Darkling (22 page)

The darkness inside me started to withdraw under Aidan’s look. Belun’s arm was holding me tight when I started to shake; his face was the last thing I saw before I passed out.

*

I remember dreaming of a hill covered with fog and five empty graves that had seemed empty for a long time. It looked as if they would always stay that way, empty. Next to them, a man dug the sixth pit. His body was hunched and his face carved with the burden of the secrets and silence he had to carry.

“Just a little bit more,” he said.

“What?”

“And it will be done.”

Then I heard some voices near me. Slowly, they sharpened, together with my sight.

“Welcome back.” Doris’s hand was stroking my forehead.

“Where am I?”

“In the compound,” she said.

“How?”

“You had a seizure and lost consciousness. Help arrived and helicopters flew us here. Aidan, Belun and some other Warriors stayed there to check if there were any more Vocati. We still don’t know how they got there.”

“Tertius . . . .” I said quietly, but she didn’t know what I meant.

“You were in a comma for four days,” Mia said, coming closer to my bed.

“What? That long?” I tried to prop myself up on elbows but Doris gently held me down.

“You’ve survived an enormous shock.”

“So did you guys, and I don’t see you lying around in hospital beds.” I managed to prop up myself this time and I saw an interesting ikebana on the table next to me.

“Set brought it,” Doris said. “He’s been here several times.”

Oh, Set . . . I’d forgotten about him. The memory of the window seat scene swam into view.

What?? I didn’t! Oh, my God, I shook my head in disbelief.

“What, darling?”

“I can’t believe it.” They didn’t know what I meant, and I wasn’t feeling up to explaining.

“Is there a note?”

Doris nodded and read, “I know you’re sorry. Get well.” At least he wasn’t cherishing any false hope.

“What does he mean by that?” Mia asked.

“Bullying.”

“You . . .
him
?” Doris widened her eyes in surprise, and Mia only laughed.

“Oh, don’t ask,” I said, and she shrugged.

For the next five days, I felt like I was on house arrest. Doris had moved into my room, taking care of me until I was well. I lay in my bed, read, and chatted with her and the girls when they visited—which was daily. In between, I was mostly dying of boredom. I had some pills to take for my nerves, since I’d told doctor that the shaking had started long before the Vocati attack. I also had a few sessions with the resident shrink.

Belun and the rest had returned the following night, and Doris immediately flew into Aidan’s arms. I used that time to search online for a present for her and Julia, and this time I had more luck. I wanted to give them something that they would wear and think of me while wearing it. So what would be better than jewelry? For Jules, I’d found a pair of pretty silver earrings in the length she usually wore, and for Doris—well, first I thought of a necklace, but while searching for it I’d found an exact replica of the brooch from my dream. The dream that we’d shared. Perfect! And while I was looking for some paintings and posters for my bedroom wall, there was a knock on my suite door. It was probably Lena.

“Hi.”

“Hi,” I said, looking at Belun. “Come in.”

It was nice to see him, but I didn’t actually know how to behave. The last time I’d seen him, I’d been all over him.

“I’m glad you’re feeling better.”

“I’m glad you’re back, ‘cause I’m dying of boredom without my job.” Okay, that wasn’t the only reason why I was glad to see him. He smiled, looking at me carefully. He probably didn’t know how to behave either.

“So, how was the hunt?” I asked, heading for the couch.

“You didn’t leave anything for us.”

That made me laughed—
yeah, right
. He sat on the other couch and turned to me.

“I’ve made a request to intensify your training.”

“Why?” I was confused.

“It would be worthwhile if you learned to fight.”

“I actually thought it went well.”

“If any of them had touched you first, it wouldn’t have.” His gaze moved from mine at the mention of
touch
. God, he probably thought I was the most promiscuous person ever! Damn! Looking back on those moments in the car, I could actually believe that myself. Except, it didn’t really feel like it was me. What happened with all that passion and fury? Where did it come from?

“Maybe I should carry a dagger,” I teased.

“Maybe.”

The room was full of our shy smiles, a huge mixture of unsettling feeling and unfulfilled romance.

“I’ve never seen any human react the way you did. The Vocati are usually invisible to your people because of their homely looks; humans avoid them and pretend not to see them. And it usually works fine, until a Vocati gets too hungry and turns the peace into slaughter. Why do you think Inquirers are so important? You communicate with them on a reasonable level, unlike the rest of the humans or vampires.” He paused. “You were remarkable. You did a brave thing and saved my life, and probably the lives of the others.”

“Oh, you’d have managed.” Now it was my turn to look down under such a flood of praise.

“Maybe I would’ve, maybe not. Luckily, we didn’t have to find out.”

We looked at each other for some time, and then he saw the ikebana on the table. He read the message, and suddenly found the rug more interesting to look at than anything else in the room.

“It’s from Set. Apparently, he’s not hating me for attacking him that night.”

He looked up at me expectantly, but I wasn’t willing to elaborate. Belun didn’t need to know what kind of attack it had been. And fortunately, he didn’t insist either.

“I haven’t really been myself these days,” I said, avoiding his deep green eyes.

“I’ve noticed.”

Bang! He may as well have just shot me too. But okay, I guess I deserved it. His voice wasn’t judgmental, though, but more melancholic.

“Are you injured?” I asked.

“A little, but it will heal in a few days.”

“What about Aidan?”

“He’s good.”

“For the last five days Doris has been whining after him.” He laughed.

“That is how it is when you’re with a Warrior.” His sentence created an awkward silence between us.

“Well, that’s all,” he said, standing up. “I’m off; I only wanted to see that you were as recovered as your medical records said.”

So, he was checking my medical and mental state?

“Don’t be a stranger,” I said after him—such a lame movie line.

“See you tomorrow, at work.” He smiled.

I watched him walk down the hall before closing the door. Okay, that was done. I had been a little worried about how things would go between us, but my fears were completely unnecessary. It seemed that I was the only person who people should be afraid of. All those uncontrolled emotions…

Thankfully, it turned out there were pills for that, and sleep came soon.

Chapter 14

A Painting

“Good morning,” I said to Lee and Jacob, entering the Observation room. In my hand, I held a white origami flower.

“Is there tea?”

“I’ll bring it,” Lee replied.

I looked at the now well-known sight through the mirror. It was like I’d never left the cell: he was sitting there in the same position, waiting for me.

“Does he ever move?”

“Rarely,” Jacob replied, and Lee returned, carrying a small wooden box of various tea bags. I took the black tea as a substitute for coffee. I needed something to boost my energy since running was out of the question after almost ten days of barely moving. I didn’t even want to think about how I would do at tonight’s training.

I entered the cell, closing the door behind me. Tertius fixed the same morose look on me, and didn’t say a word at first. I sat in my usual place and placed the origami blossom on the table. “White is the color of mourning, in some civilizations,” I said. After a few minutes his gaze fell from me to the paper flower.

“Nika learned to kill,” he finally said, sounding like the lame title of some stupid book or flick. I didn’t avert my gaze from his eyes.
Should I feel guilty?

“So, how was your weekend?”

He let out a little laugh. “Your weekend got extended.”

“Post-traumatic stress, I guess.”

“Taking any meds?”

“Mmm hmm.”

“Don’t. They’ll numb your senses.”

“And what would I need my senses for?”

He laughed again, not answering my question, and then one of our many silences fell into place. Then I remembered Blake’s project, and I asked, “Do you know why Vocati connect only with certain people?”

“Everyone has his or her own place in this world and there will always be at least one person who will understand you.” I rolled my eyes at this generic pop psych, which seemed to amuse him.

“Missed me?”

“A lot.” He looked me through those abysses. “So, how did you kill him?”

“Why do you think it was only one?”

He nodded at the origami. “One flower.”

“I lit one on fire and unsuccessfully tried to strangle the other.” I waited for his reaction.
Will he go mad? Will he snarl at me and try to hurt me, like I did one of his?
But he just calmly looked at me.

“You don’t have enough strength to break a Vocati’s neck. Soon you will, but by then you might not need to.”

“What? Why?”

He stayed silent.

“Do you hate me now?” I asked, wondering what course our relationship would take after my actions.

“Do you hate me for what I’ve done?” he offered.

“No.”

“Well, there’s your answer then.” He took the origami, putting it next to the vase where the yellow little flowers had already dried, their petals fallen on the table surface.

“What were the Vocati doing there?” I asked.

“What is any Vocati doing in any place?”

“No, there were four of them, a whole team.”

His calm look stayed the same.

“What were they looking for?” I insisted.

“Food?” I felt his sarcasm.

“Maybe you?”

“Maybe, maybe not,” he said.

“Today’s the day you’re in the mood for riddles,” I said with a frown.

“I haven’t seen you for a while.”

Later in the office, a ton of thoughts was attacking my mind.

“Is it normal for a Vocati to not move in its cell?” I asked Belun.

“Usually. Why?”

“Jacob told me that Tertius hasn’t been moving much, so I was wondering if he was saving his energy for something.”

“Don’t worry, he can’t do anything with the silver chains on him.”

“Well, it’s not a matter of worry. I was thinking more along the lines of an escape plan.”

“That’s not possible.”

“Hey, I fought two Vocati—anything is possible!”

“Can’t beat that.”

“So tell me how it all began. The attack, I mean,” I asked, hoping that his point of view would give me some missing puzzle pieces.

“I was in the backyard of the house when I heard Bryn’s scream from the car. I ran to the group, finding the four Vocati circling them. They divided and attacked us, and then you came to save the day.” His lip tilted in a smile, but I was interested in other things.

“You have experience with them. You know their ability, skills, and such. Tell me, how would you describe those four?”

“They were not wanderers searching for food, if that’s what you’re aiming at.” So he
was
following my work in the cell.

“Were they trained?”

“Not highly, but they weren’t green either.”

“What was your impression of them?”

“I think they were looking for something specific before they stumbled upon us, and then they probably felt like having a snack.  I bet they hadn’t counted on two Warriors and a rabid Inquirer.”

I laughed, but the thought of Vocati searching for something wouldn’t leave my mind
. What would they search for? Did Tertius know?

“You think they were looking for him?” I shook my head in the direction of the cell.

“They certainly were looking for something.”

“Or someone,” I added. “What direction did they come from?”

“North.”

“Well, there goes my theory. I had hoped that they had come from another direction heading
toward
the north and Tromsø, and Tertius. But this . . . if they’ve already been close . . . .”

“Mmm hmm.”

“What were they were looking for? What if more of them come?!”

“I thought you didn’t have a problem with that,” he said, and I felt his teasing tone.

I went over everything Tertius had told me up until then, including his reactions, or rather, his lack thereof. He definitely knew something, maybe even everything, but how could I pull it out of him? I probably couldn’t, unless he himself decided to share the knowledge. Trying to figure it out, I realized that I was unconsciously staring at the paintings on the walls. Some of them seemed newly placed.

“You like them?” Belun asked.

“Yeah. What’s that art movement or inspiration . . . ?” I didn’t really know much about art but my tastes were definite.

“These two were inspired by Chirico’s early works. Pre-surrealism.”

I had no idea what he was talking about. “They must have been very expensive.”

“Why would you think that?”

“What, they weren’t?”

“No.” He looked at me with certain intensity. “Why are you asking?”

“I’ve been looking for something to put on my wall.”

“I have more of them. If you want, you can come by later to see if you like something.”

“Really?”

“Sure. Stop by my room later.”

His room? Alarm! Alarm!

“Okay.” I tried to sound calm and cool.

When I finished writing the report, I was very ready for lunch; my stomach was seriously punishing me for negligence. I tried not to think of Belun’s room . . . lalalala la la. Food. Food.