Page 83 of Immortal Bastard

He blinked at her. “Unimpressed?”

“Well, yeah. You can’t fly. You can’t turn into a bat—”

“Why would anyone want to turn into a bat?”

“Well, maybe not a bat, but a wolf would be cool, or a bear, or—Oh!—a dinosaur! That would be awesome.”

He shook his head. “The laws of nature must be respected.”

“Oh, please. Why am I here? I mean, really, Christian? If it’s all part of God’s plan then why did God leave that bird for me to find? You can’t pick and choose what fits into your fairytale and what doesn’t.”

“It’s not a tale.”

“Well, it’s not any reality I know.” She hitched a thumb over her shoulder. “That was a fucking tragedy that turned into a fucking miracle. How can you call us miraculous, but not that? Why are we better than birds?”

“Because we are,” he snapped. “We’re the top of the food chain, stronger than any living creature.”

She glared up at him, rising on her toes. “Well, might doesn’t always equal greatness, you sanctimonious prick!”

“Do not speak to me with such filthy disrespect!”

“You’re the one who started yelling at me first!” She didn’t back down when he crowded her. “Doesn’t your faith claim we’re all God’s creatures?”

“You’re purposefully twisting things.”

“No, I’m not. Your hypocrisy folds on its own.”

“Tell me what you did, Delilah. I must know the truth.”

Detecting something more than censure in his tone, she sobered. “Why?” A cold chill passed between them and she sensed his fear. “Am I in trouble?” When he didn’t immediately say no, her worry doubled. “Christian?”

“We cannot interfere.”

“I didn’t. I mean, not really. I thought it was a vampire thing. Super manifestation or something. I swear.”

“Immortal,” he corrected.

“Whatever. I don’t even know what I did. I just wanted it to live. I didn’t do anything. Why can’t we just be happy it flew away and move on?”

He nodded. “You’re right. God works in mysterious ways. Perhaps it was just not the warbler’s time.”

But deep down she knew that bird lived because of her, not his God. And Christian—ever-present in her mind—knew it too.

CHAPTER 12

By the time they reached the house where Christian assumed the women would be, Delilah’s feet were dragging. Her steps had been sluggish since leaving the forest, and the appeal of meeting others was now overshadowed by her desire to take a nap.

Christian opened a low picket gate, and they walked along a naturally carved path leading to a colonial house with a wraparound porch. A toddler dressed in plain clothing dragged a whittled wooden horse over the planked porch. The house was new, the sharp scent of sawdust still clinging to the carpentry, and the paint not yet faded by the weather and sun.

“Brother Christian.” A beautiful woman with bright eyes smiled and stood from the rocker. “I was hoping you might visit with your new mate.”

Delilah tried not to bristle at the terminology, but she felt a little like a golden retriever brought to show and tell.

Christian nodded to the woman in greeting. “Sister Faith, this is Delilah.”

Delilah lifted a hand, unsure how their people greeted one another. “Hi.” When the woman just stared at her expectantly, she explained, “I’m the…” She couldn’t bring herself to say it. “I’m Delilah.” There was the whole Amish confusion but then the immortal mess as well. She figured less was more.

“I’m Faith, and this handsome cherub is my great grandson, Cain.” The woman smiled, brushing an adoring hand over the young boy’s head, his face hidden by the shadow of a small hat. The mind boggled that this woman wasn’t a twenty-something human.

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