Asanni Page 5

  Unless the bond had completely screwed up his common sense, it seemed to Jack that Red Cliffs would get not only their spiritual leader, but also their bona fide Alpha female.

  Chapter Eight

  Astrid

  MORE THAN anything else I wanted a half hour with Liv, but of course that was impossible, so we ate, drank some excellent Canadian white wine, and talked. Actually, the three of them chatted and laughed about events and people I didn’t know. It suited me fine. I’d had enough of Jack Canagan and I was glad that there was somebody else to occupy his attention.

  I concentrated on my plate. Tristan and Livia never fussed about the menu when I was at their place. I’d always liked healthy, simple food, but in my case, a balanced diet meant plenty of meat proteins in addition to vegetables, fruit and grains. Tonight we had grilled rib-eye steak with peppercorn sauce and sautéed mushrooms. Jack’s and my meat was medium rare. The two remaining steaks were grilled a few minutes longer because, oddly enough, our vampire friends didn’t find the sight of blood on their plates particularly appetizing.

  Contrary to popular belief, Tel-Urughs, or at least the majority of them, were not horrific bloodsuckers feeding on helpless human prey. They ate regular food. Human blood was the source of their energy, vitality and longevity, their physical and intellectual power, but they needed only a small amount of it and certainly didn’t need to kill humans for it. As for the misconception that they were cold and lifeless, it couldn’t be farther from the truth. Human blood, in fact, made their body temperature higher than average.

  Tel-Urughs were immortal, not undead. The death-cold monsters, who fed on humans to the point of killing them and who perfectly fit the human concept of ‘vampires,’ did appear from time to time. They were not stray Tel-Urughs, though; they were humans brought back to life with the darkest of powers. Tel-Urughs called them Upiri. It was mostly a Tel-Urugh duty to look for Upiri, find them and kill them for good.

  Most Tel-Urughs, however, were like my two friends: altruistic creatures who discreetly tried to make the world a better place for all of us. In that way they were similar to most wizards and werewolves. And to most humans, needless to say.

  Most, not all, because, sadly, we all shared another common trait: we could turn evil. That was more prominent among humans because of their greater number. It wasn’t less dangerous, however, when some of us crossed to the dark side because of the immense powers we possessed.

  Tel-Urughs were an ancient race, originating, not surprisingly, in Mesopotamia, which would, much later, become the cradle of human civilization. Humans would establish their first cities there. One of them, the city of the legendary hero Gilgamesh, they would name Uruk, preserving the early connection between the two races in its name. The Tel-Urughs had played a crucial role in humans’ transition from nomadic hunter-gatherers to settlers of the first human cities. And as it often happened between humans and their supernatural relatives, Tel-Urughs had become immortalized in human mythology as deities, heroes and sometimes, villains.

  Langaer—werewolves, wizards and Tel-Urughs—were fascinated with humans, our genetically youngest cousins. Without the powers we possessed, armed only with their intellect and endless curiosity, they had set themselves on the brave quest of explaining the world around them since the dawn of humankind.

  MY FRIENDS and my accidental roommate obviously knew and liked each other well. They talked among themselves most of the time, and I could have easily felt like an outsider, but I didn’t. Tristan and Livia were my friends too, and I knew how much they loved me. Besides, with my head full of confusing thoughts, I was glad to be left alone with my thoughts.

  I’d chosen the chair beside Liv before anybody had a chance to seat me close to Jack. I didn’t know if the Blakes had noticed that, and I didn’t care if they had. I was tense like a wind-up toy and Tristan and Livia must have known that the reason for that sat across me. They wisely decided to ignore it, however.

  When dinner was over, I followed Liv into the kitchen under the pretext of helping her with the dishes.

  “I was hoping to talk to you,” I said in the softest voice I could produce, but Livia put her finger across my mouth and shook her head. “They can both hear you if they bother to listen.” I read from her lips. She smiled. “Jack makes you nervous?”

  I nodded and realized that I wasn’t beyond flushing.

  “He’s a great man, Astrid.” Only Livia’s lips moved, but no sound came out of her mouth. She came close to me and hugged me tightly. “You don’t need to be afraid of him.”

  “It’s me who I’m afraid of,” I mouthed back. “I’ve been feeling strange since he came.”

  “Define strange.”

  I shrugged. How do I explain that I liked it so much when he touched me. That I had the feeling I’d known him all my life. That I belonged to him and he to me. That he was mine.

  “I can’t.” Liv read from my lips. “It’s not logical.”

  “I’ll take you out for lunch tomorrow, and we can talk,” Livia said.

  I shook my head. “Not tomorrow. Jack’s taking me to the mountains. Hiking.”

  “Oh, dear,” she said again, this time audibly. “Let’s make coffee and join our boys.”

  LATER, JACK and I walked home in silence. It was a cold night and I shivered. Without saying a word, Jack took off his black leather jacket and wrapped it around my shoulders. It had captured the warmth and scent of his body and I had the silly thought of sneaking it into my room and using it as pajamas.

  I glanced toward the sky. Waxing crescent. I didn’t need to look at the moon; I felt its phases under my skin. Or I didn’t feel almost anything, like now, but that was a sign, too. Ten more days before the first significant discomfort and my PWS, fourteen before the pain and darkness...

  We reached my place. I wanted him to scoop me up and carry me to his room.

  “It’ll be all right, Astrid.” I heard Jack’s voice dangerously close. His hot, sweet breath sent shivers down my spine.

  Instead, I took a step back. “Jack, please go to your room and stay there till morning.”

  “Unless you show me the path, I don’t think I can cross your nightingale floor unnoticed, but I would be willing to try.”

  “There is no path across a nightingale floor. I’m a wizard, only I can walk upon it without making a sound... Jack, stay away from me, please.”

  “I can’t, Astrid. But I can’t rush you either.”

  “Rush me? I don’t think I understand a word of what you’re saying, but it’s been a long day. Are we still going tomorrow?”

  “I’ll wake you up at six.”

  “Just knock on my door, okay? I’m a light sleeper.”

  “Don’t worry, Miss Spock. No harm will come to you from me.”

  I turned and walked to my room. As I sat on my bed, I realized that I still had Jack’s jacket over my shoulders. I lay down on the covers, wrapped myself with his warmth and scent, and blissfully fell into a deep sleep.

  Chapter Nine

  IT SEEMED that no time passed between her last conscious thought—about Jack’s scent trapped in his jacket—and the smell of fresh coffee and grilled cheese sandwiches that woke her up. Astrid glanced at the clock: ten to six. She rushed to the bathroom, afraid that Jack could knock on her door any moment. She quickly showered, dried her hair and got dressed.

  She found him at his usual place on the sofa, reading newspapers. His tousled brown hair was still wet and smelled of strawberries. Astrid tried hard to ignore the other scents that reached her nostrils. She sighed. It was going to be another long day.

  “Are you using my shampoo again?” She crossed her arms on her chest and tilted her head.

  “I’ve become rather fond of it. I hope you don’t mind.” He folded the newspapers and stood up. “Breakfast’s ready. You like grilled cheese sandwiches?”

  “Uh-huh,” she confirmed and retreated to the kitchen.

  Jack put several pieces on Astrid’
s plate and poured her a cup of coffee. “Astrid, today we’ll talk, if you don’t mind. I’ll ask you some questions, you’ll try to answer them. If you’re uncomfortable with some of them, let me know. I’ll try not to ask you anything that’s not relevant. Only what I need to know. Try to cooperate, okay?”

  “Okay,” she said and took a bite of her sandwich. “Mmm... This is good.”

  “Thank you. I packed some snacks to keep us until lunch. There are a few nice restaurants in that area.”

  He sounded distant and businesslike. The magic of the previous night, no matter how unsettling it was, had disappeared. Fine with her, Astrid thought, and felt a small, painful pinch in her stomach.

  They breakfasted in silence. Astrid kept her eyes on her food, and when they finished, she put the plates in the sink and cleaned the table. At seven o’clock they were ready to go.

  “My car or yours?” Astrid said.

  “I’ve rented a truck. We’ll pick it up at the rental lot and leave my car there.”

  “Why?”

  “My car has all-season tires. There could still be some snow on the road in the mountains. Besides, I prefer driving trucks.”

  “We can take my Honda.”

  Jack gave her a look. “There’s an inch thick dust on your Honda. When did you drive it last, Astrid?”

  “Well, a few months ago... Okay, fine. I like trucks, too. I’ll drive, if you don’t mind. You can drive on our way back.”

  Jack nodded. “Sure.”

  “And I’ll ask questions, on our way back. I have them too.”

  “I know. I’ll try to answer them.”

  They picked up the truck and a quarter of an hour later they hit the main road heading east. It was still early and the road was almost empty, clean and dry. It was a cold, windy late winter day, however, and the heavy clouds threatened to bring more rain soon.

  It wasn’t a great day for hiking, but Astrid was glad to go. It was better than being stuck inside with Jack, she decided, in his moody mode.

  JACK WATCHED her driving. She drove a bit on the fast side, but she was a safe and confident driver and she seemed to be enjoying it.

  He knew she used to go hiking often, before she’d been forced to hide out in this godforsaken place. She was also a decent rock climber. That had stopped, too, about a year ago. Along with diving, horse riding, traveling... God, they’d taken away so many things she liked.

  Astrid was quiet and her eyes were fixed on the road.

  “Did you sleep well last night?” he asked, breaking the silence.

  Her lips slightly curved upward. “Did you?”

  “You have an annoying habit of answering a question with another question. I didn’t. Your turn.”

  She gave him a quick look. “I did. By the way, your jacket is in my room. Why didn’t you sleep well?”

  “You’re sure you want to know?”

  “Well, you got what you asked for,” she muttered. Before Jack could say anything, she added, “I’m waiting for your questions.”

  “What can you smell now?”

  “Strawberry shampoo, some fancy body wash, toothpaste, alcohol-free mouthwash…”

  “Astrid...”

  “Citrus, amber, spice... Let’s see... lime, bergamot, lavender and sandalwood. Aramis Tuscany. Quite a conservative choice. One of my favorites. Reminds me of—”

  “Your description is impressive,” Jack said, “but I really don’t think I want to know why you like Aramis Tuscany, Miss Spock. Can you so accurately describe my natural scent as well?”

  Astrid briefly closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. “Warm, spicy, musky; fresh and clear, lots of hormones, hence that musky tone. How am I doing so far?”

  “Excellent. Is that how you found me two days ago?”

  “You left your scent all over my place. You didn’t actually try hard to mask it, did you? I wasn’t able to smell those two that had been watching over me for months. Why?”

  “They were careful to neutralize their scent and never physically come too close to you. They were instructed not to, unless necessary.”

  “Jack.” Astrid turned to him. “I want to be open as much as possible, I really do. But this is getting more and more crazy. I have a feeling I’ve been told just a part of what I need to know and have a right to know. Tristan and Liv know more than they say. My uncle sent some strangers to watch over me, and nobody bothered to tell me about it.”

  Jack smiled, “Alec Randall is actually your second cousin.”

  “Really?” She smiled, pleased. A cousin. That was nice; a bonus she hadn’t counted on. But that could wait. “Jack, can you give me some answers first, and then you ask me whatever you want?”

  Jack signed. “No. I can give you some information, but James has to talk to you about your parents, who you are and why you are so important for us. I know most of the answers, but I’m here to keep you safe, to try to help you with the change. Or at least do my best to figure out why you suffer so much, and to take you safely to Red Cliffs and your family. I wish I could be the one who would tell you everything you need and you want to know.”

  “So you are not authorized to tell me anything? You didn’t strike me anyone who would blindly carry out somebody else’s orders,” she said in a sharp voice.

  “If you are ready to give orders, you need to know to take them sometimes. I have no problem with that. But my orders aren’t the reason why I can’t discuss some things with you. You’ll talk to James,” Jack said in a low, controlled voice.

  It started raining in a fine mist. A small diner was visible in the distance. She wanted to suggest stopping for coffee, but snapped again instead, bitter and disappointed, “So your job is to deliver me, like a parcel. Well, James could have sent somebody less important for such a humble job.”

  “Pull over!” Jack said. “Pull the damn truck over!”

  Astrid pulled into a small parking lot and turned the ignition off.

  He got out and shut his door with unnecessary force. As he walked around to her side, she caught a fragment of his angry grumble.

  “Damned if I know what’s going on...”

  Before she had a chance to touch the lock, the door swung open. “I need coffee. Let’s go.”

  Astrid jumped out, grabbing Jack’s outstretched hand.

  Another loud slam and he closed her door. Astrid tried to pass him, but Jack’s warm fingers circled her wrists as he pushed her back—gently, in complete opposition to his anger—until her back touched the door.

  She was now trapped between Jack and the truck.

  “Why are you making it so difficult?” A quiet growl came out of Jack’s chest. His amber eyes slightly changed their shape and darkened. A gray shadow lurked beneath the solid gold hue of their depths.

  Jack’s hand moved up and lifted her chin, forcing her to look right into his eyes. She stared without blinking, mesmerized by their untamed beauty.

  “What do you want from me, Jack?” she asked quietly, turning her head away from his gaze. “You complicate things, not me. You’re here to take me safely to Red Cliffs, not to hike with me.”

  “It’s been left to me how I would carry out the orders,” he said in a throaty voice and moved his head close to her. His sweet, hot breath brushed over her face.

  “Is that how you decided to proceed, then? You tried to seduce me last night. Today you barely talk to me and, even worse, you treat me like an unpleasant job you need to finish nonetheless. What did I do wrong? What happened?”

  He rested his forehead against hers and closed his eyes. “You, Astrid. You’ve happened to me, and now I’m completely out of balance,” he said. “And I’ve happened to you, Astrid, don’t you feel it?”

  “I do, Jack, and I don’t know what to do,” Astrid said quietly. “I’m not afraid of you; I’m afraid of myself because I’m losing control. You came two days ago, and I shouldn’t be feeling like this, if for no other reason than because two days ago I barely knew you existed.”
>
  Jack’s lips touched Astrid’s forehead, eliciting a small sob from her chest.

  “It’s going too fast, and that scares me. I need more time, Jack. I’m not an impulsive person. I might have a nicely developed emotional side, as Arnaldur likes to say, but I’m also logical and a common sense-driven person. And my cool logic and my common sense are telling me that I’m going too fast. Way too fast. Zero to one hundred in five seconds.”

  “I know that, Miss Spock.”

  The wind picked up and the drizzle turned into cold, heavy rain. Jack wrapped his arms around Astrid and pulled her close to him.

  “You’re shivering. Let’s get back in the truck.” The gentle pressure of his hand on her shoulder stopped her as she reached for the driver’s door. “I’ll drive.”

  “What about coffee?”

  He tucked a lock of her golden-brown hair behind her ear. “I needed a break, not coffee. The truck cabin is too small and you smell too good... I’ll drive this time.”

  “What’s wrong with my driving?” she said before she could stop herself.

  Jack laughed, shaking his head. “For heaven’s sake, Astrid, can’t you just listen to me for once without any objection? I wish I could say ‘because I said so’ and you’d accept it as a fact of life, but that approach doesn’t work with you, does it? I need to keep my hands busy, that’s why. And we’re going back home because this rain’s going to turn into a thunderstorm soon. Any problem with that?”

  He held the door open. Astrid climbed up and moved to the passenger side. Jack turned on the heat, but didn’t start the car. He leaned to Astrid and took her hand between his. “I owe you an apology for this outburst, and I owe you another answer, Astrid,” he said. “About last night. I didn’t sleep at all. I fought with all I had not to come to your room.”

  “And do what? I don’t sleep with somebody I’ve known for two days. Don’t flatter yourself, Jack Canagan.”