Todd knew Nick’s feelings were never nothing.
* * * *
Todd yawned. He and Nick stopped at the street vendor for coffee. After some experimenting with different vendors and cafés, they had found this place served the best coffee in this part of the city. It was a warm day, but there was a nice breeze coming off Great Slave Lake. Between Nick’s studying late into the night every night, then his restless sleep combined with the nearly twenty hours of daylight at this time of year, Todd’s daily stop for coffee was a necessity.
They were two weeks into the sixteen-day prep course leading up to Nick’s test. Nick’s feelings of unrest had increased, and Todd was convinced they weren’t all a result of test anxiety. He had suspected early on the minor earthquake might also be a source of Nick’s unease. Todd hadn’t really seen him like this since they’d dealt with the kelbit during their first meeting with then-Vice-Chancellor Clarke. The eggs it had left in Nick’s shoulder were partially responsible for them settling in Elk’s Ridge.
Every morning he and Nick stopped at the coffee vendor, then walked to the lecture hall a few blocks from the place they were calling home for several weeks. Nick was in class for eight hours each day. Todd decided the fact Nick had to concentrate on his studies was beneficial for them both. By the time Nick’s test was over, Todd would have collected all the information they’d need to investigate the possibility that the earthquake had set something loose. Or something breaking loose had caused the earthquake. The place was a college, and those tended to have extensive libraries that would be the perfect place for Todd’s investigation to start.
“I’ll see you tonight,” Todd said to Nick as they came to the building Nick would spend half the day in. “There hasn’t been any sign of trouble, so relax.”
Nick nodded. “Be careful, and I’ll keep my ears open.” He waved as he walked into the lecture hall. Todd continued through the campus to the main library.
He finished his coffee and tossed the paper cup in the trash at the base of the steps leading up to the large double doors. Sprinting up the stairs three at a time, Todd barely slowed down to shove through the doors. Nodding to a few of the employees, Todd crossed the main floor to the rear of the building and went through a smaller door and down some more stairs.
There was a short hall with doors spaced at regular intervals. He continued along until the hallway ended. It opened into a large book room. There were rows of shelves with older books, newspapers, and periodicals. Running his fingertips along the edge of the shelves, Todd walked on a path he’d plotted out days ago. Like in most libraries, these older materials weren’t permitted to leave the building.
Todd dropped the pack he carried on a table and found the books he needed, settled at the table, and went to work. Armed with the drawing Nick had completed, he was on the trail of a suspect. Even though Nick had only gotten a brief glance at the thing, he’d managed to recreate a decent description. That was aided by his psychic ability. Others on the train had seen the same thing, and with the proper concentration, Nick could get mental flashes from anyone who was close enough to them at the time. In the time between their leaving the train and now, he’d put together a good image for Todd to track down.
It took time to find the proper references and then sift through them. The books Nick brought had given Todd a good start, but he needed more information on not just what Nick had seen, but the area itself. It was the land and region Todd researched now. The first three days they were in Yellowknife City had been spent compiling a list of passenger names. The rest of the first week and half the second had been spent tracking down the other passengers and keeping track of their whereabouts. In fact, he was more interested in where those people had come from.
Todd spread a map over the table and placed two large books on either side. One was a simple registry of names, people living in Yellowknife City and the surrounding area. The other book was thinner and contained a complete list of land transactions for the past decade. Todd had brought with him the list of all the passengers from the train, their birthplaces, and where they currently called home.
There were only a few names left on Todd’s list to investigate. By lunchtime he’d crossed one off. Todd had sandwiches packed in his bag. Standing, he stretched and wandered the room, checking for employees before he sat back down and pulled out his lunch. The last thing he needed to happen was for him to get busted and tossed out for breaking the no-food rule on the last day he needed to be there.
His stomach was telling Todd it was getting close to dinnertime when he finally found the evidence he was searching for. A quick check of his watch confirmed Nick would be another hour in class. Todd sat back and put his pencil down. He tapped the paper and grinned.
“Gotcha.”
Quietly gathering his supplies and packing them in the bag he brought, Todd spent a few minutes returning the reference books to a nearby book cart so they could be returned to their proper locations. Shouldering the bag, he headed to the building exit, whistling softly and nodding to people as he walked.
As it turned out, he would be spending a bit of time in bars chasing women after all.
* * * *
“That’s exactly what I saw.”
Nick turned the piece of paper Todd had set on the table between them so he could look at it from different angles. It was a crude drawing but recognizable as a woman. She had a sultry sort of tilt to her head, with large doe eyes that appeared white on the paper. Even in the drawing, her body language promised allure and fulfilled desires. She wore a dress that was long enough no hint of legs or feet was seen. Todd had copied it from one of the library reference books earlier that day. Nick picked up the sketch and compared it to the one he’d completed when they first arrived in Yellowknife. Nick had seen something come from the waters of Great Slave Lake. Now that Todd had figured out what Nick had seen, they needed to hunt it down and prevent it from hurting others.
Todd sipped his beer, leaned back from the table, and stretched his legs out before offering Nick a smug smile. “I told you I could dig up the information based on your drawing.”
They were having a late-evening dinner at one of the small diners near the college. Whenever they could, they always chose the outdoor seating. Nick didn’t like being around crowds of people, but he never tired of watching them as they went about their day. It was a handy way to assess any possible threats as well. To onlookers they were merely a typical couple having dinner together. Very few people ever suspected Todd or Nick might be observing them in a more official capacity.
“What did you find out about it? Like, what is it?” Nick asked between munching on his pie.
“Well, my biggest clue was how restless you are lately when you sleep. Remember the last time?” Nick’s eyes widened and Todd continued, “You aren’t having testing anxiety; at least that’s not the only reason you’re not sleeping well. This material is something you know backward and forward. I’m glad the nightmares aren’t as intense this time. That leads me to think we’ve got some time. I think she’s settling in and checking out the territory.”
“The nightmares I had after the kelbit bit me?”
Todd nodded. “We determined it, the kelbit’s bite, was what led the pyrahni to you, us.”
“Yeah. I’ve tried really hard to forget all that.”
“Sorry.” Todd reached across the table and squeezed Nick’s hand. “Do you remember what I told you back then?”
Nick smiled softly and nodded. “I do, and it’s why even though I couldn’t forget, I have been able to sleep at night. You promised to always protect me. And you have.”
“Well, you certainly don’t need me or anyone else to protect you now, but that isn’t going to stop me.” Todd picked the paper up, folded it, and put it in his pocket. “I’ll keep an eye on our suspect and confirm her identity until after you take your test. I’d like you to get a good look and see if you can tell any more about her.”
“You’r
e calling it a her. So the sketch isn’t simply the female version? Do you have an idea what we’re dealing with?”
“You should be able to see through the façade she uses, but I believe we’re dealing with a syrane. Personally, I think it’s one of the things that perpetuated the siren myths. They’re generally female and sort of a cross between kelbits and pyrahni. Some of the books I read did suggest they are an actual product of a mating of the two.” Todd shrugged. “No way of proving that, of course, but it sort of makes sense. They resemble humans like the pyrahni do, but aren’t human. Where the kelbit hunts using pheromones and takes over its victims’ identities, this creature senses changes in adrenaline. It doesn’t feed off intense fear like the pyrahni, but a lower level of anxiety and self-doubt. Like the pyrahni, it doesn’t alter its appearance.”
“A train full of former slaves traveling to take tests that could change their lives and influence major changes in the entire protectorate would be overflowing with anxiety,” Nick said.
“Not to mention a lot of those people are still learning how to function outside the security of behaving the way slaves should,” Todd added. “I think it’s trying to provoke and maintain those levels of anxiety for as long as possible. So, no direct attacks that I have been able to find.”
“Perfect conditions. That concentration of the correct emotions, and out it came,” Nick said and held his hands up, spreading his fingers. “Maybe it’ll never actually attack like the kelbit did. It’s possible she just hangs around and soaks up the emotions she likes.”
“That’s very possible. I hadn’t thought of that. It’s actually a type of water spirit. My theory is, since the train traveled alongside the lake for so long, it was attracted to the passengers,” Todd told him. “Anyway, I’m going to keep an eye on her and make sure she doesn’t hurt anyone until your test is finished.”
“How do we get rid of her?”
Todd smiled. “You’ll like this one. No burning or decapitating. Simply wrap her in material saturated with salt water and throw her back into the lake. She’ll dissipate.”
“That almost seems too easy.” Nick sighed and massaged his shoulder for a few minutes. “I’d like to get another hour or two with the books in before I’m done for the night.”
Todd waved down the waiter and paid for their meal. He took Nick’s hand while they walked the few blocks to their hotel and room. As they’d done every night since arriving in Yellowknife, Todd flipped through the books and notes Nick had taken that day and tested him by asking a series of random questions. Nick focused on taking his test in two days. He knew Todd was more fixated on the fact that in two more days, they’d have their lives back.
The window was cracked open and the breeze made the curtains flutter gently when Nick settled against Todd’s side in bed. He found that perfect spot under Todd’s shoulder to rest his head. Sounds from the street and the hallway seeped into Nick’s brain and began to fade as he drifted off toward sleep. Off in the distance, a low rumble of thunder rolled through the air. Nick shifted closer to his husband. The days of his irrational terror of storms had faded into a bad memory thanks to Todd’s subtle and sometimes not-so-subtle reminders Nick was always sheltered by Todd.
Rolling to his side, Todd blocked Nick from seeing out of the window when a brief flash of light illuminated the clouds. It was a habit Todd had formed so long ago he barely even woke up anymore to change positions. Nick turned to his side so his back was to Todd and the window. He smiled when he felt a soft kiss pressed to the back of his neck, and Todd tugged them together with an arm around him.
You’ll fail without me.
Someone was in their room whispering in Nick’s ear. He tried to open his eyes. Why didn’t Todd react? Couldn’t he hear? What was wrong?
The only way is to let me in. I’ll help you. Come to me.
“What the…where are…?” Nick shuddered awake and yelled at the same time.
Todd must have heard that because he was not only awake, but out of their bed and grabbing for his gun. He twisted on his heels, growling, “Where?”
Holding both hands out, Nick found his voice. “P-put th-the gun d-down.” He rubbed his temple and stared down at his knees.
In the next instant, Todd had holstered his weapon and was sitting with his arms around Nick, pulling his husband in close. Cold shivers ripped up and down Nick’s spine. Unashamed of his emotions or reactions, he bent his head and pressed his face to Todd’s shoulder.
When the room lit up in a brilliant flash, Nick jumped. Thunder pealed through the atmosphere a few seconds before the sound of rain crashing against the awning outside the window reverberated through the room.
“It found me,” Nick whispered.
Todd held him tighter and ran a hand over Nick’s hair a few times. “She found someone who is anxious. She has no idea what you and I are. I’ll find out where she’s stalking her potential victims. She’s most likely near the college—maybe even somewhere in this hotel, since a lot of those taking the tests are staying in this building.”
“We’re concentrated,” Nick said. He took a few deep breaths and managed to relax. “Like a buffet line.”
“Yes. And that’s going to make our job much easier.”
The next morning when it was time for Nick’s final day of class, Todd took up a position on one side of the steps leading to the lecture hall, and Nick sat near him. They watched all the staff and the other students enter. Each was carefully scrutinized by Nick. He waited until they were all inside before nodding to Todd.
“People are worried about tomorrow, but no one is hiding anything,” Nick whispered to Todd. “I have to get inside.”
Todd patted Nick’s arm and smiled. “I’ll take care of things out here and be sticking close by, so don’t worry. Once that door is shut, they don’t let anyone else inside until you’re all released for the day. Now that I know what I’m looking for, keeping track of her will be possible. Don’t leave without me.”
Nick nodded, squeezed Todd’s hand, and ducked through the door, leaving Todd on the steps and wishing there was a way for him to be inside the lecture hall.
* * * *
When Nick left the lecture hall that evening, Todd was waiting across the street, sipping from a paper cup. He held another cup in his other hand. Grinning, he raised it in a mock toast to Nick. Nick waved, tucked his books more securely against his side with an arm, and ambled down the steps. He had to wait for some wagons and riders to pass by before he could cross the street to Todd’s location.
“How’d it go?” Todd asked and held out the paper cup for Nick.
Nodding, Nick sipped his coffee, then said, “Went well, and I could ask you the same thing.”
“Also well. I’d been thinking about her ramping up anxiety and the possibility she’d wait until right before the test to start singling out her prey. There are two pubs and a small café that mostly does takeout within a few blocks of here. I trailed the same woman around to all three. I spotted her this morning, right after you went inside.” He dipped his head to a small building across from the lecture hall and a few hundred yards down the street. “That’s a bakery. They’re closed now, but they were open this morning. A woman waited near there while everyone went inside the lecture hall, but she never went into the bakery. I don’t think a full minute passed after you were inside and the doors were locked that she left.”
“Maybe she’s here with someone?”
“No. However, she did follow a few of the people who are here with someone else. All men. I saw her on the train after the earthquake. Over the last few days, I’ve been checking the passenger list against the number of bags assigned each of the people on the train. Before the quake, all the bags and luggage could be matched to someone traveling on the train. Afterward the numbers didn’t add up.” Todd finished off his coffee.
“So there was one extra person on the train after the quake than there was before?” Nick asked.
Todd nod
ded. “Specifically the number of women. Remember we had to sign in and out of the public cars?”
Nick shrugged. “That’s been standard for a long time. It’s one of the ways the crew can keep track of people in an emergency. Probably looks bad for the railroad if they lose passengers.”
“There is one signature that was a scribble. It showed up after the quake but wasn’t on anything beforehand. I also could track everyone to the part of the protectorate they came from, except that one signature.” Todd put a hand on Nick’s back and urged him forward. They started walking along the street. “I’m betting none of the train’s crew noticed until after everyone was off the train. If there was nothing damaged or stolen and no other passengers complained, the railroad would have a hard time tracking her down in the city.”
“Maybe they wouldn’t even waste the time. It really was only a few hours she’d have been on the train,” Nick pointed out.
Todd nodded. They came to a stop a few blocks away. Todd gestured up to the sign over a door. Nick stood on the walkway, gazing up and shaking his head.
“See, I told you. Bars and women,” Todd said and grinned.
Nick followed him through the door. “Huh.”
Chapter 12
“Is there a sheet soaked in saltwater in the backpack?” Nick asked as he and Todd made their way through the tables and found a place to sit near the back. Their position would afford them a good view of anyone coming in or leaving the bar.
Todd sat at the table, took off his pack, and dropped it to the floor between his feet. “Uh-huh. Sort of.” He glanced around the bar and pulled menus from a holder on the table, handing one to Nick. “I found a local tourist shop that sells novelties associated with area legends. They had ponchos and wraps made with a dye combined with, among other things, salt, to create different patterns. According to the sign next to the ponchos, they’re supposed to protect you from evil and having your soul stolen. Very pretty. It’s a shame I plan on tossing it into the lake.”
Ringed Love Page 16