Authors: Juliann Whicker
“
Did she burn out?” Satan asked, sounding concerned. I remembered poor Camilla and wanted to assure Satan, but all I managed was a groan before the pain made it difficult to remember where my mouth was located exactly in my head.
“
The business district? Did she talk at all afterwards?” Old Peter asked. Satan made a sound that could have been a yes. “She can hear us so she’s not lost. I’d say she’s going to recover eventually, sooner, if I can get something potent into her. If you want to wait outside you can, but you take up too much space in here.”
“
I have some things to do,” Satan said gruffly. “Unless I can help, I’ll get out of your hair.”
“
Good night then and, Saturn, don’t worry about it. After a couple of hours of sleep, a couple of drinks, she’ll be good as new. Better, since the more she furies the more strength she’ll have for it.”
I heard a screen door slam, and I was alone with Old Peter. I felt his rough, callused hands smoothing my forehead and then he propped me up while he put something to my lips. I was glad the room was dark as I kept my eyelids shut and drank, letting the liquid slip over my tongue and down my throat. It was thick and silky with a slightly bitter aftertaste and then the pain was receding, everything got further away as I lost consciousness.
***
I looked around, and from this angle the warehouse looked much different.
“
You came yourself,” Ace said, frowning at me. He looked like someone else without his jacket on and the top few buttons of his shirt undone. “You’re a little bit conspicuous in this neighborhood.” Ace gestured at me while he talked.
I shrugged and started walking towards a crate, nodding at a guy with glowing eyes as he grunted under his burden. “I apologize if I’ve caused you any inconvenience.”
Ace scowled. “I’m not used to brothers showing up unannounced in my warehouse, dragging along their pet hybrid like a show and tell. I ask you, why did he choose this day to come poking around? Any other day and I’d have something maybe less legitimate but that would raise fewer questions. You know how I hate questions.”
I took my time exhaling before I forced a smile to my face. “I appreciate your patience. It’s difficult to find anyone willing to hold these for me at whatever price.”
Ace rubbed his chin. “I couldn’t exactly say no, could I?”
I laughed briefly. “So a brother brought the girl here? I wonder what he was trying to accomplish.”
“
He said he’s looking for a link between Lucky’s death and their boy’s. I do wish a happy-go-lucky blood worker hadn’t taken out a Slide on my turf. It’s awkward any way you look at it. Hunters used to take care of things like that, the good ones take care of things before they happen.” He drew his eyebrows together as he looked at me.
I opened my mouth to reply when someone shouted, “Ace!” We turned to see a guy running across the cement floor, bulky with fury, his eyes glowing greenly. “A fury burned out some demons in the business district, a young female. There isn’t any sign of the body so far, Sir,” he said, making enough noise to attract the attention of every other worker in the place.
Ace asked, “What kind of a description would you give her? Red-violet eyes? Green dress?” The man nodded dumbly. “Well, there won’t be a body then.” He turned to me with a grim smile. “Looks like the brother has his hands full don’t it?”
I felt my mouth go dry. “Old Peter’s involved with the girl. I’m responsible for Old Peter. Let me know if there are problems with transportation.” I turned not waiting for Ace’s answer. In a moment I was outside moving past a group of guys.
“
Hey, where’s the fire?” One of them asked stepping in front of me. There was no hesitation as I flipped him over me and kept going. The car hunkered low in the shadows, a slight purple sheen visible before I slid inside and turned on the engine. The car spun neatly in my hands and at terrifying speeds soon found the freeway.
***
I felt heavy hands on my head, “Here now,” Old Peter’s voice said and I felt dragged into my body, and pushed down into a deep darkness I couldn’t escape.
I felt warm and safe with my eyes still closed, like I was wrapped tightly in a soft cocoon. I sighed and buried myself deeper in the blankets, my foot touching something warm and alive. I could feel the hair tickling the bottom of my foot and reluctantly parted my eyelids to take in my surroundings. The curtains were closed, but light came in around the edges. I could hear rain pattering on the roof above me, the roof, I could see by the dim light was low with a very boring light fixture. I turned my head and saw Lewis with his head propped on his hand looking at me curiously. His eyes were warm as was his smile, and his leg, I supposed, which is what my foot had found.
“
Good morning, afternoon actually. How do you feel?” he asked in a voice not much above a whisper.
“
I feel...” I whispered back then stretched my arms above my head and my legs down until my foot brushed his skin again. That touch made me shiver, or else it was my foot being out of the blanket. I curled back inside the down duvet until only my eyes were outside, staring at him. He was so nice looking, like a day in the sunshine, but not too hot, and he smelled so lovely, like pine trees in the wind or cut grass.
“
You feel…” he prodded.
“
Very nice. You smell like a tree.” I smiled at him and he smiled back until I heard a pan clang in the other room and Old Peter’s mutter. “Oh. Where am I?” I asked forcing myself to sit up. He moved quickly to help me, like I couldn’t sit up all by myself, and then black spots filled my vision and I found my face mashed against his chest when I’d regained my senses. I couldn’t move away from the gently thrumming heart beneath his soft cotton shirt. I put a hand up and wrapped around him, holding that heart as close as I could.
He eased slowly away from me, catching my hands in his as he hunched over to peer into my eyes. “Steady now. Give your body time to adjust to the elevation. You’re in my bed. Welcome. I meant to say that before but it’s difficult when the addressee is unconscious. You’ve been out two and a half days during which your mother has spent more than her fair share hovering over you, checking your temperature, and so on. You gave us all quite a scare. Except Old Peter. Nothing frightens him,” he said with a grin, looking over my shoulder. I took a deep breath and turned my head slowly to where he stood in the doorway looking at us.
“
Lewis, why don’t you come in the kitchen? I’m struggling with that chicken dumpling recipe. Girl, there’s a robe there on the chair if you feel like you could use some company,” he said gruffly.
Lewis dropped a kiss to the top of my head and then was out of the bed walking towards Old Peter. “You’re trying to lure her up with food. That’s a sneaky trick, old man.” At the door he turned and winked at me before closing it behind him. I stared at the door and felt somehow less happy than I had been. I snuggled into the blanket but it was less warm and enveloping without him. I sat up again, this time slowly and without the dizziness. After I’d pulled the old plaid robe over my nightgown, I made my way to the bathroom, and leaned for a minute on the sink staring at my reflection. I looked brilliant and it wasn’t only my eyes. My skin had a warm glow. Whatever potion Old Peter had given me had done more than get rid of my headache, but I had a sneaking suspicion it had more to do with Lewis than Old Peter.
“
Dariana get a grip on yourself. You’ve lost two days while you’ve rested and that’s why you feel so good now. It’s not Lewis. He’s just nice.” I closed my eyes remembering the feel of his hands on mine, his chest beneath my cheek and sighed. “Really, that’s pathetic,” I told my reflection but she only smiled dreamily back at me. I gave up on the giggling girl and went to find Old Peter, food, and Lewis.
Lewis leaned against a counter looking tousled in soft gray pants and a long sleeve T, while old Peter sat at the table looking thoroughly worn out. I felt a wave of guilt that I’d been a burden on him.
“
Are you all right?” I asked him, putting a hand on his old bony shoulder.
He up at me and his bright eyes twinkled. “I’ve certainly been worse. How about you, girl? Any dizziness? You look better than I’ve ever seen you.” He gave Lewis a look and chuckled. “Your mother’s fit to be tied.”
“
My mother?” I looked at Lewis for some clarification but he only grinned and turned to the stove to stir a steaming pot that made my mouth water.
“
She’ll be along shortly, an hour or so, to check on you. With how well you’re doing she’ll probably take you home.”
I stared at Lewis’ back, the way the muscles shifted under the fabric, and wanted to tell Old Peter I was still terribly dizzy. I sat down in a chair and forced myself to look out the small window where I could see Lewis’ car sitting in the drizzle on the driveway. “Thank you for your hospitality,” I forced myself to say. “I wouldn’t want to impose on you any more than I already have. You didn’t have to take me in, Sir, but I really appreciate it.”
“
Call me Old Peter,” he said and reached out to ruffle my hair easily. “It’s a pleasure to see you looking so well. It’s not every day things work out so perfectly. Isn’t that something how good she looks, Lewis?”
Lewis glanced at Old Peter with a wry smile. “Dari’s looks have always been something.” He turned his eyes on me and I stared resolutely out the window at the car. “You do look better.” He sounded almost disappointed. I looked at him puzzling out his last statement while he served up some bowls.
I ate the chicken dumpling, trying not to drip on myself. It wasn’t just food, there was something special added to it for my benefit. I could tell. Food didn’t taste this good, I could feel the strength from it pour into me as I sat beside Lewis. Even after I was full I felt better and better until Lewis got up to take the bowls to the sink. I stared at him as I realized, really knew, that it wasn’t the soup, it wasn’t the potions, it was him. What was he that he could make me feel so good? What magic could do that? I felt suddenly awkward, and wanted to go home to the familiar cold clean lines where I didn’t feel so much, but things were less complicated.
“
If I’m going home today I may as well go now,” I said tripping over my words, half wishing Lewis would disagree with me.
“
I’ll drive you.” So much for him disagreeing.
I thanked Old Peter again, and followed Lewis slowly out the door pausing on the stoop to survey the rain, and pulling the robe tightly around me. Lewis held an umbrella over my head while he scooped me up in one arm and unceremoniously dumped me into the passenger seat. I started breathing again as he walked around the car, pulling my knees up and tucking my bare feet under me. Maybe I should have waited for my mother so I could wear shoes and he wouldn’t carry me around in the rain, something which apparently left me completely unsettled.
“
Lewis,” I said when he was beside me, taking his time to start the car. He looked at me, the warmth of him flooding me with a need to touch him. I curled my hands into fists. “Where are my clothes?”
His mouth twisted into a half smile. “I’m not sure actually. By the time I got back your mother was already here with Old Peter discussing your treatment. I haven’t seen anything but those pajamas on you since school.”
I nodded my head thinking about him getting back from the city, from the warehouse with Ace where he’d heard about me and come to find me. I wanted to ask him about Ace and what he had in the crates but then I’d have to tell him about dreaming him. I felt embarrassed about it, like I’d invaded his privacy however little control I had over it. I remembered my own trip to the city and the fury that had filled me.
“
How did I do that? I mean I was so hot it seemed like I burned the demons up. Is that possible?”
“
Possible?” He laughed only it wasn’t entirely happy. “With you all things are possible.”
“
I feel better when I’m with you,” I said in a whisper. “When we’re together, I feel like I’m strong enough to do anything.”
He started the car with a roar and turned to me with a casual smile. “Yes, but are you wise enough not to?”
I blinked at him and then giggled. “You sound like my father. ‘What is the value of arbitrary morality’, really, don’t you feel it? Do I suck out all your energy or is it more equal? You look pretty great yourself, you know. I mean healthy,” I said biting my lip.
He laughed out loud, throwing his head back and showing his white teeth before he grinned at me and reached out to squeeze my hand. “Yes. I feel very good when I am with you. It’s like you are my sun and I am a solar powered refrigerator. It’s very interesting.”
“
Interesting,” I muttered, feeling a little put out that if I were his sun he’d be a fridge. There had to be a better analogy to use.
“
Your mother has all sorts of theories about it from the closer proximity of our souls sustaining our bodies to a less coherent explanation of magnetic pulses and, er, I didn’t really follow her actually. Old Peter has one theory which she adamantly opposes.”
“
He thinks we’re soul mates, right? I still don’t understand why she got so upset about the idea of that. If strengthening each other is from that, what’s wrong with it?”
“
Hmmm,” was all the sounds he made and then we were at my house. “Here we are.” He got out and came around to my side with the umbrella. I climbed into his arms, trying not to enjoy being held against him too much. My heart was pounding when he put me down in the hall and leaned the dripping umbrella in the rack. “Let’s see if Satan’s around here.” He walked past me, poking his head in various rooms before he came back with a frown. “It seems like we’re alone.”