Blood Lines

THIRTY-NINE

"I'VE been through a lot," Toby whined. "I really need to open a present early."

Lily paused in her frantic polishing of the mirror over the mantel. She smiled and reached out to tousle the boy's hair. "And I really need to finish cleaning the house before the house is too full for any of us to move. I think you'll survive waiting one more day."

It was two days before Christmas, and Toby's custom was to open presents on Christmas Eve. That didn't jibe with the way her own family did things, but Lily didn't care. Her parents might, but they'd jump that hurdle when it was in front of them.

After another crash and two near misses, the authorities had shut down the airports again for all nonemergency flights. The nodes were still leaking magic, and while the task force had come up with a few solutions, they were makeshift. Wall Street was functioning, and Houston had stopped burning, but the National Guard had been called out in Texas. Too many odd things had somehow crossed over during the last, and largest, power wind.

And so, unable to fly, Lily's father, mother, and younger sister were driving across the country to spend the holiday with all of them: her and Rule, Toby and Benedict, Grandmother and Li Qin and Cullen. Even Timms was invited, if he was released from the hospital in time. Lily's older sister, newly married, had, in a rare moment of rebellion, chosen to stay in California.

Lily was a nervous wreck trying to get everything ready. She was also happy.

Her mother had forgiven her and would sleep beneath Rule's roof. For her, that was a huge step toward accepting his place in Lily's life.

"But Lily," Toby said, "you get to open one early. It's not fair."

She thought of her coat and the night everything had changed, and her stomach clenched. So many had died.

"And you," Rule said from the doorway to the dining room, "are lousy about keeping secrets."

"I didn't tell!" Toby said, indignant.

Rule shook his head, but he was smiling. He looked entirely recovered, except for the sling and brace on his left arm. Lupi didn't bother with full casts unless it was a bad break, and his hadn't been. "Madame Yu wants to talk to you. She's in the kitchen."

The boy took off.

"Did Grandmother really say that?" Lily asked dryly.

"Not exactly, but she enjoys him. He's properly worshipful these days, in a pestering sort of way. Besides, she's been playing mah-jongg with Benedict."

"I take it Benedict's winning again."

Rule grinned.

Toby hadn't seen Grandmother Change, but he'd been told about it. Ever since, he'd been her happy slave. Lily understood. At his age, she'd spent all the time she could with Grandmother, too. The old woman was dictatorial, difficult, arrogant… and had been quite ready to die to protect a boy she barely knew. Her love for children shone with a purity they always recognized, however she tried to disguise it.

Rule came over, plucked the cleaning rag from Lily's hand, tossed it on the floor, and kissed her before she could finish forming her protest. So she didn't bother, settling into his arms as they turned to smile at the tree.

It had been delivered yesterday, fully decorated with toy drums and soldiers and such, along with hundreds of twinkling lights, just as Grandmother ordered. Presents had begun appearing under it immediately. There was a nice pile of them now. , "Grandmother wants to take Toby to the hospital tomorrow," Lily said. "She thinks a few games of mah-jongg will help Timms's recovery."

"The hospital doesn't allow children his age… but what am I thinking? She won't let that stop her."

Lily smiled. "How's Cullen?"

Rule had just returned from visiting his friend. They'd offered to put him up here, but he said it was too crowded. He was right. But he'd also turned down a hotel room, choosing to stay in Timms's apartment. That odd friendship seemed to be continuing; Cullen had been to visit Timms in the hospital twice, which Rule said was a record.

"Crabby as hell," Rule said. "He's especially pissed that it was his right foot, which makes it hard to drive."

"Drive? Rule, he can't be thinking of driving yet!"

"Has Cynna made up her mind about Christmas Eve?"

The change of subject told Lily that Cullen was probably not just considering driving, but doing it. She frowned, but decided not to argue. She'd inevitably lose. "I haven't heard from her, but she said she'd let us know by tonight."

They'd invited Cynna for the big family bash tomorrow night. Lily had stressed that she wasn't to feel obligated to come; it would be loud and crowded, and her family and Rule's weren't going to blend easily. But she hated to think of Cynna spending the night alone.

Or mostly alone. In a remarkable display of the power of denial, Cynna still insisted she wasn't pregnant. She wouldn't use a pregnancy test kit, either. But sooner or later, she'd have to come to terms with the fact that she and Cullen had, indeed, started a new life.

For the moment, though, she was avoiding him like crazy.

They stood there quietly, looking at the tree, soaking up the pleasure of a moment alone together. But Lily's mind wouldn't let her rest in the moment long. It picked at some of the still-tangled threads.

The leaking magic continued to cause problems, some minor, some major. Her father's predictions about the economy were dire. Lily's perspective was a little different; when the economy floundered, crime went up, and they were likely to be dealing with more Gifted criminals now. The power winds seemed to have woken Gifts in people who'd had barely a trace before. And the Unit was still stretched thin.

Then there was the whole two-mantled business. Victor was alive but comatose. He couldn't take the mantle back. The Rhejes of several clans were consulting their memories, trying to find a way to move the mantle without the Rho. If they couldn't figure something out before Victor died—he had, at most, a year left— Rule would become Rho of his clan's most bitter enemies.

Which made her think of Isen, who was all but cackling with glee at the prospect. Not the reaction she'd expected, or Rule either, from what he'd said. "It's a shame your father couldn't be here, too."

Rule looked at her. "You're a strong woman, but do you really think you're up to having your grandmother and my father beneath one roof?"

"Maybe not," she decided.

"But why?" came Toby's wail from the kitchen. "I was winning!"

Lily heard Grandmother's voice, but couldn't catch the words. Curious, she turned.

Grandmother came toward them, her figure as erect as ever. She'd already abandoned the sling, though Lily suspected she'd be more comfortable if she'd use it. Today she'd decided to wear her most traditional Chinese clothes, perhaps in honor of her son's imminent arrival: black silk pants and a silk tunic heavily embroidered in gold thread. "It is time to go," she announced.

"Go?" Lily's eyebrows shot up. "My parents will be here in less than an hour."

"A pity, but perhaps they can join us after they arrive."

Exasperated, Lily started to explain that they would not be going anywhere. "Grandmother—"

"Go where, Madam?" Rule asked softly.

"To the White House, I think." She tipped her head to one side as if listening. There was an odd softness on her face, an expression Lily didn't recognize. "Yes. We will wait at the White House."

LILY enjoyed her granddaughter's shock very much when her FBI person, Ruben Brooks, called to tell her which gate at the White House to use. Rule Turner was not as surprised as she would have liked, but that was a tribute to his opinion of her, so also pleasant.

Mostly, however, it was all she could do not to squirm like a child on the way there. But she managed to preserve her dignity.

Ruben Brooks had come to see her the day she was released from the hospital. She had liked him right away and decided to confide in him, a little. Not that he believed her initially, but he was courteous and promised he would call if what she claimed would happen did, indeed, come to pass.

As of course it had.

We are nearly there, said the voice she had not heard in her head for nearly four hundred years. You are sure they will not fire their weapons at me ?

I am told they will not, if the others do not come too close to their leader's home. She shrugged—and winced, for she was not entirely healed. We are nearly there, too, she told him, relieved to see the famous building drawing close.

Even with Ruben Brooks's help, there was still a great deal of security to be gotten through: guards, gates, and one who wished to search her. She did not allow that, which delayed things slightly, but she'd walked through their silly metal detector machine. That was enough.

Eventually, the secretary of state agreed that it would do, though the Secret Service people did not like it. Then she learned that the president herself would not come out for this first meeting.

Li Lei did not like the man who was secretary of state, but he. was said to be a good bargainer. There was little challenge in dealing with a poor one, so she accepted his presence in lieu of the president's with fair grace. Then she had to explain it to Sun Mzou. He did not like it, but he, too, understood that they might fear exposing their leader to him.

In the end, Li Lei stood with Li Qin on one side and Lily on the other. She was sorry her son had not arrived in time but could not find it in her to regret her daughter-in-law's absence. Beside Lily stood Rule Turner with Toby, who was not behaving well. Too much excitement will do that to little boys. Behind them were ranged the secretary of state, Ruben Brooks, and many other official persons she did not know.

They did not have long to wait. The lights were bright all round the White House, making the sky a dead, flat black, as if the stars had hidden themselves. Out of that darkness another black shape gradually formed. He looked small at first, for he was very high. But as he descended in a beautiful spiral, his size became obvious.

As did his shape. The official persons made shocked noises, as if they had not truly believed what their radar had told them until their eyes confirmed it.

"Oh, God," Lily whispered. "It really is him."

Slowly, as gracefully as if he managed only the weight of a butterfly on those huge wings, the black dragon, the oldest and most powerful of his kind, settled onto the South Lawn of the White House.

Li Lei's heart broke and sang, weeping joy through the pieces. She started forward, and somehow she forgot dignity, forgot her great age and all the official persons, and she ran to him.

She stopped near the huge head, which he'd lowered to greet her, his eyes glowing in a way she'd never forgotten. Though in those days, she'd been much larger… she rested her hand on the hard scales on his cheek. You have a poor sense of time. You said you'd return. I did not expect to wait so long.

You grew old.

Mortals do. Even one with dragon magic inside her.

For a long moment he said nothing, then: Did you ever regret your decision, Li Lei?

She felt his wistfullness, the echo of her own pain so many years ago… He'd wanted her to go with him, wanted it badly. She'd refused. Every day, she told him honestly. And yet never.

You had the child you craved.

Yes. The child she could not have had with him, for while he'd been able to give her much—even a form like his, for a time—he hadn't been able to give her that. You brought my granddaughter home to me.

She is strong and cunning. I like her. You bred well.

She swallowed and surreptitiously brushed the dampness from her eyes. Well. We shall have time, if we wish, to talk about the old days later. Now, I think, we had best begin bargaining. That is why you wanted me here.

That is only part of the reason, Li Lei, her first lover told her, amusement tinting the cool mental voice with rare warmth. As you know very well. But let us begin.

Lily turned to face the others: her family, those official persons, and the secretary of state. Pleasure suffused her.

This would be a bargaining session like no other. She would see that Sun and the others received everything they needed— gold, places to hunt, eyries of some sort. The usual things required by dragons. In return, the dragons would solve the world's crisis by doing what was as natural as breathing for them.

They would sop up magic.

That they needed the magic themselves to survive did not, in Li Lei's opinion, diminish their right to demand payment. "Mr. Secretary," she said in a clear voice, "if you will come forward, I would like to introduce you to Sun Mzao, whom some…" She couldn't resist a quick, undignified wink at her grandaughter and the man beside her. "… know as Sam."

[end]