The soft knock at the front door had Sam taking a deep breath and rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Would Riley knock? What if it was another one of Thane's goons trying a different tactic. Did she risk opening the door? She mentally shook herself. I'm being paranoid.
She rolled off of the couch, where she'd been sleeping since Riley left, and got to her feet. She couldn't bring herself to sleep in the bed. She took another deep breath to steady her nerves and headed for the door.
Taking a peek through the peephole in the door had her letting out the breath she'd been holding and smiling for the first time in days. She threw open the door and wrapped her arms around the lanky dark-haired teenager standing there. The strength of her hug threw him off balance and they both bounced off the doorjamb. Sam laughed and pulled Caleb into the apartment, locking the door behind them.
I'm so happy to see you Kid." She grinned as he groaned at her nickname for him. He was a kid still, whether he wanted to admit it or not. She took a minute to study the changes ten years had made. He was taller of course, and he'd let his hair grow. But the gold/green over brown eyes so much like his brother's were the same. Except that now they held shadows beneath the sunshine flecks. What had he been through these past years? Samantha's maternal instincts took over for a moment and she daydreamed about all of the ways Lydia and her pack of assholes could die for what they had put Caleb and Riley through. None of them were pretty but all of them were satisfyingly permanent.
"So I'm assuming that since you are here," she pointed at the floor for emphasis, "that your brother has gone and done something rather rash."
It was Caleb's turn to grin. "You know Riley. He goes looking for trouble like other people chase money." He pushed his hand through his hair and stood a little straighter. His eyes went blank for a few seconds as he looked inward. The change in his stance made Sam nervous. She'd seen Riley do that too. It meant that he was checking things with his other senses, his cat side.
She was having a hard time wrapping her brain around the fact that the love of her life and his baby brother weren't entirely human. Knowing it on paper from years of research and actually seeing it happen were worlds apart. Now she wondered how anyone could miss it. People only see what they expect to see. Nonhuman traits were just ignored or treated with ridicule for being other. No one ever took the time to wonder why some people were different.
There was another knock at the door just as Caleb came back to the land of humanity grinning like a puppy. He practically leaped the three paces to the door and threw it open. He was swallowed up in a huge hug and the deep rumble of laughter.
The kid was physically carried back into the room and the door was kicked closed with a size 18 dusty boot. The mountain of a man finally set his son down and reached for Sam to duplicate the bear hug. She accepted it willingly and sagged against the barrel chest of the boys' father. Daniel gave the best hugs. His hugs were warm and smelled of dusty libraries and open skies. Daniel was a weird combination of scholar and outdoorsman, but on him, it worked.
Daniel released Sam from his arms and set her back on her feet. He took stock of her appearance through narrowed eyes. Unlike his sons, Daniel's eyes were the deep viridian green of the ocean at night. They could turn just as stormy in anger or lighten to an azure blue with laughter.
The critical stare was a bit unnerving, "Hmmph, you've turned out well." He tried to be stern, but the twinkle in his eyes belied any sense of disapproval his tone might have held.
Sam laughed and made a face at him. "I love you too." She stuck her tongue out at the man whom she'd always hoped would be her father-in-law someday.
Hot coffee had been made and half drank by the time Riley showed up. His arrival was followed by another round of hugs and laughter before the conversation turned to more sobering matters.
Caleb had taken a seat on Sam's remaining end table, Daniel was taking up most of the right corner of the couch with his feet crossed out in front of him, Sam hopped up on the counter to dangle her feet while Riley took the end of the bed where he could see both of the exits. The balcony was now boarded up. No doubt waiting for the landlord to install a new glass door.
Daniel spoke first." Well, I wish that getting to see the two of you in the same room again was under better circumstances." He smiled at Sam, "you've been sorely missed, child."
He turned to his eldest son, "I would assume that since you came in carrying my case, you have liberated my scrolls from your mother's possession." He grimaced at the word "mother". She'd been dead to him for a very long time.
"Yes, and I brought the box from the secret compartment as well." Riley handed the small silver box to his father while smiling like a kid at Christmas.
His father smiled back with pride shining in his eyes. "I knew you would figure it out." He laughed and ran his fingers over the delicate patterns on the top of the box. It shone faintly where his finger rubbed the tarnish off. He sat up and reached into his pocket. He drew out his keyring, selecting an ancient-looking silver key that was swallowed up by his hand. With more deft than should have been possible, he turned the key in the lock. There was a soft snick as it opened.
Sam leaned forward from the counter, curiosity getting the better of her. She nearly fell from her perch at the sight of what was inside the box. She slid off of the counter and kneeled on the floor in front of Daniel. Caleb and Riley also moved closer, leaning over their father's shoulders to see what has there. Caleb whistled low and Riley stared in disbelief.
Nested against the black velvet interior of the box was the largest emerald any of them had ever seen. It was perfect. There was not a single inclusion, warp, or flaw anywhere in the matrix. It was step cut in classic emerald fashion except that it had a slightly convex top. It must have been at least thirty carats, maybe more. None of them had the skills to say one way or the other.
Daniel picked it up with his index finger and thumb, careful not to leave any smudges. He turned it back and forth in the fluorescent overhead lights. It shot green refractions around the room.
Curiosity got the better of Sheba and she leaped from the bed where she'd taken the warm spot left behind by Riley to the floor by the counter to chase the green lights against the front of the island. Sam laughed and readjusted her weight to pull Sheba into her lap on the floor. The cat happily curled up and accepted the ear scratches. She purred contentedly as Sam spoke, "Where on the Goddess' green earth did you get that?"
"It's a long story child, and one we don't have time for right now. Suffice it to say, I've had it for a long time, it's older than even I am sure of, and you boys' mother would kill us all to get it back."
He placed the stone gingerly back in its box and locked the lid. He removed the key from his keyring and handed it to Caleb. "Guard this with your life." Caleb nodded solemnly and added the key to the gold chain around his neck. He tucked the key inside of his collar.
"Riley, you and Sam are responsible for this." He handed the box back to his eldest son. "Make sure that the woman who gave birth to you never sees it again. Destroy it, shatter it, throw it in the Arctic ocean before you let her have it back."
It was Riley's turn to speak. "We need to find a safer place to work from. Somewhere Lydia and Thane won't be able to find us." He slipped the box back into his pocket. "Dad, do you have any ideas?"
Sam answered him instead, "she is going to expect you to go somewhere familiar to you, Daniel. But I might have an idea. Bare with me for a minute." Sam dumped Sheba on Daniel's lap and rose from the floor. She headed into the kitchen to grab her cellphone.
"Hey, sis, do you still have the keys to mom's RV?" She turned around to see all three men looking at her with confusion. "Great, I'll be by to get them in half an hour. Luv you."
She hung up and slid her phone into her back pocket. "Come on guys, I have the perfect place to hide out." She strode back to the couch to relieve Daniel of his lap tenant. She turned the cat to face her. "You are going to spend a few days with your aunt Lisa." Sheba hissed in protest. Sam laughed, loading her highness back into the carrier. At least this time she didn't put up as much of a fight.
** New episodes almost every Monday. Subscribe to the newsletter to get updates.
댓글