Into the Flame (43 page)
Konstantine looked meaningfully at Doug and wiggled his fingers toward the two women.
Go on!
Go on!
Doug shrugged helplessly. When it came to this sentimental family stuff, he didn’t know what to say or how to act.
‘‘Zorana, come here,’’ Konstantine said in a voice of command.
‘‘Of course, husband.’’ Zorana wrapped her arm around Firebird’s waist and brought her to Konstantine. Holding out her arm to Doug, she invited him into her embrace. ‘‘I am so happy. So happy! The children all have met their perfect mates. We are all alive, although we bear our wounds.’’ She touched the bloody stump of Doug’s finger, and cast a worried glance at Tasya. ‘‘We have broken the pact with the devil, fulfilled the prophecies, and my relatives no longer oppose our marriage.’’
‘‘That was indeed a concern for me.’’ Konstantine rolled his eyes.
Zorana smiled at him, a charming, winsome grin. ‘‘When I am content, you are content. Yes?’’
His stern, broad face softened. ‘‘Most certainly, yes.’’ He looked at his wife, tremulously happy, at Doug, unsure how to proceed, at Firebird, alive. . . .
The sirens got closer and closer.
Doug could almost see Konstantine making an executive decision.
Konstantine lifted his chest, squared his shoulders, and used the voice radio deejays used to announce a new, improved deodorant. ‘‘We are a family united by pain and sorrow, victory and joy.’’
‘‘Papa really is better.’’ Jasha slid down a tree trunk and onto the ground. ‘‘He’s making a speech.’’
Rurik and Adrik grinned and groaned.
Konstantine rolled on without paying his disrespectful children heed. ‘‘We have endured pain, separation, and despair. But now . . . now we celebrate! Our sons are all returned, and our daughters are fertile. We will rebuild our home in these wonderful
United States of America
, and we will live in prosperity!’’
United States of America
, and we will live in prosperity!’’
‘‘Fertile?’’ Karen blinked in amazement.
‘‘Fertile?’’
‘‘Fertile?’’
Tasya started giggling and didn’t stop.
Doug suspected the morphine might still be working on her.
‘‘Now Zorana and I are pleased to announce that our daughter, Firebird, will marry our son Douglas—’’
Tasya giggled louder. ‘‘He left off two words—
or else
.’’
or else
.’’
‘‘—and they will live happily ever after.’’ He looked from Doug, horrified and immobile, to Firebird, quiet and enigmatic. ‘‘I speak the truth, do I not?’’
Firebird considered Doug for a long moment. Then she nodded. ‘‘Of course, Papa. It shall be as you wish. Douglas and I will marry and give Aleksandr the mama and papa that he deserves.’’
Chapter Forty-one
‘‘D
id you see that the only newspaper that got the story right was the
National Enquirer
?’’ Adrik rooted through the pile of newspapers on the table in the kitchen in the house Konstantine had rented.
id you see that the only newspaper that got the story right was the
National Enquirer
?’’ Adrik rooted through the pile of newspapers on the table in the kitchen in the house Konstantine had rented.
‘‘I thought they said we were attacked by aliens.’’ Karen looked up from the
Seattle Examiner
.
Seattle Examiner
.
‘‘No, that was the
Star
,’’ Rurik corrected. ‘‘The
National Enquirer
said we were attacked by Varinskis, a well-known and ancient assassination cult that wanted to kill us because we attempted to destroy the devil’s hold over their leader.’’
Star
,’’ Rurik corrected. ‘‘The
National Enquirer
said we were attacked by Varinskis, a well-known and ancient assassination cult that wanted to kill us because we attempted to destroy the devil’s hold over their leader.’’
Adrik smirked. ‘‘They also said the thing that made us fight back was when the Varinskis hired aliens to impregnate Jasha.’’
Slowly, Jasha turned away from the counter and the pastrami sandwich he was assembling.
‘‘Like we would care if aliens impregnated Jasha,’’ Adrik finished.
The laughter in the kitchen started slowly and grew.
Jasha flexed his hands and leaped at Adrik.
The two of them hit the floor, wrestling like two idiots.
Aleksandr sat in a high chair and banged the tray with delight.
‘‘It’s been a long time since Adrik disappeared, and when he came back, everything turned grim pretty quickly.’’ Today was Douglas’s first day out of the hospital, and Firebird was trying to bring him up-to-date with his new family—give him brief rundowns on their characters, tell him a bit about what they’d been like growing up, point out their foibles and their strengths. ‘‘They’re fighting, but it’s not serious. They’re merely blowing off steam.’’
Douglas
nodded.
nodded.
Konstantine scooted his chair away from his wrestling sons, ignoring them as if they were two exuberant puppies. ‘‘The news station said we’d been attacked by a right-wing group because we were successful Russian immigrants.’’
Jackson Sonnet puffed out his chest. ‘‘I gave them that angle.’’
‘‘Good one, Dad.’’ Karen gave him the thumbs-up. ‘‘As disinformation goes, that’s the most believable.’’
‘‘Oh, yeah? Wait until Jasha has that baby.’’ Rurik ducked when Jasha threw a butter knife and knocked his coffee cup over.
‘‘All right!’’ Zorana threw a kitchen towel to Rurik. ‘‘Mop that up! Jasha, Adrik, that is enough!’’
Rurik mopped. Jasha and Adrik sat up.
‘‘Our neighbors donated or loaned us everything in this house, and I do not want you boys breaking things.’’ She pointed. ‘‘Adrik and Jasha, sit up and stop behaving like hoodlums.
Douglas
’’—she came over and kissed him on the forehead—‘‘you sit here and be a good example for your brothers.’’ She returned to assembling the ingredients for
shchi.
Douglas
’’—she came over and kissed him on the forehead—‘‘you sit here and be a good example for your brothers.’’ She returned to assembling the ingredients for
shchi.
‘‘Suckup,’’ Jasha said out of the corner of his mouth.
‘‘Screwup,’’
Douglas
answered.
Douglas
answered.
This house was twice as big as their family home in the valley, but the kitchen had the same crowded, convivial atmosphere.
So it wasn’t the house that created the ambience. It was the people, and Firebird wanted
Douglas
to love them as much as she did.
Douglas
to love them as much as she did.
But since they’d brought him home from the hospital,
Douglas
had been quiet. He’d been quiet in the hospital, too, but she’d put that down to pain, healing, and dealing with his really pissed supervisor about the wrecked patrol car. Now she realized that
Douglas
had been uncommunicative ever since her father had announced their wedding.
Douglas
had been quiet. He’d been quiet in the hospital, too, but she’d put that down to pain, healing, and dealing with his really pissed supervisor about the wrecked patrol car. Now she realized that
Douglas
had been uncommunicative ever since her father had announced their wedding.
Perhaps marriage wasn’t what
Douglas
had intended.
Douglas
had intended.
Adrik sighed mightily. ‘‘I confess, I’m bummed. Even if I swore off turning into a panther, it was so cool to know I
could
.’’
could
.’’
‘‘You’re married,’’ Karen said pertly. ‘‘You don’t need to be out catting around, anyway.’’
The guys groaned.
‘‘And Rurik shouldn’t be flying the coop.’’ Tasya smirked at her husband, the former hawk.
‘‘Jasha had better not be running with the wolves.’’ Ann started giggling and couldn’t stop.
Everyone turned to look at Firebird. She sighed heavily. ‘‘All right. I’ll say it. Now that he has me,
Douglas
has no business going out and chasing pussy.’’ She glanced to see if she’d made
Douglas
laugh.
Douglas
has no business going out and chasing pussy.’’ She glanced to see if she’d made
Douglas
laugh.
She hadn’t.
If he had a sense of humor, he hid it well.
‘‘What? Does everyone think I am so old and unappealing I am unable to turn into a wolf and chase women?’’ Konstantine looked reproachfully at Zorana.
‘‘No, Konstantine.’’ She patted him fondly. ‘‘But everyone knows I keep you on a tight leash.’’
‘‘Come here, woman.’’ He caught her waist and reeled her in. ‘‘For that pun, you shall pay the price.’’ He pulled her across his lap and kissed her while she struggled . . . but not too hard.
‘‘Would you two stop with the kissing? At least in front of us?’’ Rurik covered his eyes.
‘‘Haven’t you ever seen your papa kiss your mama before?’’ Konstantine sat Zorana up.
‘‘Yes, but not all the time,’’ Jasha said. ‘‘You’re scarring us for life!’’
‘‘Humping like bunnies,’’ Aleksandr said helpfully.
The family dissolved into laughter.
‘‘Where did he
learn
that?’’ Firebird asked.
learn
that?’’ Firebird asked.
‘‘I don’t know.’’ Konstantine shrugged. ‘‘Children. They pick up the oddest phrases.’’
‘‘You are bad, Konstantine.’’ Zorana returned to the stove.
‘‘That is not what you said last night,’’ he answered.
‘‘No, Papa, no!’’ Adrik covered his ears. ‘‘I beg you, stop!’’
‘‘Even after Papa got sick, he would chase Mama around the kitchen, dragging his oxygen tank and IV tubes,’’ Firebird told
Douglas
softly. ‘‘He adores her.’’
Douglas
softly. ‘‘He adores her.’’
Douglas
nodded.
nodded.
‘‘What I want to know is how the
Star
knew that Firebird was in the house when it caught on fire.’’ Tasya sat with her leg bandaged and straight out on the bench. ‘‘Who saw that? Who sold them the story?’’
Star
knew that Firebird was in the house when it caught on fire.’’ Tasya sat with her leg bandaged and straight out on the bench. ‘‘Who saw that? Who sold them the story?’’
‘‘One of the Varinskis wasn’t as dead as we wanted to believe. Or someone from the town heard the noise and was watching.’’ Ann looked from one to the other. ‘‘We vanquished one battalion of the devil’s army. Let us not believe we vanquished the devil himself.’’
The cheery kitchen grew quiet and bleak.
Then Jasha said, ‘‘When she’s right, she’s right. And she tells me she’s right all the time.’’ He cowered when she punched his shoulder, then stole a kiss.
‘‘What I like is the sidebar about Miss Joyce.’’ Rurik snapped one of the papers back and placed it on the table. ‘‘According to the
National Enquirer
, she is the first provable case of a human being spontaneously combusting.’’
National Enquirer
, she is the first provable case of a human being spontaneously combusting.’’
‘‘They say she did make it back to the house, so technically I didn’t kill her by leaving her in the sun. Too bad.’’ Zorana slammed through the kitchen drawers. ‘‘I know
Sharon
brought me a slotted spoon. Where do you suppose I put it?’’
Sharon
brought me a slotted spoon. Where do you suppose I put it?’’
Karen got up to help her look. ‘‘Apparently it wasn’t the sun that was frying Miss Joyce. It was the devil’s own frying pan.’’
‘‘Served her right,’’ Ann said.
Everyone looked at Ann in bewilderment.
‘‘She’s usually the nice one,’’ Firebird explained to
Douglas
. ‘‘But she does have a thing about justice.’’
Douglas
. ‘‘But she does have a thing about justice.’’
‘‘When I think that she stole an infant and abandoned him to die . . .’’ Ann clenched her fists.
‘‘Ann was an orphan, too, abandoned at birth,’’ Firebird told
Douglas
. ‘‘I think you two have a lot in common.’’
Douglas
. ‘‘I think you two have a lot in common.’’
‘‘You, also,’’ he said.
‘‘Yes. You’re right.’’ Firebird didn’t want to think about it, but somewhere out there, she had parents. Now she would have to decide—search for her biological family, or let them go. She looked around the kitchen at the family she had here, and remembered that her parents had abandoned her. She suspected she would not bother to search.
‘‘Miss Joyce could have used our Firebird’s way with the flames.’’ Zorana forgot the spoon and faced Firebird. ‘‘Still I don’t understand how you did, but I am so grateful that you did.’’
In the five days since the battle, the family had faced many challenges: reporters, police investigators, doctors, hospitals, stitches, and bullet extractions . . . and even now, Firebird felt odd about her miraculous escape from the fire.
All her life, she’d been breathtakingly normal in a family of extraordinary people. Now she had walked through the fire, and they all stared as if she were the miracle.
‘‘Miss Joyce called you one of the abandoned ones.’’ The frying pan drooped in Zorana’s hand. ‘‘I thought she meant an abandoned infant. I wonder if there’s more to it than that?’’
‘‘There is with Ann,’’ Jasha said. ‘‘No one knows how, but she has a mark on her back, and in the right circumstances, she has powers.’’
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