The Misadventures of Annika Brisby (30 page)

“Well you know, samodivi
are
just wood nymphs,” he said matter-of-factly. “They’re known to be quite fickle. Whatever was said, I wouldn’t worry about it too much. Besides, a healer is supposed to do no harm. It wouldn’t make much sense for her to not speak to you.” He took off his helmet and wiggled out of the cloak, retrieving her clothes that had lain on the ground untouched. He pulled the shirt over her head and put her arms through the sleeves carefully.

“Do you think you can stand? Do you have the strength?”

“I think so,” Annika said and let him help her up. He knelt in front of her, helping her step into the legs of her pants. She was dizzier than she realized, and shivering so violently that she fell, catching herself on his broad shoulders.

He stopped still, his head turning very slowly to look up at her face. She wasn’t sure if he knew how much emotional pain she was in, but every warm breath that fell to her thighs made it that much more unbearable. It was like fuel to the fire that burned inside, a fire that wanted nothing but to physically consume and be consumed by him at that very moment. Sariel’s teasing voice entered her head as she felt the blood rushing in her body.

“I wonder what else he said he had for you?”

“You have to finish getting dressed,” he told her in a low rumble. His pale blue eyes did not move from hers.

“I…I can’t move,” she shuddered. “Please, Nikola…” She gripped his shoulders a little tighter, wishing he would pull her just a little closer.

“Annika, you
must get dressed,
” he repeated. She quivered as he turned his face away from her and towards the source of her frustration. His warm hand slid up her calves and coaxed her knees apart before he resumed that exhilarating gaze into her eyes. She saw him take her by waist and turn her around, and then push her onto her hands and knees right there in the grass. She felt his hands grab onto both her hipbones and pull her backwards onto that white-hot spire of his, diving deeper and deeper into her body. Then she blinked, and realized she was still standing in front of him, clutching his shoulders. He parted his lips as if he were about to say something, but instead bit his lip and pulled her pants up the rest of the way, knotting the cord tight. He rose slowly and looked into her imploring eyes in silence. He led her over to where his elk had been standing, and stuck his warm helmet on her cold, wet head. The great animal knelt down, and Nikola straddled him, pulling Annika to sit in front of him without a word. He held onto her carefully as the elk stood up and began walking back to the campsite. They rode for a long time in silence. Although her upper body was damp and warm under the furs, her damp toes felt frozen inside her shoes.

The physical handicap she had experienced had subsided enough that her thoughts began to make more sense. She had wanted Nikola at that moment more than anything else with an unparalleled hunger, but she didn’t understand why it was so overwhelming. She honestly had no interest in him until that instant.

“Nikola, I don’t know what came over me. I’m so sorry. I totally embarrassed myself back there,” Annika said, beginning to feel tremendous guilt.

“Don’t feel embarrassed. It will wear off after a while,” he reassured her.

“What will wear off?”

“The amulet…it’s just getting used to your energy levels. I didn’t think it would increase your…
appetite
quite that much,” he explained, stifled a laugh.

“What? Is
that
what you wouldn’t tell me the other night? That this thing turns you into a nymphomaniac?” she asked, wondering why Dragana would give her such a thing.

“It doesn’t make you experience any qualities that you don’t already possess,” he breathed quietly. “It intensifies your life force and other related traits. I thought that you might notice a slight change in that area in particular. Sex
is
the source of life, after all.”

“I don’t think I need to be wearing this thing,” Annika said with a skeptical frown. “It’s getting me into more trouble than I can handle.”

“No, it’s almost acclimated to your energy levels,” he observed. “I think the worst is over. The amulet only amplifies what’s there to begin with, utilizing all of your qualities to their fullest potential. For example, I’ve noticed that you’re already more sure of yourself, and it’s just a matter of time before you can see bits of the future or even read a few thoughts from those among the group. You’ll become more level-headed as well.”

“Are you saying I’m not?” she asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

“Now don’t go putting words into my mouth,” he said, but he couldn’t help smiling softly. “What I’m saying is that the yin and yang of it will make you feel more balanced. Just give it time.”

Annika took a few minutes to digest all of what he had told her, realizing that under normal circumstances she never would have been so forward with him. She waited a moment before concluding her interrogation.

“Can I ask you something else?”

“What is it?”

“Why didn’t you, you
know
, even though I wanted to?”

“Mmm…” He offered no words, as if he were thinking of a reason. Or perhaps there were too many reasons for him to choose just one.

“Is it because of Talvi?” she asked soberly. “Because I won’t tell him what happened.”

“Nothing happened to tell him about.”

“Something almost did.”

“But nothing did,” he asserted. “Nothing that’s worth mentioning.” They rode on for a while longer.

“Nikola, how did you know where I was?” she asked. “I should be dead.”

“No, you shouldn’t. It’s not your time. My grandmother said you are meant for bigger things, and I truly believe it.”

“But how did you know where to find me? How did you know I needed help?”

“I just knew. I have my ways,” was all he would reveal.

the multiple definitions of what specifically constitutes lying

When they got back to the camp, the only ones to greet them were the samodivi, the fairies, and Zaven.

“Where is everyone else?” Nikola asked as he helped Annika down and set her on a blanket near the fire next to the sleeping wolves. She felt content to hide under his fur cloak and ram’s horns as long as she could; she was hoping that meant forever.

“When we came back, Yuri and Konstantin and Vaj had already left to hunt,” Runa informed them, staring wide-eyed at his blood-soaked, one-sleeved shirt. “Then Talvi took Finn with him to go find you.”

Nikola turned to Dardis and Chivanni.

“Could you find them and let them know Annika is safe?”

“But my omelet isn’t quite done. It just needs another minute or two for the cheese to melt properly,” Chivanni argued, holding a long-handled pan over the fire.

“I’ll take care of it, don’t worry. I would go myself, but I’m sure you can travel faster than I can,” Nikola told him with a wink.

“Well, yes, I probably can,” Chivanni agreed, and handed him the pan. “Nikola, why is there blood on your shirt?” he asked with concern, but Nikola pretended not to hear him.

“Come on, slow poke,” Dardis chirped at her red-haired friend and flitted into the sky. Chivanni huffed at Nikola’s lack of response before disappearing into a tiny flash of orange in search of the elven brothers.

“Why
is
there blood on your shirt?” Zaven asked after the fairies were long gone.

“We ran into Vaj,” was all he said as he flipped the omelet onto a plate and set the pan aside. He cut it into small pieces and then handed it to Annika. “Here. Eat what you can and I’ll finish the rest. You need your strength.” He instructed, and then took a wool tunic out of his bag and changed in front of them, wiping the remaining droplets of blood from his chest with the saturated shirt. His deliberate avoidance of any details left the others confused and speechless.

“Did you get hurt?” Hilda asked Annika, stepping over to her and kneeling beside her. Annika peeked from under the heavy hat and took it off slowly, setting it beside her. She felt ridiculous as she realized Nikola had been right about Hilda being more loyal to the art of healing than the art of casting a cold shoulder. She tilted her head to one side and revealed the crescent of four puncture wounds from the vampire’s fangs.

“Oh good gods!” Hilda exclaimed in a voice that contained both fear and confusion. “But you’re walking and talking just fine. I thought you’d be in worse shape.” She examined the injury carefully, while Annika stuffed her mouth full of omelet to avoid having to say anything.

“Where is Vaj?” Sariel asked.

“He’s dead,” Nikola said as if it were nothing out of the ordinary. The girls gasped in shock, and Nikola turned to address the samodivi.

“It’s not important, whatever was said out there,” he said in his perpetually calm voice. “You never should have left Annika alone, even at the very break of dawn. The vampires are weak right now. They are hungry and tired and that makes them even more dangerous. Keep in mind that the Dark Horse will probably be swarming with them, so it would do you good to reconcile. We won’t be defeating our enemy if we’re distracted by picking fights with one another over petty things.” He looked at every one of them until they all nodded, and they did indeed apologize to each other.

Annika could tell by her steely stare that it drove Sariel mad, not knowing exactly what happened after she left or what was said, but she kept her mouth shut. Runa returned to her sweet self quickly enough, and after Annika passed her leftover omelet to Nikola, Hilda applied an ointment to her neck and back. Runa picked up Nikola’s helmet and tried it on.

“Eww,” she whined, taking it off right away. “It’s all wet inside!”

“Yes, well regardless, little samodiva, you do look very nice in it,” said Zaven, giving her a wink. After finishing the omelet in a few quick bites, Nikola yawned and curled up by the fire like an exhausted animal. Like a wolf. A few minutes went by and Sariel waved her hand in front of his face. He was out cold.

“So what happened out there?” she asked Annika quietly. Zaven pretended to be busy preparing more to eat, but his curiosity was just as strong as Sariel’s.

“Vaj tried to drown me in the hot spring,” Annika said, keeping it as simple as possible. “Then Nikola showed up and killed him.”

“Yes, yes, but
how
did it happen? How did he kill a vampire by himself when he’s just a human?” Sariel asked. “I know he’s a druid, but still…how did he know where to find you?”

“I don’t know. I don’t want to talk about it,” Annika muttered, thankful that she wasn’t going to sleep anytime soon. The image of Vaj’s melting body was the stuff that nightmares were born of. She set the empty plate down and heard the hooves of two horses approaching. She squinted to see the centaur-like figures of Talvi and Finn bounding towards them in a blur of black and gold. They were followed overhead by two colorful orbs of light; one a fiery blaze and one a periwinkle star. Talvi jumped down from Ghassan and ran to Annika, examining her in his arms.

“Are you alright, my little dove? Are you hurt? Oh gods, your neck!” He grimaced at the wound.

“I’m okay, I’ll be fine. It’s a little sore, but other than that I’m okay,” she assured him, and he held her tight against his chest. She was so glad he was there, yet afraid of what he might see if he looked into her thoughts and saw her wanting Nikola to throw her down on the ground and take her like a beast.

“I knew something was going to happen to you,” Talvi fretted, still hugging her close. “This is exactly why I told you not to leave my side. But I have you now, and that’s all that matters.”

It wasn’t until the middle of the day that Konstantin and Yuri finally returned, just as Nikola was starting to wake up. As he gave the same bare-bones version of what happened out at the hot spring, the vampire didn’t seem too upset at the news that his companion was dead.

“Thank you for saving me the trouble,” he nodded from underneath the hood of his cloak. “I was intending to kill him at some point.”

“That’s what Madrook said,” Annika piped up. Konstantin was not the only one who gave her an odd look, as a few curious glances from around the fire all aimed in her direction.

“Did he tell you this?” Konstantin asked with deep interest.

“Who is Madrook?” asked Hilda. Annika looked at the red-eared wolf, and he lifted his head to look back at her, cocking his head to one side at hearing his name spoken aloud.

“You’re speaking with animals now?” Talvi asked with interest. “What else have you neglected to tell me?” Annika looked away from him before he could delve deep into her mind, and he frowned slightly. He lifted her to her feet, and led her into the trees, out of earshot of the others.

“Are you certain you aren’t in pain?” he asked as they walked away, looking at the blood-soaked cloth around her neck. “I can’t believe the samodivi left you alone when that fiend was out and about. And you never should have left me like that. You know I would have come with you; you only need ask.” He sounded very annoyed with her behavior. “Why did you sneak off in the first place?”

“Honestly, we wanted to take a bath. We thought we’d be okay if there was a group of us,” Annika said with a guilty shrug. “But then we said some stupid things to each other and they got mad and left.”

“What exactly did they say to you?” he asked. Annika pursed her lips, not knowing whether to tell him or not. She chose her words carefully.

“Sariel said I made a fool of myself the night that Nikola was explaining this to me,” she said, touching the amulet gently. “And I basically told her she was full of shit.” Talvi snickered a little. He agreed with Sariel much more than he did with Annika.

“If that’s what you said, it’s no wonder she left. This may come as a surprise to you my little dove, but Sariel is
never
wrong,” he said with a dry smile.

“I noticed,” Annika said, grateful to see him smile. “I think she’s just jealous that Dragana gave it to me and not her. It’s really powerful.”

“Perhaps. But Sariel doesn’t need it nearly as much as you. I think it’s quite a cold amulet to have.” It took Annika a moment to realize what Talvi was trying to say.

“Do you mean
cool
?”

“Right, that’s the word I meant.” He touched the tip of her nose affectionately with his finger, but a sadness lingered in his voice. “It’s a good thing that Nikola showed up when he did.” He sighed and looked down at his feet. He still seemed deeply troubled. She hadn’t looked him in the eye for longer than a few seconds; hopefully he didn’t know her secret. “I don’t know about him,” he went on. “I’ve never seen him until at the meeting, but he acts as though he knows me quite well. I can’t figure him out at all. His mind is impossible to read.”

“What do you need to figure out? He’s obviously a good person. A little weird, maybe,” Annika said, and those icy blue eyes appeared again. Nikola’s breath on her bare skin. His hand sliding up her knees, prying her thighs apart. The animal urges were coming back, like an inevitable storm.

“It makes me so angry that I wasn’t there; that I wasn’t the one to protect you. It’s my duty, not his,” Talvi said spitefully.

“If you want to feel more manly, I’m sure there are other ways,” she said, reaching seductively towards his belt, but Talvi pulled her hands away.

“What’s wrong?”

“I’m not in the mood,” he said in a sharp tone.

“But you always are,” she insisted, feeling the burn that flickered at her insides.

“Annika, you almost
died
tonight! In fact, your neck is still bleeding. Forgive me if I don’t feel romantic,” he snapped back at her. “I don’t know how you can even
think
about that right now!”

Annika didn’t know what to say, and thus they sat in silence until the cold air drove them to return to the warmth of the fire. They rode back without saying a word to each other and lie down next to each other, not speaking. It was pointless to argue with such a stubborn creature as Talvi. Madrook slinked over to Annika and curled up beside her. She fell asleep petting his soft and thick winter coat, but Talvi lay awake, wondering…