“Hostages, of course. Then we’ll release
them, and they won’t remember anything except the most beautiful
voice they’ve ever heard. By the way, do you play an
instrument?”
“Piano, a little bit. Nothing special. My
voice is my instrument. Never mind that now… Jack, do you think
your mother is going to like me?”
“Of course she will. My mother is a down-to
earth, easygoing woman. You’ll like her.”
“She lost her husband because of my
mother.”
“But not because of you, and she is
completely capable of making that distinction. And it wasn’t even
your mother. It was Seth.”
“You don’t hate Rowena?” Astrid asked quietly
and held her breath.
Oh, please don’t hate her, because I’m a
part of her. If you hate her, you can’t love me completely. Please
don’t hate her…
“Of course I don’t hate her, Astrid. Some
terrible things might not have happened if she had acted
differently, but it was her husband’s doing, and his decisions.
She’s been used; she is his victim, too. I know a little of what’s
been going on with her all these years, but I have reason to
believe she’s become a more responsible and compassionate person.
Look at her relationship with Darius. Anyway, sooner or later we’ll
see.”
“Why did James send Alec and Drew as
reinforcements? It’s inconceivable that Liv and Tristan alone
couldn’t protect me.”
Jack gently rubbed a soft, light
reddish-brown lock of Astrid’s hair between his fingers. “Every
single strand of your hair seems to be of a different shade.
Beautiful. I’ve never seen anything like that before... What did
you ask me? Ah, Alec and Drew. Well, we were expecting more
trouble, that’s why. And we were right because before I came to
Rosenthal, somebody from Copper Ridge phoned Tristan and told him
that last month Seth sent his people to look for you.”
“But they didn’t get close to finding me, did
they?”
“No, and it was because they didn’t bother to
look for you carefully. Seth’s own people are tired of his tyranny.
That’s why I think his days are numbered. His men came back and
told him they couldn’t find any trace of you and that you had
probably left the country.”
“Who tipped Tristan off?”
“We don’t know. It’s been a woman’s voice,
from the beginning. Amilla, Arina…”
“My mother?” Astrid looked up at Jack, her
eyes filled with hope and tension.
“Somebody from Copper Ridge has been
contacting us on a regular basis in the last few years. It’s not
the same person that phones us each time,” Jack said softly,
responding to the anxious look in her eyes. “It’s possible Rowena’s
behind it, but there’s no way to know that for sure, not for now.
Try not to think too much about it until we learn more. Okay?”
Astrid nodded. “Tell me more about life in
Red Cliffs. Where am I going to live? Where am I going to
work?”
“You have your family house.”
“I do?”
“Yes. It’s a nice, big house, next to James
and Betty’s, and mine, for that matter. James already had the roof
replaced, and the heating system checked. More than that won’t be
necessary because you’ll soon move into my—
our
—house.” Jack
stroked her cheek. “In the meantime, I’ll have the bathroom built
for you. In aquamarine and beige.”
“Don’t forget a cat,” Astrid reminded
him.
“And a cat. About your job, there’s a modern
medical centre in Red Cliffs. The town has about five thousand
residents and as many tourists during ski season. No lack of broken
bones and all sorts of injuries. I’m not sure if there is an
opening right now, but it wouldn’t be impossible to create a new
position. One of the doctors could get an once-in-a-lifetime
offer.” Jack smiled and made a mental note to talk to Tristan about
it.
“I was born there, but I don’t remember a
thing,” Astrid said.
“You were too young. And the town has changed
a bit since then.”
“Did you live there when I was born? Did you
see me as a baby?” she said suddenly.
He stroked her hair and smiled. “I lived in
Italy back then, completely oblivious to the fact my future wife
had been born.”
Astrid looked up at him. “But you wouldn’t
have known, even if you’d seen me, or held me? I mean, you wouldn’t
have felt the bond, would you?”
“Of course not. You have to be an adult to
feel the bond. It’s a complete connection, including sexual,
Astrid, and happens between two adults only. I would’ve gladly
babysat you, though. We’re good with kids. They love when we turn
into a wolf and play with them. We’re sort of their pets.”
Astrid laughed, playing the imagined scene in
her head.
“Tell me more about Red Cliffs,” she
said.
“If you don’t mind an abundance of snow and
long winters, you’ll like Red Cliffs. It’s a small, but dynamic and
vibrant town. We all know each other and tend to—how should I put
it—be a part of each other’s life more than maybe you’ve gotten
used to, but we don’t mean any harm. It’s more like we are a big,
noisy family. That was the main reason I lived almost half of my
life somewhere else,” Jack said. “And also why I always came back,
no matter what… It’s home, Astrid. We are social, we love
gatherings of all sorts. We have the Snow Moon Festival in
February, Rose Moon Night in April; Midsummer Day in June, Lantern
Festival in August and Septemberfest—”
“Septemberfest? Like Oktoberfest in
Munich?”
“Uh-huh, there are quite a few Germans among
us. Weather-wise, they say, September here is the equivalent to
October in Bavaria, which I doubt. Then, there are regular
holidays, like Easter, Thanksgiving, Halloween and Christmas. We’re
always looking for an opportunity to have a big party, no matter
the reason.”
Astrid smiled. “I’ve heard you function very
well in a group setting.”
“The larger the better.”
“How do you fit in there? You don’t seem that
social.”
“I often prefer more intimate company, true,”
Jack said and brushed Astrid’s lips with his. “But, whenever I was
away, a part of me missed my Red Cliffers. They sometimes have a
hard time staying out of your life, but are in general good,
generous, honest and warm people. Once they accept you, you are a
part of their life, and they’ll do anything for you. You don’t need
to worry about it at all, though. You are our Ellida, but even if
you hadn’t been, you would’ve charmed them anyway, because you are
exactly like them: good and honest and caring.”
“And a private person.”
“Yes, but once you truly feel like part of
the community, you’ll learn to balance your private and public
life. That’s what I do. They respect it.”
Astrid mocked a sigh of relief. “At least I
don’t need to be sacrificed on the sacred stone. It will be okay, I
suppose. It could’ve been much worse. Seth, danger, hiding, my new
life in Red Cliffs. I would be scared to go through all this alone.
Now I know I can do it because I have you.” She sighed. “I should
go to sleep, I’m working tomorrow.”
“Come on, I’ll take you to your room,” Jack
said softly and scooped her up.
Astrid wrapped her arms around his neck. “Are
you sure you’ll be able to leave?” Her voice deepened, her eyes
darkened. The wolf she’d been trying to keep inside raised her
head.
“You’re right, I’m not and neither are you,”
he said and put her down. “I’ll wake you up in the morning.
Six-thirty?”
“About. Good night, Jack,” she said and
walked toward the bathroom. Soon he could hear the shower. A few
minutes later Astrid came out wrapped in her bathrobe, blew him a
kiss from her bedroom door and stepped into her room.
JACK’S EYES followed her blue contour. She
took off the bathrobe and stretched. The outline of her body was
perfectly clear, without the tiny blur that clothes would cause.
She’d been naked under the bathrobe, and it didn’t seem like she
was looking for pajamas to put on.
Jack shook his head, smiling, and continued
watching her. Astrid slid under the covers, stretched again and
lazily ran her hands along her body.
“Astrid, stop it this instant.” Jack said,
laughing. “I see what you’re doing.”
“I know.” Her warm, sensual voice reached him
from across the room. “Sweet dreams, Jack,” she whispered and blew
him another kiss.
JACK’S IMPACT on my life had been so great
that I wasn’t able to get him out of my mind, not even for a
second. I longed for his physical presence when we were separated.
His scent lingered on my skin and on my clothes and his voice
stayed stuck in my head like a song.
As I prepared myself for the surgery,
scrubbing my hands vigorously with antiseptic soap and hot water, I
briefly wondered if my obsession with Jack would affect my work.
But when I approached the operating table, I felt a familiar calm
and concentration spreading inside my body and mind. My hands were
steady and my mind crystal-clear and focused.
Jack had become a part of my life, I realized
suddenly, and pure joy swept over me. He brought happiness and
balance to my existence, and made me feel complete like never
before.
WHEN WE finished—it had been a standard
arthroscopic procedure to repair a medial meniscus tear on the left
knee of a healthy thirty-two year old former athlete, and no
complications were expected—I thanked my crew: two surgical nurses
and Dr. Ahmed Demmir, an anesthesiologist I preferred working with.
When I left the hospital, I would probably miss him more than
anybody else.
Back in my office, I completed the patient’s
file and finished the paperwork before I went to see my other
patients. Mrs. Fontaine was doing great and she would be released
the next day. The young woman and her husband that had been injured
on Friday evening in the accident were on the fast road to
recovery. Their daughters were already with their relatives.
One more surgery tomorrow and my career in
Rosenthal’s General Hospital would be over.
My phone rang.
Jack
, the display said
and my heart instantly sped up.
“Hey.”
“Are you done?” His voice was soft, warm and
sexy. I closed my eyes, wishing he could be with me.
“One down, one more to go,” I said. “Jack,
when are we going to the cabin?”
AN HOUR’S drive from Rosenthal, the small log
cabin was the place where I’d hide during my transformations. Deep
into the mountains, on the edge of the dense forest, a remote and
secure place, the cabin was far away from unexpected visitors. In
spite of everything it was associated with—pain, darkness,
discomfort, memory lapses—I liked that place. I liked the smell of
its wooden structure, the pleasant semi-darkness inside of it, the
rustic furniture, the almost absolute silence that surrounded it,
the pitch darkness of the night, the forest at its back, dark
green, cool, enchanted. The forest had been attracting me like a
magnet. In a strange way it felt like home, and I’d always wanted
to go deep into it. Unfortunately, I’d always been too weak,
exhausted and miserable to do it. The forest had been the promise
of an unknown freedom. It had been calling me and talking to me in
its ancient language, and although I still couldn’t understand it,
I guessed the meaning nonetheless.
“By the end of the week,” he said. “What do
you think?”
“That’s fine. The full moon is on Sunday.” I
lowered my voice to a soft whisper. “You’re gonna be alone with a
big bad wolf. Aren’t you scared?”
“Nah, I think I can handle her.”
“Jack, before I forget. I’ve been invited to
an exhibition tomorrow night. A local painter… Tristan and Liv are
coming too. Here is your chance to meet the local elite before you
leave. Do you have a suit here to wear? It’s a semi-formal
occasion, with an emphasis on the formal part.”
“Not really, but I can buy one. Any decent
store here?”
“I think there are one or two. Ask Tristan.
I’ll need to buy a dress for myself. I’ll go tomorrow afternoon
with Liv.”
“When will you be done today?” Jack said.
“At four. Will you pick me up?”
Not so long ago, I’d fussed about it and
refused to call him after my shift. Well, things had changed,
apparently.
“Sure. Supper will be ready, and a bubble
bath... I miss you, Astrid,” Jack whispered, causing fluttery waves
in my stomach.
“I miss you too,” I whispered back. “I’ll see
you later.”
MY CASUAL ‘see you later’ ended up being
literally true, though, and the relaxing bathtub and intimate
dinner in my little kitchen had to be postponed.
As soon as I finished talking to Jack, his
soft voice still echoing in my ears, my desk phone rang. It was a
long distance call.
“Dr. Duplant?” an unknown voice asked.
“Yes?”
“I’m Dr. Mahoney from the Children’s Hospital
in Stanford. I’ve just spoken to your general manager, Dr. Blake.
We need you here to operate on a seven year-old girl. A dog
attacked her and smashed her right hand. Almost every single bone
has been broken. We wanted to send our own chopper to bring you
here, but Dr. Blake insisted on sending you with your own
helicopter.”
I bet he did. It’d be easier to send somebody
with me if I went with our helicopter.
“Sure. It will save us some time,” I
said.
“What will you need?”
“I’m bringing our anesthesiologist with me,
Dr. Demmir. Make the room ready. Do the usual prep. Have the
patient history and the lab results accessible. I’ll go through her
file on my way there. That will do. What’s her name?”
I heard him clicking the mouse. “Kissakawa
Norton. They call her Kissa. She turned seven last month.”
“The dog?”
“American Stratford Terrier. It was her
dog.”