Alien in the Family

“They’re both too strong for us alone.”
    “You got it.” Len barked some orders, Kyle did the same. The line took Kyrellis; Len’s boys took Gregory. Len and Kyle both helped Martini. I took Christopher, who wasn’t as steady as he was trying to pretend he was.
    Got my purse and shoes, checked on the Poofs. They were all asleep, cuddled around Harlie, who was back to small. “Why didn’t you have the Poofs attack?” Christopher asked me.
    “Uh . . .” Damn. Hadn’t occurred to me. For all I knew, I might not have had to catch Harlie, either. Possibly the Poofs could fly along with all their other skills.
    Martini laughed. “Ow, that hurts. It’s okay, baby. You found a football team. I’m sure they were as helpful. Slower, but still, helpful.”
    “Trojan football always here to help,” Kyle said. “So, what planet are you guys from?”
    “Far, far away.” Martini sighed. “Later, okay? I hurt.” He glared at me. “Stop enjoying helping Christopher.”
    “Jeff, for God’s sake.”
    I had Christopher’s arm around my shoulders. He hugged me. “Jeff, the jealousy promise. What was it again?”
    “He had that chat with you, too?”
    “Yeah. He fails all the time, but he’s trying.” Christopher grinned. “I think it’s flattering. He actually seems to think you’re biding your time before you dump him for me.” He looked over his shoulder. “I think I’ll land her tonight, Jeff.”
    “Hilarious. Have I mentioned my head hurts?”
    “Oh, Jeff, stop.” My phone rang, and I dug it out, moving Poofs as gently as I could. “Dad?”
    “Kitty, I reached your mother. They’re out, over at the MGM Grand. What’s the status?”
    “Pretty sure we found all the bombs, have the bad guys of the moment in our custody, I’m okay, Jeff’s hurt but not badly, as least so he says, Christopher’s about the same.”
    “How are James and Paul?”
    “Paul I don’t know, but I think he’s okay. James . . . James is going to be okay.” I filled my dad in on what had happened as we inched down the stairs to the elevators.
    My father’s voice was shaking. “I’m heading to the Science Center. You all have too much going on. I’ll stay with him.”
    “Oh, Dad, thank you so much.” My dad was the best, truly.
    “It’s no problem, kitten. I know how much James means to you. Should I call his parents?”
    “No. They . . . don’t understand, or know what he does. It would be harder for him if they were there.”
    “Got it. I’ll be with him. I’ll bring the pets, that way I don’t have to wait for someone to come take care of them.”
    “Okay, Dad. Richard’s either there or at Home Base. Call him and he’ll get a room for you. All the active agents are here, so you’ll be on your own.”
    “Not a problem. Call me when you can.”
    We hung up, and the elevators arrived. I got a funny feeling. “Jeff, are you okay with the stairs?”
    “Why?”
    I looked at Kyrellis. “She’s shot, but she’s still got fight in her. Gregory’s a sneaky little bastard. The team’s willing but untrained, and we can’t all fit in the elevators together.”
    Kyrellis gave me a look that said I was her newest target. “No prison will hold me. My God will free me, as She did before. Then I will destroy these while you watch. And then destroy you.”
    “Blah, blah, blah. Heard the same crap from Moira. She’s in our custody and gave away your plot. I’m still debating whether or not to just have the Poofs eat you both, so shut the hell up. Jeff, the stairs?”
    “Yeah, I’m with you. And I can do it.”
    “No one does it better than you.” I refrained from adding in more about our sex life, at least out loud. I wondered how long it was going to be before he felt up to anything and hoped it wasn’t going to be too long.
    “Glad you still think so. And, trust me, soon.” He grinned at me. “Love your laser focus on the priorities.”
    I shrugged. “It’s a gift.”

CHAPTER 38

    IT TOOK A LONG TIME TO GET DOWNSTAIRS. Hooters wasn’t the tallest hotel in town, but we had a lot of people to get from here to there, two of them were trying to escape, and four of them were hurt.
    Kyrellis had eight bullets in her, but she wasn’t bleeding to death. We hadn’t done anything for her, so apparently the Amazons were faster healers than the A-Cs. By the time we were down, Christopher and Gregory both were looking better. Martini, not so much. I tried not to worry and failed utterly.
    We