Bonds and Alliances (The Presenting Saga Book 4)

By Diana Petkovic

It was done. The Council finally had enough proof of Henri Descharmes’ crimes to stop his quest for power. All that was left for Kaylee and Will to do was wait ... or was it? The Sayer’s visions didn’t seem to agree. Then again, neither did the small voice in her mind, that Kaylee was trying to ignore. The strongest of the Councilors had chased Descharmes and the Ancient Galatus around the world with no success. Maybe it was true that nothing would change until she joined the hunt. The question was; whose side would her involvement help?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Diana Petkovic
• Release date: Aug 8, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463695319

Diana Petkovic

Diana Petkovic is a Canadian writer from Toronto, Ontario. A self described 'fangirl', Petkovic writes what she enjoys most, YA paranormal fiction. Of her chosen genre she says: "We get reality every day. The only way we get to 'live' experiences that we don't get by walking out the front door is through books, movies and media. This is the stuff great dreams are made of."

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

THE OASIS

No matter how beautiful it was inside, a cage was still a cage. As far as distractions go, the days at the pool, and the nights spent dancing under the palms worked; but, never for very long. It was only too obvious when reality crept back into one of our minds. The lines of tension would appear on the person’s face, and they wouldn’t be able to look anyone else in the eye. That’s when the uneasiness would spread like wildfire. We could swim, dance and laugh all we wanted, but it didn’t change what we knew. It had been two months since the Harvest Ball, and the High Council still hadn’t caught Henri Descharmes, or the Ancient Galatus. The most dangerous Immortals in the world were loose somewhere, and we, the people who exposed them; we were hiding.

Hey!

The water may have been warm, but even Greta yelped as the splash landed on both of our sun baked hides. CeCe bobbed up and down in the pool; her wide grin a clear sign of her pleasure at knocking me out of my thoughts. At least my sister was close to being her old self, though my furry friend and I could have done without her latest proof of it.

Get in here you, she said. We need to even out the teams.

The seven of them stood around a net that I hadn’t seen go up. Ryder, Maggie, Julia, and Kosey were on one side, while CeCe, AJ, and Gia waited for me on the other. With a muted bark of protest Greta laid back down beside my sunbed. Her large Rottweiler head lowered back onto her front paws, but this time her eyes stayed on alert for more aquatic surprises.

Make Maggie play on both, I replied. She’s faster than any of you.

Despite the cries of indignation from CeCe and AJ, Maggie ported back and forth across the net, obviously loving the idea. It was good to see her like that. Anice’s remedy had completely reversed the effects of the potion that had almost killed her. Now she reminded me allot of myself when I first presented. All she wanted to do was show everyone how strong she was. I was glad to give her another way to do it. Besides, I didn’t feel like playing.

Party pooper, CeCe called out.

Funny, that was exactly what I was trying not to be. Sticking my tongue out, I made a face at my sister, and sighed gratefully when she simply returned the gesture and didn’t wait for excuses. They didn’t need to know where my mind had wandered, and I took the start of the game as my chance to slip away before they could guess.

The mosaic tiles from the pool extended out to a pathway lined with tall green plants. Where they stopped, a cobblestone walkway took over and extended out into a large rectangular space that looked like a piazza. The huge main house took up one whole side of this, while the other side was lined with the theater, dining hall, and sports centre. At the far end were windows which were made to look like store fronts. Palm trees, fountains, and exotic flowers were everywhere, and crowning it all was the convoy; a marble bridge that ran from one side of the piazza to the other.

What? No, that can’t be my girl walking away from a pool before noon.

Leaving my side for the first time since breakfast, Greta trotted over to Will as he came from the house. With a big smile he bent over and rubbed her side. It was a sight that I couldn’t get enough of. Seeing the two of them together was almost like going back to a time before the world had gone crazy.

They’re playing volleyball. I replied. I ran away before hurricane Maggie revved up to full force. What about you? Weren’t you going to paint?

We met at the foot of the bridge and his arms wound around me. Alright, apart from our reunion with Greta, there were some other perks to living in a cage. Sitting under the desert night sky with Will had become one of my favorite things to do. There was nothing to be seen for miles except the stars and the moon, and underneath them we could almost forget that any other place existed … almost.

I went up to the balcony with an easel, but it didn’t feel right, Will said. The air’s too clean up there. It doesn’t smell like a studio.

I squinted up at him, but he blinked and looked away.

You did your first paintings outside, I said.

That was different, he replied. Do you know how many things you smell on a seaside dock?

Will … I said.

And there’s always something going on, he continued, a ship unloading, a bar fight, a couple reuniting on shore. You can’t help but get inspired.

He didn’t fool me for a minute. The landscapes in and around the Oasis were beautiful. Every time Will looked out over them I could see him painting in his mind.

Give it up Bennett, I said. What have you been doing?

With a deep sigh, Will let me go. We sat on the house’s front steps, and Greta laid her head in her master’s lap. Although he gave her another loving pat, his smile faded.

Anice versed me, he said. She’s worried about Charlie.

The name tugged at the last few calm nerves in my body. Although Charlie’d eventually forgiven me for keeping him out of the fight between Frank and Galatus, that didn’t mean he was fine with how things had turned out. It was like he was still trying to get into the battle, and neither the Council’s directions nor Frank’s warnings had been able to stop him from looking for Descharmes on his own. We heard that he’d been disappearing for days and coming back to Gregory House tired, and sometimes bloody. The worst part was that he’d never say where he’d been, or what happened to him.

He’s just come back from another hunt, said Will. Anice tells me it’s the worst shape she’s seen him in so far. She tried to convince him to come here and rest, but he wouldn’t. All he wanted was some augsing and a little time to sleep.

Can’t Richard talk to him? I asked.

Richard’s away working, replied Will. The orders for barriers haven’t stopped, and a lot of families want their convoys shut down now too.

With Richard away, and Frank working with the Council, there weren’t many people left in the world that Charlie might listen to. Actually, there were probably only two.

Will …

I know.

Neither one of us had to say it. It was time to go home. Even though nothing had been resolved, and despite the dangerous thing our friend was doing, I still felt a big sense of relief. Pretending to relax was exhausting, and frankly, ignoring problems wasn’t in my nature. We might not exactly be heading out to join the Council’s patrol, but at least keeping Charlie safe would be something useful we could do.

Do you think the others will come? I asked.

I think they might beat us home, Will replied.

Yeah. As great as the Oasis was, I doubted that anyone would reject escaping this forced holiday. We really only did it to please Anice, and to give Maggie a chance to heal. Well, Maggie was fine now, and Anice needed us.

I leaned my head on Will’s shoulder, and felt his hand slide around my back. Charlie would be asleep for a while so we could take a few more seconds of peace before telling everyone we were leaving. Peace might be hard to find once we got home. The truth was that we didn’t really know what was happening in outside world. The little news we got wasn’t good, and I was sure that my parents weren’t telling us everything. How much were they leaving out, and was there an answer to the one question I tried desperately not to think about? Descharmes couldn’t still think I was his worst enemy. He must have concluded by now that his Sayer’s vision came true when we exposed him. That’s the only thing that made sense; didn’t it? Everyone knew that Sayers hardly ever saw things exactly the way they would happen. There was no reason in the world that Henri Descharmes would ever be kneeling in front on me.

Why don’t you go start packing, and I’ll get the others, said Will.

I nodded, and we both stood up.

Will, do you think they’ll catch him soon?

Will’s hand came up and cupped my cheek. I pressed into his palm.

Yes, I think they’ll catch him soon, he answered.

What if they don’t? I asked.

The loaded question made Will’s brows knit, and brought a firm set to his jaw. Yes, we’d both agreed to leave Descharmes to the Council, but we also both knew that things didn’t always turn out the way we planned.

We’ve come up against him three times, and we’re still here, Will replied. That’s not going to change. Besides, now that you can share powers, you have access to more controlled strength than you’ve ever had before. Ha! The Council Guard has nothing on our little army. Anyway, I’d never let anything happen to you.

I’d never let anything happen to you either, I said.

Will smiled and nodded.

Then Descharmes better stay far away from us, he said.

With one last kiss on my forehead, Will walked away with Greta following close behind him. I watched his strong, steady stride as he made his way toward the pool, and I prayed that he was right. The problem was that things were different now. With Descharmes being wanted by the Council, he wasn’t even going to pretend to live by their rules anymore. There were no more limits to what he would do. The man the Council was looking for was far more dangerous than the one I ever faced. My stomach turned at the thought of what that might mean.

CHAPTER 2

REFUGEES AND HUNTERS

Our homecoming didn’t exactly go as expected. There was no Anice waiting for us in the foyer, or the smell of something fantastic wafting from the kitchen. Strangely, what met us, as the front door opened, was loud music blaring from the lounge. CeCe and I looked at each other, neither one knowing what to think. We didn’t actually get nervous until Will and Ryder stepped in front of us. The tense set of their shoulders left no question that they were ready to start blasting at any moment.

Stay back and stay quiet, Ryder versed.

With soundless steps he and Will approached the door of the lounge, and AJ slipped around us to join them. I could hardly breathe, but the instincts infused in me by all those months at the Hall kicked in. My body braced; prepared to fight. There was no thought in my mind except one; if someone had invaded our home, they were going to regret it.

Suddenly there was movement in the doorway, and a flash of light went off. There was a shout, and then someone, CeCe I think, squealed at the same time as the sound of broken glass echoed off the marble floor.

Whoa, holster those guns. I come in peace.

The shattered white bowl lay at the speaker’s feet, and its contents were splattered through the china and on his boots. Shaking his head, he crossed his tattooed arms. It was these that I recognized, even before his confused face emerged from behind his unruly hair.

Renegade? said Ryder.

Well, who were you expecting man, the High Councilor? he said.

To be honest it would have been a lot less surprising to see Thobias than Pete Renegade. Although the loud music made a little more sense now, the famous Imm musician’s presence in our house sure didn’t.

What are you doing here? asked Will.

Oh, that’s a nice hello, said Renegade as he looked down at the broken bowl. Humph. What a waste of a good stew. I was just going to top up that batch. Anice said ‘help yourself’.

With a wave of his hand, the bowl pieced itself together, and with its contents, flew back up into Renegade’s hand. Ryder stepped forward, and patted his friend on the shoulder.

Sorry about that dude, he said. You just surprised us. Really though, what are you doing here?

Renegade shrugged and headed toward the kitchen.

It was either here or Urszula’s parent’s house, said Renegade, rolling his eyes. Her old man never could stand me. The feeling’s mutual, by the way. Anyway, Urszula wanted to bunk up with them, and since I opted out, she pretty much ordered me to come here; safety and all that. She’s convinced that Silveridge Park is probably the most secure place outside of the Hall. Well, I figured if I couldn’t be with my lady, at least I could jam with an old friend. Glad to see you back Ry. That Fiona’s been no fun at all.

It was like listening to one of his songs. The words sounded familiar, but they didn’t quite make sense. Looking around, I was glad to see that everyone else was having the same confused reaction.

We’re glad to see you Pete, but we still don’t understand, said Maggie. Why is Urszula with her parents, and why did you need to go somewhere safe?

Spooning out another bowl of stew, Renegade barely looked up as he answered.

We found the Malibu house mortal-whacked, he said. Urszula went to check out our places in Tokyo and Mauritius and found that they got hit too. Don’t know what dear old Dad could have been looking for. I didn’t keep anything of his. I even burnt the clothes I left his house in on stage. Ha ha! That was a great show.

The first time I saw Pete Renegade the screams of his loyal fans were almost deafening. Now, it was me who wanted to scream. How could he eat so calmly when what he was saying was so horrible?

Descharmes had mortals break into your houses? asked Will.

Renegade paused between bites, and gave Will a look as if he’d just asked the most ridiculous question he’d ever heard. Then he glanced around at the rest of us. Seeing that we were no closer to understanding him, he put the stew down and frowned.

Where have you people been? he said. Anice wouldn’t tell me, but if you don’t know that compelled mortals ransacked a bunch of houses all over the world, then you must have been on another planet. Why else do you think Richard’s out there adding mortal blocks to just about every barrier there is?

On the way back to the lounge Renegade told us the rest of the story. Concentrating on his face, I fought hard not to let his words form images in my mind. It was a losing battle. Apparently, the invasions all happened on the same night. Groups of mortals had snuck onto Imm properties and broken into the houses. They were armed with special guns that shot out binding ropes, so any Imms that were home were taken by surprise. Tied up and helpless, all they could do was watch as the compelled robbers ran through their homes. The lucky ones only lost things; papers, enchanted objects, pictures. The unfortunate ones struggled, powerless, while a member of their family was dragged away.

As Renegade listed off names of the people taken, my nails sunk further into my palms. He may not have mentioned any of our friends, but there wasn’t much comfort in that. No one knew how those kidnapped Imms must have felt better than me. To be defenseless under the binding rope while strangers closed in around you was a feeling I wouldn’t wish on anyone. At least my fate had been different. I was saved. Who knew what was happening to those poor Imms that weren’t.

What about the mortals? Maggie asked. Does he still control them?

As usual when Descharmes name came up, my surprise was quickly turning to anger. When we left the Oasis Maggie looked stronger than I’d ever seen her, and CeCe’s smile had come back. Now my sisters were both as pale as if their skin never saw sunlight. Ugh! We’d barely come home and that man was already spoiling everything.

No. Most of them just wandered back into their own lives I guess, replied Renegade. But some of them weren’t fast enough with the rope so they were captured by the Imms whose houses they broke into. The Council tested those people with that serum of Anice’s. She’s brilliant, by the way, and a fantastic cook. Anyway, the mortals were told to go after specific things, bring them back to a place outside the barrier, and then forget everything they’d done.

It all made horrifying sense. Descharmes was no idiot. He used mortals to get past the barriers, and he knew that they wouldn’t all make it out. That’s why he gave them very limited things to do, and no real meeting place. None of them had any knowledge that would be of much use, and he also knew that, once the invasions were discovered, the Council would add mortal blocks to all barriers. This was a one time trick. The thorough planning of it was disgusting, but the worst part was that, even in hiding, Descharmes had been able to pull off a synchronized attack all across the world. Up until now I’d pictured the Council finding him and his Kindred all in one place. Now I wasn’t so sure.

Do you know what things were taken? asked Ryder.

No man, sorry, I think Eupolia’s trying to piece that together, said Renegade.

What did they take from your house? asked Will.

Renegade threw his hands up in the air.

Nothing! he said. That’s just the thing. I came home after a gig in Brazil to find the place turned upside down. If you ask me the old man was just trying to take another kick at this unrepentant smudge on his good family name.

Renegade gave us a self-satisfied smile. Then he smirked.

But Urszula thinks that, if they didn’t take anything, then they were after me. He scoffed. I told her she was nuts. The last thing Henri’d want is me back under his roof. Pfft. Can’t argue with a lady when she’s got her mind all made up though, can you pal? So she versed Richard to clear me through your barrier, and I’ve been waiting for you ever since.

Well, I’m glad you’re here, said Ryder.

My brother smiled at his friend, and then asked a few questions about the Brazil concert. It wasn’t the smoothest change of subject, but no one complained. Renegade jumped up as he started to describe his show, and soon he was performing bits of his songs through the story. Ryder’s diversion worked, or at least it looked that way. By the time Renegade was telling us about the third song, the color was coming back to Maggie’s face, and CeCe was sitting at the edge of her seat.

Silently, I thanked Ryder and Renegade for giving us a chance to catch our breath. So much news, so fast, wasn’t easy to process. I only hoped that my sisters weren’t working as hard as me to pay attention to our guest. Any other time I might have hung on every word. Not today, not with what he’d just told us.

Are you alright? Will versed to me.

Yes, I answered, but now I’m really worried about Charlie.

Me too, replied Will. We’ll talk to him when he wakes up.

I nodded, but wasn’t convinced that talking would help. Charlie’d been waiting for a quest his whole life. In spite of his apparently careless attitude, the only thing he really wanted was what presenting had robbed him of; his knighthood, and the chance to fight for something important. Stopping Descharmes had to look exactly like a way for him to fulfill what he saw as his duty. It wasn’t likely he’d give that up easily.

Somewhere between the descriptions of the drum solo and the first encore, the conversation turned to guitars. Renegade and my brother were arguing over mortal verses Imm craftsmanship. It sounded like the debate would last a while so I used the temporary distraction to slip away. Will saw me leave, but didn’t follow. No doubt he had a pretty good idea what I was going to do.

There was too much noise in the lounge to hear properly. As I made my way upstairs I tried to block out the sounds from the room below, and listen for the one that carried the highest stakes; the deep breathing of sleep. It didn’t come until I reached the top step, and its presence made me sigh with relief. Yes, Charlie was still here, safely unconscious in his room.

Welcome home.

I actually almost jumped. The unexpected voice came from the library. The even bigger shock was who was sitting there. She was barely recognizable, with no make-up on her face, and her hair pulled back in a braid.

Fiona? I said.

Hi Kaylee, she replied.

Was this really Fiona Harrington? Our neighbor used to always look like she was on her way to a nightclub. The modest black pants and a beige top she was wearing didn’t seem like something she’d even have in her closet. To be honest, she never looked better to me, but then the last time I saw her she was laying in a pile of dirt, fighting for her life.

Hey Fiona, I said. You look great. Have you completely recovered?

She gave me a small smile and nodded.

I never got a chance to thank you, said Fiona. If you guys didn’t find out about that potion, I might not be here today.

The way she spoke was as different as the way she looked. The old Fiona would have already chatted my ear off by now. I wasn’t sure if this was a good change or not.

You don’t have to thank us, I said. We did what had to be done.

I know, she replied, and I know that you did it mostly for Maggie, but I’m still grateful.

Well, I’m just glad you’re alright, I said, but what are you doing here? I heard your family was staying at the Hall.

What there was of a smile on her face disappeared. Her eyes dropped to her hands, which I now noticed, weren’t holding a book. Whatever her reason was for sitting alone in the library, it didn’t seem to be reading. I sat down beside her.

Mom, Dad and Matt are still there, she replied, but I didn’t want to stay anymore. Richard said I was welcome to come here.

I couldn’t help it; I tried to listen carefully, but my eyes wandered up and down the hallways. Here was Fiona, and Renegade was downstairs. Were we sheltering any more fugitives from the Descharmes storm? There didn’t seem to be anyone else in the house, but I wouldn’t mind if there was. Urszula was right; Richard probably had every protection possible around Silveridge Park. The more people we could keep safe, the better.

Of course you’re welcome, I said, and no one will bother you here.

That’s not exactly why I came, replied Fiona. I’m here because the Council doesn’t tell us anything, and I was tired of being kept in the dark. Aiden is still out there, and I think that if anyone’s going to find out where my brother is, it’s going to be you.

Maybe her words wouldn’t have hit so hard if they didn’t come with an almost desperate determination in her eyes. No; there wasn’t much left of our old neighbor in the girl sitting across from me. The party was over for her, and stark, cold reality had set in. I understood how she felt, and my heart sank a little as I gave her the only response I could.

Fiona, I’m really sorry, but we’re not involved in this anymore, I said. The Council is handling the search, and I told Thobias that we’d stay out of it.

Yes, Anice told me the same thing, Fiona replied, and, I’m sorry too Kaylee, but although you may not be looking for Descharmes, he always seems to have a way of finding you.

The truth of what she said ran a chill down my spine. No words would come. I just stared at her, shaking my head.

Please don’t get me wrong, Fiona said. I don’t think he’ll be able to get anywhere near you; not with all the defenses around here. It’s just that I’m hoping if he tries anything, it will give us a clue about Aiden.

But Fiona, you know that even if Aiden is found ….

I know, she said. He created that potion, and four Imms died. When he’s found I know what the Council may do to him, but you don’t understand. I don’t think he did this on his own. My brother would never hurt anyone. Descharmes must have tricked him somehow, and the thing is … the thing is, it’s all my fault.

Her eyes were filled with tears, but somehow she was managing to hold her head up and look me straight in the eye.

What are you talking about? I said. How could what Aiden did be your fault?

It’s my fault because I’m the one who introduced him to Descharmes, said Fiona, and a tear rolled down her cheek.

CHAPTER 3

MESSAGE IN THE DARK

So she went club hopping around the world looking for him? Asked Will.

Yes, I answered. She was in love with him.

That wasn’t love, he replied.

The only light that shined on us came from Anice’s lab. Apart from the few minutes she came into the house to say hello and tell us to eat, she’d been in there all afternoon. Even now, hours later, we only saw glimpses of my mother when she walked by the window. Whatever Anice was working on, she wasn’t ready to share it yet. That was ok. Considering today’s news, I wasn’t sure I wanted to know.

The glow from the lab window played along the angles of Will’s face. I could see him struggling with all the same reactions I had earlier today; surprise, disgust, anger ... sympathy. I wondered if he was thinking about Julia, and all the things his sister had been through before Kosey found her. Probably. I did.

And how does she feel now? Will asked.

Like a fool, I said, and guilty. All she wants is to find her brother and defend him.

People died Kaylee, said Will.

I know, I answered.

Poor Fiona, no matter how badly she wanted it, there wasn’t much chance of a happy ending in this for her. Even if she found Aiden, he’d still have to answer for the potion he created. There was no way the Council would go easy on him. The only rule I knew of that the Council wouldn’t bend on was respecting and preserving life. An Imm could choose to die, but they couldn’t make that choice for others. Murder was punishable by draining. Aiden would likely have his powers taken away, and live out the rest of his life as a mortal with no memory of Imms.

Are you sure that it’s not really Gilles she’s hoping to find? Will asked.

I just shrugged my answer.

Gilles Descharmes; I guess one of the things that bothered me the most was that I understood why Fiona’d been attracted to him. It was the careless confidence in how he carried himself. At the Harvest Ball he openly looked down on all his father’s friends with contempt, and they only responded by moving out of his way. He wasn’t a follower like the rest of them, and that made him look strong. I was sure Gilles gave exactly that impression to Fiona when she first met him. The thing was; that was just the way he looked on the outside. The way he used her was no different from Henri’s manipulations.

The story ran through my head again. I could just see bubbly Fiona laying eyes on the cool, detached Gilles in the corner of some club. It was too bad she didn’t take the hint the first few times he ignored her. She probably went on and on talking; trying to say anything to get his attention. Why couldn’t she stick to topics like clothes and parties? His ears must have been twitching when he heard her brother Matt was an Imm chemist, and when she said that Aiden was even better, that must have elevated her to the most interesting girl in the room.

It doesn’t matter, Will said. When she sees that we’re staying out of the search, she’ll go back to her family.

I nodded, but wasn’t entirely sure Will was right. It would probably be best for Fiona if she left, and didn’t build any more false hopes here. Then again, the change in her didn’t look temporary. Well, if she stayed, it might do her some good to be around Maggie. Their situations weren’t exactly the same, but they’d both come close to death, and Maggie’d managed to bounce back to almost being her old self. Maybe her gentle influence would help Fiona find some peace too.

I’m going up to the studio, said Will. Do you want to come?

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. The autumn air was clean and fresh. It was cooling my burning mind.

I think I’ll just stay out here for a while, I said. Paint me something happy?

A smile played at the corner of Will’s lips.

What would you like; puppies or butterflies? he said.

How about a puppy with butterfly wings? I answered.

Would you like me to add some unicorns and rainbows?

Hmm, yes to the unicorns, but just one rainbow; too many would be unrealistic.

It was good to hear his laugh rumble in his chest. The day Will Bennett painted flying puppies would be the day they actually grew wings. Still, my crazy request had softened the look in his eyes. What he felt about everything we heard today would come out on the canvas, but at least now there may not be as many dark colors.

See you later, said Will and he ported away.

Pushing myself up off the steps, I took another look at Anice’s lab. If I went over there I’d only be interrupting her, and from her distracted greeting earlier, I’d say there were probably only three things that would make her stop working. The first would be if she solved whatever problem she was working on. It didn’t look like that was going to happen soon. The second thing was more likely. If she worked herself to the point where she was too exhausted to read her own test results, then she might stop and sleep for a couple of hours. The third thing was what I was wishing for right now. She’d stop, at least for a little while, if Richard came home.

I turned and walked toward the stone garden. There were a lot of people inside Gregory House tonight, but the place was never full for me when Richard wasn’t there. I wondered where his team was right now. They could be charging up a barrier in Santiago, or closing down a convoy in Murmansk. Maybe they were even in their offices at the Hall, with Thobias giving them new orders. I hoped not. New orders could mean that something else had happened, and the last thing anyone needed right now was for things to get worse.

When I reached the bench in the garden, I sat down and looked at the empty platform in the middle. It wasn’t that I expected Richard to show up any minute, but somehow being beside the convoy made me feel closer to him. Whatever stories my father might bring with him; just by coming back he’d make us all feel like everything would be alright.

Oh!

My heart jumped into my throat as someone appeared at the garden gate. The port took me so much by surprise that all I saw at first was the black leather jacket. One deep breath later I saw the red hair. Underneath that, Charlie’s face looked as surprised as mine must have.

Kaylee? he said. Why are you sitting out here in the dark?

Charlie! I replied, and jumped up to wrap him in a hug.

It was