Call of the Raven (32 page)

“Hello George,” Ari greeted him, “good to see
you again.”

Nixon stood back as the chauffeur opened the
door on the limo. Elle didn’t understand why he just couldn’t have
opened it himself. She pulled her hand free of Ari’s and started
working on the zipper again. When Ari realized what she was doing,
he positioned his body behind her, placed his hands firmly on her
shoulders, and gently pushed her in the direction of the opened
door of the limo.

“He’ll just find you Elle,” he whispered in
her ear. “Make the right choice and get inside.”

She could see Asher sitting on the seat, head
lowered and looking just as agitated as before. She didn’t want to
get inside. She didn’t want to go into their expensive hotel where
she didn’t belong. Asher didn’t appear to care if she got in or not
which only accentuated the vibe she had previously picked up. On
the stairs Ari seemed to be reasoning with her but now that the
time had come, he acted far more forceful in the matter of her
coming with them.

“Come on, shake it or break it!” Nixon called
out.

“I can pick you up?” Ari taunted in a
singsong voice, mouth close enough to her ear she could feel the
warmth of his breath. “I can make the choice for you.”

Ari was relentless and she believed he would
actually carry through with his threat, and Elle wanted to go. She
wanted to feel safe, at least for one night. Lowering down, she
climbed in. Seeing that Nixon was sitting directly in the center of
the seat opposite Asher, making the already awkward moment even
more awkward, Elle hurried up and sat down next to Asher.

“Good choice,” Ari said behind her. His phone
vibrated three quick chirps and he lingered outside to take the
call. Elle glanced his way helplessly wishing he would hurry. Ari
could be forward at times but she felt better when he was around.
In just the short time she had been with him, in the things he said
to her, and the way he treated both his brother and Nixon she knew
he was a compassionate soul. Nixon cleared his throat drawing
Elle’s attention to him.

“So I take it you’ve never been in a limo
before.” He grinned. “It’s not that bad. Asher doesn’t bite…much.”
Then turning to Ari, he yelled, “Dude, come on. I’m hungry and I
need a shower.”

“Brother get inside or we’re leaving without
you,” Asher warned.

Ari gave a rushed goodbye and climbed in. He
sent a smile her way and then without regard or tact he
intentionally fell on Nixon’s lap. Nixon grunted loudly, hit him
and then a fight quickly ensued as they fought over seat rights.
Nervously, Elle chuckled and swung her head.

“Get off me you smelly dog.” Nixon pushed Ari
away when he acted as though he would kiss him.

“I’m sorry,” Asher sighed. “There just aren’t
any words to describe my brothers.”

“It doesn’t bother me,” she said.

“No, I see that it doesn’t.” Asher’s tone
made Elle turn to him, only to find him looking back at her. Her
grin faded as he turned away toward the window. She wasn’t sure of
his meaning, but whatever the implication was, it was enough to
break up the love-grudge match between Ari and Nixon. As they
settled down on opposite sides, Ari with his feet resting on
Nixon’s lap they fell into momentary painful silence.

George shut the door and they were soon
moving. The limo pulled to a stop at the light and Elle’s eyes
mechanically traveled toward the rundown, flat front of the
homeless shelter. Two men in shabby coats stood before the door
smoking. Elle remembered the place well. Even though there was a
separate section for women, she had gotten little sleep for fear of
being attacked or robbed. That night while she lay crying quietly,
Julio had been the only one that she should have been worried
about. She involuntarily gasped. She couldn’t help it. Clear as day
she could see the car, the pea green mustang parked along the curb.
Her eyes darted to Ari’s and in the flash of an oncoming car, he
gave her a nod.

“I told you,” he softly said. “It will be all
right. We’ll be your guardians.”

“Yeah,” Nixon said, “whatever impression we
might have given you with the whole dog fight and all—no pun
intended Ari—you’re totally safe with us.” And then turning his
head in Asher’s direction, he shrugged, “Well with
m
e and
the
dog
anyway.”

“Who was on the phone?” Asher snapped plainly
finding the need to change the subject.

“Kennedy,” Ari said. “She was worried about
us and she said the kid’s driving her nuts. She keeps asking for
her.” Ari gestured with his chin at her Elle. “Not her mom.”

“Well Mary’s very angry with her mom,” Elle
said. “She’s not a bad girl. She’s actually very smart.” She turned
to Asher. “She really likes your books.” He gave her a somewhat
staggered nod. That was all. He didn’t seem to know what else to
do, so he focused his gaze out the widow once more.

Ari closely watched his brother as he spoke,
even though his words were directed toward her. “Why don’t you take
this time to explain how you came to play a part in the life of
Grant’s child, neighbor lady? I know I’ve heard some but they
haven’t.”

Nervousness played a part in her talking. At
times her teeth actually chattered. Elle told them about the first
time she spotted Mary on the alphabet rug at the library, to Steve
trying to take her, and how she stopped him. She explained how
later when she was walking home, he surprised her on the street
corner as she was reading the new book, and chased her into a
building. Then how Mea’s eyes got when Mary recanted the story to
her mom, and said that Steve told her Grant was still alive. She
told every last detail up until the point they appeared. No one
asked questions.

They just listened attentively and seriously.
The only thing that eventually stopped her excessive rambling was
the growing red glow in the dark vehicle generated from Asher’s
eyes. Even though he tried to conceal them with his hands, Asher
was fuming and she wasn’t even sure what she had said to set him
off. As the lights of the city came into view, Asher let out a
frustrated groan.

“Problem brother?” Ari asked.

Asher cast a look his way. “I don’t have my
glasses. Tell me how I’m supposed to get inside without being
gawked at. Thanks to you setting me off back at the pickup, the
chauffeur almost saw me but I jumped in the limo before he could
make a true visual.”

“I thought outsiders couldn’t see you. I just
assumed he was an ani—”

“Don’t,” Asher put up a finger sending his
fiery rays her way, “dare utter another word. You are not ignorant
as your colorful vocabulary has testified to, so
don’t
ask
me to believe you could possibly entertain the notion that the
world consists only of our kind. No it does not. We coexist. It’s
when we don’t want people to know we’re lurking about for reasons
that are different to the nature of modern man, such as when we
fight among ourselves, and play with
blue lightening
that we
put up a magic barrier, but this,” he waved a hand over his face,
“is a freak of nature even in my own world. But I forgot my brother
has already enlightened you to the trivia’s of Asher Lake, so I
need not explain any further. I can’t hide this to anyone!”

“And that is what we call an
Ass
her
tantrum,” Ari said putting a bigger emphasis on the first part of
the name. “He’s prone to them.”

“Shut up Arimus!” Asher evenly said.

“Well you’re obviously not afraid of the
chauffeur
hearing
you.” Elle retorted without regard. “I’m
sorry that I made you mad but don’t go all ape-crap. Can’t you just
turn them off like Cyclopes?”

Asher jerked his body around so that he was
facing her on the seat. “I am not an ape like that thug back at the
abandoned building or a Cyclopes. I have two eyes—two very angry
eyes and I can’t just turn off anger!”

Elle thought for a moment. “That man was an
ape, no wonder he moved funny. And I wasn’t referring to
a
Cyclopes but the
character
Cyclopes. You know the guy with
the laser beam eyes in
X Men
? Ironically, that was the movie
that Mary tripped over when Steve was trying to take her. I guess
it just popped into my head.”

“Oh my God, it’s a lost cause.
This
is
a lost cause.” The last of Asher’s words were directed at Ari.

“Cool it—both of you,” Nixon exclaimed before
Ari could say a word. “Now I know how you guys feel about me and
Kennedy.” Throwing an arm behind him, he knocked on the window. A
second later the chauffeur shoved a dark tinted window aside. “Hey
George, got those glasses you occasionally loan me. My brother’s
got himself a little hangover and the lights are hurting his
eyes.”

“Nixon Lake,” Ari kicked at him, “and pubs
are not just for drinking, huh?”

“Here you go Master Nix,” George laughed and
tossed a pair through. They landed on the floor and Asher bent over
and picked them up. The leather seat and his coat creaked as he
moved. The glasses were black and obscure and instantaneously when
Asher put them on, darkness followed.

Nixon rested his head back. “Who needs a
nightlight when we have Asher Lake, the multi-functioning
tool.”

Chapter
Eighteen

Mistaken
Identity

Nixon thoughtfully ran
the towel
through his wet hair while Ari waited on him to answer. Asher had
locked himself in the bathroom the second they arrived. An hour
later while hanging out in Asher’s room, to give Elle privacy in
his, Ari was still waiting his turn to get cleaned up. He poured an
ample amount of whiskey into his coke, before he sat in the chair.
Asher’s room wasn’t as luxurious as his, but it was warm and well
stocked with booze which at the time Ari wanted.

Typically he wasn’t a drinker on any level,
except for an occasional glass of wine with a lady, but this night
was different. The only times Asher drank was when he felt out of
control, and he often felt that way whenever he was away from the
manor which was why his bar was fully stocked. In the outside
world, apart from the magical protection of his barrier, Asher felt
helpless.

“I don’t know man,” Nixon said. “I get it.
She’s the woman in his drawings but I’m not so sure I know about
anything else…yet.”

“You deny the facts.” Ari let his gaze go
past Nixon to Asher standing in the door of the bathroom. He stood
in a towel only, with dripping wet hair, brow raised.

“Enlighten us Ari just what are those facts,”
Asher said.

The water had stopped running a long time
ago. Ari had taken the chance that he would be listening and
inwardly Ari hoped he would be. “Don’t you think this needs to be
discussed Asher?”

Reaching back into the bathroom, Asher pulled
a towel off a rack and rubbed it over his head. The white towel
only made his jet black hair appear even darker. When he was
finished he ran his fingers through the black layers to untangle
them and then shook it. Tossing the towel on the floor behind him
he pushed Nixon out of the way, and crossed the room.

“Fine, but give me a chance to get dressed.
Two men in towels in the same room is a little disconcerting.”
Nixon blew him a kiss which Asher ignored. He went to the closet
and flung open the double doors and just stood there. “Why does
nothing in here look like mine?”

“Oh about that,” Nixon went to him, “I didn’t
think you would mind since you’re never here. My closet got a
little full after my last shopping expo.”

“But…where are my clothes?” Asher
demanded.

“Here,” Nixon pulled out a shirt, “wear this
it will make your eyes standout.”

Asher snatched the shirt from his grasp. “As
alarming as that statement made me feel coming from a half-naked
man, you cannot possibly think I could fit into your clothes. For
your sake there better be at least some pants in my size, since I
am in fact taller.”

Nixon sent a pleading look over his shoulder
in Ari’s direction. Laughing, Ari pulled his tired aching body out
of the chair and started across the room, drink in hand. “Calm down
you two. I hear the water running which means Elle’s taking a bath.
I’ll sneak in and get you some pants. Besides, Kennedy’s being a
brat. I wanna make sure she’s getting Elle some clothes.”

“Why?” Asher and both Nixon surprised Ari in
unison.

He put his back to the door. “I just thought
Elle could use some fresh clothes. There’s nothing wrong with that.
The stores are closed or I would have sent Martaugh shopping.”

Asher rolled his eyes. “That is an obvious
assumption Arimus but why is Kennedy being a brat?”

Ari shrugged, “I don’t know. Why is she a
brat any other time?”

“I know,” Nixon answered rummaging through
the closet for clothes for himself. “She’s all uptight about Elle.
Come on man she’s drop dead gorgeous even behind the grody clothes
and bruises. She’s the reason I got hurt to begin with. I was
scoping her out and that hawk took advantage of the situation. And
when I woke up to see her crying on the rooftop I was ready to do
it all over again, especially when she rushed right at me and
played Nurse Betty. She took hold of my head like, oh my God you’re
hurt like, and I was like, remember dude she’s Asher’s girl—”

“She is not
my
girl,” Asher
objected.

Ari took the time to think about the
situation. Asher could have put the emphasis on any word in that
sentence but instead he had placed it on the word ‘my’ and then the
way he behaved in the limo came to mind. Asher had noticed the way
Elle watched him playing around with Nixon. And Nixon had already
pointed out the fact that Asher’s behavior on the roof had
surprised him. Asher went out of his way to avoid confrontations
and eye contract with women but not with Elle.