Touched by an Alien

Jeff.”
    “We’re not plotting,” Mom said. “We’re upset, and, as your father said, I think we have a right to be.”
    “No, you don’t. This isn’t about whether you do or don’t like a boyfriend of mine. This is about national freaking security. You of all people should be clear on that.”
    “We’re clear, but we don’t like it,” Dad said.
    “I don’t care. What you do or don’t like doesn’t matter. You need to stop, to calm down, and if you can’t calm down, to get the hell out of this room. Jeff can’t take it, and he doesn’t deserve it, either. If he hadn’t been smart enough to suggest me as bait, I would have suggested it myself.”
    “Why?” Dad asked.
    “Because it’s the intelligent and right thing to do. That is, if we want to actually save the world. If we don’t, then, by all means, please keep on raging and sending off emotions that Jeff can’t deal with. Maybe you can kill him and save Mephistopheles some time and effort.” I took a deep breath and tried to calm down. “I have to check on him.” I went into the bedroom and saw an interesting sight.
    Duchess, Dudley and Dotty were all on the bed with Martini. He was cuddled next to Duchess as if she were me, but I chose not to take it personally. Dudley was alongside his back, and Dotty had her head on his legs. Duke was on the floor at the foot of the bed, completely alert. All four dogs looked at me, but none of them barked or tried to get up.
    Our cats were there, too, all three of them camped out around Martini’s head. Sugarfoot was grooming Martini’s hair and purring. Candy and Kane were curled up and appeared to be sleeping, but they both opened their eyes, and I got the same look from them as I had from the dogs. Martini wasn’t reacting to anything—I got the feeling he was asleep, and I knew he needed to stay that way for a while.
    I backed out of the room. “Mom, Dad, come here … silently.” I felt them move up next to me. “You want to hate on Jeff anymore?”
    They were both quiet for a few long moments. “No,” Dad said softly. “I think it’s clear we were in the wrong.”
    Mom closed the door as quietly as possible. “I think we’ll meet you out in the hall.”
    We went back to the living room. Christopher still looked angry. I decided I wanted some of this handled before we went out to take on the big fugly, even if it meant I’d have him less angry out there.
    “Mom, Dad, do you think you two can calm down so you could stay here and watch over Jeff?”
    “Sure, kitten,” Dad said. “We’ll be fine.”
    “Good.” I pointed to Christopher. “You, come with me.”

CHAPTER 36
    I HEADED OFF DOWN THE HALL . I considered going to my room but figured anywhere on this floor was too close to Martini to prevent his picking up the anger I was feeling toward Christopher. I wasn’t sure if anywhere in the whole complex was going to be far enough away from Martini to be any kind of help, but at least I wasn’t going to be screaming at Christopher right by his head.
    Christopher didn’t argue. He followed me out of the room and down the hall to the elevator banks. We got in—I wanted to hit the close button so the doors would slam on him but refrained. I was very proud of myself.
    The moment the elevator doors closed, he was at me. “Why did you want me to leave?” He hit the button for Floor 15.
    “Because you were trying to kill him.”
    He laughed. “Hardly.”
    “Right. Glaring and sending off all your nasty vibes wasn’t going to affect Jeff, right? He’s just an empath who’s got no blocks left.” I got right up into Christopher’s face. “You, more than anyone else, should be ashamed of yourself. You know what happens to him if he’s burned out, and he is, and you of all people would recognize the signs even if I hadn’t told you. You went to my parents’ room to get them riled up, so the moment they saw him, they’d be on his case.”
    His eyes were flashing. “I didn’t go there with any evil intent. I’m not the one who was intimate with you, after all.”
    I didn’t do it consciously, but my handprint was on his face, so I had to figure I’d just slapped Christopher as hard as I possibly could. He stared at me, surprisingly not glaring in any way. “It’s none of your goddamned business if I sleep with every man in the state of Arizona or every A-C on the planet. It’s not my parents’ business, either. It’s mine. And we have a world of horror