Chapter Five #2
Hannah smiled. “They look energetic.”
Neekil grinned. “This is a fun beginning to the party. How long will they last?”
“Until the trees die. A few hundred years.” She shrugged. “Plenty of time to plant some guardian stones.”
“Thank you, and thank the ladies as well. Are they coming?”
“Um, Nylora is coming. Solor and Demuel are coming. Were the others invited?”
Hannah smiled. “They all were. My parents are a little startled by the extranaturals, but they are adjusting well. My brothers are loving it, but they are a little leery about the idea of football against the XIA.”
Neekil chuckled. “Or my brothers, hell, even Sable.”
Hannah chuckled as the living statue was talking earnestly with Hannah’s parents.
A vehicle pulled up, and a pissed-off Nylora hopped out of the back passenger side. Demuel got out, trying to soothe her. “It isn’t the worst thing.”
Solor walked around the vehicle and wrapped her in his arms. “It’s fine. It’s just until you get off mat leave.”
“I have a disciplinary in my file now. I am so fucking pissed. My clean record is a thing of the past.” She stomped on his foot and punched him in the stomach.
Solor sighed and grunted, standing slowly. Nylora was stalking off to pick a fight, and Demuel followed her before she got to the dark elves.
Neekil looked at Solor. “What’s up?”
“They took her off active duty. It was Hannah’s query for the ambulance records.
The director looks really bad because they didn’t use half of what Nylora told them in the ER.
They could have kept you from the third heart attack if they had just listened to or read Nylora’s notes, so. .. she made them look bad.”
Neekil said, “We do have a flag football game happening in a few minutes.”
“She’s pregnant. No possibility of contact. She’s mad, and I don’t want your family hurt.” Solor sighed.
Hannah grimaced. “I think I will chat with Matthias and see if he can nudge the decision.”
“There is an ongoing investigation. She will be clear when it’s over, but that will be weeks, and her mat leave was schedule to start in five weeks.” Solor nodded. “She does need something to do, though.”
Hannah grinned. “Well, I know she can drive and do excellent spell work. Plus, if we get together with Isocar, we have a whole look going for us.”
Isocar blinked and blushed.
Solor laughed. “Ask her before she starts a fight. Please.”
Hannah nodded. “Earning my battle companion badge yet again.” She stalked over to Nylora, and Isocar watched as Hannah spoke to her sister, and Nylora spoke with her hands fluttering in the air and making frustrated fists.
Hannah—wisely—didn’t touch Nylora, but she let her talk. Hannah spoke softly, and Nylora listened. And then Hannah hugged her.
They talked quietly in the hug, and she looked at Nylora seriously.
The frustrated fae rubbed her eyes, and Isocar noticed that her sister was crying.
She walked over to the two ladies and hugged Nylora as well.
“I know it’s frustrating, but we can make a series of carnivorous plants in your off time.
Spending time with me can be a perk. We can set up your nursery and plan for Bump. Look into colleges.”
Nylora laughed. “Bump isn’t even born yet.”
“It will be here before you know it. You and I don’t have the best sense of time. How many more are you planning?” Isocar smiled at her sibling.
“At least five, possibly more. I can’t see past that.” She grinned. “You should see how many Jennel is having.”
“Hmm. Any for me?” Hannah grinned.
Nylora looked at her. “Do you really want to know?”
Isocar smiled as Nylora whispered in Hannah’s ear, and she got pale and then blushed, or as much as she could with charcoal skin.
Isocar said, “So, you can see her future?”
“No, but I can see to the next disaster, and it is far down the road, and I can see how old her kids are in the vision.”
“Or. Right. Do I have any kids?”
Nylora winced. “Well, yes. But they are a little strange. There are two. Your partners are happy about it, but I am not giving any additional information on that as you don’t appear to have met them yet.”
“Ah. Got it. There are two but not when, and there are multiple partners, but you don’t know who. Well, that’s hopeful that I can let someone touch me without screaming.”
“From the amusement in your expression as they cover your eyes for your birthday, there is a lot of trust going on.”
“Our birthday.” Isocar smiled as she realized that she shared more than she thought with her twin.
“Whatever.” Nylora waved her hand in the air.
“Oh, they would have assigned you one, right?”
“Yup. We don’t match there. They guessed, and it was two years before I could tell them that they were wrong.” She smiled. “But I was eventually potty trained.” Nylora chuckled. “That freaked them out.”
Isocar blinked. “We didn’t really cover your early years, did we?”
“No, but Jennel found my original baby dress that I was walking around in when they found me. She figured out that I had been traced back to Dem-rah’s, and he remembered me and my insatiable craving for tortillas. I hope no one told him that I wasn’t on solids yet.”
Isocar winced. “Right. I am sure they figured it out. You are here, after all.”
“Yup. I am. We are. And soon, Bump will meet everybody and join a community. Lots of aunties and uncles, and tons of XIA. This is going to be a dangerous kid to date.”
Hannah’s eyes got huge, and she started laughing. “I hadn’t thought of that. Oh, I am glad I am only going to have boys.”
Nylora looked at her with mischief in her tone. “You sure about that?”
Hannah’s eyes flared. “What do you see?”
“Nothing, but a lot of very doting dads. Jerrik is the eldest of the bunch, but even Emmers is holding a little one at the moment that I see. Seven or eight years from now.”
Hannah said, “Nylora...” There was a lot of warning in the tone.
Nylora gasped, all ladylike. “Don’t take that tone with me, I’m pregnant.
” She dissolved into giggles and then said, “It’s getting dim.
” She raised a hand, and witchlights formed in all of the trees.
The orbs of moonlight were all the colours of moonlight from grey to pink and purple and crimson.
There was a subdued rainbow in the trees and hanging from the house.
Isocar looked around and smiled. “So, I understand what my grandmother once said to me. If you look for family hard enough, you find it.”
“What else did she say?” Nylora asked.
“I need you to live, Iso. I need it more than I need anything.”
Nylora’s eyes flared with understanding. “Well, there is a lot to live for. You just have to give it time to reveal itself.”
Isocar hugged her again. The contact came easier each time those dark arms and moonlight eyes got close.
Another six months and she might be able to consider shaking hands with a guy.
She smiled. For now, she had family again and that family needed her.
For auntie hugs if nothing else. Definitely for sister hugs.
Nylora sighed. “I can’t stay irritated by my suspension with you hugging me.”
“You got suspended? Oh. I am going to tear them a new one. Who am I hanging from the ceiling?”
Nylora stroked her cheek. “Not necessary, but thank you. So, have you enjoyed the social overwhelm?”
“It has been nice to see my own face in those around me, plus I got a new tattoo, so that’s fun.”
Nylora laughed. “Emily is great. Oh, Hannah, how is Neekil’s test tattoo?”
Hannah snorted. “He is ridiculously pleased with it. He’s never been able to have one before.
Their priests and elders get them through the sacred pool, but Neekil wants to put life events on himself.
He’s a goof. I wouldn’t be surprised if he makes chibi versions of his team members and has them tattooed on his ass. ”
Isocar giggled, and with that laugh, she relaxed enough to enjoy the party.
* * * *
H annah watched the game boards being organized. “Geez. Is there anything that won’t get a lady or kid flattened?”
“Sure, just join one of the teams. My team or your team.” Neekil smirked. “Winner gets on top for a week.”
Hannah paused. “Can I call in a ringer?”
Neekil looked supremely confident. “Sure. You have five minutes.”
Hannah nodded and ran over to the dark fae. If anyone knew someone who could kick butt, it would be them.
“Ladies, do you know any female extranaturals who can manage to win at wrestling, football, or stalking? I am pretty good at football, but I can freely admit that Neekil pins me in wrestling every time.”
Iris and her son Jerrik were with the others, and Jerrik said, “Sure, he’s way bigger than you. Aunt Amy could probably do it.”
Iris laughed. “I was just going to suggest her. Shall I contact her?”
Hannah said, “What can she do?”
“She’s half giant, half snow fox and can use both forms.”
“Okay, can you see if she’s free?”
Nylora grinned. “She was my suggestion as well. Everybody likes her, and she is really good at her job.”
Hannah asked, “What does she do?”
“She’s an admin for the XIA. I don’t know if the agents know what she is, though.” Nylora smiled.
“She’s Jerrik’s aunt?” Hannah asked.
Iris grinned. “No. She was my neighbour on the opposite side. She was Jerrik’s after-school care for his first four years.
It’s nice to have people around on the night shift.
She didn’t seem to need much sleep.” She checked her phone.
“She’s home. She’s bored, and she wants to know what’s in it for her? ”
Hannah looked around to where her family and two of the dark elves were working at the barbecue and grill. “Pulled pork and mac and cheese.”
Iris paused and laughed. “Dessert?”
“Banana cream pie.”
There was a pause, and Iris laughed. “Done. She’s tracking my phone. Just make sure you put that pie aside for her. She doesn’t like a bait and switch.”
“Good to know. I am guessing she needs a whole one?” Hannah nodded.
“Good guess.” Iris chuckled and read out loud, “Dessert acquired.”