by S. L. Baum
“So what’s the verdict?” Marcus asked, resting his arm across her shoulders.
“We like him,” Eve answered as she let go of Link’s hands and wrapped her arms around Marcus’s hips.
“Good enough for me. I’ve learned to never argue with your judgment. But really, Charity... a mortal,” Marcus shook his head.
“Lincoln comes from the same bloodline as Charity’s first love,” Eve offered.
“Fate brought us together,” I said.
“Fine...” Marcus conceded, “Good to meet you, Link,” he said, offering his hand.
“It’s good to meet you too, Marcus,” Link smiled a more confident smile and firmly shook the Witch’s hand.
A sharp intake of breath was immediately heard as Link extracted his hand from Marcus’s grasp, and lightly shook it at his side.
“Marcus, be nice,” Eve scolded.
“I didn’t burn him. I was just having a little fun,” Marcus turned toward Eve. She frowned at him. “Sorry man, bad joke,” he added, offering Link an apology.
“That’s a good trick you got there,” Link said.
“You think?” Marcus quipped and held out his hand, palm up.
A swirl of dim red light began to glow in the center of his open palm. A tiny spark flew, then another, and another. He was performing his “trick” in slow motion. A small flame flickered and then came to life, dancing in Marcus’s hand. The flame grew into a ball of fire. Marcus then brought his hand up, closer to his mouth, and gently blew. The flame began to separate, breaking off into six tiny shoots. Then, as if each of the six were in a race with each other, they darted away from him and flew across the room. Each flame brought to life one of the six different candles that were spread across the mantle.
“Marcus, you are such a showoff,” Eve sighed.
“It’s my one good power darling. Can’t I make the most of it?” he smiled a seductive smile.
“It’s a good thing I love you,” Eve scolded and kissed him full on the mouth.
“How are you doing?” I whispered to Link.
“I’m fine. I’m with you,” he flashed me my smile.
“So, what’s been going on with our favorite family of Immortals?” Eve began.
The movie was abandoned. Our old routines fell into place and we sat down to talk. We often found ourselves in deep conversation, for hours on end, when our friends arrived. It was our way of catching up, of finding out what had happened in the time we had spent apart. But we discussed none of the usual things. Eve had learned about our current worries, when she had done her thorough scan of Link, and that was first on her list of topics.
“So, the Lords have found you again,” Eve stated.
“Really, James, you must let us stay and help out this time. I won’t take no for an answer,” Marcus added.
“But we don’t know that they are aware of your existence. We’d be putting you at risk,” James replied.
“Nonsense,” Eve said.
“But they are only after us. It is our responsibility,” Catherine pressed the issue.
“No more buts will be heard. We are here. We are your friends. We will stay, until we are sure that you are safe,” Marcus insisted.
“I have to agree with them,” Link spoke up. “After seeing the fear in Charity’s eyes, and the concern in both of yours,” he directed to James and Catherine. “I think a little extra help would be appreciated.”
“You are right, Link. It would be appreciated. I just do not want our friends to put themselves in danger,” James explained.
“You worry about your family, and we’ll worry about ourselves. They’re just two mortal boys,” Marcus countered.
“Two mortal men with access to an assortment of modern weapons,” James clarified. “And, I am quite sure they are well trained in combat.”
“We are not worried about those boys. We do have a slight advantage. I realize that our powers do not make us impenetrable, but they do tend to give us the upper hand, and can cause a fair amount of damage,” she smiled.
“That’s my girl,” Marcus beamed.
“Thank you both,” I whispered as a sense of calm washed over me. I knew that we were not in the clear, but the odds had changed, hopefully in our favor.
“So, you spotted Levi in the city of Montrose. Then he departed and was headed in the opposite direction,” Eve replayed the details.
“It’s only a matter of time then, until they find you here, in Telluride,” Marcus surmised.
“What makes you so sure?” Link asked.
“They are hunters, trackers. It is their life’s work. They have no other goal. And, each generation seems to have become more skillful. If they are so close again after just a matter of months then, I hate to admit it but, Marcus is right. It’s just a matter of weeks or days even until they discover us,” James concluded.
“I’m glad you agree,” said Marcus.
“So, we’ll comb the town. I’ll scan everyone that I can get close enough to. If the name Lord, or the image I got from Charity’s memory, is in anyone’s head I’ll know,” Eve offered.
“And if either of them misplaces anything, I can tell you where it happened. Woo Hoo!” Marcus bragged, with heavy sarcasm. “Worthless,” he scowled.
“The fire thing is pretty cool,” Link assured him.
“Thanks man,” Marcus gave a half smile. “My brother got all the really cool stuff. He can freeze every muscle in a living being. The effect lasts only about sixty seconds, but the skill is very useful. He knows, without fail, if someone is truthful with their words – Witch, Vamp, Immortal, whatever. Plus, he’s got the fire power too. I got the lost and found department.”
“I got nothin’. So you got two up on me,” Link offered.
“True... True enough,” Marcus admitted.
“Hey, if you don’t mind my asking, when were you born? It’s just that Charity will pop up with slang words from a different era every now and then. But I don’t get that from you, you seem more... I don’t know... modern,” Link asked.
“Born in the Nineteen Thirties, my friend,” Marcus answered. “I make it a point to keep up with the times. I don’t cling to the old. Twenty or Thirty years ago, in England, Eve and I met a Witch that was still speaking in this dialect that hadn’t been used for years. We could barely understand her, the mortals had an even harder time. She definitely drew a lot of unneeded attention her way.
“Another time, I spotted this Vamp who was wearing a... had to be an eighty year old suit. He was walking down the main street of some small town in Idaho, of all places, and sticking out like a sore thumb. Everyone was staring at him as he passed by. Those kind of things stick in the mind. They make me want to be aware of the changes around me. I dump my wardrobe every few years, I observe the people around me, and at times I probably watch too much TV,” Marcus answered.
“I dress modern,” I protested. “I admit right now it is High School modern. But I blend,” I went on.
Link put his hands up in defense, “I never mentioned your clothes. He brought up clothes all on his own. But you have to admit to the slang,” he insisted.
“Whatever you say Big Daddy,” I smirked.
“... coming from the woman who is old enough to be my Great Grandmother. The best looking senior citizen I’ve ever seen,” Link teased, then turned to look at Eve.
“Nineteen Twenties, like Charity,” Eve offered the information before being asked.
Link’s jaw dropped open, “Did you read that out of my mind?” he asked.
“No just a good guess. Freaked you out a little, eh? I don’t read minds. I just scan short and long term memories. If it’s locked up in your brain somewhere then I can see it, hear it, and almost experience it the way you did,” Eve explained.
“Okay, I don’t even want to go there. So... moving on then... Catherine?” Link asked. “You’re the only one I don’t know yet.”
“I’m the oldest one here... and we’ll talk about it later
,” she brushed the topic away.
“Older than James?” he asked. Catherine nodded. “I’ll hold you to that,” Link said.
“So, Link, you up for playing tour guide tomorrow?” Eve pulled his attention away from Catherine.
“I think I can manage that,” he answered.
The next day while Catherine and I went into the boutique and James went to work at the medical center, Link took Marcus and Eve on a tour of the town.
After an hour spent pacing up and down the center of the boutique and then fidgeting with the cash register a little too much, Catherine sent me out to find them. I’m pretty sure I was getting on her last nerve. As soon as Lisa Ann, the part time sales girl, arrived, she practically pushed me out onto Colorado Avenue. I couldn’t blame her though. I was getting on my own nerves.
I sent a text to Link immediately, “Where r u? Just left 2 find u.”
A few seconds later the phone buzzed in my hand with his response. “Coming 2 u. Stay on CO.”
I slowly walked along Colorado, waiting for them to show up. People were bustling along with their last minute purchases in hand. Their heavy coats, thick scarves, hats, and gloves protecting them from the bitter cold. Marcus was an easy target to spot, as he strolled my way, Eve and Link were in deep conversation right behind him.
I shook my head at him as he neared. “With all that talk of blending in last night, you’ve failed miserably today,” I chided him.
“We told him bundle up more,” Link and Eve chorused.
“It’s so claustrophobic. How do you put up with all the layers of clothing?” Marcus replied.
“I know the cold doesn’t bother you. But at least Eve wore one of my coats and a pair of gloves. Long sleeves... Really Marcus was that all you could manage?” I continued with my criticism.
“It’s a sweater!” he protested in defense, raising his arm to show off the thinnest version of a sweater I’d ever seen.
“The least you could do is shiver a little, pretend it’s cold out. Come with me,” I seized his arm and dragged him into the nearest shop.
“Take your time,” Eve whispered in my ear, when we got inside, “I’ll see what they know,” she nodded toward the two girls behind the counter.
“A scarf and gloves,” I stated, pointing to the rack that contained both items.
He stood still, not wanting to give in to my demands.
“Please,” I pleaded with Marcus.
“Okay, okay, but I’m not promising to come here next Christmas,” he muttered. “What do you call all the old people that flock to Arizona in the winter?” He turned to Link.
“Snow Birds?” Link responded
“Yeah, Snow Birds. Consider me a Snow Bird – if there is snow on the ground then I’ll be flying away from it,” Marcus replied.
“You can’t fly, and you love me too much to abandon me at Christmas. Anyway, you don’t hate snow. You just don’t like bundling up. But we’re out in public, and you know you like to blend. So blend,” I finished and threw a scarf at him.
“What’s her name here again?” Marcus whispered to Link.
“Emily,” he whispered back.
“Do we really love Emily too much to abandon her at Christmas time?” Marcus called out to Eve, who was browsing by the sales counter.
“Yes we do,” she answered back.
“I concede,” Marcus bowed to me and picked up a pair of leather gloves.
He took his purchases to the counter and we were soon out the door, walking down Colorado again.
“Get anything?” Link asked Eve.
Eve batted her eyelashes at Link, “Other than listening to them whisper about how cute you are, and how upset they are that you’ve chosen to rob the cradle instead of date one of them? No, they don’t know anything useful,” she teased. “They think you’re cute too,” she hooked arms with Marcus.
“Well everyone thinks that,” he smiled a devilish smile.
“Cute like a puppy, I think,” I messed with his hair.
“Hey you, stop that,” Marcus protested.
Eve ignored us both. Her mind had moved on to the task at hand. “Okay, we’ve pretty much covered Colorado Avenue. You found Levi at a diner. Everyone’s got to eat sometime. So, let’s sit down for lunch, somewhere off the main road,” Eve suggested.
“We’ll go over to the brewpub. They have these bread nuggets, sprinkled with parmesan, and served with marinara... mouth watering. I have been craving them since I got up this morning,” Link suggested.
“Mortals,” Marcus shook his head and we started the quick walk to the brewpub.
We sat at a table in the middle of the restaurant. This gave Eve a central location, enabling her to scan as many people as possible.
“Getting anything?” Link asked, after consuming his (had to be) eighth nugget.
“It’s hard to say. I’m only tapping into the last two days or so, a quick scan. But when I do it to so many people, it starts to muddle together. I have found, that people sure are concerned with dogs around here. I’ve already seen at least four images, from customers and the staff, of some guy walking a dog that looks, and I quote, ‘a heck of a lot like that other husky, but the eyes are different’. One of the sales girls, at that last shop we were in, had that in her head as well. Who the heck pays that much attention to a dog?” she sounded tired.
“The people here do, especially the locals. They’re all about dogs,” I answered her. “Look around... woman walking a dog, dog chained up outside a store, another dog... dogs are everywhere in Telluride.” I pointed out just the three I could see immediately outside the window.
“What did the guy look like? Did he look like the guy we saw in Montrose? Was it Levi?” Link badgered her with questions.
“No, it wasn’t Levi. Unless he grew a full head of hair, stopped wearing glasses, gained twenty pounds, and lost a few inches of height in the short time since you two saw him in Montrose,” she groaned. “Sorry guys, I got nothin’.”
“Don’t worry about it, darlin’, you’re doing your best,” Marcus assured her.
“I’ve got a surprise though it seems,” her face immediately brightened.
“What did you see?” Marcus asked.
“You mean who do I see,” she smiled.
“Who?” Marcus puzzled.
“Turn around dear,” Eve told him.
We all looked in the direction of her gaze to where a man stood, not three feet away from our table.
“What the...” Link was at a loss for words.
“Bro, you came,” Marcus leaped out of his seat, and hugged his twin brother - Oz.
chapter thirteen
SUSPICIONS
“Sweet Charity,” Oz softly spoke the words, setting his gaze on me, as soon as he and Marcus had finished their greeting.
“Hello Cozmo,” I smiled. “It’s good to see you again. It’s been a few years.”
“I came just in time it seems, looking at the company you’re keeping now,” he gave a sideways glance at Link.
“My company is my business. And seeing how you haven’t seen fit to visit us for quite some time, it really isn’t any of yours,” I stated.
“A mortal... really...” Oz continued in his muted tones. He always spoke this way, when in public, knowing that we would have no trouble hearing each other. Link was straining to decipher even a few words.
“Save your breath,” I interrupted him. “Your brother already gave me that line. At least he had the sense to ask Eve for her opinion,” I said.
“He’s good for her Cozmo. Now come, play nice, and sit with us,” Eve pulled an empty chair over to our table, placing it on the other side of Marcus.
Oz sat down and continued to stare at me with an all too intimate smile playing on his lips. I could feel Link tense up beside me. His hand, which had been gently resting on my thigh, now slightly grasped it. It was a subtle change, but I could feel it. I owed him an explanation. I knew it.
Marcus broke the silen
ce, “Link, this handsome fellow here, is my brother Cozmo... otherwise known as Oz.”
“I’d shake your hand, but Marcus already showed me that trick,” Link smiled.
“Good work brother,” Oz smiled at Marcus. “But I have to warn you... Link is it? I have a few other tricks up my sleeve,” Oz’s eyes twinkled mischievously.
“I’ll take a pass if you don’t mind. I like being able to control my body. I would hate for it to stall, even if for only a moment,” Link asserted.
“Brother, I’m disappointed. It seems you’ve given away a few of my secrets. Or was it you, sweet Charity?” Oz asked me.
“There are no secrets where Link is concerned,” I answered simply, then continued in a hushed tone, “and it’s Emily now, when we’re in public.”
“No one in this room can hear me. Your mortal there is struggling to comprehend even a few words,” he quipped.
“I said play nice,” Eve reminded Cozmo. “We have business to attend to. The latest crop of Lord boys are too close to our friends, again. They are in danger. This time they’ve agreed to let us stay and help.”
“Well at least you have come to your senses on that subject,” Oz quipped.
“Cozmo, if you continue with this attitude it might be best if you leave. But honestly, I would prefer it if you stayed. My aunt and uncle will be so happy to see you. Could you please leave the past alone and just try to enjoy the visit?” I implored, in an audible voice. “It was never going to happen the way you wanted it to. I know I made that quite clear. Please be fair,” I continued in a whisper, so quiet that Link would never have been able to hear.
“I’ll try to be a good boy,” Oz nodded at Eve and then me, “So, give me the scoop.”
Marcus quietly filled his brother in, reciting all of the details that he had gathered since his arrival. Eve filled in the gaps, with the information she had obtained in her own special way.
While the three Witches were engaged in deep conversation, Link leaned toward me, putting his lips on my ear. “What is going on with you two?” he spoke in the softest voice he was capable of.
