Broken Heart 06 Come Hell or High Water (22 page)

"The demons are vanquished to the Pit."

"I want to go home," I said. I looked at Damian. "You told Jackson I was dead."

"Because we believed it so."

"They're not safe," I said. "Nobody's safe."

"We will see to their protection."

I pressed my face into Connor's shoulder and closed my eyes. I already felt as though my world had shifted, so I didn't even realize it when we 'ported into my house in Broken Heart.

I didn't know how we made it past the Invisi-shield, either, but I didn't care.

I called Patrick. He said Astria was under the care of his mother, and Brigid was using all of her magic to heal the girl.

Connor undressed me and put me in the shower. I washed off Astria's blood, but not my sorrow. I had to believe she would be all right.

I pulled on a pair of cutoffs and an old T-shirt, then went to the kitchen. Connor had made coffee, and I greedily drank mine. I felt guilty enjoying such a small treat when Astria fought for her life. I was so glad to be home.

"Is everyone else okay?" I asked.

"Aye. Damian promised to bring 'em all here after seein' to the cleanup of the museum. It was right of you to call your friends, Phoebe." He was staring at my ring. "We'll see that Ella gets that. It's what Astria wants."

I nodded, too chicken to tell him it was our get-out-of-marriage card. My reluctance had a lot to do with the way I felt about Connor. He was man who had faith, who had honor, who had within him the capacity for love. I wasn't sure I deserved him.

I wasn't sure about a lot of things.

I missed Danny. And I'd failed Astria. Suddenly, I didn't want to be at home anymore. I couldn't sit here with my guilt and my worry.

"Connor..."

"You need time alone," he said. "You want to drive Sally."

I nodded.

"Go on, then, lass." He pulled me from the seat I'd taken at the kitchen table and kissed me tenderly. "I'll wait for you."

I drove around Broken Heart with the windows on my Mustang rolled down. It was hot, but I didn't care. The summer air blowing inside smelled like honeysuckle and road dust. Like home.

I wondered how come everyone thought I was dead, who had taken over the cafe, what had happened to everyone during the last two days. The thoughts were as meandering as my path, and I didn't need the answers so much as something to think about. Anything to occupy my mind except Astria. And Danny.

Jesus. Had Jackson told Danny I was dead?

Until I got everything settled here, there was no point in clarifying the situation. He was gonna be pissed off, especially when he figured out how long I'd been undead and how many lies he'd been told. In the end, we'd have to do what was best for our son, and I hoped Jackson agreed that living in town with us would be the way to go.

I wasn't looking forward to that conversation, just like I wasn't looking forward to my part in the prophecy and retrieving the talisman. Although I did relish the idea of putting Lilith in her place.

For some reason, I ended up at the park. I pulled into a slot that faced the shiny plastic slides, bridge, tunnels, and sandbox. I missed taking Danny here, and hoped one day I would again.

God. How did everything get so fucked-up?

Jessica pulled up in her minivan. Jessica had been the first of us to get plowed down by the out-of-control beast that had killed all of us. The creature was a very sick Lorcan O'Halloran, who was now all cured. He was also the twin brother of Jess's second husband, Patrick.

Their children, Bryan, Jenny, and Rich Jr., piled out of the car. Rich was Danny's age; Jenny was ten, and Bryan fifteen. Bryan looked less than thrilled to be part of the family outing. He had an iPod in one hand, and a graphic novel in the other. He went to a nearby picnic table and lay on it. I waited at the curb for the rest of the O'Hallorans to join me.

"It's like we asked him to pour acid in his eyes," groused Jessica as she watched her son stake out his spot. She sighed. "I think he might prefer acid in his eyes to family time."

"He's a teenager. It's his nature to be difficult."

"And my parental prerogative is to beat him with my shoe." She turned to me and flashed a smile. "Long time, no see. How ya doin'?"

"Been better."

"I heard." She hugged me, and it made me feel better. "Any word on the girl?"

I shook my head.

We walked toward the plastic contraptions. We reached the edge of the soft flooring that was supposed to protect the kids from owies. Rich Jr. toddled toward the three steps that led to the smallest slide. Jenny went with him, fussing.

"She's the boss of everything," said Jessica, with a mixture of pride and frustration.

Jessica and I sat on a bench that faced the play area.

"Usually Patrick's hovering over the children. Literally." Jessica laughed.

As part of the Family Ruadan, which was part
sidhe
, or fairy, he had the ability to fly.

"He always says he's doing a perimeter check," Jess said drolly. "But really he's just messing around."

"It must be nice to fly."

"You wanna go up? I can take you." Jessica was also of the Family Ruadan. Their ability to fly probably had something to do with the fairy blood of the founder.

"No, thanks," I said hastily. "I'm not a big fan of heights."

"Oh." She shrugged. "It's a lot of fun."

"So's staying on the ground." I realized Astria would probably love to fly around with one of the
sidhe
, and I made a note to tell her. Because I fully expected to see her again, healing up nicely.

Do you hear me, O gods who rule the universe? She's gonna live.

For a quiet moment, we watched the kids. Jenny helped her brother get situated on the slide, and in three seconds, they were down the chute. Then it was another jaunt up the steps, a lecture from Jenny on proper sliding techniques, and woo... off he went again.

I looked at Jess and realized something was off. I studied her a moment, and then I figured out what it was. "Where are your swords?"

No matter what Jessica wore, she always donned her special belt for her gold half swords. She was a killer with 'em; in fact, she had helped me with some of my knife training.

"I learned how to magic them. I can make them appear instantly now. Of course, I look badass with 'em strapped to my thighs." She grinned at me, then looked up at the night sky. You couldn't see the Invisi-shield's bubble unless you tried to get through it. Then it went blue and buzzy.

"So, about your boyfriend..." She batted her lashes at me. "Why'd you take off with him?"

I shrugged. Obviously Damian hadn't let the good word spread about my mating to Connor. I didn't much want to explain anything. Besides, ever since Jess found her true love, she'd been trying to do the rest of us a solid. Her first attempt, hooking up our former librarian, Eva, with my former boss, Ralph, did not work out. On the upside, Eva was now Jessica's sis-in-law, because Eva ended up marrying Lorcan. And Ralph found his own true love, my friend Libby, in a cemetery.

No one could ever call Broken Heart boring.

"Why'd everyone think I was dead?"

"Your house was a mess, your locket was on the bedroom floor, and everyone knows you wouldn't go anywhere without it. Then the hunters told us... Well, they figured Connor had killed you."

Uneasiness crawled up my spine. "He didn't hurt me. But those hunters..."

"Annoy the hell out of Patsy," said Jessica. "She'll want to talk to you soon. Really soon."

"Uh-oh. Are we talking about a meeting?" I groaned.

"That's where Patrick is," she said. "I hate meetings, too. I'm not gonna bug you about what happened, Phoebe. I'm sure you had your reasons. But you'll have to come clean with Patsy."

I probably should've gone straight to Queen Patsy. Just unloaded everything from my mating to Connor to my role with the talisman, which I was still vague on. And the one person who knew what I was supposed to be doing was dying.

No, she was healing.

Brigid wouldn't let me down.

Still, I was throwing a hell of a pity party for myself, and my friends were letting me do it. Had Gabriel met his brother and sister yet? Had Larsa told Patsy she was the last of her line and necessary for renewing the talisman's magic?

Some part of me felt like I should be there, and another part was grateful that I was not. I was caught between becoming something bigger, more important to the world around me, and staying where I had been, managing the cafe and vanquishing the occasional demon.

"Jess, did you know there was an eighth vampire line?"

She turned to me, her expression shocked. "Huh?"

"Patrick never mentioned it?"

Jessica shook her head. "What are you - "

Bryan's scream made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

Both of us leapt up from the bench and whirled around.

Bryan hovered over the picnic table, his arms and legs pulled straight by two demons. The graphic novel had fallen to the ground and the iPod swung off his side, the buds still stuck in his ears.

His eyes were bulging, his skin gray. "Mooom!" Bryan screeched. "Help me!"

"Oh, my God! Bryan!" Jessica jumped over the bench and raced to her son in the blink of an eye. She flew into the air and grabbed his arm. "Phoebe!"

"Got 'em!" I whirled around and headed for the slide.

Jenny stood at the top, holding the hand of Rich Jr., her eyes wide and her face white with terror.

"It's okay," I said gently, taking the boy from her. I picked him up. "C'mon, Jenny."

We hurried down the two steps. Jenny tugged on my sweater. I stopped and turned. Tears dripped down her cheeks. "They're gonna tear apart Bryan!"

"No," I said firmly. "They're not."

Bryan's screams were choked, his limbs so straight they looked as if they might just pop out of their joints.

Jessica yelled with frustration as she tried to free her son. But the demons just laughed and pushed her away. I think she was afraid to engage them directly. They were perfectly capable of ripping him in half.

What was I supposed to do now?

Use my connection to Connor. Get help.

Connor?

Lass?

Demons at the park; please come.

I hadn't sensed demons or demon magic, and it killed me to know we'd been surrounded and attacked without any warning. So much for my evil wonder powers. Yeah, yeah, insert
Super Friends
joke here.

"Phoebe!" Connor cried as he appeared next to me.

I nearly jumped out of my own skin. "Jesus H. Christ!" I pushed Rich Jr. into his arms. Most beings who could transport could take only one other person with them."Take him to the compound; Patrick's there... probably in the council chambers. Hurry!"

"Figured you could use your weapons." He kissed me, swift and hard. "I'll be right back."

He disappeared.

Fear hammered at me. At my feet were my weapons boxes, unlocked. I scooped out the Wiccan-blessed knives, which were made of silver and were poisonous to demons. I took the safety off the Glock and tucked it in the back of my jeans; I didn't have time to mess around.