Ringed Love

by Elizabeth Noble

  “Do we have to go back to the same spot?”

  “No.” Todd shook his head. “From what I was able to find out, it’s the combination of a fresh-water spirit having its skin exposed to the salt and at the same time being returned to the same fresh water it originated from.”

  “That’s a plus. So simply kidnap a woman off the streets in a busy section of town teeming with college students, strip her clothes off, bundle her up in a poncho, get her to the lakeshore, and throw her in.”

  Todd nodded. “Like I said. Easy. No blood, no fuss, no muss.”

  “The only thing left to do is find her,” Nick said. He held his menu so it would appear he was reading it, but in fact he was scanning the bar’s patrons.

  “This was her favorite place when I followed her around. This particular bar is more popular with the male students while the other places seemed to have more of an even mix of men and women who were older,” Todd explained.

  “A better hunting ground,” Nick muttered, and Todd nodded.

  Nick sat and watched people, mostly men, as Todd pointed out, come and go from the bar. He watched a young man push through the doors and stop. He stood still other than turning his head. It was obvious he was seeking someone or something. He was young, barely more than a kid, and maybe even still a teenager, though Todd often accused Nick of having features that made him appear younger than he was.

  Nick watched as he went to the bar and ordered a whiskey. The bartender looked him up and down several times before handing him a glass of iced tea, then asked if he wanted lemon or sugar with it. The kid huffed and tried to argue, but the bartender waved him off. That confirmed Nick’s assessment that this young man really was as young as he appeared. Bartenders, Nick had learned through experience, were notoriously accurate at judging a person’s age. Nick moved the menu so it hid more of his face when he couldn’t help smiling. Todd poked at Nick’s leg with his toe. Shifting his gaze from the young man to Todd, Nick raised an eyebrow.

  Barely nodding to the young man, Nick said in a low voice, “That kid looks familiar.”

  Todd shrugged. “He might be a student here. Seems the right age.”

  “Bet he’s cheating on his tests, because he’s hiding something.”

  “He’s also watching us,” Todd added.

  “Yeah, I noticed that, too. Connected to the syrane, maybe?”

  “I don’t think so. Everything I read indicated they hunt alone, and the only time they associate with anyone is to feed. I couldn’t even determine if they need physical contact to do that or just stay close to their victims,” Todd said in a low voice. “They’re not nearly as vicious as a kelbit. Finding information was a bit of a chore since syranes didn’t rate the huge write-ups kelbits do. On the scale of things we hunt, they’re more of an annoyance than a true danger.”

  The kid eased onto a barstool and swiveled it to glance around the bar.

  “What do you want to eat?”

  “Huh?”

  Jutting his chin at the bar, Todd smiled slyly. “I’ll go place an order.”

  “Oh, um…” Nick squinted at the menu for another minute. “Steak sandwich and baked apples.” He set the menu down and reached out, brushing his hand down Todd’s arm. “Be careful.”

  “It’s just a dinner order,” Todd said and winked. “I think I can handle that without drawing my weapon.”

  Nick sat back in his chair and divided his time between watching Todd at the bar and giving another visual scan to other patrons coming into the bar. The place wasn’t as busy as Nick would have thought a bar near a college would be at this time of night. However, it was the middle of the week, and other classes were also conducting final exams. Or maybe it was nothing more than there were several such places all within a few blocks, and possibly none of them were very busy.

  It was making Nick’s job of checking out the people coming and going much easier. He readjusted his chair and inched it closer to the bar so he could hear what Todd said. Todd stood at the end of the bar closest to their table. The kid got up, took a few steps toward Nick, and snagged a menu from the empty table near him. He nodded to Nick, then sat close to Todd, separated by an empty stool. Todd glanced sideways at the kid, sighed, and waved to the bartender.

  The kid raked his gaze up and down Todd. Nick leaned forward, rested an elbow on the table and his chin in his palm. He raised his eyebrows when the boy said to Todd, “It’s a nice night. Have you been to this place much?”

  Nick coughed, and Todd tossed a dirty look over his shoulder at him. Todd placed their food order, then said to the kid, “Passing through on a business trip.”

  The kid turned his stool so he fully faced Todd and held out his hand. “Drew Pell.”

  Nick tried very hard not to laugh, but he wasn’t as successful as he would have liked. He shoved his chair around and grabbed up the menu to cover his face again when both Todd and the kid looked over at him. Todd nodded politely but didn’t shake the offered hand. His expression changed from confusion to relief when the bartender came by and set down the drinks Todd had ordered.

  Before Todd could respond to the kid, a young woman swept into the bar. Nick pulled his attention from the entertainment of Todd and the kid and was immediately riveted to the woman. Todd saw Nick’s response to the woman and turned to look as well. That’s when Nick noticed nearly everyone in the bar, including the staff, was having the same reaction. Nick mentally corrected himself: everyone who was male. Nick had never been attracted to women, and no doubt he wasn’t the only one in this bar with similar tastes. Yet it was quite clear every male in the place was drawn to her and watched her.

  The kid laid a hand on Todd’s arm, making him start. Drew asked, “Do you know her?”

  “No, I…” Todd grabbed the drinks and hurried back to their table.

  The woman wasn’t overly beautiful, but she was alluring, and that made no sense to Nick. He was willing to concede that, maybe to a man attracted to women, she was gorgeous. She swayed when she walked and almost seemed to be floating over the floor instead of stepping on it. Her hair was short and had a nice wave that made it bounce softly as she moved. The garment she wore covered her entirely. It was an odd, straight sort of dress that did nothing to show off or accentuate whatever figure she might have. Her skin had a sort of bluish cast to it, but the dress was blue and somewhat shiny, so Nick could attribute her complexion, at least in part, to what she wore.

  “That’s her,” Nick whispered. “And your boyfriend is coming to hit on you some more.”

  Todd used his foot to pull his chair out but remained on his feet.

  “He’s not—”

  The kid slipped by Todd and sat in the chair he just vacated. “You’re Todd Ruger.” He gazed up at Todd. His expression was what Nick could only describe as awestruck.

  Todd stared down at the guy, and Nick snickered and teased, “Aww, that’s so sweet.”

  The woman moved through the bar to the other side. The tables there had more people sitting around them. Men turned to watch her as she moved by.

  “You’re hunting her,” the kid announced. He then looked directly at Nick. “And you’re Nick Ruger.”

  “Don’t—” Nick waved his hands for the kid to be quiet.

  Todd interrupted, “I don’t know who you are, but shut it. And get out of my chair.” He thunked the glasses down on the table. “How do you know? Keep your voice down.” Turning so his back was to the woman, he asked Nick, “What is she doing?” Bending down, he took hold of the straps to the backpack.

  Nick grabbed the side of the table and pulled himself out of the chair, then dodged around Todd and Drew. “Getting away.”

  He heard Todd order, “Stay there.”

  Nick was reaching for the door when he felt Todd’s hand on his shoulder. Todd hauled Nick back and sprinted ahead of him as they ran outside. They each turned around, looking in different directions. Nick tapped Todd’s arm and pointed. “There.”

  Todd s
lung the backpack over a shoulder and darted after the woman. If she realized they were following her, she never let on. Then again, Nick thought, maybe that was part of her trap. She turned a corner and slipped onto a deserted side street, her long dress fluttering in her wake. The kid appeared at the other end of the street.

  “Hey, miss, wait a minute,” Drew said breathlessly. He ran right up to her. Leaning around her and at the same time grinning at Todd, he said, “I can help.” He held both hands out to the woman.

  She laughed and slid into his outstretched arms.

  “No! Don’t touch her,” Todd and Nick shouted together.

  Their warning came too late. Drew dropped like a stone. The woman turned and stared them down, her eyes solid white. The smile she wore that had been sweet and charming in the bar turned predatory, with the tips of pointed teeth peeking out from between her very red lips.

  “Yeah, that’s not creepy,” Todd said and pulled the poncho from his backpack.

  Drew moaned and rolled to his side. He reached out and grabbed the woman’s ankle, promptly passing out again. Todd let the backpack slide to the ground and rushed forward. He tossed the poncho over the woman’s head. She hissed and lunged at Todd.

  Nick darted forward and hoped the thin barrier created by the salted material was enough to protect him. He grabbed her with both arms and pulled her against him. Without missing a beat, Todd cranked back an arm and punched the syrane. She slumped, unconscious, in Nick’s arms.

  “Wow,” he said, eyebrows going up. “I didn’t think that would actually work.” He dropped to his knees and took hold of the end of the woman’s dress and yanked. Nick didn’t hear any rip of fabric and was surprised when Todd stood up, the long, flowing material in both hands. Tossing it to the ground beside Drew, Todd tucked the poncho more securely around the syrane.

  Nick lifted her up, then looked down at Drew. “What do we do with your boyfriend?”

  “He’s not my boyfriend, and we have to get her to the water before she comes to,” Todd groused. “This didn’t go exactly as planned.”

  “Uh-huh.”

  Drew mumbled something and sat up. He leaned on both hands and shook his head before sitting up straighter. Looking from Nick to Todd, he said, “I have a small carriage one block over.” He glanced between them. “If you want to use it.”

  “Yes,” Nick snapped.

  Todd barked, “Go get it.” He kicked at the material of the woman’s dress. “And take this with you.”

  Drew scrambled up and disappeared from the side street. A few minutes later, they heard the sound of horses’ hooves against the pavement and the squeak and creak of an old carriage. Drew held the horse still while Todd helped Nick get the syrane into the carriage, and then they both squeezed in with her.

  “The fastest way to the waterfront is—” Todd began.

  “Oh, I’ve been plotting the streets in this area for days.” Drew turned around and started talking fast. “I know how to get to a place with almost no traffic and a—”

  “Drive,” Todd and Nick ordered together. Nick took the syranes’ dress from the carriage seat and wadded it up under an arm.

  Drew clucked to the horse and the carriage rattled forward. Nick was a little worried the thing would fall apart. He lifted the syrane while Todd used the longer ends of the poncho to more effectively tie her up. He took the odd material the syrane had worn and tied that to the poncho as well. True to his word, Drew guided the horse through the lesser-traveled streets, and within ten minutes or so, Nick smelled the sweet scent of lake water mixed with fish and seaweed.

  The place Drew took them to didn’t simply have no traffic; it was a little section of road leading down to a narrow stretch of beach. There was a row of small sheds blocking the beach’s view from the main street. As soon as the carriage stopped, Todd jumped out and pointed at Drew.

  “Stay here, and this time I mean it. If you follow us, I’ll knock your ass out and throw you in the water, too,” he snarled at Drew. The young man’s eyes widened and he nodded. Nick shook his head. He knew Todd’s act was just that, an act.

  Pulling the syrane from the carriage and putting her over his shoulder, Todd said to Nick, “C’mon.”

  They didn’t waste time getting to the water. Waves lapped gently at the shore. “It’s not very deep here,” Nick pointed out.

  “I don’t think it has to be.” Todd bent and slid his bundle from his shoulder. Nick caught the syrane and helped Todd ease her to the ground. They each took an end and carried her a few feet out into the water.

  Todd nodded, and together he and Nick stooped down and set the syrane in the water. They rolled her into deeper water until she was mostly submerged. Almost at once steam began to rise, and the water touching the poncho started to boil.

  “We should go,” Nick said and grabbed Todd’s arm. They splashed through the water, running for shore. Once they were on the sand, they turned and watched.

  White steam rose from the lake water and spiraled out instead of gaining height in the atmosphere. The steam rolled over the water until there was nothing left of the poncho, the dress, or the syrane rolled up in the material.

  “Ew, it stinks.” Nick waved a hand in front of his face.

  “It always stinks,” Todd muttered.

  It took a few minutes, but the water eventually returned to normal and the steam dissipated. Not a trace of the syrane or the poncho remained.

  “That was amazing!” Drew exclaimed from behind them.

  Todd and Nick turned and glowered at him. Todd huffed a sigh and reached out, taking hold of Drew’s arm, and marched him back to the carriage with Nick trailing along behind them. They came to a stop next to the carriage, and Todd backed the kid up to it, then pinned him so he couldn’t move.

  “You still don’t know who I am?” Drew asked. His voice cracked, but Nick had to give him credit. The kid didn’t try to run and never flinched. “I want to be a sentry. You told me once that when I was older, if that was what I still wanted and if I could track you down, you’d teach me.”

  Todd let go of Drew, straightened, and stepped back. “You fired buckshot at us.”

  Drew nodded. “I was a lot younger then.” He held a hand waist high. “And shorter.”

  “I was born into a family of sentries, and Nick was trained since childhood to become the slave of a sentry,” Todd pointed out.

  “You did tell him that,” Nick said. He suppressed a shudder at the memory of being chased through the back streets of New Colorado City by Raleigh’s militia. Raleigh had kept Nick captive for a period of time, using Nick’s psychic abilities, along with another slave’s, for his own agenda. Nick got a mental flashback of a boy who had stopped them. A boy with tattered clothes and no shoes, dirty from head to foot. That boy had grown into this determined young man.

  The only real similarity was Drew’s thick, curly black hair and dark gray eyes. “Thanks for helping us back then.”

  Todd drew in a deep breath and sighed. “I did say that, didn’t I?” He glanced at Nick. Nick crossed both arms over his middle and nodded.

  “I tracked the both of you to here and figured out what you were hunting. If I can do all that on my own, I know I can be a good sentry.” He looked from Todd to Nick and back to Todd again. “It’s all I’ve dreamed of ever since that day. I’ll work hard.”

  “You have been saying we need to start teaching others to become sentries,” Nick said softly.

  Todd nodded and agreed, “Yes, I did. Okay, Drew Pell, Nick has a test to take tomorrow, then we’ll head back home. Lesson number one, I expect you to follow us, be everywhere we are…but—” Todd held up a finger, and Nick grinned. He knew what was coming next. “We’d better never see you until two days after we’re home. Consider it the last vacation you’ll get for a few decades.”

  Drew grabbed Todd’s hand and shook it, then threw both arms around his neck. Before Nick could get out of the way, he fell victim to the same actions. “Thank you,
sir, both of you. Thank you so much. I’ll never let you down, ever. I’ll be the best sentry the world has ever seen.” He stopped and blushed. “After the both of you, of course.”

  Todd pointed to the carriage. “Go.”

  Drew scrambled into the carriage. “What about you?”

  “We’ll walk,” Nick said dryly.

  After Drew’s carriage was out of sight, Todd sighed and said, “Best sentry besides us. I’ll just be happy if he doesn’t get himself killed.”

  Nick laughed and took Todd’s hand as they began the walk back to their hotel.

  * * * *

  It poured down rain the entire day of Nick’s test. There was thunder and lightning, and of course the room’s windows were wide open to let in the fresh breeze. Even though Todd was locked out of the testing hall, Nick felt his presence just as strongly, and as always, that was all Nick really needed. When he finished and the proctor unlocked the door, letting him out, Nick was relieved beyond words to see his husband sitting on a bench in the hall. Todd’s long legs were stretched out, he was leaning back with his head resting against the wall, and his hat covered his eyes.

  He wasn’t asleep, though that’s how he appeared. The second the door opened and Nick’s foot hit the hard tile floor, Todd sat up and watched Nick. He stood up and put a hand on each of Nick’s shoulders.

  “I want to go home. Please, right now, home, take me home.” Nick could barely get the words out, his mouth was so dry.

  “Are you sure? The results will be posted tomorrow by ten, don’t you want…” Todd’s words faded when Nick shook his head, making his bangs flop into his eyes. “The train doesn’t leave for a few hours. I already checked. Let’s go pack up and get the hell out of Yellowknife City.” He put his arm around Nick’s shoulders and they walked from the building.

  By the time they took their luggage to the depot, Nick was feeling better. There was a nice restaurant on the same street, so after buying tickets, they went there to wait until they could board the train. As they ate dinner, they heard a slight commotion coming from the section of tables closer to the kitchen. Todd started to turn around and look when a few glasses broke. It was obvious from the sequence of sounds they’d been knocked from some surface and hit the floor.