Heart of Thorns: a Between the Worlds novel

by Morgan Daimler

  Jess stood and embraced her from behind, his feelings gentle, even as she watched Bleidd’s face soften. Jess’s voice was in her ear, but loud enough for Bleidd to hear too, “We are all trying. And as long as we keep trying we will keep getting better at it.”

  Bleidd nodded, his emotions uncertain again. “We will find a way to make this work Allie.”

  She smiled tentatively but she wasn’t sure what else to say. After a moment he inclined his head in a shrug, “Well, I am going to go up to bed and read for a while. Feel free to join me when the mood suits you.”

  “I’ll go up with you,” Jess said, and for an instant Allie felt a twinge of panic, not sure if she could cope with being in the house with them if they started fooling around together and she was trying to act normal with Jason and Tony, but then Jess went on. “I’d like to take a shower, and I have some paperwork to finish up from a case. I imagine I can get that done by the time Allie is ready to join us.”

  Bleidd smiled wolfishly at that, but Allie could barely hide her relief. There were times when she worried that Bleidd’s sex drive was a bit too much for her, and having Jess in the relationship was a double-edged sword. While it relived some of her worry about keeping Bleidd satisfied – a concern born of her own guilt over having bonded him to her to begin with and unintentionally limiting his options – her awareness of both of their actions, particularly sexual ones, because of that same bond meant that even when she wasn’t physically involved, she was still keenly aware of what was happening. She forced herself to nod, hoping none of that showed on her face and headed towards the den as the two elves walked down the hall together.

  Jason and Tony were sitting on the overstuffed sectional couch, Tony’s arm draped across Jason’s shoulders, as Allie edged into the room. She hoped she hadn’t missed too much of the movie, but she knew she had to tell Jess about Sam coming over before too much time went by. As she stepped in, hugging the wall, both men looked up. Tony smiled and through her shields she could feel his real happiness at seeing her. Jason waved her over impatiently, his eyes immediately going back to the screen. “Hurry up Allie, you already missed like half of it.”

  “Sorry,” she mumbled all but jumping onto the closest couch cushion. “Had to warn the guys about Sam.”

  “Who’s Sam?” Tony asked, his eyes also back on the tv.

  “A mage who works for the police department,” Jason said, before Allie could answer. “He’s coming over tomorrow to check for hexing evidence.”

  “Is this about your truck?” Tony asked, frowning.

  Jason shrugged, then patted his boyfriend’s leg reassuringly. “Kind of. There’s been some other things like that going on too. Don’t worry about it though, everything’s safe and the police are looking into it now, right Allie?”

  “Ah, they’re looking into it, right,” Allie agreed while dodging the part about how safe things might be, licking her lips. “That’s why Sam’s coming over.”

  She started to go on, but Jason made a shushing gesture, “Alright, I’ll fill him in later. I don’t want to miss this part. That’s the main character, Mary, and her husband died at the beginning – you missed that part – and she just found a journal he wrote, and she’s driven up to this cabin she didn’t know he had to figure out why he was killed. Now hush and watch before we miss something important.”

  Allie snapped her mouth shut, amused by Jason’s reprimand as much as the compressed plot summary of the movie. Jason had picked it out so she assumed it was probably a horror film, which she’d have vetoed if she’d had a chance. Horror was definitely not her favorite genre. Still she settled in and tried to get into the movie, since she had told him she’d watch whatever they picked. Just my luck Tony likes horror too she thought wryly, as the dark haired, tense-looking woman on the screen walked slowly up a dimly lit stairway as ominous music played. Come to think of it so does Jess. Am I the only one who’d rather watch something funny than something with a running body count?

  Within a few minutes Allie realized that despite Jason’s recap she was hopelessly lost with this plot. She gave up trying to figure out why the woman couldn’t open the attic door, or why the director kept cutting to footage of wolves prowling around the small cabin during the night. Instead she let her mind wander a bit, letting herself relax into the soft cushions and good company. Well she thought, watching the light as it danced on the wall at least things seem to be going in the right direction. Jason’s feeling better and he’s actually excited about getting a new truck. The guy who hit us is okay and his insurance is covering our medical bills and giving both of us a check for pain and suffering, which seems silly but I guess it’s their way of being sure we won’t sue later. I’m not going to complain too much when I had to close the store for two days and it’ll help me get straight financially. Hannah moves in tomorrow. Sam will come over and see what he can figure out about what’s going on…and Jess and Bleidd and I don’t seem to be fighting anymore.

  Her hand slid forward to cover her abdomen where she imagined she could feel a tiny spark of presence, not exactly anything clear or sentient, just a vague something. But she was starting to wonder if it was her imagination or if she was actually perceiving the pregnancy. It was still hard for her to grasp the idea and she wished she could talk to somebody, anybody, about it but she was afraid that even Rose might not understand. This is so overwhelming Allie thought, swallowing hard. I’ve spent so much time since I found out about it fighting Bleidd to get him to accept this as a good thing, but how do I really feel about it? Everyone else is so happy, I can feel it, Jess, Rose, even Jason and Tony. They’re all happy for me. So why do I just feel scared? Is it because I’m afraid nothing will really come of this? That I’ll miscarry? Then why was I so excited about the nursery idea that I rushed right to Shawn and worked it all out? That thought didn’t feel right anyhow and she put her elbow on the arm of the couch and leaned her head against her fist. She knew that about half of elven pregnancies ended in early miscarriages but somehow she didn’t think that would happen this time, although she wasn’t sure why. Is this just too much change? I mean I’m not even married yet, to either of them, and we only just moved in together, really only just started courting. Everything is happening very quickly….but…no….I really do think this will bring us together not pull us apart. She frowned at the wall. Am I afraid I’ll be a bad mother?

  She felt her stomach clench at the thought, and bit her lip. Since anything was better than continuing that train of thought she forced herself to focus on the movie, not letting herself look away as the main character shot a wolf as it tried to break through the cabin door, even though she hated the sight of the blood.

  She’d had enough deep introspection for awhile. Now she wanted nothing more than a chance not to think.

  Chapter 10 – Saturday

  The last several days had been painfully normal but if there was one thing that Allie had learned while dealing with the dark coven it was not to trust the appearance of normality. After her counter magic there had been no further signs of bad luck and the house had settled into its usual routine. Even Bleidd had begun to relax, and his mood had turned unusually positive, but despite his inexplicable cheer Allie remained tense.

  She walked across the front yard to her car deep in thought. Jess had left already for the Outpost so that he could leave early and be back when Hannah arrived to move in. Bleidd of course had left at his usual time and would be home, she hoped, at his usual time as well. She hated the sudden mistrust she felt whenever he went out, even to work.

  You’re being unfair Allie, she told herself sliding into her car and taking a moment to appreciate it. He slipped up one time. Once. I can’t hold that against him forever. Even if this situation is making him act ridiculous. She started the vehicle and began the drive to work, trying to shake the lingering feeling of trepidation. Besides it’s not fair to expect him to be what I need all the time. I know they keep pushing me to be more open and to
depend on them more but there’s a line between healthy relying on partners and needy dependence and if I’m expecting him to always do everything just the way I want him to do it, that can’t be healthy. Not to mention that me being what I am I have to be careful not to influence him to make him be what I want…

  She was still frowning to herself and trying to decide whether expecting him to stay sober was a fair request or not when she arrived at work and parked in her usual spot behind the store. Well, enough of that she thought getting out and rolling her shoulders to try to work out the knots she could feel pulling at them. Let’s get this day going and get back home to help Hannah get settled and then show Sam around. One way or another it’s going to be a busy day…

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  Bleidd was waiting to see for himself how Hannah fit in with the other roommates. Despite Jess’s confidence in Allie’s opinion of their newest roommate Bleidd was aware that Allie was not truly a very good judge of people, always trying to find the best in even the worst person. She had steadfastly refused to see her cousin’s virulent prejudice against elves as anything but a dislike, for example, and she had been close to three members of the dark coven without ever realizing it, had in fact tried to see the good even in the murderous detective Walters up until the end. So until Bleidd saw for himself that Hannah was harmless and meshed well with everyone in the house he wouldn’t simply trust Allie’s word, although he’d never willingly admit that to her.

  Jess and Allie were both still at work, but Bleidd had taken advantage of one of Henry’s rare good moods and left early. Which had worked out exceptionally well as he had arrived home just as Hannah was calling to say that she’d been called in to work and to see if she could move her things in a bit earlier than planned. A quick mental conference with Allie had confirmed that there was no problem moving up the time of her arrival, although much to Bleidd’s amusement Allie was quite concerned that Hannah would be offended that Allie wasn’t there herself to help. He had refrained from pointing out that he had no intention of letting Allie lift anything heavier than a small suitcase anyway and had simply reassured her that he would handle things.

  It had proved easier than he’d expected actually as Hannah had few possessions: a small bed, desk, small dresser, computer, cabinet, and a dozen boxes. The furniture was all very bland and typically utilitarian human styles. The most interesting thing to Bleidd’s mind was a small wooden cabinet, obviously antique, which Hannah had insisted on carrying herself. When she’d placed it on the top of her newly positioned dresser she’d opened it to reveal a small shrine with a golden figure in the center. That had been intriguing indeed, and he very much liked the energy of it, but when he’d tried to get a closer look Jason had pulled him back and told him it was a Buddhist shrine and that he’d tell Bleidd more later but not to bother Hannah about it. He’d been forced by politeness to throttle his curiosity back and file it away for later.

  He’d been careful the entire time to give the woman her space, trying to avoid what he worried was an inevitable uncomfortable situation. In his experience human women either fawned over him or were afraid of him, and while either could be ignored easily in any other setting in his own home it was bound to be awkward…but to his surprise while Hannah had been polite she’d also been entirely businesslike. Perhaps this time Allie was right Bleidd mused, only half listening to the conversation between the three humans as they relaxed in the kitchen. She seems to be getting along well with Jason and Shawn and she’s been much better around me than I expected. I suppose working at the clinic she probably has more experience with the full range of Ashwood’s residents than most other people would. Perhaps this will work out well after all.

  After getting Hannah settled they’d retired to the kitchen and now he stood and observed. At the moment the newest roommate was sitting at the kitchen table chatting with Jason and Shawn about inane things as Bleidd stood across the room leaning on the kitchen counter. All three were eating an early dinner and preparing to leave: Shawn to the theater, Hannah to the clinic and Jason to go out with several of his friends to see a movie in the neighboring town. Bleidd was trying to avoid notice and observe the new woman as she interacted with the human roommates. And I suppose he thought cynically tomorrow when she has to deal with both myself and Jessilaen together on our day off we’ll see how well she really does with non-human roommates.

  He shifted slightly against the counter as the trio at the table laughed. Everything seemed to have turned around, and more than that the bad luck had been replaced, by all appearances, with good luck. But Bleidd did not trust this turn. The nagging sense of foreboding that had haunted him for the last two weeks still lurked, flaring up when he least expected it. Somewhere out there our enemy remains he brooded. I can feel it. And until I know that they have been captured and removed as a threat I will not trust this calm not matter how far it extends….

  *****************************

  Riley sat on the cold tile floor of the hotel bathroom, the candle light dancing cheerfully around her and tried to steel herself to follow through with her plan. She was almost out of time now and this was her last desperate effort, her last chance to get back at the person she believed had hurt her family.

  It had taken longer than she’d anticipated to get everything she’d needed for the spell, and she’d started to think maybe she wouldn’t be able to do it after all. Then, at the last minute, almost literally, things had fallen into place, so that she was sitting there in a perfectly cast ritual circle. The lamb’s heart was in her left hand, a long sharp thorn in her right hand and a pile of eight more identical thorns on the floor by her knee. Everything was ready, but now that she was actually there, doing it, she kept thinking of the book store owner and how nice she was. How helpful she’d been, finding the un-cursing spell Riley needed. And more and more it seemed wrong to use magic against her just to get even with the woman’s boyfriend.

  Riley took a long deep breath and reminded herself what it had been like to live with the curse her whole life. The shame of the stigma on the family. She reminded herself how good his life was here, his big house, his nice car, his job. She felt the anger growing and embraced it, pushing away her doubts and uncertainty.

  She lifted the heart up, ignoring the cold, mostly congealed blood that trickled down her arm. With as much force as she could muster she stabbed the first thorn into the unyielding flesh. “I pierce your heart, may your love for him wither.”

  She picked up the second thorn and added it to the first, repeating the words. With each added thorn her own emotions spiraled higher until by the end she was nearly in a frenzy. She pushed the last thorn in with so much force at the edge of the bottom of the heart that it went entirely through and out the other side, stabbing into the meaty part of the palm of her own hand. She yelped and dropped it, looking in numb disbelief at the blood welling up from the puncture wound.

  “Oh snap,” she mumbled, wiping her hand on her t-shirt. Her eyes searched the small room for any indication that the spell had rebounded on her, but everything seemed exactly the same. Nonetheless she knew it was a terrible omen, and she felt tears welling up. “I knew it,” she said to herself, her words echoing on the tile, “I knew this was a bad idea. I should have trusted my instincts.”

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  Allie rushed home after work, but as she pulled into her usual parking spot it was clear that the only other cars at the house were Bleidd’s black sport’s car and Jess’s Guard vehicle. Crap, she thought, biting her lip. Crap, crap, crap! I really wanted to be here when Hannah moved in. What kind of land lady am I anyway? My first renter since taking over the house and I’m not even here to welcome her when she moves in. Ugh!

  She got out of the car slowly, all her haste evaporating now that she knew Hannah had already left for work. Sam should be here soon, but she’d have time to go in and get settled before he arrived. Oh double crap she thought making a face Sam…I
should have warned Ciaran that Sam was coming over. Dear Gods what has happened to my brain lately?

  Allie changed course away from the house, limping instead around the side of the building towards the back. Twilight was still a few hours away and she wasn’t entirely sure where the kelpie would be right now, but she guessed that his pond was a good place to start looking. The thought of hiking out through the woods made her ankle ache before she even reached the edge of the yard, but there wasn’t anything for it. Ciaran was her friend and she owed it to him to give him a head’s up before the police mage arrived and started poking around what the kelpie considered to be, at least partially, his territory.

  She reached the stone wall that marked the back edge of the yard and the end of the warded area and was getting ready to climb over when a hand settled on her shoulder. She let out an undignified squeal and stumbled back. Jess caught her up against his chest, his laughter vibrating through her. “I’m sorry my love, I didn’t mean to startle you.”

  Allie grimaced, embarrassed both that she’d been so obviously caught off guard and that she’d been paying so little attention that Jess had been able to walk right up without her noticing. “No, I’m sorry. I should be paying more attention.”

  “Is everything alright?” He asked through their bond and without thinking she relaxed into him letting him hold her in an embrace.

  “Yes, everything is fine, I think” she answered. “I just realized I forgot to tell Ciaran that Sam is coming over and I wanted to let him know before Sam gets here.”

  “I can tell him” Jess quickly volunteered.

  Allie shook her head, stepping back slightly and reverting to speaking aloud. “No, that’s alright. I’ll tell him.”