"Technically, they're not kids," Hanna replied.
Deidre's head was pounding.
The girl in front of her began speaking. "Humans eat plants and macaronis and -"
"Meatballs!"
"Chocolate."
"Oooohhh chocolate!" several kids echoed.
"The little angels have a thing for chocolate," Hannah explained.
"Sure," Deidre murmured, near fainting.
"Someone get Deidre a juice box!" Hannah ordered.
Three were thrust at her. Deidre took one and sipped. The cool liquid felt good on her throat.
She never should've left Wynn's. In fact, if she'd stayed away from the beach this weekend altogether and had dinner with her doctor instead of causing her boyfriend to be eaten by a demon, she wouldn't be facing an Immortal mood beast or teaching Immortal children not to feed humans rocks.
"Deidre?"
She looked up. Toby stood beside a plainly pregnant young woman with blue eyes and a tattoo across her neck that resembled the one on Deidre's back in color and otherworldly script. While Gabriel was written at the center of the geometric designs on Deidre's shoulders, the tattoo on the woman before her bore the name Rhyn.
Rhyn's mate. Deidre almost understood why the portals brought her wherever this was. She was surprised to see Rhyn's mate looked … normal.
"Yes," she said at last, cringing for another bad reaction.
The woman smiled.
"C'mon kids, let Deidre up," Hannah said to the little Immortals surrounding Deidre.
One of them claimed the doll, and Deidre released it. Hannah accepted the book and juice box. No one came for the cotton balls, and Deidre stood, putting them in her pocket.
"I'm happy to see you!" the dark-haired woman crossed to her and hugged her hard. "What're you doing here? I thought you were dead-dead!"
"Um, not yet," Deidre said, returning the hug awkwardly. "Kinda wish I was, though."
"Mama, she's human," Toby said.
Rhyn's mate withdrew, gazing at Deidre quizzically.
"You don't remember me, do you?" she asked.
Deidre shook her head. "I'm happy to see you instead of an Immortal mood beast."
"Immortal mood beast?" the woman addressed the boy. "Really, Toby?"
The boy's face turned red. Deidre's gaze fell to the woman's protruding belly, and she suddenly understood.
"Sorry, Toby," she said.
"I deserve it," Toby said with a pitiful sigh.
The woman rolled her eyes. "Anyway, I'm Katie. You've met Toby and my sister Hannah. You really don't remember any of us?"
"I'm sorry but no," Deidre replied. "Should I?"
"Well, yeah. We spent time in the underworld together, though if you're human, that might mean …" Katie drifted off then glanced at the children. "Hey, Toby, can you give her one?"
Deidre followed her gaze, not understanding.