Archer caught Lyra’s attention.“I need to take Jeremy to my condo.I can Leap us to the car, and then you’ll have to drive it to the condo.”
In a flash, they were standing by the Aston Martin.
Marik said, “Take me with you.Please.”His pained gaze went to Jeremy.“I need to be with him.”
Archer nodded, handing Lyra his keys.“I can manage two but that’s all.I’m shattered.”
“What about the baby?”Lyra asked.“We don’t have a car seat.”
Marik said, “I’ll hold her.”He took her from Lyra and gave Archer a pleading look.“Two and a half?”
Archer put a hand on Marik’s arm and Jeremy’s forehead, and they vanished.
10
Archer gotMarikand Jeremy settled into the guest room and, with great frustration, left them alone.He could do nothing to heal his brother’s stripped wings or his wounded soul; all he could do was take the baby so they couldhave time alone together.And now here he was,in the living room holding the baby.She gripped his finger, her eyes wide as she gazed up at him.Well, this was certainly not anything he imaginedhe’dbe doing.It was odd…butnot unpleasant.That was as surprising as anything else about this.
Despite the fact thathis brother was home, he felt empty.Lyra had called to let him know that her twin brother would be meeting them there, so when the doorbell rang and he found two men, one young Dragon and one older Deuce,and aDeucewoman, he assumed theDragonwasLyra’stwin.
Kirin rushed right past him, scanning the living room.“Where’s Lyra?”
“She should be here any minute.She’sdriving here.”
The sight of the baby obviously confused Kirin, but he focused on Archer.“All she told me was that everything was all right‘but that it’s freaky.’What does that mean?Who are you?”
The door opened, and the sight of Lyra filled the hollowness Archer had just been feeling.Though Kirin started pelting her with questions, she headed directly to Archerwith that singular focus he knew her for.“How is Jeremy?”
He heard her genuine concern, which he appreciated, but her worry pressed onhischest like a cement block.“SinceI’veneverknownanyonewho hadtheir wings stripped,Idon’tknow what the repercussions are.But for now,he’sall right.”
For now…
She darted back to the open doorway, out into the hallway, and returned with Stein, her arm looped around his to help him.Kirin swooped in to help, guiding the old man to the couch.
“Pop, are you okay?”
The man could only nod as he gingerly walked.
When the baby began to fuss,Lyra’s gaze shottoher.“Oh, sweetheart, you’resafenow.”Shetookthe baby, cradling her like a natural, and she instantly calmed in Lyra’s arms.
“She loves your energy.”
Lyra’s and Archer’sgazes met for a few seconds, electrifying and unsettling at once.Then she glanced toward her twin brother, who wassettlingtheir fatheronthe sofa.The woman and older man followed them over.Lyra took Archer’s handand led him over to them.
Kirin turned to Lyra.“Who’sthe Caido?What happened to Pop?Where’dyou get the baby?”
Lyraglanced towardArcher.“This isArcher, and hehelped me find Pop.I…couldn’thave done it without him.”Pain throbbed as she transmitted how much more there was to their relationship.“We don’t know what happened yet that caused the mess in Pop’s roomor understand exactly what happened.”
The man who was with Kirin lifted his hand, his guilt jabbing Archer.“That was my doing, I’m afraid.”When everyone looked at him, he said,“I’m Huff, Ellie’s father.”He nodded to the attractive brunette beside him.
“Ellie is Kirin’s”—Lyra assessed the way they were standing, his posture possessive and protective—”girlfriend.”
Huff pointed at Stein, anger rippling across his face.“When I found Tara’s diary and discovered she was pregnant with your child, I knew you killed her.I created a tulpa to scare you into confessing.”His anger morphed to shame.“But it broke out of my control.”
Stein clutched the arm of the sofa, his face tensing in anger.“She was pregnant withyourchild, you idiot.We never so much as kissed!”He wheezed, catching his breath.“She was terrified of your reaction.Not only because of the surprise late-in-life pregnancy, but also becauseshe’dfound out the baby was Dragon.”
“I saw her diary.She wrote‘I’mpregnant!Must talk toStein,’”Huff said.
“She came to me because she had no one else to confide in.Shewasn’tgoing toterminatethe pregnancy, but shedidn’twant to lose you either.She’dalready given up so much.Tara heard a powerful Caido might be able to change the fetus’s essence fromDragon to Deuce.The only way it could work was because the babyhad DeuceDNA, too.Your DNA.When she disappeared, I thoughtshe’dtaken desperate measures.”
