Page 115 of Changeling
“So, where to next?” Nathan asked, more than ready to hit open road again even though the sun had barely risen. He shifted into drive and took off out of the parking lot. “Pit stop at the Gatehouse?”
Sasha was kicked back and lying down in the backseat, hoping to wait out his pounding head and slightly upset stomach—though food had helped. Jim looked maybe a little less worse for the wear, but he still leaned the front seat back as far as he could and closed his eyes.
“Yeah…head toward the Gatehouse,” Jim said.
“I’m chauffeuring the living dead today, is it?” Nathan snarked.
“It’ll be on our way,” Jim replied, eyes still closed, “to Colorado.”
“Hn, okay, psychic boy,” Nathan said as he hit the highway, “and what are we gonna find in Colorado? Sidhe obviously, but—”
“I’m not sure. Just…a feeling that it’s the last place we need to be. There are a few sidhe before we reach the Gatehouse, but then…everything’s in Colorado. I’ll let you know when we get close to anything.”
It was cool, Nathan could admit it, the way Jim could just do that, just know where the baddies were, bring them there, and thenbam, team effort to take care of it. Well, sometimes a team effort. Usually Jim handled things fairly well on his own. But as awesome as the superpowers could be, it was still kind of unsettling, especially since Jim was so casual about it lately.
“I know where the line is, Nate,” Jim said, as if he was right inside Nathan’s head, “and I’m not about to cross it. Malak doesn’t own me. He’s never gonna get me. Or you. He might have triggered the powers but they’re mine now and I know how to use them. I refuse to let some bastard change that.”
A shiver ran down Nathan’s spine to hear Jim’s words and the familiarity of that conviction. “Sidhe along the way, Gatehouse, Colorado. Got it.”
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Jim’s head turn to look at him, felt those dark eyes just staring. He knew they were pleading with him for something, he just didn’t know what for. When Nathan finally dared look and met his brother’s gaze, there was no doubt in him at all that the man sitting next to him was his brother, wholly and completely. And Nathan would do anything to make sure it stayed that way.
For a brief moment, Nathan reached over to Jim’s knee and squeezed reassurance. Then he gave Jim’s leg a firm push and said, “Dude, read a book or something, you’re creeping me out.”
Jim laughed.
The car grew quiet as Nathan’s companions dozed, and he became lulled by their soft snores. He’d wake one of them up to take a driving shift later. Maybe. For now he enjoyed knowing that the things he loved most were safe and with him.
Chapter 44
Theypulleduptothe Gatehouse a week and half a dozen sidhe later, and Nathan was famished. There were several other cars parked around the grounds this time. Nathan could feel the tension radiating off of Jim and Sasha as they got out of the car. Even though Jim had been the one to suggest this stopping point, it was still dangerous for either of them to be around seals.
“I’d never let any of them hurt you,” Nathan heard Jim say to Sasha. It was said in that low, dangerous tone of Jim’s that Nathan often tried to pretend his brother didn’t have.
“Don’t say that so much like a threat,” Nathan said, bucking Jim with his shoulder as they headed for the door.
“I’m just saying,” Jim defended. “If there was ever any trouble, I could handle it. My powers aren’t stunted in the Gatehouse.”
“But they’re still unpredictable,” Nathan said. “So cool those jets, Rocket Boy. We’re just here for a meal and Alex’s good company.”
There was no one immediately visible behind the bar when they entered, but Alex had obviously set out several more tables than they remembered, and a number of them were occupied with one or more seals—usually just one doing his or her own thing. It was customary that they pretty much all glanced up to gauge newcomers, but their gazes didn’t remain long.
By the time they reached the empty bar, Alex appeared out of one of the doorways carrying a couple of boxes. She looked good; better than good—great. Her dark brown hair bounced around her shoulders, curled at the ends, and Nathan noticed in appreciation that she was wearing a new leather jacket, dark grey and vintage.
Her eyebrows lifted when she saw them. “Well, I’ll be. Don’t look too dead, I see. Still don’t know how to use a phone?” She went straight for behind the bar and set her boxes down beneath the counter. Her expression was trapped somewhere between amused and annoyed so Nathan could tell she was happy to see them.
“Good to see you too, Alex,” Sasha said, sliding onto a stool. “Place looks like it’s back to normal. Good crowd.”
“Hn,” Alex huffed. “And I’m barely keeping up. Sure could use a vacation.”
“Maybe you could come with us,” Jim said without a single word or glance of warning.
Nathan nearly slipped off his own stool as he turned to stare at his brother.
Alex looked equally shocked. “You need my help?”
“We wouldn’t turn it away.” Jim shrugged, averting his gaze from time to time as he spoke, but appearing far more confident than usual where Alex was concerned. “We’re on our way to Colorado. I think it might be the last place we need to go to get Nathan’s mark removed. If you’re interested, we can fill you inon what’s been happening and…well…it’d be nice to have you along.”
A smile spread wide across Alex’s face; she didn’t make much effort to hide it. “Sounds wonderful. I really need an assistant around here, but I’m due to shut the place down for a few days again. Why don’t you boys head into the side lounge, let me finish up a few things, and we’ll talk.” She passed her gaze over all of them, but Nathan saw the way color flushed to her cheeks when she looked again at Jim.
