by I. T. Lucas
“That makes Dalhu truly unique. He’s not a young immortal, and yet he managed to break through the brainwashing.”
Rufsur chuckled. “That’s because he fell for Amanda. His love and desire for her overpowered the brainwashing.”
Edna sighed. “Before, I understood it on an intellectual level, but now I get it viscerally. While I’m away from you, there is a pressure in my chest, a heaviness that only talking with you relieves. Those are the only times I can breathe normally.”
“Same here, my love. Unfortunately, Kalugal is getting impatient and I need to get back to work. I’ll call you later tonight.”
Edna smiled. “Any special instructions?”
“Surprise me.”
39
Eleanor
“Ella,” Eleanor whispered as her niece entered the room. “You are all grown up and so beautiful.”
She had pink hair, but it looked cute on her, and that face of hers belonged on an angel.
“Hi.” Her niece waved.
Next to Ella was a petite redhead. “Hello, Eleanor. I’m Doctor Bridget.” She wasn’t wearing a lab coat, but her authoritative tone didn’t leave room for guesswork even if she hadn’t introduced herself.
“What’s wrong with me, doctor?”
Bridget put the small tray she’d carried in on the rolling table and pushed it closer to the bed. “We will know in a second. I need to make a small cut on your hand.”
“Why?”
“It’s a test. And after we see the results, I can tell you what’s wrong, or rather what’s right with you.”
If all it took to get some answers was a small cut, Eleanor was all for it. “Go ahead.”
The doctor gripped her hand firmly, swiped it with antiseptic, and before Eleanor knew what was happening, she felt a sharp pain in her palm.
“Ouch. How did you do it so fast? I didn’t even see you move.”
“That’s the idea. I didn’t give you time to get scared.” Bridget held on to her hand and looked at the cut intently.
Some blood welled over the cut, but given the sharp pain she’d felt, it was much less than Eleanor had expected. It also stopped hurting almost right away. The antiseptic must have contained an analgesic component.
Vivian and Ella were also looking at the cut intently, Vivian from the other side of the bed, and Ella over the doctor’s shoulder.
“Wow,” Ella said. “That’s fast.”
“You must be very close to the source.” The doctor wiped the blood away with a piece of gauze.
The cut was gone. How could it be?
Were they trying some new medication on her? Anything that could bring about such rapid healing would sell like crazy.
“What was in that antiseptic?”
The doctor chuckled. “It was just Betadine. The special ingredient was in your genes.” She gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “Welcome to immortality, Eleanor.”
“What are you talking about? What did you do to me?”
The doctor looked at Vivian. “Do you want to explain? Or should I?”
“I’ll do it.” Ella hopped on the hospital bed. “You are no longer in Kansas, Eleanor. Get ready to discover Oz.”
“First tell me is it good or bad.”
“It’s awesome. You are an immortal now. You are not going to get old, you are not going to get sick, and your biological clock might actually turn back.” She looked at the doctor. “Am I right?”
Bridget nodded. “Wrinkles will disappear, your skin will become as taut as it was in your twenties, and if you have any gray hair under that awful brown dye, it will be gone as well.”
“And it gets better.” Ella smiled. “I’m an immortal as well, and so is my mom, and Parker, and the doctor, and everyone you’ve met in the mansion at Atherton, including a certain hunky dude named Greggory.”
“I must be still under the influence of drugs.” Eleanor closed her eyes.
“You are not,” Vivian said. “For now, just accept this as truth, and when you hear the entire story, you will understand the why and the how, and all the other questions you still have will be answered.”
Sounded like a reasonable request. “How do you know about Greggory? My memories are so hazy. I remember going to snoop around the mansion, and I also remember hijacking a restaurant delivery van and getting Greggory to give me his phone number. Then I got my period, which is always a major pain, so I waited to call him after it was over. I don’t remember anything after that.”
Ella pulled her leg up and tucked it under her bottom. “You were given a drug that made you forget, but I can fill in the missing details for you. You hooked up with Greggory, he bit you, and when he discovered that you were an immune and he couldn’t make you forget the bite, he called his boss, who is an even more powerful compeller than you are. The boss told him to bring you in, but when he couldn’t compel you either, he used drugs to make you forget. But before that happened, you hooked up with Greggory one more time and he bit you again.” Ella sucked in a breath. “An immortal male’s venom bite can induce transition in a person carrying the immortal genes, which you obviously do, but usually it takes more than two bites to achieve that. Your immortal genes must be very strong.”
For some reason, the bizarre things that Ella had said made sense to her. Eleanor felt as if she’d already known some of those things subconsciously, but they had been scattered bits and pieces that Ella had put in order for her.
“Wow.” Eleanor let out a breath. “That’s a lot to process. So the people living in that mansion are immortals, not just paranormally talented people.”
“Correct. Paranormal abilities are a good indicator of a person having the immortal genes. Jin, Jacki, and Wendy have all transitioned and are now immortals. Richard didn’t, but we are still hoping that he will.”
Eleanor felt a headache starting to pulsate behind her temples. “How are you connected to them?”
“I think that’s enough for today,” the doctor said. “You need to rest. Ella and Vivian can return tomorrow and continue the story when you are in better shape.”
She would have preferred to hear the rest of it now, but the truth was that she was tired, and trying to focus was making her head hurt. Perhaps it was better to rest first.
40
Vivian
“It feels weird,” Ella said as she and Vivian left Eleanor’s room. “I never expected to have to explain this stuff to anyone. Usually, it’s the mate’s job.”
Vivian opened the clinic’s front door and stepped into the corridor. “I wonder if she and the guy who induced her have bonded, and if that will help her remember him. Right now, her memories of him are foggy because of the drug.”
“When I mentioned his name, her heart rate accelerated,” Ella said.
“Yeah, I heard it too, but it doesn’t prove the existence of a bond.”
As they reached the dungeon apartment, Vivian punched in the code and then waited for the heavy door to swing open. “I thought that we would be stuck in here for at least a week, but since Eleanor transitioned already, we can go home and come back tomorrow.”
Ella followed her inside. “Let’s stay the night. Julian is coming together with Magnus, and we can all go see a movie in the theater or go swimming in the pool. For old times’ sakes.”
Vivian smiled. “I remember going to the pool with Magnus before I knew that he was an immortal. His incredible performance should have made me suspicious, and it did, but he told me that he was just an athletic guy, and I believed him.”
“Maybe we should get Magnus and Julian to tell Eleanor the rest of the story.” Ella refilled the coffeemaker and turned it on. “I don’t know where to start.”
“Magnus is not so good at that.” Vivian sat on the couch and kicked her shoes off. “Julian is probably better, but between you and me we can manage. It’s not like she needs to know everything right away. We just need to give her an overview.”
Ella sighed. “I didn’t get to intera
ct with her when we caught her in Virginia, but she is not as bad as I imagined. What do you think?”
“She’s just emerged from her transition, and she wasn’t prepared for it like you and I were. I bet that once she feels better and the shock wears off, she will be back to her own hateful self.”
“Why does she hate you so much?”
“She blames me for your father’s death. And frankly, I blame myself for it as well. Or at least I used to. If I hadn’t gotten pregnant, he wouldn’t have joined the Air Force, and he wouldn’t have died.”
As the coffeemaker finished brewing with a loud beep, Ella got up to get the mugs. “It’s so stupid. If the pregnancy is to blame for Dad’s death, then Eleanor should hate me as well. I was the reason he had to find a job that provided housing and medical benefits.”
“Logic doesn’t work in cases like that. The pain and anger needed an outlet, and I was it.”
Ella handed her a mug and sat on the couch cradling hers between her palms. “It’s easy to be angry. It’s much harder to be proactive and actually do what Dad would have wanted her to do. You were all alone and could have used her help.”
“I could’ve used help, but Eleanor’s negativity and her accusations would have done more harm than good. I was in a fragile emotional state.” Vivian wrapped her arm around her daughter’s shoulders. “You were there for me, and I drew strength from you.” She kissed Ella’s cheek. “Thank you for being such an awesome daughter to me and a sister to Parker.”
Ella rolled her eyes. “Parker doesn’t think of me as awesome.”
“He adores you.”
Ella smiled. “I know, and I adore him too, but don’t tell him that.”
Vivian put her cup down. “When Eleanor moves into the village, I think she should stay with us. She can have your old room.”
“It’s no longer my old room because you are not in the same house. Kian moved you into the main part of the village. But why would you want her to live with you? You just talked about her negativity and how you preferred her not to be around even though you needed help. People like Eleanor suck up energy like emotional vampires. It’s better to stay away from them.”
“We are the only family she has. I think she needs help with her issues, and now that I’m in a better place emotionally, I can be there for her. Did you see how she cried on my shoulder?”
“The woman is a mess. She needs to see Vanessa, and I mean like on a regular basis.”
Vivian lifted a brow. “Look who’s talking? Have you gone to see Vanessa?”
“I don’t need her. I have Julian.”
“Hmm.” Vivian rubbed her chin. “If Kian lets Greggory stay in the village, he could be beneficial to Eleanor’s emotional recovery.”
Ella smirked. “Then we have to convince Kian to allow it. But Eleanor should see Vanessa first. After her head is screwed on straight, she can enter a relationship with a healthy state of mind.”
“We should go back to the village and talk to Kian.” Vivian pushed to her feet. “I’ll call Magnus and tell him to send someone else to guard Eleanor.”
Ella pouted. “Why? Can’t you just call Kian?”
“It’s not the sort of thing that can be done over the phone. Besides, despite the fond memories, I prefer not to sleep here if I can help it. I’ll text him and arrange for a meeting tomorrow morning before we come back here.”
“Kian is not in his office on Saturdays.”
“That’s why I’m texting him to make an appointment. We can meet at the café or at his house.”
“I hope he doesn’t get mad at us for bothering him on the weekend.”
“He won’t. And if he does, it’s not a big deal. You know Kian. He is a grouch, and he has a temper, but he also has a heart of gold.”
41
Kian
Kian opened the office door for Vivian and Ella. “Good morning. Please, come in.”
“Thank you for agreeing to see us so early.” Vivian smiled apologetically. “Especially on a Saturday morning.”
Ella handed him a cup of coffee from the vending machine. “It’s cruel and unusual to drag you out of bed at six o’clock. Please accept this as a token of our gratitude.”
The truth was that Kian liked to spend lazy weekend mornings in bed with Syssi, but Eleanor had transitioned faster than anyone had expected, and the sooner they transported her into the village, the sooner Bridget could return to her home as well. But before he green-lighted it, he wanted to hear Vivian and Ella’s impression of her.
“I don’t mind. Turner is on his way as well, and together we can decide how to handle Eleanor.”
Ella looked at her paper cup and grimaced. “I didn’t know he would be joining us, so I didn’t get him coffee. I would give him mine, but I already drank from it.”
“Don’t worry about it.” Kian left the door open and motioned for them to take seats at the conference table. “Turner always comes prepared.”
“I’m surprised that he didn’t spend the night with Bridget at the clinic,” Vivian said.
Kian shrugged. “That’s not the type of thing I discuss with him.”
“Of course not.” Vivian smiled. “That’s something women do. To us, relationships are the number one concern.”
“To us men as well.” Turner walked into the room, holding his thermos in his hand. “But women are just so much better at managing them. Are we talking about Eleanor and Greggory’s potential relationship?”
“I think Greggory could be a tremendous help to Eleanor,” Ella said. “But first, she needs a few sessions with Vanessa. Or a lot. This is a critical time for her, and the perfect opportunity for an attitude adjustment. She needs to change her outlook on life, and I doubt that she can do it on her own.”
That was a clever redirect. For such a young woman, Ella was good at maneuvering the conversation. She’d avoided answering Turner’s question without having to lie.
“What’s Eleanor’s emotional state?” Turner asked.
“Naturally, she’s confused,” Vivian said. “When Ella and I talked with her, she was still hazy from the drugs, but I think she understood what’s happening to her. Bridget kicked us out before we had the chance to explain more, and Ella and I thought that we should consult with you before we speak with Eleanor again. I don’t want to tell her one thing and then something else will happen. It’s a new beginning for her, and everything is scary. She needs to feel safe.”
“Perhaps we should put her in the sanctuary first,” Ella suggested. “That way, Vanessa can fix her before we bring her to the village.”
Vivian chuckled. “Vanessa doesn’t fix people. She helps them fix themselves.”
“Semantics.” Ella waved a dismissive hand and then looked at Turner. “What do you think?”
“With her compulsion ability, Eleanor can have the human girls do whatever she wants, including helping her escape, like creating a shield around her so we can’t activate the cuff. The only place we can keep her safely is in the village.”
Ella smoothed her hand over her pink hair. “What if her ability gets stronger after her transition and she can compel immortals?”
“That could be a problem,” Turner agreed. “We will need to watch her closely.”
“She can stay with Magnus and me,” Vivian offered. “I can keep an eye on her.”
“Are you sure?” Turner asked. “I understand that Eleanor is not exactly a charmer.”
“She’s not. But since this is a new beginning for her, I want to give her the best start possible. She’s been lonely for a very long time, and having a family that cares about her could change her outlook on life. Besides, it’s not a permanent arrangement.” Vivian tilted her head. “Once she finds a mate, they will move in together.”
“She might have already found him,” Ella said. “Greggory. Have you given more thought to allowing him in the village?”
Kian nodded. “First, let’s see how Eleanor acclimates. I’ll ask Vanessa to assess he
r. If she is a sociopath, which she might be, I don’t want her to settle down with one of our men or Kalugal’s.”
The question was what he would do with her then. Keep her locked up in the underground forever? Arrange for a fatal accident for her?
Neither was a solution he could live with, but he could put her in stasis and store her together with the Doomers in the crypt. Perhaps one day there would be a cure for sociopathy, and she could be resurrected and healed.
Vivian frowned. “Eleanor has issues, but she’s not a sociopath. You should have seen how she cried when she saw me. She was so relieved that I wasn’t dead.”
“Sociopaths are very good at mimicking emotions.” Turner crossed his arms over his chest. “I’m not saying that Eleanor is one, but Kian is right about wanting Vanessa’s professional opinion.”
“Yeah, I second that,” Ella said. “I don’t trust her.”
“I’m not going to argue with you about that.” Vivian pushed to her feet. “I’m all for being cautious. I just want to give Eleanor a chance.” She walked over to Kian and offered him her hand. “Thank you for the early-morning meeting.” She turned to Ella. “Eleanor will be waking up soon. We should head back to the keep.”
“What about the cuff?” Ella asked. “Is it ready?”
“I’ll check with William.” Kian pulled out his phone. “If it is, I’ll send it to the keep with a Guardian. If it’s not, Eleanor will have to stay in there until it is ready for her.”
