Page 59 of Aleko
“I think it would help build trust,” said Sebastian seriously. “I know you don’t want her to leave, but I think it’s aif you want to keep something set it freesituation.”
“I agree,” said Alex, although he didn’t admit how hard it had been to accept it. “So I got the forms that she’ll need atthe consulate and then I also got the papers for a work visa. I thought if she could see that she could be a successful translator here, she might reconsider the UN plan.”
“Nice,” said Sebastian approvingly. “She seemed really happy this morning.”
Lia had seemed happy. She had left his bed reluctantly, covering his face with a hundred kisses, and then, when no one had been looking, also kissed him on his way out the door. Alex had left the house with an unbelievable buzz of joy.
“I really think she could be happy here for at least a little while,” said Alex. He was trying to lodge it in his head that as a human, Lia probably wouldn’t stay forever. She wouldn’t be like Pellos, but he swore that he could give her years of happiness even if he what he wanted was forever.
They entered the house through the garage. The Mercedes Pellos usually drove was parked in its spot and Alex could smell that engine was still warm. If Pellos was home, it would probably save him the trip to the warehouse.
“I’ve been wondering about thelittle whilething,” said Sebastian. “Pellos and I have been talking.”
Alex groaned. Whatever Sebastian was going to say, Alex didn’t want to hear it. Why couldn’t they just let him sort this out on his own?
“It’s just really clear the Eliandra has some sort of magic,” said Sebastian.
That was true, but he didn’t see the point in talking about it. He also knew it made Lia uncomfortable to apply the word magic to herself. She was taking the Supernatural world in stride, but he didn’t think she was totally at ease in it yet.
“Bastian, where is this going?”
“Well, if she’s not a normal human and considering your reaction to her… Well, maybe you ought to consider—”
There was the sound of indistinct but angry yelling from thebasement. Alex exchanged a puzzled look with Sebastian and then stretched his legs, hurrying toward the door to the games room.
“Stop it!” yelled Pellos as Alex reached for the door handle. And then there was the sound of gunfire and Alex’s heart stopped. He hesitation was only a fraction of a second and then he yanked open the door.
“You shot Pellos!” yelled Luca.
The games room was a mess of floating papers as wind whipped in off the ocean and through the open French doors. Pellos was on the ground, blood pooling around him. Lia lifted up the snub-nosed revolver that Alex recognized as Luca’s. Her face was a mask of cold fury as she pointed the gun at the wizard. Alex didn’t think he simply reacted. He charged forward, slamming into Lia, as he reached for the gun. She went flying, bouncing off the edge of the billiard table and sprawling onto the floor.
He clutched the gun in one hand, staring at Eliandra’s unmoving body in shock. His first instinct was horror. He hadn’t meant to hit that hard. But Pellos…
Alex turned back to Pellos and saw Sebastian was kneeling over him, ripping open his shirt. Alex could see three gunshot wounds in his chest.
“First aid kit,” snapped Sebastian, looking up. “It’s under the sink. Get it now.”
Alex did as he was told. The kit was in a bright red bag that Sebastian had spent what Alex had considered too much time putting together. Sebastian had said that it never hurt to have a contingency plan. The Army left marks on everything it touched and for once Alex was happy about what it had given Sebastian.
Alex brought it back and Sebastian grabbed his hands. “Pressure, here, now. Don’t move until I tell you.”
Alex nodded. He looked around again. Something wasmissing.
“Luca, where are the Greens?” he demanded. Luca was looking at Lia thoughtfully. “Where are Trevor and Colin?”
“They jumped over the side,” said Luca, gesturing toward the edge of the cliff.
“Never mind that,” said Sebastian, ripping open some sort of bandage package. He took out his phone and thrust it at Luca. “Call for an ambulance.”
“Yes, of course,” said Luca, dialing. He put it on speaker and let Sebastian talk to the operator. The ambulance was going to be seven minutes away.
Seven minutes.
Alex looked at the blood seeping through his fingers. It had always been his worst nightmare that some part of his Supernatural life would harm Pellos. It had never occurred to him that it could be just another human.
On his new water-resistant, easy to read, watch, Alex watched the minutes tick by as Sebastian packed the wounds with various things.
“Oh, fuck,” said Sebastian, squinting out the French doors toward the ocean. Alex looked up and saw something was flying at them.
