Page 18 of Wonder
When I helped him remove his scrubs, I braced myself to see additional bite scars. But there were many, many more than I’d anticipated. He hardly had any unmarked skin, including his scalp. My stomach roiled at the realization of why his head had been shaved. He was so thin I felt like he would break if Simon dropped him.
Other than his pointed ears and his eyes, which had purple irises and vertical pupils, Nicky could pass for human. He didn’t have any body hair at all. Had he even gone through puberty?I had no idea about the life cycle of Elves, but if he’d been this malnourished for all those decades, he might not have been able to experience puberty on time.
I forced myself to keep smiling and show Nicky how to use the pump on the bottle of shower gel. He inhaled the honeysuckle scent and eagerly used the washcloth to spread it all over himself, including his head. Simon and I didn’t correct him. He could use the shampoo next time.
We ended up draining and refilling the tub twice before Nicky deemed himself clean. He was tired afterward but didn’t want to be alone, so we got him set up on the couch with a blanket and a pillow. Tia fussed over him, and Nicky gazed at her like she was the most amazing person he'd ever met.
Simon retrieved his clothes from the minivan and took his own shower. After changing Nicky’s sheets, I cleaned up as well.
The others were waiting for us at the kitchen table. They’d been sharing a plate of quesadillas Tia must’ve whipped up. Shane had a glass of wine in front of him, as did Tia, but Jackson was drinking water.
When she saw Simon, Tia popped up out of her chair. “Simon, dear, do you eat human food too, or only blood?”
He smiled at her, but it wasn’t the over-the-top smile he’d been giving me all day. “I eat regular food as well. Thank you for checking though.”
She nodded. “Okay, and do you need blood this evening?”
I froze. Oh, shit. He’d expended a lot of energy today. He probably did need blood. I vaguely remembered someoneposting in Discord about a blood bag drive for Simon, but that wouldn’t have been local.
“I already had some, ma’am. I got a bag out of the little fridge in my minivan.”
I scowled. “You need to move those to the refrigerator in the kitchen. What if your minivan’s battery runs down? Plus it’s more convenient.”
I got another megawatt smile. “Thank you, Reno. I’ll go get them after dinner.”
Tia urged us to sit down and eat. I was tired, but I forgot that she wouldn’t be. We were halfway through the meal when she started. “Simon, what are you plans for after this?”
He cocked his head and his eyebrows scrunched up. “After what?”
She waved her fork in the direction of the couch. “After the last of Nicky’s kidnappers are... dealt with. Are you and Reno planning to stay here, or do you call somewhere else home?”
My head shot up. “Tia Esperanza! What the hell?” I should’ve known if I brought houseguests home so soon after my renovations, she’d decide one of them was my mate. However, when I turned my head to apologize to Simon, he wouldn’t meet my eyes.
“Simon?”
He sighed and finally looked at me. “I’m sorry, Reno. There hasn’t been a chance to talk to you about it.”
“Excuse me? Aboutwhat?”
NICE, FRANCE – NOVEMBER, 1949
The Seer worked out of the back room of a tiny nightclub on the outskirts of Old Town. I hadn’t been sure exactly what abilities King Domhnull had instructed his emissaries to give the humans, but the Wonders whispered that some of the new magic carriers were starting to make themselves known. As soon as I’d heard rumors of a true Seer, I’d paused my search for theluchd-òl folaand looked for the Seer instead.
In Paris I’d lucked out, running into a bear shifter who’d met the Seer herself. I’d come straight here.
The Wonder at the door—a gargoyle in his human form—was less than impressed by my request to see Madame Vivienne, but a fistful of francs made him suddenly cooperative. “You’ll have to wait. She has another guest. Have a drink or two at the bar, and someone will come for you when she’s ready.”
I kept my eye roll to myself. They wanted me to spend more money. No matter. Everyone was trying to get by. I ordered a Sidecar, which I’d become fond of in the past few years. I didn’t dare drink more than one though, because I needed to feed and I’d get drunk way too fast. I hated feeding from Wonders without them agreeing to it, so I only took enough to get by.Which was stupid for someone who needed to be able to fight, but so far I hadn’t been able to convince myself to take more than I needed in any particular moment.
The bartender left me alone to watch the guy at the piano listlessly singing Hank Williams’ “Lost Highway” translated into French.
After about twenty minutes the bartender came back and pointed at a curtained alcove to one side of the stage. I paid for my drink and left him a generous tip. I still had some of King Domhnull’s gold and jewels left, but selling them made me more memorable than I was comfortable with. A year or so ago I’d learned to find underground gambling rooms in large cities. It was easy enough to mesmerize a human into playing badly. I made sure to only prey on those who could afford it, and I’d had no trouble staying flush with cash.
Madame Vivienne was younger than I’d expected. She wore a cream silk evening gown with a lace shawl around her shoulders. A black silk turban with a blue gemstone in the center was wrapped around her head, and a matching gem graced the choker that mostly covered her prominent Adam’s apple. She sat at a small table draped with more silk, and a shallow bowl of water sat in the center.
“Come in. Please sit.” Her voice was low, with an affected highbrow accent. She gestured regally at the chair opposite hers, and I sat as she examined me. Her eyebrows went up. “I have not met your kind before.”
“I am no threat to you, madame. I need your help.” I smiled reassuringly as I set my small pack on the floor beside my chair. Most of my things were back at the inn, but I preferred to keep my money and thedèideag dìonwith me.
