Chapter 16 #2
“I’ll give you a hundred.” Krys laid money on the counter and took the items before the man could argue.
Impalement wood was ubiquitous and therefore impossible to regulate, especially when any piece of furniture made from the right kind of wood qualified.
Selling stunners, on the other hand, was illegal.
No one knew who made them, so they weren’t easy to come by.
It was legal to own and gift them, and since they were specifically created as weapons to paralyze any Mage, sellers could get in serious trouble for selling them.
Once they were outside, Cleo’s ears retracted along with her tail, and she reached around to reattach the small Velcro flap on her waistline. It came down only an inch, but it was enough to let her tail move freely. “That’s embarrassing. Sorry.”
“Don’t apologize. It’s normal at your age. Did you force her in just now?”
“Uh-huh.”
“See? You’re already figuring things out. They have to learn when it’s not appropriate to come out.” His phone rang and vibrated at once, so he answered. “Yeah?”
“Still alive?” Archer joked. “I’m curious how everything’s going. What’s up?”
“Nothing much. We bought weapons, and now we’re on our way to a bar.”
“I hope you’re kidding.”
Cleo skipped ahead of him.
“Tak wanted me to check in,” Archer continued. “Is Virgil causing any trouble?”
“No, it’s cool. You people are riding him too hard.”
“I know. Taz is my buddy, but he’s a handful. Like… the drinking.”
“Chill out. We’re on a road trip, not a bar run. Lay off him. He drove the second half so I could sleep.”
Cleo kicked off her sneakers by the pool and dipped her toes in the water.
Despite the fiasco at the convenience store, Virgil was a solid guy. Sure, he brought the drama, but that kept things lively. Krys hated the way everyone was on his ass lately.
“We’re staying overnight and plan to head out in the morning. If we drive for at least twelve hours, we can stop at another motel and then drop her off the next morning.”
“Make sure you take turns driving if you get tired. Tak’s worried about that. He doesn’t want you pushing your limits and falling asleep behind the wheel.”
“Yes, Mom.”
Archer laughed. “You’re a shithead. Did everyone get a separate room?”
“We got that all squared away. Any new drama since we left?”
“Calvin’s pissed. Mercy said he was yelling at everyone at the bar today before closing early.”
Krys slowed his pace. “What’s up with that?”
“We forgot to bring Cleo up there to say goodbye. I didn’t think he’d care, but… he got real attached.”
“Didn’t we all? We’ll make her visit us when she’s eighteen.”
Krys didn’t know if that was true. Cleo would likely assimilate into her new life and leave the past behind. How could she look at either him or Atticus without remembering her trauma and almost dying in a fire? This might be her one chance to move on.
“Get some rest,” Archer finally said. “Cici told me to send you her love.”
“Careful. If she sends it all to me, there won’t be any left for you.”
“Later.”
Krys noticed how hesitant Cleo was about the pool, so he gently shoved her in.
She hit the water with a loud splash, and when she emerged, she flailed her arms before making her way to the edge. Her wet hair was comically plastered to her face.
He laughed. “Yep. You can swim.”
“That’s not funny! I could’ve drowned.”
He gestured to the painted mark behind her that indicated she was in four feet of water.
When Cleo looked over her shoulder, she put her feet down and stood. “It’s still not funny.”
“You obviously wanted to go in, but you were scared. Sometimes you overthink everything.” He crouched in front of her.
“You either sink or swim in life. If I’m going to leave you with any parting words of wisdom, it’s that you shouldn’t be best friends with fear.
Be cautious. Be smart. But don’t let anything scare you.
Fear is power, and you don’t want anything or anyone to have power over you.
It’ll change your animal for the worse. The best way to conquer fear is to meet it head-on and give it the finger. ”
Virgil ran onto the scene and catapulted over them. Before hitting the water, he clutched his knees and created a giant splash when he touched down. A wave surged Cleo forward.
Seconds later, Virgil floated face up like a corpse.
Cleo twisted around. “I thought you couldn’t swim?”
When he raised his head, his body submersed. “I can’t. But I can float, and I can stand.” When he stood, the water came to his chest. “I can also splash!” He swept his arm over the surface and sprayed her with water.
She pulled herself up and sat on the edge of the pool. “I don’t think I like being wet. Showers are fine, but this is too much water. And it stinks like chemicals.”
Krys sat on the concrete, set his phone between them, and watched Virgil fall backward and kick his feet. The man was fully clothed.
Something had been gnawing on Krys’s brain for some time. If he didn’t ask Cleo now, he might never get the chance again. “Why did you always hang out with me more than the others? They were friendlier.”
Cleo sat cross-legged while squeezing water from her sleeves. “Because I feel safe with you.”
“Safe?”
She pushed up the sleeves of her shirt. “You always tucked me in, even when you were embarrassed about it. You’ll make a good dad someday.”
Krys’s wolf stirred unexpectedly, and it left him wondering what his wolf thought about family.
Cleo gathered her shoes and slicked back her wet hair. “That Mage said there’s a movie theater nearby. Do you think we can go?”
The tone in her voice implied she was expecting no for an answer.
“You never wanted to go when we drove to Austin,” he pointed out.
“I didn’t want to sit in a car filled with fart air.”
He rocked with laughter. “You haven’t smelled a movie theater room.” After a beat, he said, “Yeah, kid. I’ll take you to a movie.”
Cleo popped excitedly to her feet. “Hurry up before you change your mind. Uncle Virgil! We’re going to a movie!”
Virgil threw his arms up and cheered.
As Krys stood, two strong hands shoved his back, and he sailed into the cold water. He emerged to riotous laughter coming from both parties. His long hair slapped across his back as he swept it out of his face.
Cleo gave him an elfin grin. “Now it’s your turn to sink or swim.”