Night Finds (12 page)

“Questions later, Queenie, your sister needs dealing with.” It is situations like this one where not being pregnant would be really handy. I don't think it is going to come to much of a fight because it is all of my people versus one person, but you never know how demented that one person is and whether or not they have any tricks up their sleeves. Sylvia seems like the kind of girl that is loaded down with tricks.

“I can tell you right now, little girl, that I won't be doing anything until I get some answers. What is wrong with my followers? I cannot feel them anymore. I must go to them.” She makes a move to leave, but Killian holds on tight. I think she is experiencing one of those moments where your brain is trying extremely hard to process a million things at once and it is only getting mush back in response.

“Addie calm down,” Hilda calls from the hall. My army is in place, but the pretend queen blocking the doorway is holding it outside of the room. I don't know where the male Fae Sylvia was with earlier are currently stationed and I don’t really know on what side of things they will land.

“Hilda, you are here too. This makes no sense.” Killian leans down and kisses her forehead. I don’t think that will help clear up the confusion.

“Sylvia gave Nan a potion that ended up poisoning you eons ago. Shortly after that, she went Sluagh. She destroyed everything you love.” Killian gives the cliffnotes version of events, short and to the point, my kind of summation.

“But not you. You are still alive and well. Sylvia said something about you trying to kill me for good. What did that mean?” More questions, little action. I am surprised Sylvia hasn't tried to make a move yet.

“You can discuss all the details later. Are you going to take care of your sister, or do you want us to?”

Adeline looks towards her sister. “What have you done?” she asks quietly. There is not enough anger in her voice. Sylvia tried to kill her, destroyed her land, and fed off the souls of her people. I want to hear some yelling going on.

“Did you really think I would just sit around in my land of banishment forever?  You took everything from me, even Killian. You only picked him for your king because I liked him. You could have had anyone,” Sylvia says letting her anger be known.

It sounds to me that Faerie has just changed its name to Cliché City. I hate the “I saw him first” and “he is the only man I have ever loved” sob stories. The way I see it, she either didn't make her move or she wasn't woman enough to keep him. Whichever it is, I wish she had moved on. There are tons of other fish in the sea, at least there were before she killed them all.

“That is why you did what they claim? You turned Sluagh because you had a crush on Killian? I cannot believe we are even related. How long have I been asleep?” Adeline asks anyone that will answer.

“With the darkened world, days weren't passing like normal. It feels like a really long time though,” Killian responds.

Sylvia makes no move to indicate whether she has been counting the days. “It is 2013, if that makes the math easier,” I say filling the pause that has entered the conversation.

“You are joking. There is no way that is possible. I still don't see how you could have done this to me.”

“With magic getting stronger the angrier you get, I wouldn't mind zapping her a few times,” Hilda offers. It makes me shiver just a bit because I know the kinds of things Hilda can do. Sylvia is in for trouble if the request is granted.

“That is a very kind offer, but I have to restore a few things first, then I may let you toy with her a little.” Queen Adeline holds out her right hand and closes her eyes. Dude, your opponent is standing right across from you and I doubt she is just going to stand still while you are preparing for battle.

The move makes me itchy and I pull out one of my knives for comfort. Good old Clytemnestra knows how to calm me down.

“I am sure she knows what she is doing,”
Sebastian says trying to soothe me.

“Says the vampire who hates Fae to begin with. I want you to know that after we get Dad and high tail it out of here; you are to make sure I never go off into a different world again. I don't care if the angels claim I need to go Upstairs for a halo fitting. I am staying put and so is Sophia.”

“Oh good,”
Alex says piping in.
“That means you aren't going to be working as a private investigator anymore. That will let us guys rest easier.”

“Bite your tongue. I just won't take cases that go off planet. Less talking, more preparing to fight if need be.”

Both of them laugh maniacally in my head. Stupid mates. The scene before us didn't change at all during the conversation. I really don't understand what is going on. I feel a buzz of energy through the room, but that is about it.

“She is calling her people back to her,” Gabe whispers. “If she is strong enough to do that, we should have no worries about how things will turn out here.”

“The dead people? Just how in the world does she think she will accomplish that?” I ask confused.

“I would accomplish it a lot easier if you would quit yapping,” the queen snaps back.

Whatever. I look over at Sylvia wondering why she hasn’t made a move while her sister is occupied. I still cannot believe she hasn’t attacked. Seeing the look on Sylvia’s face leads me to believe she couldn’t move even if she wanted to. I don’t see any pink bindings, like Hilda’s freeze bombs have, but I can tell when someone is being held against their will.

“There. I have brought back the ones that I could. It appears the majority of them are alive and well. Some of the souls must have gotten lost over the years. Now that they are back, they can serve as your jury. We will let the people decide what is to become of you,” Adeline announces.

“Can we return to my question from a second ago? Are you saying you brought back the Fae that had their souls snacked on? Just how many is that?” It is one of those times where questions just keep forming in my mind.

“I mentioned earlier that being separated from your soul doesn't always mean you are dead,” Gabe points out.

“You did, but I cannot imagine there were bodies just lying around waiting to be put back together like a puzzle. I haven't heard anything that indicates Sylvia killed everyone yesterday,” I counter.

“No, some of my people had been gone for a very long time. I take it you are an angel with training wings. I may not allow your kind here, but I don't keep our knowledge from you.”

“My halo is in the mail. What key information am I missing?” The correct queen seems to have things in order here, so I really should be on my way, but I am curious about the zombie Fae I may be running into.

I see Hilda push her way past everyone and into the room. “My niece still doing good? I was a little worried about her.” I am a little worried about Hilda calling Sophia her niece. I may have told her I loved her earlier, but that was just a show for the crazy queen. We aren't quite to the level where our offspring are considered nieces and nephews.

“Sophia is still holding strong, but we do really need to move things along,” Sebastian says as he tries to start dragging me out of the room.

“Sebastian deYork in Faerie. If I wasn't seeing it with my own eyes, I wouldn't believe it,” Adeline says focusing in on us. “To answer the woman you are trying to drag away from me, my people are made up of a different kind of energy than most beings. Our bodies are vessels we choose to make it easier for others. All I had to do was call back their souls and they were able to reform. I am sure once you get the package in the mail that you mentioned earlier, you will learn these kinds of things.”

I guess that answers my question. “Great. I think it is time for us to go now. I need to find your Dark Forest and retrieve my father.”

“Even with my energy fixing things, the Dark Forest isn't a place for someone in your condition. Why don't I send some of my people to get him for you?” Queen Adeline asks.

It would be a swell idea if I thought for a second that Frank would go for it. I believe if anyone were to show up without me, Aaron would be a goner right quick.

“It is something I have to do no matter how big my belly is. I may be pregnant, but that doesn't impede me from walking a little ways.”

Adeline tilts her head a little as if listening to something. Maybe she has a telepathic connection to her people. I wouldn't doubt it since she can bring them back from the dead. No matter what her explanation, I am still looking at it that way.

“Who is keeping it from her? Don't you think she has a right to know?” I don't like the sound of either of those questions.

“She has other priorities right now. We saw no reason to worry her until we got back to our home,” Alex replies. It sounds like someone is going to need a spanking. I just wonder how far this secret spreads and if I have enough paddles.

“I almost understand that reasoning from someone with a penis, but, Hilda, you had to have picked up on it too. I am pretty sure that breaks the girl code.”

Adeline must have been let in on the secret that I just love to listen to people talk about me like I am not in the room. This is getting ridiculous.

“I agree with the guys that they are handling it the right way, for now. It could be a while before anything happened anyway,” Hilda says.

Just before I announce I have had enough, Addie yells, “She is in labor. I don't care if it saves a pod of bottlenose dolphins, you don't keep that from a woman.”

“Um. What? That doesn't make any sense.” That is one thing I am certain I would know was happening. Sophia hasn't been kicking too much and should just be taking a nap. I have always heard there is a first time for everything. This would be the first time she napped for more than an hour at a time.

“Which of you guys is taking away the pain? I know it is one of you,” Adeline says squinting her eyes first at Alex and then at Sebastian. “It's you. I am guessing it is her first child and you thought you could get away with hiding it for a while.”

Sebby is holding my hand and I look up to meet his eyes. The thought of him experiencing labor for me is pretty funny, but the mushroom feeling isn't.

“How long?” I really haven't felt anything other than maybe a couple of funny movements from the peanut gallery.

He smiles not letting my tone faze him. Stupid mate. I really need a button I can push that says that out loud for me. “First, just to clarify it is our child and I will do what I think is best for my mate and the baby. Your contractions started while you were sleeping. I thought you could use the rest if today was going to be the day. When we found out about your dad, it was best that you not be troubled by anything else. Really, with you refusing to stay behind there was no choice.”

“Sophia isn't done cooking. There is no way she has had enough time to develop. A month and a half does not make a well-rounded baby. I know she has her fingers and toes, but what about her little lungs? Will she even be able to breathe on her own?” Now I am feeling paranoid. No matter how large I get, she cannot be more than a handful. Well, not one of my small, little girly hands, but for sure someone like Walt’s.

Alex moves his right hand to my stomach. He crouches down and puts his ear to my stomach while rubbing with the one hand.

“She is going to be perfect. Your mom suggested she may take two months, but no one tells little Sophia when she should make her debut. Everything will be perfect,” he reiterates. “Let’s go get your dad and get you back home so we can welcome her into the world.”

“You act like taking a couple of hours to go find Aaron won’t matter to the baby people are claiming is trying to escape from my womb.”

“Your contractions are still pretty far apart. I think we will be safe,” Sebastian supplies.

I am sure he is an expert on what is going on with a woman’s body while she is in labor. I look up to the ceiling asking an unseen force for a little guidance. When we walked into this room, it was as dreary as the rest of the place, but the walls seem to have changed. They are light green now and vines seem to be painting themselves up to the ceiling. Colorful flowers litter the vines. It is closer to what I was expecting this place to look like. We are going to have to talk about the situation later. Other than halting everything and demanding to have the baby now, there isn't anything I can really do.

“The Dark Forest is still not a place I would recommend visiting for someone even just pregnant. The creatures that dwell within were also brought back to life.  If they are aware of what happened to them, they will not be too happy to come across outsiders,” Queen Adeline warns.

I glance over and notice that Killian is glued to her side. I hope she is a touchy person because I don’t think that is going to end anytime soon. I actually understand how strong the desire to be near her, while she is up and moving around, would be for him, given that it sounds like it has been a few years since the last time he saw her mobile.

“I think we have enough force to make it through unscathed,” Alex points out. “We have vampires, werewolves, a witch, and an angel rolling with us. Oh, I almost forgot the Hellhound; we have one of those too. I don’t see how a few ogres or trolls would stand in our way.”

“I will send a few of my people as well. With magic flowing again, they should be able to assist if need be,” Adeline offers. “I would, however, like to know the woman’s name. I think we will end up being great allies in the days to come. You have a regal air around you.”

I like her better than her sister, so the allies thing might not be too terrible. “I am Nyx Slaughter slash Gentry slash deYork slash Monroe, I guess. Maybe I should throw my mom in there as well, but I don’t think the Queen of the Underworld has a last name.”

“You could add Lucifer in for a middle name,” Jake suggests from the hallway. Such a helpful boy that one is.

“Are the order of the names negotiable?” Sebastian asks. “I didn’t even know we were adding on to Slaughter already. I think you should alphabetize them. DeYork hyphen Gentry hyphen Monroe hyphen Slaughter, last names don’t have slashes.” He takes a second to slide my knife back into its sheath.