She waited.
“Because I’ve made choices that resulted in people being hurt. In my brothers being hurt. I don’t want to lose them, Rose. I can’t.” The look he gave her was raw, stripped of anger or the confidence and pride he always seemed to have. What was left was fear. Naked fear.
Now it was her turn to say, “I understand.”
27
Horus
Horus had never admired his brother as much as he did laying out his fears to Rose. The Ra he knew hid that side of himself from everyone except him and Seti.
He wondered what would happen next. After Ra’s honesty and Rose’s understanding, where did they go?
“Do you want to go to Target?” Rose asked.
Horus burst out laughing. She’d read his mind, though in a much more literal way than his inner thoughts had considered. “Target?”
“If you’re going to stay with me, we need an air mattress. And some food.”
“We don’t have to stay,” Ra replied.
Rose strode toward him, finger in his face. “Don’t,” she said. “Don’t run after being yourself. We’re going forward from here, not back.”
She stared his brother down like a queen, and to Ra’s credit, he met her head on.
“I won’t,” he replied quietly.
Horus had a flash—a step back in time—of his brother standing with his hand on the sword at his hip. He stood like that now. Proud. Strong.
Rose had brought that side of his brother out. Not the pride that he used to push people away, but the pride his brother felt because he’d done something worthy.
“Good,” she said, and smiled. She touched Ra’s arm, squeezing gently before she faced them. “Do you want to do anything else? See the sights? Go to Fenway?”
Seti laughed. “Fenway?”
“Sure,” she said. “I could take you all around before we go to the store. Enjoy the day.” She glanced at a small clock above a bookshelf. “We have plenty of time. Where would you like to go?”
Horus was curious. “What would you like to show us?”
She faced the window and stared out like the answer was written in the sky. “You know what I’d like to show you?” she asked but went on before they could answer. “I want to show you the Arboretum, and the place where I saw the crawler. I want to go back there, and I want to make it mine again. I don’t want to be afraid of the place where I have so many good memories.”
A surge of pride welled up inside him. From the looks on his brothers’ faces, they felt the same way.
“Okay,” Ra glanced toward the window. The sun was shining, but they’d been out earlier and it was deceptively cool. “Dress warmly and we’ll go.”
A smile split Rose’s face, and she darted forward to wrap her arms around his brother.
“This is nice.” Horus didn’t think Ra meant to share the sensation with them, but it was too late. They heard it and felt it.
“Hug her back,” Seti said when Ra stood stiff-armed.
Horus couldn’t help the small prick of jealousy that came with his older brother embracing Rose. But it disappeared when Ra’s eyes closed and he let out a breath. Shoulders sagging, he curled his body around the girl’s and squeezed.
In response, Rose squeezed him tighter.
“It’s going to hurt,” Ra said suddenly.
“What do you mean?” Seti asked.
“When this ends.”
28
Rose
A few times in her life, Rose had the sense that she was having a good day. A favorite day.
In the future, she’d look back on today as one of those days. She brought the brothers around the city, showing them Jamaica Plain as only someone who had lived here her whole life could do.
They went to Jamaica Plain Pond and rented a boat. It was cold, but the pond was calm and reflected the blue sky like a mirror.
“There’s so much green in Boston,” Horus said, pulling on the oars to send them shooting across the water. “I can see it how it was.”
“How it was when?” she asked. She crossed her arms over her chest and snuggled a little deeper into her hopelessly-out-of-style coat. This was the last one she had that was warm, so nothing could happen to it. “The last time you were here? Or hundreds of years ago?”
Seti and Ra glided up to them in a canoe. The man renting boats had taken a look at the brothers and declared that they’d sink the rowboat they’d wanted. Seti’s longish hair blew back from his face, and his eyes were the same blue as the sky. His cheeks were flushed from the cold, and he hadn’t stopped smiling the entire trip around the pond.
“There were definitely horses,” Seti said. “I remember the smell.”
“Did you come to visit Briar’s husbands?” she asked. “They’ve been in Boston a long time, haven’t they?”
“Yes,” Horus said, “but we didn’t come to visit them. Ten years ago was the first time in a millennium that we saw them again. We didn’t even know about Valen and Sylvain.”
In the distance came the distinctive squawk of geese and automatically, Rose lifted her gaze to the sky. They were headed south, and she waved her fingers at them. “See you next year.”
Horus laughed. “You know those geese?”
She giggled. “My mother would say that every year. She’d wave goodbye and tell me that winter was on its way. Then she’d welcome them back in the spring. ‘See,’ she’d say, ‘They’re bringing summer with them.’ Do you know geese mate for life? I don’t know why I know that.”
Glancing up from the water, she found Horus staring at her. When their eyes met, he shook his head. “And if one dies, some will mourn their entire life.”
“Sad and beautiful,” she said. The sound tapered off as the geese flew out of sight. “Oh!” She’d been so wrapped up in her trip, she’d forgotten she brought her camera. She dug it out of her bag now and trained the lens on Horus. He was watching his brothers paddle languidly and only turned to her when he heard the click of her shutter.
“What are you doing?”
Rose pulled her camera from her face and studied the image on the small screen. She’d captured Horus’s profile—his strong jaw, straight nose, and proud chin. “I want to remember today,” she said. “And you. You look like a sculpture.”
He chuckled. “This generation loves to take pictures. You document everything and share it with the entire world.”
“Do you think that’s bad?” she asked, curious.
Shrugging, he began to turn the boat back toward the dock. “People reveal things without thought. There’s a desperation to it, and a dishonesty.”
She thought about it. “I won’t share these. They’re just for us.”
“For us?”
Wincing, she put the lens cap back over the lens. “Do you want me to erase them?”
“No,” he answered, and then, “I don’t know. I have the instinct to stay hidden. I wonder about what it will mean for creatures like us when there’s a record of everything now. Look around, even here in what feels like the middle of the woods, there are cameras recording us.” He lifted his chin in the direction of the shore, and sure enough, on the edge of the boat rental was a camera. “There are no secrets.”
“I suppose not,” she replied.
Ra and Seti shot past them again. “How many laps does that make?” Horus asked.
“Five,” she replied. “Two with Ra in back.” She watched them until they were far enough away that they were blurry. “They could go much faster, couldn’t they?”
“Yes. But there are people watching.”
“And cameras recording.” She stared after them for a while.
“Are you certain you want to go back to the Arboretum?”
Without looking at him, she nodded. “Yes. I wonder if there are more of the daylight crawlers.”
“Daylight crawlers?” he asked.
“There are daylight vampires and daylight crawlers. Those are the ones I’ve seen, except for the
first crawler ten years ago.”
“Right,” he said. “Daylight crawlers. That is a question that needs to be answered.” He shook his head. “That is a question that needs a question.”
She was going to ask him what he meant but Seti and Ra were headed toward them. “Race?” Seti called when their boats were lined up.
“Human speed,” Rose warned. “Got it?”
“Of course,” Seti replied. “Super fast human sp…”
They took off. Horus’s muscles bulged and flexed as he pulled the oars in a fast rhythmic motion. Seti and Ra were fast, and their canoe much lighter than their rowboat.
There was nothing for Rose to do, no way she could help. Except…
Rose shucked out of her coat and turned toward the prow. She could be a cheerleader. “Go Horus! You’re right on their tail! GO!”
Seti and Ra were going as fast as they could without making a spectacle of themselves.
“Woohoo!” she called, lifting her coat over her head and whipping it in a circle. “Hey boys!”
Seti glanced over his shoulder, laughing when he saw her bouncing up and down like a maniac. Ra glanced over his shoulder as well. Their canoe slowed, and Horus pulled a little closer. Dropping her coat into the boat, Rose leaned forward like a wooden figurehead on a pirate ship. “You’re so close, Horus! I can see the whites of their eyes!”
Seti hadn’t stopped laughing, and now Ra was smiling. She glanced over her shoulder, tucking her hair behind her ear only to have the wind whip it into her face again. “You’ve got this Horatio!”
With a grunt, Horus yanked hard on the oars which broke free of the metal holders that cradled them. He blinked, staring at what he held in his hands as Ra and Seti floated past them at a much more leisurely pace.
Rose placed her hand out and lifted her eyebrows in challenge.
“We’ll have to switch places,” he said.
She sidled closer to him, careful not to set the boat rocking. He moved a lot more gracefully than her, and in seconds, they were in place—Horus at the back.
Rose stayed in the middle, but even then, the bow was nearly out of the water. She dipped her oar in the water and then they took off.
Horus did most of the work, but she liked to think she didn’t make the job any harder.
“We’re gaining on you!” she cried.
Seti and Ra’s laugh echoed over the water, and she wished she could capture the sound for all time. Their boat came ashore first, but they arrived seconds after.
“Second place!” She jumped onto the pebbled shore and pumped her hand in the air.
Horus climbed out after her while she did a victory dance that included wiggling her hips and moonwalking badly.
Seti and Ra hadn’t stopped laughing, and she was happier than she could remember being in forever.
Seti strode past her toward a maple tree and plucked a red leaf off the branch. He tucked it behind her ear before stepping back to survey his handiwork. “Now that looks… awful. But appropriate for second place.”
“In that case—” Ra picked another leaf and made a move to put it behind Horus’s ear.
The big man grabbed it, though, and put it in place himself. He stood, arms crossed, a smile playing on the edges of his lips and stared at her. “Congratulations,” he said.
She bowed, holding the leaf in place with one hand. “I couldn’t have gotten second place without you.”
He came closer. Rose had trouble keeping her faux-serious face and bit her lip. When they were inches apart, he wound his arm around her waist. Gone was her smile, but butterflies flew around her stomach. “What are you doing?” she asked.
“Congratulating you for real,” he said. Slowly, eyes on hers, he leaned closer to her. He broadcasted his intentions, gaze bouncing between her eyes and lips, giving her plenty of time to stop him.
She didn’t want to. Easing closer, she shut her eyes and stood on her tiptoes. Their lips met.
His kiss was soft at first, plucking at her lips gently before he kept them pressed together. He smelled like the cold with a hint of aftershave. That would be her favorite scent going forward, outdoors and spice.
Winding her hands around his neck, she moved even closer. His hands were at her waist, kneading her skin. He didn’t go for more. He didn’t try to grab her ass or rock his hips against hers. Horus seemed perfectly content kissing her innocently.
When his tongue wet her lower lip, she groaned and opened her mouth to him. He slid inside, tasting her, exploring her.
She chased after him, for every advance he made, she tried to follow, but he’d retreat. Her head was spinning, and she was out of breath when he stepped away from her.
Opening her eyes, she found him staring down at her. His eyes, normally dark, were black.
And he wasn’t smiling.
She had this feeling she’d misread the whole situation and acted recklessly. Her fingers were at the nape of his neck, so she began to release him, but he shook his head. “Give me a moment,” he said. His voice was tight and deep.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I shouldn’t have kissed you.”
He shut his eyes tight, displaying lines she hadn’t noticed along the edges. When he opened them again, they’d deepened back to their usual chocolate brown. “I kissed you,” he said. “And I’m not sorry. I just need a minute to calm down.”
Calm down.
With that said, she moved her hands from his neck to his shoulders. Tension ran through him, and beneath her palms, he trembled. His breath came in short, quick pants, and his fingers flexed at her hips.
“Just a minute,” he repeated.
Rose moved before she could second guess herself. She wound her arms around his waist and laid her head against his chest. His heart gave a heavy thump beneath her ear and then another, but eventually, the tightness and rigidity drained away. He relaxed and rested his cheek on top of her head. “Sorry.”
Nearby, pebbles rolled over the ground, and she startled. She hadn’t realized it, but at some point, she’d shut her eyes. And she’d completely forgotten about Ra and Seti.
What would they think of her?
The lightheadedness and smiles were gone as they stared at Horus. She could almost hear them.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes.”
“Are you sure?”
Horus nodded shortly as he placed one arm over her shoulder. He pulled her closer to him, touching his lips to her hair. “I’m fine,” he said. “Just got a little worked up.” Glancing down at her, he gave her a half-smile. “Couldn’t help myself.”
“No regrets?” she asked.
His gaze softened and both edges of his lips turned up. “None.”
“Did you know,” Seti interrupted, “that one of the most common misspelling of tattoos is, ‘no regerts.’”
“In that case,” Rose said. “No regerts?”
Horus chuckled and over his shoulder, she caught Ra hiding a smile with his hand. “I promise. No regerts.”
29
Seti
Horus was still tense, but it wouldn’t be something Rose could see. Or hear.
But Seti could. He could hear his brother’s heart beating faster than normal and see the slight flush on his cheeks.
Damn, Horus. He should have fought to have the rowboat with Rose. Then he’d have been the one kissing her, not his stupid brother.
“Calm down.” Horus chuckled in his head. “You’ll get your chance.”
Was this how it would work? They’d take turns kissing her? Having time with her?
“Are you okay?” Horus suddenly asked. “Both of you? Should I have asked you first?”
“You can do whatever you want,” Ra replied. “As long as she agrees. She’s the only one you need permission from.”
Seti could feel his brother’s uncertainty. This was uncharted territory for them, but it also made perfect sense. Instead of pulling them apart, their interest in Rose only drew them together.
He admired her. So much.
“You never told me what you think,” she said suddenly. “Do you think we’ll find other crawlers there?”
“I don’t,” he answered. The crawler she’d come across had to have been hiding since the Nightmare. Crawlers rarely ventured away from the vampires who made them. While their poison would disarm and paralyze another vampire, they were too weak and vulnerable to survive on their own. “I suspect the crawler you found had been skulking around there for ten years.”
“That’s horrifying,” she murmured. “People go to that pond all the time. But I guess it would make sense. He was very… gooey.”
That was a thoroughly vivid, and disgusting, image.
“Like he’d been in the water a long time?” Ra asked.
“Yes,” she replied, wrinkling her nose. “Maybe you’re right. Maybe he buried himself in the mud the way frogs do in winter.”
“He probably survived on whatever animals he could catch,” Horus said. “That would also explain how he was able to survive the daylight. If he was one of the crawlers from the Nightmare, he could have been given Hudson’s medicine.”
“It’s strange they’re vampires,” Rose said. “They look like demons. Vampires look like regular people.” She suddenly grimaced. “Except that I’ve only met a handful of vampires. Maybe they don’t.”
“No,” Seti said. “You’re right. Crawlers look very different from vampires. They’re the unlucky vampires. When vampires change humans, they become vampires or crawlers, or soldiers, depending on whether blood is exchanged or taken.”
“So, if you tried to turn me,” she said off-handedly, “I could become a crawler?” She shivered and pushed her hands deeper into her pockets. “I probably would. I’m halfway there already.”
Rose Page 16
