Evening
Lennox
After our outdoor adventure, I wasn't sure how to feel when we got back to Lorcan and Lilah's place. I wasn't regretting it, I was just worried the other guys would be upset or jealous. This was going to be hard to keep even. Though, I thought the guys were all outspoken enough to say something if they were feeling left out.
"Stop overthinking it, Little Psycho," Calev teased as we landed in the backyard. I hadn’t realized I had somehow opened a mental link between us. His obsidian wings folded behind him. Though he’d tried to treat his words as a joke, hurt slipped through, and I froze. Damn it, of course my stupid overworking brain leads to me putting my foot in my mouth, yet again.
"I'm not overthinking that part of it, I promise. I'm happy... I just worry they won't be happy when they find out. I don't want secrets between us all, but I don't want fights. And I especially don't want to fuck this up by making someone feel like they aren't getting the same attention as someone else."
With that, his frown loosened, and some of the tension left his eyes. "Don't worry, we aren't keeping tallies of who you kissed last, and we especially won't be petty about sex. You'll be fine. Each relationship you have with us is different and will grow at its own pace, we get that," he promised, stopping me and folding me in one last hug before leading me inside. Please let that be true.
"You're back!" Lachlan yelled, his vibrant copper hair visible through the window as he threw open the back door and hurried down the stairs. The tension left me as he scooped me up and spun me around. When he dropped me back on my feet, he pulled me in, his soft lips crushing against mine. His kiss wasn't as sweet this time; instead, it was possessive, his hands moving to rest on my ass as he pulled me even closer. Well, I guess his bear has an idea about what happened with me and Calev. "I missed you."
"Hey, no hogging my Kitten!" Tristan complained dramatically, pulling me away and into his embrace. "We were just figuring out what to do tonight. What sounds fun?"
"I'm up for whatever," I answered, knowing it wasn't the least bit helpful. “I do want to shower and get comfy first, though.”
"Whatever?" Aeson asked as he walked up, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. I snorted, expecting nothing less from him.
"Movie?" Van asked, coming out with a handful of cookies. Tristan reached for one, earning himself a smack on the hand. Laughing at Tristan's indignation, Van handed me one.
"See, I'm special," I joked, taking an exaggerated bite just to tease him. Aeson snorted before dashing toward me, trying to snatch it out of my hand. Channeling my vampire powers, I sped out of the way, only to be snatched by Lachlan who used his hold on me to take a bite of the cookie. So I channeled a bit of lightning that Lilah taught me to give him a gentle zap, surprising even myself when it actually worked. I guess they were right, my magic is strong. When he dropped me, I took off again, wishing I had wings like Calev, but this time nothing happened. I guess even mimics have their limits. Honestly, I’m probably okay with not growing extra body parts or shifting into an animal for now.
“Impressive, Doll. See we knew you had it in you,” Van cheered at the same time Calev lunged forward and picked me up. He unfurled his wings and he flew up above the yard, hovering just high enough to be out of reach. The others protested before Aeson shot a stream of water out of his hand to hit Calev in the face.
"Fine, fine," Calev groaned, dropping down to the ground and shaking his hair over the others. Before his arms even let me go, I was being pulled away by Aeson, who didn't bother to hide the glare he shot over his shoulder.
"Behave," I teased, pulling away from him and heading for the kitchen. I wanted another of Lilah's cookies before we worried about a shower and movie night.
"There you are! Did you have fun?" she asked, her voice holding a hint of teasing.
"It was, the view was lovely," I said, barely keeping the laughter at bay. I appreciated it on the way back, since the only thing I saw on the way over was my sexy gargoyle.
"Here are some more cookies for you guys to dig into. I have to go get ready for work before Lorcan starts pestering me. You guys have fun with your movie night," she teased, using her magic to dry her hands and click off the oven. It still blew my mind to see the little shows of magic she did so casually, but I guessed that growing up human would do that to you.
"Wait, I have a question," I said, my hand pausing in midair, stealing a glance at the others as they followed us in. "We have a few hours of daylight left. Is there somewhere I can go to read through records or look into my parents?"
Everyone avoided my gaze for a second, hiding the emotions that my question had provoked. I don’t want any more secrets between us, but I also don’t need their pity. Either way, I was growing exasperated. Just because I grew up human, didn’t mean I was going to keep letting it bother me.
Evander finally sighed and answered, his voice hesitant, "We have a census. That'd be the first place to look since it’s divided by species. Sirens are rare, but a mimic wouldn't be listed. I'm not sure how helpful it will be, but it's a start."
“What about genetic testing?” I asked, directing it at Lilah.
She seemed to think it over before answering slowly. “Well… mimic’s aren’t created by design, only a mimic can make a
mimic, just like any other species. So, you could probably start at the last recorded one. As for testing, it wouldn’t be listed there. I’ll do some research and let you know what I find,” she promised, giving me a quick hug before she walked away.
Aeson hopped up to sit on the counter, his eyes lighting up excitedly now. "We could also check out the library in town, see if there's any mention of mimics in the books."
"Your nerd is showing," I teased, but I couldn't hide my excitement. It was one thing to find out that I was a supernatural, but the fact that I had no clue about my past had bugged me from the beginning of this adventure. The chance to find answers had me feeling hopeful, excited, and anxious.
After a quick shower and change, we hurried out of the apartment, not wanting to waste any daylight. We all agreed to split up, since Calev wasn't about to let anyone go out on their own. It wasn't even ten minutes of driving, and we were being followed again. The same white car from last time stayed a few cars behind us, and no matter where we turned, it seemed like they were always there. We’d discussed who it could be, but the guys all seemed convinced that it was Citrine still. They seemed less worried today, since we’d be out when the sidewalks were still crowded.
Since it was late afternoon, the city was packed with people. Aeson, Calev, and Tristan went to the library, while Evander and Lachlan took me over to the census building. It was attached to the Obsidian Regency Hall, which meant we had to go through three waves of security just to get to the archive. I didn’t mind the metal detectors or giving my information, it was the damn magical scan I hated. With Aeson, scans felt intimate and gentle. This one was invasive and unsettling, leaving me even more anxious and uncomfortable.
The building itself was beautiful, distracting me from my unease. It looked like it was carved from actual obsidian, the stone a sleek black that stood out against the bright spring colors outside. Despite the stone building, it had a modern look with smooth, sliding doors, huge windows that let the natural light in, and white and silver furniture lining the rooms. After our last security checkpoint, where I had to hand over all my belongings just to get through, we were finally inside.
The archives themselves weren't as busy as the rest of the building, so only one clerk worked behind the desk. She was a tall woman with thick glasses, not much older than us. I couldn’t use Aeson’s powers to tell, but for some reason I thought she felt like a witch. Maybe I should ask the others about this later. She greeted us as we walked in, looking bored out of her mind. "Can I help you find anything?"