Super Bad (a Superlovin' novella) (18 page)

She heard a loud creak,
the burned-out logs groaning, and the roof collapsed with a whoosh of smoky
debris and an ungodly crash. The door flew open, propelled by the blast, and a
hulking, ash-coated figure stumbled through.

“
Julian
.” Her
knees gave out on a tide of relief and she hit the ground.

He stood at the mouth
of the wreckage, Eisenmann over one shoulder, her father hooked over the other,
and damn if she’d ever seen a more beautiful sight. He set Eisenmann and her
father down next to Kim and came to kneel in front of her, yanking down the
singed and sooty shirt wrapped over the lower half of his face.

He cupped her face, so
tender and gentle. “I knew you could do it,” he grated out, his voice rough
from smoke-inhalation.

She couldn’t speak. The
only sound that escaped her was a broken sob as she threw her arms around him
and held on tight. He wrapped her in his strength and she pressed her face
against his neck, not caring that he smelled like a campfire and her face was
instantly smeared with ash. “Let’s never do that again,” she hiccupped.

His laugh was a low,
coughing rasp. “Deal.”

For a long while, they
just held one another. But it wasn’t long enough. Forever wouldn’t be long
enough. He trusted her, believed in her… Loved her? He’d said it, but shouting
it at her father didn’t really count. But did the words really matter? The man
had walked through fire for her. Declarations were pretty flimsy after that.

But when he pulled back
to look into her eyes and whispered, “I love you, Mirage,” she forgot that she
didn’t care about declarations and began blubbering all over again. Gasping
through her tears, she managed to get out, “I love you, too.” Then his lips closed
over hers and she forgot about words again. Forgot about anything other than
the feel of him, the taste, and the pure, fierce
rightness
of him. He
was her balance, her heart, and her hero. She didn’t have to be virtuous to
know that this, the two of them, would always be good.

“I think that might be
the ugliest dog I’ve ever seen.”

Mirage shot a glare at
Kim Carruthers and covered her precious puppy’s one-and-a-half ears with her
hands. “Don’t say that in front of Liberty. She’s sensitive.”

Sure, there were patches
where her fur was missing and the scraggly pit-mix was half an ear short and
completely lacking a tail, but that didn’t mean she wasn't beautiful in her own
way. Mirage had taken Justice to the local shelter, determined to get him the
puppy he’d wanted as a kid, and they’d ended up leaving with a trio of misfits—Liberty,
Mayhem, a scraggly mutt with a lazy eye who always looked mildly lost, and a
three-legged Corgi who only answered to Major. Saving the three
unlikely-to-be-adopted dogs had been about as close as she was likely to get to
playing hero.

It had been only
logical that she would move in with Justice to help him take care of the dogs—at
least that was the excuse they’d given Lucien. Julian was still a little jumpy
about coming right out and admitting that he was banging DemonSpawn Wroth’s
baby sister. The two men had a strict
don’t ask don’t tell
policy.

She glanced across the
apartment where her brother and her lover were talking without even a hint of
violence. If Luc and Julian could play nice, the least she could do was be
polite to Kim Carruthers for the duration of the housewarming party. Especially
since she was indirectly responsible for the fact that Kim suddenly had
telekinetic powers she couldn’t entirely control. Eisenmann was still
recovering from his own brush with the RAT poison.

So she forced a smile
and did the pretty with the perky blonde reporter—who couldn’t leave for the capital
fast enough as far as Mirage was concerned—until DynaGirl wandered over to
distract her old friend Kim so Mirage could sneak off for a minute to herself.

She’d never thought of
herself as antisocial, but it was still an unfamiliar experience, having a
bunch of friends who wanted to make sure her house was warm. Especially
considering most of those friends were heroes. She slipped into the kitchen,
Liberty padding at her heels, and pretended to check on the status of the
drinks in the fridge. It wasn’t that she didn’t want all these people here,
wishing them well, but her vision for her first night officially living at
Justice’s place had been more of the clothing-optional variety. Just the two of
them.

Liberty listed
adoringly against her leg and Mirage dropped a hand to scratch behind one ear,
correcting herself—just the five of them. She intended to see to it that Julian
never felt lonely again.

“Hiding out?”

She turned, half hoping
it was Justice, there to tell her they could throw everyone out, but it was her
brother, leaning one shoulder against the kitchen doorway. “Not hiding,” she lied.
“Just taking a second to regroup.”

Lucien folded his arms
across his chest, his expression still guarded even though she hadn’t had a
relapse in over three weeks. She wouldn’t call herself officially cured, but she
hadn’t done anything to earn his wariness. Luc cleared his throat. “Justice says
the compulsions are gone.”

“We think so. It’s hard
to be sure, but I feel better now. Like myself again.”

Luc nodded. When he met
her eyes, it was as if just looking at her was an effort. “I owe you an
apology.”

Now she was the one who
couldn’t look at him. “No, Luc, you don’t,” she said, although the word felt
wrong. Like a lie. She’d been so angry at him for not believing in her, for
just writing her off and putting distance between them. For looking at her like
she was crazy when she’d just needed to know he was on her side.

“Yes, I do. You were
always a kid to me. Someone to look after. I should have given you credit for
being strong enough to come through this.”

She swallowed around a
sudden thickness in her throat. “I never would have given up my powers.”

“You heard that?” He
grimaced. “I don’t think I could have asked you to. But I’m sorry I suggested
it. And I’m glad it wasn’t necessary. I’m in awe of you, Mirage. And Justice. Though
I haven’t decided how I feel about you two being together yet.”

She smiled, a tight
knot in her chest finally easing. “You’ll get used to the idea.”

He unfolded his arms
and stepped toward her. “So you can forgive me for being a total ass?”

“You weren’t a total
ass. Besides, that’s what brothers are for, right?” She went into his arms, the
last jagged puzzle piece fitting back into place. He held her, his strong arms
gentle as always, and when he set her away, big, tough DemonSpawn Wroth gave a
discreet sniffle.

“So Justice let Dad
escape, eh?”

Mirage smiled. “Something
like that.” The official story was that the Demon Doctor had duped them and
disappeared. All she knew was that her father and Julian had had a long talk
before they’d left the canyon and whatever her father had said must have worked
because Julian had left her father there. And this morning she’d received her
first letter from him. All was well in South America, apparently, and Mirage
should “hang onto that Justice boy.” Advice she had every intention of taking.

“Hey, I’ve been looking
for you.” Julian appeared in the doorway and Mirage grinned at him, wondering
how soon they could kick everyone out and she could start that hanging on.

Lucien took one glance
at the look she was directing at Julian and groaned. “I think that’s my cue. See
you two later.” He glared at Julian. “Just not too much later.”

Mirage rolled her eyes
as her brother shouldered his way past Julian. As if they were going to hook up
in a room with no door during the middle of their housewarming party. Though
she did pull Julian farther into the room and tug him to her for a quick kiss. Or
a not so quick kiss…

When they separated,
they were both breathing quickly and Julian had a bemused grin on his
All-American face. “What was that for?”

“I need a reason?”

“Hell no. Forget I
asked.” He came in for another kiss, but this one did stay quick. “We should
get back. Guests and all that.”

“I’m a villain. I’m
allowed to be a terrible hostess.”

“Is that in the villain
rulebook?”

“We don’t have a
rulebook. That’s the whole point of villainy. No rules.” She frowned. “Though
maybe there should be.”

“What do you mean?”

“Why did you let my
father go?”

She felt him start,
clearly not expecting that line of questioning. “Why?”

“Why.”

He frowned and finally,
grudgingly, admitted, “You were right.”

“About?”

“He isn’t violent. He
has no wish to hurt anyone. He really did think he was helping you and Lucien,
that the two of you had been sucked in by Darla and me—evil heroes who were
going to hurt you. Once I convinced him I would walk through fire for you, he
was slightly more inclined to let me keep you.”

“He’s still a wanted
felon and you let him walk away.”

“He’s your father. And
God knows he’s a few bricks short of a load—way too many experiments on himself
if you ask me—but I just didn’t see the justice in putting him in Area Nine for
the rest of his life. If I brought him in now, he wouldn’t be treated fairly. He
definitely needs a keeper, but he’s more than a little paranoid about people
watching his actions, so the letters were the best I could do.”

“So you’re responsible
for my new pen pal.”

“Do you mind? I kind of
stepped in and made the decision without you.”

“It was a good
decision. I’ll reserve being mad for when you make idiotic ones.”

He snorted. “Thanks.”

“Besides, maybe I’ll
clear him and he’ll be able to come home. I don’t want my kids growing up with
a fugitive for a grandfather.”

“Kids, huh? Should we
be discussing that?”

“Not yet. First I have
to change the world.”

He gave that short,
rough bark of laughter she’d come to love. “No pressure.”

She looked up at him,
nervous as she spoke the words out loud for the first time. “I thought maybe
I’d go back to college. Pre-law this time. My mom worked in a law firm and I
always did have kind of a flexible morality. Figure that’s an asset in lawyers.
Besides, someone needs to defend the villains.”

“You’d be amazing.”

“Wouldn’t I?” she
grinned, without a trace of humility. Virtues like that were so overrated. “I
mean, I know better than anyone that not
all
villains are just
misunderstood supers. Kevin was a perfect example of an utter douche who
deserves every second he spends in prison. But there are others, you know? People
held in Area Nine just because they are suspected of screwing up and are too
dangerous for a fair trial. That’s such bullshit.
Everyone
deserves the
same treatment, a jury, a chance to defend themselves—or have me defend them.
And if that doesn’t work, I’ll go into politics. Change the laws. Because
politics is just a huge illusion, isn’t it? Manipulations and power plays? I’m
good
at that. And we need change, Julian. We need appeals for people in Area Nine. A
way to try Mind Benders. Fairness for everyone, not just the heroes and those
they protect.” She stopped, blushing as she realized he was gaping at her. “Sorry.”

“Don’t apologize. You’re
incredible.” He bent, bracing an arm beneath her butt and lifting her against
his chest so she was looking down into his upturned face. He grinned at her,
this gorgeous man who somehow loved her. “I can’t wait to see you change the
world.”

“It’s because of you,
you know,” she whispered. “You gave me back myself. You made me believe in
change, in a future, in love. I can’t do it without you.”

“Luckily, you’ll never
have to.”

Mirage ducked her chin
to kiss Julian and for the first time in her life, she really did feel like one
of the lucky ones. The luckiest semi-reformed villainess in the world.

Vivi Andrews is the
award-winning author of over a dozen paranormal romance novels and novellas.  A
confessed travel-junkie, she lives in Alaska when she isn’t flying, driving, or
sailing off to explore some new corner of the world.  For more about Vivi and
her books, you can visit her website at
www.viviandrews.com
or blog at
http://viviandrews.blogspot.com
.

Karmic Consultants:

The Ghost
Shrink, the Accidental Gigolo & the Poltergeist Accountant

The Ghost
Exterminator: A Love Story

The
Sexorcist

The Naked
Detective

A Cop &
A Feel

Finder’s
Keeper

Naughty Karma—Coming October 2013