by Laury Falter
Peter nodded, and moved to leave, though not before his attention paused on Eran and then on me. It was quick but it didn’t go unnoticed. There was a purpose behind the movement, a sense of curiosity, a lingering thought, a suspicion of something maybe?
Then he was gone down the hall, his long legs carrying him faster than a human and swifter than most Alterums.
The mug intended for Peter somehow found its way to Ezra’s hands and, as the front door closed behind Peter, we stood silently in the kitchen until Rufus returned from escorting our guest out.
“How is it that you all know him and I don’t?” I asked Eran, perplexed that I could be the only one without an introduction until now.
“I believe we’ve only met him once before,” said Eran, waiting until the rest had shown their agreement. “Peter was sent out to assemble Alterums on only one other occasion. You were preoccupied, so to speak, during that time.”
My brow creased in confusion. “Preoccupied?”
“You chose to deliver messages rather than address the call for an assembly…which was called, in fact, to address the very thing that was – at the time – hunting you. You may remember it…You were in London and it found you in a quiet alleyway-”
“The Elsic…” I murmured.
“Exactly. We had been called to assemble to be made aware that it had escaped and to form a hunting party. When I discovered the purpose behind our congregating I left and went in search of you.”
“And nominated yourself my guardian,” I recalled.
The side of Eran’s mouth lifted in a gentle smile. “Because it was abundantly clear to me by that point you needed one.”
I ignored that assertion in favor of asking, “Do you think another Elsic has escaped?”
“Possibly,” said Ezra. “It was only a few weeks ago we found the Elsics had been released from imprisonment.” Everyone simultaneously bristled at the remembrance of it, which Ezra noticed but didn’t deter her from summing up her thoughts. “While most stayed in the caves in favor of getting a piece of Maggie, one or two may have sought freedom.”
Rufus crossed his arms and leaned back against the refrigerator, deliberating. “There’s been rumors floatin’ ‘bout too many humans dyin’ out ‘round ‘bout Paris…”
“That’s right,” Felix exclaimed, nodding furiously. “I heard it too.”
Rufus’s brow creased in suspicion. “Who woulda told you?”
Felix’s jaw fell open. “I have informants too, you know.”
“Ain’t seen any of ‘em…” he challenged.
“Well, who told you?” Felix retorted.
“Coupla lads I keep in contact with back from the orphanage,” said Rufus offhanded. “Who’re yer…whatdya call ‘em? Informants?”
Felix’s mouth pinched closed for a moment. “You don’t know any of them.”
“Just like I said…I ain’t met any of ‘em.” Rufus was purposefully riling Felix, and enjoying it.
“All right, boys,” Ezra stepped forward, her warning and the very size of her creating a barrier between the two. “There are more important matters at hand. Such as…will we be attending this assembly?”
The room went quiet as we stared apprehensively at each other.
I opened my mouth to speak, a slight movement but one that Eran caught. His hand came up to my elbow to quiet me before I could release a word in favor of going and I glanced at him, questioning. Yet, if he saw my confused reaction, he didn’t respond to it. His attention remained on the others.
No one else seemed to notice us because not a second passed when the three of our housemates agreed simultaneously to attend. When Eran and I didn’t confirm we’d be joining them, they looked to us and waited.
“Aren’t you going?” asked Felix, as if it were abominable that we would choose to stay behind now that the rest had made their decision.
“They’ll be staying here,” Ezra said, having already made her assessment.
Felix’s head swiveled back and forth between Ezra and Eran. “Staying? And miss the biggest assembly of this century? Of the past seven centuries?”
“That’s right,” Eran replied plainly. “We’ll be staying.”
Rufus, too, seemed to be surprised but he kept it to himself.
“Tomorrow morning, gentlemen,” said Ezra, “tea and crumpets for breakfast.”
“I can handle that…” said Felix, contemplating.
Ezra drew in a deep breath and stifled a yawn. “I think I’ll get a little rest. Tomorrow is sure to be a big day. Lots of reunions…”
Felix gasped and made a quick leap in excitement. “A reunion…Of course…Patrick will be there…Johnathon…Ricardo…And I’ll have to visit with Ellings…” His voice trailed behind him as he left the kitchen making a mental list of who he’d need to catch up with while in England.
Rufus watched him leave, frowning. “Blimey…Little bloke’s got no idea what’s in store fer ‘im. If the reason fer us congregatin’ is as big as I think, won’t be time fer chattin’.”
“If nothing,” said Ezra, briefly placing a kindly hand on Rufus’s shoulder as she passed by him on her way out of the kitchen, “it will be an interesting excursion.”
None of us had any idea how true that statement would be.
She stopped at the door, absentmindedly. “We’ll be back as soon as possible.”
“We know,” replied Eran.
I realized Rufus was watching us now and turned to meet his stare. “Eran and I will be fine,” I stated. “There aren’t many Fallen Ones in the area any longer.” I didn’t bother mentioning it was because I’d eradicated them from most of the southern states.
“I know it.” He shrugged, embarrassed to have been caught with his thoughts so openly transparent. “If anythin’, you’d be the ones savin’ us.” We chuckled at this and then he headed for the stairs.
I waited until hearing his bedroom door close before I spun to face Eran. “So, are you going to tell me why you stopped us from leaving with them?” I asked, perplexed at his behavior.
He responded with his signature smirk. “Why? Don’t you trust me?”
“Absolutely and irrevocably. But I’m curious as to why we’re staying. It’s only the second time in history Alterums have assembled.”
“Yes, and the first time they assembled we missed it and all went well,” he reasoned.
“True…” I conceded. “But it doesn’t mean we couldn’t attend this one. Everyone will be there, including our housemates.”
“That’s correct. Everyone will be there,” he replied patiently. “And we’ll have the house to ourselves.”
“Yes, we will,” I agreed.
He waited for me to come to the same conclusion he had several minutes prior. “And we’ll have the house to ourselves,” I said again, allowing the reality of it to sink in.
Eran had a glimmer in his eyes as his arms slipped around me. “The house will be empty…and we will be alone, Mrs. Talor.”
As my excitement grew, I felt a smile creep up without consciously initiating it.
“What did you have in mind?” I asked.
“You wouldn’t want me to spoil it by telling you…” he insinuated.
My eyelids fell to a playful glower.
“You have nothing to worry about, Mrs. Talor. I have it covered.”
Maybe it was the word ‘cover’ or the realization that in less than a full day Eran and I would be intimate again. Whatever the reason, my mind was suddenly focused on my closet and the fact that I had nothing but jeans and t-shirts to seduce my husband.
“Magdalene?” Eran was saying, pulling me back to him. “I’m a little concerned by your expression. If you don’t want to do this, we can-”
Already, the pain of giving up this opportunity was evident in him.
I cut him off before he could finish his thought. “No…” Then I repeated the word more vigorously for emphasis. “No.”
“Oh, I see,” he replied quietly, s
addened. “You want to take the time to hunt.”
My head pulled back a bit surprised that the idea hadn’t even occurred to me. That was a good sign. My obsession hadn’t entirely taken over. Eran still came first.
“Not at all. I’m not going to allow a Fallen One to intrude on our night together. I was…” I laughed at myself, slightly uncomfortable. “I just need to find a lingerie shop.”
Eran blinked. “That’s what you’re concerned with?”
“Well, yes. You haven’t seen me…unclothed…in over a century. I want you to enjoy what you see…when you finally see it.”
He tilted his head back and released a bellow of laughter. “Magdalene, you can wear whatever you want but it isn’t simply your body that I’m attracted to – although it certainly is attractive. It’s you in your entirety that I love. No piece of clothing is going to change that.”
My lips wavered as I tried to subdue a smile and failed. “Nonetheless…”
His body shook with another bout of laughter and then settled. “I am so in love with you.” By the time he said those words, he was calm again. The only signs of emotion were in his eyes, which were blazing with passion, and the ache of desire that seemed to radiate from him with such intensity it took our breaths away.
“If I kiss you now, I won’t be able to stop myself,” he concluded in a murmur, more to restrain himself than to disclose what he was thinking.
“I wouldn’t stop you if you did,” I admitted softly.
He drew in a stifled breath, his chest swelling with the craving to be with me right here, right now.
His gentlemanly side won out, though it was clearly after a strong internal struggle, and he dropped his hands from my waist.
Clenching his teeth against the pain of his decision, he stated, “When we’re alone…When we’re alone tomorrow…”
I nodded, absorbed in my own struggle to contain the passion racing through me.
He took my hand and led me upstairs, stopping at my door to kiss me good night…on my forehead, unable to trust himself with anything more.
“Tomorrow…” he whispered against my skin, gently tightening his grip on my hand.
When he released it, we turned and stepped into our rooms, each of us closing our doors much slower than usual, having no idea, no premonition of what was to come.
In fact, I fell asleep quickly and before long I was back in the Hall of Records, where I awoke every night without fail. This time, however, I didn’t stay long.
Something forced me awake only a few hours later. I found myself back in my body, laying bundled beneath the covers of my bed in New Orleans. Unable to immediately detect whatever had disturbed my sleep, I listened motionless, barely breathing. I heard nothing but silence, saw no movement, and felt only the weight of my bedcovers. Then it came.
A chime I’d heard just one time previous rang through the house. Yesterday, when Peter had arrived, he’d used the doorbell and it was the sound I was hearing now.
We had another visitor.
I stood and slipped on a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt before heading downstairs.
Eran was already at the door, which was now closed, and standing before him was Ms. Beedinwigg and Mr. Hamilton, both wearing serious, concerned expressions. While Eran had apparently just gotten out of bed, wearing only jeans and displaying a muscular bare chest, our guests were dressed as if it were the middle of the day and they were out running errands. A quick glance at the clock on the fireplace mantle told me it was 3 o’clock in the morning so clearly that wasn’t the case.
“We have reason to believe it involves Maggie’s efforts to kill the Fallen Ones,” she was saying as I made it down the last step. When she caught sight of me, she crossed the room in two brief paces. “Maggie, we need to speak with you.”
The urgency in her tone did not sit well with me.
We returned to the parlor, Eran coming to sit directly next to me, a hand placed protectively on one of my knees.
“Eran has informed us that you know an assembly has been called.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“What you may not know is that they will be discussing your actions against the Fallen Ones.”
“Yes,” I replied again, just as plainly.
The three of them shared glances before Eran asked, “Did you know about this?”
“I didn’t know about the assembly.”
“But you knew something,” Eran plied, knowing me too well to give up so easily.
I shrugged. “Someone mentioned the Alterums weren’t happy about my work.”
Eran’s eyes widened as he moved back for a better look at me. “And you didn’t bother to mention it…”
“No, it wasn’t qualified information,” I explained.
His lips pinched closed in a clear indication he was irritated with that justification but he didn’t respond to it.
“Well,” Mr. Hamilton drew in a breath, seemingly attempting to ease his distress, “it’s qualified now.”
No one spoke for a long minute.
“Since it is, do you plan to continue your hunts?” asked Ms. Beedinwigg, clearly nervous about my response.
When I didn’t respond, Eran prompted me. “Magdalene?”
I felt the side of my mouth turn down in a frown as I gazed towards the unlit fireplace. “Somewhere out there are Fallen Ones who are hurting the innocent. They have been allowed to walk freely inflicting harm and perpetrating acts of violence for their own amusement. We’ve allowed them to do so because of guardians like Eran. Now the guardians themselves are at risk. How can you ask me to stop something that should have been started so long ago?”
No one could deny my argument made sense but Eran did make one point that clearly influenced the outcome of our situation. “What we do not know is whether they’ll be discussing in favor or in opposition to Magdalene’s actions.”
“That is why I’ll be there,” Ms. Beedinwigg stated. “To ensure they find in favor of your hunting.”
My eyes were suddenly on her. “You’ll be there at the assembly?” I asked, astounded.
“I’ll be working behind the scenes, with my relations who can deliver the message to the assembly. Humans aren’t permitted in the event.”
Mr. Hamilton spoke up then, asking for reassurance on the one topic I hoped would be forgotten. It really was too bad he excelled in the art of damage control. “Will you refrain from your hunts until the assembly has made their decision?”
Again, I felt the frown rise up. Irritation riled me and I had to draw a breath to calm myself. He was asking me to decide between my obsession and the want of others. The challenge I had was that my obsession was, at its core, meant to help those others. It was painful to witness those acting in self-defeat. Still, my hunts seemed to be causing more trouble for those I’m helping than our actual enemies and that, in some small way, defeated my purpose.
“A few days rest couldn’t hurt…” I said, noticing the sadness in me as I wavered in my mission.
Yet, it did the job. There was an obvious relief felt around the room.
“Excellent,” said Mr. Hamilton. “Ms. Beedinwigg, I have a jet waiting for you at the airport.”
She stood and headed for the door as we followed.
“Maggie, Eran, it may help to have your presence at the assembly when they call the decision to vote.”
“Or it may hinder it,” said Eran. “I’d rather not take that chance. I think your message will be effective if you’re able to deliver it through those with authority.”
“I have a few in mind…” she hinted coyly. With her hand on the door knob, she turned to me. “Alterums, as a group, can be equally as defensive as the Fallen Ones, if threatened. As much of a challenge it will be, please restrain from changing your mind while I’m gone.”
“I won’t,” I reassured her. “Eran, I’m sure, will make certain of it.”
He smiled mischievously as she left, which must have been some measure of
comfort to her.
As the door closed and Eran and I were alone again, I said, “I can’t sleep, too much adrenaline, and I don’t want to be alone.”
Eran’s eyes gleamed back at me. “You’re in luck. I have no pressing engagements.”
I smiled and headed back to my room. “The sun will be up, which means so will Ezra.”
“If you’re suggesting we need to keep our voices down, don’t worry. They left an hour ago.”
Spinning around, I asked, “We’re alone in the house?”
“Yes,” he replied not showing a single sign of apprehension at our new found freedom.
I, on the other hand, instantly felt self-conscious. Confidence, I reminded myself as I continued up the stairs. Instinctually, I began to sway my hips with each step and then told myself to stop. It didn’t make me feel confident. It made me feel like a floozy. Trying to project self-assurance felt more awkward now than when I wasn’t aware of it.
At the top of the stairs, I began to notice the silence surrounding us. There was no brewing sound coming from the coffeemaker in the kitchen; Rufus’s snoring wasn’t rumbling through the house; Felix’s light wasn’t on beneath his bedroom door. All common signs of our house being occupied were gone and the realization of it weighed heavily on me.
This was something I’d wanted, encouraged, and now it was here and I didn’t know what to do with it.
Just as we reached my bedroom door, Eran’s whispered voice came from behind me. “Relax, Magdalene. This evening…you’ll need to wait until this evening.” His hand came over my shoulder and pushed my door open for me.
I laughed at myself as I heard his chuckle from behind. He then took my hand, walked passed me, and led me to the bed. Laying down and pulling me beside him may have caused my heart to leap into my throat if he hadn’t confirmed his plans for intimacy were set for the end of the day rather than the beginning.
Instead, we rested next to each other as the sun rose and gradually brightened my room. I kept my eyes closed, nudged against his solid chest, enjoying every moment of it. Occasionally, his fingers drifted slightly over my skin, along my arm, down the curve of my neck, along my collarbone, connecting with me in a way other than I’d anticipated on my walk up the stairs, though one just as sensual. My body responded with shudders, uncontrollable messages telling him that he was successful in his temptations.
