Hybrid Misfit

Chapter Nine

I smiled wider than a Chesire cat the following morning. My expanding sexual horizons and my adept lovers making me feel better-and more powerful-than I ever remembered. Unlike my previous wakeup, I got the morning nookie I craved, a quick, sweaty tag-team affair where Simon and Gene kept swapping position between my legs. But the climax was worth it even if it left me in desperate need of a shower before I went home trailing the scent of sex after me.

I dressed in another new outfit courtesy of the guys, and which I didn’t argue about given they kept destroying my clothes in their eagerness to claim me. Ain’t love grand?

I froze mid stroke, the brush in my hair falling from suddenly numb fingers.

Love? Can it be? I thought over how Gene and Simon made me feel, and not just in the bedroom. I mulled over the conversations we had, many which weren’t comprised of sexual innuendo. I pondered the fact that I missed them like crazy when we were apart. I couldn’t deny the facts stacking up. I’m in love.

On the heels of that amazing revelation fear followed. But, what if they don’t feel the same way?

Compared to them, I was an inexperienced babe in the woods. How could I hope to keep their attention outside the bedroom? I knew nothing of the things they’d gone through. I held maybe a fraction of their knowledge.

Even as all the reasons for them to not love me piled up, one thing kept intruding-my gut instinct. And that internal dousing rod of mine, also known as female intuition, said they cared for me, and possibly loved me as much as I loved them.

How and when should I tell them, though? Somehow, just walking out into the living room and announcing it aloud seemed wrong. The moment I declared myself should have meaning, or at the very least attempt to be special. And a quick escape route should I be totally mistaken and they not return my affection.

I finished my toiletries and walked out into the main living area. My men turned like one person, even though they stood on opposite sides of the room, and their smiles of welcome warmed me and melted my doubts.

They care, and when the moment’s right, I’m going to tell them what I feel.

We joked and chatted over breakfast, the only somber moment coming when Simon and Gene mentioned meeting with the forces aligned against those in Heaven and Hell who would see me dead.

“So does this mean we’re going to war?” I asked.

“Hopefully not. If we can show the Legion of Darkness and the Army of Light that we outnumber them, then maybe we can avert an all out war.”

I had my doubts, but I wouldn’t rain on Simon’s optimism. I knew he did all this for one reason only-to protect me.

All too soon, Simon was kissing me goodbye with promises to meet up with me later. I didn’t bother calling my roomies to warn them I was coming, I just had Gene drop me off.

I hugged him to me tight, an odd sense of uneasiness making me say, “You’ll be careful?”

“Don’t fear for me. I am much harder to kill than you’d think.” Not exactly reassuring words, but apparently it was the best I’d get. He kissed me soundly. “See you in a few hours. And remember, if you need me, just make a wish.”

I warmed at his words even as he popped out of sight. How did I ever get so lucky?

I swallowed that internal thought when I walked into chaos. The apartment looked like a herd of animals had rampaged through it. A rotten egg miasma in the air made me pull my shirt up over my nose to filter the smell, but it did nothing to block the visual chaos. The cushions on the couch were scattered and torn. Broken glass glittered all over the floor and went well with the shredded books. My heart sped up, not in fear for myself, but trepidation for my friends who should have both been home.

Maybe they weren’t here when it happened. I walked further into the scene of destruction, trying to momentarily deny the inevitable conclusion. The message scrawled on the wall of the dining room took my last hope away.

The blood they’d use to write still glistened wetly and even ran in rivulets in some spots.

We have your friends. If you want them to live, then you will exchange yourself for them. Tell no one or they will die.

I clenched my fists to keep from screaming, my elongating nails biting deep into my palms. In all the scenarios that I’d run through my head, I’d never actually imagined anyone coming after my friends. They were innocent, and I was even more naïve. My first impulse was to call the guys for help, but the blatant threat stayed my hand. I wouldn’t be responsible for their death, not when their only fault was to befriend a hybrid misfit.

Tears threatened to spill as I realized what I needed to do-and my choice wouldn’t please my lovers. However, if I wanted to die, my conscience free and clear knowing I’d done the right thing, then I needed to act as I saw fit.

Decision made, I wondered how I was supposed to find the bastards who’d kidnapped and, judging by the blood, harmed my friends.

I approached the macabrely painted wall and saw embedded in the plaster, a slim dagger pinning a piece of paper. I yanked the blade out and grabbed at the note as it fluttered down.

Blood shall get you to where you need to go.

Great. I held the sharp edge over the palm of my hand, but hesitated. Can I really do this knowing I’m going to die? It tore at me. All my life I’d fought against that invisible specter and now that I’d finally beaten the Grim Reaper, Murphy’s Law had caught up to me and was laughing in my face. I thought of my friends-Lana who deserved a chance to sing and eventually embrace her siren side. And dear Claire, whose cute bunny side deserved someone to love and cuddle her. I couldn’t sentence them to death.

The dagger cut cleanly into the palm of my hand, and red blood welled up coating the blade which warmed in my grip.

Unlike Gene’s seamless form of transportation, this method wrenched my body in what seemed like every direction at once, and with a sickening lurch, I left to meet my fate-and greet death after running for so long.

“The time is now,” Gene boomed, his voice amplified by magic. Not that he truly needed to, considering those he addressed had power enough on their own to hear him if they wished.

The king of the gnomes stood, his red pointed hat giving him a height he would have otherwise lacked. “Attack without provocation? It is one thing to retaliate, but to go preemptively on the offensive seems foolish.”

Simon growled. “So you would sit here while they plan the death of the one person who may fulfill the prophecy.”

The little man scoffed. “And if she’s not the one? Are we prepared to rile the forces of Heaven and Hell just because you like the taste of her honey pot?”

Simon roared and would have leapt on the gnome had Gene not held him back.

Gene, however, felt the same frustration as Simon. The time had come for them to stop cowering and take a stand. Yes, part of their reason was selfish, he and Simon both loved Beth, but it was more than that. After several millennia of division, it was time to look for a better way, and regardless of what the gnome king said, sitting back and waiting was not an option.

Apparently he wasn’t the only one who thought so.

Queen Mab stood in all her splendid, golden glory and before her powerful gaze, all quieted and waited for her to speak. “The Ifrit and Ice Dragon are correct. We can no longer allow this state to continue. The walling of Heaven and Hell, the separation of good and evil, has to stop. Do we know for sure this girl is the one? No, but if she is and we do nothing, in effect allowing her to be killed, then we may lose our chance to restore the balance. So I ask you again, are you with us or not?”

Gene held his breath as he waited for the response. By throwing her support behind them, Mab had effectively silenced those who would have sat on the sidelines. Her words challenged them and also made it clear that those who abstained would not be kindly regarded.

His sigh of relief was washed away by the voices that rang out promising their support. Simon slapped Gene on the back and Gene almost fell over with his friend’s enthusiasm.

Gene knew he should be happier, but he couldn’t dispel a sense of unease. He longed to escape this tedious back and forth game the rulers played and check on Beth. She’s fine and I’m turning into Simon, worrying about her safety all the time. Besides, if she needed me, she’d make a wish.

But no matter his reassurance to himself, he couldn’t stop the niggling doubt, and judging by Simon’s faraway expression, he wasn’t alone.

But politics forced him away from his unease.