Hunter: Gods & Monsters

Chapter 15

Olivia was comfortably positioned on my hip as I danced around the living room. Her squeals of joy filled the house, which was a welcome change to sounds of gunfire from the game Jordan had been playing. Dad chose then to come inside, his face lighting up at the sight of her.

"Oh wee one, come for cuddle?" He cooed, causing Jordan's head to pop up from the other side of the sofa.

"Dad, no."

"Shut up Jordan," I quickly snapped, struggling to hold Olivia as she wiggled with arms outstretched to Dad. "Jealous cause no one wants to cuddle you?"

He poked his tongue out and I returned it, making Dad shake his head before he swayed around as I had been with her.

"Whatever you do, don't grow into either of those. Stay like this, my little cutie pie." Jordan had a point; Dad doing baby talk was, weird. "Who is the cutest in all the land?"

"Dinner!" Mum called and we all headed to the dining table, where the feast had been laid out for at least twenty.

"Please tell me there are no mystery guests tonight?" I groaned, quickly counting the plates and highchair. "Who are you feeding? A small army?"

"I wanted leftovers to freeze. Besides, I had thought Zane would be back by now, but we haven't heard from him in a couple of days."

"Bad reception." Jordan mumbled, his mouth already full of roast potatoes."Speaking of, where have you been when not bringing in an underground rebellion group?"

"Underground rebellion?" Dad frowned as he strapped Olivia into the highchair.

"It was nothing," I assure him.

"It was. Apparently they were out to kill our very own resident God Killer." Jordan added.

"Elise!" Mum gasped.

"I was going to tell you tonight, relax. It's been a busy couple of weeks."

"I can tell. You look thinner, have you been eating properly?" She quizzed, piling a heap of roast chicken onto my plate as though as I was incapable of doing it myself. "It's one thing to be saving the world, but without the right diet you-"

"I'm eating fine."

Dad started making aeroplane noises making us all stop and watch as he started to feed Olivia the pumpkin mash. Then he was a train.

"How come you don't ask if I'm eating and looking after myself?" Jordan piped up.

"Because you live at home ninety per cent of the time. I know what and how much you eat and the rest." She scolded, clucking her tongue. "Now, tell us exactly what's been going on, Ellie."

So I did. Kind of and by the end, Mum was clearing away the dessert plates, Dad was onto his third glass of wine and Jordan had a sleeping Oliva cradled in his lap.

"Well, we did ask to hear everything," Dad said after a moment. "I'm glad and so very thankful you have the Valkyrie as allies."

"Me too," Mum agreed, rolling her eyes as I made the plates vanish and the kitchen clean. She smiled at the cup of tea waiting for her at the table, yet once she had a sip, the look of deep concentration made me nervous. "It's hard hearing all of that. Things have changed since we had to manage things. These last few years, well, we are thankful you have the ability to actually stand a chance against new threats and, the Powers."

"Shame we couldn't all have magic," Jordan mumbled.

"It's not as great as you'd think," I warned him.

"I know. Sorry. When this shit happened, what can we honestly do but try not to get in the way? I hate not being able to help you like the girl group can, and the other powers."