Many thanks to my wonderful beta, moonflower333 :)
Fandom: The Gates
Title: Deep in the Wilds of Suburbia
Pairings: Canon
Rating: Call it PG-13
Summery: What if the paranormals had no more clue about each other's presence in the Gates than the Monahans do? Devon gets into some bad Juju and Nick and Dylan team up to track down a rogue vampire.
Disclaimer: I don't own it. I'm just borrowing it, and when I'm done I'll put it back where I found it.
A/N: Sorry it took me so long to post this. I was out of town last weekend and then I was so busy over the last week that I couldn't get to it. This coming Friday will see another chapter uploaded, though!
Chapter Fourteen: The Enemy of My Enemy
Claire and Peg looked up at the guffaws of laughter from upstairs.
"Sounds like they're having fun," Peg said and sipped her tea, a stimulating Earl Grey and nothing Devon had had any contact with, Claire had been happy to announce. "I didn't know those two were so friendly."
"You mean you didn't know Dylan was so friendly with anyone." Claire arched a brow and blew over her own steaming cup.
"Well, I wasn't going to say it."
"That was Sarah and my doing. Emily's friends with Dana, so we arranged for the boys to drive together to the father-daughter dance. Sheer brilliance if I do say so." She thought of the Teresa woman. "Mostly."
"Sneaky," Peg said in an approving voice.
"I thought so. Dylan keeps to himself too much. It's not healthy."
"Does Nick know about you and Dylan?" Peg took another sip, exaggeratedly casual. Claire smiled and shook her head.
"What about us, Peg?"
"That you're vampires, obviously."
Claire laughed and shook her head as if the very idea was beyond ridiculous. "What?"
Peg gave her a patient and knowing smile.
"I broke a hex on you last night, Claire, one you shouldn't have been able to survive. Drop the act."
Claire stared at her incredulously for a few more seconds before letting her eyes dilate and fixing Peg with a predatory stare. Devon had figured it out, too, after all. Peg gazed back with the same unnervingly confident smile.
"Alright," Claire breathed and moved the hand that rested on the table a little closer to Peg. "What is this little suicide mission about, then?"
"I cast the bones this morning and they indicated I would need an ally."
"An ally? Against Devon?"
"Against something unpleasant." She made a disgusted noise. "Casting the bones is easy. Interpreting them is a bitch. I saw signs for change and a return to old ways. Maybe that's me practicing again." She shrugged. "Signs point to trouble on the horizon, and a need for allies. You sprang to mind. I hope I'm not being foolish coming here. Those herbs are on the up and up." She nodded to the patio door. "So are the charms. They'll help you and Dylan close ranks against Devon."
"You know, Peg, there are quite a few of us who, in my situation, would never let you leave their house knowing what you know."
Peg nodded thoughtfully and shifted forward in her seat, leaning on her elbows.
"Claire? There are quite a few of us who would call up hungry spirits from the earth to pull you under, keep you there indefinitely, and feed your child to them in payment just for being what you are." She smiled benignly. "Good thing we're not like those people, huh?"
"Good thing." Claire leaned back, her eyes brown again, and wondered for the first time in fifty years if she would have the stomach to kill someone. "Does Mia know?"
"Yes. She knows almost everything I do." Peg shrugged and leaned back as well, her cup and saucer in her hands. "As a result, she's learned to be very good at keeping secrets. Now, are you really going to kill me with the chief of police upstairs? You might end up having to take him out, too. What would Buckley think of you putting his new pet down?"
"Are all witches this manipulative?"
"Who's manipulating? I'm just trying to be honest."
"How long have you known?"
"Since you moved in six years ago."
"You're lying."
"No, I'm not."
"Yes you are. Your heart's pounding. You didn't know years ago. You found this out recently." Claire gasped and her eyes widened. She jabbed an accusatory finger in Peg's direction. "Devon told you!"
Peg sat up straight and plunked her cup down on the table.
"No, she—" she began, then relaxed and waved a hand. "Okay. She did. But I'm still on your side, Claire."
"Don't know why I want such a bad liar on 'my side'," Claire scoffed, and sipped her tea disdainfully.
"I am a consummate liar."
Claire let out a single, skeptical laugh and watched Peg with mirthful eyes over the rim of her teacup.
"When I say the fish was this big, people think it's an understatement," Peg insisted.
"I once convinced someone I was British royalty."
"My family is royalty."
"Ha."
"I can turn people inside out."
"Really?"
"Ha."
"Oh!"
"Seriously, Claire. I like to think we're friends. Are we?"
"Of course." Claire shrugged and rested her cup on its saucer. She folded her hands on the table and caught Peg's eyes. "But I would like to make it perfectly clear that if you harm my daughter or anyone in my family in any way, I'll skin you alive." Claire smiled.
"Remind me to give you my Grandmama's notes on tanning human hide. She had a knack for it."
Claire blinked, breaking her stare, but was spared from coming up with a response by the sound of footsteps and muffled male voices in the foyer.
"Don't say anything to Dylan," Claire hissed. "I'll let him know later."
Peg nodded.
"We're going out," Dylan announced as he preceded a smirking Nick into the main room and turned toward the short hallway that led to the garage door.
"What? Now?" Claire smiled apologetically to Peg and rose from the table to follow her husband into the hallway. Dylan turned and addressed Nick.
"There's a duffel bag behind the dryer," he murmured and pointed at the utility room. "We'll need it." Nick nodded and stepped into the room.
"You're going hunting?" Claire asked, keeping her voice low. "I hope you're going after Devon."
"No, she's left the Gates and we don't know where she's gone. You remember the… man in Franklin that's been causing all the trouble?"
"Yes."
"Well, he's been very indiscreet. Three dead bodies and not even an attempt to cover it up."
"Oh."
"Nick thinks we might be able to deal with him today."
In the utility room, Nick grunted and staggered under the weight of a scuffed and worn duffel as he pulled it out from behind the boxy machine.
"Not to heavy for you, I hope?" Dylan asked innocently. Nick hefted the strap onto his shoulder and stood up straight.
"No problem, Banana Boat," he said. He nodded to Claire. "Wish us luck."
"I'd rather come with you."
"You've got Peg to deal with," Dylan said. "And Emily to pick up soon. See what you can find out about Devon from Peg."
"I'm not just going to sit by while—"
"Claire." Dylan stepped up to her and put both hands on either side of her face, cupping it. Nick ducked discreetly into the garage. "Why can't you just be safe for a few days?"
"It's no more safe for you than it is for me."
"Please. It will make me feel better after the last few days."
"Fine. This time."
"Thank you. See about Devon. I think Peg knows more than she's let on."
He kissed her neck and followed Nick through the garage door. She heard them talking before they climbed into the car.
"What do you got in here?" Nick asked.
"Everything we could possibly need."
"Were those chains behind the washer?"
Then the car doors slammed and the big garage door groaned as it rose, drowning out any further conversation.
Peg still sat at the table sipping her tea when Claire returned and resumed her seat. She folded her hands on the table.
"So, it seems Devon is out of town for the time being," Claire said conversationally.
"Really? Where to?"
"I don't know, but she's not in the Gates."
"Huh. For how long?"
"I don't know. Dylan spoke like he expected it to be more than a quick pop into Franklin. You…" She shrugged in exaggerated innocence. "Wouldn't happen to know where she lives, would you?"
"Maybe." Peg tipped her head back and forth, setting her curls bouncing. "I might have stopped by there last night to get your hex from her."
"Oh. How industrious."
Claire sipped her tea and gazed dreamily around the room while Peg frowned down at her own mug and tapped the rim with one fingernail.
"Okay," Peg said. "We'll take my car."