by C. S Luis
“Of course not,” Joseph chuckled, grinning for her benefit, but sounding embarrassed by what I had said.
“I meant, for Michael and me, John.” he voiced firmly.
“My uncle and I really appreciate your invitation to dinner,” I said to her.
She forced a smile and lowered her eyes. Again, the tug came, how did she do that? Did she even know what she was doing?
The watch moved rapidly again. I kept it from Joseph’s eyes hoping it wouldn’t give her away.
Claudia examined me; I found that delightful. She was shy about it, hiding her eyes as she took quick looks in my direction. The pull from her end increased as she searched for my thoughts and feelings. She was getting nothing.
I wondered what she was thinking. With each pull and subsequent resistance at my end, the watch moved faster. I feared her surge would crack it, or destroy it as it had the first time. In fact, I caught her blushing; if I hadn’t gazed up at her, I would have missed it.
“Can we come in?” I asked. Embarrassed, she moved aside and allowed us inside.
“Michael should be down soon,” she nervously announced. We stood at the entrance in awkward silence.
“Such a large house for just you and Michael,” Joseph tried to make light conversation.
I wanted to be alone with her to speak to her. The pull coming from her continued, and the hands on the watch danced along with the energies she was giving off. The golden glow was again flowing from her. And I was happy Joseph wasn’t wearing his thermal glasses. Those things could read off such energies. They allowed the wearer to visualize the energy waves in the air. I still couldn’t understand why I could see them without the glasses.
“It was my grandfather’s house, Dr. Müller,” Claudia answered. She did her best to avoid meeting his eyes.
“Please, Miss Belle. Call me Joseph.”
“Makes him feel old,” I smirked. I tried to entertain the silence between us with a chuckle.
“Old isn’t all, nephew. I can relate better with people on a first-name basis. The title makes me feel restricted. I don’t want you to think I’m a stick in the mud.” Joseph chuckled, but Claudia didn’t so much as crack a smile. She knew our secret and it was more of an annoyance to her than anything else. We were playing this game with her, and it was like an ugly insult. Joseph didn’t know she knew, but that didn’t matter.
“So, how are you doing? In light of the circumstances, of course.” Joseph asked.
Was he really having this discussion with her? I think the last thing she wanted to have was a conversation with another adult about her loss. I wanted to tell him to stop. What he was doing was only making her nervous and uneasy. The hands on my watch were a clear indication of that.
“Fine,” she softly answered. She bit her lip, the action caused my watch to stop abruptly then, move back to face her rapidly.
“That’s great. I’m happy to hear that.” Joseph smiled, it was quite brief. We looked like a bunch of strangers trying to keep each other from feeling the anxiety. But it was hopeless.
“Things will get better,” Joseph continued. “I promise. It may not seem like that now, but it will.” He cleared his throat and took a deep breath, clearing his head. “I heard you love to paint. What else do you like to do?”
“Joseph,” I finally interrupted him. I shot him a hard look.
“Sorry. I guess I talk too much,” he said just as Michael came down. It looked like Claudia was thankful to see him.
I felt it the tug, the pulling, the hands of the watch continued their dance. I knew she was wondering why she couldn’t read me or hear my thoughts. I noticed the occasional look from her. There was curiosity in her eyes as she searched but found nothing. It hurt not to connect as we had before, but she was too strong and once lost in her energies, it was hard to break away. I just wanted to stay with her; that meant staying alert. I couldn’t reach for her.
“Dr. Müller, I’m sorry for keeping you waiting. John.” Michael greeted, stepping over to us.
“Nonsense, Michael. We had the best company,” Joseph said.
Claudia tried to smile, but it was more forced than anything.
“Ah, good. Shall we?” Michael invited us deeper into the house. He led us through the foyer, into the dining room.
“I brought a bottle. I hope it isn’t too off for the occasion,” Joseph boasted about the bottle that I had insisted we stop for.
I gave him a nudge. He smiled and winked as if to say nice thinking.
“Absolutely not,” Michael graciously accepted the gift. “Thank you. This really wasn’t necessary,”
“It was the least I could do,” Joseph answered, taking off his jacket when we neared the dining area.
“So, I hear Claudia is a great painter,” Joseph began again.
I didn’t know what he was doing right away, not until Michael answered.
“One of the best. I was impressed to see her sketches. Even more when I had the honor of seeing some of her paintings.”
Claudia’s cheeks became a rosey color.
“Michael, I’m sure they’re not interested,” she whispered.
“You’re too modest my dear.”
“I want to see,” I immediately said. She spun her head back and realized it was I who had answered the invitation. She seemed surprised for a moment.
“I’d like to see them,” I repeated, “I mean, if it’s ok?” I gazed at her hoping to earn some sort of sympathy from her, an I-come-in-peace sort of thing.
“My nephew has always been interested in taking art as an elective. But my brother would rather have him concentrate on his major studies. The man’s a General Surgeon. Kind of wants John to pursue the same line of career.” Joseph was always quick with his words. He had an answer for everything. You had to, when you were working in this sort of field. At least, that’s what he had told me when I had first started, You have to be quick on your toes.
“Wow, I see,” Michael said.
If he only knew.
“Right,” I heard Claudia say. I think Joseph did, too, which made me a little nervous. I hadn’t even thought about what I would do if he found out I had kept this from him.
“Claudia, why don’t you show John your work?”
She gave her guardian such a look, if I didn’t know any better, I’d have thought she might be trying to signal him not to make her do it.
“Dinner’s almost ready. You kids go upstairs. Let Claudia show you her artwork, John. You tell me if she isn’t the best.”
“Yes, sir,” I said and hurried over to the stairs.
Claudia turned to find me climbing up those steps as fast as I had chased after her in the hall back at Milton.
Joseph winked at me and pulled Michael along with him to the kitchen. This would give Joseph his moment to get information from Michael while I kept Miss Belle busy. I doubt he considered that I might want to do more than just talk with her.
“Play nice, kids,” Joseph said.
Claudia looked back at him. He smiled and winked at her before moving beside Michael.
“We got it, Joseph,” I said.
She moved with such a slow pace up the stairs. I waited by the rail landing outside her room. She looked surprised Michael was encouraging this. Who would have allowed a teenage boy into his daughter’s room?
She looked up at me. I smiled, running a hand over the railing and began to walk alongside it toward the door of her bedroom.
“You coming, Miss Belle? We have a lot to discuss,” I assured. I motioned to her with a single finger; then, winked at her. I moved into the room stopping briefly a few steps inside impressed by the artwork on the walls. I made my way to the back of the room where there sat an easel and an art table. I found a sketch book overflowing with sketches and drawings.
Her steps echoed as she slowly entered the room. There was much to discuss. I just hoped Joseph would keep Michael busy long enough.
“Close the door,” I ordered her. The
energies aggressively raced inside her and through the watch, as it began to rapidly vibrate.
“Excuse me? Michael won’t like the door closed,” she said so boldly I was surprised. I feared she would try to use her abilities on me, but also knew the chances were slim while Joseph had the power to harm her guardian.
“Don’t worry about Michael. Joseph will take care of him. It’ll be okay. Now, do as I say. Close the door and come here.”
I didn’t turn to look at her. There was a pause then, I heard the door close and I knew she had obeyed. The hands on the watch settled a bit but moved toward her vibrating slightly, like they would shoot out of the body of the watch towards the disturbance.
She took a few steps deeper into the room.
“He’s not going to hurt Michael, is he?” she asked me. “Michael’s completely innocent. He hasn’t done anything to you.”
I felt bad for scaring her with that but, I knew no other way to talk to her, or convince her to talk to me. I kept my eyes on the pieces of artwork on the table. The table was cluttered with chalk drawings, pencil drawings, water color paintings and all sorts of other mediums. The walls had a few paintings, portraits mostly. She was amazing all around.
“These are very good,” I said. “You did all these?”
“Yes,” she firmly answered my question. Her tone was resentful; she was holding back.
“Michael, your guardian. Does he know what you can do?” I asked to break the silence between us. Her hesitation made me turn and I dropped the drawing I was holding on the table.
“That’s none of your business,” she stubbornly said.
I examined her for a moment, as Dr. Nicholson enjoyed examining me- breaking me down, getting me to admit things I wouldn’t normally. I wanted to be just like him in every way, hard as stone. At least I had wanted that; now, things were turning slightly gray, there was no longer only black and white.
I smiled at her. She wasn’t sure what to think. She gave me a peculiar look.
“I asked you a question. Does Michael know what you can do? It’s very simple.” It didn’t matter one way or the other, I just wanted to see if I could make her answer me.
“Does it matter?” She gave voice to my own thoughts, making me smile. I guess I was trying to sound too much like Dr. Nicolson when he did his interrogations.
“Well, I guess it doesn’t.” The hands of the watch moved again, going backwards and steadied.
“So, what do you want?” she snapped.
“I don’t know,” I was being honest. I didn’t know what I intended to do, or why I was here. I wanted to stop all this and be truthful with her. I think she deserved that.
She looked surprised by my answer. And far more confused.
“I don’t know why I’m here, or why it is that I need to be here with you. How have you bewitched me? I can’t understand this force, driving me to seek you. But I needed to see you again.” The level of honesty I was sharing shocked me.
I looked around the room, turned the pages of her drawings upon the table, and ran a finger down the dry paint of a painting that was sitting on the easel. She looked speechless, her mouth dropping slightly as if she would say something but didn’t. She curiously observed me instead.
“You paint so beautifully.”
She exhaled crossing her arms, then rolled her eyes at me.
“How can you tell?” she demanded, the sarcasm was obvious in her tone.
I flashed her an innocent grin. She was being silly. Either she was getting comfortable around me, or I was reading entirely too much into things.
I went back to looking at the pictures of her art table and those covering her walls. She was really good.
We could hear Michael and Joseph talking downstairs. I caught her shifting uncomfortably; she was worried about Michael.
“Don’t worry. Joseph isn’t going to hurt him. I promise you that. I’m not planning on hurting either one of you. I just wanted to see you again.”
She didn’t look convinced.
“Why?” she asked.
I flashed her a smile.
“First, you’re incredibly intriguing,.” Tucking my lip back, I felt slightly foolish for saying so much, so quickly. The hands of the watch stopped vibrating.
“Like I said, I don’t know. Something beyond my own understanding has brought me here. Perhaps by sheer luck or coincidence, I was able to see you through this arranged dinner. Maybe it was meant-to-be.”
She looked curiously at me.
“These are very, very good,” I complimented, switching the subject to something safer.
“You’re very good. I’ve always been interested in art, but I don’t have the talent.”
Her eyes fell hard on me. She was still trying to read me, anything that could help her connect with me. She kept searching for something she could no longer feel.
The tug continued, but the resistance at my end never stopped. I had control, thanks to the watch on my wrist.
“You keep pulling at me.” I chuckled finally revealing to her what I had no doubt she was aware she had been doing.
“Seeking me. You want to know why you can’t read me, don’t you?” I lifted the watch tapping a fingernail on the head. The dial was moving spinning slowly around and landing in her direction.
“This helps keep,” I tapped a finger on my head, “what’s in here private.”
“Are you afraid of me?” she asked so suddenly it made me smile.
I moved closer.
“I’m only afraid I’ll hurt you if I lose control, Miss Belle.” I wouldn’t be able to control myself in the sense that I wanted her so much. I might lose myself in the need.
She looked confused and slightly concerned.
“You enhance my abilities in a way I don’t understand. Perhaps, hurt you is the wrong phrase for what I meant.”
I moved the dial of the watch. I wanted her to trust me and the only way she could do that is if she could feel me. Almost immediately when I turned the dial of the watch I felt the current between us reconnect. It was amazing, like a flame reigniting. Warmth raced through my body. I felt my eyes dancing again, the energies inside me glowing along with her circuit now alive within us both. She felt it just as I did.
“I want to be honest with you.” I reached to touch her face, but she pulled away. Her action hurt, but the connection was still there.
She took a seat on her bed. My eyes followed her as the sensation grew in me. I wanted to be close to her.
“So, who is he?” she asked me.
I figured she was referring to Joseph. I wrinkled my brow. What could I tell her? The truth was the only option. I felt compelled not to hide anything from her.
I walked over to the side of the dresser and examined the photograph sitting on the top. It was a picture of her grandfather. I took it and looked closely at it.
The current was running from me to her so strongly, the watch on my wrist began to move again. I felt her push the connection away; it hurt to be rejected once more.
“You mean Joseph?” I said when I realized I could buy myself no more time.
“He’s a friend.”
Liar, her voice roared inside my head. It rocked me giving me a slight headache.
She came over and snatched the picture out of my hand. I just grinned.
“The least you can do is be honest with me. I know what you are,” she declared.
She was right. Why was I continuing to play these games with her when I wanted her to trust me? It was time to be fully honest with her. That would mean I told her everything about me, everything I knew. I wouldn’t be able to hide it from her. Maybe I could, but I didn’t want to. I felt too connected to her. The watch would keep me in control, without losing myself.
“Fair enough,” I voiced after having her peeked at my thoughts, or maybe she could just read the turmoil on my face.
“Joseph is a guardian.”
Her expression requested more of an explanation.
“And you already know I’m a hunter.”
She moved over to the bed putting the picture on the side table.
“A guardian?” she asked since I’d ignored her nonverbal questioning.
“He’s sort of my bodyguard. Not that I need one, of course.”
“You sound really sure of yourself.”
I smiled. I guess I did sound quite arrogant. She looked embarrassed.
“You make it sound like you’re the best or something,” she said, once again looking over at me from the edge of the bed.
“I am,” I answered. “Joseph is there to make sure I get what tools I need to do my job without interruptions.”
“Like a personal secretary?” she furrowed a brow curiously.
I chuckled, if Joseph heard that he might laugh himself, but then frown and shake his head in disagreement. I had to admit it sort of sounded correct.
“He wouldn’t put it that way, but yes. Something like that,” I agreed.
“Why is he pretending to be your uncle? Why are you both really here in Milton?” She settled her eyes on me.
She would know if I lied, unless I turned the watch back up, and I had no intention of doing that. I had to choose my words carefully when answering her questions. Just because I wanted to share everything with her, didn’t mean I wanted to place her in more danger.
“Are you here for me?” she asked when my silence became too much.
I immediately moved over to kneel before her. She appeared surprised by my gesture.
“No, I’m not here for you. You, well, you were just…an unexpected discovery.”
The current between us continued to flow. She was a string of emotions, confusions, and curiosities, mostly directed at me.
I rose running a hand over the back of my neck, feeling the current between us flowing warmly into my body. I wanted to keep the feeling alive, reconnect the stronger parts of us. I wanted more, but I felt conflicted. A sadness was absorbing me, consuming me. I didn’t want to lose her, yet I feared bringing her closer would do just that.
“I’m not even supposed to be here with you. I’m supposed to tell Joseph things like this.” It was part of what was tearing into me, but not the biggest part.
