“Flowers from handsome gentlemen!” Mrs. Schmidt exclaimed. “What a lovely thing to do.”
“Our pleasure,” I said. “Enjoy your coffee.”
“You as well,” Mrs. Forrester smiled.
We settled at our table from yesterday and ordered straight away. We both knew what we wanted.
“This coffee is quite good,” I said after savoring the first sip.
“Hmmmm. What do you want to do today?”
I thought about it. “There’s some yard work.”
“Sounds like fun,” he replied dryly.
“You haven’t lived until you’ve edged a flower bed.”
Vincent snorted.
“We could spar.”
A golden brow went up.
“Keep in mind that battering me too much could affect our evening activities,” I cautioned.
A slow smile spread on his face.
“I’ll take care of you, Colonel,” he purred.
The arrival of the food prevented my retort. Instead, I addressed my breakfast. The conversations around us this morning were lively, and thankfully restricted to routine matters for everyday people. The hot gossip of the day about the butcher’s wife made Vincent’s ears turn red.
As we cleaned our plates, Vincent looked across the square with a frown.
“Oh, man...” Vincent muttered.
I looked up in the direction of his gaze. In the distance across the square, I saw Bobby and Jenn’s distinctive silhouettes.
“We’ll sleep in tomorrow,” Vincent groused.
“We can get our check and be on our way,” I said. “No time to stop and all that.”
“I guess...hey, wait a minute...”
A large truck came roaring into the Market Square. Since no vehicles were allowed into the square itself, it was clear to us that something was wrong. We were moving without thought. I pressed my beacon and was out of my jacket. Vincent was down to his tank top in an instant and gathering power. We couldn’t reach Jenn and Bobby to prevent their being snatched into the truck, but we could stop the truck from leaving.
“I’ll halt its movement. You destroy the engine,” I shouted at Rik. “We can’t let it damage the Market.”
“Right. Be careful, Blitz. You don’t get to leave now.”
“You either.”
The truck turned away when the driver spotted us. I saw Bobby take down the thugs in the back with moves very much like his brother’s while Jenn clobbered the driver with a big wrench. Of course, that sent the truck straight for the market stalls.
“I’ve got it,” I exclaimed.
The energy coursed through me. I focused the power to flow through my hands and wrap around the truck and turn it in my direction. I couldn’t jar the truck or let it hit anything. To my surprise, I was winded in the effort. My battles usually involved destruction. I wasn’t used to holding large things at bay. I was being drained faster than in any fight. As the truck hurdled toward me, I gathered my strength.
“Be fast, Hardcase!”
I released a wall of energy that met the truck and held it in place even while the wheels were spinning. Jenn was trying to get the unconscious driver out of the seat, but Vincent was already in motion. After an arcing leap over my energy field, he landed next to the truck at the engine. He slapped both hands against the chassis. I knew he was sending a powerful shock wave through the engine itself, breaking it into pieces. The truck stopped with a little lurch. I saw Bobby’s face next to Jenn’s smiling at us before everything started spinning. I expected to hit the ground, but I didn’t.
“Dammit, Rik!” My lover shouted as he caught me against him. My physical strength had all but deserted me, but I could still hear and feel everything.
Vincent cradled me in his lap. He was sitting on his haunches, so I was off the ground. My face was against his neck. One of my arms was behind him. The other was at his waist. His pulse was racing as he felt me for injuries.
“You’re not hurt, are you?” He asked to himself. “It was too soon...you’re drained.”
My heart lurched at the relief in his voice. But that relief was short-lived as everyone rushed over to help.
“Hardcase, let go of the Colonel. He needs to the hospital,” Remak said with a firm and reasonable voice.
“He doesn’t need a hospital. He’s just resting,” Vincent retorted. He sounded like a broken hearted child. “He needs to go home with me.”
“You are endangering him,” she snapped.
“Feel his pulse, dammit,” he growled. Vincent was gathering power to act. This could end badly if he fought or tried to run with me. Still, I couldn’t let them separate us.
Cool fingers were on my throat feeling my pulse. I found some focus and reached out with what I could muster. Vincent was surprised when Remak tried to pull me away from him. They were both surprised when I wouldn’t budge. Vincent laughed with relief.
“Brother?”
“Rik’s attached himself to me with an electromagnetic field,” he said. “That enough for you to believe me?”
“Y-yes,” Remak stammered.
“Good. He can’t keep this up. It’s draining him further,” Vincent said urgently.
“We won’t separate you from Vincent, Colonel,” Remak said. “Let us move you home.”
“Relax, Rik...please,” Vincent murmured against my temple. “Save your strength. Don’t leave me.”
I let go.
“Help me stand, then we can lift him into the truck,” Vincent said. “I can’t lose physical contact with him.”
“Understood,” Remak said. Her voice was tight.
I was slowly lifted to nearly standing as someone, it seemed to be Maximilian, helped Vincent get his legs under him, then they both lifted me then carried me to a military truck. There were many voices talking to my lover as we moved slowly across the square. Jenn wanted to know if he was injured. Bobby was seeking forgiveness for just dropping by the Café on us. Mrs. Schmidt and Forester were making sure our parcels went home with us. Vincent tried to pay the Café owner who was also helping in some way, but he wouldn’t hear of it.
It was better in the truck though not by much. Vincent was very tense as he held me. He probably didn’t believe the squad would honor his wishes. The ride was mercifully quiet. I knew we were heading home. Vincent relaxed when we came to a stop. He and Maximilian carried me to our bedroom, and I was placed in bed.
“Please, leave us for a minute,” Vincent said. “I need to get him undressed.”
Everyone left though reluctantly. Upon the door closing, I felt Vincent’s kiss against my lips for a moment. Then, my face was being caressed.
“Did I weaken you?” He whispered. “God, I hope not. I want to love you like that again. I want you to take me that way again.”
I wanted to hold him, but my limbs would not move.
“I don’t want to be away from you until you are awake and aware. And I’m tired, too,” he continued as he gently undressed me. “And I won’t get them to leave until they see your eyes. They’ll have to know about us.”
I felt the blankets drawn over my body. Vincent sat beside me and gently took my hand.
“Lt. Remak, Bobby...can you come in please,” he said in a firm tone.
The door opened quickly. I think they had to be standing just on the other side.
“Brother, are you sure you’re okay?”
“I’m fine, Bobby. The Colonel needs to rest, but I have to be here with him,” Vincent began. “I hate to ask, but can you guys stay around to help with food and watch our backs?”
“It is no imposition, Hardcase,” Remak said. “I have taken the liberty of sending for the physician.”
“Thanks. I need to know how long he might be this way,” Vincent replied.
“I don’t understand why you can’t leave the Colonel, Brother,” Bobby persisted. “You’ll just be right outside.”
My lover took a deep breath and squeezed my hand. “I know this will be d
ifficult to understand. I’m not sure we understand it ourselves. Rik and I have become physically and emotionally dependent on each other.”
“Brother, it sounds like...”
“I love him, okay? And he loves me,” he replied quietly. “We wanted to give you guys time to get use to our being with each other, but there it is. We need you to be our friends and help us. Yell at us later, if you want to.”
“You are correct, Hardcase,” Remak said with her usual calm. I’m not sure she entirely believed Vincent. “Now is not the time for personal misgivings. We’ll see to everything you need.”
“Bobby?” Vincent asked. Worry colored his tone.
“I don’t understand, but I am your brother and your friend,” he said. “I won’t yell at you. We’ll be outside.”
The door gently closed. My hair was stroked once again.
“Nice dodge, sleeping beauty,” he muttered. I could still hear nervousness in his tone. I also heard him stripping. Then, I felt his skin against mine, and his arms holding me under the blankets.
I let go and slept a deep and dreamless sleep listening to my lover.
The next time I heard voices, it was a few hours later. I learned that from Remak who peeked in to check on us. Then, the Physician in charge of the Altereds, Felix Auerbach, was in the room.
“No need to move, Major Greven,” he said crisply. I heard the diagnostic device hum for a long moment.
“Colonel Heron is regenerating his strength. It is very low, but not alarmingly so,” he reported. “He should be conscious and moving by this evening, but I am restricting his activity for the next three days. He can move about this house, but he should be off of his feet as much as possible and asleep as often as he can.”
“That’s good news,” Vincent sighed. His relief was apparent.
“You are quite well, Major,” he added. “Healing very nicely indeed.”
“Thanks.”
“As you were, Major. Good day.”
“Doc, you will be discreet about us?” Vincent asked.
“Aside from my physician’s oath, there is the military confidentiality oath,” he retorted indignantly. “I have far more juicy secrets than this. Now, stop worrying and get some rest.”
“Thanks, Doc.”
Vincent settled against me again. I went back to sleep. When I awoke again, it was nearly sunset. I could open my eyes. I found Vincent was still holding me. I turned in his arms to face him. He blinked sleepily at me. Before he could speak, I kissed him thoroughly. He returned the kiss heatedly.
“I won’t leave you,” I whispered against his lips.
He sighed. “I was scared.”
“I know. I’m sorry.”
“Not your doing, Rik,” he replied. Vincent kissed me again before disengaging. “Now, I gotta pee.”
I chuckled. “Put your robe on. That ass is mine.”
“And yours alone,” he smirked. Vincent quickly slipped on neglected pajamas and the robe before dashing out of the room.
Lt Remak appeared in Vincent’s wake. I had managed to sit up against the headboard by then. I looked at her levelly and allowed her to see all I was feeling as I watched my lover flee the room.
“I’m sorry, Ouida,” I said solemnly. “I was never anything but honest about my feelings.”
She took that in and nodded stiffly after a moment. “Are you hungry?”
“Yes, I am,” I replied in surprise. “Thank you.”
She turned and left. Vincent was back soon after. He scooted under the blankets to sit beside me. I took his hand and squeezed it.
“I didn’t mean for you to face our friends about us alone,” I said quietly. “You did very well.”
“You think so? Jenn left with Maximilian right after Bobby told her.”
“You can’t help that,” I said kissing his hand. “And thanks for thinking I’m a sleeping beauty.”
He blushed. “That was fear talking.”
“You don’t think I’m beautiful?”
“You must be feeling better, ‘cause you’re cruising for one,” Vincent muttered.
I thought he was going to kiss me, but the food arrived via Bobby and Remak. Somehow, there was chicken soup and sandwiches made with thick, crusty bread. None of this had been in our kitchen.
“Mrses Schmidt and Forrester came by with the food,” Remak explained. “It checked out fine.”
“Gallantry pays!” Vincent exclaimed.
I rolled my eyes.
“They brought cake, too, Brother.”
“Of course, they did, the old darlins,” Vincent said. “I bet it’s good, too.”
“It is,” Bobby said then laughed at his brother’s affronted expression.
“There are many gifts from the Central Market, Sir,” Remak said. “All of merchants are grateful that you two averted the destruction of their livelihoods.”
I frowned as I devoured the tasty soup. “We can’t accept them.”
“Can’t we? We weren’t on duty,” Vincent pointed out.
I looked to Remak for guidance. She was very much into protocol. “It is nebulous as far as the regs are concerned. And there is the matter of not offending them.”
“How about we keep some and give the rest to charity?” Vincent suggested.
Remak nodded at that. “That should be acceptable. Make sure to send thank you notes to all of them. Bobby, will you help me clean up the kitchen.”
It wasn’t a subtle hint, but the young man almost missed it. We were alone again shoving food into our mouths.
“You should go through all those gifts and decide what to keep,” I said. “You’re the chef here.”
“And where will you be?” Vincent asked mildly.
“I plan to put on my pajamas, go to the bathroom and then sit on the sofa,” I replied.
We fell into silence again. This time the sandwiches distracted us. After the meal, I felt a lot less shaky. I looked at Vincent’s profile and smiled.
“You didn’t drain me, Vincent. You probably saved me.”
“Saved you?” He questioned softly.
“I rest better with you,” I replied. “And something passes between us when we make love. I think you gave me enough strength to survive today.”
“Just returning the favor,” he replied softly. “You saved me.”
I kissed him that time, sighing against his lips. “I have to get my strength back soon.”
“I hear that,” Vincent replied. “I want that, but I want you back whole and for good. I can be patient.”
“Contrary to popular opinion,” I smiled.
Vincent’s eyes flashed at me. “Let’s get you dressed, old man.”
I moved slowly. There was no pain, just heaviness in my bones. Vincent held my pajamas and helped me into them and then into my robe. He eyed me with some concern.
“I don’t really think you’re old, Rik,” he whispered.
“Now, Hardcase, don’t go soft on me. I need you to be you,” I replied with a wink.
He nodded but stayed solemn. “It’s just that I never got to see you while you re-generated. You were always visiting me in the hospital.”
“That was by design. I had to seem invincible to effectively lead,” I said. “You were so young. Back then, you needed to think I was stronger than strong. But now, I need you to see me.”
Vincent wrapped his arm behind my back. “I see you. Lean on me, Rik.”
We plodded slowly into the living room where Bobby was watching TV. Remak was on the phone. Vincent gently guided me to the bathroom.
“Holler if you need me,” he smirked.
“Thanks,” I muttered.
“Bobby, can you snag the dishes in the bedroom?” I heard Vincent ask as I closed the door.
“No wonder Vincent was scared,” I thought looking in the mirror.
I was pale and drawn. I looked unsteadier on my feet than I felt. I relieved myself then washed up a little. I took a deep breath then opened the door. Vincent was in t
he dining room but moved to my side immediately. He guided me to the sofa where pillows were piled against one armrest. I sat with my back against them and my legs up on the sofa. The fire was roaring, but Vincent still covered my legs with a light blanket.
“How is the haul?”
A Soldier’s Passion Page 5
