“Now let’s eat and be merry.” Phillip grinned and headed for a table that was against the wall to the left that was filled with an assortment of foods and drinks.
Everyone filled their plates and ate while telling stories either from their past or from recent events. Draco had gone with Phillip and Rose to their parents’ house after Sunday service, and apparently her father and Draco had gotten into it about history. What the books say versus what really happened. Janie had been brought up, and I learned she was spending the holidays with her parents, which made me happy. Laughter filled the room, and I rested against Asher’s warmth, my belly full and my heart bursting from the love in the room.
“Okay, I haven’t ever had a real Christmas before, but I know this is the part where we open presents,” Lilith stated and started to move toward the lit-up tree with a bright star on top.
I don’t know how I did it, but I’d managed to find the time to shop for everyone. It had been a long time since I’d celebrated anything, so I hoped I did all right when it came to the gifts department. Asher had joined the Society as his gift, which was nice.
Lilith passed around the wrapped presents like an excited child, and I prayed this party was one she would never forget. Everyone deserved to be loved and cherished like this group did for each other.
Rose liked her blossoming teapot set I got her, and Draco smiled that his woman was happy. He liked the old knife I’d found when I was at my parents’ house.
“It belonged to my dad,” I told him, and he understood the gravity of the gift.
“I’m honored.” That made me smile; I knew he would like it.
Everyone was happy with their gifts from each other and some even made my cheeks hurt from grinning so much.
Like Leon’s his-and-her-set rings he’d made himself, claiming they needed rings but didn’t have any.
Phillip spoiled everyone with gifts he knew that we would like because he could see what we needed down the road. No guess work like the rest of us had to do. He’d gotten me a voucher for unlimited leather jackets from my favorite store in the city. It was something I splurged on, even though I went through several a year from my uncontrolled changes.
Asher had gotten a plant, which he loved, of course. Nature was his thing.
I knew when Lilith opened my gift because she shrieked like a banshee.
“No fucking way! Echo, you sexy beast, I can’t believe it!” She pulled out the vintage Barbie skates from the box, waving them over her head. They were hard to find, but I saw them in a consignment shop, and I knew they would be perfect for a woman who had to grow up too quickly.
“Tomorrow, we are going to the rink,” she said to Leon, and he agreed with a smile, willing to do anything for his wife.
“For you.” Asher’s hand came into my view with a little box sitting on top of his palm. I wasn’t sure what to expect from him, but I knew that whatever thoughts I had in my head were wrong. Asher wasn’t predictable like that. I opened the little box and smiled.
A key to the bar, and one to his home, were attached to a paw-shaped pet tag that read “Snow White” on one side and “My kitten forever, till death do us part” on the back.
“I love you, kitten,” he whispered in my ear, and even though I knew it, I loved hearing him say it. I turned to look at his face and saw everything I’d never known I’d wanted until him.
“I love you, magic boy.” I smiled and kissed his lips sweetly before jumping up.
“I need to pee, I’ll be right back,” I told him and left everyone to go find the bathroom. I knew there was one down in the training room, but I couldn’t remember if there was one behind the other doors or not. The first door I’d opened was the computer room, that didn’t have a bathroom, and the second door I pushed open I stood in the doorway for a few seconds before shutting it as quietly as I could and rushed away from the scene I’d just witnessed.
Mina on the counter in the kitchen, with Phillip between her legs, hands around her waist, pulling her elf onesie-clad body as close to his as she could get, kissing like they’d been holding back their feelings until that moment.
I did not see that one coming.
But then I seemed to be missing a lot of things that were right in front of my face lately.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Asher
Our time at headquarters came to an end with love and smiles on every face. Echo kept giving Phillip a knowing look, and I guessed she knew something about the master of the universe that everyone else didn’t.
Once we got home, I did something I hadn’t before, when it came to her. I made love to my woman, giving it to her slow and full of the love we both confessed that night, until we were nothing but a sweaty mess in a maze of sheets.
A few days went by and she’d been busy with the police department, who were getting ready for the big Seahill New Year’s Eve party. New York had once been the hot spot for ringing in the New Year, but Seahill had quickly taken over the big day, even with the uproar of haters of people with gifts. Echo said they were still expecting the night to be a madhouse.
My bar was packed like it had been for the past few New Year’s Eves. I turned on the only TV in the room, changing it to the channel where the ball would drop from the Griffin Enterprises building, signaling the New Year.
I wished I could spend it with Echo, but after the bar closed and the people started to head out to celebrate in their homes, she would be back in my arms.
The booze was flowing, and the registers were ringing. This night was going to set my bar in a good place for months.
“Some water, please,” a feminine voice called out from my right. My head registered it as familiar and my head snapped up from the glasses I’d set out. Sarah Burke was sitting there, alone.
“Mrs. Burke.” I filled her a glass of water and set it in front of her gloved hands. Apparently she’d just gotten here.
“Thank you.” She took a sip and looked like she wanted to chat with me, but I was too busy for that.
My employees were rushing around helping people left and right. Tonight wasn’t the time for conversation.
“I can see you’re busy, but I came to warn you about Echo. I called the police to let them know what I’d heard, and they said they would have it covered, but I wasn’t convinced.” Her words were rushed, and urgent.
“What is going on?” I stopped everything I was doing, focusing on the energy around her and around the room, scanning for danger.
“A man came in and confessed to my husband that he had voices in his head and couldn’t stop thinking about killing all the people with powers tonight in the city square when the ball drops. I didn’t catch his name, and my husband wouldn’t tell me. He’s still keeping secrets, but I’ve felt the pain of losing someone close to you, and I couldn’t let someone else go through that. Innocent people will probably die tonight. You need to tell her; I know she will take me seriously.” Her face held the horror that was settling in my chest. My Echo was in danger, and everyone else in that square was, too.
“Is there anything else you can tell me about the man?”
“He’d been a part of our church before Robert took over as pastor, and I saw him a few times after he started coming back. But something about him told me to stay away. I remember his eyes leering on Amanda though. I meant to get his name, but I had more pressing matters going on.” Like her husband cheating on her, and Amanda’s passing.
“Is there anything else? What does he look like?” I was hanging on by a thread, the need to run to the square and shield Echo with my body burning through me like a wildfire.
Sarah nodded, and leaned over the bar slightly so I could hear better.
“He wears dress clothes, and black polished loafers like Robert’s. He has a bald head, and not in great shape. His mannerisms were methodical and have always seemed off to me. I’m sorry I don’t know his name. Robert usually kept me away from him, now that I think about it.”