Chapter 25

A small family reunion.

Friday night rolled around quickly. David and Zander left for Williams and Madeline was out with Atticus. Every since the two of them met they couldn’t be separated. She was at his house every day studying or just talking. Tonight he was taking her out to a very nice dinner.

Rylan and I did the same, although we invited our closest friends in Miami, Tex and Kei. Again Rylan whipped up one of his favorite and famous recipes. I set the table and waited. Rylan served the plates, covered them, and put them on the table. I sat on the couch in the living room and watched as the sun slowly went down. “The sunset sure is beautiful here.” He said quietly from the kitchen.

“That it is.” Rylan jumped over the couch and pushed himself between me and the pillows. Hot air grazed the back of my throat as he kissed each vertebra down my neck.  His arms wrapped tightly around my torso. I curled my legs up and pushed my body closer into his. He finally rested his chin on my shoulder and leaned his forehead against my hair. My arm rose up and rubbed the back of his neck. The hair was standing on end. “I didn’t think I still had that effect.”

His neck turned and he kissed the back of my neck again, “You’ve always had that effect.” A smile spread on my face and I turned my neck to kiss him. When our lips touched the bell rang loudly. I sighed deafeningly and kissed him once more. When I got up off the couch to answer the door Rylan laughed, “You invited them.”

I copied his laugh and opened the door. The two Oresons stood quietly with bright smiles on their faces. My arm spread the door open wider and I let them in. Kei’s long hair had also been cut short to a bob. It showed off her slender shoulders and neck. Her tiny arms wrapped around me and I hugged her back. I kissed her cheek, “It’s good to see you sis.” I whispered and she laughed. She walked over to Rylan. He picked her up and spun her around.

“I’m so glad you came.” He said loudly and sat her back down.

Tex smiled at me and stepped in. He put his hand on the side of my face and stroked my cheek. “I’ve missed you.” He said quietly then pulled me into him. His height never seemed to stop. His muscles were so long and thin like he swam everyday instead of lifting weights like his brothers. Happiness always filled me when he was around. Something always pulled me towards Tex. I think it was the understanding that we felt toward each other. If there was someone I could tell everything to, it was him. Comfortable was a word to describe him. A best friend is another.

He held onto me tightly for a good minute before letting go. His silver eyes glazed over me happily. I think when it was all said and done the twins ended up looking the best of all the Oresons. They had the perfect balance of their mother and father. The love in their eyes is what topped it off. They got that from their mom. Nothing ever took that love from their eyes. I envied that.

Tex stepped past me and walked to Rylan. They also embraced each other in a loving hug. Kei came next to me and wrapped her arm around my waist. “It’s so good to have you back. It’s like a void has been filled.” I kissed the top of her head and hugged her tight.

“Let’s eat,” Rylan said and he led us into the kitchen. We sat across from each other on the table.

I dove into Rylan’s meal without question. He never had a bad plate. “We wanted to thank you.”

“For what?” I asked with a mouth full of food.

Kei smiled, “well Zander really. He saved our Zachary.”

“Well thank Zachary. He paved us a way to talk to Zander. Without Zander seeing him he wouldn’t believe any of this.”

Tex laughed, “Well you’re welcome. It was hard to have kids that looked like her.” Sarcasm filled every word.

We all laughed. That wasn’t true. Actually I was surprised that our kids didn’t end up looking more like Rylan. Or perhaps maybe that was a good thing. Without people knowing they could hide their identity better. There was no doubt that the Khtulu look was quite different, especially for men. My eyes looked over at Rylan. His mouth spread into a smile. He was the most attractive and beautiful person on the planet and I wouldn’t trade him for anything. My hand moved up his back and stroked the back of his head.

“We’ve missed you. Finally our kids can spend time together.” Kei chewed her food with such grace.

“We didn’t know that Zander was a twin,” Tex suddenly busted in. Kei shot him a look then smiled.

I nodded, “Ya. We didn’t actually plan it that way, but that’s how it happened.”

Tex swallowed his mouthful. “It just means they were meant to be together. They need each other.”

Rylan’s hand stretched over onto my leg and stroked the top of my thigh. He turned to Tex and quietly spoke, “Do you ever talk to Zane?”

It was a subject no one liked to talk about. Tex held it close to his heart. Most times when asked about him he storms off. I waited in anticipation for his answer. Kei looked at Rylan whose gaze was set straight onto Tex. Tex slowly shook his head, “About three years ago he stopped responding to mail and calls.” His shoulders shrugged casually. “The last thing he told me was he still didn’t feel like himself. It wasn’t anything for me to worry about. Apparently I should’ve made a bigger deal about it.”

“Do you think he…?” I didn’t have to finish the sentence. Everyone knew what I was asking. Had Zane returned to the villain side? It seemed to be the only explanation of his sudden disappearance.

Tex’s head quickly shook, “No not at all. That wasn’t my brother, it still isn’t.”

I nodded. Tex knew I wasn’t trying to offend him. He smiled up at me and bit into his food.  We sat silently for a few moments. “I heard you adopted a new son.”

Rylan answered, “David, yes. He’s magnificent.”

My neck turned my chin and I looked up at him, “Really?” I asked with a questioning tone.

“He’s human,” he said not looking down at me.

I sighed. Was that all he really cared about. What did he have against super heroes that he couldn’t accept his own children for who they are? I shifted my body away from him. He looked down at me with a strange look. “Let me finish,” he smiled. “It’s a change to not have to worry about powers. I love Zander and I love Madeline and everything that they bring. With David it’s different, it’s like we can be his heroes.”

I hadn’t thought of it like that. If I don’t get anything out of this world at least I know that I was someone’s hero. Being a hero is what I always wanted. Yet I gave it up. Realizations started to flood my head. I loved saving people and the gratifying feeling I get from it. People loved me. They called out for me in their hours of need. I was finally what people needed what they wanted. I shifted in my seat uncomfortably. Suddenly the walls surrounding me felt suffocating.

Rylan grabbed my hand and squeezed it tightly. When Tex turned to Kei to say something he whispered to me, “I know and I’m sorry.”

My face lifted to look up at his. He smiled down at me and kissed my cheek.

Kei turned back to us, “Are you glad to be back in Miami?”

“I hate Miami.” Rylan said without thinking, “I always have such a bad feeling about this place.”

“It’s not so bad once you get used to it.” Tex laughed lightly. He was the only one who seemed to find it funny.

Rylan sighed, “I just can’t shake the feeling that something dark is lurking here just waiting for the right time to jump out at us.”

Kei looked at him seriously, “like before.”

He nodded, “like before.”

“Before?” Tex and I were both confused.

Kei didn’t take her eyes of Rylan, “with Larsen. He had seen it he knew what was going to happen.”

“And you didn’t stop it?” Tex snapped loudly.

Rylan looked at him sympathetically, “I didn’t know when or where or even who. All I knew that something dark would kill me. I saw it, my own death, many times.”

“I saw it too,” I whispered.

Everyone thought this was amazing, “What?” They asked in unison.

“So did Phoenix. Years before I was even a hero I had a dream. It was the scene that played out on the roof top. The only people I could make out were Phoenix and Jazz. The dream ended every time, when I fell off the roof. I had no idea I would be saved.”

Rylan looked over me, “I saved you.” He was reassuring that I had my facts correct.

I nodded and patted his cheek, “Did you see Zane?” asked Tex solemnly.

Both of our heads shook, “that surprised us. It surprised everyone.”

Tex nodded and looked down at his food. All of us had stopped eating. The room became tense and quiet. I spoke this time, “they saw him.”

“Who?” Kei asked.

“The kids,” I answered carefully, “they saw Zane.”

Tex’s eyes got wide this was the only contact he’d had from Zane in years. Rylan hadn’t even heard this, “What?” he turned toward me shifting his whole body.

I nodded, “at first I thought maybe I was imagining things. But when we went to see Abigail right after she’d waken up she said something about a ‘he’. His face appeared in my mind. Ever since then I’ve been dreaming about him chasing the kids.”

“Have you asked them?” Kei snapped suddenly.

My head shook, “look at the facts. Zane’s been missing for years now. The only time he’s been seen was when our kids were missing. He was the only one who could use his powers, the only one who knew where they were, the only one who knew Zander.”

Tex bit his lip and his gaze returned to the table, “I just can’t believe it. He promised that it wouldn’t happen again, he promised.”

“People make hollow promises every day.” Rylan tried to comfort Tex but we all knew that wasn’t his strong point. I patted his thigh making him push his lips together.

Tex lifted his eyes and looked at us both. He blinked long once then split his lips and spoke. “I’ll find him, I promise.”