~*~*~*~*~*~
Terius was definitely sulking.
When Neil returned, he hadn’t moved from his seat at the table and his blue-grey eyes continued to track Calida’s movements as she moved around the kitchen. He pretended not to notice Neil’s return, but his cheeks were red and one lip stuck out just a touch more than the other. He sat with his shoulders slumped instead of the polite, perfectly straight posture from several minutes ago.
Neil had been sure to take his time, knowing that a few minutes of soaping and re-soaping his hands was perfectly fine as far as good manners went. The look in Calida’s eyes had been vaguely familiar to the one from his foster mother right before she decided to tear him a new one over something pointless.
He slipped into the kitchen, relieved to notice that whatever tension that was between them, had been resolved in the few minutes he hadn’t been there. Personally, he didn’t want to think of how that was possible, but his musings were cut short by a soft, musical chime that played throughout the entire apartment.
Terius twitched, faintly, but made no move to rise from his chair.
Calida was in the middle of transferring an indescribable mash of brown and white mush from her frying pan into a serving dish.
“Someone’s at the door,” Neil ventured. A prickle of unease washed over him for the first time since he’d set foot in the apartment. He looked from Calida balancing on one foot by the stove, to Terius.
“If they’re supposed to be here, they’ll let themselves in,” Terius said. “Of course, you’re welcome to play butler, I’m not stopping you.”
“Terius,” Calida gave him a mild look, before picking up a container of red powder and generously sprinkling it over the dish of mash. “It’s Bevi—I think.”
“You think?” Terius growled. “Are you even using your senses or are you-”
“No need to worry, I let myself in, thanks,” a new voice—Bevi—stood in the doorway, a large grey duffel bag slung over one shoulder. She was a muscular woman of average height, showing off strong arms and well-proportioned curves hidden beneath a lightly-armored jumpsuit. She gave Terius a look that had him leaning back in his seat, subtly edging away from her. “Cally, darling?”
“Bevi!” Calida tossed her spoon in the sink and made a beeline for her at once. She hugged Bevi as hard as she could, nuzzling her face into the taller woman’s neck. “I was worried. You were taking forever.”
Neil squirmed in his seat, fighting the urge to run. Two distinct facts surfaced at once. One, the only exit he knew of was currently occupied by Bevi and two, he had a vague feeling that there was no way he could slip past her without her knowledge. Even though Terius had hinted that no unwelcome guests could simply waltz through the door, it didn’t have the same safe connotations as if Calida had said it.
Brilliant gold eyes drilled straight through him and Neil froze. He couldn’t look away and he desperately wanted to. The stare was broken a moment later when Bevi smiled down at Calida. “That’s a loaded question. We are on lockdown, you know. No one’s really supposed to be traveling in and out.” She hugged her back, smoothing a hand over Calida’s rounded belly. “How was the trip over? Not too stressful, I hope.” She looked at Terius. “On second thought, considering how Terius looks, I don’t know if I want to know.”
“The trip was fine and I was right. We’re having twins. Can you believe it?” Calida stood up on tip-toe.
Bevi stared at her for a good long moment, before she held Calida’s face perfectly still for an exaggerated kiss of congratulations. “That’s wonderful, darling.” She added a kiss to the forehead and one to each cheek, finishing with other, chaste kiss to the lips. “How are you feeling?”
“Fine. Perfectly fine. I’m cooking. Where’s everyone else?”
“Audrey’s somewhere behind me, Lucci’s sulking over a slap on the wrist. Nothing serious, but I swear I’ll have grey hair before this year is over if he doesn’t learn to control his defensive spellwork. Don’t you dare coddle him and undo everything I lectured into him on the way over.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Calida sniffed. “And I do not coddle.”
“True, or else Terius wouldn’t be looking so miserable over there. Whatever did he do?”
“He’s fine.”
“Ty and Dex are busy then?”
“We came here to work, not play.”
“I see. In that case, stop being mean to Terius and get off of your feet. You’ll be complaining within the hour if you don’t. Where’s Renee?”
“Where do you think?”
Bevi rolled her eyes. “Good point. You,” she nodded at Terius. “Tell them I’m back. I have news.”
“Bad news?”
“I’m not repeating myself. Just go.”
Terius rose from his chair and edged past her to exit the kitchen. He paused, when he stood out in the hallway. “I’m glad you’re back safely,” he mumbled.
A slow smile painted across Bevi’s face “It’s good to be back,” she said, simply. “Now go tell Renee to come finish up.” She guided Calida to sit down on the newly vacated chair.
“I’m fine-!” Calida protested, even as the ushering hands held her down in the chair at the table. “Bevi!”
“You’re not fine, so don’t give me that. I know you better than you give me credit for. Just because Tiberius isn’t paying attention doesn’t mean you can take advantage of that.” Bevi shook her head. “I knew I shouldn’t have stayed behind for the full two weeks. Honestly!”
A flare of tempered magic rippled through the kitchen.
Neil whined. He clapped a hand over his mouth the moment the sound registered, face flaming.
Both women turned to him at once, Calida halfway out of her seat before Bevi pressed her back down.
“Bevi, it’s fine. He’s our guest,” Calida rubbed her cheek on the hand holding her down, trying to sooth her ruffled Gheyo. “He’s a new Submissive. Please excuse my manners, Neil, this is my Gheyo Ace, Bevi. She’s the uh, head fighter, I guess? I don’t know a relatable equivalent, but I have two other Gheyos and she’s the one who can order them around. She handles any physical threats to the Circle. She’s one of mine, so there’s nothing to be afraid of.”
Face still red, Neil slowly dropped his hand. He opened his mouth to speak again, only for other inhuman whine to escape. He groaned inwardly.
“Bevi! Stop scaring him,” Calida twisted around in her seat, a look of confusion on her expressive face. “I know you sensed him before you even set foot in here. Don’t make a scene now. I’ve already extended a formal hand of fri-”
“I did notice him,” Bevi said, steadily. Her golden eyes began to darken. “I just hadn’t decided that he wasn’t a threat.”
####
Thanks for reading my story! Now that you’ve finished, won’t you please consider leaving a review? Reviews help readers decide what to read next and help them to discover new authors. If you’ve read the first two episodes of Neil’s story, then you already know that I’m Chera Carmichael. I also go by Scioneeris, the author of the popular hp creature fic, known as “There Be Dragons, Harry”, featuring my original dragon creatures, the dragels, also known as Elemental Dragons. I created them years ago, along with their special world, Nevarah. I’m so excited to present my first original serial with them and I look forward to sharing this adventure with you. I hope you’re enjoying Neil and his story, as it features dragels in a slightly futuristic setting. Neil’s story also features many of your favorite characters from TBDH, such as Terius, Lady Ilsa and the Deveraine Circle. Stay tuned for the next installment—I’m writing as fast as I can!
Blog: https://www.scioneeris.tumblr.com
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