First Estate

"It appears to be something that interferes with her ability to metabolize folic acid. It will cause spontaneous aborting should she become pregnant. Her Siren blood prevents it from harming her, but she cannot bear children. Was this done deliberately?"

"I think he means methotrexate, Parker," Sagan said. "Yes, it was deliberate. We were trying to cure her cancer."

"It has... unfortunate side effects. I have healed her. I recommend she take massive doses of folic acid for a few years, as her system needs this desperately. I will provide her with an initial boost."

"Thank you, Lord," Mariha bowed her head. "She is precious to me."

"It is my pleasure to be of service to my rescuers. I will see you anon."

He was gone and so was Barachiel.

"Well, that was interesting," Mom said. "Does he always talk like that?"

"Yes," Mariha said. "I've never heard him laugh before. I didn't know he could. I didn't know any of the Archangels could. I think he liked you guys a lot. It's best to avoid giving them offence. They are very uncomfortable to be around if they're offended."

"I see, O obsequious one," Mom said.

"Damn you, Lilith, just because you're the most irreverent creature on the earth doesn't mean the rest of us don't respect order."

"Mariha, did you just curse?" Boston asked.

"I'm sorry, Boston. It is a great sin. I won't do it again."

"Jesus, Mariha; you fuck all our brains out, kill angels by the scores and you won't curse?" Mom said.

"I am a Watcher. I'm allowed to be sexual; the angels we killed were rogues and deserved it. Cursing is an affront to the majesty of God. I won't do it."

"Mariha, I love you," Mom said. "I was just giving you a hard time. I apologize. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. Do you forgive me?"

A golden tear trickled down her cheek. "Yes, I apologize, too. I'm all on edge. We just incinerated a hundred of my former colleagues. It's not you, Lilith, it's I. I usually enjoy your witty ripostes. Don't stop, please. It's part of your charm. Parker takes after you."

They hugged it out. "Well, smoke break is over," I said. "Let's go home."

When we were drinking beer at River House I said, "Well, Dorothy." I didn't get to finish. Four pillows hit me in the face.

"You're an idiot, Parker," Sagan said. She kissed me though.

Bronley called and said she had an offer on the first two houses we were building. She wanted me to meet with the clients. The first was a young couple and I let Bronley make the deal. It was a little cheap but they seemed like nice people and I could tell she wanted them to get the place. It didn't take long and we had a couple of hours to kill before we were meeting the next client. She took me out for a drink and I got to know her a little better.

She was about my age. She was a very attractive young lady and I learned she was engaged to a professional rugby player. Their wedding was just three weeks away and she asked me if I would come. I asked her if I could bring Sagan and Boston and she was thrilled at the idea. She promised me an invitation.

"Parker, there's something a little odd about our client. He has the money to pay cash, I checked with the bank. I did a background check on him. I don't want to sell our properties to people you won't want for neighbors. This guy doesn't have a background. Not a speeding ticket, not a tax return; nothing. It's like he was born about six months ago. I think he's either in the witness protection program or he's a criminal. What do you want to do? We're supposed to meet him at the house."

"I don't know. Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"I couldn't find you. You didn't answer my calls or texts. I went to River House but no one was home."

"I'm sorry, Bronley. I've been out of the country, some of the girls were with me and the rest were in Melbourne. I never thought to tell you."

"Parker, you can't just leave me hanging like that. You're my partner and I need to be able to talk to you."

"I'm very sorry. It won't happen again. I'll tell you what; I'll make it up to you. Find us another piece of property and we'll develop it. Same deal as the last time. How does that sound?"

"That sounds wonderful. Thank you Parker." She kissed me on the cheek. "What do you want to do about the client?"

"Let's meet him and see how it goes. If it feels right to you, we'll do the deal. If it makes you nervous, we'll blow him off. You're the expert here. I just sign the papers."

"Yeah, and you cash the checks, too. We're going to make a fortune."

Bronley drove her car and I relaxed. She was a very good driver. She stayed six miles an hour over the speed limit in the fast lane and never made any sudden movements. She accelerated and braked smoothly and I complimented her.

"You're a hell of a good driver, Bronley. You wouldn't mind giving my girls lessons would you?"

She laughed. "My father was a professional limo driver. He taught me everything I know."

"He still around?"

"Yes, he lives in New Zealand. I see him every couple of months. He's retired now and he's just waiting for grandkids.

"What about Mom?" I asked her.

"She left us when I was two. I never knew her. She did a lot of drugs and was killed robbing a liquor store when I was five. The owner objected to having his money stolen. What about you, Parker?"

"You've met Mom. I'm kind of like you. I never knew my father. He died about the time I was twenty but I never met him. He was a deadbeat."

"I love your Mom, Parker. She's like some princess out of Arabian Nights. She's so cool and lazy. I can't believe she's so young. She looks my age."

"I know, right? People tell me that all the time."

We turned into the drive leading back to the development and a lightning bolt fell out of the blue sky and punched a smoking hole in the hood of her car. She jammed the brakes and there was nothing. She steered it up a bank and jammed it in park when we stopped.

"What the hell, Parker?"

I opened the door and grabbed her. I pulled her out, sheltering her with my body and ran over the top of the hill and down the other side. Another bolt struck a tree off to our left and the crash was deafening. I crouched down under the bank of a creek and she was trembling in my arms.

"Parker, what's going on?"

"I'll tell you later, kid. Now I need you to run for the house. Stay with Mom until I get there. Tell her what's going on, okay?"

I could tell she was terrified. I took her face in my hands and made her look at me. "Bronley, it's going to be okay. You were right about this client. He's after me, not you. Run to the house."

I turned her around toward the house and she took off her heels. I swatted her butt and she scampered away. I went out of Presence and moved toward the development. There were several more flashes but he was striking blindly now. She was striking blindly, I discovered. This lady packed quite a punch. She towered up in the forest ahead; 12 feet of flaming wings and wrath. When I got close, she felt me coming somehow and began to pry me into manifestation. I had never felt power like that before.

I wondered if I could do the fireball thing and I called up a something. It turned out not to be a fireball. It was a glowing black thing with sparks. I know things don't glow black, but this did. I hurled it at her and she shrieked and hit me with the lightning thing. I went to my knees and my muscles were paralyzed. I thought my teeth were going to break under the spasms. I toppled over and I heard her scream. I managed to look at her and the black thing was eating her.

Streams of flame were flowing from her to the black thing and she began to disintegrate. I saw her try to go out of presence, but the flame kept flowing. She hit it with the lightning and it grew. Mariha popped in beside me and picked me up.

"Parker, stop that thing."

The angel was gone and the black thing was still growing. I thrust my will at it and it shrank to a point and exploded. It knocked both of us 20 feet through the air. I lit on my back with Mariha on top of me. When I gathered my wits, I wrapped her up in my arms and kissed her.

"Hello, beautiful; did you come to rescue me?"

"Yes, from yourself," she laughed. "What was that thing, Parker?"

"A black hole, I think. Really, I have no idea. I was trying to call up a fireball. I got that thing instead."

"Parker, you just destroyed a cherub. I didn't know it could be done."

"I didn't know either. What's a cherub? I thought they were babies with little bows and arrows."

"Don't be ridiculous. They're part of the original Elohim. They guarded the Ways after the fall of man. I have no idea what one was doing here. Parker, are we going to make love or are you going to let me up?"

"We don't have time to make love. Bronley is waiting for me to explain what happened here."

"I can make it like no time passes."

"Really? Let's do that then. Take me down to the house over there unless you want to do it in the dirt."

We were in the same position in the bedroom except she was naked. It didn't take me long to get that way. I don't know what she did to time, but when she took us home, no one said anything about us being late. It had been two hours to me.

Bronley was a mess. She was nearly hysterical. Mom and Sagan were trying to calm her down.

"Lightning struck my car. There wasn't a cloud in the sky and it struck a tree not 20 yards from us. It was like it was aimed at us. How can that be?"

She ran to me when she saw me and flung herself, sobbing, on me. I hugged her and stroked her hair. "It's okay, Bronley. We're okay. Nothing is going to hurt you."

She looked up at me with wide, terrified eyes. "How did that happen, Parker?"

Mom handed her a drink. "Thank you, Lilith. What is this?"

"Bourbon," Mom told her. "Very good bourbon. Drink it; it will be good for you."

She downed it like a shot and held out her glass for another. "Ice this time," she said.

I took her to a big chair and pulled her down on my lap. "Bronley, are you sure you want to know? You have two choices here. I can show you what's going on or make you forget it happened."

"You mean like amnesia? No, I want to know."

"Mariha, do you mind?" I asked her.

She went into flame mode. I felt Bronley stiffen on my lap. I held her tightly and petted her hair. She relaxed a little and sipped her bourbon. Mom burst into her usual blue and orange and she started again. Finally, she spoke. He r voice trembled. "What are you people? Are you vampires or something?"

Sagan laughed. "That's exactly what I asked Parker when I found out. Mariha is an angel, Bronley."

"You mean like heaven, God; that kind of angel?"

"Yes, that kind of angel," Mariha told her. "You've scraped your knees, dear. Would you like me to heal them?"

Bronley looked down at her legs. Her skirt was torn and one knee had bled a little.

"I fell down. I have two thorns in my foot, too," she cried a little. "I lost one of my shoes."

"I'll get you a new pair." I squeezed her. "Fix her, Mariha."

She gasped and felt her knees. She scratched away the blood with her fingernail and there was only smooth skin underneath. She stood up, wincing in anticipation of feeling a thorn. She laughed when there was nothing.

"Oh my God. This is incredible. Lilith looks different. I'm sorry Lilith, but you look sort of sinister. You're very beautiful, but different. Are you an angel, too, Parker?

I went spirit mode and the orange dripped down into the blue.

"You're like your mother," she said. "You're a little scary, Parker. So, are you an angel?"

"He's something different," Mariha said. "It's complicated."

"I'll make time," Bronley said.

"Parker and Lilith are something called Nephilim. They have angel blood but human bodies. They are the descendents of an ancient race of half angels."

"What was the thing that hit us with the lightning?"

"It was a cherub. No, they aren't babies and they don't have little bows. What was it doing here? How did it find us?"

"I suspect that they pried the information out of our angel friends when they were torturing them," Boston said.

"I believe you're right, sweetheart," Mom said. "How could they enlist such a being, Mariha?"

"There are factions in heaven," she said. "I'm sure there are those who remember the bad old days. They would want you both dead; Sagan and Boston, too."

"I don't understand what you're talking about, but are Sagan and Boston angels or are they like you, Parker?"

"They're something else. Not human, but they were human. They're Sirens."

"You mean like luring sailors to their deaths?"

"Well, yes but they don't do that. They could, but they wouldn't. They can sing spells though. They're good, Bronley. They don't lure people."

"This is mind-blowing. I'm going to wake up in a minute. My partner is an angel! Oh my God. Is someone trying to kill you, Parker?"

"Yes, there's a rebel faction of angels that want me dead. Actually, they want us all dead. Well, not you, but they don't know about you."

"I think they must be getting desperate," Mariha said. "They sent the big gun this time. I think they must be running out of resources. I think we'll be safe for a while. I doubt they want to come after us all together. They fear Lilith. She's a legend ever since the seraphim thing."

"I hope this doesn't mean you won't be my partner," I told Bronley.

"No, I still want to; more than ever now. How many people are partners with an angel? I don't want to be collateral damage in an angel fight though. Do you think we could wait until you win?"

I laughed. "I don't blame you for that. Does this mean you won't be sending me an invitation to your wedding?"

"No, but I don't want an angel fight there. Come if it's safe, but don't mess this up for me. What am I going to do about my car?"

"I'm sorry about that. I'll get you another. Would you like a company car?"

"Well, I don't know how the real estate office would feel about that."

"Don't tell them. It will be our secret. If we get a big enough deal with the new development, maybe you should think about becoming a full time developer."

"I'll think about it. I'm doing pretty well in real estate. I wanted to ask you something. How did you become a Siren, Sagan?"

"There are two ways; have an angel's baby or get a transfusion from someone with angel blood. Parker gave Boston a transfusion because she had cancer. It healed her, but it made her a Siren. I did it because I needed to. I was protecting myself in this angel war. I'm going to marry Parker, and I would have become a Siren anyway when we had children."

"I didn't know. Congratulations, guys. I knew you were his girlfriend, but not that you were engaged."

"We're not," Sagan told her. "Parker won't marry me until I graduate from college.

Bronley looked over at me. "You're an idiot, Parker."

I laughed. "I know; I get that a lot. I said that when I wasn't in full command of my faculties. I'm beginning to realize how idiotic it was. You see, there's this thing about Sirens. They love for life and once they choose their mate, it's irrevocable. I didn't know at the time. Will you marry me, Sagan? I love you with all my heart."

She burst into tears and ran across the room, throwing herself into my arms.

"Yes, Parker. Nothing could make me happier."

"Let's take Bronley home and I'll get you a ring," I told her.

"I'm coming, too," Boston said. "You're not about to leave me out."

"No, kitten, we wouldn't dream of it."

Chapter Fifteen

We took Bronley and got her a rental until I could get her something permanent. We went to a jewelry store and looked around. We went to four before we found something that satisfied both Boston and I at Cartier. We found a three and a half carat platinum solitaire that both girls loved. I wouldn't let the sales girl tell Sagan how much it cost. We sent her outside and Boston checked the price.

"No, Parker. We can't get this one. Sagan wouldn't like you spending this much," she told me.

"I don't care what Sagan would like. You aren't going to tell her, right kitten?"

She looked dubious but she agreed not to tell. "You aren't to spend this much when we get married," she told me.

The sales girl looked a little shocked. I pulled Boston aside. "For God's sake, baby. Watch your tongue. You're going to get me arrested."

"I'm sorry Parker. Make her forget."

"No, we're going to act like nothing happened. Now act like you're agreeing with me."

She nodded her head. "Okay, Parker, let's get it."

It took 30 minutes for them to transfer the money. I guess they have trouble trusting your check for 600, 000 dollars. Boston took the box and we collected Sagan. We went down to the Opera house and I knelt down and put it on her finger. She cried a lot and I'll admit to shedding a tear or two myself. Boston was radiant and I took my girls home. Mom and Mariha took Boston to a hotel and we had the house to ourselves.

I cooked her dinner and we drank a bottle of wine. We sat in the sauna and made out before getting in the big tub. She lay back against me and I played with her nipples. There must be something to this Siren thing because even though we had made love hundreds of times, she was more beautiful than ever. I've made love to an angel and it was everything it sounds like it would be, but this Siren was on a completely different plane.

Her breasts seemed bigger and firmer than ever and her hips and butt were magical. She took me to bed and that was magical, too. She came easily and often and it went on and on. She was something that men have dreamed about and written poems about since the dawn of time. We lay in lassitude and I stroked her back idly. That mane of black hair covered her back like a veil and it made a lump rise in my throat just looking at her.

"Sagan, you're the most beautiful woman in the world," I whispered.

She looked up with heavy lidded eyes. She smiled and nibbled at my nipple. "Thanks, baby. I love it when you tell me. I'm yours, you know. I'm so lucky you were walking behind us that day in Austin. I don't think I want to go back, Parker. Do you want to live here?"

"I think I do. I'd be happy in a hut in the woods as long as I have you."

"Yes, but this is more comfortable. I miss Mariha though. She would make me cum again."

I couldn't keep from laughing. "That's exactly what she said when we went to the Great Barrier Reef. 'I miss Sagan though. She has more stamina than you.'"

She giggled and the feeling of those big breasts jiggling against me made me roll her over on her back and she didn't miss Mariha anymore.

We hadn't set a date to get married and neither one of us were in any hurry. It seemed like cherubs attacking our friends and demons kidnapping Boston were a little more pressing. Mariha was in daily communication with Adonael and it seemed to me like it was wearing on her.

"Are you okay, Mariha?" I asked her.

"Yes, why do you ask?"

"I don't know, it seems like your halo is slipping a little. You snapped at Mom for asking if breakfast was ready, you told Boston to stop asking so many questions and when I tried to love on you a minute ago you just pushed me away with your foot. What's going on?"

"I'm sorry, Parker. I just hate talking to Adonael all the time. He's such a supercilious bastard and I feel so nervous around him, like I want him to approve of me. I really don't like the guy. I find myself being obsequious and it annoys me that I feel like I need to do that. The archangels have always seemed entitled to me. I know they're powerful, but we hauled his ass out of a sling. It's not that he isn't grateful or kind to me, it's like he always makes me feel like my clothes have a grease spot on them."

"Come here, baby, and sit on my lap," I patted my knee.