Feros and the Underworld Prince (23 page)

“
Well, that is quite the story, lad!” Dagda exclaims.

“
So, how does it feel being a dad? Adelaide is just too cute by the way.” Aine warmly says.

“
Honestly, it’s terrifying. I feel that every second I’m with her, the closer she gets to death because of me. I want to push her away, but every time I hear her call me Daddy, I just feel so… happy?” I say while staring down at the table.

I look up to see everyone smiling warmly at me, which is embarrassing, but it is also infinitely creepy coming from the gruff Manannan mac Lir.

“
You’re going to be a fantastic father, Cole. Don’t worry so much; I doubt there are safer places in the universe than by your side.” Brighid says with warm conviction.

“
Thanks Brighid; I hope you’re right. Anyway, I need to be headed home so I’ll see all of you later.” I say as I stand up.

“
Alright, don’t be a stranger boyo; remember that you’re still the god of love and youth!” Dagda reminds me.

The irony of my love life being in the shitter when I’m the stand-in for the Celtic god of love is not lost on me. I port home and plop down on the couch.

“
Did you have a long day, Cole?” Naia asks from her adjacent position on the couch.

“
Yeah, I’ve been awake since 5am. So, are you excited about going to school?” I inquire.

“
Oh yes! I am very excited!” Naia exclaims while turning her body towards me.

“
What is school like? How many people will there be?” Naia asks excitedly.

“
I’m not too sure. This school is bound to be different compared to what I’m used to.” I reply.

“
What if no one likes me…? What if I cannot make any friends?” Naia quietly inquires.

“
Don’t worry Naia; I’m sure you will make friends and I’ll be there as well!” I reassure her.

“
Thank you, Cole.” Naia smiles with an almost imperceptible sadness in her eyes as she turns back towards the TV.

…

I must have fallen asleep because the next thing I know, Addie is jumping on my balls.

“
Wake up, Daddy! It’s dinner time!” Addie exclaims as I struggle not to double over in pain.

“
Alright… I’ll be there… in a second… sweetie.” I struggle to say.

“
Okay Daddy!” Addie smiles, crawls down from the couch, and runs into the kitchen.

“
You alright there, Cole?” Tia asks as she appears beside me.

“
I think she popped one…” I groan as I reach into my pants… okay, there’s one… where’s two!? I can’t find two!

“
Shit! I can’t find the second one!” I exclaim in a hushed tone.

“
Let me see.” Tia replies as she reaches into my pants and grabs my crotch.

“
Ah!” I yelp. This is actually really awkward…

“
Cole, hurry up! What are you doi—” Cheza says as she walks into the living room. She glares at me, turns around, and walks away.

“
Daddy said we can start without him.” Cheza says rather pointedly from the kitchen.

“
Okay, there it is.” Tia announces as she locates my second testicle.

I limp into the kitchen behind Tia and we sit down for dinner while Cheza glares at me from across the table.

“
You know what you two should do tomorrow? You two should take Adelaide to the park.” Sara suggests to Cheza and I.

“
That actually sounds like a good idea.” I reply.

“
Around sundown would probably be best; the park should be empty by then so you won’t need to worry about disguising her ears and tail.” Sara adds.

“
Yay! I get to go to the park with Mommy and Daddy tomorrow!” Addie exclaims and then looks confused for a moment.

“
What’s a park?”

…

Chapter 21: The Essence of Fatherhood

[September 17th]

The day was rather uneventful, but I did get to sleep in until 7am. I got up and went to the bathroom for my normal morning, pre-shower shit. On this particular morning, Cole Treyfair learned what being a father is all about.

“
Hey Daddy? What are you doing?” Addie asks through the door, which I thankfully remembered to lock, about one minute after my cheeks hit the seat.

“
I’m using the bathroom, sweetie.” I try to answer as calmly as possible.

“
Why?” Addie asks.

“
How about you go see what Mommy is doing?” I suggest.

“
Okay!” Addie replies and runs off.

“
Hey Daddy?” Addie asks about a minute later.

“
What is it sweetie?” I reply.

“
Mommy told me to tell you to stop reading and get out of the bathroom.” Addie informs me.

“
How about you go see what Auntie Tia is doing?” I suggest.

“
Okay!” Addie replies and runs off.

“
Hey Daddy?” Addie asks about twenty seconds later.

“
How about you go see what Auntie Sara is doing?” I suggest.

“
Okay!” Addie replies and runs off.

And with that, I was able to finish my business and take a shower. The rest of the day included Sara starting to teach Addie how to read, Addie drawing a picture for me, and me teaching Addie more of the differences between cartoons and reality.

“
No, people die when you drop heavy objects, such as anvils or safes, on their heads.”

After dinner, I drove Addie and Cheza to a nearby park. When we get there, all the other families are leaving.

“
Daddy, why is that lady so big?” Addie asks when she sees a rather obese woman getting into a minivan.

“
Airi, what should I tell her?”

(Because she made poor eating choices)

“
Because she made poor eating choices.” I tell Addie.

“
Why?” Addie asks.

(Because she wasn’t taught better)

“
Because she wasn’t taught better.” I respond.

“
Why?” Addie asks.

(Because her parents didn’t love her enough)

“
Because her parents didn’t love her enough.” I reply.

“
You love me, don’t you Daddy?” Addie asks.

(I love you unconditionally, sweetie)

“
I love you unconditionally, sweetie.” I repeat. Airi has some really good lines!

(Until you get fat)

“
Until you get fat.” I tell Addie without thinking.

Cheza slowly turns her head and glares at me. Looks like I might have just given Addie a new complex for her future… and possibly an eating disorder.

“
Anyway, this is the park, Addie. Those are slides, that’s a jungle gym, those are swings, that’s a play set…” I explain how to use the equipment and then I sit down on a nearby bench with Cheza while Addie goes down some slides.

“
So what the hell was that? Are you trying to fuck her up?” Cheza asks pointedly.

“
Airi was giving me advice and I repeated what she said without thinking. Cheza, can we talk about us?” I inquire.

“
I don’t see what there is to talk about.” Cheza says while folding her arms across her chest.

“
Cheza… I want to be with you… I want us to be a family for Addie… I—grab Addie, take cover in the play set, and shield her from what I’m about to do. I’ll handle this. GO!” I order when I spot two armed men in tactical armor advancing towards the playground.

My helmet engages as one of the men spots Cheza running and raises his M4 Carbine to fire. I toss a smoke bomb to interrupt and obstruct his view. I flash forward through the smoke and crush the guy’s head with my left hand. I grab his M4 while throwing the body at the second gunman, snapping the carbine’s strap. The body knocks the second gunman over and I fire a three-round burst into the second gunman’s head to finish him off.

Three bullets whizz past me coming from the other side of the playground. I launch myself into the air and fire a burst at each of the three enemies that are advancing across the playground. With a velocity of 2970ft/s, the three combatants don’t stand a chance at only two hundred feet away, even with their enhanced speed. I have eighteen rounds or six bursts remaining in the magazine. I turn in midair and fire on six of the eight remaining enemies throughout the park.

I land as the final two enemies take cover behind a saguaro cactus. I draw an explosive dart and throw it at the saguaro, five hundred feet away. When they realize that I’m no longer firing, the two gunmen come out of their cover so I detonate the dart. I race forward while they are stunned, wielding the M4 in my right hand like a club. I smash the butt of the M4 into the head of the guy on the right, caving his metal helmet into his skull, as I punch through the saguaro to grab the other guy… or that had been the plan at least. I end up just standing there with my hand in a cactus, groping around blindly while the final gunman walks around the cactus and unloads all thirty rounds into my lumbar. All the rounds pass through my stomach, except for the three rounds that are responsible for shattering one of my vertebrae.

“
This is Whiskey Tango three, I have neutralized the target. Requesting backup for transport.” The gunman says into his radio as I lay on the ground.

Cheza runs up behind him and grabs his head in both of her hands. I watch as the gunman’s eyes glaze over, quickly followed by them literally freezing over; that has got to be one hell of a brain freeze. Cheza drops the gunman, puts her hands on her hips, and looks down at my sorry state.

“
What happened to you handling it?” Cheza asks in a snarky manner from her superior position.

I watch as one of three new gunmen raises his M4 and fires at Cheza. My Drive takes over and uses my blood to make up for the lack of a complete nervous system as I launch myself into the path of the bullets; two strike my right shoulder and the other hits my helmet. Using my blood to control my muscles, I stand and hold my left arm out towards the three enemies as it suddenly turns black.

“
Gaze upon
Erasure
… and return to the
Void
.” I command.

Black tendrils shoot out of the holes in my arm and wrap around the legs of the three enemies. Glorious screams of panic ensue as the gunmen’s legs start turning into dust as the force that is causing them to disintegrate travels up towards their heads. Control of my body is relinquished to me and my arm returns to its regular silver color.

“
We need to leave before reinforcements show up.” I tell Cheza when the screams stop as the disintegration reaches their lungs.

We walk over to the playground and Cheza grabs a crying and cowering Addie. We walk over to the car and I drive us to a Target parking lot, not trusting the limited control I have over the lower half of my body with the three bullets in my spine and deciding that I should eliminate the chance of an ambush during the drive home. I turn off the car, grab Cheza’s shoulder, and port all three of us home. I port onto the couch so that we don’t fall down when our seats are suddenly removed.

“
Cheza, I need you to call Natasha and tell her about this. Those guys will most likely have reinforcements on scene quickly so tell her that anyone she sends should be prepared for a fight.” I tell Cheza.

“
Cole! What happened!?” Sara asks.