Halflings (26 page)

“What do they want with me?” she asked Mace in a choked sob.

He gently rubbed his hand along her back. “I don’t know. But I promise you I won’t rest until we find out.”

Three weeks and Nikki still mourned the loss of her dog. Coming home to no wagging tail and no excited barks made her world that much more empty. Especially in light of the reality surrounding his death. School had no appeal, and her grades were slipping. Dr. Richmond had cornered her on several occasions, asking if she was all right. She’d lied, of course.
But something in his tone had made her want to confess the depths of her sorrow, to explain the chaos of her life since meeting the Halflings, and to admit her lack of desire to continue this journey.

“I’m worried about you, Nikki,” Dr. Richmond said, voice echoing in the quiet stairwell as they hauled another science fair project to the gym.

She forced herself to grin over a clay volcano at him. “Is that why you elected me to stay and help you today?”

He blushed. “Too obvious, huh?” He examined the project. “High school, and we’re still making volcanoes for the science fair.”

She laughed softly. “It’s pretty cool when the vinegar hits the baking soda, and it bubbles out the top.”

He stopped. “It is cool, isn’t it?” They set the project next to the last and headed back to the science room. “I don’t recall seeing your project.”

“Oh. Actually, I didn’t have time to do one this year.”

He held the door for her. “I’ve never known you to not enter. I always looked forward to your artistic take on science, and I’d thought the fair was very exciting to you.”

“Exciting,” she echoed, then realized he was judging her words a little too closely. “I have enough excitement in my life right now.”

Lifting a lighted circuit board into his hands, he smiled. “You know, most kids think I’m easy to talk to. I’ve always liked talking to you, Nikki. You remind me of my daughter, Jessica.”

She held the door open and followed as he continued to the gym.
Time to get the focus off of me.
“I’ve met Jessica. I was a freshman when she graduated early as a junior.”

“She’s now a sophomore at Missouri University.”

“Oh, that’s nice.” She squirmed, trying to access some question about college. Before the school year began, she’d had a thousand of them. Now, nothing came to mind.

“Maybe I could help with what’s troubling you.”

“No one can help me, Dr. Richmond.”

The look in Dr. Richmond’s eyes halted both of them. “Nikki, someone can always help. Even when we think it’s hopeless.”

Good job, Nikki. On top of everything else, now your science teacher thinks you’re suicidal.
She folded her arms. “I’m being melodramatic. Please.” She attempted a laugh. “Don’t think I’m going psycho or something. My dog died. I had him for a really long time.”
Oh, and by the way, there are creatures straight from the pit of hell trying to kill me. Why? No one really knows. And did I mention they’re possibly after you too?

“I’m very sorry about your pet. I used to have horses, years back when I worked in a laboratory.”

“You worked in a lab?” Prickly hairs rose on her neck.

“Yes, I did.” A flash of sadness filled his features, and his eyes drifted to the ground. “I don’t know what’s going on in your life, but when I left Omega Corporation, I thought my life was over.”

The words crashed into her mind like bolts of lightning. Her hand gripped his upper arm. “Omega Corporation?” she repeated.

He frowned, his round, watery gaze burrowing into her. “Yes. You know the company?”

“Um.” She snatched her hand from him. “I saw on the news that they had a fire.”

His lips pressed together. He took a few steps and dropped onto the bleachers. “Some of my friends perished in that blaze.” The circuit board project was discarded on the seat beside him.

Her heart pounding like a drum, Nikki sat down at his side. Lemon oil and faint sweat surrounded them but paled to a new scent in the gym. She smelled discovery.
Get him to talk about the place, get him to open up
. “I’m sorry about your friends.”

“Thank you, Nikki.” He tugged the glasses from his face and wiped the lenses with his shirttail. “I hadn’t seen any of them in nearly twenty years. When I left Omega, I thought my life would end. The company didn’t want me to leave, but I couldn’t stay. They destroyed my reputation as a scientist. Made sure no other laboratory in the free world would want to work with me. But …” He raised his hands and dropped them with a clop. “I ended up here, and you know, this is my real destiny. This is where I belong. So, I guess I owe them a thank you.”

“Why did you have to leave? You said you couldn’t stay.”

“I didn’t agree morally with the steps the laboratory was taking. I have a set of rules I live by — values, you might say — and they were going in a direction I couldn’t follow.”

“A paradigm?” she said.

“Yes.”

“What was the direction?”

His face clouded. “Nikki, there are forces at work around us that desire power at any cost.” His fingers threaded together on his lap. “And they’ll hurt anything or anyone to get it.”

Okay, that sent a jolt of fear through her.
Focus, keep him on track. Get more information.
“You probably had a specialty, right? Don’t scientists usually have a specific field of study?”

“Yes, I was a specialist in one field, but my passion was another.”

She leaned forward. “What? What two fields?”

“My specialty was electromagnetics. But my passion was genetics.”

Blood rushed through Nikki’s veins at such a rate she thought her heart would stop. “Did Omega Corporation do both?” She tried to soften her intensity, but failed. “Dr. Richmond, did Omega Corporation do both electromagnetics and genetics?”

“Yes. And that’s part of what made it so difficult to quit. I had to leave my babies behind. And that’s why I understand how you feel about losing your dog.”

“What babies?” Hearing
babies
and
genetics
in the same sentence made her queasy. “What do you mean?”

“Horses. I was raising horses, doing genetic testing on them. You grow to love those majestic, beautiful animals.”

“What kind of testing? And why horses?” She searched her memory for a connection to equestrian genetics and that of humans.

“As far as why, I wasn’t privy to that information. And as far as what kind, I don’t feel
you
should be privy. Suffice it to say, to the lab, the horses were lab rats. But to me, they became part of my family.” His voice steadied. “So, I think I know how you feel.”

She nodded, grinned, nodded again. “Dr. Richmond, would it be okay if I go on home? I need to take care of some things.” She stood. “But, I feel a lot better after talking to you. Thanks.”

He smiled up at her. “You’re welcome.”

Mace got out of his car after parking behind her bike, and walked toward the Victorian. It was getting easier to ignore the flutters in her stomach whenever she looked at him. Friends don’t cause flutters.

“So tell me why you’re so jazzed up about your conversation with Dr. Richmond.”

“Let’s get inside. I want everyone to hear,” she blurted, forcing her fingers through her knotted hair as she forced her stomach to behave. A strong crosswind had wreaked havoc on the strands below her helmet while she rode across town, causing her fingers to snag. “Ouch,” she said, and gave up.

Mace laughed and took her helmet from her. But a moment later, he bristled. Head tipped back, he sniffed the air.

“What?” She frowned. “What do you smell?” Then she felt it.
Like electricity dancing across water, like cold fire tickling my skin.
“What
is
that?” she asked as a scent similar to homemade cookies filled her nose.

Mace’s eyes flashed excitement. He dropped the helmet into her hands. “Something’s happening in the backyard!”

She stared down at her head gear, then watched him scurry into the house. “I guess chivalry is dead,” she mumbled wryly and hung the strap on her handlebars.

As she crossed the threshold, the sensation increased. She closed the door, which Mace had left gaping, and traversed the living room. She glanced around. No one. Passing through the kitchen, she realized goose bumps tingled her flesh like a million fireflies kissing her skin. She rubbed her hands over her arms. The feeling, though alarming, brought with it an unusual calm that seemed to curl from the depths of her being and wrap her like a blanket.
At least it’s something pleasant for a change.

When she stepped onto the back patio, her gaze fell on the Lost Boys.

Raven, Vine, and Mace stared, mouths as open as the front door had been, necks craning into the sunlight, and wind whipping their hair.

Nikki stepped fully onto the back deck to see what demanded their attention.

When the objects of their admiration fell into her view, a flash of hot liquid sailed the length of her body.

Hovering above the porch, ten feet from the boys, were three Halfling females.

N
ikki couldn’t help but gasp at the girls’ unearthly beauty. Brilliant white wings moved effortlessly on the breeze. The one on the far right’s feathers seemed to glimmer in the low sun. Varying shades of brown hair cascaded their shoulders, dancing in waves as if orchestrating a dance. And each face was so delicately detailed that Nikki could only stare.

The girl on the right — whose hair was shorter and cut into a trendy bob — flashed a look toward her that sent a shiver down Nikki’s spine. Eyes the color of melted gold considered her. Just as quickly as the gaze had started, the female cocked a brow and shifted her attention to Mace. Golden Girl scoured him from head to toe and punctuated the gesture with a tiny smile.

Nikki heard a quick exhale escape her own lips. Her gaze flew to Mace who, seemingly stunned for a moment, swallowed hard. His eyes sparkled with interest and he attempted a smile of his own, but seemed only able to muster half, which tilted
one side of his face into a goofy grin. He threw an awkward hand into the air to wave at the Halfling.

The girl with the wings and golden brown hair grinned as if satisfied, then shot another glance to Nikki.

Will stood beside the boys, seemingly less impressed. He directed his comments to the girl on the left, whose form was half obscured by the afternoon sun, making her appear that much more celestial. “So, our journeys intertwine,” Will said.

“Yes.” She came to rest at his feet, but her hair still danced around her as if floating in water until, mercifully, it stopped. When the other females followed her lead, and halted on the deck, their hair stopped flowing as well. Tucking their wings made them less intimidating, but no less beautiful.

Where Halfling boys were chiseled and lean, Halfling females were shapely. No blond hair and blue eyes. No, everything about them felt soft and warm. The one who had entranced Mace had streaks of blonde sun kisses in her short, curly bob. The girl on the left had hair the color of Nikki’s own. The third girl’s hair was even darker, silken black and nearly waist length, with long layers that framed and highlighted the most amazing gold eyes she’d ever seen.

When she was small, her mom used to tell her she had golden eyes. Nikki remembered falling asleep at night and wondering how much they might be worth. But her irises paled against the ones now focused on her.

When the Halfling females began introducing themselves, her attention snapped to the present. “I’m Vegan,” the one on the left said, holding out a hand to Nikki.

Friendly, the pretty angel girl was actually
friendly
.
And I know her name from somewhere
… “Oh, Zero —”

“You’re the one who’s been bringing food to Zero,” Mace interrupted.

He shoved his hand in front of Nikki’s to grab Vegan’s.

Vegan quickly shook his hand then turned her attention back to Nikki. “Nicole Youngblood, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” And then she bowed at the waist, hands floating out beside her. “If there is any way we can serve you, we offer our help.”