Tagan's Child by ammyford1

unreadable
expression on his face.
    I put my hand
over the phone. “Help yourself to breakfast.”
    “He’s still
there?!” Bennie’s high pitched voice screeched from the other end
of the line.
    “Yes,” I said,
irritated by the conclusions that I knew she was drawing and
feeling embarrassed knowing that Ahran could probably hear her.
    It was too
awkward putting Bennie straight in front of him and so I opted to
say nothing. I would have to tell her an edited version of what
happened last night, later. Was that a smile I saw on his face?
    I picked up my
breakfast and moved into the lounge for some privacy. I lowered my
voice and wondered just how good his hearing was. “Unfortunately,
everything he told me about Toby being in danger is true. He seems
to think the person who attacked Audrey was after me.” I bit off a
mouthful of toast.
    “Oh my God
Sophie! What did the police say?”
    “I haven’t
spoken to the police yet although I expect I’ll see them this
morning.”
    “So, what are
you going to do?”
    “I don’t know
yet. Look, I’m going to have to go, I need to get Toby up and off
to school, can I call you later?”
    “Okay, but make
sure you do,” she insisted.
    “Yeah of
course. Bye hun.” We both hung up.
    I went back
into the kitchen and tipped the remainder of my breakfast in the
bin. Ahran was buttering six pieces of toast. I suppose it didn’t
come as much of a surprise that he had a big appetite. “Did you
find everything you need?” I asked.
    “Yes, thanks,”
he replied and carried his plate and a glass of milk over to the
table.
    “Good, um, I’m
just going upstairs to get Toby up,” I said when I realised I was
staring at him. “He and I need to have a little chat before he
comes down.” I refrained from saying that Toby wasn’t used to
seeing men here. “You know, try and give him an explanation as to
why you’re here.”
    He nodded and
took a sip of his milk.
    I climbed the
stairs and went into Toby’s room. He had managed to drag himself
out of bed and was getting dressed. I sat on the chair by his desk.
“Toby, there is a man downstairs, his name is Ahran and he is going
to be staying with us for a little while.”
    “What happened
to Dr Marcus?” he asked
    “Oh Ahran isn’t
my boyfriend.” I couldn’t help wondering whether Marcus was
anymore. “He’s just a friend from London and needs a place to stay
for a little while.” I hadn’t been able to think of anything else
that wouldn’t have him asking lots of questions.
    “Did he used to
be your boyfriend?”
    “No.” I stood
up and pulled the collar of his polo shirt out of his sweater.
“Come downstairs and have some breakfast and you can meet him.”
    I left him to
finish getting dressed. Ahran was still sat at the kitchen table
looking relaxed and at home in my kitchen.
    “You need to
make arrangements to leave,” he said. “The quicker we can get you
to King Halsan’s the better.”
    “Is King Halsan
Toby’s grandfather?” I asked.
    “Yes. He is an
important and powerful man. His home is extremely well protected,
you will be safe there.”
    After the
superhuman, alien shocker, I had forgotten that Toby was royalty as
well.
    At that moment,
Toby came running down the stairs. “Hello,” he said, greeting Ahran
as he came into the kitchen.
    “Hello Toby,”
Ahran replied, studying him as if he was a new and fascinating
exhibit at some museum.
    I busied myself
pouring out Toby’s cereal and milk and he sat down at the table.
“So, do you like sport?” Ahran asked. I couldn’t help but smile to
myself, super-evolved being from another planet or not, it was such
a guy question.
    “Love it, my
favourite is rugby.”
    I put Toby’s
bowl of cereal in front of him.
    “I liked rugby
at school too, what position do you play?”
    “Flanker,” Toby
said through a mouthful of cereal.
    “Finish what’s
in your mouth before you speak,” I corrected. If there was a chance
he was going to be a