by I. T. Lucas
At the mall, Callie found the dress first. Another black one, but with wide shoulder straps to cover a regular bra. It was simple, with a square neckline that didn’t reveal too much, and not too short, just a couple of inches above the knees.
“May I suggest the jacket that goes with it?” the salesgirl asked.
“Is it also on sale?”
“Everything in the store is thirty percent off until the end of the weekend.”
“Then let’s see that jacket.”
Nice, Callie thought as she looked herself over in the mirror. Waist length, with three-quarter sleeves, the jacket made the outfit look like something from a sixties fashion magazine—a Jackie look. The outfit was very elegant. Perhaps she could wear it to her lunch date with Brundar.
“Do you have shoes that go with this?” she asked the girl. After all, she couldn’t wear an outfit like that with socks and sneakers. That look might work in New York but not in Los Angeles.
“What’s your size?”
“Seven.”
“I’ll be right back.”
The girl brought back a pair of black, three-inch-heel pumps. Perfect. Not too extreme to finish her shopping, and not too plain for the dress. The best part was that all three items ended up costing her less than a hundred dollars, which left enough of her budget for another bra on top of the strapless, maybe a sexy number with matching panties.
It would be fun to have something beautiful to surprise Brundar with. Most of Callie’s underwear was made from cotton and came in packs of six. Not that she thought Brundar cared one way or another, but she wanted it for the way it would make her feel. A femme fatale.
Unfortunately, her favorite lingerie store was closed for remodeling, which left her with two options—try to find what she needed in one of the department stores, or drive over to another mall.
Difficult decision.
The thing was, a beautiful set in black satin and lace had caught her eye in one of the advertisements the store was running, and now that she’d decided to splurge on it, Callie didn’t want to compromise on something else. Heck, the next mall was only twenty minutes away, and besides, she had plenty of time before lunch, even if she made it an early one.
On the way back to the parking lot, Callie’s new outfit earned her a few appreciative glances, and one guy even went as far as whistling. Rude, but at the same time flattering.
Working as a drink server in a nightclub, she couldn’t consider every inappropriate glance and remark a harassment, even if she was inclined to. But she wasn’t. Flirting was okay unless the guy crossed the line, becoming offensive or persisting without any encouragement on her part.
It happened sometimes, but she had no problem dealing with the offender herself. A stern look or a snide remark was usually enough.
Callie dropped the bag with her old clothes and her purse on the floor of the passenger seat, turned the engine on, and backed out from her parking spot. She turned left at the first light.
Idling at the next intersection, Callie closed her eyes for what seemed like a couple of seconds when someone behind her honked the horn.
“What’s your problem, asshat?”
The light must’ve turned green right at that moment, and the driver was very impatient.
“People.”
She continued down the boulevard, deciding to use surface streets instead of going on the freeway.
When someone honked at the next red light, Callie began to worry. Why was she closing her eyes at all? She wasn’t tired.
Furthermore, the honking implied that she was closing them for longer than she thought she was.
Should she pull over?
Nah, she needed to find a Starbucks and get a double-shot cappuccino. That would wake her up.
A few blocks later it happened again.
This time, though, Callie wasn’t idling at a red light, she was driving, and it wasn’t a honk that woke her up, but the sound of screeching tires.
She had a split second to panic before the impact, and then everything turned black.
Chapter 50: Brundar
“Stop looking at your watch every goddamned minute.” Anandur rolled his eyes.
They had finished the Guardian meeting with Kian an hour ago, going over everything he wanted them to do and not to do in his absence. The guy was going away for a long weekend but was preparing as if he was leaving for at least a year.
“And stop looking at your phone too. Your fidgeting is making me nervous.”
Brundar couldn’t help it. Calypso had planned to leave the apartment shortly after he had, which was a little after ten in the morning. She’d said that shopping would take her no more than two hours, but it was already after one in the afternoon, and she hadn’t texted him yet.
“I should call her.” He selected her contact.
Anandur stayed his hand. “Don’t. You told me that this is the first time since the incident that she is taking some time to herself. Let the girl shop in peace.”
“I worry about her.”
“That’s exactly why you shouldn’t call her. You’ll make her feel guilty and cut her fun time short.”
Maybe, but if Brundar didn’t hear from her in the next fifteen minutes, he was going to lose his shit.
Something was wrong, he could feel it in his gut. “I’m calling her.”
“What if she’s driving? Does she have Bluetooth in her car?”
“No. It’s an older model.”
“Then she would have to reach into her purse to find the damn thing, and that’s not safe.”
Brundar put the phone back, pulled one of his knives from its holster, and started twirling it between his fingers.
“I hate it when you do that. I know how sharp you keep them.”
“I’ve never nicked myself before.” Brundar twirled faster, the knife turning into a blur as he tried to quiet the unease churning in his gut by keeping his focus on the sharp blade.
“You should’ve put a tracker on her car. Then you would have had peace of mind.”
Yeah, he should have, but it hadn’t crossed his mind. “I’m calling her.”
Anandur shrugged. “You do what you have to do. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
The phone rang and rang and rang, finally going to voicemail. Brundar dialed again with the same results.
“She is not answering.”
“It’s noisy in the mall. She probably can’t hear the ring.”
Brundar typed a quick message. Call me as soon as you can.
Pacing the corridor in front of Kian’s office, Brundar waited for Calypso’s response.
Ten minutes later he was done waiting. “Fuck it. I’m going to look for her.”
“Where? It’s a big city.”
Brundar called Calypso’s number again, but again it went to voicemail. “What else can I do?”
“Do you know her license plate number?”
“No. How the hell should I?”
Anandur scratched his beard. “Maybe Roni can get it from the security camera footage in her apartment building. Does the building have one in the parking garage?”
“It does.” Brundar started walking toward the elevators.
“Stop. Roni is working in William’s lab now.”
Brundar reversed direction and headed for the lab, with Anandur following closely behind him.
The kid lifted his head from an array of monitors. “How can I help you, gentlemen?”
“I need you to find a license plate number.” Brundar typed the address, Calypso’s car model and color, then handed his phone to Roni. “This is her address. See if you can find the parking lot feed.”
“Was it parked there last night?”
Brundar nodded.
It took the kid five minutes to find the feed, then enlarge it so he could copy the number. “Here you go.” He handed Brundar a piece of paper.
“You’re not done. I need you to check if that car was involved in an accident. Check rep
orts from ten o'clock this morning until now.”
Roni frowned. “What happened?”
Anandur waved a dismissive hand. “My brother is overreacting. His friend went shopping, and he can’t get a hold of her.”
Brundar gritted his teeth. “I have a bad feeling.”
“You should have said so.” Anandur’s tone changed from mocking to worried in an instant. The big oaf had always been superstitious. He believed in omens and lucky numbers and all that shit.
Roni’s fingers were a blur on his keyboard. If Brundar hadn’t known better, he would have thought the kid was an immortal. Humans just didn’t operate at speeds like that.
“Got it. You were right.”
Brundar’s gut flipped and then twisted in a tight knot. “Talk.”
“She was involved in an accident, another car hit her when she didn’t stop at a red light. She was taken to the nearest hospital with a broken arm, a light concussion, and some superficial cuts. Nothing life-threatening.”
“Thank the merciful Fates.” Anandur clutched at his heart.
Brundar wasn’t going to thank the sadistic bitches. As if she hadn’t suffered enough, Calypso was hurting again. But at least she was alive.
“Which hospital?” he asked.
Roni scribbled the name and address on a note and handed it to Brundar.
“I’ll come with you,” Anandur offered.
“No. I’m going to get Bridget. You stay here. I don’t want to stir up a storm that would reach Kian.”
Anandur scratched his head. “Bridget is kind of busy at the moment. Tessa is at the clinic.”
“Is she transitioning?”
“Bridget doesn’t know yet.”
“I’m going to the hospital with Bridget or without.”
Anandur nodded. “Give Callie my love.”
Brundar dialed the doctor’s number. “Can you drop everything and come with me? Calypso was in a car accident.”
“What’s the damage?”
Fucking Bridget and her cold heart. He’d been expecting a gasp, or an ‘oh no’, but all he got was a fucking ‘what’s the damage?’
“A broken arm, a concussion, and some superficial cuts.”
“She doesn’t need me. I’m sure the human doctors can handle that.”
Cold-hearted woman.
“I’m asking a favor. I want you to examine her and then decide whether she needs your help or not.”
“I’ll meet you in the parking garage in fifteen minutes.”
Chapter 51: Jackson
“How are you feeling?” Jackson asked the moment Tessa’s eyelids fluttered open.
“It hurts all over.”
He pushed out from the chair and moved to sit next to her on the bed. “I’ll call Bridget to give you something for the pain.” He brushed a strand of hair away from her cheek.
“It's not so bad. It’s not an acute pain. Did you eat anything? You’ve been sitting in this chair since last night.”
Sweet girl, worrying about him even when she was the one in a hospital bed and hurting.
“Bhathian brought me a sandwich from the café this morning.”
“What time is it?”
“Around one o'clock.”
“And you haven’t eaten since breakfast? Go get yourself something to eat.” She waved a hand, shooing him away.
Jackson leaned and kissed her damp forehead. “Sylvia is on her way, and she is bringing me lunch. What about you? Are you hungry?”
Tessa hadn’t been able to keep anything down, not even water, and was hooked up to an intravenous drip, but maybe after so many hours of sleep, her stomach had settled.
“No. I don’t want to puke again.”
Smoothing his hand over her hair, he kissed her forehead again. “Poor baby. Is there anything I can do to make you more comfortable?”
“You’re here. That’s enough. Who is running the shop?”
“Vlad and Gordon. I told them to close up if they can’t manage. I’m not leaving your side.”
Tessa’s smile was a feeble attempt at one. “Thank you. I know I’m being selfish, but I don’t want to be alone here.”
“Nonsense. You couldn’t get rid of me even if you tried.”
She cupped his cheek. “I love you.”
“Ditto.”
“Ditto? That’s it?”
She was teasing, which was a good sign. If she were in a lot of pain, humor would’ve been the last thing on her mind.
“I love you this much.” He spread his arms wide.
“Then hug me.”
It was a request Jackson was happy to oblige, provided he could figure out a way around all the tubes and sticky pads attached to her. He ended up wrapping his arms over everything and lifting her very gently to his chest.
Tessa sighed. “That feels so good.”
Holding her to him with one hand, he caressed her exposed back with his other. Was it his imagination or had she gotten even thinner overnight? The girl was all bones.
A quick knock on the door was all the notice they got before Bridget strode in.
“I’m sorry to interrupt, kids, but I want to run a quick check on Tessa before I have to leave.”
“You’re leaving?” he asked.
“I won’t be gone long, and Hildegard is here if you need anything.”
Jackson laid Tessa back on the bed. “Do you need me to move?”
“Yes, please.”
Leaning against the wall, Jackson crossed his arms over his chest as he watched Bridget perform her checkup.
“Tell me what you feel, Tessa,” Bridget asked.
“I hurt everywhere, not like in unbearable pain, but a constant low-level pain.”
“Is it a stabbing sort of pain, or does it feel like pressure?”
“I think, it’s more like pressure.”
“Does it feel like pins and needles or like a squeeze?”
“Not a squeeze. More like my skin is too tight and everything inside me is swelling.”
He was no doctor and knew nothing about human ailments, but that didn’t sound good.
Bridget nodded as if she knew exactly what Tessa was complaining about and pulled a measuring tape out of her white coat’s pocket.
She’d measured Tessa last night, and now again? What was she expecting to find?
Once the doctor was done taking dozens of measurements and notating them on her tablet, she put the tape back in her pocket and smiled. “I have great news for you, Tessa. Since last night, you’ve gained one-eighth of an inch in height.”
Tessa looked confused, and so was he.
“What does it mean?” Tessa asked.
“It means that you’re transitioning.”
They had suspected it, but it was just a possibility. Now Bridget sounded as if it was a done deal.
“Can you explain a little bit more?” Tessa squeaked her question.
“I had a feeling that your growth had been stunted for some reason. I could’ve made sure by taking X-rays of your joints, but I was waiting for your stomach to settle first. Now I don’t need to. The fact that you’re growing means that you’re transitioning and your body is working on reaching its full potential. Andrew gained a couple of inches during his transition, though in his case I don’t think he would’ve reached that height as a human even under perfect conditions. It’s just the size he was supposed to be as an immortal. The difference is that he was unconscious for days during his transition, most likely because of his age.”
“Did Nathalie grow taller?”
“No. She didn’t change at all. Every person is different.”
Tessa closed her eyes. “I can’t believe it is actually happening,” she whispered.
“Congratulations.” Bridget pushed to her feet. “Before I leave, do you want anything for the pain?”
Tessa shook her head. “No. Now that I know why it hurts, I want to savor it. My body is fixing itself.”
“If you change your mind, Hildegard can help
you.”
“Thank you, Doctor.”
Bridget patted Tessa’s slim shoulder. “You’re welcome.”
As Jackson took Bridget’s place on the bed, his smile grew into a face-splitting grin that was almost painful. “Is my kitten going to turn into a cat?” He clasped Tessa’s hand and brought it to his lips for a kiss.
“Would it bother you? I know you like it that I’m small.”
“I love you. Small, big, average, it doesn't matter. You’ll always be my kitten.”
Tessa smiled sheepishly. “I wouldn’t mind being a couple of inches taller, or a couple of cup sizes bustier.” She glanced down at her small breasts, their outline barely visible under the loose hospital johnny.
Jackson would’ve loved nothing more than to show her how much he worshiped her breasts, but it would have to wait for when she felt better.
“As I said. It doesn’t matter to me. You’re perfect the way you are, and you’re going to be just as perfect after your transition.”
Tessa opened her arms. “Come here.”
He embraced her gently, careful not to dislodge any of the tubes and wires. “Do you realize that all of our dreams will now become a reality?”
“Don’t tempt the Fates, Jackson,” she whispered in his ear. “Nothing is guaranteed, not even for immortals.”
Unfortunately, it was true.
The Fates bestowed and the Fates took away, and no one’s life was without trials and hardships. Except, Tessa had already paid her dues and then some. For the rest of her immortal life, she deserved nothing but good fortune and happiness.
Jackson, on the other hand, had been blessed with a wonderful life. At some point, the Fates might decide it was his turn to pay up.
Chapter 52: Brundar
“How is your thralling ability?” Bridget asked as they stepped through the hospital’s sliding doors.
“It’s above average. Why do you ask?”
As she looked up at him, Bridget’s expression was condescending, but he was too anxious to care.
“We are not Callie’s family. They might not let us in. I need you to make them believe you’re her husband and I’m her sister. My thralling ability is decent but not excellent, and I don’t get much practice.”
