Page 52 of New Nebraska Home

“I appreciate your condolences, sir.” The way Liz said the right words with a tone that wasn’t hostile but still told this guy to get to the fucking point was incredible.

“Yes, well. I also came to tell you about the community we are building. We call it the Temple. If you were to join our ranks and set aside your… less wholesome activities, then we could welcome you into our community, and you would have the protection of the Temple’s members.”

“And what unwholesome activities would those be?” She wasn’t backing down, and a warm sensation grew in my chest. I suppressed a smile. This woman was bold and strong and belonged to me—well, me, Cal and Malik, but still me.

She held her ground against this strange man, a shifter, I assumed by the feel of his magic and the lizard pin on his tie, and the vampire cop standing behind him with his hand on his gun. She faced them head-on, even though she didn’t have to. One word from those perfect lips, and we would handle it. She didn’t need us to.

“Well, I am sure you know about the perils of being with someone not of your kind.”

“My kind? Tell me, sir. What is my kind?”

“Well, I—” he stammered, looking at us as if we could help him. No fucking way, buddy, you are on your own.

“No, you seem to know an awful lot about me, seeing as you are taking the time to come up to me while police are rifling through my home. You speak as if you know me, and I would love to know exactly what my kind is.” She perched her hands on her hips and waited for his answer.

Zmei glowered down at her, a scowl twisting into something truly hideous.

“Alright, you are an uncouth woman shacking up with men who should be ashamed of themselves, though what can one expect from loners on the outside of their own societies? You are a lost lamb needing to find the right path before you’re slaughtered on the altar of decency.” He cleared his throat, starting to look a bit uncomfortable as Malik took a threatening step toward him. “I am here trying to give you a chance, a way to repent. Come with me and I’ll help you fix everything.”

Cal had his fangs out, his eyes glowing red in an obvious threat. Malik’s eyes glowed gold and smoke curled out of his nose and from between his lips, just hinting at the fire inside him. I just smiled as I pulled the humidity from the air and swirled it in my hands.

My power was stronger. With the humidity, the ball of water should have been about the size of a tennis ball, maybe a grapefruit, but I had two swirling basketballs in my hands, and I found I could control the temperature. I formed two large spikes and froze the tips, an obvious threat.

Zmei and the detective looked at us, the color draining from their faces as they stepped back.

“You’ll all making a mistake tonight,” the detective said.

Liz

FIGHT OR FLEE

Rage and fear swirled in my stomach, burning me from the inside out, but I said nothing as that tall, thin monster walked away. The detective spat at my feet, and I squeezed Malik’s hand, silently begging him not to do anything.

I could sense Malik’s seething desire to unleash his fury on them just as I struggled to contain my own. His control was as unyielding as mine. His strength was the only thing holding me together.

Moments after they left, the police filed out of my home one by one. Some carried plastic bags with a few of our things in them, including the brick that was thrown through the window. I said nothing. We all stood and waited until Olive came out.

“I’m sorry for the mess. I tried to control them, but… sorry. We didn’t take much, only a few things that seemed relevant, and here is your receipt. I really am sorry for this.” She hesitated for a moment before looking at me with a sad smile.

“What is it?” I asked, knowing she had something else to say.

She watched as the other cops filed out and were at their squad cars starting to leave.

“Look, I’m not going to tell you what to do. You have just as much as a right to be here as any of them…”

“But?”

“But, it might be wiser to move to a bigger city. I know the Temple is so new, mostly a backlash to the New Nebraska Agreement, but it already has a choke hold on places like this, the smaller communities. If you were to move to Omaha or maybe Bellevue, you would have more support. More of…”

“My own kind?” I finished for her, raising an eyebrow.

“A more diverse community. One that’s less likely to kill someone for not fitting into the mold they determine acceptable. Frankly, large cities have enough people that don’t give a shit what their neighbors think that hate groups like the Temple can’t get a foothold as easily.”

“I appreciate your concern,” I said. I meant it sincerely, but kind of wished she would just leave.

“Look, if you stay, I will do everything I can for you, and so will some of the others on the force, but the Temple is recruiting at an alarming rate, and perfectly normal, well-educated people are falling for their crap. Be careful.”

I nodded, and she turned and left, with the man, whom I assumed was her partner, waiting for her by her car door.

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