“But you know who you are,” Wyatt said.
“Yes.”
“Good. Tell me, did you cross them over?”
“I was in a drainpipe when the house was destroyed. They crossed without my help, but I did see them in the light.”
“Heaven?”
“I don’t know what’s in the light for them, but, Wyatt, they were happy.”
“Thank you. You didn’t have to come here, but you did. You have every right to shun me and my kind, but you don’t. This causes me to worry for you.”
“Me?”
“Mia, you have to find your place in what is coming. You can’t sit on the fence.”
“Can’t it be stopped?”
Wyatt sighed. “It may have come too far. Too many humans involved. No honor.”
“I hope that something happens to change the direction in which we all are headed. I wouldn’t enjoy having to fight those I share a bond with,” Mia confessed.
“Me neither.”
“I thought you weren’t going to fight?” she asked.
“I may have to, to survive.”
“I hope you do survive, Wyatt.”
“It’s not Wyatt you’re talking to, Mia.”
“I gathered, but it’s easier somehow.”
“You wouldn’t like me if you saw my true form.”
“What did you look like before the fall?”
“How…”
“I didn’t believe William’s words. I knew you weren’t spawned from a woman. You’ve always been. You can’t make an angel, not even a fallen one.”
“I would prefer if you didn’t let your master know.”
“I have no master.”
“Sariel? Angelo? Roumain?” he asked, reading her each time. “No, you are free still. I take it you’re weighing your options too.”
Mia blushed and shook her head. “I will fight for the human race, to protect my family and friends. If it is at Sariel’s side then so be it. But I assure you, the only slave I am is to love.”
“You have been very honest with me, Mia. I have never had anyone trust me in a very long time. It was an unfortunate set of circumstances that took my wings from me. Don’t let the same happen to you.”
Mia stood in front of the demon and grasped his hands. “Don’t live whatever time we have left in this cold place. For most of my life, I kept to myself, guarding myself from hurt and ridicule. It was a horrible thing, just existing. Live. Go to N’awlins. There’s a tree hugger there that could use some guidance. He’s a hero. Don’t let him become anything less.”
“What are you going to do?”
“I’m going to hunt a few ghosts, make love to my husband, and watch my son grow. You know, normal stuff.”
“I sense that normal for you is extraordinary to someone else.”
Mia walked to the door of the den and stopped. “I almost forgot. Thank you for the tornado. Next time, give a girl a little heads-up.”
Wyatt laughed. This time it didn’t sound odd. It sounded right.
Chapter Thirty-four
Mia let Maggie off her lead. They were far enough away from any roads. She sat down and watched as the dog chased a few butterflies before getting the scent of what Mia prayed wasn’t a skunk.
“Sorry to be late,” Ted said from behind her.
She turned around to see Ted lugging a massive picnic basket.
“That’s large enough for a party. Are we expecting anyone?”
“No. Just Cid being Cid. Get up, and let me put a blanket down.”
Mia held on to the basket while her husband lay the coverlet on the ground. He took the basket, and from inside he withdrew two small pillows. He placed them on the ground and set the basket on the blanket.
“Come on, we’re missing the best clouds.”
“What?” Mia said, looking up.
Ted grabbed her and lay her head on the pillow and pointed upwards. “That’s Thor. See his mighty hammer?”
Mia could kind of see the Norse God as he was portrayed in the comics. How about that one?” Mia pointed.
“Um, that’s a heart. My heart to be exact.”
“That was romantic.”
“Good. I suck at romance, Mia. I know I do.”
Mia rolled to her side and looked at her husband. “I disagree.”
“You’re too kind.”
“There’s this picnic…”
“Cid’s idea.”
“The nice little pillows…”
“Audrey.”
“Well, you showed up,” Mia said.
Ted broke into a smile. “But I was late.”
“Any particular reason?”
“I was writing this line of code, and time got away from me.”
“But you’re here now.”
“Murphy insisted.”
“I’m getting the feeling that romance, the Martin way, takes a village.”
Ted shaded his eyes and looked over at his wife and nodded.
“Any particular reason why you’re so resistant to being romantic?”
“I think it’s against my nature.”
“Could be.” Mia lay back down and closed her eyes. She was enjoying the warm sun on her face when a shadow moved overhead. Expecting to see a cloud, she opened her eyes to see Ted above her. “Tired of cloud gazing?”
“I saw one that looked like an angel, and so I was comparing you and it.”
“Oh, Ted, I’m no angel.”
“I know,” he said with a husky voice.
Mia giggled. “You know the dog is going to watch.”
“Maybe. All I care about is, we are far enough away that Superman can’t get his jollies off.”
“I can be quiet, Teddy Bear.”
“Not with what I have planned, you can’t.”
~
Maggie came back with a note tied to her collar. Murphy escorted her to the farmhouse, and Cid rewarded her with a slice of bacon.
Murphy handed Cid the note addressed to him. Cid unrolled it and started laughing.
“What’s so funny?”
“It’s from Ted. It says: Don’t wait up. I figured out the thing.”
Murphy pushed his hat back on his head, scratched his beard and was speechless.
***
Glossary
PEEPS: Paranormal Entity Exposure Partners
Dupree, Mike: Founding partner of PEEPs and on camera personality.
Garrett, Cid: Contractor, investigator, cameraman, and technician.
Hicks, Burt: Founding partner of PEEPs, lead investigator, and cameraman.
Jake: Ghost, research and computers.
Martin, Mia Cooper: Sensitive, lead investigator, and security. Ted’s wife and Brian Martin’s mother.
Martin, Ted: Lead technician, computers, and communications. Mia’s husband and Brian Martin’s father.
McCarthy, Audrey: Researcher and investigator.
Murphy, Stephen: Ghost, translator and security.
Recurring Characters:
Alessandro, Father: Jesuit Priest, mind reader, exorcist, sensitive, and friend of Father Santos.
Bainbridge, Matt: Pediatric doctor, Audrey McCarthy’s boyfriend, has ghost of his great-uncle in
