “Yes, well. At least that left me seeing my next nerve-wracking life event. And now that that has been fixed, the next disaster is looming on the horizon, but five years in the distance.”
“What was the close one?”
“Labour. It was the ladies getting together to help me that shifted my death on the delivery day. Nothing I could work out with you two managed to keep me alive.”
They both froze.
Demuel paused and then said, “Is this... are you a seer?”
“Yes, it kicked in during the last wave. I can change an outcome, but I have to change the variables leading up to the day. I had years for Isocar, days for me.” She shrugged. “It is strictly disaster-based and strictly within my bloodline.”
Solor asked, “What is next?”
“Isocar will have trouble in labour unless we do the same kind of anchoring that we did to me.”
Demuel asked, “You can’t help her at the time?”
“Not if I am pregnant, and I will be. It won’t be safe.”
“Right. Of course not.” Demuel’s thigh pressed against hers. “So, how many kids are you planning?”
“Planning? Three. Having? Looks like more than six but fewer than a dozen. They will play with Jennel’s kids from across the road.”
Demuel eased closer to her. “That’s a lot of kids.”
“It’s a big house.” She grinned.
Solor nodded. “It is. I also don’t have to remain in the clan leader position. If you want, we can go elsewhere. The house comes with the job.”
“Got it. I haven’t met any of your people yet, aside from your sister and Demuel, so let’s see how they react to me.”
Demuel grinned. “Most will be fine with it. He’s been an ass since we got back from Zerul’s party.”
They paid their bill and bickered about Solor’s temper, proving his temper. He stomped his foot before they got in the car, and Nylora dissolved into giggles. He paused, looking at his foot. “Fine. I see it now.”
She continued snickering all the way back to his place. When they pulled up, Nylora smiled. Kaitha’s car was off to one side.
Solor sighed. “I am guessing that Myor and your sister get along.”
“Yes, but Kaitha is supposed to be learning to be with herself. She hasn’t been before.”
Demuel sighed. “Maybe she just brought food.”
“Well, that’s a thing. And Dia is here, so perhaps things are normal.”
When they walked in, the three ladies were seated with charts and notes, and to Nylora’s surprise, Leo was sitting with them. The mayor’s assistant waved and said, “I do love a good baby shower. You look tired. Get to bed.”
Demuel shrugged. “I know a good idea when I hear one. Morning, Miss Wicks.”
She grinned and accepted Solor’s bow before their little triad headed upstairs. It had been a long night, but when they finally nodded off, she was toasty warm and wedged between them, their hearts beating together, and Bump’s pulse on hummingbird between them.
Nylora was actually beginning to sleep when they were in contact with her. Hopefully, the paternity test would come through quickly. Blood worked faster than saliva.
* * * *
I socar carried the plants to the party, which was slowly kicking into high gear. She walked up to Hannah and held out the four saplings. “Happy housewarming.”
Hannah looked at the plants. “These are going to be gorgeous.”
“Yes. Dia, Nylora, Kaitha, Myor, and I put them together. They are warding trees. Once the property owner accepts them, they will walk to the corners and set up a protective energy field. It will live here as long as you and he do. Or as long as your descendants do. A little extra support for Abert.”
Hannah smiled. “Thank you. I will make sure Neekil gets them started. He’s explaining touch football to his brothers. We may need Nylora’s skills with stitches.”
When Hannah took the plants, they stirred and started moving. “Whoa, what’s going on?”
Isocar smiled. “It’s not who legally owns the property; it’s who spiritually owns the property. That is you and Neekil. The plants can’t read paperwork.”
Neekil came over, and the plants were explained. He touched them and held Hannah’s hand. The plants jumped up and out of their pots, running to the four corners of the property.
Isocar laughed. “They have a lot of energy. Kaitha supplied plenty of sugar.”