Background
We learn just a bit more about the residents of The Refuge...
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“No idea when that may be, Koko,” Geoffrey replied, quite distracted. His mind was anywhere but on this conversation with Koko. And watching Gary play around the huge backyard with Freki did nothing to help his focus; his husband was simply amazing. “I fly out to meet Stephen in New York tomorrow.”
The house and grounds were once again peaceful, quiet and empty as Charlie, Lyca, and Peadar worked to put away the multitude of food left over from earlier. Of course, Demetrius had not made an appearance all day. And Kato? Well, it seemed Gary had called it earlier in the day: Kato had climbed into the crook of one of the enormous trees out back. He had attached one earbud and proceeded to spend the entire afternoon soaking up the sun’s rays. And even though Geoffrey had noticed that Kato kept one eye alert at all times, most people hadn’t even known he was there. Geoffrey figured such was what he had intended.
So, it was just Koko and Geoffrey on the back porch, and the usually cheerful Koko was introspective in an uncharacteristic manner as they watched Gary practically ride the huge wolf-like dog to bring it down playfully. Both he and Koko took another sip of beer.
“Her Order has notified her to expect you?”
Geoffrey turned and tried not to spray Koko with the beer he’d just poured into his mouth. Koko’s question was a definite land-mine if ever there was one. God, if it were only that easy.
Koko looked mildly amused, but his brow still furrowed at Geoffrey’s delay in replying. Of course, the frown could have been at Geoffrey’s expulsion of the beer from his mouth and a faster-than-would-be-expected recovery.
“According to the oh-so-helpful Sisters up there,” Geoffrey made sure to emphasize his sarcasm, “Northeastern Order records and genealogy have the bloodline ending with Rosemary’s decision not to have children.” Geoffrey’s words sounded odd even to himself – their terms and references had reminded him of the way breeders speak at the AKA dog show each year. “They stated that their claim is verifiable through World Wide Headquarters and are adamant about no ‘spark’ past her generation.”
Geoffrey watched Koko carefully for an acknowledgement that the Native American man may have a better understanding of that verbal gibberish than he had, but Koko simply grunted, his expression remaining unchanged.
Geoffrey shrugged – so he was obviously the only one clueless as to the meaning of the genealogical gobblety-goop.
He simply shook his head to himself. It wasn’t the first time he was not ‘in the know’ when it came to the drama inside a client’s life – heaven knows the international music scene could be the source for a decade or more of endless documentaries of intrigue.
C’est la vie.
Such had become his favorite saying in his line of work. Geoffrey took another sip of his beer, this time determined to swallow it.
“Then we should appeal to Rosemary’s Regional Order for-”
Geoffrey choked on his mouthful and coughed half of it into the climbing rose bushes lining the porch railing.
“No, Koko.” Geoffrey croaked in between coughing and trying to clear his throat. “Rosemary was insistent that her grand-niece, and only her grand-niece, was to replace her.” He tried to put some of the firmness in his voice that Gary and Charlie always managed without sounding bossy. “Everything here, and I do mean everything – the house, the land, the furnishings, the accounts, hell, we’re talking specifics down to the damn cat bowls – is now in this Marguerite Atkinson’s name.”
Geoffrey swiped his mouth with the back of his empty hand and tried to straighten his now alcohol-smelling shirt as he gazed firmly up at Koko. “Nope. Seems you folks are pretty much going to be outside the Order for an innkeeper on this one because all of this?” Geoffrey motioned with his best trial lawyer arm actions. “It belongs to Marguerite now. Period.”
If he didn’t know better, he’d swear the daylight suddenly became dimmer. In fact, he glanced out across the tree line to search out the thunder clouds that must have echoed the slight rumbling that rolled through the area. There were none. Geoffrey turned back to Koko whose eyes had gone dark in a very menacing manner. Frowning slightly, he took a step back from the Native American who seemed to increase in height, if only in the slightest.
Another rumble of thunder, this time closer and accompanied by a threatening breeze that smelled of storm clouds and was that sulfur? Geoffrey caught his breath as he carefully placed his beer bottle on the railing and continued backing away slowly.
“Koko!”
Demetrius’ deep voice startled Geoffrey such that he stumbled back, only to have Demetrius grab his upper arm to keep him from falling – that large hand clasping his bicep like a frozen steel vice. Cold and unbelievably strong.
He’d just had time to register the ominous man’s presence before Demetrius had moved to catch him and moved between Geoffrey and Koko. Geoffrey found himself staring at Demetrius’ back.
Demetrius placed both palms flat on Koko’s broad chest. “Sipala.”
It was such a simple word, but Demetrius made it sound like a command from the heavens. Geoffrey could actually feel the word against his skin even though Demetrius mostly had his back to the attorney.
Geoffrey tried to peek around the large man’s frame to observe their interaction.
There seemed to be no immediate change in Koko’s demeanor and the breeze continued.
Demetrius raised a small portion of his upper lip and bared a larger than normal canine as an inhuman growl emanated from him. The action prompted Geoffrey to take another step back away from the both of them. And even though Geoffrey had no idea what that word meant or how a man could make the sound that had just come from Demetrius, he watched in amazement as all darkness left Koko’s face. In fact, the sun seemed to shine brighter out in the yard than before the odd confrontation – the smells and sounds of the distant storm disappearing.
to be continued…
Author Notes
The photo is NOT of The Refuge. The Refuge is an entirely fictitious boarding house and inn created entirely for this novel and has no likeness in our reality.
Rosemary - (deceased) Rosemary Fenna, Sister of the World Wide Hecate Order and Guardian Protectress of The Refuge
Geoffrey Staltson - Rosemary's lawyer and friend to the residents at The Refuge
Demetrius - tall, mysterious male resident of The Refuge, does not seem to socialize with the others
Peadar - Irish male resident of The Refuge, helped Rosemary with upkeep
Lycaois - (aka Lyca) Goth, warrior-looking female resident of The Refuge
Koko - Native American male resident of The Refuge, has unending optimism and warmth about him...most of the time
Kato - large male resident who wears the clothes of a teenager
Charlise Staltson - Geoffrey's wife (they have a three-way marriage - Geoffrey, Gary, and Charlie)
Gary Staltson - Geoffrey's husband
Freki - Lyca's over-sized pet 'dog'
Stephen - private investigator employed by Geoffrey
Jinx - computer hack/whiz working with Stephen, handles all the tech-forensics for investigations
Image of 'Delightful Southern House Plans' at The Image Fixer [theimagefixer.com]
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