Blood and Apples: An Annora Park Novel: Book One

Chapter Sixteen: Finicky Familiars

"So, you were about to tell us what happened while you were..." I frown, "Wherever it is you were, Chamuel."
"Just so," Chamuel takes a deep breath and begins. "You have to understand that there is protocol. I am the Leader of The Host. I cannot just intrude, and what is that quaint human saying? 'Barge in' whenever I feel like it. I must maintain a certain level of decorum and, then there are the channels I must go through just to request a meeting with—"
"Ooooohhhh, don't mind me," A jovial voice cuts Chamuel off. We all turn to find Walker's mother Leanore standing just a few feet away from where we're all sitting, holding in her arms, seriously the cutest cat ever. "Really...honestly, just let the bird child go on, continue as if I'm not here. It was just getting interesting. Something about the channels that the feathered flock have to go through...very, very, interesting stuff."
I rub my temples. Now I could see where Walker got it from. "Hello Leanore," I regretfully get up from the heavenly chair and walk over to her. I'm not a huge 'affection' kinda gal, but I give her a hug. Somehow, still holding the cat she manages to one arm hug me. I can feel her smiling, even if I can't see her face.
She pulls away after a long moment and gifts me with a genuinely beautiful smile on her lovely face. Leanore has one of those faces that is completely ageless. She could be thirty, fifty, who knew? I just know that she still was beautiful, and still looked exactly as she had when my mother had passed so many years earlier.
"Child," Leanore reaches over and cups my cheek. "Oh, my beautiful girl. Look what a stunning woman you've become. And well, so much better now that you're not covered in blood and gore and practically missing an arm. That really wasn't a good look on you, not at all." Lenore says matter-of-factly
I roll my eyes. Yup, that's right, the last time Leanore saw me she was putting me back together, and I was bleeding out all over the place, cursing her son. "Thanks Leanore, you always seem to know what to say..." I cast a quick look over at Walker who has now stood and is making his way over. "...Kinda like your son."
"Why thank you, darling child," Leanore's smile broadens, "I take that as a lovely compliment. I do believe my son and I have a completely unique way with words. I rather take pride in it."
She would, they would. They were both a little boinky bonkers.
"Mother," Walker envelops his mother in a huge hug and I take a minute to let myself soften. Whatever else could be said about Walker, there was no denying that he absolutely adored his mother and that the feeling was completely 100% reciprocated. "You're looking very well."
Leanore swats Walker on the arm, "Oh, you flatterer." She narrows her eyes then as her gaze wanders over to Chamuel, who too, has now stood, but has made not move toward us. "I see a lot has been going on over here. Hmmm...I'm going to have to have a little discussing with Delphinia and Magea, it seems they've been keeping things from me..."
Leanore, Delphinia and Magea worked as "The Third Eye" of the Coven. Together they could usually see the future, or at least versions of it. It was a great burden (or at least I'd imagine it was) to be able to know what was going to happen before it happened. So much so shoulder. I'm not sure I'd want to shoulder such a burden.
"You didn't see this?" Walker asks suddenly.
Leanore shrugs. "I've been busy. I haven't consulted with Delphinia and Magea. But there is no doubt that they got a feeling they should've told me, and immediately we would have hit the cauldron together. I'm rather put out right now. Trust me," and her eyes grow hard (now there's the look I remember) "...We shall be having words...probably more than words when I return. I'm the High Witch, the Leader of the Coven, you do not keep secrets from me...not without paying the price for such impudence."
I gnaw on my lip, suddenly slightly afraid for Delphinia and Magea. I wonder what Leanore has planned for them. Trying to change the subject I point to the cute cat she has in her arms. "Is that Bento?" As if hearing my voice, Bento raises his head and opens his sleepy eyes. He gives me, what can only be described as an actually kitty cat smile. And reaches for me.
Leanore laughs. "Of course it's Bento, I don't just go around carrying around random familiars." She passes Bento over to me, and I snuggle into his soft fur. He really is stupidly adorable. I'd always assumed that Walker would have some sort of attack dog or wolf as a familiar, maybe a freaking bear...but a kitten? It had shocked me the first time I'd seen him, but now...now I was glad for it, because Bento was beyond adorable.
"Ohhhhh I see how it is..." Walker says to his familiar, but he says so with a smile on his face to soften his words. He clearly doesn't mind that Bento came to me first.
"Hey you handsome boy," I stroke Bento and rub behind his ears eliciting deep purrs from the kitty. "You good now? Walker said you'd been under the weather. All better now?" Bento nods his head and continues to snuggle into me. I freaking love this familiar.
"You have a kitten as a familiar," Chamuel says....having finally walked over to me. The minute Bento hears Chamuel's voice, his head snaps ups and he begins to hiss, he almost lunges out of my arms toward him.
"NO!" I chastise, holding onto him. "No attacking the nice angel, Bento. He's a friend, do you understand."
Walker grins then. "Bento has good instincts. I've always said he has good instincts, haven't I, mother?"
Leanore's grin matches Walkers. "You have son, you absolutely have."
Chamuel sighs. He inclines his head toward Leanore and speaks. "I am Chamuel El Epp, fils de Michael. I am here to help, only to help."
"—And to fuck my darling girl," Walker spits out.
"Excuse me?" Leanore says, eyes widening.
Oh. My. God. "Walker, shut the fuck up."
"Darling girl, you need to stop swearing so much. And please don't tell my son to shut up. It's quite rude." Leanore chastises me, and my neck burns with embarrassment. Although why I should be embarrassed is beyond me. Walker was the one being totally inappropriate.
"Yes, amour, he was, is, but...it is, how did you put it, 'his way,' apparently we must just learn to deal with it...oh, and now his dame as well. She too, seems to share his...rather eccentric qualities."
For once I wasn't annoyed that Chamuel had read my mind. I just didn't have it in me to deal with Walker, Chamuel AND Leanore right now in a three way, try four way sparring contest.
"Yes mother, our feathered friend here has come down to supposedly help with our human murders. But what he failed to mention when he first arrived was that he is apparently bound to Annora darling...oh wait, there's more...he's been bound to her since birth, wait before birth...from the womb you said, bird boy, right?" With every word Walker speaks Leanore's eyes grow wider and wider until finally she speaks.
"Darling boy," she turns to look at her son, "Could you please get me a drink."
Walker chuckles, "Of course, would anyone else like one?"
Chamuel instantly shakes his head, and I begin to nod when I catch Chamuel looking at me from the corner of my eye and sigh. "No thank you, Walker, I'm fine."
Walker gives Chamuel the stink eyes but nods and crosses the room to the wet bar. He expertly mixes two drinks and within minutes he's back, handing his mother a glass.
"Thank you my darling," Leanore says. She take a huge gulp of her drink, so huge my eyes widen. But hey, who am I to say anything, I'd gotten totally trashed the other night and passed out in Walker's house.
   Benton begins to nudge my arm and I laugh.  "Am I ignoring you pretty boy, I'm sorry." I continue to scratch his ears and take simple pleasure in just just holding his soft, warm body next to mine.  Trying to attack Chamuel notwithstanding, I really do love this kitten.
   "He is not just a kitten, amour, you ought never to forget that, else he does something to you you'd rather not have him do."
   I give Chamuel the stink eyes.  Maybe I ought to have let Bento attack him.  "Bento would NEVER, never hurt me, or do anything to hurt me," I scratch his ear, "Would you, you darling little boy.  You'd never hurt me." He lets out a meow and I smile.  "And I'm well aware that he's so much more than just a mere kitten, Chamuel.  But right now, he's a kitten in need of some love.  He's been under the weather, haven't you sweet little guy.  You just need some love."
   "Would you stroke me like that if I were feeling under the weather, darling girl?" Walker says suddenly, and I groan.  He laughs and waves his hand carelessly.  "Don't worry...you just continue petting my familiar...let me tell you I'm enjoying it immensely."
   I frown.
   Chamuel sighs.  "It is as I was trying to tell him, amour, Romanoff can feel thought his familiar.  That kitten you're stroking is projecting everything to his master.  You may as well be stroking Romanoff right now."
   I gasp and drop Bento so suddenly he yelps and I instantly reach down and pick him up again.  "Oh, I'm sorry, baby, I'm sorry.  I didn't mean to drop you like that.  I...I...I was just surprised that's all.  Are you really projecting right now to Walker?" Please, please tell me you're not.  I groan when Benton gives me what can only be a look of chagrin, and a look of chagrin on a cat is really weird.  It's answer enough though.  Just great, terrific, I'd been molesting Walker this entire time.  Fabulous—not.  "Do you think...uhhhh...for me, that you could NOT project what you're feeling to Walker right now...just for a little while."
   "Bento..." Walker says dangerously.
   I ignore him and focus on the kitten.  "Please...please for me, pretty boy?" And I smile brilliantly when the cat nods.
   "Traitor..." Walker mutters, and I almost smile.  Actually I do smile.
   "Darling," Leanore finally says.  "I need another, and then we're all going to sit down and discuss this...this new development."  Walker does as his mother bids and then we all take a seat.  I, of course, take my seat back in the heavenly chair.  "Ohhhh you've taken over Walker's favorite chair.  You know what this means," Leanore grins, "You're going to get married, you know."
   Oh Jesus.  Not her too.  "Leanore," I groan.  "Sitting in Walker's crazy comfortable chair is not a declaration of marriage."
   "My darling boy DOES NOT just let anybody sit in that chair, at least not for more than a mere second.  That is HIS chair.  Him letting you take it over, well as I said, it's as good as a declaration of engagement and eventual marriage." Leanore claps her hands, and it's just like her son does it.  "Oh darling girl, I'm so, so excited.  I always knew, just knew that you'd be part of the family.  And this is going to be wonderful, and I know how busy you are.  So you won't have to worry about a thing.  I will handle all the preparations, everything.  We can have the wedding on the Solstice and it'll be just—"
   OH. MY. GOD! They were both totally crazy!!  "LEANORE!" I yell to get her attention.  "I AM NOT MARRYING YOUR SON!"
   "But of course you are."
   "No, Leanore, I'm not.  We haven't even had one date yet.  And you want us to get married?"
   "No, I KNOW you're getting married.  And what's with dates anyway? Stupid things.  You either know, or you don't.  I knew from the moment the two of you laid eyes upon each other that you were meant to be together." Leanore grins a sly grin, "A mother just knows these things."
I feel my head begin to pound again. Great, now I had TWO of them to deal with.
"Here, sweet darling," Walker hands over a few pills and I pop them into my mouth. I ignore Chamuel's look of intense distaste.
"I truly do not approve of those things, amour."
"You'd rather have her brain explode, feathered bird?" Leanore says nastily. And I shoot her a look.
"No, I'd rather that we complete our link, and then she will have no need of those pills...that poison she puts in her body."
"It's not poison," I mutter, trying to let the Quintinimime do it's job.
"Close enough," Chamuel says. All the pharmaceuticals on this human plane produce drugs that have some sort of toxic ingredient in them. It is not completely natural and over time it does more harm to your body than good."
"Explain," Leanore says. "What do you mean she won't need the Quintinimime anymore?"
I shake my head. "No, nope, nopity nope," I was not having a discussion of my sex life with Leanore right now, maybe never. "Listen, we can get into it some other time. Right now we have bigger fish to fry. I have a huge case on my hands right now. So huge in fact, apparently I require the assistance of a psycho warlock and the Leader of the Heavenly Host...oh and the High Witch of the largest Coven in the United States. Would that be a fair assessment of the situation?"
"Except the part where you called my son psycho," Leanore says primly. "My son may be many things, but he is not psychotic by any means. Slightly crazy, yes, maybe a little nutty, but aren't we all?" Leanore looks at me pointedly. "Can you tell me that you, yourself, are not a little nutty? You're a Treader my dear. You see dead people dead things, dead everything, like, all the time. You take death in and death loves you. Sooooo who is the crazy one now?"
Thanks Leanore for putting me in my place, oh and reminding me of what a freak I am. Then again, I HAD called her son a psycho. "I'm sorry," I murmur. "I will try to refrain from calling your son a psycho."
"Thank you, darling girl," Then she smiles, "I mean, it won't have you do calling your soon to be husband a psycho, it may give people the wrong idea, you know."
I drop my head into my hands. I feel Bento settling himself in my lap. I lift my head and sigh. "Again, Leanore, I am not marrying your son, you are not preparing for a wedding. Can we please just drop this now?"
Leanore shrugs. "For now, I suppose. But we must get back to it soon, there's a lot to prepare. And I want everything to be just perfect. It isn't just any say that a mother gets to see her only child and son get married."
I roll my eyes. Yup. Trying to talk to Leanore was just as impossible as trying to talk to Walker. Bento crawls over my thighs and stares at Chamuel. And if I'm not mistaken he has a dirty look in his eyes. "Seriously Bento boy, what is your problem with the angel. Trust me, he's pretty nice. When he's not being intrusive and digging into my mind that is. Give him a chance, I think you'll like him."
Bento looks up at me and gives me a 'are you kidding look,' and I sigh. "You're going to be difficult about this, aren't you?"
"Again, Bento has excellent taste." Walker says smugly.
"Walker, please shut—I mean, be quiet. We have a lot to discuss, and I don't need to get into it with you and Chamuel and Leanore, and NOW a finicky familiar on top of it all."
"Finicky familiar," Walker grins, "I like it. Although I'd say he's more of a discerning familiar, with excellent instincts and good taste."
"Potato Potaaahtooo, tomato tomaaaatoooohhhh," I throw his words back at him. "Okay, so now that we're all sitting, and not insulting one another, can we try this again?" I turn to Leanore.  "What are you doing here, Leanore?"
   "Can a mother not come to visit her son?"  I give her 'a look' that says it all.  "Well, I did have to bring Bento back.  He was clamoring to get home.  And now look how content he is with you."
   "You just HAD to come right this second, though," I murmur.
   "In fact, yes.  I just had a feeling , that this was the right time.  Leanore smooths down her skirt and gives the angel the stink eye.  "And, I must say I'm glad that I did.  There are definitely things that have to be discussed, things that had been left out."  Leanore gives me a sympathetic look then.   "I know about the murders.  We scryed and saw how terrible it was.  I'm terribly sorry, Annora sweet girl.  The Tread must have been truly terrible."
   "It was," I murmur.
   "I felt very malignant magic," Leanore says.  "Nothing, absolutely nothing attached to a Coven or any sort of natural magic.  This was pure evil, and a true killing of the natural order."
   "Tuatha de Danaan," I say quietly, watching Leanore nod.
   "Yes...I thought so.  It is good to have you confirm it.  But I did have a feeling that that had to be it.  There was something unworldly about this magic, something that was not of this Earth, and certainly too powerful to have begun here.  Do we know what the killer wants with the human bodies?" Leanore asks.
   I wasn't 100% comfortable discussing my case with Leanore, the Leader of the Coven, and yet her son WAS part of our investigation.  "We know that he takes everything from he bodies.  He leaves nothing behind.
   "Nothing?" Leanore's eyes widen.  "But...even the soul has a place—"
   "No soul, no nothing, nothing, Leanore," I murmur.  "He's eating them, Leanore."
   "What?" And she seems genuinely shocked.  "That hideous.  He eats the bodies? Not even the Coven eat the bod—" And she suddenly cuts herself off, seemingly aware of what she was about to say.
   "Not before he transfigures them."
   Leanore narrows her eyes.   "Hmmm I suppose that is a little better.  Cannibalism is disgusting.  I really don't like the thought that he's eating their flesh."
    "No, just their flesh turned into a fruit," I mutter.
   "Excuse me, darling, what was that?"
   I clear my throat.  "Apparently he doesn't approve of cannibalism in their current form.  He doesn't want to eat their human flesh, so he transfigures them into an object more suitable to his deranged tastes."
   Leanore narrows her eyes and then she smiles, but it's a grim smile.  "Let me guess...he turns them into apples."
   My mouth drops open.  "How did you know that."
   "Oh darling girl, you should know me by now.  I know everything, well almost everything, at least about the Otherworlders.  Our sick friend here cannot stomach eating human flesh, and so he turns them into the object of his Goddess."
   "Again, not Goddess apples," I mutter.
   "Well, of course, the Goddess would NEVER approve of this.  But in his sick mind, this makes the most sense."
   "Perhaps the witch can help after all," Chamuel finally says.
   "High Witch, to you, bird man," Leanore shoots back.
   "Let's not get back into all of that, okay, please." I beg.  And I hate begging.  Leanore shrugs her shoulders.  "I'm merely correcting our feathered friend here as to my proper title."
   "Then you should refer to me as the High Host, fils de Michale." It seems that two could play that game.
   I roll my eyes.  "God, you are all just big freaking babies.  Maybe Bento and I should go take a walk and let you all cool the heck down a bit."
   "NO amour"
   "No Darling,"
   "Darling girl, no!"
   All three shout at the same time, and I sigh.   "Fine, fine, but seriously try to be civil with each other, please.  I do not need another headache coming on, okay?"
   "I shall try, my amour," Chamuel says
   "If birdie can try, I guess I can," Walker mutters.
   "If my son says he's willing to get along with the feathered one, then I suppose I can try."
   God.  It's like they just couldn't help themselves. "How do you deal with them, Bento," I murmur to the kitty, still stroking his head. He lifts his head and smiles at me, and burrow in my lap. "So Chamuel was just about to tell us some important things when you arrived Leanore." I turn concerned eyes to Chamuel then. "Are you okay, I mean, comfortable speaking with Leanore here?"
Chamuel sighs. "I doubt I have much choice in the matter, amour. And even if I did hold back, she would only figure it out later when she returned to her Coven."
"Right on that one, birdie," Leanore says with a smile.
"Could you not call me birdie?" Chamuel asks through grit teeth.
"You have feathers and you fly...I call it like I see it," Is Leanore's answer.
"Leanore..." I give her a pointed look.
"Oh fine, fine, I will try not to call him a feathered flying bird. How about a pigeon? Can I call him a pigeon...a white pigeon?" Leanore laughs at the look of horror that crosses Chamuel's face and sighs, "No one has a sense of humor these days. Fine, fine...get on with it."
Chamuel clasps his hands together and focuses his entire attention on me. "I had to visit the Heavenly Host first. I had to inform my father of what was happening and get his permission what what is to come. He gave me his permission to continue and from there we sent Gabriel to negotiate a meeting between myself and Terrenel."
"Wait...wait...Terrenel the King of the Light Court of the Fae?" Leanore asks suddenly.
"Correct."
"Since Gabriel returned relatively unscathed I assumed the meeting went off all right, and the next step was to meet with him myself. It is why you saw me garbed as you did when I arrived earlier, amour."
"I still don't understand how dressing like a reject from the movie 'Troy' has anything to do with meeting with the King of the Fae."
"The Fae are all about show, beloved. They are, save the Heavenly ones, probably the most powerful of the Otherworlders. They put great importance upon their Courts and their...shows. I could not have appeared in front of their king dressed merely in Heavenly garb. I had to be suitably matched, thus the golden armor the heavenly sword and the bow and arrows. Terrenel is a Warrior King. He may be the King of the Light Court, but it is not merely a title. He is not a figurehead. He is truly a warrior king and has battled much evil in his long existence. He would not have respected me if I had not shown up garbed as I was. As it was I was able to negotiate a meeting between us and Terrenel."
"You were?" And I jump up and impulsively wrap my around around Chamuel, ignoring Walker's growl.
"If I had known I'd receive such affection from a mere meeting, I'd have tried to do more," Chamuel murmurs, wrapping his arms around me.
I allow myself to bask in his warmth for a minute more before moving away. I'm aware that my face is probably beet red. I tend to get the worst case of "Asian Flush," I blush something terribly. I've always hated that fact.
"Sooooooo...we're going to meet the King of the Light Fae?" Wow. Just, wow! This was big, like, tremendously big. One did not just leave the mortal plane and hop to the Fae Lands. Heck, I wasn't even sure if I could it.
"You can, my amour, you are part heavenly being...the rest...we will discuss at another time. Suffice to say, you have more than enough power to cross into Tir na Nog."
"I guess I'll have to take your word for it." I chew my lip. "What about...uh...." I cast a look Walker's direction.
Chamuel sighs. "I explained the situation, well, part of the situation to Terrenel. He has agreed to allow Romanoff to attend...if and only if he can hold a civil tongue in that serpent mouth of his....otherwise I will not be held accountable for what may happen to him. Terrenel is not known for his patience, or...leniency."
   Oh this sounded just terrific, and I sigh deeply.  Another being without leniency or patience.  I wondered if there was another sword fight coming in my future.