Revenant

by Janet Jones

  She told them her life story before she realized she'd done it. They told her just enough about themselves for her to know that Ellory had rescued them from horrible circumstances, though they were vague with details. Presently, they ceased to be talkative. It was as though, having found out what they wanted to know about her, they had nothing more to say.

  Talisen was relieved when Ellory reappeared. He gave his kids a chiding look and shooed them off to their homework. He turned to Talisen with a rueful grin. “Feel like a bug in a jar?"

  "As a matter of fact...."

  "Don't worry. They haven't barbecued anyone lately."

  Talisen followed him back into the den. Silence fell between them, punctuated by one after another of Ellory's sensual songs on the CD that was still playing. The music found its way into her body again, rendering her hot and breathless. The dance they'd shared a moment ago was to blame. She'd been as transparent as glass the whole time, and they both knew it. How embarrassing. Ellory was just being kind to her. That was what she'd seen in his eyes, not the passion she'd imagined.

  "Talisen, I enjoyed the dance."

  The butterflies took flight in her middle again, and she managed to squeeze the words out. “Me too."

  "We'll have to do it again."

  Talisen turned her attention to the cardboard box with a smile and a shrug. The CD finished, and the room became quiet but for the crackling fire. Talisen's awareness narrowed to nothing but the weight of Ellory's gaze, until she turned with a frown. “What is it?"

  He pursed his lips. “You asked me to tell you if there was something you could do for me in return for my information."

  "Yes, and I meant it."

  "I'd like to commission a series of paintings from you."

  She blinked. Paintings? “Okay. Paintings of...?"

  "My beautiful children."

  "I'd be honored."

  "Good. Then you'll stay here? It's less time-consuming."

  Talisen burst out laughing. “Ohhhhh, you're smooth."

  He laughed too, but his eyes were deadly serious. “I'm being practical. I have a guestroom going to waste, and you have nowhere to hang your hat. Unless you want to go home."

  Her amusement fled. No. Not that. She shook her head.

  "Or back to the Benedikt?"

  She shook her head again.

  He grinned slowly. “Granted, we can be pretty dangerous around here. On any given night, the upstairs rooms are apt to become a war zone for pillow-fighting guerrillas. But if you agree to stay, we'll let you bring your own pillow to fight with.” He bent closer, and she watched his eyes grow more fervent. “Let me take care of you. Just a little. Please."

  There was nothing but compassion in his smile. And refuge. Refuge she needed. Talisen sighed. “Your days are numbered, bud. I swing a mean pillow."

  "That means you have to fight on my side."

  They laughed again, but deep inside, Talisen was conscious of leaving behind something safe and familiar. Excitement ran amuck with apprehension and left her both exhilarated and squeamish. Like the first time she stepped off a diving board at the deep end of the pool.

  * * * *

  Warmth. In every muscle and bone. Seeping in through every pore. Safety and warmth.

  Talisen heard the familiar sound of the TV blaring, smelled bacon frying and coffee brewing. It had to be Saturday morning, and Grandma was letting her sleep late. She smiled and opened her eyes.

  The unfamiliar surroundings of Ellory's guestroom jarred her back to reality, and she remembered. Grandma was dead. She covered her face with her hands and tried not to cry.

  A soft murmur at her elbow drew her attention. Rolling onto her side, she looked at a little girl with big blue eyes and a mop of curly black hair. The child held a chocolate donut in one hand and dangled a purple, flop-eared rabbit in the other. Her resemblance to Sean Mackleroy was enough to tell Talisen that she had to be Shelby.

  Chewing her donut thoughtfully, the child asked, “Are you my new sister?"

  Talisen managed a smile and rose up on one elbow. “No, but if I were, I'd be real glad."

  Shelby's face blossomed with a dimpled grin. “How come?"

  "Because I like purple bunnies.” Sitting up, Talisen reached for her robe at the foot of the bed and put it on.

  Shelby held her rabbit out to her. “She's losing her ear."

  Talisen examined the torn ear and pulled out the needle and thread that had been parked in the seam and forgotten. “You're right. It looks pretty awful."

  "But it doesn't hurt. Ellory knocked her out last night so she won't feel it.” She hugged the bunny hard.

  "Ellory must be a good bunny doctor."

  By the fervent nod Shelby gave her, Talisen inferred that in Shelby's eyes, Ellory was a good everything.

  "Sean's going to try to sew her up after breakfast.” Shelby gave her a hopeful look. “Can you do ears?"

  "I've done buttons,” she offered.

  Shelby laid the toy in Talisen's lap. “Will you do it?"

  "Should I? Your bunny doesn't know me."

  "Okay. Who are you?"

  "I'm Talisen. I'm a friend of Ellory's. I'm going to paint everybody's picture."

  "Mine, too?"

  Talisen smiled. “Everybody's."

  "Shelby, breakfast is ready."

  Sean Mackleroy stood in the doorway, looking too serious for sewing on bunny ears and placating a four-year-old's anxieties. Talisen's heart went out to him. He had a world-sized responsibility on his shoulders for one so young. She was glad he had Ellory to help him.

  "Talisen's going to sew on Fiona's ear, Sean,” Shelby said.

  "Shelby, honey, I told you not to touch Fiona. She has a needle in her."

  Talisen held up the needle. “Here it is. I'll operate while Shelby eats her breakfast."

  Sean met her gaze, his face closed, but courteous. After his little sister gave the toy a kiss and handed it to Talisen, he inclined his head in a brief nod and guided Shelby out.

  Talisen tweaked the bunny's nose, sat down in a chair under the window and sewed the ragged ear in place. When she'd finished, she put on her clothes and dragged a brush through her hair. After washing the sleep out of her eyes in the bathroom across the hall, she foraged for a Band-Aid for Fiona's wound and went downstairs to give her back to Shelby.

  She found the child in the den watching TV while she ate breakfast. When Talisen handed her Fiona, she smiled like a little angel. After peeking under the Band-Aid to inspect the ear, she showed Sean, who made a to-do over it for her sake and set a place for Talisen at the kitchen table.

  Though Sean made polite conversation while they ate, his dark blue eyes remained brooding. Over what, she wondered?

  "I didn't have a chance to hear much about you two last night. Did Ellory rescue you like he did the other kids?"

  Sean rose to pour himself a cup of coffee and added milk and a heaping spoonful of sugar. “Definitely. We grew up in a foster home. That was really good, until someone wanted to adopt Shelby. I took off with her so we could stay together."

  "How in the world did you manage?"

  He grinned and returned to the table. “I stole hubcaps to keep Shelby fed. We spent our days in public places and slept at a homeless shelter. At night, we made the rounds in parking lots I liked. That's how we met Ellory. He caught me peeling the hubcaps off the Jag. Anyone else would've called the cops, and then who knows what would've happened to Shelby?” Sean shook his head. “He's the best thing that ever happened to us."

  She smiled. “He's a good man."

  "The best,” he said. He gathered their dishes and took them to the dishwasher. “Hey, Shelby. Time to go. Go potty and brush your teeth."

  "Where are you two off to?” asked Talisen.

  "Shelby's got preschool, and I've got errands for Ellory."

  "Is Ellory home this morning?"

  Sean hesitated. “Yeah, but he's sleeping."

  "Oh. When does he usually
wake up?"

  "Not until evening."

  Talisen breathed a sigh of disappointment. Still, she had the children's portraits to plan. She needed new supplies, and she ought to check her post office box. It must be fit to burst by now. “I've got some stuff to do, too."

  "Uhmmm, Ellory said, if you need to go out, will you wait for him to go with you?"

  She pushed herself away from the table. “I'll be okay."

  His gaze fell. “Well, when you get hungry, there are sandwiches in the fridge. If the phone rings, let the machine get it. If somebody comes to the door, don't answer it. Okay?"

  Ooooo, so serious. What did he think, that she planned to give away E.B. Arthur's true identity? “House rules, huh?"

  He nodded gravely. “No phone calls while we're gone. No visitors while Ellory's asleep."

  She mimed a salute. “Got it."

  After Sean and Shelby left, she opened the big windows in the den and let fresh air into the room before digging Captain Benedikt's logbook out of the cardboard box on the table. Amidst manifests, charting notes, and a record of disciplinary actions, she found the birthday entry Ellory had mentioned.

  It was as if her Captain were speaking to her over the vast abyss of time.

  By God's grace, I have reached twenty-eight years of age today. I am possessed of a clipper the likes of no other, a crew of nine good men, and a means by which to make my living.

  When I rose this morning, I was thinking myself blessed beyond measure. Then the sun came up, and I watched it, undisturbed by the demands of my day. A solitary moment with my sun, my sea, and my God. In that moment, I believe I knew the meaning of the words, ‘my cup runneth over.'

  Sunrise at sea is a beauty unequalled by any other of Nature's delights. I know of only one other that can best it: a pretty girl's blush.

  He sounded just how Talisen imagined him. It was as though she had known him forever. Even his handwriting, faint as it was, seemed familiar to her.

  Familiar? Talisen stared at the scrawling, ornamental script. Where had she seen it before? Grandma's journal? No, she'd memorized every oddment pressed between its pages. If she had ever found anything there written by the Captain himself, it would've been her favorite keepsake.

  Her scalp prickled. She set the logbook away from her and rested her chin on her folded hands. A vague uneasiness curled up at the heart of her thoughts and refused to be reasoned away. She couldn't put her finger on the source of it. Yet.

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  Chapter Five

  He woke to the sound of her laughter. She and Shelby were upstairs banging out “Chopsticks” on the piano. Their pounding made him wince for his baby grand, but he rose with joyous anticipation—and bittersweet longing.

  What had he missed out on today? Hours of her company. Hours of her life. Time had meaning for him again.

  He hastened through his evening ablutions and emerged from his bedroom showered and clean-shaven to find his fledgling milling around outside his door. Sean stood a few steps away from them all, leaning against the wall and looking petulant.

  Ellory took in the diversity of emotions on their faces and sighed. “What's up?"

  They all answered at once. He lifted a hand. “Georgina?"

  "Jenny wants to hunt with us tonight,” she replied, “but Sean is against the idea. He's afraid for her safety."

  Jenny clutched at Ellory's arm. “I'm so hungry."

  Georgina squeezed herself between the two of them, nudged Jenny aside, and wrapped her arms around Ellory's waist. “We'll take care of the little moppet. Just call on Meical to watch our backs for us."

  Ellory scratched his chin and considered. Dylan was close by, watching his household like a gossip at a keyhole. The last thing any of them needed was for Jenny to be caught beyond Ellory's protection. But if Meical stood guard, they would be all right. He would call to Ellory if there were an attack. But Jenny shouldn't go on her first hunt when she was so hungry she couldn't see straight. She'd have little enough control as it was taking her first prey. That was how accidents happened.

  He nodded slowly. “Very well, Jenny, you may go with them, but not before you've fed. That way, when you hunt tonight, you won't be apt to lose your control. Come along. I'll take the edge off your appetite."

  He waved her into his room, rolling up his sleeve, and the rest of the fledglings bounded out the cellar door to wait for Jenny outside.

  Just before Ellory closed the door, Sean cleared his throat and stepped closer. “Uhm ... wait.” The boy shifted from one foot to the other, his gaze locked on Jenny. “Let me give her what she needs."

  Ellory searched Sean's fervent eyes. Humans never ceased to amaze him. Sean took a considerable amount of teasing from his vampire siblings, but none of the fledglings would ever expect him to provide for them. Georgina's pestering for tidbits was all for sport. Ellory had made it clear—the Mackleroy children were not part of the food chain. He'd taken Sean's blood only once, to bring the Mackleroys under his protection and dominion.

  Ellory cast a glance at Jenny, who returned Sean's gaze, then looked Sean up and down. Slowly. The boy's face flushed a deep crimson in response. Shoving his hands in his pockets, he smiled back at her.

  She touched the tip of her tongue to her upper lip. Ellory saw the color flee Sean's face momentarily. He'd doubtless seen the hunger in her eyes. The sight was not for the faint-hearted.

  Still, Sean turned to Ellory, waiting, unafraid.

  Ellory nodded. “Jenny, I will allow Sean to provide for you in my place, but heed. You do so only with his permission. Understood? I am his protector, as I am yours."

  Jenny nodded without taking her gaze off of Sean. Her blue eyes became violet, and her expression deepened and warmed. It was raw instinct, an unconscious effort to beckon her prey.

  Closing the door, Ellory stood behind Sean. You realize, of course, she's apt to develop a taste for you.

  Sean grinned. Like that's a problem?

  Ellory smiled and motioned Jenny closer.

  She approached the boy with a shy smile—the first smile Ellory had seen on her face. “I'll try not to hurt you."

  Sean's eyes twinkled. “I'll live.” He rolled up his sleeve and held out his wrist. “Welcome to the family."

  The instant Jenny's fangs pierced him, he swayed a little. “Oh, wow...."

  Ellory put an arm around him. “Okay, son?"

  A smile touched Sean's face. “She says she likes my eyes."

  * * * *

  Having put Sean to bed and seen Jenny and the rest of the fledglings off on their nightly hunt, Ellory headed upstairs to the living room, taking the steps three at a time. His insides knotted with hunger, but he had to see Talisen, talk to her, hear her voice.

  Talisen and Shelby were still at the piano, playing and laughing so loudly they didn't notice him. When Talisen looked up and saw him, her beautiful smile held him captive. He couldn't breathe. Desire set him on fire, glutting his loins until his jeans were sweet torture.

  Shelby broke the spell. She leaped up from the piano bench and ran to him. Scooping her up in one arm, he kissed her cheek, inhaling her baby-sweet scent to temper his response to Talisen. Slowly his body cooled, though the thundering heart across the room called to his hunger. “Shelby, tell me about your day."

  He sat down with her in an armchair and cradled her close. Straightening her slipping socks, he cupped both her feet in one hand. “How was school?"

  "Well...."

  "Uh-oh. What happened?"

  "Miss Bullwright put me in time-out for calling Joey Pilter an eye booger."

  Talisen laughed.

  Ellory resisted the urge. “I guess you'd better tell me about it, Shelby."

  "When Miss Bullwright wasn't looking, Joey—he sits next to me—he grabbed my pencil out of my hand. It's the one with fuzzy purple bats on it. Georgina gave it to me at Halloween."

  Ellory blew her bangs out of her eyes. “Did you ask Joey to giv
e it back?"

  "Yeah, but he wouldn't. So, I called him an eye booger, and he tried to hit me, but he hit my chair instead. He cried all over the place. I told Miss Bullwright he started it, but she put me in time-out for tattling and calling him names."

  "Did you ever get your pencil back?"

  Shelby shook her head and played with the button on his shirt pocket. “Will you get it back for me?"

  "I'll see what I can do."

  "Will you punch Joey in the nose for me?"

  Talisen laughed again.

  Ellory winced. “I think I'll just get your pencil back. But tell me if you have any more trouble with Joey."

  "Okay. Hey, look at the stuff Talisen gave me.” She slid out of his lap and filled her arms with the coloring books, crayons and sketchbook that lay in the floor. She opened the sketchbook. “See my picture, Ellory? Everybody's in it. I drew you bigger than anybody, ‘cause you take care of us."

  A row of colorful blobs with smiling faces stood in the background of the picture. No fangs. No red, glowing eyes. Was this truly how she saw them? “Thank you, Shelby."

  She nestled closer. “I missed everybody today, and now they're all gone. How come I never get to go with them?"

  "Because my heart would break if I woke up and you weren't here. Your brothers and sisters have to go do big-kid stuff."

  "Georgina's not that big."

  "Georgina's not my honey-bunny."

  Ellory emitted a maniacal laugh and ran tickling fingers up and down her ribs. With a shrill giggle, Shelby wiggled out of his arms and galloped out the door with Fiona and Missy under one arm. She sounded like a small stampede on the stairs.

  And he and Talisen were suddenly, deliciously, alone.

  * * * *

  Talisen met his gaze, feeling quivery inside. He was impossibly good-looking. The dark green flannel shirt he wore made his eyes gleam. How could anyone be so perfect?