Anna opened the door a few moments later. “How’d you get here so fast?” She looked into the parking lot. “Did you drive? I didn’t know you had a car.”
“What? No,” he said, following her up. He felt the faint buzz of Ulf and Ingrid’s energy in the apartment.
“Do you want some coffee?” asked Anna as they walked through the kitchen and into the living room.
“No.”
Anna stopped abruptly and faced him. “First of all, you’re supposed to say yes. Saying no isn’t polite. And secondly, if you’re in such a bad mood why did you come over?”
“Because we planned it.” Her fierceness quickened his pulse. “And because I want to see you,” he added, unable to keep from closing the distance between them. He took her in his arms. Her spicy smell wrapped around him, stirring a desire he knew he couldn’t act on. He’d just hold her. Smell her. A little longer.
“Then act like it,” Anna said, twisting playfully out of his arms. She turned her back to him and his desire flared to new heights. “Mom and Ulf will be down again soon. Go sit. I’ll make coffee,” she said over her shoulder as she disappeared into the kitchen.
Rakan followed her. “I’d rather watch you make coffee.”
“Hello, Pemba,” Ingrid said, coming into the kitchen. “Dawa didn’t come with you?”
“Mom,” Anna said, before Rakan could answer. “They aren’t Siamese twins, you know.”
“Speaking of twins,” said Ulf, buttoning his shirt as he appeared behind Ingrid, “X-Saturnia is playing tonight. Have you heard them play?” Ulf asked Rakan. “No? Ah, then you should bring him, Anna. We’re going.”
Anna put four cups on a tray. “We’ll see.”
Ulf laughed. “Rather celebrate Valentine’s Day in the apartment alone, eh?”
Ingrid spun around. “I’m sure Pemba would love to see them play.” She smiled brightly at Rakan. “After all, you already know Erling Engelmann, don’t you?”
“Erling? June’s boyfriend?” asked Rakan.
Anna nodded. “Yes. With the twins and Lysa. They’re actually really good.”
Rakan looked at Anna, trying to get a better reading of what she wanted. She felt conflicted. “I’d like to go,” he said slowly. “If you want to.”
Anna responded by wrapping her arms around his waist. “As long as we’re together,” she whispered.
“Let’s have some coffee, shall we?” Ingrid picked up the tray and ushered them into the living room.
* * *
Ingrid had assigned them the task of making dinner so she and Ulf could shower. “Where did you learn to cook?” asked Anna, watching Pemba.
He looked up, surprised. “Everyone knows how to cook.”
Anna laughed. “No, they don’t.”
Pemba shrugged and turned back to deboning the chicken. “What’s Erling like?”
“Open. Friendly. But he didn’t use to be. He’s changed a lot since June came this summer. He never spoke to anyone except his brothers or Lysa last year.”
Pemba looked up. “He was here before June?”
“Well, yeah. She’s an exchange student for the year. She’s living with Liv’s family.”
“Who?”
“Haakon’s girlfriend,” Anna said. “You probably haven’t met him yet. They started University this year. But he’s almost always at handball practice these days. You’ve probably seen him. His sister, Kristin, is in your class.”
“Kristin? The little one who sits with June and talks all the time?”
Anna smiled at the description. “That’s her. They live next door to each other. But Kristin doesn’t look anything like her brother. He’s huge – he looks like a bodybuilder even though he isn’t. There’s a picture of him over there.” Anna pointed to the wall of photos. “It was taken last summer, with my cousin Red. Haakon is the one with black hair.” Anna looked at the picture again. Red and Haakon looked alike with their massive build and close cropped hair except that Red had the same shade of ultra blond as she did.
Pemba looked at the picture of Anna holding hands with her cousin and Haakon as they jumped off a boulder into the ocean. For a moment Anna thought he was going to rip it off the wall.
“What?” she asked. “They’re nice guys. They’ve been friends forever.”
“Are Haakon and June close?”
“The four of them are pretty inseparable, actually.”
“Which four?” He turned back to the chicken with a decisive whack of the de-boning knife.
“Erling and June and Liv and Haakon.”
“Haakon will be there tonight?”
“Probably.” Anna watched him dissect the chicken in swift, precise strokes.
“Good. I’d like to meet him.”
“Why?” She didn’t really want to see Haakon. Or Liv. And she definitely didn’t want to see Torsten if he was with them.
“Because you just said he was a nice guy.” Pemba turned to examine Anna. “Why don’t you want me to meet him?”
“I didn’t say that.” Anna turned away. “We can go. I just… I don’t know who else will be there.” She didn’t want to imagine Torsten and Pemba meeting. It could only end in a fight.
Pemba came and stood in front of Anna, the knife gripped in his hand. “I’ll be there,” he said quietly. “You’ll be safe.”
Anna nodded, but didn’t meet his eyes.
* * *
“Well,” Ingrid said as they were cleaning up after dinner. “I have to admit your cooking surprised me, Pemba.”
“Thank you, Ingrid,” Rakan answered. He felt the compliment she hadn’t voiced.
Ingrid smiled and waved a finger at him. “Doesn’t mean I trust you.”
“Oh, Mom,” Anna said. “I’m seventeen, you know.”
“Precisely. That’s exactly how old I was when I got pregnant with you. Mistakes can happen when you’re that young.”
“Mom!”
“Don’t worry, Ingrid,” Rakan said. “We haven’t planned that yet.”
“Pemba!” Anna said.
“What?” Rakan watched Anna stomp out of the room. “What did I say wrong?”
“Sorry,” Ingrid said, trying not to laugh. “I thought she only did that to me. Oh, go ahead, run after her and tell her you’re sorry.”
Rakan handed Ingrid the dish towel and followed Anna into the darkened living room.
“Anna…”
She didn’t answer.
“I’m sorry,” he said, not quite sure what he was apologizing for.
Anna didn’t look at him. “It’s not you,” she said. “It’s my mom. She always makes it sound like I ruined her life. She thinks I’m a mistake.”
Rakan stood behind her and hesitantly put his hands on her shoulders. She didn’t push him away, so he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against his chest. She turned and cuddled into his neck. “She never wanted me. It was my father who insisted….”
“Anna,” Rakan said, gently running his hands over her face. “It’s okay. Why you were born doesn’t matter. You’re here. That’s what counts.”
“But she doesn’t love me.”
He held her face in his hands. “Do you really think that?”
“She didn’t want me.”
“But she does love you.”
Anna shrugged and pulled away.
“My parents have never been a couple,” he said. “They don’t even live together.”
“But I thought you said they have a research project here.”
“They do. They work together. But they don’t… love each other.”
“Do they love you?”
Rakan looked into Anna’s pale eyes that he could barely see in the dim light of the evening. But he could feel them searching his. “I don’t know. I guess so.” Rakan wasn’t even sure if dragons ever really loved each other. “We don’t talk about love. But I know that—” Rakan cut himself off, surprised that he had been about to say, ‘-if we were to fly into battle, I could
trust them.’
“What?” asked Anna.
“I can trust them with my life,” Rakan said. “They’d never abandon me. And I’ll never abandon them.”
Rakan looked at Anna’s upturned face, her lips so close to his. They were so ripe, so tempting. Her breath so sweet. He ached to lean forward, to take what was on offer, to forget about fighting and revenge and… “Anna,” he said, hugging her instead. For the first time he realized that he wanted something else than what his family wanted.
* * *
The Blue Rock was already crowded by the time they arrived. Ulf was greeted by nearly everyone, and Ingrid hung to his arm, beaming with pride.
“Let’s go upstairs,” Anna said. She took Rakan’s hand and pulled him away from Ulf and Ingrid. “They’ll probably start playing soon.”
Rakan followed, mentally checking to see who was there and if anyone had weapons. He hated the feeling of so many people in a small space, even if the crowd seemed in a good mood. He knew from experience that humans could turn aggressive quickly.
Anna stopped nervously at the top of the stairs and looked around. Rakan wondered who she was looking for, but she relaxed and led him across the dance floor. It was packed with people waiting for the band to start. They made their way over to June who was perched on a bar stool. Kristin was next to her, looking almost like a child in the arms of a lumberjack sized guy. Rakan scanned him, but he was human. Clueless and weaponless. Rakan scanned him again. He looked like an Old Dragon if you ignored the pale skin and short brown hair.
“Hey, Anna,” June said. “I’m glad you changed your mind.”
“We decided at the last minute,” Anna said. “I should’ve called.”
June smiled. “Don’t worry about it. I’m glad you’re here. And just in time,” she said, nodding towards the stage. Erling, Lysa and the twins were coming out.
“Hey everyone, how’re you doing?” said Erling. He waved to the crowd and their round of applause. He was dressed in jeans and a white tee-shirt that revealed his athletic build and cobalt blue Maii-a. His blond dreads were pulled back in his usual ponytail. “Tonight is a special night,” continued Erling, adjusting his microphone. “Know why?”
Rakan focused his sight as the crowd yelled back “It’s Valentine’s Day,” and zoomed in on Erling’s eyes. They were identical to June’s. Except that they had hardly any pupils. Rakan controlled a shiver of revulsion.
“Yes it is,” said Erling, answering the crowd with a few strums on his guitar. “But it’s also my true love’s birthday. Happy Birthday, June.” The crowd cheered. “Hope there are a lot of happy couples out there, because tonight is our night.”
Rakan glanced over at June, wanting to ask her how old she was in dragon terms. But she was connected with Erling mentally and oblivious to everyone else.
The music started and Rakan jumped, wondering who to fight first, but no one was attacking. He tried to relax, but couldn’t. The twins were dressed in black jeans, their tattoo-covered torsos a mass of indecipherable symbols. Rakan shuddered as he felt power roll off them and spill around the people in the club. Rakan ran his mind over the crowd. Something had changed. They felt different, like they had been transported to a state of ecstasy. He growled. What were the void-trails doing to the humans? Even Anna. He took her in his arms and felt a flood of happiness flow through him. Rakan immediately blocked it with a shield. His mind-touch hovered over her. Not wanting to shield her without her consent. Anna leaned into him, exuding bliss. He clenched his jaw in frustration. If he shielded her now, she’d feel it. But if the void-trails changed what they were doing, he’d shield her anyhow. He wouldn’t let her get hurt.
Anna’s energy began to vibrate in pleasure, like a kitten purring for the first time. Rakan nuzzled her cheek. Why was she so trusting? He held her closer, trying to understand how the void-trails were manipulating the humans. It was clear they could control the crowd in any way they wanted. Rakan tried to stay calm enough to let go of his normal senses and focus on seeing what the void-trails were doing. But he couldn’t. He needed someone to shield him. He cursed to himself. He’d have to ask Dvara. But he hated asking her for help when he wasn’t being honest with her.
Eventually, he reached out. “Dvara, I need you.”
Rakan stood stiffly, all his senses tensed to feel if Dvara responded or not.
“You okay?” asked Anna, looking up at him.
“What? Yeah, sure.”
Rakan felt Dvara appear in the empty stairwell. “She came,” he said, relieved.
“Who?”
Rakan pointed to Dvara who was dressed in a slinky vermillion top that plunged into her cleavage. Rakan groaned – she looked like an exotic flower waiting to be plucked.
“I guess she’s feeling better,” Anna said, without much enthusiasm.
“I’ll be right back.” He let go of Anna and walked over to his half-sister who was letting herself be cornered by a drunk guy. He separated her from the man’s groping hands and then snarled at her. “Why do you let them do that?”
“How else am I supposed to get you alone?”
“Anna doesn’t understand when we speak in Draagsil.”
“Yeah, well, Jing Mei would. And in case you’ve forgotten in your zeal to get closer to her, she’s not really supposed to know what we’re doing.”
Dvara’s rebuke hit him square on. June wasn’t the one he needed to hide anything from. “Thanks for coming,” he said, feeling like a hypocrite.
Dvara scanned the crowd. “Why did you call me?” she asked moodily. “Nothing’s wrong.”
“That’s exactly what is wrong. The void-trails are doing something to make everyone happy.”
“I don’t feel anything.”
“No, neither do I. But when I touch Anna I do. I need you to shield me while I try to see what they’re doing.”
Dvara shook her head in annoyance. “You can’t see what they’re doing. You have to feel it. And there isn’t anything to feel except their energy pulsing around us.”
“They’re not dragons, Dvara. They don’t manipulate matter. That’s why we can’t feel what they’re doing even if we can feel their energy.”
Dvara looked at him strangely. “So what do they manipulate?”
“I don’t know yet,” he said quietly. “That’s why I need you to shield me.”
Dvara looked skeptical. “Okay. I can shield you.”
“Behave,” he said to Dvara as they came back to where Anna was standing near June.
Dvara rolled her eyes. “Relax and have some fun,” she snapped. But he felt her shield him, even as she turned to flirt with a guy who was standing nearby.
Rakan stood behind Anna and wrapped her in his arms. “Dvara looks for trouble sometimes,” he mumbled.
“I noticed,” Anna said, placing her hands on his.
He opened himself to her emotions, trying to see how the void-trails were affecting them. He let go, knowing that Dvara was there. Out of the corner of his eyes he saw bits of light, like shimmering reflections on a lake. But they kept disappearing when he would look at them directly. And then Lysa started to sing. Her voice had the soft vibration of gold and it drew him in. He stared at her, transfixed by her pale green eyes that had the intensity of a dragon’s. But they had no pupils. They were just hypnotic orbs of color.
When the song ended, Dvara nudged him. “Pretty good, don’t you think?” she asked, dowsing him in a freezing wave of energy.
“Hey,” Rakan said, retaliating for a split second before he realized that she was trying to help him. He pulled himself back from the void-trails’ net of sound and light. “Uh, thanks.”
“My pleasure,” she said, smiling. “But you’ll have to explain it to me, because I have no idea where you went.” Dvara turned to the guy who was standing next to her. “Let me introduce you to my brother and his girlfriend. Pemba, Anna, this is Haakon. I’ll be right back,” she said and took off towards the bar. Rakan stared at Haakon. H
e looked exactly like an Old Dragon should, even with his close-cropped black hair. But he felt flat. Like a human.
“Oh, Haakon. I didn’t see you arrive,” Anna said, looking around anxiously. “Was Dvara hitting on you while Liv was at the bar?”
Haakon laughed. “No, she’s just talkative, look – she’s chatting with Liv now.”
“Pemba, this is the Haakon I was telling you about,” Anna said. “Kristin’s brother.”
Rakan nodded and scanned Haakon, but felt nothing. Haakon wasn’t wearing the three-pronged knives that all dragons always wore. He wasn’t even wearing a Maii-a. Rakan reached out warily, but there was no resistance. He was as open as any other human. Rakan pulled back. There was a blandness about Haakon’s energy that he didn’t like. Rakan glanced at Kristin. Anna was right. They didn’t look like brother and sister.
Liv and Dvara came back, and Rakan had to stifle a growl when he realized that Liv was yet another void-trail. How many of them were there? Liv handed Haakon a glass of beer and settled herself against his side. She lifted her glass. “Cheers.” Her electric blue eyes almost glowed.
All the stories about the now-extinct Beings of Light, the so-called Elythia, who were the antithesis of the Draak, came tumbling back at him. They were said to have had no pupils and no rök of their own since they weren’t made of matter. “I’m Pemba,” he said to Liv, challenging her to take his hand. He’d know if she was made of matter or just a complex illusion if he touched her.
She smiled and shook his hand. “I’m Liv, June’s host sister.”
Rakan felt her hand solidly in his and relaxed. It was made of flesh and blood. And she had pupils. Small ones, but they were there. She wasn’t an empty shell of light. Her hand had been slightly warmer than most humans, but other than that, it had been no different.
Ingrid came up with Ulf to find Anna. “I have to go to work now,” she said, “but Ulf is staying, so he can drive you home.”
“But—”
“No buts, Anna, or you come home with me now – oh, hello Dawa. You look lovely. Are you enjoying the show?” Ingrid turned to Ulf. “Maybe you can drop Dawa and Pemba off on your way home?”
“As you wish, darling,” Ulf said, smiling. “I’m easy.”
Dragon Fire Page 14