Elemental Omen (Paranormal Public Book 10) (16 page)

All three of them seemed to be able to read my expression, because Sip said, “We’ve all accepted that Lisabelle plays by a different set of rules.”

“If you make up the rules to the game, you don’t lose,” said Lisabelle. “This is obvious. No wonder you have opposition in government.”

“I have opposition in government because when a paranormal opposes me I don’t burn them to a crisp,” said Sip.

“Oh,” said Lisabelle.

Charlotte was sitting between her two friends. She still looked tired.

“It’s okay,” said Charlotte. “You’re an adult.”

“Um, says who?” said Sip.

“What’s worry?” said Lisabelle.

“Well, you know what I mean.” Charlotte waved her hand. “Anyway, I didn’t mean to be waiting here for you. It’s just such a nice night.”

We all looked up at the stars. When I brought my eyes back to earth again, Lisabelle was eyeing me as if she knew my secret.

“Is there anything to eat?” I asked, plopping down in the last metal chair.

“Sure,” said Sip. “I’ll go get something.” She pushed herself out of her chair and disappeared into Duckleworth.

“You know she’s going to come back with food and tea,” said Lisabelle. “All that tea is going to kill me.”

“Tea is good for you,” I said.

Lisabelle leaned forward, her eyes a little feverish. “That’s what she wants you to think,” she said hoarsely.

I turned to Charlotte. “Has all that darkness gone to Lisabelle’s brain?”

“It’s entirely possible,” said Charlotte, laughing.

Sip came back a few minutes later pushing a cart, confirming the darkness mage’s prediction. Sip had tea on the cart, along with several sandwiches. I grabbed two of the cold cuts and took a huge bite. With my mouth full I said, “Delicious.”

“Was he raised by savages?” Sip eyed Charlotte, who shrugged and said, “He’s hungry.”

“So, Sip, I think it’s high time you set out exactly who the players in this game of Lisabelle’s are,” said Charlotte. “Who’s who in this delicate balance of peace?”

She was obviously trying to turn the focus away from me, and I was grateful, even if it meant having to listen to more talk about politics.

“We have the vampires, the other vampires, and the bounty hunters, who are a mix of mostly vampires and pixies, and then we have the pixies,” Sip mused, shaking her head. “None of them have the interests of the paranormals as a whole at heart.”

That got them going, and they talked about enemies and coalitions for a long time. For a brief moment my mind wandered to the impressive, sinister vampire bounty hunter who had bid for me, but I pushed him from my mind. Having been rescued by Sip and Lisabelle, I fully expected that I would never have to see him again.

Long after I finished my sandwiches, and having nurtured my tea for as long as I could, I cleared my throat and said, “I’m off for bed.” I was suddenly very weary.

“Okay,” said Charlotte. “But we should have a serious conversation in the morning.”

“I love serious conversations,” I said.

Sip looked excited, then she realized I was being sarcastic and her face fell.

Lisabelle pointed at the werewolf. “Sip really does love serious conversations.”

I left my sister sitting with her two best friends. I could tell that when she was with them she was happy, and it made me wish I had friends like that. Maybe then I wouldn’t feel the pounding loneliness in my chest or the sadness that draped my shoulders so much of the time. As I closed the door I heard my sister’s laugh.

When I passed the library, the light was off. Whoever had been there had gone to bed.

With everything that had happened, I would have thought this memory would stay buried, but instead it rose to the surface that night. It was my least favorite, mostly because it had caused the paranormal I cared about most in the world so much pain.

~~~

Time went by. I had nearly forgotten about my strange meeting with General Goffer that day when Lough was called out of Astra lounge. Until, that is, he turned up again. After seeing him a second time I couldn’t handle it anymore. He confirmed every fear I had ever had about the paranormals and my sister, and after he left I knew I had to leave too. I also knew just as surely that I couldn’t tell Charlotte as much.

We were still staying at Lanca’s cottage. I wasn’t home when he showed up, or I would have insisted that he not talk to my sister without me. But by the time I got home it was too late. When I walked, in he was sitting at the kitchen table drinking coffee with Charlotte.

“Don’t tell Sip," she begged me with a tinkle in her eye. I nodded stiffly, and for a moment she frowned, but then she re-focused her attention on our guest. General Goffer stood up and gave me a big smile.

“You’re looking well, Ricky,” he said, smiling broadly.

“Thanks,” I said. “Charlotte, can I talk to you for a minute?”

Charlotte gave me a confused look. “Now?”

“Secrets to discuss,” said General Goffer, “don’t mind me. Feel free.”

“No, no,” said Charlotte, shaking her head. “It can wait, can’t it Ricky?”

“Yeah, sure,” I said. “Fine.”

I sat down and fidgeted. Charlotte gave me a look that ordered me to stop looking like I was sitting on an ant hill, but I couldn’t. With a slight upturn at the corners of his mouth, Goffer continued. “As I was saying, I think it’d be a fine thing if Ricky here enrolled in the Paranormal Police Academy.”

They both looked at me, I supposed because seeing someone in shock is amusing. What else would my reaction have been? With my eyebrows high in the air, I managed to get out an “Excuse me?”

“Oh, look at that, he’s so surprised he’s speechless,” Goffer chuckled. “I wish I could find a way to make my teenage son speechless.”

“Spring something like this on him and I’m sure he would be,” said Charlotte, sounding a little testy.

“Now, now,” Goffer chided, “this wasn’t supposed to be a surprise. If I’m being perfectly honest, I’m surprised at you two.”

“Oh yeah, how’s that?” I said through gritted teeth.

“I’m surprised that you didn’t think of it yourselves,” said Goffer. “You’d be an invaluable asset to the Academy.”

“Ricky would be an invaluable asset anywhere,” said Charlotte, her voice syrupy. She was really furious. I wanted to give her a grateful look, but I was too confused.

“I get that you’ve been grooming him to attend Public, and I can see where you’re coming from with that. But the Academy could also really use someone like him.”

“You mean elementals are in demand? I had no idea,” said Charlotte. She got more sarcastic the angrier she was.

“Look, you’re used to being able to pick and choose what you do and who you help. You have a lot of power. At the Academy our entire goal is to help everyone. But we can’t,” said Goffer.

“No one can help everyone,” said Charlotte. “Even if you had all the elementals under your command, you still wouldn’t be able to help everyone.”

“That’s very true,” said Goffer. “I’m just trying to do right by my school and by the paranormals as a whole.”

“Ricky will be helping paranormals wherever he is,” said Charlotte. “Rest assured about that.”

I sat silently, watching the exchange. Goffer maintained his pleasant exterior, but shadows that I didn’t trust lurked behind his eyes. When he finally stood up to leave, Charlotte led him to the door.

“Think about it,” he said, turning to look at me. “Just think about what you want and how best to get it.”

I thought Charlotte might just shove him out the door, but she resisted, albeit barely. Her face was a furious mask as she slammed the door shut behind Caid’s cousin. Then she put her ear to the door to listen to his retreat and stayed there until she was sure he was gone.

“How dare he!” she gasped, “thinking he can just use you for whatever he wants however he wants!”

“You think he’s unreasonable?” I had never felt so tired. I had just sat at the table saying nothing, staring at my mug of undrunk coffee; it was too late for coffee. I didn’t even like it to begin with, but my sister had poured me a cup, probably because she wanted to be doing something with her hands.

“Of course!” she stormed. “He waltzes in here like he has any idea what’s best for you! He implies that your magic will best serve the paranormal world if it’s developed at the Police Academy! It’s just ridiculous!” She plopped down into a chair across from me and put both of her hands flat on the table as if she was bracing herself against a world filled with stupidity.

“Don’t you think so?” she asked at last, staring at me when I didn’t say anything.

I remained silent for a long time, trying to get my emotions under control.

“I think what you want and what he wants are exactly the same,” I said quietly.

“Paranormal peace?” Charlotte asked, standing again and starting to pace. “We all want that, although I don’t know how sincere Goffer is. He’s always liked power too much.”

“That’s not what I meant,” I said, finally meeting her eyes.

Charlotte stopped pacing to look at me, her expression confused. “What did you mean?”

The tension in my shoulders felt like it could only be released with yelling. I didn’t actually raise my voice, but she could tell I was angry easily enough without that.

“You want to use me for my magic just like he does,” I said.

Charlotte went still. She had already been standing in place, but now she did that thing where she looked like she had turned to stone. Shock rooted her in place, and I wasn’t sure I had ever seen her look so hurt.

“What?” she whispered. “How can you say that?”

I hunched a shoulder. “I don’t have to. You did. You told Goffer that I’d put my magic to use at Public.”

Charlotte swallowed hard. “I . . . uh . . . I thought that’s what you wanted.”

“Sure, you thought that’s what I wanted. You also never asked me what I wanted, because it was just assumed. I’m not you, Charlotte. I thought Carl was my dad, I . . .”

I stopped, because there I couldn’t think of anything that made any sense to say. I took a deep breath and then another, trying to get my emotions under control. Most of the wildlife on Rapier land was dead, so few animals or birds had survived to make any natural background sounds. Even bugs did not dare to come here. Tonight was windless, and the cottage was silent. The only noise was Charlotte’s raspy breathing.

“I’m sorry you feel that way,” she said quietly. “I was trying to defend you. He had no business coming here and upsetting you.”

“Am I upset?” I said harshly. “From the looks of it, you’re the one who’s upset.”

Charlotte’s lips twitched. She couldn’t possibly have looked more stunned. “I thought . . .” But she stopped, the words dying in her throat. “Never mind what I thought. I thought Public was what you wanted.”

“I DON’T WANT YOUR LIFE,” I yelled, jumping to my feet. “I don’t want the pressure! The looks from other paranormals saying I’ve failed them and they’re dead or I need to help them or they’ll die! I can’t stand it! I’m not good like you! I can’t do it!”

I ran out of the room. Charlotte called my name, but I ignored her. Goffer’s visit and our reactions had made everything crystal clear for me. For the first time since I had found out that paranormals were real and Charlotte and I were not only elementals, but the last elementals, I had achieved a crystal clear clarity.

I needed to leave.

And I needed never to come back.

~~~

I woke up so early the next day that when I looked outside, the morning fog was still curling in front of the window, so thick it was almost like smoke.

I sighed and got dressed. Another fresh change of clothes had been laid out for me the night before, and I had taken a quick bath - that was apparently all this place offered, no showers - and hurried into bed, bone tired. I was too exhausted to dream.

I still hadn’t slept well, though; I had tossed and turned most of the night. The house carried no human noises to my ears, but it creaked and sighed as old houses do, and the sounds of all sorts of little critters scooting about punctuated the night.

Despite the restlessness, I woke up with a purpose. I had a question to ask Professor Dacer. But when I went looking, Dacer, Charlotte, and her friends were nowhere to be found. At first I thought I just hadn’t checked enough places, but after I had searched the entire first floor, the garden, the stables (very nice), and a good bit of the castle, I had to admit that they just weren’t there.

Wondering if they were on one of the off-limits upper floors, I stared at the staircase in frustration.

“What are you doing?” Dacer’s quiet cousin Zellie had come up behind me in such total silence that I jumped when she spoke.

I hadn’t paid much attention to Zellie when we arrived, but now, taking a closer look, I decided that she looked a lot like all the other vampires I had ever seen. In fact, all the other vampires I had ever seen looked pretty much the same, except the Duke.

I told her what I was doing and she sniffed.

“They’re in an important meeting at the moment. There are muffins and tea in the dining room if you’re hungry.”

“But where’s the meeting? I’ve looked all over,” I said.

Zellie glared at me. I hadn’t seen any signs of temper when Dacer was around, but now that I was alone with her she was making her dislike for me crystal clear. I had no idea why.

“You think you can just waltz in here, eat our food, sleep in our bed, and then make demands? Well, you can’t. All elementals are trouble, and you are no exception.”

Given that “all elementals” except Charlotte and me were dead, I wondered how Zellie had become such an authority. But I decided it would be better to just get away from her as fast as possible than to argue, so I went and found the muffins in the dining room. I was eager to ask my question, but it was for Dacer, not Zellie, so I sat down and tried to be content with muffins and tea.

I didn’t have to wait long. I was just into my second muffin when I heard whooping and laughing coming my way, and the next minute Sip, Lisabelle, Dacer, and another man, someone I had never seen before, came into the dining room. They were all smiling.

“Hello!” said Dacer, far more animated than I had seen him lately. “Ricky, this is my old friend Charles. Good morning, by the way. I’m glad you finally got out of bed!” He was in such a good mood he even did a little jig.

Given that I had gotten up with the sun, I wasn’t sure that’s exactly how I would have put it, but after scrubbing my palm off on my jeans I extended my hand to Charles, who took it with a smile.

Charles was clearly not a vampire. He had soft green eyes, almost hazel in certain lights, and a bemused expression. He wore jeans and a button down shirt, the casual look creating the impression that he was just out for a Sunday afternoon stroll.

Dacer, who I had been told was over a hundred years old - but a vampire, so who cared - was looking at Charles like he was a Christmas gift.

“It really is so good to see you,” said Dacer, shaking his head. “I had no idea you were coming! When you crash-landed I was shocked.”

“It’s a good thing I didn’t let Lisabelle shoot you,” said Sip. “She wanted to.”

“But is that really anything new?” Lisabelle muttered, lounging against a doorframe. I had the impression that Lisabelle was like a bat or an owl, something that loved night more than day but was always alert either way, even when she looked half asleep.

Charlotte came through the door sideways, then stood near Lisabelle and watched the reunion. “Unexpected company is sometimes lovely,” Charlotte said.

“Like when?” Lisabelle and I chorused. I smiled at Lisabelle. She didn’t smile back.

“Like now,” said Charlotte, “like when it’s someone you want to see. For example, you and Sip are always welcome at Keller’s and my place, expected or not.”

“Very kind of you,” said Charles, and then he winked. He had a booming voice and a pot belly. His face was bright red from laughing at his own jokes. “I was actually on my way to a series of meetings, and thought I’d pop in,” he said. “I rather like it here. I have every confidence my meetings will be stress-free.”

Sip might have just seen a purple canary, so skeptical did she look.

“The paranormal government is pretty fragmented at the moment,” said Sip.

“My dear girl, why ever would I care about that?” asked Charles.

“Because you said you had a lot of meetings,” said Sip.

“Ah, my meetings are not with government officials,” said Charles, rubbing his hands together with suppressed glee.

“My old friend here has not always stayed on the right side of the law,” Dacer said, clapping his hand on Charles’s back as Charles chuckled some more.

“Funny, I always thought I was on the right side,” he said.

“I’m sure you did,” said Dacer, his eyes twinkling.

“Anyway, I didn’t mean to crash the party.” Charles looked around at the rest of us with raised eyebrows as if to imply something naughty. “I didn’t realize you still liked to party, mind,” he added.

Dacer rolled his eyes, then got serious and started introducing the others. There apparently hadn’t been time for introductions out in the field where Charles had appeared.

I stood there silently, watching. Lisabelle was always cool, but at the moment she was downright cold; I knew she didn’t like outsiders, so I assumed that explained her attitude. Sip, on the other hand, was incredibly excited. Charles was apparently famous, and Sip was always ready to see a networking opportunity, whereas Lisabelle saw a network as something to set on fire and watch as it burned to ashes.

“He travels the world raising funds for endangered paranormals species,” Sip said, beaming. “It’s just glorious.”

“How’s the world?” Charlotte asked the visitor. My sister was always polite, but I could tell that she wanted time alone with her friends and me and wasn’t all that happy to have a stranger join in.

“It’s splendid,” said Charles. “Really and truly splendid. I hadn’t thought I’d see Luc for quite some time, but it turns out that there’s an unexpected break in my schedule before the fundraising meetings. Life does move fast.”

“It sure does,” Sip gushed. “I’m sorry, do you know the Rollinses?”

Dacer had gotten so far as to introduce Sip and Lisabelle, which was basically unnecessary since the entire paranormal world knew who Sip and Lisabelle were. But he had gotten interrupted before introducing Charlotte and me to Charles.

When Charles shook his head to say that he didn’t know us, Charlotte stepped forward and extended her hand. Lisabelle pretended to be offended on our behalf, and Sip threw her a dirty look.

Upon hearing Charlotte’s name, Charles went pale and then white. “The last elemental,” he said. “It is truly very fine to meet you.” He shook my sister’s proffered hand.

“This is my brother Ricky,” she said, turning to me and smiling. She hadn’t been taken by surprise that he hadn’t recognized who she was at first. But it always happened sooner or later, yet another reason why I had left. I had thought I could hide. HA.

It took me a split second to realize that I should shake Dacer’s friend’s hand again, at which point he was already sort of stumbling forward. “I had no idea you kept such famous company,” Charles breathed, looking at each of us in turn. “I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised, but I still kind of am.”

“Of course,” said Dacer, “Charlotte is my prized student. But we have a lot to catch up on, and so do these young people, so let’s leave the kids alone while you tell me about your latest adventure.”

Dacer might be eccentric, and he wasn’t exactly at his best in daytime, but he still never missed a trick. Charles was obviously reluctant to leave such distinguished company, but he eventually let himself be dragged out of the room. As soon as he was out the door, Lisabelle flopped in a chair and rolled her eyes. “Hand me a muffin?” she asked Sip.

The werewolf glared. “You were just standing next to the plate; why didn’t you get one yourself?” I couldn’t tell for sure, but I thought she might be a little testy because of Lisabelle’s attitude toward Charles.

“Yeah, but at that moment I didn’t want one,” Lisabelle said.

“Why don’t you have guards?” I asked her. She stared at me as if my question had appeared out of the blue, as I guess it had.

“To protect others from me?” She quirked an eyebrow at me and I felt my face burn.

“You’re the darkness premier, it just seems like you should have guards, a posse and such,” I said.

“Underfoot and embarrassing,” said Lisabelle.

“I agree with you,” said Sip, looking at me. “I don’t understand it either.”

"That just confirms it,” said Lisabelle. “
You
don’t have guards, I might point out.”

“I have a couple,” said Sip. ‘Very discreet and not here, since you’re here.”

“You think I’m going to defend you if you’re attacked?” the darkness premier asked.

“I think no one’s going to attack me while you’re here,” said Sip. “HA.”

Sip refused to give Lisabelle a muffin unless we went back outside. The paranormal president flatly stated that the good weather wasn’t going to last and we must take advantage. I could tell that Lisabelle didn’t care a whit about good weather, but she did care a lot about the werewolf.

“Here’s the thing,” said Lisabelle as we retreated to the garden. “We want you to attend Paranormal Public starting this fall.”

The beating around the bush was over, apparently.

“I’m not old enough,” I said quickly, “I just turned seventeen.”

“It’s where you should be,” said Sip, “and the age requirement is flexible.”

“There aren’t any other elementals attending. I don’t want to be alone. Besides, it will require a lot of work with my sister, and I won’t know if that’s the best idea.”
Besides, I have nightmares, and it’s not my job to save the world!!
Charlotte and I had gotten to a place where, except for when I freaked out and disappeared, we got along great. I wasn’t sure that would extend to her being my instructor. Essentially, we worked best when we didn’t have to talk much.

“I travel a lot,” said Charlotte, her voice very soft. “I’ll be there to answer questions, but we all kind of agree that learning from books, masks, and other professors is the best option.”

I didn’t want to tell them that I was afraid, that going back to the paranormal life was a responsibility so great I thought it might crush me.

Sip stepped forward and put her small hand on my arm. “Work sustains me,” she said. “It’s not like you’re alone in the horror you saw. We are with you in it. If you don’t think about it too much, it’s bearable. I just try to think about the good, what came out of it.”

“What good came out of it?” I croaked, the sea of bodies swimming before my eyes. Did Sip know what I saw? Did she see it too? I knew Lisabelle didn’t.

“There were those who loved us and loved the paranormal way enough to fight for it. Maybe it doesn’t help, but it was us or them. If we hadn’t fought, more would have died than did. We did not start the war, all we could do was finish it.”

“A purpose gives you air, something else to think about in the morning when you’re fighting the fear,” said Charlotte.

“You could have a purpose at Public,” said Lisabelle. “Think about it.”

I might have been cynical about the way they were taking turns, but I wasn’t. Somehow, the darkness premier brought weight to this little meeting. I didn’t necessarily trust my sister; I thought she just wanted to surround herself with family, which was great, but maybe not what was best for me, or maybe for her, either. Sip was the president of the paranormals. I knew she would never wish me ill, but it would also benefit her directly if I came back.

Lisabelle was different. The only thing that benefited Lisabelle was Lisabelle. She might say something to make Charlotte or Sip happy, but it wasn’t as if she had any problem disagreeing with them, either. Instead, she’d gone to a whole lot of trouble to bring me to Duckleworth. That told me that my presence was important to her. What it didn’t tell me was why.