Wildfire (27 page)

All around him, the bones glistened. Large bones, small
bones, narrow ones and flat ones forming the outline of a dinosaur-like
creature. Except there were the wing bones to consider. Dragon. Lynn’s questions
about the scale in the library now made sense.

Touching this ridge and that curve, he stood silent inside
the remains of a real dragon.

The last full-blood in the family.

Great, great grandpa Callaghan.

Chapter
28

In response, the front door flew open and Timmy tore down
the path to the car. Arms, legs, muffler and backpack flailed in all
directions. Brenda stood in the doorway smiling at her son’s hurry and mouthed,
“Thank You.”

Answering with a grin, Jen leaned across back to unlock the
door behind her. Tommy climbed in. She twisted around to make sure he’d buckled
in, all safe, before starting the car.

Many cheery shouts of goodbye punctuated the air and
heralded their leaving.

“Ready for our date?” Jen inquired of her temporary charge.
The Jarvis family planned to clean up the burnt shell of their house and didn’t
want to drag their son through the destroyed wreck. So she’d offered to keep
Timmy for the day.

“Oh yeah!” Timmy’s voice vibrated and rose like the
whine-bark-yelp noises made by one of those super hyper terriers. “Are we going
to Kids’ Kingdom Park? Can we go? Please? Please.”

Looked like she was in for a super exciting time. “Aye, aye
Captain.”

As soon as they were out of sight of the house, Timmy pulled
off his knit cap with a pompom on top and tossed it to the front. “This is so
babyish.”

“I don’t know, I think it makes you look cute. Cute enough
to kiss.” She puckered up and made smoochy noises.

“Miss Jen!”

A glance in the rearview mirror revealed the boy’s face had
turned the purplish red of a ripe prickly pear fruit.

Laughter bubbled out of her. She pointed the car toward San
Angelo and sped up. Jimmy reeled off lists of things he hoped to do and places
he really wanted to go. Yup, there’d be plenty of options.

As they neared the narrow Lone Wolf Bridge, she slowed down.
Another casualty of the many fires plaguing the area. The charred markings
still on the frame and rails of the bridge filled her with sadness. What kind
of rage led people to such meaningless destruction?

Close to the end of the bridge, Jen stepped on the accelerator.
The rapid-fire ringing of a bicycle bell jangled in her ears. A blur of salt
and pepper passed her.

Then time slowed to a series of freeze frames.

An arm swung out to the left as did the bike.

Ice cold fear wrapped around her, like something dangerous
had slipped inside the car and taken control. A continuous scream filled her
head. Clutching the steering wheel, Jen jammed her foot down on the brake.

Instead of stopping, the engine rumbled and the car bucked
forward. Shit.

A dull thud shook the car. Her airbag exploded. Her feet
scrabbled. This time she found the brake.

For a moment, Jen sat still, breathing in the sharp, biting
odor of gun powder brought tears to her eyes. The wailing scream seemed to be
coming from the backseat. Oh God, Timmy. She twisted around.

Eyes scrunched shut, mouth open wide, the boy wailed.

Jen backed up the car slowly, parked and ran around to the
rear door. She fumbled with his seatbelt, managed to hit release and pulled
Timmy into her arms. She hugged him tight and spoke soft words of calm until he
became quiet.

“Do you hurt anywhere?”

Timmy sniffled, but shook his head.

“Are you sure?”

He nodded.

“I’m so sorry, Timmy.” She let him go and stood to stare at
the still bundle of clothes and human on the road in front of her car. The
mangled bike lay a little bit further
. What have you done?
Madre de
Dios, her conscience actually had a voice.
“I’ve
got to check on the man.”

Timmy scrambled after her, managing to latch onto one of her
legs. “Who is he?”

Lynn shrugged as she dragged herself and the boy forward.
“I’m not sure.” He looked like one of the vagrants she’d seen hanging around
downtown.

As they drew closer, the stink of stale sweat, urine and
alcohol assaulted her. Definitely one of the homeless winos.
Still a life, a
human being
. A whisper inside her head.
She
tried to pry the child off her leg. “Why don’t you wait in the car?”

Wide-eyed, Timmy shook his head. “Where’d he come from?”

Step closer
. The siren call of an invisible force
grabbed her, urged her forward.

Jen sighed and straightened, then continued her slow
progress. “I don’t know. Maybe he’d been fishing under the bridge and rode his
bike up from there.”

They stood over the wretched form in silence.

“Now what do we do?” Timmy whispered.

Jen squatted next to the man. “Let me check his pulse. Then
we’ll take him to the hospital.”

Timmy sidled next to her, peering down.

Her fingers closed around a grimy, warm wrist.

Eyes popped open. A startling cool, gray gaze bored into her
own, reminding her of stormy winter skies.

The wrist tore from her grasp and flew toward the boy. The
other hand flew out from beneath the coat. A whirlwind of flesh and cloth.

Timmy yelped as fingers clinched like handcuffs.

Jen stared at the struggling boy and then at the gun now
pointed at her.

“Good to see you, Jen.”

Henry’s voice. A whisper left her lips, “
Madre de Dios
.”

Chapter
29

Burdened with cleaning supplies, Lynn followed her mom up
the stairs to Obaa-chan’s apartment. Her planning had paid off and she wouldn’t
be the first to step inside. Dread had eased a bit, but grief and loss still
lodged inside.

“What exactly are you looking for?” Her mother called over
her shoulder as with a quick twist of the key she unlocked the door and pushed
it open.

“Reference books on mythological creatures,” Lynn said
clattering across the last step and onto the landing.

“Dragons?” Her mother flicked on the lights.

“Dragons and others.” Lynn fixed her gaze on the maroon and
yellow patterned carpet as she stepped inside and shut the door.

“What kind of others?” Ayako strode over the bookcase and
stopped.

“I’ll know it when I read the description.” Lynn’s gaze
traveled over a mass of photographs arranged on the wall across. Most were of
her at different ages, a scattered few of other family members. Finally, she
settled on a photograph of
Obaa-chan
and herself at Lost Maples State
Park. Two sweaty, red-faced grinning fools framed by a breathtaking canvas of
fall colors. Totally oblivious that a month later
Obaa-chan
would be
gone.

A sob caught in her throat. She padded to the picture and
caressed the cool glass with shaky fingers.

Ayako came and stood next to Lynn, pulling her into a gentle
one-armed hug. “Are you okay?”

Lynn nodded, taking a deep breath. Her mother’s soft
honeysuckle scent soothed her nerves. “I just miss her.”

“I miss her too.” Her mother smiled at Lynn’s quick,
sidelong glance. “I loved her in my own way and she loved me as much as she
could.”

The question, always inside her, elbowed out. “Why didn’t
you two get along?”

Ayako went still, as still as the photographs facing them.
“I disappointed her.”

“How?”

“By not being a dragon.” Lifting a finger, she skimmed the
dust of a frame. This one held a picture of three generations—
Obaa-chan,
Ayako and Lynn as a baby. “But it’s okay, I think I made up for it by giving
birth to you.”

Heat peppered Lynn’s skin. The heat of shame and guilt sunk
her head low on her shoulders, but she pushed more words out. “How did I end up
a dragon? I mean if you aren’t and dad isn’t…”

A pretty laugh sang through the air, unwinding the twisted,
knotted tension. “I agreed to go out with your dad when he first asked because
he was as un-Japanese as could be and I thought that’d upset both my parents.”
She shook her head. “You’re a good child. I, on the other hand, was a pain.”

After a soft glance in her direction, Ayako continued. “I
almost dumped your dad, when
Obaa-chan
not only liked John, but actually
advocated for him to your grandfather. Of course,
Obaa-chan
could sniff
out dragon blood, no matter how hidden.”

“Hidden dragon blood?” Curiosity ramrodded Lynn’s spine.

“Recessive genes. Your dad comes from one of the Germanic
dragon families.”

“What? How come I never knew this?”

“In case you haven’t noticed, your father is a very laidback
kind of a guy. To him, being part dragon is just like being part German. He
doesn’t think about such things. Just accepts it and goes on with life.” Ayako
shrugged. “I’m sure if you asked him, he’d be happy to tell you all about it.”

Lynn rolled her eyes. “It’d be like one of his fishing
stories. The dragons will keep getting bigger and fiercer every other sentence.”

Mother and daughter, leaned closer, laughter shaking through
them.

Another thought occurred to Lynn. “Wait, what made you
change your mind and not dump him?”

Her mother blushed, turning cherry blossom pink. “Somewhere
along the way I’d fallen in love with him.”

The words fisted around Lynn’s heart. Somewhere along the
way, somehow, she’d done the same. Holy wasabi, she’d fallen for Jack and
fallen hard. She pressed a hand to her lips, remembering their kisses.

“I realized dumping him would be as your grandmother would
have said:
Cutting off your nose to spite your face
.”

A giggle sprinted out of Lynn. “She had a saying for every
occasion.”

Smiling, her mother nodded. “The woman did like getting the
last word.”

Then she turned herself and Lynn back toward the bookcase.
“Come on, there’s work to do.”

Lynn dragged over some empty cardboard boxes. “I want
anything on mythology. Any type of mythology.”

They sorted the books in piles. Mythology, anything unusual
and interesting, Japan-related, and the giveaway pile. At the end of a good
hour, Lynn sat back on her haunches, smiling. “I’d forgotten how much she loved
those romance novels.”

Her mother laughed. “The patients in my ward will be tickled
pink to get their hands on these. Even the guys read them.”

Each of them grabbed a book from the mythology pile.

“I’m looking for a creature that can do mind control,” Lynn
said, settling into a cross legged pose.

After an hour of leafing through books, Lynn stood and
stretched, popping her spine. She’d found
no
clue regarding Henry.

Her mother held up a hand. “A little aid, please.”

Grasping her hand in hers, Lynn helped her mom off the
floor. Ayako bent forward, a hand on her back. “Growing old is a pain.” She
looked down at the heap of books they’d just worked through. “Are you sure none
of what we found fits your creature?”

They’d come across vampires and Brazilian water creatures,
extraterrestrial beings, and Japanese goblins.

“He’s not my creature.” Lynn tucked a loose curl behind an
ear. “And no, nothing fit.”

Ayako made a disgusted noise, followed by a shrug. “Why
don’t you tell me more about this thing as we sort your grandmother’s clothes?”
She shuffled off toward the bedroom.

Lynn stood still, unable to move. The air thickened and
boiled like soup. She struggled to breath. The room had been
Obaa-chan’s
sanctuary. Every afternoon and night she’d disappeared into it to catch up on
her beauty sleep.

It’d been easy to pretend
Obaa-chan
had been napping
in the other room as they sorted the books. Now, she couldn’t lift her feet and
step across the threshold. She couldn’t face the lie.

Her dinner churned in her stomach in a great tsunami of
nerves and liquid. It rushed upwards. Lynn dashed to the kitchen sink and
retched out her guts.

Ayako thundered to her side. She held fast as Lynn washed
out her mouth and helped dry her hands and face with paper towels. Finally, she
half carried Lynn to the couch and sunk down beside her. “What’s wrong
Hana-chan? You seemed okay.”

Sobs stormed out of Lynn. She held tight to her mother as
she cried. Finally, she could breathe again. She still didn’t loosen her grasp.
“I’m sorry mama-chan.”

“About what?”

Her mother’s cool fingers stroked her hair. Lynn listened to
the steady rhythm of heartbeats marching along underneath her head. She wished
she could freeze the moment forever. “I should have saved her.”

Ayako stilled, drew out of her arms. Cold air filled in the
space.

A hand lifted her chin, until mother and daughter stared
into each other’s eyes. “You tried.”

The truth burned her tongue. Scorching her gums, the soft
insides of her cheek until she wanted to fling the words out, be rid of them
finally. But the other part cowered in fear. She remained silent until the
taste of ashes filled her mouth. “Sometimes I think I killed her.”

Her mother pulled her into a tight embrace. “I know, the
Dragon Council fools almost had you convinced.”

“Maybe they had a reason to believe—

The hug loosened as her mother pulled back and looked her in
the eye. The familiar
steely glint was back
in place. “I don’t care what those fools believed, I know you didn’t.”

“But you weren’t there.”

“True, but I know you.”

Her steady gaze shone with truth, enveloped Lynn in
bone-deep warmth. She nestled in against her mother. “I should have done more
that night.”

“What more could you have done?”

“I don’t know,” she sniffled. “That’s the thing. I should
remember every detail, but I only have these bits and pieces that flash through
my mind, make me sick.”

“Trauma does that.” A soft kiss blessed her forehead, a
gentle hand stroked her back. “What do you think
Obaa-chan
would want?”

“I don’t know,” Lynn mumbled.

Ayako laid her head on top of hers. “Do you think she’d want
you to live your life full of regret? Do you think she’d want you to try and
save her at the expense of your life?”

“I just feel like such a worthless piece of dragon shit.”
Lynn cringed. Her mother considered curse words to be right up there with
germs. “Sorry. But I mean, look at my life. I haven’t done anything worthwhile
beyond surviving.”

A sigh puffed across her hair. “What about what you’re doing
to help Jen and the people of Paradise Valley?”

Lynn plucked at her t-shirt. “I’m not sure how much help I’m
going to be in that situation.” She couldn’t even figure out what Henry was,
how on earth would she fight him?

Her mother shifted into a more comfortable position. “Why do
I feel you didn’t give me the whole story about Paradise Valley?”

Heat flushed through Lynn. How exactly did you tell your
mother about close encounters with two different men? Plus, she hadn’t wanted
to add to her mom’s worry. Fine, the story was more than a bit sketchy.

“Even though I’m not a dragon, I might be of some help,”
Ayako said. “But I need all the details.”

Those words, the need to affirm her non-dragon mother, the
need to cement this new, fragile mother-daughter bond, had her nodding. “Okay,
I’ll tell you everything.”

Her mother pushed out of the couch. “How about you tell me
everything as we clean up the rest of the apartment?”

By the time the entire story —from scenting dragon musk at
Jen’s fire to her interview with Barton— spilled out, clothes had been packed
away into garbage bags, dishes had been wrapped in newspaper and then put in
boxes and every surface of the apartment shone. Of course, Lynn had still
skirted around several Jack situations. She figured no mother really wanted
graphic details of her daughter’s unsuccessful love life. Plus, it was over. No
use talking about a guy who didn’t want to be in her life.

Ayako flopped down on the couch. “I think I could give you a
scientific explanation for Henry.”

Lynn, who’d collapsed on the floor at her mother’s feet,
jerked upright. “What?”

“It’s just a hypothesis, of course.”

“Mo-m.”

“Remember we were talking about recessive genes?” Her mother
patted the seat next to her.

Lynn joined her on the couch. “And?”

“Well, if it worked for us, why not for the Callaghans?”

“So whoever’s part Callaghan is also part dragon?”

Ayako nodded. “Possibly, if they got the right gene.”

“Well, that kind of explains why I’ve been getting almost
drunk on dragon essence in Paradise Valley.” She thought of Jack’s womanizing
ancestors. “But why didn’t I smell it all the time then?”

Her mother’s brow pinched in thought. “From what you’ve told
me, the musk seems to be triggered by intense emotions, like at the fire or in
a confrontation.”

Her tongue lay thick and swollen in her mouth, but finally
the words whispered through her lips. “Jack seems terrified by the idea and
doesn’t seem to have a clue about his dragon blood.”

“Our family —on
Obaa-chan’s
side— actively tried to
marry into dragon blood to keep the trait as strong as possible, but what if
the Callaghans didn’t?”

Tension rocked her back and forth. “Why?”

“Well, maybe because of lack of opportunity and knowledge,
they mated without worrying too much, which eventually faded their dragon
abilities.”

“And somewhere down the road, they forgot.”

Ayako spread her hands. “Of course, that could also mean
that on accident they might have brought in other recessive dragons and/or
other traits, creating hybrids with a whole new combination of abilities.”

Goosebumps rushed her skin as the idea gelled with her
memories of Henry. “But Barton didn’t seem to think too highly of Eva’s psychic
abilities.”

“Layers.” Her mother placed one hand on top of the other,
building layers in the air. “What if, again unknowingly, they ended up layering
the same trait?”

Lynn pressed a fist to her forehead. “English, please?”

“Well, dragons can mindspeak, right?”

Lynn nodded.

“So, what if they mated with somebody with some psychic
abilities, this strengthened the Callaghans’ mental powers, then someone else
with similar traits came in later down the line?”

“Like Eva.”

“Like Eva or someone else and so on. As a result, the trait
got stronger and somewhere along other recessive dragon genes may have been
pulled into the mix.”