Page 4 of Starry with a Chance of Nightshade

“I don’t know,” admitted Stratton, letting his power up a little more. “But something isn’t right. The sensation is similar to what I get when I’m near a cemetery. Is there one close to here?”

“Down the road,” said Drest. “Far enough that you shouldn’t be feeling it.”

“Are you getting anything?” he asked, his gaze sliding to his cousin.

“No, but I’ve not been operating at full strength for some time,” said Drest.

This was the first Stratton was hearing of Drest’s power problems. He nearly questioned him about it but stopped, his gaze flickering to Rachael. If she was expecting Drest’s child, it would naturally draw upon Drest’s energy. Such was the way of it for Fae children. It would pull additional resources from Drest if the other parent wasn’t Fae or had very little in them.

Drest caught him looking at Rachael. “Leave it be. We can discuss it later.”

“Something tells me we should have talked about it months ago,” returned Stratton with a grunt.

A series of loud bangs and a clattering noise came from below them. It sounded like someone was operating a steam engine in the basement. That or something was about to detonate.

ChapterTwo

Stratton

Stratton braced himself,thinking there might actually be an explosion.

Drest covered the distance to Rachael, standing closer than was considered polite. He put himself between the woman and the basement door in a protective manner. His hands found her shoulders. “Rachael, honey, tell me Henry’s not conducting experiments down there again.”

“Honey?” echoed Stratton, positive he’d heard his cousin wrong.

Drest ignored him.

Rachael’s worried gaze darted to Stratton.

“Honey, look at me,” said Drest, confirming Stratton did indeed hear his pet-name the woman. “Don’t worry about him. I need to know what your brother is doing down there. Tell me it’s not what I think it is. I know Henry has talked about re-creating Victor’s experiments, but he’d never really bethatfoolish, would he? It’s forbidden for a reason.”

Already the family’s past transgressions had left countless lives lost, and Stratton, Drest, and others like them hunting monsters. If someone in the family was trying to catch lightning in a bottle (pun intended) again, it meant they might very well have ties to the murders in the city. It also meant the family would be made to stand before a council that would decide their fate, and Drest could end up stationed out of Siberia—or worse.

“Drest,” Rachael said, her hand going to his forearm. “Henry’s not himself. Not after what happened to Amice. He’s always been passionate about certain things, and—”

Drest stiffened. “He’s been adamant that the rules and restrictions shouldn’t be in place.”

She nodded. “Our father understood what had to be. When he was still alive, Dad was able to talk Henry off the ledge of insanity. Amice was good at it too, but even she got tired of trying to constantly rein him in. I couldn’t blame her. He’s a handful. I know.”

“He’s your older brother,” said Drest, his nostrils flaring. “He should be the one looking out for you. Not the other way around.”

She touched his chest. “I know, but he’s family and he’d never hurt me. You know that.”

“I’m starting to wonder if that’s true,” said Drest, looking her over. He then cupped her face gently. “I hate that I’ve not been able to be here to help with everything. I swear, I’m working on finding a way that we can finally be—”

Stratton lifted a hand. “Don’t finish that sentence because later when I’m asked about this, I want to have plausible deniability.”

Drest cast him an unamused look.

Rachael’s hands went to her swollen stomach. “Henry isn’t happy aboutthis. I think he’s figured out that, um, well, you know.”

Stratton took a deep breath. She was going out of her way to avoid naming Drest as the father. He was sure of it. “Shit,” he muttered. “I mean, on one hand, congratulations, on the other, what in the hell were you thinking, Drest? You should have told me.”

“Because you’d take the news so well?” asked Drest with a pointed stare.

Stratton grunted. “Well, I know now. Means I’m an accomplice. What can I do to help and what in the hell is making all that ruckus downstairs? Is someone down there doing what I really hope they are not, or did someone take up an interest in steam engines?”

Rachael rubbed her belly with one hand and the other went to her back. It was evident she was uncomfortable.

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