Andrew just sat back and smiled as they pulled into the movie theater.
Emily frowned and looked at the empty lot, “I think they’re closed.”
“Nope,” Kralen said, and then cleared his throat. “The Elder bought out the building.”
“He did not!” Emily gasped.
Andrew nodded, “It’s safer.”
She huffed and then turned to Kralen, “You promised me pizza. I’m starving.”
“It’s catered.”
“Of course it is.”
Silas appeared at her door and opened it, “You’re the only woman I’ve ever met that has anything she wants, and still chooses pizza.”
“Meaning?” Emily asked, standing slowly.
“Meaning you could have the most expensive meal in town, Kobe Steak… but you chose pizza.”
“I like pizza,” she said as they moved toward the door. Emily couldn’t help but notice that every heku was carefully scanning the area. “Relax, we’re not going to get attacked in an empty building.”
“We’re just being unobservant,” Horace said as he held the door for her.
“Ha-ha.”
The entire building was silent and immaculately clean. One lone usher came to greet them and he smiled broadly, “Mr. Jones, I presume?”
Kralen nodded and shook his hand, “Yes, we’re all here.”
The usher looked at the hulking heku, “You did say… one pizza, right?”
“Yes, one will be enough.”
“Right this way,” he said, and showed them to the large double doors.
“Need one?” Silas asked. Emily turned and then glared at him as he grinned and stood up with a booster seat in his hand.
“Maybe I do,” she said, and grabbed it from him. He barely had time to dodge when she swung the booster seat at him.
“Come on, Children,” Kralen said from inside the theater.
“But, Dad, he started it.”
“Sit”
Emily walked past him and then took a seat front and center. The large iMax theater was massive and seemed even more so with only a handful of them there.
Before the movie started, the usher returned with a rolling cart full of candy and drinks, and topped with a hot pizza.
“Who gets the pizza?” the young man asked as he plated two pieces.
“I’ll take it,” Emily told him, and then took it. She was starving and it smelled amazing.
“I brought candy, in case you get hungry.”
Emily almost choked on her first bite of pizza as the heku began calling out candy orders. The young usher began to toss them what they ordered and soon everyone had something to eat and a drink. He returned with a bag of popcorn for each of them and then assured them the movie would be starting soon.
She shivered slightly, as they were sitting right under the vent, so Andrew slipped off his red jacket and put it over her shoulders, ignoring the glares from Silas at her other side. She wondered if the usher thought it was weird that the big men had formed a barrier around her 3 heku deep in each direction.
Emily sighed as the lights dimmed, and she resigned herself to two hours of senseless violence and wanton bloodshed. She couldn’t help but grin, because that thought was a brief representation of her life.
It wasn’t very long into the movie that she saw the heku really enjoying themselves and she smiled and leaned back in the chair. It wasn’t often she saw them actually having fun and it was nice to see. She ignored the idiotic movie with its narrow plot and shallow characters, and focused on the camaraderie between the Equites. Andrew sat motionless at her side, but smiled when he saw her look over at him.
“You ok?” she whispered.
“Yes, why?”
She shrugged and turned back to the movie. It was so boring, that even though she enjoyed watching the heku, she was starting to find it harder and harder to stay awake. Figuring she had nothing to lose, she picked up a small piece of popcorn and tossed it into the row a head of her.
One of the heku turned and smiled, but she shook her head and pointed at Andrew. She felt him chuckle from beside her. After feeling around and finding a bag of M&Ms Silas had given her, she tossed it to the front row again.
“Would you behave?” Horace asked with his hand against where the M&M hit him in the back of the head.
She shrugged and again pointed at Andrew.
“You trying to pick a fight?” Andrew asked, amused.
“Want me to?”
“Not really.”
“You can’t take this many Equites?”
He grinned, “I’m sure I could… but it would get blood all over the theater and that’s a big mess to cover.”
When he turned back to the movie, she realized that he was really into it and leaned back in the chair. Soon, she was leaned up against Silas’ shoulder, deep asleep.
“Em?” Andrew said as he touched her shoulder lightly.
She looked up, “Is it over?”
“Yup,” Kralen chuckled, and quickly looked around the room.
“Next time I pick the movie.”
Andrew followed her as they left the theater. She began wondering during the movie if she was being purely selfish keeping him in Council City. He was away from his Encala, and in the middle of heku that watched his every move and often shot him evil glares.
It was silent until they pulled up to a posh hotel, surrounded by tall trees and scantily clad women running around an Olympic sized pool.
“Look, Em, you can go swimming,” Kralen said when he opened the door.
Emily watched as a tall man in Bermuda shorts tackled a tan blonde in a thong bikini and she sighed, “Right, they can use me as a raft.”
Silas sighed, “Are we playing the fat game again?”
She glared at him and walked inside. Andrew waited beside her as Silas checked in, and she couldn’t help but notice how he watched one of the swimmers as she gracefully dove off of the high board.
“Put your tongue back in your mouth and let’s go,” she snapped, and walked over to the elevator after Silas.
Andrew took one more look behind him and followed them up to the penthouse.
One of the heku put Emily’s bags in the bedroom and then walked out as the rest surveyed the penthouse and searched for bugs or cameras.
Emily knelt in a tall window and looked down over the pool.
“Just go swimming, Em,” Kralen said, joining her at the window.
“Not with Barbie down there.”
He rolled his eyes and went over to turn on the TV.
Emily finally went to the couch and sat on her knees, facing Andrew, who was sitting on the edge of the couch.
He smiled and looked at her, “Can I help you?”
“Do you want to go home?”
“Are you kicking me out?”
“No, but I wonder if you miss being at home.”
He smiled, “I’m needed here, so I’ll stay.”
Silas huffed, but quieted down when Emily glared at him.
“I think I have the yoga down if you want to go.”
“Prove it,” he said, and then stood up and held his hand out.
“No”
“Yes”
“No, I’m not going to do that in front of everyone.”
“Wimp,” he said, smiling.
“Maybe”
“They aren’t going to care and I can tell you’re tensing up again.”
She sighed, “Then let’s go into the bedroom alone.”
“No,” Silas, Kralen, and Horace all said at once.
Emily turned away from them and watched out the window. She wasn’t sure, but felt like the heku were arguing where she couldn’t hear it.
“Ok, we agreed on the bedroom, but Kralen and Silas get to watch,” Andrew told her.
She looked over at him, “Do you have a girlfriend?”
He was slightly taken back, “What?”
“Do you?”
“No”
“
Have you had one?”
His eyes narrowed, “I’m not sure this is appropriate.”
“She doesn’t care,” Kralen chuckled.
Andrew shifted uncomfortably, “It’s… well… no.”
“Never?”
“No”
“How old are you?” Emily asked, turning more toward him. The others in the room all turned to watch the interaction.
He smiled, “Older than any in this room I’d imagine.”
“And why the Encala?”
He gasped, and Kralen stepped between them, “Em, it’s not nice to ask.”
She shrugged, “Just curious.”
“That’s something he’s not going to want to divulge in front of us.”
“Well I’m bored. Why not find out more about him?”
Andrew smiled, “Because your Equites could care less about me.”
“So why did you join the Encala?”
“Em…” Kralen hissed.
“Were you always an Encala?”
He shook his head, “No, I was unfactioned for a while.”
“How does that happen?”
“It happens when those that turn you aren’t factioned.”
She thought about that and then nodded, “Ok, so how long were you unfactioned.”
“400 years.”
“Then you… wait…” She turned to Silas, “Wouldn’t the Encala be untrusting of an unfactioned if he came knocking and asked to join?”
Silas frowned, “Drop it.”
Emily bit at her bottom lip as she watched the nervous way the heku looked at each other, “Ok, so you went to the Encala and they met you with open arms?”
“Not quite,” Andrew said, and then leaned back on the couch.
“How did you convince them to accept you in?”
“When are you going to tell them?” he asked, motioning for the Equites.
Kralen’s eyes narrowed and he crossed his arms, “Tell us what?”
Emily turned pale and watched Andrew, “What?”
“I told you… they need to know.”
“No,” she said in a soft whisper.
“Tell us what?” Silas asked.
“It’s time for me to go to bed,” she said softly, and then stood up slowly.
Andrew frowned, “Your back is really hurting you.”
“Back,” she mumbled, walking into the bedroom, “hips… arms… knees… feet…”
Kralen turned to Andrew when the bedroom door shut, “What is she keeping from us?”
“It’s not my place to say.”
“But you feel we should know?”
“Yes, I do.”
“Then tell us.”
Andrew smiled when Emily called for him, “Again… not my place.”
Silas followed Andrew into the bedroom, where Emily was sitting on the edge of the bed in a thick white nightgown.
“You called for me?” he asked, standing in front of her.
She nodded and glanced at Silas before speaking, “Can you help my back and hips?”
He smiled and put his hand out, “Of course.”
Emily stood up slowly with his help and Silas frowned, “How badly are you hurting?”
“He can fix it,” she whispered, obviously in pain.
“How are you injured, Em?”
“Why don’t you ask your overly gargantuan Elder?”
Andrew helped Emily get into the Warrior pose easily and her breathing slowed. Silas watched closely, ready to tear Andrew’s head from his body if he put one foot out of line.
“Just take deep breaths,” Andrew said as he brought her arms down slowly to Warrior II. “Watch the balance.”
Silas hissed when Andrew put his hands on Emily’s hips, but the Encala ignored him, “You’re favoring your left side. You need to put your weight forward.”
Emily shifted slightly and winced.
“Relax, you’re too tense,” Andrew said softly. He lightly brushed the hair away from her shoulders and adjusted her arms slightly.
“Do you have to touch her?” Silas asked under his breath.
Andrew nodded, “Yes, I do.”
“Do what?” Emily asked, tensing again.
“Just relax.”
She shut her eyes and took deep breaths, already feeling her hips and legs begin to relax.
“Ok, turn and face away from me, but keep your feet apart,” Andrew whispered.
Emily did as she was told, and knowing what came next, she took a deep breath and slowly lowered her hands to the floor. When the baby got in the way, Andrew put his hands on her waist and lowered her gently to the floor.
“That’s enough!” Silas hissed.
“Walk your hands back,” Andrew told her, ignoring Silas.
“God, this feels good,” Emily sighed as her back began to relax.
“Good, just stay there for a bit then.”
“You aren’t going to stretch my legs?”
Andrew looked over at Silas, “He may attack me if I do.”
“Please, it feels so good.”
Silas hissed, “Do it.”
Andrew moved up behind her and when his thighs touched her back side, he bent over, took her shoulders, and gently pulled her back against him.
“What the hell…” Silas growled.
“Shut up, Silas,” Emily whispered. When her back quit hurting, she stood up with Andrew’s help and sat on the bed.
“Better?”
She nodded, “Yes, thanks.”
“Is the pain getting worse?”
“Sort of.”
“From what?” Silas asked, stepping up beside Andrew.
“The baby’s too big and puts pressure on her spine, which in turn puts pressure on her hips, legs, and back,” Andrew explained. “Yoga helps stretch them and relax them. She’ll have to do those when I’m gone.”
Emily looked up at him, “It is time for you to go, isn’t it?”
He sighed and the nodded, “Yes, when we get back tomorrow I’ll pack and then it will be time to return.”
***
“Your breakfast is here,” Kralen called through the door.
Emily came out of the bedroom freshly showered, and sat down with a plate of pancakes.
Kralen sat down beside her, “Silas checked us out. We’re good to go back any time.”
She nodded, “Turnings are done?”
“Yes”
“Do you still have to leave?” Emily asked Andrew.
“Yes, it’s time.”
“Why don’t you just join the Equites.”
“Emily!” Kralen gasped.
“Too stuck up and stiff for my taste,” Andrew chuckled.
Emily nodded, “I hear ya… I’ve always said I’m more Encala.”
“What?” Kralen asked with wide eyes.
“Oh the Elders know already.”
“Then you should join us,” Andrew said, smiling broadly.
Emily finished eating in silence while Kralen and Andrew had a silent staring match that ended when Emily yelled at them to grow up. One of the heku took her bags and they all headed down to the waiting Suburbans.
She wasn’t aware that it had snowed that night, and she pulled her coat tighter around her as the wind lashed at her. She was glad for the warmth of the Suburban, and fastened her seatbelt after turning up the heater.
“Trying to cook us?” Silas asked. Snow plows hadn’t been by yet, so the Suburbans cut fresh tracks into the nearly 12 inches of new snow.
“It’s cold,” she said, and turned to look out the window.
The Suburban fell silent as Silas drove slowly back toward Council City. Emily was staring blankly at the snow when Silas cursed and slammed on the brakes.
She turned toward the road as the Suburban began to fishtail and slide right toward a dark figure in the road. Emily screamed and grabbed the steering wheel as the Suburban hit the guard rail and came to a rest.
“Are you ok?” Andrew asked frantically when Emily grabbed her head.
“Did we hit him?”
“No”
Emily looked up just as Silas disappeared from the Suburban, and she saw that the Equites had surrounded the man standing in the road.
“Who is he?” she whispered.
“I don’t know,” Andrew said, watching them closely. “Just a heku I guess.”
“But he’s not hurt?”
“No… who’s Alec?”
Emily’s eyes grew wide, “Is that Alec?”
“Yes… come back!” Andrew growled when Emily bolted from the Suburban and walked unsteadily toward Alec. Her light shoes had been fine yesterday but in the deep snow they made her feet freeze.
She pushed past the Equites and walked up as Kralen and Alec screamed at each other.
“I don’t know what stops me from ripping you apart, right here,” Kralen yelled.
“Emi,” Alec said, turning to her when she walked up.
“What do you want, Alec?”
He smiled, “I see another Winchester is on the way.”
“I’m sure you knew that already.”
“It’s true… you’re looking good.”
“What do you want?”
“I want to talk to you, in private.”
“No!” Silas and Kralen yelled together.
Andrew walked up to stand beside Alec, and he stood a good 9 inches taller than Alec. Alec looked up at him nervously, “The Equites have an alliance with the Encala now?”
“No,” Andrew said, crossing his arms.
“Em, you need to get back in the truck,” Silas told her. “It’s too cold out here.”
Alec smiled at Emily, “So it’s you that has an alliance with the Encala.”
“What do you want, Alec?” she asked, yet again.
“Please, let me talk to you for just a moment.”
“Start talking,” Kralen hissed, squaring his shoulders at the smaller heku.
He sighed and took Emily’s hand, “I’ve made a lot of mistakes over the last 10 years.”
She just watched him.
“I want to make it up to you.”
“How?”
“By doing what you’ve always asked… by joining the Equites.”
Emily gasped, “You are?”
“Wait,” Silas said, watching him. “It’s not going to be that easy.”
“You really want to join me in Council City?”
He smiled, “Yes, I miss my family. Pat and his wife don’t want me living there. I’ve left the Valle for good and you’re the only family I have.”
Ancients and Old Ones : Book 8 of the Heku Series Page 22
