by I. T. Lucas
“I did, but the bedroom arrangements of Victorian couples didn’t interest me.”
“What did?”
“What I find fascinating about history are the major trends. Political, economic, philosophical, religious, etc. I’m interested in the macro, not the micro.”
“I’m the other way around. I like to know how people from different cultures interact amongst themselves. I used to watch a Japanese reality show about a group of young people sharing a house. It was fascinating. They were so polite and so cordial to each other. It was very different from the way young Americans interact with each other.”
“Why did you stop?”
“I got recruited into the program, and we didn’t have time to watch television.”
“What about when you were with the clan?”
She shrugged. “I didn’t know that my new buddies were immortal. They told me that they were an organization of paranormally talented people. So much was going on that I lost interest in the show. But maybe I’ll go back to it now. It’s very calming to watch, and I don’t have much else to do.” She looked up at him and smiled sadly. “I’m kind of lonely. I know that you spend as much time as you can with me, so I’m not complaining, but I really miss Jin and Mey and also Kri and Vivian.”
It seemed that Jacki craved female company, which was the one thing he couldn’t give her.
Pushing to his feet, Kalugal lifted his phone off the desk. “I should call Kian and get you Jin’s phone number.”
“He’s not going to give you that. Ask him for her email.”
“It doesn’t hurt to try.” He placed the call, but as usual, it went to voicemail. “He’ll call back in a few minutes. In the meantime, would you like another drink?”
“Yes, please.” She handed him her empty glass.
“Another old fashioned?”
“Yes. I liked it a lot.”
As he refilled their glasses, Kalugal’s phone pinged with an incoming text.
Handing Jacki her drink, he read the message out loud. “From now on, please text me whenever you wish to communicate with me.” Kalugal chuckled. “I wondered how long it would take Kian to figure out this simple solution.”
Jacki shrugged. “Texting is not the same as talking on the phone. It’s impersonal. But I guess that in your case it’s the only way it can work. No one wants to be compelled.”
“I offered him my word that I wouldn’t do that, but he doesn’t trust me yet.” Kalugal put his drink down on the side table and read the text as he typed it. “Jacki wants to talk to Jin. She asks for her phone number.”
“He’s not going to do that,” Jacki repeated.
The response wasn’t surprising, and Kalugal read it out loud as well. “Nice try. She can send the texts to me, and I’ll forward them to Jin.”
Kalugal cast Jacki a sidelong glance. “Is that going to work for you?”
“I don’t want Kian to read my texts. Ask him for Jin’s email address.”
“Okay. Here it goes.” He started typing. “Jacki doesn’t want you to read her conversations with Jin. She asks for Jin’s email address instead.”
Later, when Jacki wasn’t around, he was going to ask Kian to remind Jin to refrain from mentioning Jacki’s potential dormancy.
Things were going well, and she was starting to have feelings for him. Once those blossomed into love, he would reveal the possibility, but not before.
Jacki lifted a hand. “Don’t send it like that. Erase the first part.”
“Why? It’s precisely what you said.”
“I don’t want to insult Kian.”
“He would not get insulted by that, but I’ll do as you wish.” Kalugal erased the first part and hit send.
Watching the dancing dots, he waited for the response. “He is typing up a storm.”
A minute passed before the return text arrived, and Kalugal read it out loud once more.
“I’ll get Jin’s email for Jacki, but I need to make sure that it’s secure first. On another note, I spoke with Lokan, and we talked about scheduling a meeting with you this Saturday. Each of us will be allowed to bring three men with him, and we will communicate via tablets. Lokan and I and our men will have earplugs in to protect us from your compulsion. Let me know if it works for you.”
Jacki pumped her fist up in the air. “Finally! You guys are going to talk face to face, and you are going to meet your brother. You must be so excited.”
“I’m amused that everyone is so scared of me.”
“What did you expect?”
He shrugged. “I would have liked to talk with my brother without Kian there and without earplugs. But if that’s the only option, I’ll take it.”
“Baby steps, Kalugal.” Jacki leaned toward him and put her hand on his arm. “This is only the beginning. Once the three of you get to know each other better, maybe Kian and Lokan would be willing to take a risk and talk to you without earplugs.”
“I doubt Kian would. But I hope Lokan will.” Kalugal texted back. Let me know when and where.
58
Jacki
“I was looking for you.” Kalugal walked over to Jacki’s workstation in the kitchen. “Kian sent me Jin’s email.” He handed her a note with two email addresses scribbled on it. “The first one is Jin’s, and the second one is yours. I created a new one for you. Don’t use your old one.”
“Obviously.”
It hadn’t even crossed Jacki’s mind that her old email address was probably scrutinized and that she shouldn’t use it, but she didn’t want Kalugal to think that she was dumb.
He leaned closer to the pot. “What are you making?”
She smiled. “What does it smell like?”
There was enough garlic in it to repel a horde of vampires, but she doubted that part of the legend was true. Besides, Kalugal wasn’t a vampire. He had the fangs and the mental tricks vampires were famous for, but he didn’t drink blood.
Or did he?
Arwel had explained that the fangs were designed to deliver venom and not to suck blood. He hadn’t explained what the venom did, but she assumed it was either a paralytic or a poison like a snake’s or a spider’s venom. The immortals probably used it to fight each other, or maybe they had in the past when they’d been less civilized. She couldn’t imagine Kalugal, with his refined speech and his elegant clothing, biting into the neck of an opponent.
The idea was ridiculous.
“It smells like spaghetti sauce,” Kalugal said.
“Correct. Tonight, we are eating spaghetti with meatballs.”
It was a simple dish, and given Kalugal’s impassive expression, it wasn’t on his favorites list.
He was such a snob. But she was going to change his mind. “I know that it’s not the fancy stuff you are used to, but I promise that you’re going to love it.”
“I’m sure. How long until it’s ready?”
“Half an hour tops.”
He glanced at his watch. “I have at least two more hours of work, and I would rather finish what I have to do and leave the evening free, so I can spend it with you. Can we eat dinner at seven?"
After he put it like that, she couldn’t refuse.
“No problem. I’ll just reheat it. That’s one of the advantages of simple cooking. To taste good, it doesn’t have to be served as soon as it’s ready. In fact, the flavors blend better when it’s left in the fridge overnight.”
“I have no doubt. So far, everything you’ve made was delicious.” He sniffed at the pot again and then smiled at her. “Everything tastes better in the right company.” He leaned closer and whispered in her ear. “Nevertheless, tomorrow you are taking a break from cooking, and Atzil is going to serve just you and me in the library. I want to dine alone with you.”
As excited butterflies took flight in her belly, she wondered whether it was Kalugal's closeness and the scent of his cologne that had caused it or the prospect of dining alone with him.
The truth was that Jacki regret
ted including Rufsur and Phinas because they made the dining experience awkward instead of relaxed. She preferred spending time with Kalugal alone. He was such a pleasure to talk to, and he knew so much about so many things.
“Okay,” she whispered back.
He smiled. “What, no arguing?”
“Nope.” She leaned really close to his ear so Atzil wouldn’t hear her. “I’m tired of Rufsur’s sour mood and snarky remarks, and Phinas just doesn’t say much. I like being with you.”
Kalugal’s face-splitting grin was adorable. He looked like he’d just won first prize in a competition, which in a way he had. Except, he had won it before it had even begun.
No one could compete with him.
Taking her hand, he lifted it to his lips and kissed it gently. “Thank you. I like being alone with you too. I could spend years looking into your beautiful eyes.” He smirked. “No one has ever listened to what I have to say so intently. Your eyes are so expressive.”
The heavy intimacy of the moment was broken by Atzil clearing his throat. “I’ll be in the pantry for the next five minutes.”
Chuckling softly, Kalugal looked at her lips. “I wish we could have given him a better reason for his retreat.”
Damn.
The urge to close the scant inches between them was overpowering. He was standing so close to her that Jacki could smell his exquisite cologne despite the strong aromas wafting from her pot.
She wanted to kiss him so badly, but that would be a colossal mistake. She shouldn’t have fessed up to enjoying his company that much. Now he would get ideas and get even bolder.
“Since we are not going to eat right away, I’ll go to my room and start modeling for Jin the new stuff you’ve gotten me.”
As Kalugal let go of her hand and took a step back, there was regret in his eyes. “Don’t forget that I want pictures too.”
“I won’t.”
Note to self. No sexy poses.
After Kalugal left, Jacki took a couple of minutes to collect herself, and once her heartbeat returned to normal, she turned the stove off and headed upstairs.
Selecting the best of the bunch, she spread the outfits on top of the closet’s central island. She took a few pictures while posing in front of a mirror, and then had the brilliant idea to shoot a short video while turning this way and that.
When she was done, Jacki wrote Jin a short email asking how she was feeling and how things were going with Arwel. She then added a short recap of what had been going on with her and Kalugal, attached several of the photos and videos, and hit send.
Staring at the screen, Jacki was aware that there was no guarantee Jin was going to see her email anytime soon. She might be busy with her guy and with her new friends, or maybe working on her fashion line. Now that her mission was over and she was free, Jin could start on her new life.
Except, Jacki wondered how Jin was dealing with the fact that Arwel was an immortal, and she was a human. It seemed like neither of them was bothered by that, while for Jacki it was a deal-breaker.
The thing was, Jin wasn’t like Jacki, and hooking up with a guy just for the fun of it was no big deal for her. Except, it was quite obvious that Jin’s feelings for Arwel ran deep and that she wanted a long-term relationship with him.
When the tablet lit up with an incoming email, Jacki smiled happily.
Hi, girlfriend,
I’m so happy to finally be able to talk to you even if it’s only through emails.
Arwel and I are doing great. We moved into a brand new house together, and since Arwel is on vacation, we are basically doing nothing other than making love, taking romantic strolls, eating romantic dinners, and meeting with friends.
Now back to you. You look amazing! And I’m not talking just about the gorgeous clothes. You are radiant. And the outfits, oh my gosh, are some of them Herve Leger? Kalugal must be really into you to fork out a small fortune on that, not to mention the huge one on Kian’s charity.
I want all the juicy details, girl. And don’t you dare play aloof and keep me in the dark.
Waiting with bated breath, Jin.
Jacki smiled and started typing a return email when it occurred to her that Kalugal might be spying on her communication with Jin.
After all, he’d created for her a new email address, and she was using his tablet as well as his Wi-Fi network. If he wanted to, he could tap into it easily, which meant that Jin was not going to get any juicy details.
Still, there was no harm in asking her about her relationship with Arwel and how they were making it work.
I’m sorry to disappoint you, but there are no juicy details. I’m here in an advisory position. Kalugal wants the human perspective, and I am it. He is very knowledgeable, and spending time with him is very enjoyable, but there is nothing going on between us.
She was such a liar, but if Kalugal was reading this, he might back off a little and give her some room to breathe.
Congrats on the new house. I’m so happy that you and Arwel are having a good time, resting and enjoying each other. Except, I keep wondering how you are going to solve the lifespans difference problem. I hope you don’t mind me asking, and if you do, just tell me to bug off.
Love,
Jacki.
She hit send and waited.
The return email came in a couple of minutes later.
Arwel and I have plenty of time to worry about that. My motto is; live today to the fullest and don’t think about yesterday or tomorrow.
My advice to you is to do the same.
Have some fun, Jacki, enjoy the now and stop worrying about the future.
Your bestie forever,
Jin.
59
Vlad
“Vlad, can you open the door?” his mother called from her craft room. “It’s Vanessa. I’ll be out in a moment.”
His heart skipped a beat. As much as he didn’t want to think about Wendy, he couldn’t help wanting to hear what Vanessa had to say about her.
Was she sorry for hurting him?
Was she still crying?
Had she had an incredibly compelling reason to betray him?
Forcing an impassive expression, he opened the door. “Good evening, Vanessa.”
“Hello, Vlad.” She walked in. “How was your day?”
He shrugged. “The usual. I worked at the bakery from four in the morning until seven, did my school work, and then had a couple of classes.”
“You’re a busy guy.”
“The busier, the better.”
Everything was better than obsessing about Wendy, but the problem was that baking didn’t engage his mind as well as schoolwork did, and he’d spent the entire three hours trying not to think about Wendy and failing.
“Hi.” His mother walked into the living room. ”You look like you had a long day.”
Vanessa sighed. “I’m exhausted.” She plopped down on the couch and put her purse on the coffee table.
“Can I get you something to drink?” Vlad asked.
“Do you have something bubbly?” She smiled. “Not champagne. It’s too early to celebrate. But a soda would be lovely.”
“Coming right up.”
He walked into the kitchen and pulled several bottles of Perrier out of the fridge.
Despite looking tired, Vanessa seemed upbeat. Had she gone to visit Wendy and was she encouraged by what she’d learned?
A tiny spark of hope ignited in Vlad’s heart, but he refused to let it spread. Unless Wendy had betrayed him to save someone’s life, he couldn’t forgive her, and the chances of that were slim because she’d been a planted mole from the very start.
“Are you excited about Saturday?” Vanessa asked as he handed her the bottle.
“I’m not.” Vlad sat on an armchair facing her. “I’m still not sure that I want to go.”
Frowning, Vanessa leaned toward him. “It’s too late to back down now. Everything is set in motion.” She grimaced. “Well, except for one thing. Ingrid bai
led out. She has a backlog of work and can’t get away.”
“That’s too bad.” His mother reached for one of the other Perrier bottles. “What are you going to do? Leave that guy behind in the keep?”
Vlad shook his head. “I don’t want to be alone with Wendy up there. You should cancel the whole thing.”
Vanessa cast a sidelong glance at his mother. “I was hoping that you could take her place and keep an eye on the kids. The moral support would be good for Vlad.”
The therapist’s intentions were transparent, and his mother wasn’t stupid.
“Come on, Vanessa. If you want to hook me up with the guy, just say so. I appreciate the offer, but I’ve never even met him. Don’t you think I should at least get a look at the guy before committing to an entire week with him?”
“Look, I don’t expect you to fall in love with him at first sight or anything like that, but I know that you can take your work with you, so it’s not a problem in that respect, and who knows? You might like Richard. And if not, you’re just going to enjoy a week in the mountains.”
“What do you think about that, Vlad?” his mother asked. “What’s your opinion on Richard?”
“He is okay. But I’m really not the one you should be asking. It’s not like I want him as my stepdad.” He cringed. “I really don’t want to talk about it.”
“Fair enough.” His mother turned to Vanessa. “Are you offering this to me because I’m Vlad’s mother, because I can work from anywhere, or because you think that Richard and I are a good match?”
“All of the above. I’ve talked with him today, and I think that you are going to like him.”
As Vanessa and his mother continued discussing Richard and his attributes, Vlad tuned them out.
Thinking of Richard with his mother creeped him out, but it wasn’t about him.
