DIRE : SEED (The Dire Saga Book 2) (35 page)

Anya giggled. I watched, leaning against the wall and helping myself to spoonfuls of sugary cold goodness.

The van started up outside, and I frowned. “Dire’s armor is in there.”

Martin jerked his face free for a second.“They’re just doin’ a beer run!”

The reprieve didn’t last, as Minna hauled him upstairs toward the bedrooms. With one last ‘eh, what can you do’ expression on his face, he let himself be dragged along.

I looked at Anya. Anya looked at me. We both looked at the big television in the corner.

“Mr. Roberts?” She asked me.

“Sure, let’s see if he’s on.” I could use a reminder that someone liked me, just the way I was.

We had to turn up the volume to drown out the racket from upstairs. Minna was being pretty noisy.

Much later, with Anya curled up and sleeping in my lap, I heard feet tread on the stairs behind me. I glanced over to see Martin, wearing one of Minna’s fuzzy bathrobes, working his way down. He nodded at me, a big-ass grin on his face.

I scooted over on the overstuffed couch, ignoring Anya’s sleepy protests. “Dire is starting to get a little concerned about Vorpal and Bunny. They’ve been gone for hours! Not answering their phones, either.”

Martin laughed, folding himself into the couch. “Relax. Vorpal just got out of a serious fight. Most people who come through life or death shit, they got ways of celebrating once they’re clear. Probably won’t see them till tomorrow.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

He shook his head. “Jesus. Keep forgetting how young you are. Feels like the birds and the bees talk... ah, hell with it. They found a hotel somewheres and they’re fucking like weasels.”

“Oh.” That made sense, I supposed. “Odd. They could have just used one of the bedrooms.”

“They’re bein’ polite.”

“Dire wouldn’t have cared.”

“I would’ve. Well, before I found out Minna was here, I mean.” His grin had nothing to do with modesty.

I chuckled. “That’s good then. Was a bit concerned for you.”

“Yeah?” He studied me for a moment, grin shrinking a bit. “You’re... okay with this?”

“Yes, why wouldn’t she— oh.”

I think I understood what he was asking. He was asking if I was going to be jealous, due to his sexual relationship with Minna. I gave it consideration.

“Yes. She’s fine with it.”

“Good.” Martin glanced upward. “Sounds like her shower’s stopped. Guess it’s time for round four.” He stood, then glanced down toward Anya. “I’ll put her to bed before round four if you want.”

I nodded. “Please. Dire’s legs have been numb for the last hour or so.”

With her gone, I turned down the volume on the public television channel I’d been watching, and let a documentary on lemurs bore me to sleep.

In the morning I woke before the others, headed down to the lake, studied the landscape across the water. No sign that a costumed battle had taken place there the other day, or any sign that life had changed because of it. Just boats out on the lake, revelers on vacation, and the woods beyond. I gathered small stones up, and cast them across the rippling water.

What a week!

I’d gained a fortune by the average person’s standards, enough seed money to cement the wealth I’d need to begin my major projects. I’d gained another nemesis, in the form of the fickle and foolish Timetripper. I’d battled with heroes, dug up an unlikely truth about a corporate mogul. I’d gained and lost a time machine within a matter of days, and saved three friends from fates worse than death. Four if you counted Anya, though her fate probably wouldn’t have been horrible.

Plunk! A stone sunk into the depths. No, not horrible, but not
right
, either. To be raised by her mother’s rapist and murderer... no, I’d saved her from that. Couldn’t see any way he would have made a good parent.

I’d also gained a new friend, and made some contacts. All at the cost of a few painful beatings, a lot of equipment, a fully-stocked lair, and much effort. It had been worth it, but so many parts of it had been touch and go. Sloppy. Risky.

“She’ll do better next time,” I muttered.

And then there had been Vector. I hadn’t planned the final confrontation at all, and it hadn’t gone the way I expected. I’d come prepared for a blustering, prideful, jerk of a villain with megalomaniacal schemes and a last-ditch fight with the world at stake. Instead I’d found a man. Just a man, who wanted to change the world and wouldn’t take ‘no’ for an answer.

Had I made the right choice there? I thought so, but only time would tell.

Tires crunching on the road, and I headed up to the back of the cabin, stared through the patio doors as the van pulled up, and Bunny and Vorpal piled out. The heat in their eyes as they looked at each other was visible even from this distance, and I chuckled to see it.

They bore with them buckets of fried chicken, and the smell drew the others down from upstairs. I watched Martin and Minna greet them, Anya following behind, thumb planted firmly in her tiny mouth.

I put a hand on the glass, smiled. I’d go in and join them in a bit, but for now it was enough to watch them. Enough to know they were happy.

Today we'd celebrate.

Tomorrow, the
real
work would begin.

AUTHOR’S NOTE

Thank you for reading DIRE:SEED! I am grateful for your patronage.

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Andrew Seiple