Enemy Mine

Chapter 43

Caleb and his wife, Minnie, arrived at the suite toting their seventeen-year-old son, Zane. Zane looked like his father; thick head of hair, squared-off chin, and a touch-me-and-you-die physique. After a polite introduction, Zane pummeled Vincent with questions about the stock market.

"Liza and Jack are investing now," Zane explained as he thumbed over the screen of his phone. "I want to set up my own portfolio."

"Have you chosen a broker?" Vincent asked.

"This company looks good," Zane said as he showed Vincent his cell. "You can do everything online."

Vincent nodded at the screen, no doubt in recognition, and Minnie tsked as she unpacked food onto the sex table. "I don't understand the stock market, but I do understand a gollum's stomach. I brought a little snack." She lifted a lid, holding the container under my nose, and I got a whiff of cumin. So, probably a Spanish dish, and the golden pockets of dough gave me another clue.

"Beef empanadas?" I said.

Minnie smiled proudly. "Perfect deduction. Your sense of smell will become a line of defense as you embrace your gollum lifestyle."

"How do you define a gollum lifestyle? Will I be expected to fight demons?" 

Minnie blinked her big doe eyes, making me think of Snow White, only built to kick your ass. "I don't think that's what Vincent has in mind for you. Are you interested in doing battle?"

Deidra's face popped into my mind's eye, and I took the opportunity to punch it with my imaginary fist. "No. I've spent most of my life trying to control my temper."

"Battling isn't always about anger," she explained. "We battle to protect. Of course, sometimes we need to take things further, but that is rare."

Like when Jonathan snapped a demon's neck to protect my identity.

"Have you done battle, Minnie?"

"Of course, all female gollums must know how to protect themselves and their offspring. I fought until I found out I was pregnant with Zane's sister, Liza. It took us ten years to get there, and then another eight for Zane. We feel very fortunate."

"So, you haven't done field fighting in a long time, then. Do you miss it?"

Minnie shrugged as she went about her duties, setting a place for everyone. "I enjoyed sparring with willing partners. Contrary to what you may think, our opponents were not always demons. Humans engaged us as well. There was a group who met at the gym."

"You have an underground arena here too?"

"Yes, but that's not where the girls and I battled. We were friends with the owner of a training center for local boxers. We had such fun beating up on those tough guys." She smiled to herself as she nudged her husband in the shoulder. "Should I fill you a plate, Caleb?"

"Sure, I could eat."

Caleb caught Minnie by the hand and squeezed it before returning to the conversation with Vincent and Zane. The moment was brief but telling. They had the right stuff.

Food passed from containers to plates and everyone complimented Minnie on her cooking skills, after which Zane disappeared into his earbuds, giving Caleb a chance to turn the conversation to a less benign topic than stock prices.

"You have any run-ins with trouble since you arrived?" Caleb asked as he picked saffron rice from his plate, eating them one by one.

"No, unless you count a scorned female who is determined to make waves," Vincent said.