Flicker (23 page)

              Elise realized immediately that this may not have been the best way to relax him, as she felt his entire body go rigid. “Elise,” he began, looking down at her with a frown.

              “Shh,” she whispered, reaching up to press a finger that only trembled slightly against his lips. The only times they had ever been this close, she had been nearly unconscious or in the midst of an emotional breakdown-- but she pushed those memories from her mind, focusing on the steady warmth of him against her side. “Movie time.” She laid her head against his shoulder, and a moment later, she felt his arm wrap tentatively around her.

              The familiar fanfare blared from the TV, and Elise thought that she ought to eat something. Right then, however, she didn't want to move. It was comfortable, she realized, to rest against Alex like this. She could feel his chest rise and fall, could hear the even beat of his heart. She nuzzled against him, cuddling up to his side, and in response he stroked her arm gently. A woman's deep, elegant voice began to narrate the movie, and the thought occurred to her that she could get used to this.

              “
The world is changing...
”

              Alexander had to applaud Elise's tactical thinking. He had been so shocked by her sudden decision to touch him that he'd almost pushed her away, grasping immediately that she was initiating the contact mainly in an attempt to soothe him. He was well aware that, try as he might to shield her from what was going on in his mind, she could tell he was upset over today's encounter; precisely how upset, however, he was doing his utmost to conceal. Within a few minutes, however, he found himself glad that he had waited, giving her a chance to push through her initial nervousness-- it had been worth worrying over her as he felt her begin to relax into their embrace without a breakdown to force her.  Her decision to cuddle up against his side had been impeccably executed-- in making him worry over her reaction to more physical intimacy than they had ever engaged in, she'd managed to distract him from the past for a whole five minutes or so.

              Usually, he was able to compartmentalize the more unpleasant parts of his excessive centuries and keep his mind firmly rooted in the present. However, having Rashid sneak up on him had brought a few memories raging to the forefront, chief among them something he knew for a fact he didn't want to share with Elise-- one of the deeds he truly regretted: killing Rashid's younger brother. Alexander had always rationalized the action-- it had been a bloody, brutal war, and Bahir had been a soldier. Dying was what soldiers did best. But Alexander had never been able to decide to his own satisfaction whether or not he'd singled the boy out simply to torment his older brother, a man who even then had needled Alexander especially. No, that wasn't something that he ever wanted to have to explain to Elise. It wasn't that he thought she'd judge him for it-- he had witnessed firsthand Elise's own ruthlessness, and didn't think for a second that she would ever be hypocritical enough to cast stones at him. Rather, it was because her trust made him want to be a better person, the kind of person who didn't kill rookie soldiers to satisfy a grudge. Elise chose that precise moment to shift against his side, rubbing her head against his shoulder like a cat, and as the lilac scent of her shampoo invaded his senses, he was forcefully reminded of precisely why she was so very good at distracting him.

              He hated having to move her, but a few scenes into the movie it became clear that she was fully intending to cuddle him rather than eat anything. With a sigh, he lifted her chin with a fingertip, reveling in her tiny gasp and the sensual parting of her lips, as if she half-hoped that he would kiss her. Alexander briefly considered doing exactly that-- she was very, very tempting-- but he refused to push her so far so quickly. Instead, he simply reminded her that they both needed food after the draining day. He regretting losing the warmth of her at his side-- she had felt so right in his arms that he almost felt bereft without her there, even after so little time. Still, such things were easily put aside with the knowledge that he was able to take care of her, even in small ways. Especially after her ordeals, she was so very independent and yet so fragile at the same time. The combination was intoxicating, he'd quickly found, but also incredibly frustrating.

              They didn't speak much as they ate, focusing instead on the movie-- or at least, Elise was. Alexander pretended to pay attention, but in truth, the fantasy battles playing out on the screen weren't going to cut it when it came to keeping the memories at bay. The scenes were simultaneously too sensationalized, with the orchestral backing and dramatic speeches making Alexander want to laugh, and too real, the cutting-edge special effects reminding him forcibly of real battlefields where real men were torn into bloody chunks of raw, screaming waste. Alexander clenched his jaw and breathed in sharply through his nose, forcing himself to smile when Elise looked up at him curiously. Despite the trauma she'd been through, she was still largely innocent; there was no reason she should have to be exposed to the things he'd seen-- and done.

              Bahir's tear-reddened eyes flashed through Alexander's mind, followed by the mess of blood and sand that caked in the ragged gash Alexander had ripped through the boy's belly as his brother watched from a helpless distance. Bile rose in Alexander's throat, and suddenly, the reek of American Chinese food was enough to choke him.

              “I'll be right back,” he murmured to Elise, rising gracefully and stepping over her, heading for the door to the left of the television, which led to a short hallway. He turned left into the powder room, ignoring the basement door to his right, but for just a moment, it crossed his mind to dash up the few steps ahead of him to the kitchen. He could be out the back door and on his way to the city to gorge himself on desperation and elation and everything in between before Elise even realized he was gone.

              But it was a fleeting thought; his days of running away from his problems were long behind him. Alexander looked into the bathroom mirror, meeting his own eyes harshly. The past was done; he was not the same man he'd been a hundred, four hundred, nine hundred years ago. He wasn't undead-- he was ever-renewing, capable of superhuman feats with merely a thought. What he'd done centuries ago non-withstanding, he was here and now; that was where he'd stay.

              The present, however, now involved Rashid. Alexander clenched his fist, fighting the sudden urge to break something. Regrets over centuries-old deaths aside, the presence of his old enemy filled him with a much less complicated emotion: rage. Pride alone would not allow him to run now, never mind that the idea of abandoning Elise to-- he cut the thought off immediately, before he could smash the bathroom mirror. He could feel his power beginning to billow out from him, pressure building in the tiny room as his pulse raced faster and faster. In the mirror, his eyes were pits of black ice. Unbidden, other faces flashed through his mind: Abasi, his young protégé, murdered by Rashid for no other reason than revenge; three sisters in Brazil whom Rashid had slaughtered before they could join the Court; an entire cell of Rashid's own cult, poisoned once Rashid had become convinced that they were betraying him. Keeping company with the dead on Rashid's personal tab was Xiu Xiang, Rashid's own mistress. The Queen had sent Alexander to kill both of them as they'd traveled to Russia with Rashid's cult, bent on some sort of treasonous coup.

              “Alex?” He heard Elise calling him faintly, from the next room. “Are you okay?” She sounded worried. It was no wonder she would, he realized belatedly-- he was so angry she could almost certainly feel it out in the den.

              Breathing deeply, he forced himself to bury his fury over Rashid's intrusion. This wasn't a matter of Elise noticing the magnitude of his feelings on the subject-- if he wasn't careful to contain this killing rage, the destruction he could cause would be irreparable. Even now, he could feel it pulling at his every thought, souring his current joy and uprooting the hard-won peace he'd found in the last few decades.

              Concealing regret over centuries-old deaths was one thing; swallowing this was ingesting an inferno. In the end, he managed to push his fury down and lock it away, but it was a short-term fix; a fire could only be held so long before it escaped, and in raging, would consume everything in its path. Alexander's expression in the mirror was steel as he evaluated the situation; he had to confront Rashid soon, or he wouldn't answer for the consequences.

              “Alex?” Elise called again, her voice coming from the hallway on the other side of the door. Of course-- he hadn't answered her, so she'd come to check on him.

              It still sometimes took him a moment to respond to the shortened version of his name. He'd told her to use it in a spur of the moment decision, wanting suddenly-- that sunny afternoon where she'd looked up at him openly for just a few precious seconds-- to be a different person, someone unburdened by the past. For just a moment, even suspecting what he already had about her, he'd imagined that they could be teenagers together, simple children with simple lives.

              “Yes,” Alexander called back as gently as he could. “I'll be right back; don't worry.” He splashed a handful of cold water on his face, but he didn't want to linger much longer-- not and leave Elise alone in the other room, fretting over him. Carefully composing his features into an expression that, if not pleasant, was at least calm, he made his way back into the den.

              When he came through the door, Elise looked up from her seat on the couch, a question in her eyes. In response, Alexander couldn't help but give her a small smile-- she looked so sincerely concerned for him.

              “Would you like any more?” Was all she said, as she indicated the food left on the table.

              If she had cooked it, Alexander would have forced more food down his throat if it killed him; takeout, however, he was allowed to pass on without guilt no matter how hopefully she looked at him. Normally, he didn't mind the occasional American approximation of Chinese food, but tonight, with the remnants of his rage still twisting his stomach, he knew with certainty that he'd had quite enough. She looked so sweet, however, playing hostess for all she was worth, that he would have had to be a monster to put it to her that way.

              “I'm full, but thank you,” he replied smoothly, unable to resist brushing his fingertips over her cheek as he passed her to resume his seat on the couch. Alexander relished the shiver that went through the air around her; it tasted of her desire for him, and came accompanied by the distinct impression that she'd gone weak at the knees, and was glad to be sitting down. His smile widened as he watched the blush that stained her cheeks. Neither of them was quite ready, emotionally, for any real sort of intimacy; this dancing around each other, however, was becoming more fun by the day.

              Alexander had scarcely hoped for a repeat of their earlier embrace upon his return, assuming and understanding that Elise would second-guess herself and retreat to a safe distance. When she came back from taking their plates to the kitchen, however, she made him glad he hadn't bet money on his prediction as, without a word, she cuddled up beneath his arm once more. His baser, more animalistic side reveled in having her there, primitive instincts insisting that the closer to him she was, the safer she would be. Once again unable to resist the impulse, he stroked a hand gently through her long, chestnut hair, enjoying the feel of it and the way the light played over the strands. She was infinitely more fascinating than the movie she was watching; such was his attention that it would have taken an earthquake to distract him from the moment that her breathing changed and her weight on his chest shifted. She had actually fallen asleep.

              It was then that he was truly amazed at her strength, and the growth she had undergone over the last few weeks. Her ability to trust anyone had been virtually erased over the past three years, and yet here she was, tiny and helpless and delicate, trusting him to watch over her. It was with an irresistible feeling of triumph that he pulled a blanket over her, held her tightly to his side through the rest of the film, and greeted her parents with a smile when they peered into the room after their night out.

8 NEW TO THE GAME

              Saturday morning, Elise woke up in her bed with a vague recollection of bidding Alex goodnight and stumbling upstairs sometime after midnight. She stretched, yawning widely, and looked at the clock. It was only nine-- her parents wouldn't be awake yet; they liked to take their time on weekend mornings. Elise felt energized, though, and hopped out of bed. A glance out the window told her it was likely to be a beautiful day: the bright October sun highlighted the fiery hues of the leaves, painting the world ablaze. Smiling, she padded down the hall to the bathroom. A quick shower was in order, she decided, and then she was going for a walk.

              After dressing and jotting a note to her parents, Elise all but dashed out the door. She and Alex hadn't made any plans for the day, and though she anticipated missing him after a few hours, the time to herself would be nice. She still wasn't quite used to the company of others, and it had been long enough since she'd taken time to just walk around by herself that she certainly missed that, too.

              Once she reached the park, Elise's pace slowed. She relished the sound of her skirts dragging through the fallen leaves, and tilted her head back to feel the warm sun on her skin. The sound of children's shrieks brought a smile to her face; after a pair of toddlers had run past her, their parents in close pursuit, she stretched her arms above her head and spun in a circle, eyes closed and skirts flaring around her legs, luxuriating in the natural world around her.

              A certain peacefulness blanketed her mind, and beneath it Elise felt a wisp of curiosity. Alex was decidedly a carnivore, had admitted to dealing with herbivores only briefly and rarely, and so his instruction for her had thus far been focused inwards, toward her own power, and on interacting with other people. Her experiment with the rose yesterday had been her first real try at consciously interacting with nature.

              Elise glanced around, considering, before striding over to a  striking grove of kwanzan cherry trees. Settling her attention on one, she rested her hand decisively on its smooth, shiny bark and breathed deep, reaching for the fizz in her chest.

              Elise was used to the ticklish ache originating just above her heart, but this time, it started in her palm. Still, she didn't let that throw her off for more than a moment; concentrating on the increasingly familiar sensation, she took a deep breath. As she slowly let it out, she relaxed the muscles in her shoulders and neck, closing her eyes and focusing her mind on the tree. She heard its leaves rustling over her head, imagined she could feel the branches swaying in the breeze. She pressed her hand firmly to the trunk, and felt the tingling spreading through her wrist, humming up her arm and shoulder and down into her chest.

              Elise jumped, startled, as the numb tingling turned to a jolt. She felt her heart clench, stutter for the briefest moment, then beat again-- she could swear it felt stronger than it had a moment ago. She was suddenly very aware of the path her blood took coursing through her body, and as she stood there with her eyes closed, leaning against the tree, for a second she wasn't sure whether her veins were roots or the other way around. Life flowed from the tree into her, strengthening her, steadying her, filling her with a deep reserve of calm and patience.

              Elise's hand slipped, the smooth bark scraping against her palm, and her eyes flew open. She was breathing fast, her heart thundering in her ears. Backing slowly away from the tree, she stared up at it with wide eyes. She wasn't really afraid, though-- the brush with the tree's energy, she supposed it was, had left her feeling rooted and serene. It was just that, aside from exchanging energy with Alex, she had never consciously made an effort to feed directly-- but there was no doubt in her mind that she had just done exactly that.

              She paused a moment to take stock: aside from a slight disorientation over the unfamiliar direction of her energy flow, she felt good. Better than good, in fact-- she felt invigorated, vibrant, and so very alive. Oddly enough, as full of life as she felt, though, she was hungry. It took her a moment to realize that it was her physical body-- she hadn't eaten breakfast this morning, and her body was letting her know that it objected to the oversight. Alex had told her that if she kept up on feeding, she would find herself needing less actual food, but that she would still need to consume it. All the same, it was an odd feeling, to be both empty and full at the same time. She sighed. It was a nice morning for a visit to the coffee shop in town, she decided-- she could get something to eat there. Turning on her heel, she cast one last glance at the tree before walking away.

              She hadn't been to The Treehouse since Labor Day, when she'd seen Alex for the first time. It wasn't that she'd been avoiding it, precisely, just that she'd been busy. She hadn't realized just how comfortable she'd become in Willowdale until she heard the jangling bells as she opened the door and felt like she was coming home.

              Elise was smiling as she ordered a mug of tea and a breakfast wrap, and was pleased to see the barrista's eyes sparkling as she grinned cheerfully in response. If she had nothing else to be grateful to Alex for, she'd thank him for the rest of her life for helping her to open up to people again. She couldn't even articulate how much she'd missed real connection with other people.

              She hadn't brought any homework with her this morning, so on her way to a seat near the center of the room, Elise plucked a book from one of the shelves kept waiting for patrons, joining the dozen or so people already sitting among the mismatched tables squished haphazardly into the circular room. She'd loved to read for longer than she could remember, and had long ago mastered the art of holding a book with one hand and eating with the other. Taking a bite of her wrap, she opened the book-- a worn copy of
Pride and Prejudice
-- and began to read.

              She was only a few pages in, and halfway finished her breakfast, when she felt more than heard someone approaching her table. She didn't give the sensation much thought at first, assuming the intruder was simply another patron edging through the maze of chairs to his own table. But after a few seconds, she realized whoever it was had stopped at her table. Recalling the day Alex had dropped in on her like this in lunch, she looked up with a smile-- and froze.

              Right in front of her, wearing an impeccable navy-blue suit and a pleasant smile, stood Rashid.

              “May I join you, Elise?” He asked politely. Of course he knew her name. Without waiting for a response, he pulled out the chair across the tiny table from her and helped himself. The book fell from her cold hand with a thud, and Elise swallowed hard, her mouth bone dry and her mind racing. She could feel her heart thundering in her chest, and her eyes darted around from the girl behind the counter, to the other people in the cafe, to the door, and back to him. His smile widened.

              “Now, kitten, there's no need to look so frightened-- I only want to talk,” he all but purred. There was almost a hint of seduction in his voice, and Elise swore that for a second, her heart stopped. She tensed, preparing to jump to her feet. She knew there was no way she could get to the door if he got it into his mind to stop her-- not if he was able to move half as fast as Alex could-- but maybe she could make enough of a fuss that he'd have to leave her alone. After all, he wouldn't kill the nearly fifteen people in the shop just to get to her, would he? She had to admit to herself that she had no idea-- and could she take that risk?

              Rashid sighed. “I see you'll require some convincing,” he said, sounding bored. He raised the steaming mug he'd brought with him, and she had the absurd thought that he was going to make a toast-- and then he opened his hand. The mug fell and shattered on the hardwood floor with a crash that made Elise jump and let out a little shriek-- but no one else even glanced over. She stared at the people around them-- there was a man calmly reading the newspaper not two feet away-- and down to the shards of broken pottery on the floor-- and back to the other patrons. No one had so much as twitched at the sound, no one seemed to notice the widening pool of hot coffee on the floor-- it was as if Elise was the only one who had even seen it happen.

              When she returned her gaze to Rashid, she was shaking so hard the table rattled. His smile reminded her of the Cheshire Cat-- if the Cheshire Cat was preparing to slaughter and consume Alice. “You see,” he said softly, the words a caress. “I just don't want to be interrupted. But honestly, there's nothing to be so afraid of. I have this feeling that you and I,” he waved his hand vaguely, as if trying to find the right words. “We got off on the wrong foot yesterday, so I wanted to come have a nice chat over coffee. Isn't that what civilized people do these days?”

              Elise found herself nodding, her terror making the movement jerky. She swallowed again, and when that didn't help, forced herself to reach out and take a sip of her tea.
Alex would be brave
, she told herself sternly. She wiped her hands on her skirt. “So,” she managed to keep her voice steady. “Talk. Say what you want to say.”

              “My, aren't you direct? So very American,” he lamented. Placing his elbows on the table and steepling his fingers, Rashid leaned forward to meet her gaze. “Getting straight to the point, I wanted to come and make sure you aren't being taken advantage of.”

              Suddenly, it was all Elise could do not to laugh. Her fear, his power-- that statement made it all seem so ridiculous. She blinked at him. “Who on earth would be taking advantage of me?”

              Rashid smiled slightly. “My dear friend Alexander, of course,” he said simply, as if speaking to a child. Elise frowned at him.

              “You're out of your mind,” she said loftily, looking at him hard through narrowed eyes.

              “Your loyalty is commendable-- and of course, you only know what he's told you about me, about our world, and about yourself. So certainly, you're on his side.” Rashid managed to sound both admiring and disgusted at the same time.

              “Alex cares about me,” Elise sniffed, feeling oddly defensive. She knew Alex kept secrets from her, but really, she had from him, too. And besides, was she really going to let his enemy--
the man he'd said was his enemy
, her mind whispered-- get under her skin? She lifted her chin and replied in her best Elizabeth Bennett impression. “He's helped me a great deal, and he's teaching me how to use my abilities. So I'll thank you not to cast aspersions on his intentions.”

              “Of course not, kitten-- far be it from me to lead you astray,” Rashid leaned back, studying her. “It's just that, well, for someone with your past, I would think that the personal relationship he expects in return for your training wouldn't be appropriate.”

              “It's not like that,” Elise snapped, struggling not to react to his allusion to a history that was supposed to be her deepest secret. Her composure would be more convincing if her hands would stop shaking.

              “No, of course not,” Rashid said, his voice kind. “In nine hundred years, he's settling down with you because he's finally found true love at last. Your power, of course, has nothing to do with it.” Elise blinked at him.

              “What would my power have to do with anything?” She asked, trying to hold her dismissive disgust in her voice and reminding herself that she was only sitting here talking to him because he was forcing her to. Still, she was curious in spite of herself-- before now, she'd never gotten to talk to anyone but Alex about all of this, and there was still that little voice in the back of her mind that worried over taking his word for everything.

              Rashid looked at her sympathetically. “Oh, you sweet little thing, he doesn't give a damn about you. Didn't he tell you about the Queen?" He didn't wait for a response, but continued immediately, already sure of her answer. "She's an omnivore, as are her heirs; in fact, the four of them-- the Court-- are, aside from you, the only practicing omnivores we're aware of. I suppose this makes you fifth in line for a very wealthy and powerful, albeit secret, throne-- not that they'll be dying anytime soon. But still, having you under his thumb would make my friend Alexander a very powerful political player, indeed.”

              Elise couldn't stop her eyes from widening in shock, but somehow, she managed to breeze past the subject as if she already knew all about it. “And that's different from what you want, how?” She demanded archly, her eyebrows raised.

              “I won't make you sleep with me,” he said simply, and Elise felt a shiver run up her spine at the menace in his tone-- though it wasn't, she realized belatedly, directed at her. “What I have in mind is purely a business relationship.”

              Elise gave a rather unladylike snort, and Rashid raised his eyebrows at her in mild reproach. To escape his piercing gaze, Elise took another hurried sip of tea, and realized it was getting cold. Her stomach suddenly churned with nausea, and Rashid heaved his heaviest sigh yet.

              “I know this is a lot to take in,” he said, the sympathy in his accented voice edged with mockery. “You think it over-- I'll be in touch later.” Elise frowned at him, thrown by the abrupt change of subject. He made a shooing motion with his hand. “Now run along, kitten, and give my regards to Alexander.”