Daughter Trilogy Bundle (29 page)

We disappear into another building, and he leads me to the back of a restaurant.  I can hear the laughing - happy, oblivious people talking about meaningless pieces of their lives, and then all the chatter turns to gasps as the news reports an emergency broadcast.  I look up in time to see the muted television in the corner displaying the spewing water from the hydrants.

It did get caught on camera.  Freaking eh.

Devin jerks me out of the doorway, and the awnings draping over the sidewalk offer us some cloaking from overhead - should anyone be up there.

"Make it rain," he softly requests.

I swallow hard, and beg for the power to control it without provoking the goddess.  It works.

The rain begins to drizzle at first, and then it thunders down on us with a merciless grind.  Devin pulls me through the blurry mess, and then I feel us disappearing into a car.

I sigh in relief when I see Kry's face.  The music is blaring, most likely to keep away any trespassing ears.

"Any sign of unwanted eyes?" Devin whispers.

"Not from here.  I've been sitting here since about five minutes after I got your text.  I wasn't far away."

"Let's go to my apartment.  We'll call the others when I feel we're safely tucked behind the padded walls of my soundproofed room."

He leans back, and Kry pulls out into the torrential downpour I've created.

"You did good, baby," he whispers to my panicky self.  "You did better than good.  You were incredible."

"So were you," I murmur with tears starting to fall now that I've stopped to breathe and reality crushes down on me with its heavy force.

"Shh.  It's okay.  You're okay.  We're going home.  We'll be safe there.  I've got a padded room.  It's proofed against immortal hearing."

He wraps his arms around me and kisses my head.  Kry keeps the music loud as we weave slowly through the traffic.  My eyes keep scouring rooftops, sidewalks, and everything else.  I've never felt so paranoid in all my life.  The adrenaline has left me shaky and breathy.

The radio broadcaster interrupts the music for a special report.

"This just in.  A group of fifty or more people exhibited a display of unimaginable, unrealistic strengths and other demonstrations of supernatural power in the downtown area tonight-"

Kry flips the station, and more music begins blaring once again.

He looks into the rearview mirror at Devin, and whispers in disbelief, "Fifty fucking people?  That's not-"

"I know," Devin interrupts.  "Wait until we're safely behind the walls."

Kry pulls up, and Greer scurries to get the door.  His eyes widen when he sees us.

"Mr. Cole.  I'm so sorry.  I would have come to get you."

"Kry was in the neighborhood when the bottom dropped out unexpectedly.  Please take his car for us," Devin kindly instructs.

Greer nods and quickly takes the keys from Kry.  We load the elevator, and Kry shakes his bleach blond hair free from the excess water.

"Your doings?" he questions sardonically, motioning to the rainwater falling from his body.

I point to Devin.  "He told me to," I defend.

"We needed cover.  I wanted to make sure no one could see where we were going," Devin whispers.

He releases my hand the second before the door dings, and then he and Kry head over to grab scotch from the bar.  Devin returns and bends to kiss me softly just as I step out with my shaky legs trying to betray me.

"Go get on some dry clothes.  I've got some calls to make."

I nod and head off to the bedroom, but I can hear every word on both sides of the phone.

"Devin?  Oh thank goodness.  Was that-"

"Yes.  It was Adisia and myself.  Will you clean it up?  It has already hit the news," he says to interrupt Theia.

I see him flip on the eighty-inch, custom built, flat screen to view the chaotic aftermath of our crazy first date gone terribly wrong.

"I'm already working on it," Theia comforts.

"When you get done, head on over.  I'm calling an emergency meeting."

"We'll be there soon," she informs.

Devin slides his phone in his pocket and nods to Kry.

"Make the calls from the padded room.  I'm going to go change," he instructs.

"No problem," Kry says gruffly while flashing into a side room.

I watch in amazement from the doorway of the bedroom as the news begins to change.  The blurry streaks of our flashing war turn into a gaseous eruption instead.  The broadcast stops talking about supernatural possibilities as if they've forgotten what they're reporting about.

"Fifty-three men were laid out when a fluke gas explosion ruptured the waterlines, causing a chain reaction of fire hydrants to burst.  Only one fatality was suffered, and another man was critically injured, sustaining major breaks in his arm and hand.  Several others suffered burns, and minor wounds."

Unbelievable.  The news is changing in front of my gaping eyes.  They move to an interview with a female witness.

"We heard a loud explosion and saw the men falling down as the water sprayed in the air.  It was the scariest thing I've ever seen," she gasps.

I remember that woman.  She looked right at me.  She saw what I was doing, but she can't remember it.

"It's my mother," Devin says to answer my silent, twisting weave of confusion as he ushers me in farther and closes the door behind him.  "She has the ability to replace the memories of mortals.  She can shift the facts for all to see, and erase the memories of the truth.  It's how we do cover-ups."

"Oh," I mumble.

He dries his hair, and quickly changes into a low-hanging, sleek pair of track pants that make him look too fucking good without his shirt on.

I walk over to him and resist the urge to rub my hands up his smooth chest.

"Can you unzip me?" I ask softly while turning my back to him and lifting my hair up to be out of the way.

I can feel his breath beating against the back of my neck as he slowly unzips the wet, confining dress.  It drops to the floor to reveal my blue, strapless bra and my matching underwear.  His breath hitches slightly as I deliberately step out of the dress with my heels still on.  I smile slightly as the goddess tries to emerge, and I very gingerly remove my high heels.

"You're so beautiful," he murmurs sweetly.

I blush lightly as I walk over and pull out a pair of yoga pants and a sexy tank top.  He smirks a little as I pull on the tight-fitted ensemble.  But I frown slightly as I pull on a pair of fuzzy socks.

"I know this is a stupid question, but are you okay?" he softly asks.

I smile a little.  Oh this world is so fucked up.  I'm starting to find normalcy in all the chaos, and that's even more fucked up.

"Yeah.  I just didn't get to give you your present, and now the moment is spoiled," I pout.

His eyes perk up with a childlike excitement.  "You got me a present?  Can I still have it?"

I laugh a little at his enthusiasm, and then I walk over to the bedside table.  I pull out the small, wrapped gift I had tucked away for him.

"You can have it, but it's nothing special.  It would have had more
oomph
earlier... before the chaos."

He holds it in his hands and stares at it as if it's the first present he's ever received.  My heart almost dissolves as I indulge in his endearing gaze fixated on the small gift.

"What's wrong?" I ask curiously.

"This is the first time I've ever held a present without seeing what's inside.  It's so exciting, different, and surprising.  I've never been surprised," he says with a tone of awe.

That's a little shocking.  He's more excited about a present he can't see than a wonderful gift I can't afford.

"Don't get too excited.  It's nothing spectacular.  Now I feel like the expectations are too high."  I giggle nervously.

His face is so sincere though.  There's no humor, just honest elation.

"You didn't get surprised as a child?" I muse curiously.

He shakes his head as continues staring at the present.

"No.  I've had the visions my whole life.  I couldn't control them until I gained immortality, but they've always been provoked by touch.  I've always been able to see anything a person was going to get me before they even bought it.  I never realized how incredible it is to
not know
what lies underneath the wrapping."

Oh my
.  He's so frigging cute right now.  I really wish I had gotten him something better.

"Open it," I urge.

He smiles and sits down on the badly damaged remnants of his bed.  He cautiously pulls the strings that bind the wrapping paper together and reveals the sleek, sophisticated white picture frame holding the black and white, close-up picture of us at Clara's wedding.

He stares at it with glistening eyes, and I'm so baffled by his reaction.  He's acting as though I've just handed him a Rembrandt instead of a home-printed copy of a picture.

"I checked my emails today, and Clara had sent me the wedding photos.  I really loved this one.  I know you're not too crazy about personal photos, given the lack of them in all the homes I've seen so far, but I used your printer and printed it off in black and white to go with your neutral tastes.  When Greer dropped off the mail, I asked him to pick up the frame and wrapping supplies."

He continues staring at it, and I'm not sure what else to say or do.

"Thank you," he murmurs with such an enamored tone.  "This is incredible.  I don't keep pictures because I don't usually have any memories I want to keep.  This is one I haven't forgotten at all.  I almost told you I loved you then," he nearly whispers.

I swallow hard against the excited wad of nerves in my throat.  He takes my hand and pulls me to the living room.  He places the small framed picture on the center of the table in front of the elevator.

"You don't have to put it on display.  I know it's not your taste.  I just wanted you to have a picture of us.  There were so many, but like I said, I love that one."

He continues staring at the sweet exchange of his lips on mine surrounded by a frame.

"I love it, too.  This is the first and best surprise I've ever had.  I can't tell you how special I feel right now."

Aw
.  He's so adorable like this.

He pulls me to the padded room, and Kry nods to him as he slides his phone into his pocket.

"Most everyone will be here in a few minutes.  I'm going to grab some more drinks and glasses.  I think we're going to need them," Kry murmurs.

Devin nods to him, and I pick up behind the padded walls where we left off.

"You're very special to me.  I don't ever want to be without you," I confess.

His arms slide around me and his lips pull mine to them.  I feel his hands roaming freely around my body, and I fall into him without hesitation.

"You won't ever be without me," he swears against my lips that are still pulsing from his touch.

"I love you," I whisper.

He smiles salaciously while pulling back to stare into my eyes, and I feel my blood pumping harder to get through my veins in response.

"I love you, Adisia."

His lips cover mine again, and then he grimaces as he pulls away.

"What?" I ask with a slight self-conscious stir.

Did I do something gross?

"I'm sorry in advance.  I can't see you, or anything directly related to you, so I have no idea what's about to happen.  Just don't leave my side."

Before I can question him, a girl walks into the padded room full of warm, taupe walls with splashes of red here and there.  Kry smirks as he follows in behind her, his childish enthusiasm showing with a menacing twinkle displayed in his stride.

"Well.  This is one I haven't seen before," the girl says with her silky, seductive tone.

Her soft auburn hair drapes artfully down her back with big curls, and her slender curves are hugged by a short black dress that appears to have been molded onto her body.  Her jewelry glistens under the recessed lighting, and her bright red nails show off their perfect manicure.

"This one isn't usually up for viewing," Devin replies coolly while wrapping an arm around me.

She takes notice of me in my comfortable clothing, damp hair, and slouching posture while I nestle into Devin's arms.

"I swear.  You'll take in a stray quicker than the damn pound.  What's this one?" she snarks.

"Watch yourself, Gemma.  This is my home.  Show all of my guests respect, or you can leave," Devin warns.

No!
This girl is Gemma? 
Oh
, I had so been hoping she was ugly.  She's supposed to look like a troll.  I hate her even more for being pretty.

She rolls her eyes and walks over to dig through her oversized bag.  She pulls out a wilting, shriveled, tragic looking orchid.

"I brought you something for the home I've never seen.  You know, for tradition's sake.  The man down the street was killing it, so I offered him a cactus in exchange," she says with a tone that lets us know she swapped it without permission.