Chapter 1
Kevin kissed his daughter lovingly on the cheek. “Good night, precious.”
“Night-night, daddy,” Natalie murmured, her eyes falling closed.
He sat by her side until he was certain his firstborn was asleep, then tiptoed from the room, and softly closed the door with only a crack left open for the light from the hallway.
Entering his own room, he saw Kristin laying her green silk nightgown on the bed, and smiled.
“She’s asleep?” Kristin asked as she started to unbutton her blouse.
“Like an angel.”
She smiled, reminding Kevin of the first time he’d seen that smile while working in Florida. “Then things should be quiet tonight. Spencer’s been asleep for hours, Megan said.”
Kevin slowly advanced, his heart beating faster with every step. This night had been in the planning for weeks and nothing could stop it.
Rap-tap-tap
He froze, inches away from his wife’s touch. “What in “ “
Kristin pressed a finger to his lips. “Ignore it,” she breathed. One step and she closed the distance between them in a heated kiss that both had waited all day for. The couple lowered onto the bed, ready for a night of love that, if all went as planned, would make their little Spencer Jerald a big brother by next St. Patrick’s Day.
The doorbell chimed, the sound echoing through the house.
Kevin growled. “If whoever it is wakes the kids, I’ll “ “
“Answer the door, baby,” Kristin whispered, her voice pure silk. “The sooner you send them away, the sooner,” she kissed him between every other word, “we can get back to our night.”
After one final, lingering kiss, Kevin reluctantly left the room to discover who dared to disturb them at “ he checked the grandfather clock in the foyer “ eleven forty-five. He gazed through the peephole, but whoever it was had stayed out of view. His hand over the panic button installed near the doorframe, Kevin opened the door.
“Hello, Kevin.”
His eyes widened in surprise, then narrowed. “Zanell. What are you doing here?” he demanded darkly. “Do you have any idea how late it is?”
“I do,” the redhead replied. “I’m sorry, Kevin. But we need your help.”
Kevin scowled. “We?”
She nodded, seeming to cower slightly at his anger. “Nick, Howie, AJ and me.”
“This is about the amulets, isn’t it?” he demanded. “Well forget it, your highness, I “ “ Suddenly it hit him. She had left out a name.
“Wait a minute. What about Brian?”
Zanell shifted from one foot to the other. “That’s why I’m here,” she replied. “Brian “ “
“Kevin, are you going to stand there and let all the air-conditioning out?”
Kevin turned to see Kristin wrapped in a robe standing halfway down the stairs. “Who is it?”
“Zanell.”
Kristin stiffened, her lips forming a thin line. Kevin understood how she felt. Eight years ago, Zanell’s father, an evil alien emperor named Zator had kidnapped Kristin, Brian’s wife Leighanne, and Aaron and Angel Carter, his former bandmate’s twin siblings. They had been held for ransom “ the return of the amulets that gave incredible power to their bearers. While Kevin and the others had tried to formulate a plan, Nick had taken off to attempt a rescue, but failed and ended up being brainwashed along with Kristin and Leighanne into trying to get the rest of the amulets back in any way possible.
But after rescuing Leighanne, Kevin had discovered the clue to breaking the spell over their wives and Nick. He had rejected his amulet, taken Kristin, and headed for home. Ever since, Kevin had wanted nothing to do with the amulets.
“Well, let her in, then. We shouldn’t leave anyone standing on the porch all night.”
The door shut firmly behind her, Zanell turned to Kristin. “I’m really sorry for coming so late,” she apologized, her voice shaking slightly. “But it’s an emergency.”
“What sort of emergency brings you to our door when it’s almost midnight?” Kristin wondered as she moved to Kevin’s side and slipped her arm through his.
Zanell sighed. “I know you don’t care for what happened in the past, but… Brian’s in trouble.”
Kevin stiffened. “In trouble? What kind of trouble?”
“He’s missing.”
“What do you mean, missing?” he asked. “I haven’t heard anything from Leighanne. There’s nothing on the news about it.”
Zanell nodded. “We persuaded her to keep it between us.”
Kevin scowled. “’Keep it between us’?” he repeated in disbelief. “Zanell, if Brian’s missing, what kind of trouble could he be in?”
“The kind that your police could do nothing about.” She fingered the golden chain that held her amulet, hidden beneath her clothes. “We believe Brian is… is with my father.”
“Now you stop right there,” Kevin interrupted, louder than he intended. “How do you know Brian’s with him?”
“Because he vanished during a battle with my father’s droids two weeks ago.”
Kevin was silent again, swallowing against the conflicting feelings inside him. “I’m not part of the team anymore,” he finally said. “Can’t you find him yourselves? You seem to have gotten along just fine without me these past eight years, from what I’ve heard from the others.”
"That's not entirely true," Zanell said slowly, quietly.
Kevin waited for her to continue, and she did a minute later.
"There was always supposed to be five working amulets. You are part of the five, Kevin, and without you, there was an imbalance." She frowned. "It's hard to explain. Yes, the others managed to do their job, but it was always just barely. But they've suffered too much unnecessary pain and difficulty without you to help out. I wanted to come and tell you this so many times, but the others wouldn't let me. They said they understood why you made the decision you did..." She shook her head. "But they need you, Kevin. They always have."
“So why wait eight years to come to me?”
“Because we respect you, Kevin. We knew that you didn’t want anything to do with the amulets. But now that it’s been two weeks, they thought that maybe you could help… because Brian’s your family.”
“Daddy?”
They turned. Natalie stood at the top of the stairs, her dark curls slightly mussed, one fist rubbing her eye, her black bear held snugly in her other arm.
“Come on down, princess."
When his six-year-old had reached the bottom, Kevin picked her up, the little girl wrapping an arm around his neck. “Did we wake you?”
“Uh-huh.”
“I’m sorry.” He turned back to the princess. “Look, I’m sorry, Zanell, but I don’t think I can help. I have my family to take care of “ “
“Brian is your family!” Zanell shot back. “And he has family of his own, remember? Leighanne, Baylee and the twins?”
“Brian?” Natalie sat up and looked at her daddy. “Are we gonna see Cousin Brian?”
“No sweetie,” Kristin replied. “Zanell is just telling us about him.”
But Kevin’s gaze fell upon the tattered black bear in his daughter’s arms, one brown eye long since missing, and felt his heart twist. Brian had given her that bear shortly after her birth, and it was her most treasured possession.
“What’s wrong daddy? You don’t look happy.”
Kevin sighed heavily. How could he ever tell her that he’d refused to help her most favorite person in the world when he needed him? “Well, princess, it seems that Brian is in trouble. Miss Zanell wants me to go help rescue him.”
Natalie bit her lip. “Does that mean you gotta go?”
Kevin nodded. “I know you don’t even want me to go to the store without you, but Brian and the others need my help.”
“Can we go with you?” Natalie asked, her big green eyes gazing hopefully up at him.
He smiled sadly and shook his head. “It could be dangerous. And I don’t know how long we’ll be gone.” He glanced at Zanell, but she shrugged. She didn’t know any more than he did.
“Wait a minute,” Kristin protested. “You actually want to go?”
“I have to go, darling,” Kevin said. “It’s Brian.”
Kristin looked like she wanted to protest again, but she finally said slowly, “Maybe it is time for you to be involved again. I mean, from my conversations with Leighanne, she seems to be handling these battles just fine. And Baylee and the twins don’t seem to be suffering for Brian’s participation, either.”
Kevin could see that she was trying to convince herself to let him go. Hoping that it could convince her as it had him, he added, “Brian is Nattie’s favorite. What would happen if I didn’t go after him?”
“He’s in trouble, mommy!” their daughter added fiercely.
Kristin sighed, and Kevin saw her reluctant smile. “Then you have to go. You be sure to give Spencer a kiss before you leave.”
“When have I ever forgotten to kiss my family goodbye?” Kevin shot back with a crooked grin.
“Can’t we come with you, daddy?” Natalie begged.
“You could stay at the training center,” Zanell offered. “Leighanne and the kids are staying with the Doroughs until Brian gets back.”
“But you don’t know how long it’ll take to find him,” Kevin interrupted. “Zanell, do you even know how to find him?”
“No,” Zanell admitted. “But wouldn’t that be a good reason to be close to family? To keep the kids’ minds off of their dad being missing?”
Kevin could see no way to argue that statement. “Let’s get packing, then.”
Author's Chapter Notes:
Edit posted 7/11/20
