Moonlight: The Big Bad Wolf (Black Swan 4) (5 page)

She smiled into the shadow-filled room, partly because of the idea of a lifetime with Duff Torquil and partly because it occurred to her that she might actually beat her older brother out of the position of family black sheep. Running off with a fae? She could see her father's face turning reddish-purple. She could see her mother's face pinched with disappointment and worry while hurrying away to oversee composition of a press release. Both her brothers would be turning the air blue enough to change the tint of the sky before vowing to hunt Duff down and skewer him.

At least she wasn't the heir. As difficult as it would be for her, she couldn't begin to imagine what Duff would be up against with his family. She let out a whispered laugh. She never asked to be mated to a fae, but there was no point trying to deny it. Life was strange.

***

CHAPTER_2

Litha sat at the end of a long conference table and watched the head of the Metaphysics and Mysticism Department tong a couple of ice cubes into her glass before he refilled it with water. For the hundredth time that day she wished that she and Storm had never confided to The Order that she was able to slip dimensions because of her something more than half demon heritage.

Sure. She could be the key to answering thousands of questions. From the perspective of paranormal investigators, she was a walking treasure trove. She was also witnessing the signs of her worst nightmare unfolding. They were starting to treat her like property of The Order.

There wasn't much that was less fun than being stuck in a room full of academics in Edinburgh while Storm was half a world away. He'd been summoned to Jefferson Unit. Well, he hadn't actually been summoned, but when his old boss asked to see him, it amounted to the same thing.

She had dropped him off at the New Jersey facility that morning. He had joked that her unusual abilities lent a whole new meaning to the question, "Can I get a ride?"

Storm had suggested that they use the opportunity to take a well-needed break, that she should join him as soon as she finished the current inquiry. Or "inquisition" as she called it. He said they could have a weekend in New York, then go home to the vineyard and regroup. She smiled, remembering that he had leaned into her ear and added, "... in bed," in a breathy whisper that never failed to give her visible shivers and make her nipples bead.

"Mrs. Storm?"

Her thoughts came back to the room, where seven faces were staring and waiting for a reply. "I'm sorry. Could you please repeat the question?"

"Of course. When you said you visited one dimension where they've been doing organic hybrid experiments for so long that there are no full humans..."

"Yes?"

"We're wondering what kind of hybrids have been developed?"

"Animal-human hybrids." It took every bit of patience she could muster to keep from shouting, "Duh!" at the end of that answer.

She glanced at her watch, as she was starting to wonder what she was getting out of her work with The Order. Their pay-off was obvious, but she was beginning to question her role. A quick assessment told her that she was beginning to feel less like an employee or associate and more like a victim. Something needed to change.

Another hour and she'd be gone. What a shame. She used to love her work. As far as she was concerned she was not only done with the questions and answers. She was
well
done and well on the way to being burned to a crisp.

When Litha had dropped Storm at Jefferson Unit that morning, she took him to Sol's office, partly to keep from causing a stir by materializing in the middle of some high-traffic area like the hub, and partly because one of the best things about emerging from a pass near a Black Swan facility was startling the codgers: Sol and Simon.

It was a joke that just couldn't be repeated so often that it wasn't funny anymore. Litha stayed long enough to make sure Sol hadn't had a heart attack, left her gorgeous husband with a big smile on his face, and vanished.

Storm turned to Sol, who was a little miffed about spilling room temperature coffee all over the front of his gray slacks in a pattern that would raise eyebrows. Sol scowled at the still-chuckling Storm, while dabbing his thighs with paper towels.

The very hour that Storm had announced his retirement - in person - the character of his relationship with the Sovereign had changed and transformed to friendship. On one level it felt like the most natural thing in the world to interact with Sol like he was a peer. Just two veteran knights sharing a coffee. On the other hand, it felt like the strangest thing in the world to have his recruiter, mentor, and former boss relax his demeanor and treat Storm like a peer.

When Sol decided that he had done as much as could be done with the pants, short of sending them to dry cleaning, he motioned for Storm to sit.

"Coffee?"

For a moment Storm wondered if that was a trick question. If he said yes, would he end up with room temperature coffee all over his lap? He decided that Sol was far too staid and mature for that sort of petty payback. And he was right.

"Sure."

Sol picked up the phone and asked for a coffee service for two to be served in the conference room, then moved the meeting next door. He recognized that sitting behind his desk skewed the dynamic in a direction that wouldn't be conducive to his purpose, part of which was to relax his guest. Talking to Storm from the authority side of a desk would suggest an unnecessary formality that would remind them both that, until relatively recently, Storm had had no choice but to do whatever Sol commanded. At least in theory.

Next door in the conference room, Sol motioned to two tufted leather club chairs that sat opposite the wall of windows with a small table between.

When they were seated, he asked, "So. How have you been?"

The inquiry was innocuous, but it gave Storm pause. In fifteen years, Sol had never asked how he was or how he'd been. It took a moment to absorb the oddity of the experience and, in the process, raised a hint of suspicion regarding the Sovereign's motives.

"No complaints. How about you?" Sol nodded without looking up from his coffee, acknowledging Storm's answer, but saying nothing more. After a lag that was starting to feel awkward, Storm ventured further. "Sooooo. You asked to see me?"

Sol brought his eyes up to look Storm in the face. Actually look was probably not the right word. Sol more scrutinized people than looked at them.

"I did. I want to run something past you and I suppose the easiest way is straight ahead."

"Always a good policy."

"Actually there are two things I'd like to scoot past."

"Okay. Shoot."

"Well, first, I do have some news." His face smoothed out into a goofy little smile that was so out of character all Storm could do was stare. Sol might have even looked a little embarrassed. "I'm getting married."

Storm was so grateful that the coffee hadn't arrived because, had he been in mid swallow he would have spewed right before half-choking to death. If he'd ever heard anything more shocking, he'd be hard pressed to remember what it was. After his brain freeze began to abate, when he was once again able to form a coherent and appropriate thought, he said, "Congratulations. Who's the lucky, um, woman?"

"Farnsworth." Sol smiled. "From Operations."

Storm smiled, but with a little squinting of his eyes. "You call your fiancée by her last name?"

Sol shrugged. "It seems to fit. And it's not like she minds."

Storm laughed out loud. "You don't know anything about women, do you?"

Sol frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Never mind. You'll find out soon enough."

"And what is
that
supposed to mean?"

Storm just continued to smile and shook his head. "So you want to retire. Good for you. You deserve it."

"I want you to take my place."

Storm's smile vanished as the color quickly drained from his face. Sol didn't have time to notice the reaction because he had turned away and risen to respond to a polite and well-timed knock on the door. He showed the trainee where he wanted the coffee service set up. Storm silently gave the rookie points for how hard he tried to pretend that he didn't notice the wet stain on Sol's pants. When they were alone again, Sol fixed his coffee and noticed Storm hadn't moved.

"What do you like in yours?"

"Oh." Storm's eyes seem to clear as he refocused on Sol and the coffee tray. "Black. One sugar. Thank you."

Sol stirred Storm's coffee, set it on the table next to him, and sat looking at the younger man expectantly.

"I told her I would give it up in two years which would give me time to tie up loose ends and groom somebody for the position." He wagged his head back and forth slightly. "She wants enough time to have some fun while we're still young."

Among other things Storm was trying to imagine referring to himself as "young" when he reached Sol's age.

Since Storm wasn't responding, Sol decided to continue.

"Let's face it, kiddo. I'm just an old vampire hunter witnessing the end of an era and the turning of the page. It's an historic moment for The Order. The Hunters Division is going to need to be reconceived and refitted. The old challenges are on the way out. The new challenges..." He blew out a long exhale. "I don't know. Defense against interdimensional breach?" He looked at Storm. "I'm thinking exit stage left."

Storm was toying with the possibility that Litha had dropped him in the wrong dimension. A Sol who was getting married and using theatrical references? Couldn't possibly be
his
Sol.

The imposter grinned at him and said, "There is one incomparable perk. You can behave like you invented asshole and the worst that your superiors will do is say, 'Good job'." He laughed. Storm stared, remembering some of the times Sol's asshole impersonation had been aimed at him. Personally.

Replace Sol Nemamiah as Sovereign of Jefferson Unit? There was no fucking chance in the whole of the fucking universe that Storm would consider that fucking job. But he liked and respected Sol too much to not at least give the impression of considering the offer. It was, after all, intended as an honor. A great honor.

"It'll be a loss to The Order, but you deserve to have some fun with your girl."

"My girl." Sol repeated that with a little smile, like he was trying it on for size. "Yeah."

"I need to give this some serious thought and talk it over with Litha." The truth of the matter was that Storm needed some time to figure out how to let Sol down easy.

"Oh. That reminds me! About the second thing I wanted to ask you." Sol set his cup in its saucer and put it down on the table between them. "I need to prevail upon Litha to get her father to come to dinner."

"Her father?"

"Yes. The Council wants me to find out if he might be a potential Friend of The Order."

For a few uncomfortable seconds Storm couldn't decide on how to respond. He finally gave in to impulse and laughed out loud.

Sol cocked his head. "What is so funny about that?"

Storm took a deep breath. "Waking Woden. Where do I start? Well, first, he can't come to dinner because he doesn't eat food."

Sol looked interested. "What does he eat?"

"He eats energy. Incubus demon?" Storm had his eyebrows raised like he thought Sol was missing something he should have picked up on. "The best he could do, on a good day, would be to sit at a place setting and watch you chew."

Sol's blank look was gradually replaced with understanding. "Oh."

"I will ask Litha to ask, but don't set the table. I'm telling you right now that my father-in-law is the very essence of unexpected. You cannot imagine a personality more unmanageable. He marches to the beat of his own whistle."

"You mean the beat of his own drum."

"No. That would be way too predictable for Deliverance. I will ask, but I'm not making any promises." Storm looked at his watch. "My wife is picking me up in twenty minutes. I want to go say a quick hello to Ram and Elora and see how they're treating my namesake before she gets here."

"Sure. They're on the sixth floor, east end. We had to reconfigure an apartment and an adjoining rec room, but I think it's going to work until Monq gets this thing figured out."

"Alright. Talk to you soon." They shook hands. "Congratulations about Farnsworth. Happy for you. I don't know about her."

Sol laughed. "Yeah. I hope to get a ring on her before she realizes the enormity of her mistake."

Storm and Litha checked into a suite at the Stanhope Hotel with a nice view of the park. They had a late dinner at a place that was rich in atmosphere, service, and gourmet fare. It was one of those places that showed four dollar signs in the price column of the restaurant guides. Then they returned to their suite and made love like honeymooners on crisp high count Egyptian cotton sheets. They ordered champagne, cheese and chocolate-covered strawberries for breakfast and Litha sighed with contentment. She never wanted to leave.