TALIA : ANGEL QUEEN (STORY ONE)

FIRE-GOLD

"Talia, Talia."

Amara shook her sister until she woke.

"Stop."

"Then, wake up."

"I'm talking to you, right? Now stop shaking me."

Talia snatched away from Amara's grasp, catching sight of Jason's amused expression as he stood in the background with K-jack in his arms.

"Then get up. We're here."

"Fine" She whispered. "But can we talk about Mom?"

"Haven't we done that enough today? Give it a rest and come in inside."

When Amara stepped away from the door, Talia gulped at the sight of the two story cabin perched majestically against the dense vegetation of the forest backdrop.

"Are you gonna stare or get out?" Amara asked with annoyance in her tone. "Nothing about what we went through down there was pleasurable. So I shouldn't be this wet on any part of my body."

Jason laughed as he lowered K-jack to the ground. To everyone's surprise, the dog followed Amara up the stairs.

"I think those two may get along yet," Jason announced while holding the door open for her.

Talia sulked while mumbling. "Whatever."

She grabbed her book. Jason clutched the snooty fish as they made their way inside.

"Wow." Jason then asked breathlessly. "How could you forget about this place?"

Talia wanted to know that too. She barely blinked as she scanned the cabin, taking in all of the rustic luxury before her. She ran her hands along the bandsawn macrocarpa lining the interior walls while searching for memories of having felt it before.

Amara started a fire, then disappeared into the owner's suite down the hall from the family room. K-jack warmed himself in front of the flames, turning away from Talia as she inched closer to his resting place.

She knelt next to him and muttered. "Look here Judas, I'm on to you."

He grumbled, stretched out, then lay his head atop his paws.

"I know this place is much better than ours, and coming here was Amara's idea. But she's never going to like you. So go ahead and exact your revenge and stop buttering up to my pain in the ass sister, got it?"

"Are you scolding the dog?"

Talia spun to see Jason standing a few feet behind her. She chuckled, then rubbed K-jack's back before standing.

"No, of course not. Just having a heart to heart with my roomie."

Jason grinned.

"Are you jealous?"

"Psh." She pointed toward K-jack. "Because this dude is switching sides? Nah, of course not."

Laughing, he replied. "Okay, just checking."

Talia cleared her throat, and Jason changed the subject.

"So this is your family's place?"

Talia's face scrunched. She covered her mouth and nose with her palm. Jason tucked his chin as he frowned and eyed her suspiciously.

"That's not me."

She turned to K-jack, slumbering by the fire, completely unbothered by the silent but deadly toxic fumes he released.

"Right." Jason backed up, pointing toward the ceiling. "I think I'll take myself on a private tour."

She bobbed her head, groaning as he rushed from the room. She scowled at K-jack, then followed suit by exiting toward the owner's wing. When she entered the the double doors, Amara was in the shower.