some of our scientists would be fascinated to know how the gene evolved here,” Marcus explained.
Adam paced, seeming to study him. “I would be interested in how that happened, too. And we don’t have your psychic powers. I wonder when we lost them.”
Marcus smiled, but his fangs were out. It is not to my credit that I found them entirely sexy. “You should meet our king. He can fly. He can call those wolves at your side. He can take you apart with his bare hands.”
Taggart’s smile faded. “Then I’m glad I won’t be meeting the king.”
It was good to have family sometimes. “Don’t count on it. He’s my dad. I’ve been told by several people who know him that he’ll probably come looking for me, and he won’t be in a good mood.”
“How do you have a dad?” Adam looked to Charlotte. “I thought you told me she was some sort of magic Fae thing.”
“Do not call her a thing,” Marcus said on a growl.
Taggart reached out and slapped the back of Adam’s head. “Asshole. Let’s try not to piss off the incredibly powerful vampire and his well-connected companion. Charlie, I believe what Adam meant to say is that we don’t understand how the very nice Summer came to have parents who are on the Earth plane. Also, I thought Earth plane vampires couldn’t procreate. Doesn’t that freak the humans out?”
“I wasn’t born the way humans are or even most Fae.” I briefly explained how I’d emerged from the transference box. “So yes, I am made of Fae magic, but I have human form.”
Charlotte had stepped up, her eyes wide with wonder. “I thought that might be the case. And it explains everything. If I’m right, we’re in trouble. Big trouble, but you can fix everything.”
“How could I do that? I’m confused. I thought you brought me here to sell me to the witches.” It was the only thing that made sense since Taggart made a lot of his money off bounties, and I was sure there was a big one on my head.
Taggart groaned, his head falling back. “Fuck. I didn’t actually think Charlie had anything but…what did you say about a Night King? He looks pretty much like night to her day.”
Adam shook his head. “I thought it was just a story. I don’t like how this day is going. It’s challenging my world view and that sucks.”
Charlotte clapped her hands together. “I told you I was right. The only question now is how to fix things. I haven’t gotten that solution yet. I’m good at myth. Not so great at figuring out the science behind it. Ian, you know you can’t turn her over. If the witches find a way to kill her, I think we could all go down.”
Marcus’s hand tightened on mine, and I knew what he was thinking. I had chosen to bind my powers. I wouldn’t be hard to kill. But I was still confused. “How am I causing the convergences? I don’t have any power.”
Charlotte’s expression went blank for a moment as though she was trying to process those words. “I don’t understand.”
I touched the charm at my throat. “I bound my powers after I proved I wasn’t good at handling them.”
“Well, unbind them,” Charlotte said, her hands going to her hips. “Look, the universe, God, the great Goddess or whatever you want to call the spark that lights our worlds has mysterious ways. What we think of as science could also be seen as magic, and sometimes in order for us to understand that science it is told as a story. Think of it like mythology.”
“On the Earth plane, we used to tell stories of gods to explain natural phenomena,” Marcus said, taking a scholarly tone. “Like the gods were angry and that was why thunder was so loud. Or weeping to explain rain.”
Charlotte nodded. “Yes, although in this case, I think the story is true. I firmly believe that you were created out of need. You showed up in the world right at the time when the veil began to thin on the outer planes. It became easier to access many of them. Some people saw it as a good thing. Mostly warmongering barbarians.”
“Like Turi,” I whispered.
Charlotte nodded. “His people have something to do with this, too. I believe his species, while humanoid, evolved from a group of Unseelie on the Earth plane. Over the millennia, they’ve lost their Fae magic but maintained their strength and unusual abilities at