Page 22 of Out of Sight

Ted snorted. “They stopped calling me Pepper when I entered university. Once I explained to my cousins what it referred to, they were appalled.”

“Yeah, nothing like making racism cute.”

Ted sighed. “If I got freaked out every time an old Russian said something racist, I would have an aneurysm. It isn’t worth my outrage, and most of them have learned over time. All I can hope is that I have left them a little more open to the world around them after each meeting.”

Nemia smiled. “I wonder how many other women out there are stuck like you were.”

Ted froze. “I will look into that tomorrow. Well, I will send the search out tonight.”

Mik said, “I will look. You rest. Go, do family things. If one of them is out there and needs help, I will find her.”

Ted looked at the seriousness in Mik’s features, and she felt relief. She wasn’t alone in this anymore.

Mik smiled and wiggled her fingers. “Go. Visit. Reclaim part of your life. I will be in touch in the morning.”

Ted closed her eyes. “Thank you for that. I will thank Arwell and Win as well. Maybe a nice fruit basket.”

Mik grinned. “I like fruit.”

“Arwell is gone?”

“Yes, she’s picking up her son from school. Her mates are still courting and aren’t able to pick him up yet.”

Ted blinked. “She has a son?”

“She does. Adopted, but very much hers. I saw him at a local convention a few weeks ago. He’s cute. His sister was adopted by one of the red djinn. They were both rescued from somewhere that neither mother explains.”

“I didn’t think about you having kids.”

“Win is waiting for her next heat to get pregnant. She wants to transform Alexi before she lets a little one start forming.” Mik smiled. “A lot of the ladies are into families now that they have partners who will carry part of the load.”

“Transform?”

“Yes, she is compelled to make Alexi into something else, and it was finally decided that it should be an earth-born djinn. They just had to wait for life-fire to be clear, and she just had her little boy, so she’s good to burn off his humanity.”

“Wow. Sounds painful.”

“It might be. He’s up for it. He’s part of a triad with a dragon and the dragon’s omega, and they are both for the change.”

“Why is Win so keen?”

“The magic has been giving her a compulsion. She’s the blood witch, and that does funny things to her mind. She also has a light elite mate. One of only two so far. Luna doesn’t count.”

Ted smiled. “Yeah, hers are more of a power supply.”

Mik chuckled. “I keep forgetting that you have seen it all. Is there anyone you want to see after your father?”

“Yeah. My cousin Lucia hasn’t been coming to family gatherings. I am getting a little worried, but no one else is worried, so I want to talk to her.”

Mik nodded slowly. “Okay. If you need help tracking her down, I know a shit-ton of people who can help.”

“I have your number.”

“Good. Don’t hesitate to use it. I have gotten into flitting from disaster to disaster.”

Ted looked at the orcs lined up and talking to Avor and Ekhart. “What are you going to do about talk, green, and pretty?”

“I will figure something out, but I am not getting with a guy who can’t support himself. That way lies madness. So the new arrivals will get sorted and figure out what they want to do, and I will continue to have fun being me. It is remarkable fun, by the way.”