“Save it.”
Claudia looked from one to the other. “I’m confused.”
Anthony sat on the arm of the sofa and laid a hand on her shoulder. “The lab in Cambridge. I didn’t want to worry you by telling you we raided the place.”
Claudia’s eyes rounded. “You what? When?”
“Last night and this morning. That’s when we rescued Tory. We also freed the other paranormals they had in their cages.”
“Is everyone all right?”
He smiled. “Everyone’s fine.” He regarded Mother Nature and said, “I should probably fill you in on the details.”
“That won’t be necessary. I had a chat with the wizard.”
“Kurt knows about you?”
“He does now. I arrived shortly after you left. He and his girlfriend were helping the researchers to refocus their energies and intellect on a whole new project.”
“The sex dolls.”
“Yes. Apparently Kurt and Ruxandra are helping in the lab until the plans are firmly cemented in place.”
“Sex dolls?” Claudia asked.
Gaia snickered. “You don’t mind your boyfriend financing their new venture, do you?”
“They had to discontinue their funding from the pharmaceutical company, but somebody has to pay them,” Anthony volunteered.
“No. That’s not a problem as long as I don’t have to be involved in it.”
“Neither of us do, honey,” he said. “I’m just providing the financing and getting progress reports. Kurt and Ruxandra will keep an eye on the lab and staff.”
“And eventually you’ll make millions,” Gaia said.
Claudia scratched her head. “But how did you explain the change to the pharmaceutical company?”
“Kurt took care of that,” Anthony said.
“With my help,” Mother Nature added. “He’s great when it comes to magic, but not so hot on getting from point A to point B and back in a snap. He had to alter paperwork in more than one place. That’s where I came in.”
“So he was busy. That’s why he didn’t make it to the party until after it was over.”
“Correct.”
“How about the memories?” Claudia asked. “Won’t the people at the company who provided the grant know something funny is going on?”
“Nope. I took care of that too,” Gaia said, proudly.
“You can do that?”
The goddess rolled her eyes. “Just who do you think you’re talking to?”
“Oh.”
Mother Nature rose and paced. “But I do owe you and your friends a debt of gratitude. And perhaps a reward.” Gaia stopped pacing and faced Claudia. “You’re not a mother, but I gave you a maternal instinct. Maybe you’ll understand this. When you have a child that’s ‘special’ in any way, you tend to be more aware of that child.”
“Okay. I guess so.”
“Well, I know so. My paranormals are my special children. Most of them began as regular human beings, but through no fault of their own wound up coping with some pretty extraordinary circumstances. Like a child who’s been in an accident.”
Anthony crossed his arms. “If we’re so special, why do you threaten to send us to places we couldn’t survive, like icy mountaintops or active volcanoes?”
“I gather you’ve talked to Nick Wolfensen.” When he didn’t respond, she sighed. “Oh, come on… All parents make threats they don’t keep.”
“Hmmm. It sure felt like you meant it.”
She planted her hands on her hips. “I probably did at the time. But you’re still here, aren’t you?”
“Yes.”
“Okay. Quit complaining. So, now I have a dilemma.”
“What’s that?” Claudia asked.
“I’d like to reward your boyfriend for saving some of my special children, but he disobeyed me in the first place.”
Anthony’s brows shot up. “I did? I don’t recall that.”
Mother Nature snorted. “No. You wouldn’t. I sent Balog to tell you not to open your bar. He was incompetent and didn’t accomplish his task. Needless to say, he won’t be rewarded any time soon.”
Anthony rubbed his chin. “Oh, yes. I remember now. He said he was afraid it would be a bad influence on Adolf Junior.”
“Yes, then he arranged a couple of thugs to start a bar fight. None of that deterred you.”
“Had you come to me yourself and explained your objections, I’d have been disappointed, but I’d have listened,” Anthony said.
“And that’s why I don’t run around telling everybody what to do.”
“Huh?”
“I like to see how my children handle circumstances on their own. None of you will learn anything if I keep saving you from yourselves.”
Anthony followed her logic but was still a bit confused.
“I underestimated your determination. When you set your mind to something, you make it happen,” Gaia said.
“I think that’s a compliment.”
“Don’t get all puffed up. Want to see what I thought of your idea when I first heard of it?”
“See?” Anthony asked.
Gaia sighed. She drew a circle in the air and a picture—more like a 3-D movie—came into focus.
The goddess paced with her hands behind her back. She whirled on Mr. Balog and narrowed her eyes.
“You’re sure he’s a vampire and he’s opened a bar for all paranormals?”
“That’s the intel I’ve gathered.”
“Hmph. I cannot think of a stupider idea. Can you, Balog?”
“No, ma’am.”
She balled her fists. “What have I told you about calling me ‘ma’am’?”
He bowed and stepped back. “My apologies, Gaia, er, Goddess.”
“That’s right. Gaia or Goddess. I may be older than dirt, but you don’t have to rub it in my face by calling me ‘ma’am.’”
“I’m sorry.”
Gaia folded her arms. “Apology accepted. Now what are we going to do about this bar? Before the werewolves and vampires have a pissing contest in front of the humans.”
“Pissing contest? Do you really think they’d—”
“Gaaah! It’s an expression, you Romanian dimwit. Get with the lingo of your adopted land. Do you think I brought you over here for nothing?”
“Yes, Goddess. I mean, no, Goddess. I mean…”
She waved away his confusion. “The paranormal beings must never reveal their supernatural status to humans. That’s the only thing I demand of them.” She threw her hands in the air. “Are you sure you’ve made that abundantly clear down there?”
“Yes, Goddess.”
She sighed. “Fine. Try to talk that vampire out of his ridiculous plan.”
“Yes, ma—I mean, Goddess.”
She narrowed her eyes at him again and he stood stiffly, trying not to do anything to anger the powerful Gaia.
At last she seemed satisfied. “All right. You have your orders. Now get out of my office building.”
Turning from the now-dark and disappearing screen to Claudia and Anthony, Mother Nature said, “Think it over and tell me what—other than your freakin’ paranormal meeting place—is your fondest wish.”
Anthony vacated the arm of the chair and sat next to Claudia. Taking her hand and gazing into her eyes, he said, “I’d like to be human again. To live a normal human life with my beloved.”
Mother Nature smiled. “I thought you might say that. There are some important details you should be aware of first.”
“Like?”
“You’ll lose all your heightened senses.”
“A mixed blessing at best.”
“You’ll have faults. Just like any other human.”
“I have faults now.”
“You won’t be allowed to know the paranormal world exists—just like any other human. That means you might lose some friends.”
“Why? Can’t they just keep their paranormal identities a secret?”