25
"Our first task will be finding out what the police know about the elf responsible for both the downtown shooting and the attack in the elf district." Father instructed.
"Father we need to let the authorities handle this." I pressed.
"The authorities are corrupt." Father said. I shook my head.
"Kandomere is doing all he can. Da, let his help." I said lightly. Mother crossed her arms and tilted her head, eyes curious.
"Your mate is a police officer?" she asked. Nick snorted.
"Better. Homeland Security: Magic Task Force." he said. Father's body stiffened, and he whipped his head at me.
"Government?" he asked, and I nodded.
"Yes, you ALL met him at the hospital after the shooting. I have complete faith in him that he will stop those responsible." I said. Father and Mother looked at each other with confused looks.
"You trust an elf to care about the welfare of the sirens?" Mother asked stepping closer to Father and I. I looked at her with hope in my eyes.
"I'm his mate. He will do all in his power to protect us." I said. Mother and Father looked at each other and I could see the skepticism in their eyes.
"I guess we will see once we meet him at the cook out." Father said.
"And we will see if he's worthy of siren trust." Mother said before turning and smiling at Nick. "Come Nick, I am sure you're hungry. I have just taken cookies out of the oven." Nick's ears flickered as his eyes brightened.
"Yes ma'am." he said and I watched my mom pull the excited orc down the hall from the den. I crossed my arms some and looked down.
"Odette. Are you sure this is the man for you?" Father asked, and I looked back up at him. He seemed worried, yet his tone was caring.
"I can't deny what I felt when he plays his music. It's either him or no one." I stated. Father leaned against his desk some and pulled out a pipe that was in one of the drawers. He lit in and I watched smoke blow from the sides of his mouth.
"A lot of elves and sirens will not understand." he said, and I took a few steps toward him.
"You've raised me to believe that anyone who sheds blood for us was worth being seen in line of sight. Kandomere was shot downtown for me. I repaid the favor by killing the siren who was about to do more damage than a lone gunman ever could." I explained. Father's eyes stared at me hard as I spoke. "He's earned the right to be by my side."
Smoke smoothly floated from my dad's nostrils as he nodded in thought.
"Hating the elves for what they've done to us is all I've ever known. They were the cause for us having to fight for our survival, they were the reason so many of us were killed and thrown into war and despair. After hundreds of years that anger, that fire that fuels our hatred for them, still burns bright. I guess we will have to prove to all of us that he's worth it." he said. "And that is all I will say about this."
At least it wasn't a rejection. Kandomere was still invited to the cookout. I nodded and looked at the clock hanging on the wall. I'd have to call Kandomere soon.
"I must go." I said and he nodded.
"I will see you soon." he said. His voice was distant, and I could tell he had a lot to think about. I moved over toward the doorway and paused and looked down some.
"Da," I said looking over my shoulder at him and he looked up at me. "I understand the seriousness of what's going on." Father dipped his head.
"I hope you understand the risk of the choices are you deciding to make." he said. I looked down some.
"You can't protect me from everything." I said, and he inhaled some and nodded.
"A father can try." he said and I gave a small smile before turning and leaving down the hall. It was big and numerous maids and butlers were moving through the house cleaning and tidying up. I found Mom and Nick in the kitchen and I was stunned to see him crunching down on a cookie. There was a large trey on the island in front of them and I could see the oil stains on the trey where about twelves cookies were already gone. I gawked some.
"Officer Jackoby we need to go." I said. Mother pouted.
"Oh what's the rush, he's a growing boy." she gushed patting the top of his stomach. I rolled my eyes.
"We have other errands to run. We will be back tomorrow night for the cookout." I informed. Nick picked up the large gallon of milk and drank it right now. I sneered.
"Your stomach is going to be so upset." I said. He let out a low burp.
"Oh excuse me. We gotta go Mrs. O, I'll be by another time." he said and Mother smiled.
"Okay. Be safe my loves." she said lovingly, and Nick followed me into the hall.
"So phone next?" he asked. I nodded. We left the house and saw Marco standing against Nick's car. He leaned off the car once he saw us and nodded.
"Staying out of trouble?" he asked.
"Aren't I always?" I asked, and he scoffed and nodded at Nick.
"Any leads on the elves responsible?" he asked. Nick sighed.
"Nah. Homeland Security took over and if there is anything new in the station, they won't tell me." he said, and Marco nodded.
"Your human partner may know something. Ask him." he said. I lifted my head some.
"Marco leave it for now. Let the police and government handle it." I said. He scoffed.
"They're run by dictators and rich thieves. We can't rely on them." he said.
"Just be patient. Right now the city is still recovering from what happened down town. Just be happy that only two of us were lost and not hundreds." I said. He sneered and looked away. He gave a squat and jumped high into the air landing on the roof of the house.
"Woah." Nick said amazed as his head followed my brother's form. I just moved to my side and waited for them to unlock the door. "How did he do that?"
"From years of adapting and mutating, we can move faster on land with the water particles in the air." I said. He looked at me as if he had more questions. "Time's running out, Nick."
"Oh right." he said and we got in his car. He handed me his phone and I dialed Kandomere's number. Yay me for remembering his number. The phone rang only two times before someone picked up.
"Kandomere." he said seriously.
"It's me. We're leaving my home and headed to the nearest phone store." I said.
"Good. Let me know when you're leaving there and heading back to my place." he said.
"Have you heard anything new in the case?" I asked.
"I can't openly say. But we are doing what we can." he said. A generic answer. He probably knew something but wasn't willing to say over the phone let alone around his people.
"I understand. See you soon." I replied and hung up the phone and handed it back to Nick.
"Tmobile is my plan and I want a new iPhone." I said.
"Anything you want." he said casually. I looked at him for a moment taking in his features.
"Thank you." I said. He glanced at me as if taken aback.
"For what?" he asked.
"For baby sitting me." I said. He smirked.
"Hey you know how many people at the station almost shit their pants when they found out I was asked by a federal agent specifically to protect someone of high importance." he said. I looked at him as if he were joking.
"High importance?" I asked. He nodded.
"Yeah: you're family of a federal agent, the head honcho of Magical Task Force itself. Even Daryl was shocked." he said and now we shared a laugh.
"Well when you put it that way." I said and he nodded.
"But you were my friends before all of this happened. I would never leave you out in the cold. You've been there for me since day one. You'll always have me." he explained seriously, and I smiled and patted his lap. As we drove I suddenly started to realize something.
"Oh my God." I said and he looked at me curiously.
"What?" he asked.
"We can't go into town, it's probably blocked off due to the shooting. There will be traffic all day." I said. He groaned and sighed.
"We'll have to go somewhere not around town. I know a place. It's low key, mostly frequented by orcs though." he said. I nodded.
"Let's do it." I said, and we drove on. We seemed to be heading toward town, but with the help of Nick's siren blazing, we manage to bend the rules a little and get to a brick shop. And he was definitely right, there were orcs swarming. I was worried only because not too many orcs favored him for becoming a cop. But seeing the car made a few orcs swarm from us. Nick was very aware as he looked around some. A few groups of orcs from across the street were eyeing us.
"We should be quick." he said taking off his seat belt. I nodded.
"Oh yeah." I agreed as we both got out.