“Then we’ll have time for your Tesla experiment?”
“I believe so. I’ve had some other thoughts on what might help us. Something that could only work if I had access the scene of the trouble beforehand. Luckily, Verðandi’s summoning was specific on location.”
“What does it involve?” Tess asked.
“I’ll need to check with Beast and see if he thinks I can make it work. It’s something I’ve never tried before, and I’m not certain it’ll work.”
“Why Beast? You’ve never given me the impression that he knew more than you,” Tess said.
“In most things, he doesn’t, but I recently found out he could track across portals and that means he knows more about them than I do. Let me talk to him first. If he thinks it’ll work, I’ll explain the technique to you. Besides, I’ll probably need your help to make it work.”
“Really?” Tess sounded cheerful that she was being asked to participate actively in the battle.
“Yes, really. Don’t sell yourself short. You may be a novice, but even a novice applying a modicum of force at the right point at the right time can change the outcome of a fight.”
“Pancakes are ready. If you’re still hungry,” Joe said from the kitchen area.
“Damn straight, Joe.”
We ate breakfast, and I explained what I thought I needed for the Tesla experiment. It wasn’t much, mostly a little copper.
When we finished eating, I helped Joe with the cleanup while Tess did whatever it is women did to get ready.
I was cleaning the cast-iron skillet when the bathroom door opened and Tess re-joined us.
“You clean up nice, young lady,” Joe said.
I turned and found that he was correct. Tess had been brushing her hair back, and that was about it. This morning she had some kind of product in it to style it close to the sides of her head, although the right side was only about an inch long from where she’d been regrowing it after having it burned off. A light green eyeliner highlighted her eyes and a soft magenta lipstick darkened her lips. Her leather jacket was unzipped nearly to her navel, and for some reason or other, her blouse’s top two buttons were undone. The result was a revealing of both the soft swell of breasts and a thin black bra that had little in connection with her usual sports bra. Her boots were already on, and her leather pants were tucked inside them.
“Wow,” I said a lot softer than I would have thought possible. “To what do we owe the pleasure of your beauty?”
Tess braced her right hand on her hip and struck a pose. “Are you saying I’m not usually beautiful?”
Danger Will Robinson, danger.
“No, of course not. I’ve just grown so use to your natural beauty that I’m surprised to see you touch it up. This must be for your benefit, Joe,” I said, slapping the older man lightly on the back.
Tess broke the pose and came over to us. She kissed Joe lightly on the cheek and then put her hands on my shoulder and kissed me on the lips.
After a few seconds, she pulled back and gave me a sly smile. “It’s for both of you. Our lives may be in constant danger, but there’s no reason we can’t look good while saving the world.”
I grinned stupidly. “That’s what I love about you, Tess. You take everything I throw at you in stride and come back for more.”
She raised an eyebrow. “You love me?”
Joe broke into a coughing fit as if he’d suddenly developed tuberculous.
The danger scale in my hindbrain broke past the stops, and I think my heart stopped for a second. “It’s an expression, Tess. Just an expression.”
She watched my eyes for a few seconds. The patted my cheek and gave me a light peck on the lips. “I’m jerking your chain, Rafe.”
Tess stepped back and bent to adjust her bootlaces, giving me an even better view of the lovely swell of her breasts. I had the sense to get my gaze up before she straightened. The woman was deliberately behaving provocatively this morning, and I couldn’t decide what her game was.
Then I realized that I was enjoying the game at least as much as she was.
Chapter 18
Therese
The three of us rode in Joe’s old Ford pickup, down the mountain to a Home Depot on South Nevada Avenue. The day was bright and cool, the temperature hadn’t reached the fifties by nine, at least according to the bank sign we passed. Joe drove–I couldn’t see any sign in his driving that he was more than a hundred years old–I rode bitch, and Rafe had shotgun. I prefer not to ride in the center, but then I was definitely the youngest of the three of us. You’ve got to respect your elders.
Joe parked about halfway down a lane in the parking lot, and the three of us piled out. As we started across the parking lot, I zipped my jacket up to a more modest line. Teasing these two old men was one thing, but I wasn’t walking through a hardware store dressed like some kind of bimbette.
Rafe asked a lady at a nearby cash register for the location of what he needed and then grabbed a cart. He pushed it while Joe and I walked behind him. Joe told me about when he first moved to Colorado Springs, back about the time he’d met the future President Roosevelt. Joe was a fascinating man. Just living that long was amazing, but he’d also met more than one President, and he was in touch with animal totems. Me, I was raised Protestant, but I’d always thought that religion belonged more in the heart than the head. Joe’s religion didn’t recognize one god, even if he had no problems believing in Christ and God. His pantheon had room for everyone’s religion.
Rafe put three, eight-foot long brass rods in the cart and then a heavy roll of copper that was nearly three-feet wide. Then we headed for the lumber
