Eternal (2 page)

But the episode with the guy at the blood center threw a shadow over things. Len wasn't telling me everything, and that bugged me. I zipped up my bag and looked at her.

“How do you know the guy from last fall is dead?”

She stared at the floor. “I was there, OK?”

I gaped. “You were there? What happened?”

“I didn't see. I only saw him before, and heard about it after.”

I frowned. “And?”

“And that's really all I can tell you. I'm sorry.”

Hiding my annoyance, I grabbed my favorite sweater and draped it over my shoulder. “I need to hit an ATM.”

“OK,” Len said.

“And a McQuack's or something. Some place with fries.”

“Blake's is better.”

“Deal.”

We went downstairs and found Caeran waiting for us in the lobby. He gave me a brief smile, and Len a long glance, then took my bag as we headed out to the car.

“We need to make a couple of stops,” Len said.

Caeran nodded as he stashed my gym bag in the trunk. The first stop was their house, to get their bags. I went in with them, just because I loved their house. It was full of plants and beautiful art and stained glass and crystals in the windows. Len said the art was Caeran's. The plants must be too, because she'd never been a plant person before.

We grabbed the bags, got some cash from an ATM and then got on the freeway, stopping at a Blake's on the way out of town. I splurged on a deluxe green chile cheeseburger with fries and a chocolate malt. Len got a grilled cheese sandwich. Caeran drove while we ate.

By then the sky had darkened to the glowing blue of twilight. Venus was hanging bright in the western sky.

“So, Len.” I leaned between the front seats, offering my fries. “You were going to explain why the change in plans?”

“The guy you saw is dangerous,” she said, taking a fry.

Tell me about it.

“Like the guy from last fall?” I said, hoping to pry more details from her. “He was the campus killer, wasn't he?”

The killer hadn't been caught, but the killings had stopped. Right after Len had gone up to Guadalupita with Caeran, come to think of it.

Len glanced at Caeran. “Yes.”

“And the guy I saw is like him?”

“Yes,” Caeran said. “He is very dangerous. It was unfortunate that he saw you.”

“You think he might come after me? Is that why we're leaving town? That's kind of crazy, isn't it? I mean he doesn't know who I am.”

“He is a tracker,” Caeran said. “He could find you if he wanted to.”

“Well, I guess he won't unless he's a bloodhound.”

Caeran shifted in his seat but didn't say anything. I stuffed a couple of fries in my face, remembering the way the guy had looked at me. Yeah, I was glad to be driving away from him.

“What are these guys, some kind of cult? Or a gang?”

No answer.

Len put on some music—guitar, gentle and soothing. “So have you decided what to do this summer?”

OK, they didn't want to talk about the creepy guy. Fine.

“Not sure. Might play in some poker tournaments. Or take on more hours at the library. Benny and Vic are both leaving, you know. Summer's pretty quiet and Dave doesn't want to hire a new person.”

“You're going to keep your dorm room?”

“Cheaper than an apartment.”

We chatted about summer and school. Len was looking into possible jobs in the medical lab. If she did that, she'd quit the library and I'd see even less of her.

We made a pit stop in Santa Fe, then went east through the pass, then north to Las Vegas, which is a sleepy college town, nothing like its more famous counterpart in Nevada. Took another break there at a convenience store. I bought ice cream just because, then we headed on north toward Mora.

Northern New Mexico is beautiful, but it was dark so I couldn't admire the landscape. I had to content myself with staring out the window at the stars while I ate my toffee ice cream bar. Albuquerque has too much light pollution; you can only see a few stars in the city. Here the Milky Way poured across the sky in all its glory.

Somewhere along the way I fell asleep. I was muzzily aware of the car's engine shutting off, then a car door opening and closing woke me up.

I sat up, groggy. It took me a minute to remember why I was in Len's car. I heard the trunk open and then Len turned to look at me.

“Hey, you're awake!”

“Mrph.”

“We're here.”

Len got out and went back to the trunk. I rubbed my face, then undid my seat belt and got out.

We were parked in front of a sprawling adobe house that looked a million years old. All across the front was a shaded
wooden
portal
. A
light glowed by the big double doors, casting a broad pool of golden light on the
wood
. There was no other building in sight, just a dirt driveway and the big, open field surrounding the house.

Caeran handed me my gym bag and led the way to the door. He pulled a cord that set bells jingling somewhere back in the house.

Madera must have been waiting up for us. He came to the door right away and opened it wide into an entryway full of plants. He looked a lot like Caeran—tall and slim, chiseled face—except his hair was black instead of red-brown. He wore it loose over a caftan, and it hung to his waist. He smiled when Len introduced me.

“Welcome, Amanda,” he said in a deep, quiet voice. His gazed fixed on my pink vet wrap, then he looked at Len, whose vet wrap was purple. “What is this?”

“Oh—we gave blood today.” Len started picking at her vet wrap. “We could probably take these off now.”

“Wait a moment,” Madera said, frowning. “Come in here.”

He led us through a doorway to the right and into a big, long great room with a dining table at the far end. Near the table was another door.
Madera
went through, leaving us alone.

I looked at Len, but before I could make a smart remark, Madera was back with a little bottle of brown glass. “This will help you heal more quickly.”

We undid our wrappings and Madera rubbed a little oil on each of our punctures. It had a faintly green smell, and tingled a little while he rubbed it in. He insisted on doing Caeran's arm, too, then he corked the bottle.

“Thanks,” I said.

“You are welcome. No doubt you are also tired after your journey. I have rooms ready for you.”

He led us through the far door, which opened onto an interior courtyard
. This really was an old-style hacienda, built for defense against marauding Indians or covetous neighbors. Surrounding an inner courtyard was a covered
portal
enclosed in glass that was obviously a modern addition. A door in each glass wall stood open to the night, which was getting chilly. Len was right, it was cold up here even in early summer. I wished I'd put on my sweater.

As Madera led us along the
portal
I admired the courtyard through the glass.
Plazuela
, my brain supplied at random. Thank you, New Mexico history class.

The
plazuela
was paved in flagstone and had patio furniture and bushes scattered around. I smelled lilacs and heard the trickle of water. I spotted the fountain at the west side just before Madera opened a door on the right and went in. A moment later the room filled with soft light, and he came back to the door, gesturing welcome.

“
This room is for you, Amanda. The bathroom is next door.”

Cozy. Bed, nightstand, dresser, all of rustic pine carved in a vaguely Spanish style. A decanter and water glass stood on the dresser. The warm light was coming from from a lamp on the nightstand. There was even a kiva fireplace.

“
It's beautiful. Thanks so much.”

I was too tired to be more eloquent. Madera said goodnight and led Len and Caeran away along the
portal
. I watched them turn the corner and then closed the door.

So tired. And confused about the creepy guy. Sure, I never wanted to see him again. The solution was simple: stay away from the blood donor center. No problem.

Except my gut had told me in no uncertain terms to flee. And Caeran had said he was a tracker.

I wondered how Caeran knew, but there was no use worrying about it. We were far from Albuquerque now. Might as well enjoy the weekend.

I plugged in my cell phone, then dug out my toothbrush and headed for the bathroom. As I came out of my door I thought I saw movement to my left, but by the time I looked there was nothing. Frowning, I walked all the way to the door into the living room at end of the passage.

I stood listening but all I heard was the fountain and a cricket chirping somewhere. Finally I gave up, went back and found the bathroom, brushed teeth, washed face, then returned to my room to hit the sack.

There was an old-fashioned hook latch on the door. It wouldn't hold up to a good kick, but I latched it anyway, and felt better.

I got in bed and lay listening to the nothing. It's really quiet in the country—you don't realize how noisy the city is until you get away from all the traffic and airport rumble. The silence of rural areas bothers some city people, but I love it. Whether it was the peacefulness or the fact that I'd given blood, I fell asleep immediately.

I woke up thinking I was at Grandma's, because I smelled fresh baked bread. Sat up, figured out where I was, and hopped into my clothes. The little poke on my arm was almost completely gone—I had to look hard to see it, and it was just slightly tender. I dragged a brush through my hair and went out to find the bread.

When I opened my door, I gasped. The
plazuela
was filled with color: lilacs, both purple and white, coppery and yellow wild roses, iris in a rainbow of colors. I walked out through the nearest door in the glass wall and stood taking it all in. Floral fragrances blended with the baking smells. I wanted to eat all of it.

Promising myself I'd spend some time out here reading, I followed my nose across the
plazuela
and into the
portal
on the far side. I heard voices from down the passage. Continuing that direction, I found an open door into the kitchen.

Four men were sitting at a table by a window that overlooked the
plazuela
. They were all heavy on the Caeran DNA—same hair color, same green eyes. They were talking in the fluid language I'd heard Caeran use on the phone, but when I came in they clammed up and sat staring at me.

My heart did a little joyful skip. Four Caeran clones! Maybe one of them was unattached. I gave them a hesitant smile.

Madera was standing by
the stove. He looked up at me and smiled.

“Good morning, Amanda. Please come in.”

He gestured toward a Mexican tile counter where there was half a loaf of bread, butter and jam, a bowl of sliced strawberries, and a teapot under a cozy. I went straight for the bread, which was still warm. It steamed a little when I whacked off a big slice, and the butter melted into it. I took a bite and my mouth exploded in bliss.

The conversation started up again behind me, in quieter tones. Self-conscious, I stayed by the counter and poured myself a cup of tea.

Madera was watching me. I swallowed the last of my bread. “This is wonderful. Thank you.” I glanced toward the table and added in a whisper, “I didn't know you had other guests.”

“These are my neighbors. Would you like to meet them?”

Boy, howdy—except that I felt strangely shy. I took another swallow of tea and nodded.

Madera went over to the table and I followed a step behind him. The guys there stopped talking and looked up at us.

“I would like to introduce Amanda,” Madera said. “She is my guest for a while. Amanda, these are
Faranin, Lomen, Bironan, and Nathrin.”

Wow, wild names. I would never remember them all.

I smiled. “Hi.”

Three of them just gave me serious nods. The fourth one, Nathrin, actually smiled.

“
I am glad to meet you. You are a friend of Lenore?”

“
Um, yeah.”

“
She is a good soul.”

I didn't know what to say to that, so I just nodded. He was nice, I decided. His face was a little longer than Caeran's, but in the dark I couldn't have told them apart.

As if summoned by my thoughts, Caeran walked in. He had Len's car keys in his hand.

“
Good morning, Manda. Did you sleep well?”

“
Like a dead thing.”

He looked confused, then smiled and turned to his four doppelgangers. “Are you ready?”

They got up from the table and collected backpacks from a
banco
by the fireplace at the far end of the room. I looked at Caeran.

“
Going somewhere?”

“
My cousins need a ride to Albuquerque. I'll be back tomorrow.”

Five guys squished into Len's car for that long a drive? Must be something important.

Caeran exchanged a few words of flowy-talk with Madera, then led the other four away. I watched, kind of disappointed that I hadn't gotten to talk with them more.

I looked toward the stove. Madera was watching me as he stirred a pot.

“
Thanks for the welcome,” I said. “It's really nice of you, especially since you weren't expecting me.”

“
As you can see, I have plenty of room.”