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  Jack smiled. “I did it on an impulse. I was in Paris, and didn’t need another degree in the arts. That was the first time I studied something you do with your hands. It’s a trade, but it’s an art, too. You can say that about your skills, right Takeshi?”

  “Yes. You can be a good swordsman or you can be a master swordsman. But doesn’t that apply to any other profession?”

  Jack shrugged. “It does, I suppose.”

  Takeshi stopped whisking the dressing for a moment. “Taste it, Jack. More lemon juice, perhaps?”

  “And a pinch of sugar, and that’s it. Dad, how’s your roast doing?”

  James walked to the oven and stuck the meat thermometer into the roast. “It’s reached 150 degrees. How much longer?”

  “Fifteen-twenty minutes, until it reaches 160. I’ll need the juices for the Marsala sauce.”

  James opened the fridge and grabbed three Heineken long necks, and a can of soda. He offered the beer to Jack and Takeshi and tossed the soda can to Eamon.

  He frowned. “Come on, Dad!”

  “You’re underage, son. You’re not allowed to drink, “James said.

  “Unless a parent or guardian gives permission,” Eamon said, quoting the law.

  “Well, he doesn’t.”

  “What’s the big deal? Alcohol doesn’t affect us like humans.”

  “It still affects us. And you are underage,” James repeated calmly yet with unmistakable authority in his voice.

  Eamon sighed and popped his soda can open.

  “WHEN WILL you plan the wedding, Jack?” James asked a little bit later. They were alone in the kitchen. Eamon and Takeshi were busy hooking up Eamon’s old laptop in the family room so that Astrid could use it later to talk to Tristan and Liv on Skype.

  “We haven’t talked about it yet. I think Astrid doesn’t want it before all that mess with Seth is over.”

  James ran his hand through his hair. “She’s worried sick about her mother now. I hope nothing will happen to Rowena. That would break Astrid’s heart… God, that I’d live to say that!”

  “We didn’t know, James. We still don’t know what really happened.”

  “It’s going to be over soon. One way or another. We’ll support Darius by all means, but Astrid’s safety is our first priority. When is Darius coming back?”

  “By the end of next month. We should all be ready by fall.”

  “I’ve been ready, son, for the last twenty-five years,” James said through clenched jaws. “I’ve been waiting for so long to lay my hands on that bastard.”

  “Tell me about it.”

  “I know, son. I know,” James said and rubbed his chin. He took a swig of beer and changed the subject. “Did Astrid apply for that job in the ER?”

  “She did. She won’t like it when she learns she didn’t get it.”

  James frowned. “We’ll let Gerhard Falkenstein break the news. That’s his job. Besides, he encouraged her to apply. Don’t worry, when she hears who got it, she’ll be okay.”

  Eamon came in. “I need a screwdriver… Jack, Astrid can start singing for Rawhide. Do you think she’ll be okay by Friday?”

  “She’ll be okay, but don’t push her, Eamon. Maybe she isn’t ready.”

  “Have you ever heard her sing, man? She shouldn’t be talking at all, she should be singing all the time. I’ve never heard a voice like that. It’s the voice of an angel.”

  “I know. But you must let her do it at her own pace. Okay?”

  “Of course.”

  “Eamon, the screwdriver, please!” Takeshi said from the living room.

  “Coming, coming!” Eamon yelled back. “Why don’t you use your magic, wizard?”

  “I WANTED to be a singer,” Astrid had told Jack once. He smiled at the memory. They were still pushing her, all of them. Less than two months ago Astrid had been a trauma surgeon in a small hospital in Rosenthal, living in her little house, had her two friends, her books and music. And then he had stormed in, uprooting her from the life she’d chosen for herself. He’d brought her here, and left her among unknown people. Only his unconditional love balanced out all those changes. And his remarkable, wonderful Astrid didn’t ask for anything else. She hadn’t flinched, hadn’t bent under that enormous burden. She’d accepted her new life and new role with a rare courage and grace, and loved him back with the same unconditional love.

  Jack shook his head and continued aloud, “It’s so unfair. We turned her life upside down, and all she asked for was a job. Tristan made it possible, and then Ahmed got it.”

  “It was your idea to ask him to come here, Jack,” James reminded him. “I just thought a job offer would speed up his decision.”

  They leaned on the kitchen island in exactly the same position: arms folded across their chest, legs crossed at their ankles. In spite of their different physical appearance, they truly looked like father and son.

  “You insisted Astrid shouldn’t be working before she officially announced her decision,” Jack retorted. “But yes, I really wanted to bring Ahmed to Red Cliffs.”

  “After last night, nobody will question her status here. The Captains were stunned by her size, speed, strength and her hunt. I talked to Gerhard today. He says Astrid can start next month. He’ll open a position for her. He knows what he’s getting.”

  Jack sighed. “I know. It’s just that I feel I’ve somehow let her down.”

  “Then make it up to her. Your job contract has expired. You don’t need to go anywhere. I’ll go, if necessary. You have a few weeks to court her. It’s not much, but still. When are you going to renovate your house? I bet Astrid will enjoy that.” He smiled. “Your mother does.”

  “We’re starting tomorrow with the bathrooms. Astrid wants her own bathroom.”

  “So you’re moving in here for a while? Good.”

  “Until the bedroom and bathrooms are done… Take that roast from the oven, it’s done.”

  Roasting pan still in his hands, James turned to Jack. “I want grandchildren, son,” he said out of the blue. “It’s been a long time since Eamon was a baby.”

  Jack was taken aback by James’ unexpected revelation. “Why don’t you and Mom try for more?”

  “I said I want grandchildren, which means no diapers, colic, teething and sleepless nights. That will be your part. My job will be to teach my grandson how to fish, how to track animals, to read bedtime stories, stuff like that.” He paused and then continued, “Betty and I are blessed with two sons and a daughter. Many couples struggle to have even one child. You know how it’s been in the last two decades. It just doesn’t seem right to want more than we already have. But it seems very right to be a grandfather.”

  Jack smiled. “I’ll see what Astrid and I can do about that. Would a granddaughter do, or do you need a boy for fishing and bird watching?”

  “I’m not that picky. I know about flowers, too.”

  “Good, because I hope it will be a girl.”

  Eamon, who popped in the kitchen to fetch another can of soda, caught Jack’s last remark

  “Astrid’s pregnant?!” he exclaimed. “She shouldn’t be shifting if she’s pregnant! How could you let her do that?”

  “Take it easy, Eamon. She’s not pregnant. Where did you get that idea?”

  “You said you hoped for a baby girl.”

  Before Jack could answer, Takeshi came in. “Don’t tell me Astrid’s pregnant! She still can’t control her change! That’s dangerous! And she should stop her training right away!”

  Jack threw his arms in the air. “She. Is. Not. Pregnant! What’s wrong with you two? You, Takeshi, you should’ve known better, you offered to help her out last night. Her spirits are still loose, remember? You think I would risk getting her pregnant before she’s ready?”

  “See, Jack,” his father interrupted, laughing, “I want to be a grandfather and Eamon wants to be an uncle.”

  “And you Master Nakamura, what do you want to be to my child?” Jack said, laughing, too.
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  “A teacher. I could train her in proper swordsmanship and martial arts.”

  “Her? In that case, you certainly can teach her. But you know what? In the meantime, the three of you should make a wish list and hand it to Astrid. I’m sure she’ll do her best to accommodate your various requests.” He turned to his brother. “Eamon, are the Blakes at home? Have you tried calling them?”

  Eamon nodded and Jack went to the living room to talk to his friends.

  Sixteen

  Astrid

  BY HALF past eight my transformation cycle was over. I’d showered, washed my hair and rested a bit. I put on my beige mohair V-neck and my favorite pair of blue jeans.

  The Fellowship of the Full Moon was ready to part.

  “Thank you all,” I said simply, moving my eyes from one to another. They smiled back at me and hugged me, one by one.

  “Still friends?” I whispered to Peyton.

  “Still friends,” she said. “You relax now with Jack, okay?” She smiled and rubbed my back. “I’m fine, I really am.”

  I looked at her eyes and saw she meant what she said.

  I TOOK Peyton’s advice to ease off. When Jack opened the door, I threw myself in his outstretched arms. My companions patiently waited until he pulled us both aside so that they could come in.

  “Welcome home, baby. I’ve missed you,” he said softly.

  I buried my nose in his neck, thirstily breathing in his incredible scent. My hands moved along his arms, recognizing every single muscle and curve underneath his T-shirt. “You’re my home, Jack! Oh, how I missed you! Not exactly the last two days, mind you, I had such a good time with the girls, but before… Don’t go again!” I babbled, too happy for a single intelligible thought.

  “Come,” he pulled me toward the family dining room. “There’s somebody who wants to meet you.”

  My eyes skimmed over the room and smiled. Vases filled with pink roses were everywhere: on the mantel, on the coffee table, side tables and windowsills.

  Jack reached behind the sofa. “Close your eyes.”

  Oh, I could smell it now. The sweet, milky scent of a young animal.

  “A kitty! I got a kitty! Oh, Jack!”

  Jack placed a little furry ball into my palms. It was a silver tabby with dense black markings and deep blue eyes, about ten weeks old. I brought it up to my face, sniffing it, feeling its warm, soft hair against my skin.

  “It’s a girl, isn’t it?”

  “That she is. What are you gonna name her?”

  “I’ll think about it. Thank you, Jack,” I whispered and almost started to cry.

  “Can I hold it?” Maggie asked and gently took the kitten from my hands. “Hey, beauty,” she murmured. “Welcome to the family.” She turned to her brother. “Jack, I want a cat, too.”

  “I’ve been taking care of her since Jack brought her,” Eamon said proudly. “I’ve just fed her.”

  The women gathered around the kitten, stroking it. I spotted my uncle standing by the kitchen island, patiently waiting for his turn to greet me.

  “Hi, Uncle,” I said and hugged him. “Thank you for coming last night.”

  “You’re welcome, sweetheart. You were a wonderful sight, you know that? Jack and Betty told me about your wolf size. Not that I didn’t believe them, but you left me speechless nonetheless.”

  “Tell her what you told us about her hunting, Dad,” Eamon said.

  My uncle smiled. “That was fascinating. The best first hunt I’ve ever seen. Did Ellida talk to you about it?”

  “I did,” Morgaine said from across the room. “Astrid was remarkable.”

  My Uncle wrapped his arm around my shoulder and kissed my forehead. “You let your instincts lead you, and you didn’t make a single mistake, but then you suppressed them just in time not to kill the deer. That was incredible, that easy switch between your instinctive and rational sides. How is your memory this time? What do you remember?”

  “Everything.”

  Jack swiftly turned to me. “Really?”

  “Not too much from my previous changes, of course, but I remember every single detail of the last forty-eight hours.”

  Betty laughed. “That’s because you were with us. Do you see now, James, why I insisted this time on female company for Astrid?”

  Takeshi stepped into the room. “Hi, Astrid. Can you talk to Tristan now?”

  “Hello, Master Nakamura. Where have you been?”

  “I wasn’t happy with the Skype signal on Eamon’s laptop, so I brought down mine. It’s much better now. Come, they’re waiting. And your grandparents are there.”

  I took my furry little friend from Maggie and sat in front of Takeshi’s laptop.

  Naturally, Tristan wanted to know about my physical condition. “How are you? Why didn’t you let Gerhard check you?”

  “I didn’t think it was necessary. I’m fine, Tristan.”

  He frowned, but let it go. “What was your blood pressure?”

  “Normal, same as five, ten and twenty minutes ago. One hundred-five over seventy-three. Happy?”

  “Pulse?”

  “Seventy.”

  “You’re sure?”

  I stuck out my tongue at him. “I’m excellent, Dr. Blake. Take the word of a fellow doctor. I want to see the rest of you now.”

  My friends in Seattle had decided to throw their own party, so they invited my grandparents over.

  “Where’s your pet-wizard?” I said.

  “Right here, honey,” Ingmar answered in a bright voice. “How are you?”

  “Good to see you, Ingmar. I’m fine, thanks.”

  One by one my Red Cliffs family came to say hello and chat a bit with the Blakes and Vandermeers. Even Takeshi exchanged a few words with Tristan. Maggie and Peyton talked to Ingmar.

  I smiled, listening to a subtle change in Ingmar’s voice. Unless I was grossly mistaken, one of the girls had captured his interest. And I was pretty sure which one it was.

  Ingmar had always been an atypical wizard: more vibrant, more relaxed and more cheerful than most of us. Thanks to him, for example, I’d become a huge Monster Jam fan. He’d drag me to train shows, air shows, firework festivals, football and hockey games, even to rodeos. In short, to every place with a lot of noise, large crowds and an excess of raw energy.

  His fun-loving nature coexisted side-by-side with his almost unnatural ability to absorb himself in his work. He was a dedicated professional, driven by his cool logic and superb intellect. Combined with his astonishing good looks—sleek blond hair, piercing blue eyes, the body of an athlete—this fire-and-ice charmer could be irresistible.

  I’d keep my fingers crossed.

  “Astrid,” he said to me suddenly, “I need to talk to you about something. In private. I’ll call you tomorrow, okay?”

  Ha, there we were.

  “Sure,” I said nonchalantly, peering at the screen between Maggie and Peyton. My eyes narrowed ever so slightly, but Ingmar caught it. The corners of his lips curved upward almost invisibly in response. We understood each other perfectly.

  “HOW LONG have you known Ingmar?” Maggie asked later while I logged off the computer.

  “He’s been my friend since childhood. He’s two years older. He’s also a doctor, you’ve probably figured that out already.” I took a deep breath. “We also dated for a year or so, before I came to Rosenthal.”

  She tilted her head. “He was your boyfriend!?”

  “Uh-huh.”

  “He’s gorgeous. He looks like a demigod from Norse legends.”

  I acknowledged the fact with a slight nod. “He’s a great man. Smart, caring, generous, and funny. A wizard with a sense of humor, can you imagine that?”

  Peyton didn’t say anything. Instead, her eyebrow arched slightly and a little smile that lurked in her eyes briefly touched her lips.

  I’d definitely keep my fingers crossed.

  JAMES INTERRUPTED our chat, inviting us to the dining room. Jack, Eamon, Takeshi and Morgai
ne were already seated around the table. Jack stood up, pulled out the chair and tucked me beside him.

  “What did you make?” I asked although my nose could recognize at least the main course.

  “Tonight’s dinner is a group effort under my supervision,” Jack said, laughing.

  The food was delicious and included tender, juicy roast beef and mouth-watering grilled chops. The side-dishes were skillfully chosen: fancy salads, the tastiest Brussels sprouts I’d ever tried, creamy risotto with wild mushrooms and wine. Everything was excellent.

  During dinner Jack told us about the house renovations. “I’m moving in, Mom. Temporarily, for a couple of weeks. I hope you don’t mind.”

  “Not at all. When?”

  “Tomorrow.”

  “Good. I’ll prepare the room for you.”

  Peyton, who sat across me, bent forward. “Astrid, have you decided what you want to do with your house in Rosenthal and your Seattle condo?”

  I shrugged. “I think I’ll keep both. Maybe rent them.”

  “Would you like me to take care of that?”

  “Please. And I think I want to renovate my house here. I won’t live in it, but still, I want to… I don’t know… bring life back to it, I suppose. One day somebody will live in it again.”

  “That’s a good idea, Astrid,” Betty said. “It’s been empty for too long.”

  “Should I wait until I announce my decision about staying here? What do you think, Uncle?”

  He brushed his knuckles along my cheek. “You are going to stay, aren’t you, sweetie? Then go ahead with your plans.”

  “I’ll talk to my workers tomorrow,” Jack said. “When they finish our house, they can continue with yours. What do you want to do?”

  “I don’t know. I have to think about it.”

  “We can help,” Maggie said. “Mom and I. And Peyton. She’s the best. We can go over one of these days and talk about it.”

  THE ADRENALINE that was running through my system finally started wearing off after dessert. Jack had made one of my favorite cakes, Chocolate Marquise Torte. He must be in love with me indeed, I thought dreamily. That was a time-consuming dessert.