probably used for maintenance or shipments. Someone did notice us then and start to ask what we were doing, but by then, we were outside and behind the building.
"Eugenie, where are we going?" asked Jasmine anxiously. Deanna had faded away, perhaps now finally leaving this world after fulfilling what she believed to be her last duty. As we walked briskly toward my car, some part of me kept wanting to think she'd lied. But why? As she'd said, she had no reason. She'd held true to me before.
And with every passing second, I grew more and more conflicted, wondering what I should believe. Kiyo loved me. He'd gone out of his way to win me back ... but he was firmly set on protecting the human world. At any cost? We'd see. Deanna was mistaken; she had to be. My worst fate was probably going to be Kiyo's talking me to death.
We got in the car, and I did briefly consider trying to make a break for Morriswood Park and its Otherworldly gate. After all, what was Kiyo going to do? Get in a high speed chase with us? The thing was, with that mark, he would be able to track me. He could probably feel me moving away now. If we headed anywhere near the park he'd figure it out. He'd either try to beat us there or just catch up with us on the other side. No, I had to go somewhere else. Somewhere with protection. Somewhere I could be sure I was safe until all of this madness was settled.
Jasmine's face grew increasingly troubled as we drove away from the doctor's office. She kept glancing back, as though expecting to see Kiyo right on our bumper. When we turned into a suburban neighborhood, her worry shifted to confusion.
"What is this?"
"Home," I replied, pulling into the driveway of a well-kept house surrounded by trees and flowers. A fence enclosed the backyard but couldn't hide the efforts someone had made to turn a Tucson backyard into something lush and green.
The gate in the fence was unlocked as I'd known it would be. The yard was unoccupied, save for birds and insects. The house's patio door had its glass open, covered only by a screen that let in the afternoon air. It too would be unlocked.
"Kiyo won't really do it," I muttered, as I jerked the door open. "Maybe he's upset ... but we can talk this out. Deanna overreacted. We're overreacting."
We stepped into a small breakfast nook, and in the adjacent kitchen, a man spun around. My heart leapt when I saw him. The familiar, kind face. The graying hair. The tattoos of whorls and fishes. It felt like a lifetime since our last meeting.
Roland.
I'd gone to my parents' house.
Roland's reactions were those of a man who'd spent years fighting and training, but even that didn't prepare him for the sight of us. Astonishment filled his features, quickly giving way to outrage.
"Eugenie! What are you - "
"Get your weapons," I ordered, casting an uneasy glance behind me. Jasmine followed as I strode toward him. "Whatever you've got in the house."
He didn't move. "You know you're not - "
"Get them!" I exclaimed. "We don't have time for this!"
I don't know what look I wore on my face, but it was enough to pierce the walls of hurt and anger he'd built between us since learning of my involvement in the Otherworld. I'd taken a risk coming here, a gamble that no matter what happened, Roland would protect me. And I was right. He transformed before my eyes, suddenly the concerned and caring stepfather I'd grown up with.
"What's - "
Before he could finish, the screen door flew open. Kiyo stood there, face dark and stormy.
"What the hell are you doing?" he demanded. "Why did you take off?"
"You first," I said, taking a step back toward Roland. "What are you doing?" Jasmine moved to my other side. My eyes were on Kiyo, but I could sense Roland bracing for battle. Maybe he didn't know what was going on, but anyone could have seen how dangerous Kiyo was.
"I wanted to talk to you, and you disappeared!" Kiyo moved forward a little but stopped, recognizing the united front that Roland and I - and yes, even Jasmine - presented.
"Talk? Is that all you wanted to do?"
"Yes. Of course." Kiyo glanced between all of us. "You promised, Eugenie. You promised if it was a boy, you'd get rid of it."
"There's a girl too!" I exclaimed.