The Succubae Seduction Bk 02 The Twins Ch 07

An old frienemy appears, and Shlee gets the scoop of a lifetime. Too bad someone is still hell-bent on killing the President.

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Chapter 07

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Presidential Treatment

Eldon stepped out of the Orange Bubble and looked around. "Where are we?" he asked Shlee as she stepped out after Gloria, but before the President.

They stood next to what appeared to be an abandoned factory in an abandoned part of some business district. Not exactly the type of place Eldon would have picked for a Presidential Conference.

"This is a place known only to a few," Shlee responded, not answering his question. "Hopefully my aunt will be here already, setting up. Frank will be a few more minutes before he can catch up to that amazing car."

That amazing car sped away to drop off its other passengers. Eldon panicked for the slightest moment, feeling alone despite the three women with him. It was rare when the twins were separated for any length of time. He relaxed a second later. She would be safe, and how much safer could he be with an ancient goddess and a werewolf at his side?

"Your aunt?" Gloria asked with a look of concern. Eldon didn't understand why the succubus was concerned, unless she'd read something from someone else's mind.

"Aunt Miranda," Shlee replied.

Eldon remembered hearing something about a werewolf named Miranda once. Something his father told him during one of his stories. As a kid, Eldon loved hearing about his father's adventures. As an adult—and hearing them for the hundredth time—they grew stale. What was it about that name? Miranda wasn't the most common name around. Shlee Olsen...

Eldon felt the blood drain from his face as he finally recalled where he knew that name. "Miranda Olsen?" he demanded. He grabbed Shlee's shoulder and spun her around to face him. "

Agent

Miranda Olsen?" His voice rose as he spoke, fear and anger mixing in equal amounts. "As in the woman that repeatedly tried to kill my dad? The woman that belongs to the Daughters of Respite and wants to kill every living thing from the Shadow World?"

"

Belonged

to the Daughters of Respite," a strong female voice called from the building. "I haven't worked for them in decades." The woman that exited the factory was tall and broad shouldered. She had thick hair that looked black except where the sun reflected brown highlights. She had a small nose and a slightly pointed chin with a few freckles on her cheeks. Dad had always described her as the plainest looking woman he'd ever known, though she looked more handsome than anything else.

"Thank you for letting us use your place, Aunt Miranda," Shlee said as she hugged the older woman.

Eldon couldn't put an age to Miranda's face, though he knew she had to be in her forties or fifties based on what he knew of her. Eldon wished he had a weapon on him right then. Despite her words, he didn't trust her.

"It's not every day I get the President of the United States come to pay a visit," Miranda said with a smile. She turned to face Eldon and Gloria. The smile didn't slip. "You look just like your father, though the hair color is darker. You have the same eyes. Those eyes used to give me nightmares, but that was a long time ago also."

Eldon felt Gloria's arm slip around him. "I believe her." Eldon looked at her, raising one eyebrow, asking if she could read her mind. "No, but I think I understand her." She spoke low enough that Eldon was sure only he could hear, until Shlee spoke up.

"Aunt Miranda was kidnapped as a girl and taught that all magical creatures were evil, never knowing that she was a werewolf until my dad rescued her. She's been invaluable in slowing down and weakening the D.O.R.."

Eldon remembered Lyden mentioning that Shlee's dad owed him a favor. Had Lyden helped save this woman? Eldon couldn't remember hearing that story.

"There's no sense in waiting out here," President Louise said. She marched towards the factory and disappeared inside.

"Wait!" Eldon tried to stop her. He was supposed to help protect her. He appreciated a leader who wasn't afraid to take charge or move forward, but if she got hurt while he was supposed to be protecting her, his dad would kill him.

Eldon ran after her, with Gloria chuckling for some reason behind. When he entered the factory, he came to a dead stop. He wasn't prepared for what he saw. He expected to see concrete columns, hanging chains, broken glass, and other items one might expect to find in an abandoned factory. He didn't expect to find the President sitting on a couch with a large holographic screen showing the news on mute. Carpet covered the floor and Eldon could see partitions set up to separate out rooms. This was someone's home.

"Is that what the building looked like after we left?" Martha Louise asked. "We were rushed out of there so fast, I didn't get a good look at it." The news feed on the holographic television was showing a burning building. Not just any burning building, but the one they'd been in.

Something tickled the back of Eldon's mind, a question he wanted answered. "Where was your secret service?"

Martha looked at him with an odd expression for a couple seconds before responding. "They should have been right outside the door. They know they can trust your father. Didn't you see them when you came in?"

"No one was guarding your door when I brought them to you, Ma'am," Shlee said.

Martha's eyebrows pressed together as she took that in. "I didn't think about it before, but we should have had some warning before that attack. They shouldn't have made it past my men. Does that mean they were in on it?" She shook her head a moment later. "No, I can't believe that. I've known Anderson since I was a governor. He's a loyal man. Oh, God I hope he's not dead."

"I can't tell you much," Shlee offered, "but I didn't smell any violence before we entered. I didn't even think about the fact that the Secret Service men were missing when we entered. Good thinking, Eldon."

Eldon felt warmed by the compliment, all the more so because it came from a beautiful woman.

"You do like her," Gloria whispered into his ear. "I'll have to remember that." He jumped as she spoke, but calmed when he felt her lips brush his neck. Thank goodness Gloria wasn't the jealous type!

Despite Gloria having whispered the words, the look on Shlee's face said she heard. It must be werewolf hearing or something. Eldon couldn't tell if she was pleased, or upset by what Gloria said.

"So, either Anderson betrayed me, or—"

"Or something else," Miranda cut the President off. "I know all too well not to ask too many questions when there's not enough information to be had."

"If you've been helping bring down the Daughters," Eldon asked, still not trusting this woman, "why didn't you know that attack was coming?"

Miranda bared her teeth at him, and Shlee glared, but he knew he had a valid question. "I haven't been on the inside since my brother rescued me," she snarled. "I've been helping by telling the authorities about how they operate, and where their secret bases were. I meant

were

because they aren't there anymore. From what I overheard, this was an operation by the Paladonic Knights, though I can tell from the news that they're spinning it a different way. They're claiming it was a bunch of evil monsters that attacked. I'm afraid the security footage supports them." She turned to her niece before continuing. "Shlee, you need to get the President in front of this. Right now they don't know if she's alive or dead. They're still sifting through the rubble. The Vice President is calling for all the local non-humans to be locked up until they can get a handle on what's going on."

"Just waiting on Frank to show up with the camera," Shlee responded. "I've already talked to the station. They're ready to roll as soon as he gets here."

As if on cue, they heard tires crunch on the gravel outside. Shlee went out to meet her cameraman.

Eldon noticed Miranda looking at him. Considering she was a werewolf, the only way he could think to describe her look was hungry. He tried not to flinch when she walked over to him.

"I never had the opportunity to apologize to your father," Miranda said as she held her hand out. "I don't blame you for not trusting me, but believe me when I say we're on the same side."

Eldon hesitated for a moment, then decided to take the proffered hand. "He told us about how you tried to kill him multiple times." She gave him a sharp grin, showing fangs—

actual fangs!

—as her grip tightened. Eldon met her grip with his own strong squeeze. "He mentioned that you hated all magical creatures with a fanaticism only the brainwashed exhibit."

Miranda's hand tightened, growing painful, but he didn't flinch. "I was brainwashed. From the time I was a child, I was told that werewolves killed my whole family. It wasn't until my brother rescued me that I learned the truth. The Daughters of Respite murdered my parents. My entire life became a lie." She reached to her side with her free hand and pulled up her shirt, revealing a dull pink scar across her otherwise smooth stomach. "When your father gave me this scar, he took away some of my immunity to magic. I didn't know it at the time, but on the next full moon, I changed. That was after Joey kidnapped me. He didn't speak to me for quite a while, and I thought he was getting ready to eat me. I guess he knew I wouldn't listen. After that first night as a werewolf, I wanted to kill myself. I'd become what I hated, or so I thought. It took years before Joey convinced me that I was always a werewolf, and that he was my brother."

As she spoke, her hand tightened until Eldon was sure the bones in his hand were going to break. He stood his ground, even when Miranda's brown eyes started turning golden and he was certain her hand was becoming a paw. He remained silent, not sure how to respond to her unexpected history.

"I'm glad to see you getting along," Shlee said as she entered the factory. Her tone dripped with sarcasm as she sniffed the air.

Miranda's eyes returned to brown and her fangs retracted before she turned to her niece and released Eldon's hand.

"I think the best place to do this will be right here on the couch," Miranda offered as she approached Frank. "If you put the camera here, the lighting will show the President's face in a strong profile. Shlee, you can sit here, and no one will know we're in an old factory."

Gloria took Eldon's throbbing hand and pressed her lips against his knuckles. The pain from Miranda's grip fled before Gloria's tender care. He pulled the succubus into a hug, pressing his lips against the top of her head. He felt embarrassed for being grateful for the kindness. He preferred to act tough, but he knew Gloria would see through it.

By the time Gloria pulled out of his arms, Miranda had everyone in their places. Shlee had a mic attached to her chest and was facing into the camera. The original plan had called for Gloria to impersonate the President, but that seemed overkill now, out in the middle of nowhere. If there was an assassin out there with Martha in their sights, they would see through the ruse. It would also mean that Miranda wasn't being honest. It was nearly impossible to follow the Orange Bubble, unless someone inside the car willed it, or they knew what its destination was. Either scenario was unlikely.

"Thank you, Mark," Shlee stated with an air of professionalism. "Earlier today I was with the President, setting up an interview when we were attacked." She paused to listen to something from the speaker in her ear. "No, the attack was not executed by creatures from the Shadow World. It was perpetrated by humans in costume." Pause. "Ambassador Lyden Snow and his children protected the President and me, neutralizing the attackers. Before the explosion, their masks were ripped off. It was humans that attacked us." Pause. "I don't know who was behind it."

Eldon knew she was lying, but didn't know why. She hadn't been there to interview Martha, but understood that there had to be a reason for her to be in the room with the President of the United States. But why wouldn't she tell them that the Paladonic Knights were behind the attack? This could put a nail in their coffin if she admitted it. Or was she trying to play the middle? He knew that she had an identity to protect, and if she came on too strong against humanity, it may hurt her fake identity as a news reporter.

"There's no proof," Gloria said next to him. "If she made that claim, without proof, the P.K.'s would just deny it and their attorneys would roast her for libel. There needs to be evidence or she would lose credibility. Right now she needs as much credibility as she can keep."

He knew his girlfriend couldn't read Shlee's mind, but had read his questions from his mind. He already knew that Gloria was an intelligent woman. Compared to her, he must appear to be an imbecile.

"Not an imbecile," she chided him. "But you're just so cute!" Her shoulders shook with silent laughter as his cheeks burned. "The truth is, you're not a normal mortal. You're refreshing in a way I haven't seen in centuries. You're brave, strong, incredibly good looking, and not nearly as foolish as your sister would have you believe. Besides, I've had millennia to watch and understand human behavior."

Eldon's cheeks burned hotter, and he decided to turn back to the news reporter. He saw that President Louise was speaking. "...times of hardship like this that we need to come together as a nation. This wasn't an attack on me, but my policies and the American way of life. This country was founded by immigrants and people coming from all walks of life to live on this great soil. This attack is nothing more than a cowardly show of racism. I am not daunted in the clear duty I have before me, nor is my belief that our two worlds can get along."

"What about the attacks that have occurred in the Shadow World on Humans?" Shlee asked. Eldon wanted to charge forward and scream at her for pointing that out. All that comment could do was hurt their standing. Then he remembered what he'd thought about Shlee having to take the middle ground. She was doing her job as a news reporter, regardless of what her personal feelings were. She was digging for the facts, rather than spouting opinion.

"Ambassador Snow and I were discussing that very thing before the attack," the President responded. She gave Shlee a shrewd look, which turned to one of respect. Eldon suspected that she'd realized what Shlee was doing also. "He's created a task force to combat the threat from that end, and was asking for my approval to recruit humans into that task force."

Shlee paused for a moment before responding to Martha's words. "Such a move would help create peace between the two worlds, but only if magical creatures came here to do the same. Madame President, are you proposing that the two worlds work together in an ongoing peace initiative?"

Eldon realized his jaw was hanging open. If what the President was saying was true—and he had no reason to doubt her—it would mean unprecedented access for both worlds to have access to the other. On the one hand, creatures from the Shadow World have been visiting Earth for centuries, though most of humanity was oblivious to that fact. On the other hand, it was illegal for a human to travel to the Shadow World until shortly after the Chaos War. Becky and Lyden Snow had worked hard to allow the two worlds to comingle in peace. A unified protective force from both worlds would go far to make that happen.

Martha gave an easy laugh. "At this point, Ms. Olsen, I'm not proposing anything. You know what it's like trying to get a bill passed as law. It could be years before anything happens. Right now I'm putting the thought out there for the public. If it's something the public wants, then they should write their congressional member and let them know."

Shlee touched the piece in her ear and listened to Mark back in the studio. "I'm being told we're low on time, Madame President. Is there anything else you'd like to say?"

Martha Louise looked directly into the camera as her face became stone. "I am not afraid of those that attacked me today. I want to be clear on this point. Neither I, nor the American public, will bow down to terrorists and their ilk. Cowardly acts that have to hide behind costumes to press their own agenda will not sway me. We will find out who was behind this attack and bring the cowards to justice."

Frank turned the camera to Shlee who was grinning from ear to ear. "You heard it here first. Our President has a backbone made of granite and a determination just as hard. If you were behind that attack, and you're watching this, I'd start running now." She glanced at the President and smiled wider, if that were possible. "Of course, since the President of the United States of America, Ambassador Snow—the hero of the Chaos War—along with his children, and I were the victims of that attack, I'm not sure the moon is far enough away for you to escape. This is Shlee Olsen, signing off after an exclusive interview with President Martha Louise. Back to you Mark."

"Aaand, we're off," Frank said from behind the camera. "Damn, Shlee! Remind me never to piss you off." He turned to the President and tripped over himself as he tried to bow and hold his left hand out to shake while saluting with his right. "It's such an honor to meet you, Ma'am. An honor!"

Martha stood and took his hand, while somehow managing to smile in a way that didn't insult Frank for his awkward behavior, and at the same time put him at ease.

Shlee and Miranda cocked their heads towards the door at the same time, making Eldon tense. He'd already experienced the werewolves' acute sense of hearing.

"Someone's here," Miranda said as she moved to the doorway.

"Really?" Frank asked, oblivious that he was only one of two humans in the room. "I didn't hear anything."

"It should be my secret service finally arriving," Martha said. "I'm surprised it took them this long." Outside, he was just able to make out the sound of helicopter rotors steadily thumping the air.

Before Eldon had a chance to wonder how the Secret Service knew where to find their President, Gloria leaned in and informed him. "She has a GPS locator embedded in her skull. As long as she's alive, and somewhere their satellites can see, they'll know where she is."

Eldon's mind filled in the rest. The Orange Bubble must have shielded her from the satellites, and they'd moved far enough away in a short period of time that it took them awhile to pinpoint her.

"If I know how they're going to react, we all might want to get on the floor, facing down. They tend to get a little overzealous in their desire to keep me safe." As she spoke, Martha followed her own advice and laid face first on the floor with her hands over her head.

If they're so zealous about her safety, where were they during the attack?

Eldon wondered. For once, Gloria didn't have an answer for his thoughts.

"United States Secret Service!" someone screamed. "Everyone get down on the floor and place your hands on your head!" Apparently they weren't looking inside to see that everyone was already doing just that. "Anyone still standing after the count of three

will

be shot. One! Two! Three!"

Men clad in black body armor stormed into the abandoned factory, rifles up and ready. The men and women that entered shouted back and forth, calling out to one another to let them know they had found multiple people and so far no hostiles.

"They're getting their filthy boots on my rugs," Miranda complained, but she was ignored.