Shady Business by Silver MoonAngel -------------------------------------------------------------------- STANDARD DISCLAIMER APPLIES -------------------------------------------------------------------- AN: Okay, I lied. But I promise that the next one will be very, very long compared to these last few chapters. -------------------------------------------------------------------- It had been a week since Serena had vanished without a trace; Darien had been tense and moody, biting anyone's head off for the slightest of things. Raye lounged on the couch in his study, there only because he needed some form of support. Sighing, Raye debated whether or not to tell him that she had heard from Serena. Watching him wear a hole in his carpet, Raye barked, "Darien, sit!" Darien just glared at her, but obeyed nonetheless. Putting his head in his hands, Darien said, "It's my fault she left. I had her here and I screwed up." "No, you fucked up," Raye said with her usual frankness. Putting an arm around Darien's shoulders, she said, "I wasn't going to tell you, but what the hell." Narrowing his eyes into dangerous slits, Darien asked, "Tell me what?" "That I talked to Serena," Raye said, a tiny smile playing on her face. Darien's spirits lifted. Maybe there would be hope for him yet. "What did she say? Did she tell you where she was?" Raye's smile grew; Darien reminded her of a child on Christmas Eve. A child... "She didn't say much of anything. She just said that she had moved in with her sister and was waiting to buy a house." "How many sisters does she have?" Darien asked, pensive and overwrought. "Arden Blade was a busy man. He has five daughters, including Serena, and two sons." Raye wound a stray piece of hair around her finger. "What are their names and ages?" Darien asked, hoping to narrow his search. "The boys are Michael, 30, and Samuel, 22. The girls are Serena, 26, Nerys, 24, Kieta, 23, Samuel's twin Samantha, 22, and Carlin, 20. Michael and Serena share a mother, Nerys, Samuel, and Samantha share a mother, and Kieta and Carlin share a mother. Serena makes sure she visits her half-siblings at least once a year; however, she's closer to Nerys, Samantha, and Carlin." Darien stroked the stubble that had grown on his chin. "Where do they live?" "Michael, Samuel, and Samantha live here in California, Nerys lives in Florida, Kieta lives in Wyoming, and Carlin lives in Michigan," Raye shook her head. It was time to distract him. "The most resent of her out-of-state sisters she saw was Carlin, so it's least likely she went there." Raye really hated deceiving him, but it was for his own good. "I think we should visit Kieta first," Darien said with a weary sigh. He had a sneaky suspicion that Raye was leading him around by the nose, but he couldn't put his finger on why. * * * Serena sat bundled up in her sister Carlin's living room. It was quite chilly, especially by California standards. "How can you manage to live here? It's freezing!" "But never dull," Carlin said, sitting in a chair across from Serena. "And you're changing the subject. You were telling me exactly why you ran from a hunk who might have impregnated you." Serena sighed at her sister's dancing green eyes. "I told you already, Car. He was macking on some other woman. And a redhead at that." "I'll let that comment about redheads slide," Carlin scowled sipping a cup of coffee. "That stuff'll kill you and stunt your growth." "Too late. What are you going to name them?" "Them?" Serena asked raising an eyebrow. Carlin swore. She hadn't meant to let that little bit of information slip. "I'll answer that question... soon," Carlin said, deliberately trying to be vague. "You saw something, didn't you?" Carlin shrugged. She definitely wasn't going to spill the beans about anything else. "I'm going to read a book, Rene." Serena eyeballed her little sister. She knew something but wasn't going to tell. "Okay, recommend me something." A smile broke over Carlin's face. She probably shouldn't do this, but it was going to happen soon anyway. "Look at a baby name book." It was priceless to see Serena's jaw drop open, Carlin wished she had a camera. "You know what I'm having, don't you wench?" Serena said, standing and putting her hand on her hips. Carlin darted up the stairs. When she got to the top she yelled down, "Duh!" * * * Darien paced back and forth in the airport terminal. His flight to Wyoming would be boarding in a few minutes. It had taken him nearly a month to track down Kieta to her small village, but track her down he did. "Flight 721 to Cheyenne will be boarding now." Darien collected his carry-on bag and walked toward the terminal. If Kieta knew where Serena was, he would get it out of her. He needed Serena back to make him whole again, even his business had undergone division since she had left. The part of Blade, Inc he had managed to take over had been re-taken over by the remaining part. It seemed like Serena's work, but who knew with the remaining Blade heirs. "Sir, your ticket please." Darien pulled the ticket out and laid it on the counter. He silently prayed that this wouldn't turn out to be a dead end. He needed Serena back and wanted to tell her...everything. "Have a nice flight." It would be a four hour drive after he would land in Cheyenne to Nata. Four more hours to contemplate how dire his situation was. * * * Darien drove inside the village limits, surprised at the amount of snow on the ground. Even though his instincts said otherwise, he hoped Serena was here. He drove to the gas station and asked for directions. Gathering gazes as he stepped out of his rental, Darien brushed them off as he walked inside. Going to the counter he said, "Excuse me. Can you tell me where Kieta McBride lives?" A brunette smacking her gum said, "I can tell you where McBride lives, but it'll be pointless." Darien gritted his teeth. This girl was getting on his last nerve very quickly. "Why not?" The girl grinned at him. He must be one of Ki's old boyfriends. "She got married two days ago to Tyree MacNealon and they're honeymooning in the Bahamas until Christmas." Darien was frustrated. It was just a dead end. Pulling a business card out of his pocket, he scribbled his home phone number on it, and said, "Make sure that Kieta gets this when she gets back. It has to do with her sister Serena." He stormed out and jumped in the car. In the mood he was in he needed a drive; a very long drive. * * * Serena sat with her forehead pressed against the window. They had been in the car for nearly an hour now and Serena was starting to go nuts. Pushing herself up, she looked at Carlin. "Why are we going again?" Carlin smiled. The quickest way to get Serena cranky was to put her in a car. "You're going to see if you are pregnant and I'm going to get a sonogram." Serena narrowed her eyes. Carlin had pretty much told her that she was pregnant when she landed in Toledo. "Why don't you just tell me?" "It'd be far much more fun to see the look on your face." Serena slumped back in the seat. It had been nearly two months since she left Darien's mansion in California. With a sigh she asked, "What time's the appointment?" "Mine's after yours so I get to swallow Lake Michigan while you get to pee in a cup," Carlin said with a smile. "Thanks for the visual, but that doesn't explain the time." Laughing, Carlin answered, "It's at two o'clock." * * * "Miss Blade, your results are in," the doctor called into the waiting room. Dragging Carlin along, Serena followed the doctor into his office. Swallowing her nervousness, Serena asked, "Well, am I?" The doctor motioned her to sit down. Clearing his throat, he said, "We can't totally be sure unless we have a sonogram but..." "But what?" This man was going to drive her into the nearest loony bin. It didn't help that she had almost no patience, but that was beside the point. "You have enough 'pregnancy' hormones to sufficiently carry two fetuses." "Are you saying I might be having twins?" "Yes." Serena felt dizzy and light-headed. Twins... not one, but two of Darien's children. Serena said, "Merry Christmas to me," and fainted.