Suburban Vampire: Redemption, Book II: Leviathan

Chapter 62

"Shut up! It's not true!"

"Dawn's right," Tim said, "cousin."

"I am not your cousin! Shut up!"

"Anyway, Elizabeth," Kitty said, "I hope to maintain the good working relationship Ministry and Enforcement have had in Portland, that Jeremiah sought to encourage."

"You bet," Elizabeth said. "You know, you've got some big shoes to fill, Kitty. And I do mean 'big shoes' – Jeremiah's feet were enormous."

"Not as big as mine, dude," Bernie said, "I mean, they don't call me Bigfoot for nothing!"

"So what's your first order, boss?" Grace asked.

"Oh, well, the first thing is we get all the magic weapons gathered," Kitty said, "then get them back to their rightful owners."

"Kimiko and I will get Kusanangi and the Hanjo Masamune back to Japan," Zed said, "where they belong."

"Good. That leaves the other weapons. Grace, Tim, hand them in."

"No!" Tim said. "It's Excalibur! With Excalibur I am invincible!"

"Tim? I mean it! Hand it over!"

Tim lifted the baldric over his head and put the sword on the ground. "Oh, fine. I just won't be invincible anymore."

Grace dropped Durandel on the ground next to Excalibur. "You can have it," she said. "I'm not much for swords, anyway. Besides, bad memories, you know."

"I do," Kitty said. "Thanks, Grace. Before we get these back to their proper owners, we'll need to de-mystify them. Dad?"

Gaylord nodded his head. "Right."

"But first, I should probably get to a hospital. I need to figure out if anything else is broken, and if I'll ever walk again."

"Dude, think positive," Bernie said, "you'll walk again!"

"You know what?" Gaylord said, "disenchanting the weapons can wait. Bernie, put my daughter down. Right there."

"Uh, okay?"

Bernie lowered Kitty to the street. "Dad," Kitty asked, "what's going on?"

"Everybody, please, stand back," Gaylord said. He knelt beside his daughter and placed his hands upon her, then closed his eyes and whispered an incantation. Suddenly, bolts of energy shot from Gaylord's arms into Kitty's body. She shook as the energy filled her. Then, with a loud thunderclap, Gaylord fell back onto the street. Kitty immediately sat up.

"I can feel my legs," She said. "I can feel my legs!" Then, she stood up – actually, it was more like a leap. "I can stand! I can walk! I can dance, which is pretty cool, because I couldn't dance worth beans before! Oh, dad, thank you! Oh, dad?" Gaylord was lying in the street. Kitty fell to her knees beside him and shook him. "Dad? Dad, are you okay?"

Gaylord opened his eyes. "Oh, Kitty," he said, "remember that massive outlay of power I mentioned previously? That was it. I certainly hope you aren't planning on having me disenchant those weapons any time today, because that is not going to happen."

Kitty hugged her father. "Oh, dad, thank you!"

"It was the least I could do."

"I love you, dad!"

Gaylord wiped a tear from his eye. "And I love you, dear."