“But it works between werewolves only,
right?”
Jack scratched his head. “Well, yes; that’s
right. You folks are multilingual, you know more languages than you
need. You can always talk in, for example, Sanskrit. No werewolf
would understand you. Come, dinner’s ready.”
LATER WHEN they returned from the hospital,
they took their usual places on the couch, facing each other.
“Astrid, tell me about your wizard
powers.”
Astrid thought for a moment. “Well, it’s
natural for me, like changing forms or seeing in the dark for you.
It’s something that’s already built-in. Of course, we all have to
learn how to use it, learn how to control it, but it’s there, a
part of us. It’s in our blood, literally, as you know. It’s the
same as with your kind—we don’t think about it, it’s simply
there.”
She moved closer so that the whole length of
her arm and leg leaned against Jack’s side.
“All Langaer have powers,” she continued.
“How we apply them make us different. Wizards have the ability to
manipulate space and time through the four elements—fire, air,
water and metal—using energy that’s both inside us and around us.
That’s our power. Thanks to the same energy, werewolves are able to
change forms, they are physically strong and have exceptionally
sharp senses. Tel-Urughs have superb physical strength and
outstanding mental and intellectual capabilities, and so on, and so
on, you already know all about that.”
He knew, of course, but he liked listening to
her.
“There’s nothing there, though, that defies
natural, physical laws,” Astrid carried on. “To a limited extent,
humans also use it, but because of their great numbers, it’s given
to individuals, not to the entire species.”
“Hence all those magicians, shamans,
healers—”
“Charismatic people, top scientists,
first-class athletes, artists, doctors if you like. You can find
them in every segment of human society. Sometimes is hard to tell
if they are
them
or
us
. Humans can be exceptionally
gifted.”
“And we’re exceptionally good at hiding in
plain sight,” Jack said. “We use our powers selectively as we try
to blend with humans. That’s essential for our existence. We share
this world, and its history, art, science, often even religions,
but they still believe they are the only intelligent race that
exists.”
“Not all of them.”
“Of course not, but in spite of overwhelming
evidence, this is still the official notion. A bit arrogant, don’t
you think?”
“Well, they aren’t ready for us; not yet. Or
maybe we’re not ready for them. In any case, I’m glad I can use a
part of my energy to help my patients heal faster, fight infections
better, ease the pain. Other than that, I rarely use my powers. And
not only in order to hide from humans.”
“Not to draw Seth’s attention.” Jack nodded.
Living a low profile life was even more crucial for Astrid than for
other wizards. “Other wizards don’t have Seth and his mad plans to
worry about.”
“Precisely.”
“Let’s not talk about him now,” Jack said,
playing gently with her fingers. “Can you morph? I know some
wizards can, some can’t.”
Astrid smiled. “Oh, I wish I could change
into a wolf so easily. When we adopt another form, usually of an
animal, we do not physically change. What you see is an illusion, a
trick of the eyes. Your mind thinks you see a unicorn, a snake, a
bear. I can also freeze my body image and leave it behind, as I did
the day you came here. You saw me sitting in the kitchen whereas I
was already in the backyard,” Astrid said with a chuckle.
“That was freakish. I was watching you
sitting there, and the next moment your fingers were around my
throat… Does it take a lot of energy? Does it make you tired?”
“No. Translocation probably takes the
greatest amount of energy. Morphing and creating an illusion is
easy. See, when I change into a wolf, I become a wolf. I am a wolf.
With this... Let me show you. What is your favorite animal? Besides
wolves?”
“Tigers.”
“Okay, watch now.”
It looked like a dream. Jack barely blinked
and the next moment a huge tiger sat beside him, brushing her long
side against his leg. Only Astrid’s persistent scent kept him from
jumping off the sofa.
“If you hold my front paw, you’ll feel the
fur.”
Astrid’s voice came from somewhere close,
although Jack didn’t notice the tiger opening its muzzle. “But if
you focus on me, you’ll feel my hand, my fingers, my skin, and then
you’ll see me again.”
Indeed, as soon as his fingers sought
Astrid’s hand and not a tiger’s paw, his mind breached the
illusion, and Astrid magically reappeared.
“Wow! I’ve never seen anything like that!
Impressive!”
“And quite handy sometimes. Want to see
more?” Astrid smiled and clasped her hands, happy as a kid in a
candy store.
She focused her gaze on the fireplace, and
the next moment cheerful orange-red flames licked the logs piled up
in the pit. “It’s a bit chilly anyway. And the flowers need fresh
water.”
The vase with pink roses that sat on the
small side table started sailing through the air toward the
kitchen. Through the open door Jack could see how it first stopped
and then landed with a soft thud on the counter near the sink. The
roses came out, neatly arranging themselves on the side. The vase
rose up, hovered above the sink, tilted, and the water came out.
The tap turned on and fresh water filled the vase. One by one, the
rose stems rose into the air and, and after several pirouettes
above the vase, placed themselves back into the vase. Following the
same path, the vase floated back to its place on the table under
the window.
“It takes some time, though,” Astrid
explained. “It’s much easier to do it the human way: grab the vase
and change the water.”
Jacked cupped her face and kissed the tip of
her nose. “That’s magical!”
Astrid laughed. “Only humans call it magic,
but it is just a result of the proper use of energy.”
“It’s beautiful.”
“Well, thank you,” Astrid said, pleased with
Jack’s praise.
“What is your element?” he said, eager to
learn more about her skills.
“Elements,” she corrected him. “I’m best with
fire. I have also some skill with water and air. Metal, well,
there’s room for improvement there.”
Jack looked at her with astonishment. “Didn’t
you say your skills were rather average?”
“It’s possible that I have more potential
than I show. I’ve never practiced a lot. As I say, I don’t have
many opportunities to test them.”
“I still think you are a powerful little
witch, Miss Spock.”
She gave him one of those side looks that
instantly made his heart jump. “In everyday life, I don’t need it.
I can play in my house to impress my accidental guests, but it
doesn’t require much energy. Take that fire, for example. It’s real
fire; it’s red and orange and nicely warmed up the room. I can also
create an illusion, to scare someone, to buy some time to escape.
But I can produce quite a dangerous fire, too. That stuff is not
red-orange, it’s blue, and it’s not actually fire. I’ll show you
one day. We have to be outside, far away from anybody I could harm.
If I did any real ‘magic’ here, from the outside my house would
look like an x-ray.”
“WHAT DO you want to do tomorrow?” Jack asked
later, before they parted to go to their rooms.
They stood in the narrow hallway, a fingertip
from each other.
“You’ll tell me more about yourself and your
family. We can go hiking. You can tell me what I need to do to link
my two sides. You can also tell me why you so abruptly stopped
trying to show me your room,” Astrid whispered. “It must be
something that James told you.”
Jack placed his arms on Astrid’s shoulders
and rested his forehead against hers. “It is, Astrid.” He exhaled
deeply. “You are mine. I want you more than I ever wanted any other
woman, but I can’t make love to you.”
Astrid looked up sharply at him. “What?
Why?”
Jack chuckled softly, and then hurried to
reassure her. “Don’t worry, everything is fine in that department.
A bit tense recently, but fine. Astrid, darling, we can’t make love
before you decide to take me officially as your mate.”
“But I’ve decided, Jack.”
“I’ve promised James to bring home our
Ellida, not my mate. We have to wait.”
“What else is new?” Astrid said miserably.
“Just when I thought I finally grasped some of those crazy werewolf
concepts... I thought we should wait only until you take me to Red
Cliffs. If I’m your bond mate, why does it matter? I’m yours and
you are mine, Jack Canagan. Nothing can change that.”
“And nothing will, but James is concerned
that some will see you as—”
“Rowena’s daughter. Oh, I see. They need to
accept me before you present me as your... whatever. But Jack, how
would they know?”
“We would mark each other with our
scent.”
“And don’t tell me everybody could smell
that. Aw! That’s awful! Jack Canagan, I’m done for tonight. I don’t
think I can handle a single explanation before tomorrow morning. I
still have your jacket. It’s not much, but it will do. I’m going to
sleep.”
One hand on the door knob, she raised her
other hand and parted her fingers in the famous Vulcan salute from
Star Trek
.
“See you in the morning,” she said, stepped
into her room and closed the door behind.
I LAY in the darkness of my room thinking how
I’d never shared my luxury, spacious queen-sized bed with anyone.
It had been my choice, until Jack came.
Now when I wanted to share it with the man
two doors down the hallway, I couldn’t. Rotten luck!
I could picture him stretched out on his own
bed, his arms under his head and long legs crossed at the ankles.
And I also thought about how absurd our situation was. Regardless
of how we had got there, we were in love with each other, yet we
slept in two different rooms, avoided physical contact, controlled
our feelings and overall acted crazy. And all that because Jack had
promised my uncle he wouldn’t touch me before the rest of Red
Cliffs got a chance to see if I was my mother’s daughter.
Well, I was Rowena’s daughter, for better or
worse, I thought, frustrated, and punched the pillow in a futile
effort to find a more comfortable position for my head. I wasn’t
about to change for anybody’s sake! If I was ready to go to Red
Cliffs and become their Ellida, then they should give me some
credit. Uncle James included.
FOR THE first time since my transformations
had started, I was looking forward to my next change. I knew there
was no way back and I was anxious to do whatever I was expected to
do. Waiting would only make everything more difficult.
I felt overwhelmed by my new role that hadn’t
even started yet. A part of me was scared, another part
confused.
There was also a part of me that was insanely
happy: in spite of the challenges that lay ahead, going to Red
Cliffs meant being with Jack.
I closed my eyes and tried to relax, hoping
for sleep to come and rescue me from my worried thoughts. It didn’t
work this time. I could smell Jack, and not only on his jacket that
I was covered with. His familiar mossy and spicy scent, with its
musky component stronger than usual, tickled my nostrils. I
breathed it in thirstily, longing for his physical presence, for
his arms around me. I felt a sudden rush of warmth followed by
almost painful excitement in my abdomen and between my thighs. If
Jack was awake, he could, no doubt, sense it, too.
I lay still, listening to the loud echo of my
heart drumming hard somewhere in my throat instead of my rib cage.
And then, under my own fast rhythm, I heard a different set of
beats: for the first time I could hear Jack’s heart and its faint
but distinctive
thump-thump, thump-thump
. It was a
completely new sensation and took my breath away. I listened to it,
mesmerized and motionless, as if the slightest movement would make
it disappear.
I cleared my mind of everything except the
rhythm that was reaching me from Jack’s room.
The most beautiful sound I’d ever heard
lulled me into sleep.
THE NEXT morning I waited for Jack to
continue last night’s conversation. I wasn’t in a particular hurry
to hear yet another story from the fairy-tale realm, and his brief,
incomplete explanation last night had promised nothing less.
“Astrid, it might sound personal, but I need
to ask you something,” Jack said hesitantly, as we drove east, in
another attempt to reach the Cricket Falls Trail.
Once again we’d rented a truck. The weather
was much nicer this time—a sunny and warm day—and I thought how
this time we could make it if we didn’t fight again. His first
question, however, didn’t sound promising. I didn’t like personal
questions.
I kept my voice neutral. “If I find it too
personal, you won’t get an answer.”
“James actually mentioned it. When I came,
you weren’t in a relationship, were you?”
I looked at him trying to read the expression
on his face to decide if he asked it for a private or ‘business’
purpose.
“Astrid?”
“With questions like that we won’t make it
past that restaurant where we had an argument last time.”
“Then answer me. Come on, it’s not that
personal.”
I wasn’t, but that morning I just wanted to
be a little bit difficult.
“No, I wasn’t. Why would that be James’ or
anybody else’s concern?”
“In case somebody started asking questions.
How would you, for example, explain your sudden decision to go with
me to Red Cliffs to your boyfriend?”