Where The Numinous Awaits

Ch. 21: Dex's Resolve

August 30 | Night

The boat captain's fishing camp was in a remote area of the bayou, sequestered by moss-covered bald cypress trees and surrounded on all sides by placid black water. Its uneven boards were grayed by the elements, and its boxy cabin was perched on stilts. We docked at the short pier that jutted out from the front deck, and when we turned off the boat's engine, the sudden quiet sent a pelican that had been nesting on a support beam flapping away.

With a light breeze tugging at my hair, I thought of Abuelita's dream and her advice on teamwork. Unity required trust... Trust felt like a simplistic word. It ignored basic human nature. I knew that the wise healer was challenging us to grow in ways that none of us would find comfortable, given our histories.

Nixie had trusted Edwina Murphy only to find out that the former royal guard member wasn't even her blood relative. Legend trusted no one because he himself was untrustworthy. And I preferred to know more about the people I interacted with than they would ever learn about me. Opening up wasn't my strong suit. I swept flyaway strands of hair from my face and grabbed my bags.

"We're staying here tonight, gang," I called out.

The dragon shifter loped to my side. "Is this place secure, Dex?"

"I'll get you to set up a perimeter. I brought a rudimentary surveillance kit along."

His expression conveyed that we were thinking the same thing. Not only did we have dangerous cargo, but we were also just a hop and a skip from the ring of smugglers who were after the book. Any one of the criminals Director Van der Woodsen had warned us about might show up to test our mettle. We couldn't afford to get complacent.

But then Legend's eyes trawled my body from head to toe, and I saw the drift in his train of thought. Flashbacks to our passionate quickie in the garage back home brought a flush to my face and a blaze of desire to my core. I couldn't figure out how he had such an effect on me. It was like being touched without him ever lifting a finger.

"Don't look at me like that." I wrestled for control of my debauched imagination. We had higher priority concerns.

"I can't help myself. If you could see you..." he trailed off.

I rolled my eyes but smiled.

Abuela was making her way up the pier. The captain had given her the key to front door. The exterior light affixed to the cabin illuminated her colorful skirt studded with rhinestones, and I watched her with deep appreciation that she was braving this perilous mission just to be with me. She wouldn't leave no matter how I begged. She had a smudging bowl and my feather in hand, her lips moving soundlessly as she whispered prayers of protection and fanned thin curls of smoke ahead of her.

Behind us, the captain and deckhand went about securing the sports boat. Director Van der Woodsen circled a finger in the air for a round-up to determine how we would keep the vampire imprisoned. Huddling together, Nixie laid her sleepy head on my shoulder, and I draped an arm around her, as we each pulled to see who would take the first watch.

"Fitz, you're up." I frowned when he got the shortest stick. Nixie stiffened in my arms. I shook my head in doubt. "Maybe we should pull again."

"Come on, I can handle it," Fitz countered. He locked eyes with his friend as he cradled his assault rifle. Nixie looked like she wanted to say something to deter him, but I squeezed her closer. Trust went both ways.

Van der Woodsen reached into his suit coat and came out with his signature Reuger. "I'll remain aboard throughout, as will the captain and deckhand, both armed. Until Delilah's fully perfused, she should be too weak to pose a threat." We gazed at the creature in the coffin. The pig's blood had restored some of her flesh, but the process was slow-going. She still looked uncannily like a zombie. "Regardless, Mr. Palantro, will have backup," the director nodded.