by Dannika Dark
“Speaking isn’t a sign of intelligence,” Switch answered. “When and if he decides to use his voice is up to him. If he doesn’t want to, I’ll teach him and everyone here sign language. Sometimes it’s easier for children to communicate using sign. He’s not a toddler anymore, but his social skills are delayed.” Switch smiled at Hunter. “That’s not a bad thing. It means you’re a very special boy.”
Gem didn’t know much about kids, so she often forgot how they absorbed everything like a sponge. Even if they pretended they weren’t listening, they were. Sometimes she and the others had a habit of talking about Hunter in his presence as if he weren’t there.
Kira reappeared and took note of everyone’s plates before setting down a bottle of wine and apple juice.
After she made a silent exit, Gem fixed her plate and filled her glass.
“Can you pour me one?” Switch asked.
When Gem grabbed the wine, he shook his head.
“Don’t you drink?”
“Not when I’m on the job. I’ll have what you’re having.”
Gem poured him apple juice and then filled Hunter’s glass with the same.
“Maybe you can teach that one some English,” Wyatt said, jerking his thumb at the kitchen.
Switch finished his burger and wiped his mouth, mustache, and beard with his napkin. “If a grown woman doesn’t want to talk to you, maybe you should take that as a hint.”
Wyatt pulled the patty out of his bun and ate it all by itself. “Wanna play darts later?”
“Sure.”
The symbiotic relationship between men perplexed her. Just when you thought they wanted to kill each other, they’d go out for a beer. Christian had once explained that men didn’t dwell on the little things, and that quality was how primitive man survived in a time when large numbers mattered more than shoving a jackass into a tar pit.
Which meant women were the only ones who had evolved, and men were still living in the Stone Age.
“Gem, you in?” Wyatt asked before cramming a handful of fries into his mouth.
“Tempting, but I’ll take a rain check on male bonding. While you two get chummy, I’m going to take a dip in the pool.”
Switch gulped down half his drink. “You swim at night? Isn’t it cold?”
“Heated pool.” Wyatt shoved a few fries inside his now meatless burger and held it to his lips. “Gem is our resident mermaid.”
Switch’s eyes widened.
It made Gem giggle. Couldn’t be helped. Naivety was so adorable. She made a tiny little ball of light in her hand and quickly crushed it. “I’m a Mage.”
Wyatt scooted back his chair. “Whoa, Nelly. What did Viktor tell you about no lightning balls in the house?” He stood up and limped around his chair to push it in. “I’ve got one last thing to finish up before I kick your ass at darts.”
Switch claimed another burger when he saw that Wyatt was leaving. “Keep dreaming. I’m a badass at any bar game.”
With his plate in hand, Wyatt stopped behind his chair and glared at the back of Switch’s head. “Hopefully my limp doesn’t affect my aim.”
Switch piled tomatoes on his burger. “If you have any intention of pinning the tail on the donkey with those darts, just remember who the wolf is.”
Chapter 8
When nighttime rolled around, we had the most magnificent view of the sunset from the back of the train. Bronzed light poured through the windows, and the treetops shimmered before turning into black silhouettes against the painted sky. The landscape had changed from buildings and telephone poles to trees and low mountains. Viktor switched off the overhead lights since the accent lamps between the windows and by the tables were sufficient. Blue closed most of the curtains shortly after dusk once there was nothing to see but our own reflections. While there were heaters, the night air had a cooling effect on the car.
Christian relieved Shepherd of guard duty, and after a shower, Shepherd put on his boots again as if ready to start his day. I watched him take inventory of his bag before heading to the back of the train and nodding off.
I stared out the window to my left but saw only my reflection in the glass. Many hours had passed. The alcohol had long worn off, and without the landscape to admire, I was bored out of my mind. If only we had a deck of cards.
Niko sat across the table from me and steered his gaze in the same direction.
“It’s pitch-black out there,” I said.
“Not from my view.”
“What do you see?”
“Blurred energy from animals. Some are on the hunt based on the intensity of their light, and others are resting. Sometimes the trees give off energy left over from the sun. It’s quite a view.”
I looked at the narrow bag of peanuts in front of me. I’d eaten a few but had no appetite to finish the rest.
Niko was wearing all black, as usual. He swept back his ebony hair and used small hair bands to secure it in a thin braid.
“Why do you grow your hair long?” I asked. “Wouldn’t short hair be easier to manage?”
“In part, I did so to disguise myself from Cyrus. I cannot wear contacts or change my features, but I can use my hair to obscure my face. After a while I just grew accustomed to it.” A smile softened his features, and his pale blue eyes sparkled with amusement. “I never have to worry about a bad haircut.”
“Claude wouldn’t let that happen.”
Niko scanned the room. “Where did he go?”
“You really took a long nap, didn’t you?”
“I hope you did the same. It sounds like we’ll be moving to a new location after midnight.”
I closed the curtain next to me. “Claude went to stretch his legs. Or so he said. You know how women flock to him. He’s probably fighting them off in the dining car.” I sat back and rubbed my neck. “Blue jumped off the train.”
Niko leaned back with a startled look. “Are you telling a joke?”
I rolled up the bag of peanuts. “Nope. Her bird was itching to come out, and she didn’t want to shift on the train. Don’t worry, she asked for Viktor’s permission. I think she’s back though. I heard her a few minutes ago talking to Christian outside the door. Maybe she went to find Claude.”
“Hopefully with her clothes on.”
We both laughed.
Niko rested his arms on the table. “I hope Viktor’s animal doesn’t get the sudden urge to run.”
“At least we’ll have privacy.” I took my hair out of a ponytail and combed my fingers through the messy strands. Brushing it seemed like an exercise in futility. My hair had a mind of its own, and usually it suffered from multiple personality disorder.
The kids emerged from the bedroom and stampeded into the car. Adam darted over to the bar and disappeared from sight.
“No alcohol,” I said loudly.
He popped back up, holding two bottles of soda. “Chill out, lady. You sound like a prison guard.”
Eve caught the bottle he tossed her way. All three kids had on their jackets. I felt fine, but Niko might have been leaking off a little heat. He sometimes did that on the sly as a courtesy. Niko had the heart of a warrior and the soul of a saint.
The twins moseyed to the back of the train where Shepherd was sleeping. Adam leaned over and cupped his hands on the glass to look out.
I twisted back around in my seat and tapped my hand on the table to get Niko’s attention. “I’ll be back in a little bit.”
Carol looked lonesome sitting all by herself on the long couch across from us. She rested against the leather backing on the left and hugged her knees to her chest.
I plopped down on the other side and mirrored her position. “Is this your first time on a train?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Me too. I used to dream about hopping on a train and traveling.”
“What’s wrong with him?” she asked quietly, tipping her head toward Niko.
“He’s shy.”
“I mean, he never looks at anyone. I
t’s creepy.”
“Niko’s blind, that’s all. He’s a nice guy once you get to know him.”
She looked over at him again. “But he’s got swords.”
“And he knows how to use them. Never underestimate someone’s abilities. People underestimate me all the time, and it never works out in their favor.”
“What’s his Breed?”
“Mage.”
She twisted her lips and studied me. “And you’re the same?”
“Yep.”
“What’s it like? I mean, I’ve never talked to a Mage before.”
I had no clue how to answer her question. “It’s a little scary. You have all these powers you didn’t have before, and someone has to teach you how to use them. Everywhere you go, you have to worry about someone juicing your light.”
She played with a wave of her hair. “Oh. I kinda thought it would be awesome to be a Mage without having to be someone’s Learner.”
That was food for thought. When these kids got older, they could sleep with a Mage and become one without the hassle of having a Creator. Would they share the same mark? Would the Mageri allow them to exist without a Ghuardian to watch over them? So many questions. “You would still need someone to teach you all the basics. There’s a lot to learn, and training isn’t easy. I went five years without knowing how to flash.”
“So then why did you choose it?”
“I didn’t.”
Her eyes lowered. “Oh.” After a long pause, she looked up again. There was so much innocence in her eyes. “I think it would be cool to be a Shifter. I like the idea of transforming into something powerful and amazing. To be able to run fast and live free.”
“You know, it’s not a bad thing being human,” I offered. “Sometimes immortality isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.”
“But I’ll never really be free,” she said glumly. “Not as long as I’m marked. I’m always gonna have to hide.”
“Do all the kids in your orphanage feel that way?”
“I ain’t friends with a lot of them, so I don’t know. Adam and Eve don’t want to be Breed, not after being locked up their whole lives. The least the Relics could have done is let us go outside on field trips once in a while. I’ve lived my whole life looking out a window.” She shivered and blew heat into her hands.
“Niko,” I called out. “Come here for a minute.”
Niko slid out of the seat and stopped at the edge of the couch.
“Take a step to your right and sit down,” I said. “We need you.”
When the toe of his shoe met the end of the bench, he pivoted around and took a seat between us.
Carol looked a little confused and uncomfortable with his presence.
“It’s a little cold in here, Niko. Do you think you could turn up the heat?”
Niko inclined his head. “As you wish.”
Within seconds, heat was wafting off him. So much so that it actually lifted the ends of his fine hair as if a draft had blown up from the floor.
Carol’s eyes rounded, and she extended her hands to feel the warmth. “Wow! That’s so awesome.”
“Every Mage has at least one unique gift. Niko’s a Thermal. That means he can not only regulate his body temperature but he’s also our portable heater.” I stood up, the heat a little intense for my liking. “Niko, why don’t you two get to know each other? Carol has some questions about Breed, and I’d rather not traumatize her with my stories.”
I branched away, deciding that Niko would be able to give her better advice on her future decision than I could. We probably had no business interfering, but it didn’t sound like anyone had really counseled these kids. How could they possibly make an informed decision without any real understanding of our world?
I opened the door to the outside room between the cars. Christian was standing on the left by the side exit, gazing out the window. I stood across from him, acclimating to the much colder air. “Having fun?”
He pointed out the window. “Can you see the wolves?”
I leaned against the glass and squinted. “I can’t see anything.”
“They’re on the run.”
I drew in a sharp intake of breath. “After us?”
Christian shook his head and leaned his shoulder against the door. “Poachers are after them.”
“Poachers? What do they want, their pelts?”
“No. To reduce the Shifter population.”
“Isn’t that against the law?”
“In the wild there are no laws.”
The door to the connecting train opened. Claude and Blue walked through, not paying us any attention as they entered our car.
Once we were alone again, I snuggled against Christian and gazed into the darkness. I had a sinking feeling come over me. These were just innocent children. Human children.
“You shouldn’t care about them,” he said judgmentally.
“What makes you think I do?”
“I heard you talking to the wee lass.”
“You shouldn’t eavesdrop.”
He lifted my chin with one finger. “Never get close to your work, Raven. It only makes it harder if something happens. Your emotions become a distraction and put everyone in danger.”
“Is that what happened with the last woman you guarded?”
A crooked smile appeared on his lips. “She made me realize it was time to retire. Letting your clients in can destroy you. Think of them as cargo.”
I drew back. “But they’re kids, Christian.”
“Aye, and you are their protector, not their friend. The dangerous world you lived in before Keystone hardened you. Don’t let go of that quality, lass. You can’t do this job with a tender heart. Even Viktor knows it, and that’s why he keeps his distance.”
“Why are you telling me this?”
He stroked my cheek. “I’ve got years of experience as a guard. Not everyone in that room does. Will you not learn from me? I have more to offer than just blood and kisses.”
I reached for his hand and held it. “I’m listening. Even when it seems like I’m not, I am.”
He jerked his arm, and the outside door suddenly opened. “Do you trust me?”
The roar of the train against the tracks filled my ears. “Not if you’re going to break up with me by tossing me off a train.”
He winked, gripped the top of the door, and literally flung himself upward. There was a moment where Christian looked like a pool of black water before he vanished.
My heart raced as I approached the open door and looked out. His hand appeared overhead.
“This is the dumbest thing you’ve ever done,” I muttered, grabbing his wrist.
With a hard yank, Christian didn’t just pull me up, he swung me right out the door and onto the roof. I might have actually screamed before he rolled on top of me and pinned me with his body.
“You all right?” he yelled over the roar of the wind.
It felt as if I might slide right off the train. The ridges of metal pushed against my back, and I gripped them for balance.
“Are you ready?” he asked against my ear.
Christian slowly pulled me to a sitting position. The wind blasted all my hair forward. Once I got my balance, I turned around. Hills and trees moved past like slow-moving shadows, and my Vampire eyes allowed me to see much more from this vantage point. I had always dreamed about riding a train, but never like this.
Sitting on my knees, I felt the cool wind rushing against my fingers. I threw my head back and howled like a wolf, my arms wide.
Christian wrapped his arms around me, his lips to my ear. “I knew you’d like it.”
I didn’t care how cold my face was. I didn’t even care how I was going to get down. This was the most spectacular gift anyone had ever given me.
When I leaned my head against his shoulder, he turned so our lips met. We fell into a deep kiss, one so hot and erotic that I might compare all future kisses to it. His tongue swept over mine, and I felt him moan again
st my mouth. Christian’s hand roamed over my breast and stomach before cupping between my legs.
It could have led to sex on a train. Christian was like an untamed horse, and I loved his wild soul. We could have met those primal needs with absolute privacy and complete danger. But instead, we kissed for an eternity.
And that was enough.
I combed my tangled hair with my fingers, still coming down off the high from the train surfing. Christian shut the outside door.
“I remember you telling me you did that once,” Christian said, straightening out his own hair.
“It was a freight train and not anywhere near this fast. That was amazing.”
He took my hands to warm them. “The ride or the kiss?”
“You need to stop with all the romantic gestures.”
“And why’s that?”
I put my hoodie over my head. “You’re making me look bad. I haven’t given you anything.”
He wrapped his arms around me and growled in that sexy way he often did late at night in bed. “You give me more than you think, Precious.”
“Don’t tell Viktor we did that. He’ll fire us on the spot.”
“I can keep a secret if you can.”
Christian was good at secrets. Too good.
He put distance between us and tucked away a rogue lock of hair that had fallen in front of my nose. “Better get the kids to bed. We don’t have long before our next stop.”
“Thanks for the date, Poe.”
“You’re the only woman I know who would call something that dangerous a date and do it with a smile.”
Once inside our car, I headed to the main room and looked around at the kids. “Everyone, go to bed. If you’re not sleepy, shut your eyes and rest.”
To my surprise, all three got up and dragged their feet to the bedroom. They must have been used to taking orders, because I didn’t have to herd them in there with threats.
“What are you looking for?” I asked Blue.
She closed a lower cabinet beneath the bar and stood up. “Shifter craving. It’s nothing.”
I drew back my hood. “What’s your craving?”
Blue gripped the lapels of her cloak and sighed. “Green olives. I thought they might have some in here with all the alcohol. No such luck.”
