Encala

by T. M. Nielsen

  Emily groaned and clutched at her thigh. Maleth tore the side seam of her pants open to her thigh, and looked at the runes. They were red, and inflamed, and blisters started to appear.

  “There has to be a way to get this off,” he said to Leonid.

  “I have been researching it. I can’t find anything,” Leonid said.

  “Come here, Child,” Maleth said, picking Emily up. He cradled her in his arms and left the game room, heading up the stairs.

  Emily squeezed her eyes shut and moaned as she leaned her head against Maleth’s neck. He walked into her room and laid her on the bed as Chevalier stood up from the chair and blurred to her.

  “It’s the runes,” Maleth said, when Emily grabbed her thigh and screamed.

  “I have her,” he growled at Maleth, who left quickly and shut the door.

  Emily finally relaxed some and laid her forehead on the bed, still holding her thigh.

  “We’ll make it stop, Em, I swear,” he told her, and touched her hand lightly.

  She pulled her hand away from him, “Don’t touch me.”

  “I’m sorry,” he said, and took a step away from her.

  Emily slipped her torn jeans off and turned to look at her thigh. The runes were no longer red and inflamed. She touched them, surprised they weren’t even sore to the touch.

  “Emily, we need to talk,” Chevalier said, watching her closely.

  “Yes, we do,” she agreed.

  “I haven’t done anything to make you not trust me, but I know that you don’t,” he said, and slowly moved to the bed and sat down.

  “I trust you,” she told him, but watched him carefully.

  “No you don’t, or I would still be able to pick up feelings and emotions from you. Do you still love me?” he asked, unsure.

  She nodded, “Yes.”

  “Then what’s wrong?”

  “I… need time,” she said, looking into his eyes.

  “Time away from me?” he asked, hiding the hurt from his eyes.

  “Time away from everything,” she said, laying her hand on his leg.

  He nodded.

  “Allen and I are leaving in two weeks.” She sat up cross-legged beside him.

  He frowned, “Where are you going?”

  “I’m going to visit my Uncle Alec,” she told him.

  She could see the concern and frustration in his face.

  “We’ll stay for two weeks, and then we’ll come back,” she said, touching his face.

  “Is there no other way?” he looked into her eyes.

  “My cousin is getting married. I’m going to be in the wedding. Right now I need to just get away for a while,” she tried to make him understand.

  “It wouldn’t be away if I went, would it?”

  She shook her head, “Please don’t take this the wrong way. I’m not getting away from you. I’m getting away from everything here.”

  He nodded, “One guard?”

  Emily smiled, “No.”

  Chevalier put her head in his hands and pulled her face close to his, “Come back.”

  Chapter 14 - Vacation

  “I’m done packing,” Emily said, turning to Sam and Chevalier. “Will you two stop moping?”

  “I don’t see why I can’t go,” Sam said, sulking.

  “Because it’s an Allen and I thing. Allen’s one of the ring bearer’s and I have to wear this and act like I like it,” Emily said, holding up a light pink, rather revealing dress.

  “You’re going to wear that in front of Jeff?” Chevalier asked.

  Emily laughed, “Rein in the jealousy, Chev.”

  Emily crawled onto Chevalier’s lap and faced him, her knees at his sides, “Remember what I said, about followers?”

  He nodded, “Yes, but I don’t like it.”

  “That’s the deal… I catch one follower, and not only will I ash them, I won’t come back,” she said, seriously.

  “I don’t like it, not at all. What if you happen across an Encala or a Valle?” he scowled.

  “I won’t.”

  “What if you do?”

  “I won’t,” Emily said. “Hold out your hand.”

  Chevalier held out his hand and frowned when she set her cell phone in it, “No.”

  “Yes, no calls,” she crawled off of his lap.

  “You have to take your cell phone,” he growled.

  “No,” she said, and threw a bag over her shoulder.

  “Emily, I have to insist, in case of an emergency,” Chevalier said.

  “No.” She walked up and kissed him softly.

  “I can’t lose contact with you for two weeks,” he said, narrowing his eyes.

  “Yes… you can,” she told him and picked Allen up.

  “I’ll walk you out,” Chevalier said, taking Allen from her. He grabbed their bags with his other hand and followed her down the stairs.

  “It’ll be good for the palace. They don’t have to be on mortal alert,” she grinned.

  “They aren’t on mortal alert,” he told her.

  “Oh? What about those guards in the barracks? They can come give these guards a much needed vacation.” She smiled at one of the door guards.

  “I don’t see why one guard can’t go with you. Take Frank, he fits in well with mortals,” he said as they walked up to the Durango.

  “No”

  Chevalier kissed Allen and buckled him into his car seat.

  “What flight will you be on?” he asked.

  “One going up high,” she said, and slid into the Durango.

  “You aren’t going to even tell me your flight information?” he frowned.

  “No and it’s good for you,” she said as he leaned in and hugged her tightly.

  “I still can’t read you. I can’t follow your emotions or your feelings, it’s not safe,” he said, looking deep into her eyes.

  “I will be back in 2 weeks,” she said, and kissed him softly. She pulled back, but he kissed her again passionately.

  “Two weeks,” she promised, and then shut the door and drove off.

  Chevalier watched with a heavy heart as they drove away. He couldn’t express to Emily how dangerous this idea was, and how much he hated how she left after having such a hard few weeks. Once the Durango was out of sight, he went into the castle to see if he could find a way to pass the next two weeks.

  “Sorry, Elder,” Kyle said.

  “Two weeks,” he told Kyle.

  “Want me to go or are you sending Mark?” he asked.

  “I’m not sending anyone,” Chevalier said, snarling.

  Kyle frowned, “No one?”

  Chevalier shook his head, “Let’s see if we can work on those runes.”

  Kyle nodded and followed the Elder down into the prison, Damon met them there. The three of them looked in at Vaughn.

  “Can I help you?” Vaughn asked, smiling.

  “We’ve come to talk about the runes on my wife,” Chevalier said, calmly.

  “You mean my wife?” Vaughn asked, and leaned against the side of his cell.

  “What is it going to take to get those off of her?” Chevalier ignored Vaughn’s last comment.

  “There’s nothing that’s going to convince me to let go of my hold on the Winchester’s only heir,” Vaughn said.

  “It won’t do you any good if you spend eternity in this cell,” Kyle said.

  “We’ll see. I do enjoy hearing her scream in pain whenever I want,” Vaughn grinned.

  “Why are you doing this? Why does it seem like more than just having a Winchester at your command?” Damon asked, curiously.

  “I owe her a life of pain and humiliation for what she did to my faction. It’s my right to revenge, and I choose to take it out on her personally. You let her run around here like she’s in charge. As my wife, she will learn to be submissive, obedient, and respectful, as any mortal should be,” he said, proudly.

  “Then you don’t know her very well. Emily doesn’t have a submissive bone in her body. She woul
d end up just turning you all to ash again,” Kyle said, when Chevalier didn’t answer. Kyle didn’t see that Damon was restraining Chevalier behind him.

  “Not when the rune fully works. Once that rune comes into full power, she will do whatever I say, whenever I say it, and she’ll do it with a bow,” he said, pleased.

  “You underestimate her,” Kyle said. “We know what it will take to make that rune fully operational, and it’s not going to happen.”

  “Enough pain will change anything. Even the most stubborn streak,” he said, sitting down on the bed in his cell.

  “I see we’re at an impasse,” Damon said, and pushed Chevalier back toward the prison door.

  “We’ll be back,” Kyle said.

  “Tell Emily good-bye from me, I hope she has fun in New Mexico,” Vaughn called to them.

  “We have to stop her, if he’s gotten a message to the Encala…” Chevalier blurred to the McLaren parked by his Humvee and roared the engine to life when Kyle sat down. He spun out and pulled quickly out of the garage and headed after Emily.

  “We should pass her at this speed, keep your eyes out,” Chevalier said, topping the car’s speedometer.

  “The Encala would have to know, he was too confident in how he said that,” Kyle said, watching out for the dark blue Durango.

  Chevalier just scowled and wove in and out of traffic.

  “What if she won’t come back with us?” Kyle asked.

  “I don’t expect her to, I have…” Chevalier sighed, “A sedative.”

  Kyle opened his eyes wide, “She’ll... she’ll not be happy.”

  “I know, but she’ll be safe,” he said.

  Chevalier pulled up to the valet at the airport and threw the keys at him. He and Kyle stepped into the airport, quickly, and looked toward the security check-in, the line was long. The estimated wait time listed on the board was 90 minutes.

  “I’m not catching her scent,” Kyle said, looking around.

  “She couldn’t have gotten through security. We had to have passed her,” Chevalier said, looking back toward the parking garage.

  “We were both watching for that, traffic wasn’t that heavy.”

  “Damnit, damnit, Emily,” Chevalier slammed his fist against the wall and turned around to block the hole in the wall with his body.

  “What?”

  “She went to the smaller airport, not the international. She would have known we’d check for her here,” Chevalier explained, angrily.

  Kyle opened his cell phone and dialed, “Hello. When’s your next flight to Albuquerque, on any airline?”

  Kyle frowned and slammed the phone down, “Only one airline flies to Albuquerque, it leaves in 15 minutes.”

  “We can drive it,” Chevalier said.

  “Think about it… what do we do when we get to her Uncle’s ranch?” Kyle asked.

  “Bring her home.”

  “Kicking and screaming?”

  “If we have to,” he said.

  Kyle turned and looked at him, “Maybe… we need to give her what she asked for.”

  “And let the Encala have her?” Chevalier asked, shocked.

  “Maybe it won’t happen. She can kill hundreds at once. They would be stupid to try to take her,” Kyle reminded him.

  ***

  “Oooh let me see that baby!” Jess said, taking Allen into a bear hug. She pressed her lips hard against his cheeks and left smeared red lipstick, “He’s so beautiful!”

  “Thanks, Jess,” Emily said, and hugged her uncle.

  “It’s about time you came for a visit!” Alec smiled.

  “Does someone have to get married to get you to visit?” Jess asked, and she put Allen down and hugged Emily tightly.

  “I’m sorry, it’s been busy. How exciting that Pat is getting married,” Emily smiled and looked around the ranch. “Nothing’s changed.”

  “Nuthin ‘cept you, Tiny.” Emily sighed and turned around to face Jeff.

  “Hello, Jeff,” she said, politely.

  “You’re holding up well, Short stuff,” he said smiling.

  “Jeff, she’s married, go feed the cows.” Alec said, and picked up Emily’s bags. She followed them into the house. Emily stood at the counter and snapped green beans as she listened to her aunt talk about the wedding and Pat’s fiancé.

  Emily was enjoying herself. Something as menial as making dinner was relaxing, and she was enjoying talking about little things. Allen was in the front yard playing with the neighbor’s 5-year-old son, and she was able to see him running and playing from the kitchen window.

  “How are things with you?” Jess asked, wiping her hands on a towel.

  “Same ol’ same ol’,” Emily said, smiling. “Boring life, ya know?”

  “Yeah I do, how’s that husband of yours? He’s quite handsome,” Jess said.

  “He’s good, probably enjoying some alone time.” Emily began to blanch the beans.

  “If he ever goes missing, Jeff talked about you for weeks after you left,” Jess said, winking at Emily.

  “Oh yay, I’ll keep that in mind,” Emily said, and laughed.

  “We have a dress fitting in town at 7pm, is that ok?” her Aunt asked as she rifled through the fridge.

  “Sure”

  “Boys, come eat!” Jess yelled out the window. Emily started piling food onto the table. She smiled when she saw everyone sit down around the table and begin to eat and talk. She was finding it was the little things she missed.

  After dinner, it was time for the fitting, so Emily kissed Allen good-bye and left him with Alec, then climbed into Jeff’s truck. He was taking Jess and Emily into town because he had to go in for feed. Emily made sure and let Jess ride in the passenger seat beside Jeff.

  “What ya been doing, Teeny?” Jeff asked, watching Emily in the rear-view mirror.

  “Not much, hanging out with my husband and his guards,” she said, grinning.

  “Your husband has bodyguards?” he asked, frowning.

  “Yes, lots of them,” Emily couldn’t help but chuckle.

  “Didn’t we tell you? He’s an ambassador, right, Em?” Jess said.

  Emily nodded.

  The rest of the drive was in silence. Jeff grumbled a good-bye when he drove off from the church. Emily was surprised to have the fitting in a church, but the tailor was a member of their faith and offered the church.

  “Go get dressed, I’ll meet you there,” Jess said, and Emily headed for the bathrooms.

  She pulled the light pink dress out of the dressing bag and stripped, then slipped it on. She looked at her exposed back in the mirror and frowned. She looked at herself from the front, and shook her head, disappointed. Her sides were also exposed, and the dress was a little lower cut than she would normally wear. Taking a deep breath, Emily walked out with the others.

  Emily cringed, there were three others in the exact same dress. One was close to 250 lbs, and the other two were both over sixty. She smiled when they made a fuss over how beautiful she looked in the dress, and then stood up on a table for her fitting. She could feel herself blush as everyone watched.

  “Does the bride have something against backs?” Emily asked, as the woman pinned the hem and told her not to move.

  “You’re lucky that much is covered,” the tailor said, disgusted. “The way she prances around town in that half shirt and short shorts, it’s disgraceful.”

  Emily tried to ignore the argument that ensued and just thought about how wonderful all of this was. She missed some of the mundaneness of the mortal world, no attacks, no feedings, and no life threatening hidden passages.

  “Ok, done,” the lady said when she’d finished with Emily’s dress. “I’ll have it ready by tomorrow night.”

  Emily stepped down, careful not to disturb the pins, and ran back to the bathroom to change. There was another argument when she got back to the room. The tailor was trying to explain to the heavy-set maid of honor why she needed to wear a girdle, and the two older bridesmaids were t
alking about how bridesmaid dresses used to look.

  Jess gave Emily a frantic look, and Emily put her hand on her stomach, “I think all the travel is making me sick.”

  Jess’ eyes got wide, “Oh we should get you home, Dear.”

  Jess called Jeff and told him they were ready to leave. It was only a few minutes later than Jess and Emily were in the truck, on their way back to the ranch.

  “That was fun,” Emily said, after a few minutes of silence.

  “Well, Pat’s fiancé is a little… well...” Jess tried to think of a good word.

  “Flakey,” Jeff suggested.

  “She’s not a flake.”

  “She’s a women’s lib lovin’ flake,” Jeff said.

  Emily smiled, “You need a girlfriend, then you wouldn’t be so hostile.”

  “That an offer, Sweetheart?” he asked, looking in the rear-view mirror.

  “In your dreams, Hoss.”

  Emily hopped out of the truck when they got to the ranch and went in to check on Allen. Allen was sitting in Alec’s lap, and they were watching an old John Wayne movie together.

  “How’d it go?” she asked, kissing Allen on the cheek.

  “Your son has quite the imagination,” Alec said. “So I decided to show him some real heroes. No more of these… what do you call them?”

  “Heku,” Allen said, watching the movie intently.

  “It’s just a phase, I’m sure,” Emily said, and went into the kitchen to help clean up. Jess made a fresh pot of coffee and she and Emily sat down to visit. Alec came in a short time later with Allen asleep in his arms.

  “I think he’s had enough of the Duke,” Alec said, handing Allen over to Emily.

  She kissed his cheek, “We’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “Sounds good, why don’t you bring some eggs in when you come,” Jess said, smiling.

  Emily nodded and headed out to the old bunkhouse where she used to live. Emily changed both of them and curled up next to Allen on the bed. She soon fell asleep to the sounds of cows in the pasture.

  Emily woke up to the rooster and looked over at Allen, he was still fast asleep. She got up, dressed quickly, and walked out to the chicken coop. She gathered the eggs into the basket and checked on Allen, he was coloring in bed. Once he was dressed, they headed into the house. They could smell breakfast from outside, and Emily smiled.