A stiff wind whistled up the narrow street driving the heavy rain through the small chinks in the armor that was her cloak. She turned her back to the storm, and used the thick leather hood to shield her hands. Fingers trembling from the cold, she re-read the single line printed on the rain-soaked slip of paper. Peeking around the edge of her hood she noted the four metal numbers mounted diagonally beside the door of the blue-grey structure. A cottage, she recalled the type. It was small, not even a young dragon’s wingspan, with white trim and a reddish brown layer of tiles covering the low peaked roof.
‘Yes,’ she thought, ‘this is it.’
Around her the intensity of the storm increased. Lightning split the sky, practically on top of her, yet she was unphased by either the sudden thunder clap or the driving rain. She moved so smoothly over sand, concrete and puddles that an observer would have sworn she glided. A small hand balled into a fist emerged from the folds of leather and rapped firmly on the door.
Even over the chaos of the storm her ears picked up the sound of steps followed by a metallic click. The portal opened and a giant of a young man more than two feet taller than her diminutive five feet froze in surprise, his blue eyes widening in recognition.
“Miss Raven!” he said as he pushed open the screen door for her. “What’s wrong? Is Jay okay?” She could hear the worry in his voice.
Thunder cracked as she crossed the threshold. She pushed back the hood of her cloak and took in the small, neat room filled with an oversized couch and matching armchairs. A trio of brilliantly colored and oddly shaped boards hung on a rack to her left and from beyond the aroma of fresh brewed tea tickled her nose.
Though she shivered beneath the heavy leather she managed to keep any quaver out of her mellifluous voice when she spoke. “Are you Nat Ryan?”
He appeared to be a handsome young human in his early thirties with a shock of white blonde hair worn short and spiked. He was also possibly the most powerfully build male she’d ever encountered. All he wore was short pants and a tight shirt that did nothing to hide his massive chest.
“Miss Raven? Are you okay?”
She withdrew a hand from within her personal shelter and offered him a pair of stiff cards which he took. The cards were tastefully colorful and gold embossed with elegant script that announced the deaths of Jessie Fireoak Ramirez and Diego Ramirez. Beneath each name was a short prayer she could not place.
“Forgive me,” she said softly. “My mind’s eye is clouded and memories return slowly yet urgency is required.” A spark of memory touched her and she rummaged through the various pouches and pockets hidden within the cloak. She found the object of her search and unfolded a sheet of paper. She read it aloud. “Don’t worry about Jay, she took a trip but is very much alive.”
A series of small shelves that began about two feet from the floor and progressed up to about six feet caught her eye. On each was a figurine of a girl beginning at infancy and aging to her teens. Without invitation she crossed slowly to the display and gently touched the face of the one at eye level. She knew that face and the memories flooded back. She collapsed to her knees in pain.
Powerful but gentle arms enfolded her as she sobbed and what the chill of the storm had not done, the memory of the lost of her child did. With a tremor in her voice looked up at the huge man she only now recognized and said “I must return to find and fight the hunters of my bloodline. You may come or you may stay but you are welcome to stand with us. You have always been welcomed and will always be. You are family.” She brushed away a tear and forced herself to her feet though the world pressed her down. “Will you come with me?”
“Give me five minutes.”
“Daddy?” Raven turned at the soft voice. A girl child of
perhaps six stood in the hall wearing a long pink nightgown and clutching a
stuffed dragon.
“Katie,” Nat scooped the child up and
rested her on one hip. “What is it?”
“What’s all the banging?”
“Thunder, honey, clouds bumping,
that’s all.”
“It’s loud, make it go away.”
The girl caught sight of Raven and stared at her through the same blue eyes as her father.
“Hullo,” she said. “Who are you?”
“Honey, this is Miss Raven, she’s Jay’s grandmother.”
The girl shook her head, her long blonde curls bouncing. “Nah uh, grandmas are old like Grandma Cassie,” the girl proclaimed.
“Not Jay’s grandma,” a boy of about ten wearing cutoffs and a tee shirt
came up behind his father. “’Member, she’s an elf and never gets old
like Jay’s momma.”
The soft melodious voice sweetly spoke as Raven found a steady tone, “You are correct young master Ryan, I am an elf,” she forced a smile for the children, “as is my beloved.” She choked on her words, “as was Jessy my child, as is your sister Jasmine.” She pushed
back her hair for them to see the points of her ears.
“Miss Raven, these are our children,” Nat brushed the nearly black hair out of the boy’s dark brown eyes. “Connor and …” He hefted the little girl. “Caitlyn.”
”Truly they are a blessing of the flame.” She held back her tears, “It is a pleasure to meet you both.” She gave a slight bow of her head to the children. “She has your eyes. He favors his mother. May the flame bless your bloodline.”
“Where’s mommie?” the little girl asked.
“She should be home in a minute.” Nat bent to set
the girl on her feet. “You guys get back in bed. Mommie will
come in and kiss you good night when she gets home.”
“Can mommie stop the booming?” the little girl asked.
“Mom doesn’t do weather, that’s Aunt Fuji.” Connor took his sister by the hand and
led her down the hall.
“Call her up and tell her to stop it!” the little girl demanded of her brother.
Nat looked back at Raven.
“Okay, so it might take more than five
minutes.”
“It does not matter the time we take as long as you come when I leave, thus we will
arrive at the time of my departure.” Raven watched the small ones as they disappeared into their room. “I sent word for my children and my beloved to be found and gathered
from the road.” Undoing the clasp, she removed her cloak and draped it on her arm. She took stock of her combat gear. To one side was a bag which its strap crossed over her
chest. To the other side of her form hung her clawed gauntlets. “Jasmine requested that I should come to you in person.” The tears slipped from her eyes though she held back the best she could. “I fear I am not in any condition for what is needed, my mind is clouded
in pain and anger.” She paused and steadied herself.
The sound of the screen banging brought Raven’s mind eye to open. One mind was entering. The dark hair beauty had aged well she thought as Wren open the door pulling the now damage screen closed.
Nathaniel stood like a wall between them. Wren smiled as she stepped into his arms. “If San Diego is going to act like the east coast, we really must consider moving to the South of France.” She stood on tiptoes for his kiss but something in his eyes stopped her.
He stepped back and revealed Raven standing behind him, holding her worn old leather cloak.
“Raven,” she said without inflection then turned to Nathaniel. “What is wrong?”
“Jessy and Diego are dead.”
A series of emotions flashed through Wren, she was ashamed of more than one but Raven was not here to prey.
“Jay?”
“Jay’s fine,” Nathaniel replied.
Wren faced the smaller woman.
“Raven, I am truly sorry for you loss. Is there anything we can do to help?”
“Yes Mrs Ryan,” she paused trying to keep her self from bawling. Her voice choked out, “that is why I am here.” She pushed the tears from her cheeks. “Jessy and Diego was murdered on live television about an hour before I left to summons family. Jasmine requested I come in person for her father. She told me that all of us are in great danger from something that Jessy was working on, including her father.” Raven could not hold back any longer and she wept softly, “I should not have burden your family with this. Your children need their father more than we do. Forgive me, I should not of came. I should leave.”