Chapter Twenty-One
Echo
“One day when shit calms down in the city, Leon and I are going to take off on a boat for a week. Have a real honeymoon you know?” She bit into her burrito, then sipped some of her orange soda.
If I had to be subjected to spying on poor AJ at least I would get a meal out of it.
AJ and his date had decided to go to the roller rink, one that had black light skating until 2:00 a.m. They looked like they were having a fun time, and it kinda made me wish I had gotten to experience this type of fun dating when I was a teen.
“Hopefully things will calm down for you guys,” I commented and stuffed a loaded nacho chip in my mouth.
Lilith was strange, but after the first few awkward minutes in the car, I’d started to feel out her character. She was certifiably crazy, but she had a good heart. Spying on AJ was mostly an excuse to hang out with a friend. Rose was busy with Draco at the moment, so she couldn’t go out, but promised a girls’ night with us soon. A girls’ night. Never had one of those before.
“I know the feeling, too,” she muttered softly. Her smile wasn’t as big as it normally was.
“What feeling?” I asked, even though I’m pretty sure we both knew what feelings I was talking about.
“The hurt that comes from knowing you didn’t get those innocent teen years like everyone else. Your parents were murdered, and mine sold me to an asshole. We both grew up in ways we shouldn’t have. It sucks, but it’s over and done. Can’t move on to a better future if you’ve got a boot stuck in the past.”
The feelings were real. I’d done some background checks on the crew of the Hero Society. If I was going to work with them, I wanted to have a little knowledge of who they were. Lilith’s story was sort of known. Ezra Alistair was not a friend of Seahill P.D., and we’d always wanted to take him down but couldn’t. Everyone had heard about his little bird, the spy that could kill twenty men in the three minutes it took a song to finish, but in just that sentence I knew more about her than before.
She was like me, but she’d found her way to deal, and live life the way she wanted. She didn’t hide. If that made her crazy then what the hell, she owned it.
“Oh God, I can’t watch! I think he’s going in for the kiss,” she shrieked, and I couldn’t help but laugh.
AJ did go in for a kiss, and it lasted all of two seconds. A cute and sweet first kiss for a teenager.
“You don’t seem the type that minds personal questions, so I’m going to be straight.” I had no female friends since my parents died. So, I had no one to talk to about stuff, and if this was going to work, I needed to make it work.
“How did you push your issues out of the way to be intimate with Leon, especially given that his powers could hurt you?” I wanted more with Asher, but I was nervous about my powers. Changing into some animal randomly during sex would be awful. Plus, I had pushed away people for so long that it felt unnatural to be close. Earlier proved I wasn’t ready, and he knew it. But I wanted to be. For the first time in what seemed like forever, I wanted to let it all go and just enjoy.
“Leon would never hurt me. Maybe everything around us, sure. But I think you and I are both alike in that we know who’s evil, and we know who isn’t. You can just tell. Leon has always been something special in my eyes. I knew right away that he was meant for me. He wouldn’t hurt me, and he would treat me with care but not like a porcelain doll. There is nothing that hurts more than being treated like you’re damaged.”
She nailed those words on the head.
Everyone treated me like I was a sad little girl who lost her parents.
I did lose them, and it hurt. But I kept moving, became stronger getting and honoring their memory by trying to keep their fate from happening to others.
Asher never saw me as a pity case, even when I was just a cat. He saved me, and took care of me, but never poor-kittied me. He would tell me how strong I was, and that I could do it. That I would make it.
“If you’re willing to try for whatever guy you have deemed worthy, then, girl, get cracking, because he will be sure to rock your world.” Lilith grinned and then reached into her small purse.
“Change of subject for a minute then we can talk about sex all you want. Janie asked if I would give you this. She’s been adjusting nicely to her apartment and has even asked if she could cook for us. Turns out she has always wanted to dabble in culinary arts.” She pulled out a small drive and set it on the table in front of me.
“She’s been typing up the book that the guys who took her wanted. Thought it might help you figure out why they wanted her.”
More puzzles. I took the drive and shoved it in my pocket. I’d take a look at it later, see what was so important about it to be worth kidnapping and murder.
I took a deep breath as I thought about how much I had going on.
“I feel ya.” Lilith sighed too.
“How’s everything going with the crew?” I’d heard about some assists with our P.D. that they did. Nothing major, just here-and-there help.
“Phillip is working like mad, but still holding on to that one future he deems is the best, no matter what shit we will go through until then. Mina and AJ are good, as you can see.” She spared a glance at AJ and his date playing in the arcade together.
“Rose is okay. She’s been having some issues with her powers lately. Emotion are high in the city, and it’s making her feel off. Charles is either working on tech stuff or working out, trying to strengthen his legs as much as he can. He went from being paralyzed to walking. Still don’t know who it did, but we are okay with that, given the benefits.”
Then she ate some food and seemed to get lost in thought.
“Leon and Draco are having the hardest time. Both want to protect their own, while protecting humanity, but don’t like being around a bunch of people. Recluses.” She shook her head.
I’d been close to a recluse for a while, but the P.D. kept me out and about among man every day.
“You doing okay with all the attention the Society is getting?” I asked. She had mentioned everyone except herself.
Her brown eyes looked at me, and I saw a woman who’d lived a hard life inside them.
“I’m good; it’s just hard seeing those you’ve come to care about hurting, even a little. But I’d rather still be in their lives and have those friendships than not. Ya know?”
I nodded, even though it was something I was still working on.
“Back to the fun topics. Tell me all about this magic man I keep hearing about.” Lilith threw some food in her mouth and waited for me to give her the lowdown on my crush.