NEWBORN: Book One of the Newborn Trilogy (13 page)

“I’m not scared,” I whisper in the dark. “So
why are you?”

He takes a step closer to me, the aquamarine
of his robe catching a patch of moonlight. “Scared? Nora, I’m a
wizard who hunts vampires. I’m not scared. That doesn’t mean this
isn’t dangerous. The BOM is serious about this kind of thing. If
they find out they
will
send people. It could ruin my
career.”

I won’t let him back down. “I know you feel
something for me,” I say, impossibly keeping my tone under control.
“I can see it in your eyes – in your expression when we talk. I
don’t believe you keep following me around for laughs. There’s a
reason you keep seeing me. It’s the same reason I’m always happy to
see you.”

“…the BOM –”

“Doesn’t have to know!” I interject loudly.
“How can they?”

Irritation quickens his words. “Nora, this
isn’t the Immag world we’re talking about. They
will
find
out. There are magical tools and spells that search for this kind
of thing. Being in the northwest –”

“Means they can’t find out?”

“They can,” Gabriel answers. “But it will
take them longer since there are few wizards in this part of the
country.”

I try my best to smile sweetly at him.

You’re terrible at flirting
, my alter
ego remarks dryly.

Shut up!
I tell her.
At least I’m
trying!

My attempt is lost in the drowning darkness,
the light from Gabriel’s wand dispersed down to the ground. We’re
alone on the path, the trees growing larger around us in the
shadowy loam. The woods, so loud minutes ago with the sounds of
animals and insects are quiet, as though the entire forest stopped
to watch us beyond the scope of our light.

“I do want this, Nora,” Gabriel says. “I – I
didn’t understand why I wanted to keep seeing you. I thought it
couldn’t be
that
because – well – you’re an Immag. But
there’s so much on the line. Everything I’ve worked for my whole
life. Everything I’ve wanted to be. I could lose it all…”

Despite this most recent attack on Immags,
I’m taken by his words. I didn’t realize how risky it would be.

This is his way of turning you down
,
my alter ego tells me.
He thinks you’re ugly
.

Just because you have low self esteem
,
I tell her,
doesn’t mean I do!

“I understand,” I tell Gabriel. “I really do.
They may arrest me too, right? But I’m not afraid of them. Fear
can’t dictate who I decide to go out with. Fear can’t control my
decisions. And fear can’t ruin my happiness – I won’t let it. Will
you let it, Gabriel? Will you let it ruin your happiness?”

He ponders this, then says “Come on” and in a
swoosh of his robes he’s off along the path, his wand hand
outstretched and guiding the way forward, the light glowing
brightly amidst the coming trees. I’m paralyzed for a second, but
then I hurry to catch up. When I do, I take his hand again.

His body tenses around my touch, but he
doesn’t pull free this time. Nor does he look at me. He’s forced to
slow down to match my pace, and we continue on in silence. I can’t
keep the smile off my face. The feel of his hand in mine is
wonderful – the electricity of his touch thrumming through my body
all the way to my heart where our pulses are synching their
rhythms.

I realize how stunningly magical the forest
is at night, how the warm air seems to breathe from the trees, and
the patches of sky visible through foliage are star strewn. The
natives of the forest have resumed their nighttime partying. Their
whistles, calls, and murmurs come to us on the moist air. Best of
all, we’re coming close to our destination, the thinning trees
revealing the promise beyond.

We emerge on the beach. The light at the end
of Gabriel’s wand quavers in response to the task of so much ground
to cover, yet the shoreline is already visible. The trees
surrounding Eld Inlet dance as a northerly wind rustles their
nighttime slumber. I hear the sound of water weaving back and forth
along the shore, washing away the imprints on the sand like worries
in my heart.

I’m beginning to love this place. No – I
do
love it.

Gabriel stops at the shoreline, his gaze
raiding everything we can see from the glow of his wand. He’s
thinking hard about something. For once I let him have his thought
process undisturbed. This is me being tactful. I’m trying to
persuade him, after all.

Squeezing my hand, Gabriel turns. “I can’t
say where it will go.”

“Me either,” I say quickly. “But who knows?
It can go anywhere.”

“Including nowhere,” he says, dislodging his
eyes from me and staring over the water. “Including nowhere,” he
repeats more quietly. A look of terrible sadness breaks across his
face. He closes his eyes. “There is no such thing as a guarantee in
life about anything, Nora. Never forget that.”

What the? This seems off topic.

“I won’t,” I say.

“Never feel sorry for the old,” he continues.
“Never, Nora. It’s easy to find yourself being an apologist for the
aged and feeble. But anybody who’s lived so long should only give,
not receive. The old have been young and everything in between, but
the young may never grow old.”

What on earth is he talking about? I have to
bring it back to us. “I know,” I tell him. “That’s why I want to do
this, Gabriel! That’s why I want to be a part of your life! Because
more life isn’t guaranteed. Because we may never achieve far off
dreams. Some dreams are worth living now.”

He looks at me in surprise. “You’re right,
Nora. You’re absolutely right…” His words trail off across the
water to where trees wave in the wind. “But I have a mission,” he
murmurs, more to himself than me. “I have a job to do here in
Olympia. I can’t get distracted. Can’t give up my goal.”

“Isn’t happiness a goal?” I ask him. “Isn’t
happiness a mission? Talk about a distraction! What if your dream
of perpetrating vampire genocide is a distraction from your own,
real
happiness?”

Turquoise eyes meet mine. He grins. “Are you
saying I’m astray?”

Blushing furiously, I swipe my hair over my
ear. Geez, how did he get me so good with that one? “Maybe,” I tell
him, though my gaze is eating the ground. “Who am I to say? I can’t
tell you how to live your life. I just want to ask you on a
date.”

This is good – this subtle, devious approach
of mine. Frankly, I’d like to give him a massive overhaul. But it
can wait, for now I need to get a foot in the door, and later
hopefully other parts of my body, too.

Tracing my knuckles with his thumb, Gabriel
lifts my hand to his mouth and kisses it smoothly. My mouth drops
open. Oh geez! Who’d have thought such a simple thing could be so
disarming? I’ve seen it done to others, but experiencing it
personally is so different. So much better.

“A date you can have,” Gabriel says quietly,
lowering my hand and squeezing it. “I know myself too well to
promise anything more. But that would be nice. It’s – uh – been a
long time since I’ve been on a date. Not since Magasant’s
Millennial Ball, actually. That was in fifth year.”

He’s being modest. “I don’t believe you,” I
say teasingly, “You’re so clever and so…” I want to say gorgeous,
but not wanting to push it, I say, “charming. I can imagine girls
lining up for you.”

He chuckles lightly, swiping his blond hair
to the side of his forehead. “Nah. You don’t exactly wear your
grades. I didn’t have money until I started working at the Bureau
of Beast Control and that was after I graduated. I suppose I looked
raggedy to most of them,” he says ruefully.

“They must have been insane,” I tell him. “I
– I think you’re pretty.”

Keep the praise moderate, Nora
, scolds
my alter ego.
You’re not a wizard groupie
.

Gabriel waves me away and looks down, pulling
his fine, aquamarine robes around him in a flourish. “Now I do! Now
I have money and can afford decent clothes that aren’t completely
embarrassing!”

He’s missing the point. I decide to move on.
Gabriel is still holding my hand. I pull it free to swipe my
suddenly windswept hair behind my ear. I can feel the electric
pulse of his warmth even when we’re not touching.

“When should we go on our date?” I ask
him.

I look down bashfully as I ask, but when no
answer comes I’m forced to look up. Gabriel is gazing over the
cool, lapping waves. The turquoise of his eyes illuminated in his
wand light. He looks lost.

My impulse to ask again is strong but I fight
it off. He’s gathering his thoughts, or else some far away
revelation. I feel it would be unwise to interrupt him. Yet I can
hardly wait for his answer.

Gabriel looks back. “How about now?”

“Now?” I repeat in shock. “How now?”

He smiles at this. “I’m not tired. Are
you?”

“Not at all,” I reply, staring back.
Transfixed.

“The beach is ours,” Gabriel continues, his
eyes growing brighter with each passing second. “The waves too.
Nobody is here to see us or ruin our fun. Nobody will make
judgments of what we did here tonight. But later I might make
judgments about what we
didn’t
do here tonight.”

What the fuck?
What is he talking
about?

I shake my head. “I’m sorry,” I tell him. “I
don’t understand.”

“Want to go for a swim?” Turquoise eyes are
alight.

I guffaw. “What! Now? Here?”

“Yes,” he answers simply, “here and now.”

I’m actually terrified by the idea. I can’t
say why but I know I can’t do it. “I don’t have a bathing suit,” I
say quickly.

“Neither do I,” he counters with a grin.

His meaning dawns on me. “You – you want to
go skinny dipping?”

Gabriel nods, his grin widening. “It’ll be
fun. Nobody will see.”

“You will see!” I exclaim. “You’ll see me
naked!”

He looks surprised by my sudden insecurity.
“So what?” he asks, his grin slipping. “You’ll see
me
naked
too.”

“It’s not the same,” I pout. My eyes travel
the length of his wand to the tip where its light illuminates our
faces. Mine burning with embarrassment and his taken aback. “I’ve
never gone skinny dipping before!”

“There’s always a first time,” he murmurs.
His soothing voice seems to relax my nerves if not my anxiety.
“Listen to your heart, Nora. Look me in the face and tell me no
part of you – not the slightest bit – wants to do this. Take a
moment, search every crevice of your being, and tell me that.”

I open my mouth to denounce his idea. Then
close it again. I’m doing what he asked me to do – asking myself
that question. Yes. There she is. From deep inside me the stronger
Nora, the braver Nora, the daring Nora speaks out, begging me not
to back down.

Come on, Nora
! My alter ego is loud
and clear.
Don’t be your usual cringing self!

But I’m scared!
I tell her.
Scared
of him seeing me naked!

I open my mouth. “I’m in,” I say before I can
stop myself. “But only if you put that wand out first!”

“Deal,” he says, looking relieved.

I stare in the direction of lapping waves.
“Won’t it be cold?”

“Yes,” he admits. “Very cold. Hold on – stand
still.”

Folding my arms behind me, I stand still.
What is he up to?

“Close your eyes,” he orders. I close them,
my combined excitement and anxiety making me giddy. I feel his wand
tip at my throat. He drags it down to my collar bone and up the
other side around my ear. Then it’s under my jaw, feeling my pulse.
Ecstatic tingles race over my body. I can’t figure out why, but I’m
enjoying the sensation of his wand on me. “Equilibri,” Gabriel
breathes, and I feel my body temperature rise. He withdraws his
wand. “There,” he says, “you will stay a comfortable
temperature.”

“Thanks,” I say, still eyeing his wand. Geez,
I hope he puts that out before I get undressed.

Gabriel touches his pulse with his wand.
“Equilibri.”

“Ready?” I ask.

With a flick he extinguishes his wand. “Let’s
go.”

We’re in near darkness now. Only the
moonlight shines down on the beach, but its charity is minimal and
reserved. I’m grateful for this, for despite what some might call a
nice figure I blush too easily even when I’m not naked. Pulling my
tank top over my head I unzip my jeans and step out of them.
Pulling my bra down my arms I toss it to the sand and then swipe
off my panties.

Gabriel is already naked. Under his robes was
nothing but a T-shirt and underwear. Even as moonlight reveals a
swatch of muscular torso, most of him is still hidden in darkness.
Left to my imagination. I wonder what parts of me he can see. I
gulp involuntarily. I decide I don’t want to know.

“I’ll race you,” Gabriel says. “You in?”

I’ve come this far. “Okay.”

“One, two, three!”

We’re off. Dashing like crazy people for the
water. My feet sink in the sand with the force of my motion but I
pull them free. I gasp with pain when I step on the jagged edge of
a rock. But I’m having too much fun to care. Whooping, I plow
forward, keeping track of Gabriel beside me.

Nearing the water, he throws on an extra
burst of speed and catapults in. I’m in the water too. I gasp the
rush of cold assaulting me, but the next second the sensation is
gone. I’m warm and comfortable. I realize this isn’t a quick
adjustment to the water, but magic. Magic on my side.

Swimming naked is like swimming with clothes
on, except you feel a hundred times more vulnerable. For somebody
who already feels vulnerable when in water, this is a maddeningly
sweet surrender. Gushing around me in thunderous motion the water
envelops me and holds me up as I float on my back. I hear it in my
ears and smell it in my nose as I gaze up at the moon.