Wind Runner (Vanderbrook Champions Book 1)

by Edmund Hughes

  “We are related,” said Melanie. “It’s just a… far off connection.”

  “How far off, exactly?”

  “About… three generations,” said Melanie. “Aubrey is my great grandmother.”

  Grandmother? Wait… great grandmother…?

  “How…?” Malcolm was shaking his head. “That’s not… possible.”

  “Her powers heal her body completely,” said Melanie. “Including the effects of aging. She’s always going to be a young adult, a woman around nineteen or twenty. At least in a physical sense.”

  Malcolm brought a hand to his mouth. He blinked, still struggling to believe it.

  “She was 98 when she discovered her gift,” said Melanie. “It was just after, well… My parents, and my brother… they all died in a demon attack. My grandparents have been dead for a couple of years now. Aubrey was the only family I had left, and I was the one taking care of her. Until…”

  Malcolm listened, for once deeply interested in each and every word coming out of Melanie’s mouth.

  “It’d been years since she’d been fully lucid, but one day, I was helping her with her baking, which she is totally crazy about, by the way, and… all the sudden it was like she was there again, asking me important questions. Telling me that it was going to be okay. I was a mess during that time, and it meant so much to me.”

  “I can only imagine,” he said.

  “It took… about three months,” said Melanie. “She aged backward like, probably a year per day. All the way back to the age she looks now. I’d already been living here, taking care of her, and we both just… went on with our lives.”

  Melanie let out a breath, as though a tremendous weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Malcolm leaned back against the couch and took a sip of his water.

  “This isn’t going to make things weird for you, is it?” Melanie asked.

  Malcolm thought about it for a second.

  It doesn’t change who Tapestry is. She always seemed more mature, more like a real adult, than me. Now I know why.

  “No,” he said. “Of course it won’t.”

  “Dinner’s ready!” called Tapestry. “Why don’t the two of you go and wash up?”

  CHAPTER 23

  “Bless us, oh lord and these, thy gifts for which we are about to receive from your bounty,” said Tapestry. “Through Christ our lord, Amen.”

  “Amen,” muttered Malcolm.

  He opened his eyes and smiled. Tapestry was sitting directly across the table from him. She was pretty, and he felt like he was noticing that fact again for the first time. Her skin was smooth and flawless, and she had an adorable mouth, full of expression. Along with glossy blonde hair, and a fantastic body.

  “Malcolm,” said Tapestry. “Why are you staring at me?”

  “You just…” Malcolm floundered. “You look so good. I mean… uh…”

  Tapestry sighed and glanced over at Melanie.

  “You told him,” she said.

  “He…” Melanie shook her head defensively. “He… thought we were lesbians! The truth is better than him thinking something like that.”

  A smile spread across Tapestry’s face. She leaned back in her chair, pulling the tip of her ponytail around to play with in her fingers.

  “Yes, it’s true,” said Tapestry, looking at Malcolm. “I was born in the 1920s. I married my husband, Marty, just after the end of World War II. We had three children together. I watched them grow up, and their kids grow up, and so forth. I’m very old.”

  Malcolm found that he was shaking his head, disagreeing. Or rather, he saw her point, but also saw the young woman sitting across the table from him. It was easy to reconcile her with a century of life experience, and at the same time, nearly impossible.

  “You don’t… look old,” he said, lamely. “I mean… look, I’m not going to treat you any different. I’m still going to look at you the same way.”

  “What do you mean by that?” asked Tapestry.

  “Uh…” Malcolm felt his face heat. He scratched his head.

  What do I mean by that?

  “Aubrey, this steak is delicious!” said Melanie, in a loud, conversational voice. “Did you use the new seasoning? I think it really helps pull out the flavor. Mmm, and so spicy!”

  “Malcolm…” Tapestry frowned. “Maybe we should talk about this later?”

  He nodded, afraid that if he said anything else he’d only prolong the awkwardness. The timer went off on the oven, and Tapestry stood, pulling her apron back on along with a pair of thick oven mitts. She pulled out a pan of perfect oatmeal chocolate chip cookies and set them on the cooling rack.

  The rest of dinner was a slightly tense and mostly silent affair. Malcolm felt as though it was somehow his fault for knowing the truth. The food was delicious, however, and he was still able to appreciate the first home cooked meal he’d had in a very long time.

  “That was excellent,” he said. “But I can’t eat another bite.”

  “Will you take some cookies with you?” asked Tapestry. “They’ll go to waste otherwise. Melanie doesn’t do sugar.”

  “Sure,” he said.

  “It’s dark out,” said Tapestry. “I’ll give you a ride home.”

  He nodded, heading back into the living room as Tapestry cleared the table. Melanie walked up next to him, hugging her arms across her chest and frowning.

  “She’s really lonely, you know,” she said.

  “What?”

  Melanie shrugged.

  “She doesn’t have friends, Malcolm,” she said. “I mean sure, there’s the girl Morph, and what’s his face, the doubling dude. But they’re more like coworkers.”

  “I’m technically also her coworker,” said Malcolm.

  “It’s different with you,” said Melanie. “She likes you.”

  Malcolm stared at her, and again, got the sense that Melanie had just revealed something that she shouldn’t have.

  “That came out wrong,” she said, quickly. “I mean, she thinks that you’re a good person. And easy to talk to. I think it’s why she was so reluctant to tell you the whole truth behind her age and her powers. She wanted you to see her as who she showed up as.”

  “I get it,” said Malcolm. “And I think she’s a good person too. And I’m not going to get weird around her just because-”

  “Malcolm?” Tapestry walked into the living room, and Malcolm almost jumped with surprise. “Are you ready?”

  “Sure,” he said. “Totally.”

  The first minute of the drive was totally silent and more than a little uncomfortable. Malcolm kept trying to think of an easy way to start a conversation, but second guessed every idea.

  “It’s hard…” said Tapestry. “Being young again.”

  “I can imagine,” said Malcolm. “I mean, so much has changed since your heyday. You must walk around with a constant case of future shock.”

  “Hey!” said Tapestry.

  “I’m kidding,” he said. “Well, kind of. What was it like using the internet for the first time?”

  “It was… interesting,” said Tapestry. “I never realized just how perverted men were, deep down inside.”

  Malcolm laughed.

  “Truer words have never been spoken,” he said.

  They were silent for another few seconds.

  “I’m serious, though,” said Tapestry. “My body is young again, but so is my mind. I have all of these memories, and it almost seems like they belong to someone else.”

  “What do you mean by that?” asked Malcolm.

  “The emotions don’t match,” said Tapestry. “I feel the emotions, the impulses, of a twenty-year-old.”

  They’d reached his apartment, and she pulled to a stop on the street alongside it. Malcolm looked over at her.

  “I don’t see you any differently,” said Malcolm. “And I don’t feel like I have any right to. You didn’t treat me like a stupid kid when we first met. Well, not really…”

  “So this rea
lly doesn’t change anything for you?” asked Tapestry.

  “Of course not, Tapestry.” He smiled at her.

  “You can call me Aubrey,” she said. “Sometimes. If you want.”

  “Aubrey.”

  Malcolm leaned in closer to her, not even fully sure what he was doing, or why. She was looking at him, her green eyes reflecting the illumination of the street light outside.

  Tapestry’s phone rang, ruining the moment. She looked down at it and rolled her eyes.

  “Melanie wants me to pick up more seltzer on my way back,” she said. “Sorry, I should probably… get going.”

  “You don’t want to come up? We could watch some TV or something?”

  Aubrey started laughing.

  “Does that work on the women of your generation?” she asked. “Like, ever?”

  Malcolm shrugged. He grinned at her, feeling a strange mixture of emotions.

  Nothing’s changed between us. And everything’s changed. And I like it.

  “Anyway,” said Tapestry. “My powers are going to take some time to recharge. I’ll need to take tomorrow off, and possibly the next day for them to recover to the point where I can use them again.”

  “Alright,” said Malcolm. “I’ll see you the day after tomorrow then. Aubrey.”

  “Malcolm.”

  He almost leaned in close again. She was looking at him, and the air felt hot and alive with tension. There was a tiny smile on her lips, and it took Malcolm a minute to draw his eyes away. He got out of her car, nodded to her, and closed the door.

  Tapestry drove off slowly, and Malcolm watched her round the corner before heading inside. He unlocked the door to his apartment and flicked the light on.

  “Hey,” said Rose.

  CHAPTER 24

  Malcolm stared at her, not sure what to say. He hadn’t honestly been expecting her to come back, but there she was, sitting on his couch, an amused smile on her face. Part of him wanted to run over and hug her, but he forced it down, taking off his shoes and staying where he was.

  “Hey,” he said.

  “I would have called or texted, but the whole being a spryte thing gets in the way of paying a monthly phone bill.” She crossed her legs. “So… was that the blonde champion who dropped you off?”

  “Yup,” said Malcolm.

  “The two of you were out there in the car for a while,” said Rose. “I take it you got at least to first base.”

  Malcolm felt his face heat up a little bit.

  “What? No!”

  “It’s okay,” said Rose. “In case I didn’t make it clear, I’m not the jealous type. In fact, I encourage you to get involved with all the normal girls you want. Just don’t bring around any other sprytes.”

  “Wow,” said Malcolm. “I’m not even sure what to say to that.”

  Rose shrugged, looking nonplussed.

  “What’s in the bag?” she asked.

  “Chocolate chip cookies.” He frowned a little, noticing her in detail. She was wearing the same clothes she’d had on when he’d first found her, a sweatshirt and yoga pants, but they were dirty, and rough around the edges. “What happened to you last night?”

  Rose shrugged.

  “I found a place to hide out,” she said. “It was kind of hard to get down into. The basement of an abandoned house. Thanks again for what you did, by the way.”

  Malcolm walked over to the couch and sat down next to her.

  “I didn’t really have a choice,” he said. “We would have both been fucked if they’d found you.”

  “It still means a lot to me,” she said. “I can’t remember the last time someone went out on a limb like that for me.”

  “Didn’t you say you have amnesia?”

  Rose rolled her eyes.

  “Is it… alright?” she asked. “Me being back here? I wasn’t sure if you’d be waiting with open arms, so to speak.”

  Malcolm nodded.

  “It’s fine,” he said. “Here, do you want to take a shower? You look like you could use a chance to unwind.”

  “That sounds divine,” said Rose.

  Malcolm brought her a towel and some of his clothes, which would be big on her, but were still better than what she currently had on. She headed into the bathroom, and Malcolm listened to the sound of the shower while considering his situation.

  She doesn’t seem like a bad person. I don’t know what to do here, but I know that I can’t just pretend like she’s evil.

  He sat on the couch, mulling over his choices. Involving the Champion Authority was outside of the question, but maybe they had some knowledge that he didn’t about the nature of sprytes and demons. Maybe there was a way to help Rose get closer to who she was originally, or a cure, even.

  “Malcolm.” Rose had finished her shower. She walked out of the bathroom wearing only a towel, her dark hair slick against her pale purple skin.

  “Rose,” he said. He stared at her, his eyes running the cleavage he could see pushing against the towel, and the curve of her butt underneath it. He stood up as she came around to his side of the couch.

  She let the towel fall. Her eyes blazed with confidence and sexual power, though Malcolm’s attention was pulled to her big breasts, her dark nipples, and her perfect thighs.

  “I guess you have missed me,” she said, letting her palm push against the bulge in his pants. “Here, let’s go into your bedroom. Into the dark.”

  Malcolm shook his head.

  “I want to see at you like this,” said Malcolm. “I want to look at you, Rose.”

  She stepped in closer to him, pushing her breasts against his chest while her fingers unzipped and unbuttoned his jeans.

  “You can do more than just look,” she whispered. “And so can I.”

  She gave his erection a squeeze and then led him toward his bedroom, glancing over her shoulder at him with a sultry expression on her face. Malcolm stared at her butt, naked and with just the right amount of curve.

  Shadow tendrils extended from the darkness as he entered his room, roughly pulling his shirt up and over his head, and his pants and boxers to the ground. Malcolm would have found it terrifying if not for how aroused he was.

  He pulled Rose in close, her body naked against his. His erection poked her in the stomach as they kissed. She pushed her tongue into his mouth and let out a soft, sensual moan.

  Malcolm felt his cock being caressed, and it took him a second to realize that it wasn’t Rose’s hand doing it. She was still using her shadows, touching him with them, showing how good they could feel. Strangely, it made him feel like being aggressive with her. He wanted to see what they would do if he turned the intensity up even further.

  He pushed her onto the bed and heard her squeal with delight. There was just enough light in the room for him to see the shadow tendrils form into visible shapes. The upper torsos, along with heads, of two very attractive women slid up out of the darkness, both caressing and then licking Malcolm’s hardness.

  He groaned, a little unnerved and a lot turned on. One of them immediately started sucking on the tip of his erection. The other was licking and kissing the shaft. Rose was watching, lying on his bed pushed up on her elbows, enjoying the effect she was having on him.

  Malcolm stepped forward, moving past the shadow phantoms. He climbed onto the bed and pulled Rose’s thighs open. She put her hands around his neck as he pushed forward, his shaft sliding into her tight, hot hole.

  “Mmm…” moaned Rose.

  Malcolm groped at one of her breasts and started moving, feeling her wetness slicking over his tool. Rose urged him on, her fingers squeezing his shoulder and pulling across his back.

  They fell into a fast, easy rhythm. Rose bucked her hips up to meet each of his thrusts. Her breasts bounced in the dim light of his bedroom, and their bodies made lewd noises as they slapped together.

  He kissed her deeply, and she rolled him over, briefly assuming control on top and grinding into him to take his full length. Malcolm rolled ba
ck, twining his hands through her hair as he pumped into her roughly.

  He let his hands grope at her butt, giving it a small, punishing slap. Rose squealed and seized the offending hand with a shadow tendril. Malcolm kissed her neck and nibbled on her earlobe, feeling the tendril weaken as she lost focus. He slapped her ass again, and Rose let out an even louder squeal.

  The bed shook as though it was being subjected to an earthquake. Malcolm hoped his neighbors weren’t trying too hard to get to sleep. He held onto Rose’s body, pulling her as tightly as he could as he thrust into her madly.

  “Malcolm!” she cried out, her body seizing with pleasure.

  He hammered away, pushing his hardness into her until he couldn’t hold out for a second longer. Malcolm held her as he unloaded, filling her up. The pleasure was unbelievable, and he cradled Rose’s head against his shoulder, fingers in her hair.

  They stayed like that for a while, neither of them moving, as though it might spoil the moment.

  “Is your champion friend coming by early again tomorrow?” asked Rose.

  “No,” said Malcolm. “I… have the day off.”

  Rose made a pleased noise.

  “That means we have all night,” she whispered.

  CHAPTER 25

  Malcolm smelled breakfast when he made his way out of his room the next morning. Rose was in his kitchen, wearing one of his shirts, cooking eggs and toast on a pan. She smiled at him when he walked over.

  “Your kitchen isn’t exactly well stocked,” she said. “But I’m making do with what I could find.”

  “I’ve been living the sad bachelor life since before I was old enough to drive.” Malcolm grinned back at her. “We can grab some stuff from the store today and have a real dinner tonight.”

  Rose looked at him as though he was stupid. It took Malcolm far longer than it should have to realize why.

  Oh right. She’s a spryte. Being out in public during the day isn’t such a good idea.

  “I appreciate the sentiment,” said Rose. “Maybe I’ll send you out with a list.”

  Malcolm nodded, but didn’t quite feel ready to move on from the issue.