Empath (Book 1 of the Empath Trilogy) (41 page)

“What do you want in life?”  James asked me, genuinely curious.  “Have you ever thought about it?”

“You know, up until a few weeks ago I just wanted a quiet little life.  A job that let me use my brain without having to be around too many people and enough money to take a vacation once in a while.  Maybe I would get a cat or something, but I had never really thought that hard about it.”  I shrugged.  “Now that I can enjoy being around people, it opens up my options.  It
is
still a strong possibility that I will work with books but maybe now I’ll open my own bookstore instead of hiding in the back of a library.”  I went on boldly, wanting to reiterate my point even with the questions Miranda’s discovery raised.  “I know that I have to have you with me.  It just isn’t me anymore unless you’re here.”

His expression was guarded.  “Did you feel that way before the marks?  Do you think you have a choice or is it the connection between us influencing your decision?”

“I chose it when I first met you.”  Smiling, I tried to reassure him.  “That won’t change no matter how strange or complicated this gets.”

He tipped his face as I leaned in making it easier to kiss him.  Pulling back, James looked at me.  “I have something for you.”  I was confused as I watched him reach under the pillow and his hand emerged with a small box wrapped in light green paper and a white bow. 

“I love green.”  I teased.  He put the box in my hands.

His eyes warmed as he smiled boyishly.  “I know.”  It struck me how human he really did seem now that I had some perspective.  I hadn’t noticed before due to my lack of exposure to other, more typical, creatures of his kind.  The difference was night and day.

Leaning forward, I kissed him again, touched by his thoughtfulness.  “You have no idea what you already give me, what having you in my life means…” I couldn’t finish.  I felt the tears welling up at the thought of the years of loneliness I had anticipated. 

James touched my hand, stroking the back with one finger.  “You’ve almost died several times since I’ve known you.  It might be that this isn’t the life you should be living.  Wouldn’t you rather have some nice suburban life with a dog and 2.5 kids?”  He wouldn’t let on what I could feel coming from him.  He really did worry that I might change my mind.  That the danger of his world would prove too great and I would run and that he wouldn’t blame me or stop me.

I shook my head wiping at the tears blurring my eyes before they could fall.  “This is the
only
life I want to be living.  Ever.” 

He tapped the package.  “Open it.”  I heard his voice grow rough and I redirected my attention to the small box in my hand.

Carefully, I untied the bow and unwrapped the paper to reveal what was inside.  It was a small black box and I sat looking at it for a moment spellbound. 

Impatient, James reached over and clicked the box open.  Inside was a beautiful opal necklace; the large oval stone was surrounded by small, delicate diamonds.  I was breathless holding my hand to my mouth, admiring its elegance.  As I held it, my hand shook and the light touched the stone at different angles, changing the face.  The light green and golden brown veins ran through several shades of blues and gray changing in the light.  I was transfixed. 

“Do you like it?”  He prodded curiously, anxious that I wouldn’t. 

I answered with the first thing that came to mind, watching the colors change and dance, “It’s us, isn’t it?”

He nodded.  “It seemed right before when I bought it, even more so now.”

I was speechless.  The tremor in my hand caused the colors to shift, blurring the definition between the two, so much like we found ourselves now. 

Reaching over, he took the necklace from the box and fastened it in place.  My eyes were wet as the moment and the past few days washed over me in an emotional wave.

James’ hands slid up to draw me in, finishing his gift with a kiss.  When he released me, I felt a bubble expanding in my chest.

“James, I don’t know what to say.  It’s beautiful.  I love it.” 

His blue eyes held mine.  “I bought it when I decided to bring you here.  This seemed like the right time and place to let you know I was serious when I said, ‘I love you,’”

“Are you going to write this into your article on romantic Scottish getaways?  Because girls love jewelry,” I teased, loving the smile it brought.  He was still sitting from putting on my necklace.  Sensing something was afoot, his brows peaked just a split second before I jumped at him and he let me roll him over to give him a proper thank you.

Ch. 50

The next morning, again before dawn, my eyes opened and rested on my hand lying in front of me.  It was clasped loosely within a pale one.  I studied the way they looked together before stretching into the body behind me.  It seemed strange that when we went home I would be settling back into college life again.  I wanted to finish school and liked it a lot, although after the few weeks I’d just had, it seemed anti-climactic to go back to books and a degree I wasn’t sure I’d live to use.  I sighed.  Maybe we could go abroad while I studied in another country.  Being overseas with James had reawakened a travel bug I’d buried when dad had retired.  Initially, I had thought England or France would be good candidates for study, but now Scotland held the most interest for me.  I wondered if James was tied to Minneapolis with work.

His chest rumbled with a playful growl.  “Are you
trying
to get my attention?”

“No,” I realized that was only partially true and blushed.  “I was just thinking about school.  It’s going to be kind of boring after this.  Have you ever thought of going abroad?”

We were interrupted by a knock at the door.  James untangled himself from me and got up.  Sitting up and clutching the sheet over my bare body, I watched tensely as he grabbed a bathrobe off a hanger in the closet.  I couldn’t help but stare at his figure as he strode away.  Sensing it, he shot me a look over his shoulder, I saw the hint of a smile before he turned back to answer the door.  It was out of my sightline so I listened closely.

A thick Scottish accent spoke first, “A message was left for you sir.”  I heard paper rustle and the door closed.

James walked slowly back into my view as he came down the hallway from the door, staring at the elegant cream stationary in his hands with a gold “M” emblazoned on the front.  Looking up at me, I saw the tension in his face.  “It’s from Miranda.”

Brow furrowed, he came over and sat next to me on the bed.  With a smooth, practiced motion, his finger slid under the envelope flap and he steadily withdrew the note card.  We both studied the script for a moment.  It was on my third time reading it that the words finally registered.

James-

We enjoyed meeting your Claire.  Keep us apprised of any developments, we are watching the situation with great interest.  We look forward to meeting with the two of you again.

Regards,

Miranda

“Developments?”  I mumbled, confused, as I started to breathe again.  “What does that mean?”

James was unconcerned.  “The Court knows we’re looking into Milwaukee, which has led us to Bradley.  And now Bradley’s coven knows we’re watching them, the Court as well.  Henry wanted to fire a warning shot, if nothing else to let Bradley know he has an audience and to be careful not to overstep.”  Frowning he added, “And I would assume we have an audience now as well.”  

Realizing we’d done what we needed and were really in the clear for now, I offered him a grin.  “We still have a few hours before we have to leave.  Let’s go out and say good-bye to my new favorite city.”

Ch. 51

The flight home was long but pleasant and I was still basking in the afterglow of a glorious last day in Edinburgh with James.  My hand kept going to my throat and moving my necklace so that I could look at it.  It was “us” I had said.  And now, we were going to be “us” for a lot longer thanks to Miranda’s interest. 

We deplaned and walked to our car.  As soon as we were inside, the phone buzzed and James snapped it open.  “Henry, yes we’re on the ground.  Have you had any luck finding anything?”

At the mention of Henry’s name, my ears pricked and I sat up.  I guessed we were going to hit the ground running.  Of course.  We just needed to avoid a war between humankind and vampires,
then
we could relax.  No problem.

James listened quietly, occasionally making a noise into the phone.  His face was expressionless as his thoughts ran elsewhere.  After a moment, he hung up his phone and started the car.  He snapped his sunglasses into place and I felt the familiar irk.  I wanted to be able to see his eyes and get a better read for what was really happening.   

Caught up in his own thoughts, James still hadn’t spoken by the time we were driving rapidly up the freeway toward home.  “I would assume we are going to your house?”  I prompted somewhat crossly.

Without taking his eyes off the road, he answered tightly.  “Claire, things have changed here while we’ve been gone.  You are in danger as long as they are in the area.”  We both knew who “they” were.  Settling back into my seat, I sighed and crossed my arms.  So much for my afterglow.

He glanced at me as he exited the freeway.  We were already in his neighborhood.  That hadn’t taken long.  “Henry said that there has been increased traffic at Glamour, you remember the club.”  It wasn’t a question and I didn’t feel inclined to interrupt.  “There are some new vampires in from out of town and Bradley owns the club so we’ve been watching it.  The newcomers have been keeping to themselves and Henry’s man says they look like pretty rough customers.  They might be the ones we’ve been waiting for.  I’m going to have to put you under lock and key for the time being.” 

“No,” I blurted, hating the idea of being a prisoner even if it was for my protection.

His free hand reached over and stroked mine, sitting on my knee.  “I know you don’t like being kept hidden, but what else can I do?  You might get hurt out walking around and even if it weren’t for how much I love you, I am still sworn to protect you.”

Fearing something had changed to raise the threat level, I stared straight ahead and tried to keep my voice even.  “Has anything, uh, happened?  Is everyone okay?”

We had pulled up to James’ house and I opened my door.  James put a hand on my arm to stop me shaking his head.  “No one is here.  Henry asked me to stop and grab some files on the way to Tara’s where they are all waiting for us.”

James scanned the area, frowning.  “Stay here, I’ll just be a moment.”  In a flash, he was gone and his front door was closing.  It felt eerily quiet without him and I turned up the radio.

He had been gone less than a minute when a movement to my right caught my eye.  I knew without a doubt that I was in trouble.  Just like in Edinburgh at the Court, I was able to think through my options quickly, yet thoroughly, and without distraction.  My guess, knowing what I did now, was that it was an effect of the marks allowing me to be calm under pressure.  Like him.

I was reaching over to honk the horn to get James’ attention, when my door whipped open and a pale hand locked on my arm at the wrist.  Looking back, I saw the face that haunted my nightmares.  Gina’s eyes were black with hatred, lips curled up to show her fangs fully extended for attack.  With a force and swiftness that took us both by surprise, my free hand flew across my body palm first to smash up into her nose. I felt the crunching of bone as it broke.  Her hands flew to her face and I was free.  My left hand flew back to honk the car horn and I was successful in giving it one push before her clawlike hands were locked around my arms, pulling me out of the car and down the driveway. 

With my hypersensitivity, I could see several things at once.  I saw a curtain move upstairs in the house when I honked the horn.  The blue Mercedes I had seen before pulled up with a screech at the end of the short driveway and the half crazy vampire carried me toward the now open rear passenger door of the blue car.  The small Asian man flew out of the front passenger door with a knife held in front of him.  I was only relieved for a moment when he passed me to stick the knife into the back tires of the Audi, instantly disabling the car.