The Fury (21 page)

“Explain to me about those yellow-eyed creatures. How are they different from the others?”

“They are called
tregorians
. They are assigned a specific target and they belong to that one target. It is their only purpose. They will keep coming until they succeed.” Unfortunately, he knew of no way to permanently kill that type of demon.

She shivered. “Great.”

“Kur is getting restless.”

“Why did I suddenly feel lethargic when it touched me?”

His head whipped around. “One of them touched you? When?”

“It came up behind me and grabbed my arm, but I had on long sleeves. With its other hand, it grasped my neck. I felt fine, unconcerned, willing.”

Dagan leaned toward her and lightly caressed her neck with his fingertips. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“You were killing demons. Besides, he only had me for a couple of seconds and then Joe took him out.”

A low rumble emanated from Dagan’s chest.

“Why?” She re-emphasized her question.

“The
tregorian
sucks the will out of a subject, so much sometimes that the person will go comatose. But they have to be touching bare flesh.”

“I didn’t feel anything until he touched my neck.” Her whole body shook from the memory. “Let’s hope we don’t see any more of those things.”

“Yes, let us hope.”

He didn’t sound confident.

This time, when Reese pulled onto her father’s street, she didn’t notice the quiet surroundings or how beautiful the trees looked covered in ice. Her mind churned with thoughts on how to explain all this to her father, and how she would talk him into leaving his home, just when he’d begun to come out of his depressed mood and start experiencing life again. The timing sucked.

“What are you thinking?” Dagan asked.

“How this sucks.”

His soft laugh made her glance his way. “Well it does. Yesterday, my father started cleaning out my sister’s room and her closet. Jeez, that took guts right there.”

Dagan’s confused look made her laugh too. “You’d have to see my sister’s room to understand the implication of actually cleaning it.”

“I see.” But his confused look remained.

Her voice got softer. “Cleaning out Riley’s room is a start. At some point, maybe, he’ll clean out my mother’s stuff too.” She sighed. “It’s been three years and her clothes still hang in the closet. He won’t allow anyone to touch them.”

“It’s hard losing someone you love.”

His statement, laden with such sorrow, made her wonder if he had lost a loved one. “Yes. It is.”

She pulled into the driveway. When she stopped the car and put it in park, she grabbed the steering wheel on top with both hands and flexed them.

Dagan reached over and laid his hand on hers. “Take a couple of deep breaths and then we’ll go in together.”

She nodded. “It gave me hope, but now I’m going to throw this at him.” She stared at the house. “I’m not sure how he’s going to take it.”

“You might be surprised.” He used his hand to loosen her grip on the steering wheel. “I mean look at how well you’re handling it.”

She threw him a droll look before smiling. “Thanks, I feel so much better.”

He took her now loosened fingers and laced them with his own. “Come on, beautiful.”

He met her at the front of the car and bumped her shoulder with his.

This felt so normal in a way. Taking Dagan to meet her father could be interesting. He would most likely think she’d lost her mind though.

“Dad, where are you?” she called as they went through the front door.

“In the living room,” he called back.

They rounded the corner and found him sitting in the middle of the floor between two big boxes, and surrounded by stuffed animals.

She stopped short, causing Dagan to run into the back of her.

“What are you doing?”

He looked up and smiled. “Going through toys to see what I can pitch and what I can give to the local children’s shelter.”

When he saw Dagan, his good mood seemed to deflate. He got to his feet. “Who’s this?”

“This is Dagan.”

Her father walked over and eyed Dagan. She wasn’t sure what he would do. She’d never brought a guy to her father’s house before.

Dagan just stood there, jaw tight and hands at his side. Reese’s father walked a circle around him.

In a frustrated voice Reese said, “Dad.”

He stopped in front of Dagan and held out his hand. “I’m Clive Whittaker.”

Dagan shook the offered hand. “Nice to meet you, sir.”

“So what are you doing here, Reese?”

She pointed to the couch. “Why don’t we sit down.”

“Hmmm, that doesn’t sound good,” he said to Dagan.

Reese smiled at her father. “What would you say to coming and staying at my place for a little while?”

“Actually, sir, I would like you to consider hanging out with some friends of mine for a few days.”

Clive narrowed his eyes. “Your friends?” His head whipped around to Reese. “What is he talking about?”

“Dagan, I thought—I mean you never said anything. I thought he would come and stay with me.”

“How is that safer, Reese? You know what happened already.”

She got up in his face. “That’s beside the point. I will not let him be put with people
he or I
,” she emphasized, “don’t know.”

He stood toe to toe with her and said his piece. “They are skilled and trained to do their job well. It will be like he’s in protective custody.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“Enough!” Clive yelled.

They both stepped back.

“Do you want to tell me what the hell is going on? I’m not going anywhere.”

Reese shot a glare in Dagan’s direction before she turned all sweet to her father. “Dad, there’s been some disreputable people casing your house and I—we would like to take you some place safe until things can be handled.”

“Handled?” He looked at Dagan. “What people? Who do they work for? Where did they come from?” He turned around to Reese. “I don’t have the mind of a five year old and I don’t appreciate being treated like one. Now tell me the damn truth or get your ass out of here.”

She threw her hands up in the air. “Tell him.”

“Reese.”

“Just tell him, Dagan.”

“Great, another mind wipe. They’re adding up.”

Clive went to the French doors and stood with his hands clasped behind his back. Dagan breathed deep before his attempt at explaining.

“Mr. Whittaker, there is a gang out there who’s trying to do harm to you and your family.”

“Why?” he said, but didn’t turn around.

“I know this sounds strange, but it is because of your ancestry, your bloodline.”

Clive Whittaker nodded his head. “So it begins.”

“Sir?”

He turned to face them. “My father said it would come to this. I wouldn’t listen to him. I loved my wife and my girls. I refused to live the life.”

Stunned, Reese said, “Dad, what are you talking about?”

“Where to begin.” He propped his chin in his fingers and contemplated. “I’m the son of Enki.”

“What?” Dagan and Reese said in unison.

“You are the son of Enki?”

“Yes. My mother was human though.”

Reese dropped to the chair. “I feel sick. The water god is my grandfather?”

“Exactly,” her father said.

“How—when—oh crap.”

Dagan pressed. “You have known all along.”

“Yes. At a young age, Enki came to me. He explained how I would be different and needed to be careful.”

Reese shot him a scathing look. “How are you different?”

He shrugged. “I have some powers, but I haven’t used them in a very long time.” Clive scooted over toward Dagan and leaned in. “It was a kick in my teenage years though.” He slapped his knee and laughed. “I have to confess I used them a couple of times at school too, but not to cheat or anything, just to get back at somebody who pissed me off or maybe to help me get on the baseball team.”

Dagan smiled. He liked this guy. “I know what you mean.”

“Of course you do.” Reese sneered. “It’s a guy thing.”

“Exactly,” Clive replied then laughed again.

She growled. “What kind of powers?”

“I can move things with my mind. I used to be able to make myself invisible.”

Dagan sat back and crossed his arms. “Cool.”

“Used to scare the hell out of my parents when I used that one. Plus, I could sneak out of the house and back in again. Of course, it got tricky when I drank too much.” He gave Dagan a conspiratorial wink. “Parts of me would start reappearing at the most inopportune times.”

Dagan laughed. The look on Reese’s face was priceless.

When I met your mother, I never used them again. I wanted to be a normal guy. For her, I wanted to be the world.” He grew sad. “When your mother got sick, I wished I had all the powers, but I couldn’t save her.”

Reese went to her father and gently touched his shoulder. “Dad, she wouldn’t have wanted you to do that.”

“I know, but I wanted it more than anything.”

“She knew you loved her.”

He hugged Reese. “Yes, we loved a lifetime in those years.”

Dagan watched a tear roll down her cheek and then she opened her eyes and a wave of emotion practically knocked him to the floor. He imagined loving someone so much that your life got derailed when you lost them. He never thought he would experience it, but gazing into those big blue orbs glistening with tears, he hoped.

“So,” Clive said as he stepped back from Reese. “Tell me what brought you both here today.”

“We have had someone watching your place after I found out you were in the area.”

Continuing, Reese said, “We were attacked at my office last night.”

“What? Attacked?” He ran his hands down her arms. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” She nodded in Dagan’s direction. “Dagan, Rufus and the rest of my team were there. We handled ourselves pretty well.”

Astounded, her father said, “Your team? They know about this?”

“Believe me, it was not my first choice,” Dagan said and smiled at Reese who stuck her tongue out at him.

“What exactly is your part in this anyway?” Clive turned on him with interest.

He walked over to stand before Clive and bowed slightly. “I am the son of Enlil. I belong to an elite group known as time walkers.”

“Time walkers? What are they?”

While he ran through a cliff note of his kind, Dagan kept his eye on Reese who wandered around the room gently touching things. She fought the sadness off with a vengeance. He wanted to cuddle her in his arms and protect her from the ugliness, but she would fight him tooth and nail if he tried. So, he kept pace but didn’t overshadow. She would find her way.

“I’m protected by some pretty powerful magic, you know. And so are my daughters.”

“Yes, sir, I do know that.”

“What magic?” She rounded on him. “You didn’t tell me anything about protective spells.”

“It connected Saturday, when I took you home. So focused on the
galla
the first night,” and you, he thought. “I did not pay attention to it. Saturday morning, the energy definitely got my attention and I knew something more was going on.”

“You could’ve mentioned it.”

“I did a mind wipe, not counting on you remembering anything after that.”

Clive frowned. “You did a mind wipe on my daughter?” He surged forward. “What the hell is that and you better damn well not have hurt her.”

“Take it easy, Dad. It didn’t work.” She smiled sweetly.

“And it didn’t mess you up?”

“No, I feel fine.”

“Well that’s good.” He glared at Dagan. “Isn’t it?”

Dagan stared into Reese’s mocking smile. “Yes and no.”

“Oh never mind him. The reason we came over is to take you to a safer place. But now I’m wondering if that will help. What is this magic that you were talking about?”

“Enki had a wizard put some protective wards on all of us.”

“Percilious,” Dagan offered.

“Per—what?”

“Percilious, Reese. He’s the wizard. Very old, very wise, a very strong sorcerer.”

“Oh.”

“He used his magick to protect you all, with a little extra boost from Enki. But, it only protects you when you’re inside the house. Once you leave here, you’re no longer protected.”

Clive chuckled. “That’s probably why he kept telling me to hone my skills again.”

“Most likely.”

Reese gave Dagan a frustrated look. “So what now?”

He directed his answer to Reese’s father. “Since you are
nephili
, I’m not as concerned about your welfare. Let’s face it. You have a much greater chance of fighting off the demons.”