Allie's War Season One (91 page)

Before I could protest, he caught my hand, pulling me roughly to my feet.

“Come on,” he said, gruff.

WE DIDN’T TALK as we walked down the unpaved road from the compound. I followed his eyes when he raised a hand in greeting to a group of seers clustered on the porch of a nearby house. I didn’t know any of them, but I saw them there, every day.

They knew Revik. They catcalled him, in several languages. I only caught part of it...probably the parts they meant me to catch.

A man yelled, “I thought they banned you, Dag-o-ies?”

“Been years,” another said, seconding that. “You allowed back here then?”

“Oooh.” A girl laughed, waving. “Check him out...nice clothes, worm-bait! Your new girl give you those?”

“You married the Bridge, Dags?” an Asian-looking seer said, raising a beer bottle. “Why you outside? Why not in for Sakka-weh?” He made thrusting movements with his hips and the others laughed. “You having performance issues? Need some help, brother?”

Revik gave them a wan smile, but I saw him glance at me.

“Piss off,” he said.

“Awww. You’re still one of us, right? So when you gonna sic your woman on the worms in this town, brother?” He thumbed the metal collar around his neck. “Set your people free?”

Revik made a dismissive gesture. “Sober up. I’ll buy your freedom, Yan-le.”

“Liar.”

Revik flicked his fingers towards the others. “You have witnesses.”

The male seer leaned back on the steps on his elbows. “Living with them’s made you soft, brother. Maybe your woman can straighten you out...” He grinned, winking at me. “If not, send her my way. The Esteemed Bridge can share my bed any time she wants...”

I felt a whisper of annoyance off Revik, but he just gave them another dismissive wave, not slowing his strides down the hill. After we’d gone a few more steps, he glanced at me.

“It’s a tradition, you know...to harass newlyweds. We’ll get a lot of that.”

I watched his face, not speaking. His mind was somewhere else again. I didn’t know if I should be grateful, or worried. I knew he would tell me; I could feel it. Still, I wished I could read him better. He was closed up tight as a vault, which was getting harder not to take personally. I was about to shove my hands in my pockets when he reached out, taking my hand before I could finish the motion.

“You’re misunderstanding me, Allie. I just don’t want to talk here.”

“But what is ‘here,’ Revik? It clearly wasn’t the room, or even the compound...”

“The construct, Allie. It ends at the border of the village.”

Feeling a sort of light bulb go off, I glanced back up the hill.

A few minutes later, we reached the bottom, and turned onto the main street of Seertown, which was already full of midday shoppers and peddlers. We hadn’t walked a full block when Revik pulled me through the crowd into a brick side street—well, an alley, really, although in Seertown the difference was academic.

Before I could ask him anything, he caught me around the waist and half-carried me to the wall of a small store facing the main road.

I clasped his neck in surprise. When he kissed me that time, his mouth wasn’t careful...or particularly gentle. He kissed me hard, holding me against the wall. Sliding his body between my legs, he kissed me again, his arm clenching my waist tightly enough that I barely had my weight on my toes. I couldn’t breathe until he paused. I gripped his hair as he kissed me again, harder as I arched against him. He made a low sound that I felt down to my feet...and then abruptly pulled away, resting his forehead on mine.

“Allie...gods.” He kissed my face. “...what are you trying to do to me? Don’t you know every seer in the compound felt that?”

“Oh.” My face grew hot. Understanding reached me. “...Oh. Okay.”

“The construct...it’s completely open. I thought you knew.”

I shook my head. “Sorry.” I smiled a little, embarrassed. “Everyone probably figured it didn’t matter, not for me anyway. They all know I haven’t had sex with an actual person since...” I trailed, as something else occurred to me. I tensed as the realization deepened. Then I remembered who I was with. Glancing up, I tried to cut off the thought, but I already saw Revik looking at me.

About then, I probably turned bright red.

I felt conflict on him as he stared at me. When I tried to read him for the rest of it, he pushed me back. I knew he’d heard me though.

Great. Just...perfect.

I felt my face burn hotter, and tried to decide if I should say something. Wonderful. This was so completely how I’d wanted this morning to go...with my boyfriend-slash-husband picturing me masturbating in front of a bunch of single guys the entire period he’d been imprisoned and tortured.

I bit my lip when he still wouldn’t look at me.

“Hey,” I said, my voice low. “No one told me.”

I saw his jaw harden. Once again, I was ready to climb into a hole. Maybe one that popped out in, say, Portugal.

“Look, I’m really sorry...”

His eyes swiveled in my direction. “Allie! Why do you think I would be angry at you for this?” His accent worsened. “It’s nothing...it’s none of my business. I’m just trying to think of a good reason why I shouldn’t kick the living shit out of every seer in that compound for not telling you...”

Sliding my arms further around his neck, I tugged on his hair.

“Hey,” I said. “Stop, okay?” I felt my face flush when he met my gaze, forced myself to shrug. “...so a few of them might have gotten their ya-yas off on dummy, the sexual frustration girl. So what? Forget it.”

He held me tighter. I felt pain on him, mixed with what felt like affection. More than affection...a dense emotion wound into my light, a confused mixture he seemed to be holding back, or muting maybe. I felt him remember my face from earlier that morning, and it was odd seeing myself from his angle, lying on the bed, hair fanned on the covers as I caressed his face. Without warning, liquid sexuality rode through him and into me. My hand clenched the back of his neck as he lowered his voice.

“Allie...honey...” he murmured. “I’m sorry...”

He kissed me again, but softer that time, almost gentle. Even so, my mind glazed over when he fell into it, leaning without pressing into me. Seconds later, he drew back, releasing me with a reluctance I could now feel. Avoiding my eyes, he took a full stride away from the wall.

His voice came out short, his accent stronger again.

“I am hungry,” he said. “Can we eat?”

I stood by the wall, half bent over, fighting to control my light. Embarrassed, I nodded, trying to pull myself back into that space where I’d been for more than a year—that shut off, commander-type space I’d cultivated when I didn’t have any choice. I knew Revik could see past it, but at that particular moment, I didn’t really care. I’d just gotten thrown into the deep end of what it was like to be around him full-time again. Only now, with us openly talking about sex, it would be about a hundred times worse. I knew it was a package deal, part of sharing light with another seer, but knowing that didn’t make it any easier.

He walked with me to a place I’d been to before, high up on the hill on one of the tributary streets off the main market roads. We climbed the steps to the top-floor restaurant, which had a view of the entire valley under a plastic corrugated roof. They also had some of the best Tibetan food in town.

Over lunch...or breakfast, maybe...we talked about India, the compound, what I’d been doing. I edited what I told him. I didn’t mention getting shot at a few weeks earlier, for example, or much at all about my trips out of Seertown. I saw him frown a few times anyway, as if reading between the lines of at least some of what I didn’t say.

He didn’t reference what had happened that morning until he walked me back. Reaching the border between town and the construct, he kissed me goodbye, saying only that he had business to do that afternoon. When I got nervous, he kissed me again, pulling me to him.

“Allie,” he said, soft. “I won’t be gone long. I promise.”

I glanced up. “It’s not that. You’re being weird. Even for you.” I tugged on his hand. “I can’t tell if you’re mad at me...or what.”

“Mad at you?” He kissed my cheek, clicking softly. “No. Maybe a little at myself.” He fingered hair out of my eyes, and I felt a pulse of regret on him again. “...I’m sorry, Allie. About this morning.”

“Sorry?” I smiled. “What for? You were rational guy, as usual...I’m the one who lost it.” I tugged on his shirt. “Maybe we just shouldn’t be making out on beds for awhile. Find a nice park bench...or an alley...”

“I think that would be a bad idea,” he said cryptically.

Giving him a mock frown, I smacked his chest lightly. “So, what? I blew it? Honestly, Dags. It’s fine. I’ll be ready for it next time...”

His eyes turned opaque again. I could feel there was something he wasn’t telling me. I was about to ask, when he cut me off.

“I’ll find us a place,” he said.

“A place?”

“Where we can talk. Privately,” he said. “In the meantime, be careful, okay?” He kissed my face. I felt pain on him again, enough that my fingers clenched on the fabric of his coat. “Chandre’s waiting for you at the compound. The town isn’t particularly safe, either.” He kissed me again. “I’ll find us something, Allie...I promise.”

Safe? I wondered.

I didn’t voice it aloud though, and he left me standing there, watching after him as he disappeared back into the crowds of Seertown market.

6

CLAIM

“HEY...BRIDGE! WAIT! Stop, okay?”

I hadn’t yet made it through the courtyard when his voice halted my steps.

I turned, a little warily. I’d noticed more than my usual quota of stares just in my short walk through the common rooms to get outside. Given what Revik had said about us being overheard, I wasn’t particularly thrilled with the prospect of hearing details of their reactions. The man running up to me would probably tell me.

And keep telling me...even after I told him to stop.

Were the stares because they’d overheard Revik and I talking? Were they just curious because I was the Bridge, and until now hadn’t been sexually involved with anyone? Or was I now the pathetic wife who couldn’t seduce her own husband?

Maygar grunted a laugh, jogging up to my side.

“Hardly,” he said, a little out of breath.

I gave him a sharp look. “Mind your own business, Maygar,” I said. “You’re on my shit list already, you know.” At his raised eyebrow, I said, “What’s with you taking off for Cairo? Didn’t even have the decency to tell me...”