Without warning Val hugged him so hard he almost lost his balance, making him laugh.
"Please tell me I can stay, Carlos. I am a brave warrior, will fight to the death with honor. I can sleep outside and guard your compound, whatever you say-but I've never felt like this before."
"Oh, my, God . . ."
She stepped back, her eyes frantically searching his until he walked away. "There is muted sensation there . . . refugees who live in fear and half lives. I won't eat much, can earn my own rations, if my burden is too much. There's no one left to guard, to protect, and just for a small portion of my life, I need to feel-"
"Done," Carlossaid, his back still to Val. His eyes were closed, his head hurt. "Now I'm gonna get my ass kicked because I didn't ask my wife."
"Ask me what?" Damali said, opening the door. But Carlos never got to answer. The moment she saw Val, she screamed and barreled into her arms. Then within seconds, she drew back, trying to understand feeling something she couldn't see.
"Yonnie concealed her non-human traits and weapons, which is a real good thing in a firefight, D . . . but we just got one more added to the compound-I know we shoulda discussed it, but she can't go back to Nod."
"Oh!" Damali said, jumping up and down, holding Val's arms. "That is so cool!"
Carlos looked at both of them. "Yonnie, uh, likes her, you know . . . and she's got his back, and whatnot."
Damali held Val out, making her blush. "Noooo . . . Yolando?"
Val just nodded. "He is a valiant warrior and I respect him," she said, lifting her chin.
"That is perfect!" Damali's voice hit a soprano decibel that sent a shiver down his spine.
"You approve, Queen," Val said, her voice excited and reverent.
"Do I approve?"
"D, bring it down a notch," Carlos said, rubbing the chills from the nape of his neck. "We've gotta break this to the house, too."
"Rider oughta be cool with this," Damali said, hands on hips.
Carlos raised an eyebrow. "Let's hope everybody else is."
Damali's eyes got big as Val's attention went from one Neteru to the other.
"Oh, yeah," Damali said quietly.
"Uh-huh," Carlos said, walking across the room to lean on the desk. "You know how that shit goes sometimes."
"Yeah, but, she can't afford to go there-even mentally."
"People do things they can't afford every day."
Damali held up her hands and waved them in the air. "Enough. I don't wanna think about team drama. Right now, Val's in the house, which should make our two newest additions very, very happy. She looks like another angel when her wings are out."
Val's attention bounced toward Damali and she smiled, hugging herself. "Yonnie made me look like a full-human. He's amazing."
"Which leads us to the dilemma of whether or not to lift the prayer-barrier to the house." Carlos folded his arms over his chest."And explaining a . . . Yolando to Mom Delores and Ayana."
"He does look frightening when in battle," Val said, interjecting. "So I would expect him to be able to upset any sensitive members of your team that may have demon battle flashbacks. If you were so generous to allow me refuge in your sanctuary, I would not do anything to violate that honor."
Damali waved her hand. "It ain't you, girl. Your honor is intact. Hell, everybody on the team is gonna have to make adjustments now that we've got a toddler around-plus Inez's momma."
"Sheeit . . . Big Mike's gonna have to make the adjustment," Carlos muttered. "Last I checked I was grown and married."
"A toddler?"
Damali gave Carlos a glare but spoke to Val in a gentle tone. "A three-year-old human baby in the house . . . one of the Guardians-"