They Call the Wind Muryah
Page 21
Chapter 12
Heidi thought she and Angelica were just passing through downtown Fort Worth. However, Angelica cut off the highway via the Belknap Street exit, heading over the bridge and into downtown Fort Worth. Just before the courthouse, the former bodybuilder turned right, curved around, and got onto the Main Street Bridge. Heidi recognized the spot, inhaled sharply and closed her eyes, trembling.
“Sorry to do this, babe,” Angelica said, emotionlessly. “But, the first step in training is to face your fears. Isn’t that what you tell the women in your training class?”
Forcing herself to calm down, Heidi slowly opened her eyes. She looked hard at Angelica and then sighed again. She nodded in agreement, sitting back as Angela parked in a lot at the low end of the bridge. She waited as Angelica climbed out. After some hesitation, she climbed out, too.
“That’s the Fort Worth Police Department right across the river,” she pointed out. “Aren’t you worried I’ll be recognized since I am, officially, a missing person?”
Angelica shook her head. “To the powers that be, you’re just another faceless person.”
“This is so embarrassing,” Heidi said, as they carefully made their way down to the jogging path that ran alongside the river.
“Hmm, not quite the reaction I expected,” Angelica noted. “This is where you basically died and became a vampire, and, you’re embarrassed?”
“Ah, no, I mean I always tell my clients to face their fears,” Heidi explained, sheepishly. “I had a woman in one of my classes who was raped and refused to go back into her own bedroom for years afterward. I got her through it. But, something happens to me and I act like some novice student instead of the instructor. What does that make me?”
“Human.”
Smiling at Angelica, Heidi thanked her for the support. She stopped at the pathway where she had been attacked and stared hard. The blood was gone now but her memories remained. Angelica kept watch, her eyes darting about while her right hand remained near her jacket pocket.
“This is almost too much,” she said, slowly.
“You almost died,” Angelica answered. “You have a right to be anxious.”
“No, I mean these past few days have been so weird,” Heidi clarified. “Just when I thought I was going to learn something, Jesus says we’re leaving town. Then, Ryker and Marcus have a Mexican stand-off, and Wesley actually got into a fight with Cantrell. If this is what passes for training to join the group, I might have to rethink this whole thing.”
“Can’t blame you,” Angelica sighed. “Ryker’s definitely a product of his environment, but that doesn’t excuse the rest of us. We have definitely got to get our…crap together.
“Strange as it might seem, I can actually sympathize,” Heidi countered, much to Angelica’s surprise.
“Really?” Angelica said, with more sarcasm than she meant.
“A couple of nights ago, all I wanted to do was kill vampires,” Heidi explained. “I don’t think I could imagine what drove the rest of you into this fight. People are shaped and altered irrevocably by past experiences. I’ve often referred clients to psychiatrists and therapists, but I imagine there can’t be many, if any, of those types available for people like you and Dolores and the others.”
“May I ask what your degree was in, Heidi?” Angelica asked, curiously.
“Psychology,” Heidi replied, with a slight blush. “Never got to practice, though. I thought teaching women to defend themselves was of more immediate importance. Seems like I should have kept at my profession. Then, maybe I could get to the root of this Moonrise thing.”
Angelica shook her head, as the wind blew her tresses across her face.
“I don’t recommend going there, Heidi,” she warned. “You haven’t been around long enough to understand even a little bit of what went on there.”
“Then, he had a point with Moonrise?” Heidi asked. “Ryker, I mean.”
“Just drop it, okay,” Angelica snapped, looking back over her shoulder.
Heidi walked closer to the river. “I guess I’m not the only one who needs a first step. Maybe Dolores letting Ryker stay is that first step.”
“Not quite,” Angelica corrected. “She allowed Ryker to not get booted out. We’re still leaving. Dolores is just letting Cantrell come up with possible plans to use against Riordan and those clan masters, should we find out that they’re actually planning something that could harm us. Does that explain it?”
“Yeah, sure,” a disbelieving Heidi replied. “In other words, she sidelined him. And when we get to the safehouses, would it be too much of a stretch to say that he won’t be called back in when – or if – we decide to rejoin the fight?”
Angelica said nothing and didn’t even look in Heidi’s direction.
“Thanks for clearing the air on that one,” Heidi said.
“You know, you’re right,” Angelica stated. “You might get recognized. We’d better go pick up Patel from the hospital.”
Heidi knew she wasn’t going to get anything else out of her guardian. Reluctantly, she nodded. After one last look at the spot where she had died, she shivered and quickly turned away to catch up with Angelica.