by Robin Roseau
"I looked like this the first time I broke the thrall, but once I had done so, I knew I could do it again in my human form. If I had not succeeded when breaking yours, I would have changed forms and tried again." She hung her head. "I wasn't ready to share this with you."
"What changed?"
"You trusted me," Carissa said. "In spite of everything, you came here. You trusted me."
"That made it easier to trust you the rest of the way," Deirdre said. "And I know this trip has been difficult for you. I wanted to give the two of you something to share, just between the two of you."
She clasped my hands, and when I looked, I saw that her fingers were much longer and spindly; they represented twigs as much as fingers.
A glance at Lara suggested she was nearly as fascinated as I was. "Have you met a fae before?" I asked her.
"No. This is as new to me as it is to you."
"Michaela asked me about my birth form," Deirdre said. "In Elfame, it is considered rude to take an unnatural form, and so I take this shape before I travel the portal. This is a natural form to me. But it is not my birth form. Michaela, I would like to show you, but we must take our goodbyes first."
"Why?"
"You will understand when I show you."
"It won't hurt you?"
"No. It feels very good for me, and I am due. Come, let us sit." She drew me to the side, leaving Lara and Carissa alone. I glanced over my shoulder at them, but Lara smiled, and I knew Carissa would be gracious. I thought Lara would, too.
Deirdre drew me to a seat. It seemed awkward for her to sit, and I raised an eyebrow. She ignored it.
"I am so glad you came," she said. We clasped hands. Hers felt so strange; it felt like I was holding a tree by the end of one barren branch.
"I am too, Deirdre. Thank you for having us."
"I have things I want to say to you. Are you sure Lara can't hear me?"
I looked over. "Lower your voice as low as you are able. I will hear you."
And so she did. "Carissa really wishes to meet your babies."
I nodded. I made sure my back was to Lara, and I moved my mouth to Deirdre's ear. "The wolves are uncomfortable with a vampire in our home. A retinue would stress our resources. Our offer to meet somewhere was not an idle offer, however. I do not know if they remain hesitant. Trust has grown on this trip."
"Do not make her wait. Introduce her to them no later than New Year's Eve. If you invite her to Wisconsin, I will ensure her retinue is minimal."
"Is there a particular reason you have set a deadline?"
"It is part of trust," Deirdre said. "That is all."
"I will do what I can," I promised. "This trip has been difficult, and our relationship is deeply strained."
"I understand. I can ask no more than your best."
"Would she let you visit us?"
"Yes, I think she would," Deirdre replied. "But I would not do well in a Wisconsin winter. Perhaps you will invite me kayaking. If she comes to you at New Year's, I will not come with. I'm sorry."
"I understand. Our weather is not for everyone."
"Leaving New Orleans in the summer would be nice though," she said. "It gets a touch warm."
"I imagine," I said with a grin.
"Now, tell me honestly. Does my form frighten you?"
"No. It is surprising, but not frightening."
"Then let us hug, and then we will step outside to show you my birth form."
"Outside?"
"You'll understand when you see."
"Do you turn into a dragon?"
She laughed. "No, something far more mundane. You will see."
And so we hugged, and I kissed her dry cheek. We held each other for a while, and I thanked her again.
"You must break that habit, especially with someone in this form," she said with her throaty laugh.
"I'll try."
We began to rise, and immediately Carissa was there, helping Deirdre to her feet. She gestured to a door leading out the back of the house. I collected Lara's arm, shrugging it over my shoulder as we stepped outside.
Deirdre moved ahead of us, stepping out onto the grass and to the side. She turned a slow circle, sniffing the air. Then she turned to Carissa. "A storm is coming. It will arrive late the evening after tomorrow." She sniffed again. "It will be too fierce for me. You will have to Call me. I will be difficult to Call, Carissa."
"I understand," the vampire said.
I didn't understand, although I soon would.
"Lara," Deirdre said. "I thank you again for what you have done for me, and I am very pleased you were able to come this week."
"I thank you for your trust, Deirdre," Lara replied.
"You are an easy woman to trust," Deirdre said, and Lara stood taller. "Have a safe trip home, and I hope to see you again very soon." She lifted a hand. "And now, my birth form."
At first, nothing happened. And then she began to quiver. Her clothing disappeared, fading into mist, and she grew taller and more slender, her arms lifting to the sky. She stretched and grew, spreading her arms widely. And then she was still, the only sound a slight quivering as the wind disturbed the leaves of the tree she had become.
Lara and I both stared.
Carissa moved to us. "In this form, her thoughts are very slow. She tells me this is deeply relaxing for her. She can spend weeks like this. If you speak to her, speak carefully, and she will hear you, but if she were going to respond, it might not be for a week or longer."
Lara let me go. I walked slowly to my friend, walking all around her.
"She's a river birch," I said.
"Yes," said Carissa. "In the morning, she will require a great deal of water."
"May I touch her?"
"Of course, but perhaps not climb."
She was very slender; I didn't think she was of a climbing size. And so I laid a hand against her bark, and it felt exactly like birch bark.
"Thank you for trusting me, Deirdre," I said slowly and carefully. I kissed her bark, and then slowly I stepped away, backing to Lara.
"She's all right?"
"Perfectly," Carissa said. "It's a little shocking, isn't it?"
"Yes."
Lara hadn't said a thing.
The three of us watched Deirdre for a few more minutes before I said, "I suppose it's time."
"You have another goodbye," Carissa said.
"Will we see you tomorrow?"
"Would you like me to see you off?"
"Yes," said Lara. "If it is no trouble, Carissa."
"It is no trouble at all, Lara," she replied, and I could hear the pleasure in her voice.
* * * *
Sonya ran to me when we reappeared in the ballroom where everyone else had waited for us. She threw herself into my arms, and we held each other tightly. Sonya spoke rapid Russian to me.
I didn't need a translation to understand what she was saying.
But then she spoke clearly. "Sonya Michaela sisters."
"Da," I agreed. "Sonya and Michaela are sisters."
I held the tears in, but it was a close thing.
And then Ekaterina was there. She spoke quietly to Sonya, who responded with, "Da. Da. Da. Da!"
"Madison Alpha," Ekaterina said very formally, "I understand you are not likely to accept this offer at this time, but I wish to invite you and your mate to my home. I absolutely guarantee your security, and while I do not promise I won't offer a home to your mate, I would do nothing to prevent her departure when she undoubtedly chooses to return home with you. And you do not need to worry about the current political climate. Mr. Putin leaves me alone, and I do not assassinate him."
I thought perhaps she was serious.
"That is very gracious," Lara said. "I thank you for your kind offer, St. Petersburg Queen. We will think on it."
Sonya and I still hadn't released each other, and I knew my mate and her queen were looking over our heads.
"Lara," said Ekaterina, "it would be a crime to keep these t
wo apart. There are vampires you could not trust. I am not one of them."
"You could send Sonya to us," Lara offered. "There are wolves you could not trust. I am not one of them."
Ekaterina laughed. "I believe you," she said. "But, quite frankly, it is your turn."
Lara laughed briefly. "I suppose it is. Perhaps I will save your offer for a very, very large bribe with my mate."
And I knew Lara wouldn't have said it if she didn't mean it. I hugged Sonya even tighter, and she reciprocated.
I didn't have any words for the fox.
Slowly we separated, but only enough to look into each other's face. "Are you happy, Sonya?" I asked.
Ekaterina translated back and forth.
"No," said Sonya. "I will cry and cry until I hear when you will come to visit."
I offered a small smile at that.
"I must first learn Russian," I said.
"And I must learn English," Sonya replied. "Ekaterina has a home in St. Petersburg and a much bigger home on the shore of Lake Ladoga. We can run for hours and hours."
She looked over her shoulder and spoke to Ekaterina. The vampire replied, and then she said softly, "Sonya asked if I thought you will come. I told her we will wear you down."
I smiled, but didn't answer.
Home
I cried quietly in the car, letting Lara hold me. Somehow, Angel ended on my other side, and so she hugged me at the same time. We didn't exchange words.
I was very subdued by the time we arrived at the home in New Orleans. It was very late, but the wolves were a little wired. They were going to stay up for a while, and Lara told them only, "We are leaving early."
"We'll be ready, Alpha," Elisabeth assured her. "We will see to the house, if you wish to see to your mate."
And so she led me upstairs. This morning, I was sure I was going to spend another night sleeping in fur on the sofa downstairs. Now I wanted nothing more than to feel Lara's arms around me all night. As soon as we were in our room, I plastered myself against her and laid my head against her chest. She wrapped her arms around me and held me with her strong, gentle arms.
"I love you, you know."
"And I love you," she said. "Come on. I'll help you get ready for bed."
"I don't want any hanky-panky tonight," I said. "I need to talk to you."
"In bed?"
"Yes."
She wanted to help, but I pulled away and saw to my own needs, meeting her in bed. I cuddled against her, my face buried in her chest as she held me again, the covers over us, nearly drowning me underneath them.
"I won't ask if you're all right."
"I'll be fine," I said. "I know this trip was harder for you than for me."
"It wasn't as difficult as I feared."
"You have grown to trust Carissa."
"Yes."
"Good. I want you to think about something." I paused to see if she would say something cutting, but she didn't. "Are we celebrating Thanksgiving in Bayfield?"
"Did you have another suggestion?"
"No, but I didn't know if you had a surprise waiting for me."
"Then Bayfield it is," Lara confirmed.
"I think we should invite Carissa."
Lara said nothing for a while, but she stroked my hair. Finally she said, "You know now we have to go back downstairs and ask everyone what she thinks."
* * * *
In spite of the late night, we woke early. I wanted beignets one more time, and so Angel and Eric ran to Café du Monde to pick up enough for everyone. They were gone such a short time, I wondered if they broke the informal speed limit they usually followed around the humans.
Carissa arrived just as we were passing out beignets, and so we gave her one of the bags. She accepted with a laugh. "Tourists."
"Yeah, right. Anika and Joanna have been eating them right alongside us," I said.
"They were just making you feel welcome," Carissa said, biting into one of the beignets. "Oh, they are good though, aren't they?"
"You know, that's two things I've seen you do I didn't think vampires did," I said.
"Oh?"
"Eat regular food and walk outside in the daylight."
"Don't believe everything that Hollywood tells you," was all she said. "Some young vampires hide from the sun, but the need to do so fades with time. If you are created from a sufficiently ancient vampire, then you may be a day walker from the very beginning." Then she smiled. "And who would want to be a vampire if she couldn't enjoy the occasional bag of beignets?"
I laughed. "Exactly."
By the time we finished our treats, the wolves had our bags loaded into the waiting vehicles.
"Carissa, are you coming to the airport with us? There is one last thing we wish to discuss," Lara said.
Carissa smiled. "I expected to drive."
"Good," Lara said.
We engaged in small talk during the drive. Then, while the enforcers handled security and loaded the airplanes, Lara and I talked to Carissa. I let Lara handle it.
"Carissa, do you know anything about Bayfield, Wisconsin?"
"I know it is a small town on Lake Superior, and that your fox lived there when you first met. I admit to knowing little else."
"The pack owns land, not remotely as much as we own near Madison, but it is no small amount, either. Michaela holds many of her classes there."
"I imagine it is a perfect setting. Camping and so on in the northern woods."
"While I teach camping," I said, "the lodge is far more comfortable." I buffed my fingers against my shirt.
Carissa offered a puzzled expression, and so Lara explained. "Michaela built the lodge."
"With a lot of help," I added.
"Such talents," Carissa said.
"It is not a large lodge," Lara said. "But we have room for a limited number of guests. Perhaps you would like to join us at Thanksgiving."
Carissa stared, not responding immediately. Finally she collected herself. "Well." She laughed. "You have managed to surprise me, Lara. That is about the last offer I was expecting."
"It is heartfelt," Lara said. "Our daughters will be with us. But if the timing is poor, we can make other arrangements. Perhaps you could come just after Christmas and stay until the New Year. Other weekends are planned with far less notice."
"This is very startling," Carissa said. "I am quite taken aback. Are you quite sure, Lara?"
"Of course, but was I clear about the size of the invited retinue?"
"Have no fear, although I take it you are not telling me to come alone."
"No, not alone," Lara said. "I apologize I am unable to be as gracious as you were with your invitation."
"You are inviting me into your home away from home," Carissa said. "That is beyond gracious. Perhaps..." she turned, her eyes finding Joanna. She was speaking with Eric, and the two of them were standing very close together.
"Deirdre would not come in the winter," Carissa added. "Would four of us stretch your capacity?"
"No," said Lara.
I spoke up. "I would rather Kristian weren't one of them unless it is necessary."
Carissa laughed. "I would rather Kristian weren't one of them, either. I was thinking these two and perhaps one more. Would another were be all right?"
"Yes," Lara said. "Absolutely."
"Well then, we will be there. Thank you, Lara!"
* * * *
It was a long flight. We had to divert well to the east of poor weather centered near St. Louis. When we finally arrived in Madison, I was mentally and physically exhausted. And I was worried about Angel. She sounded stressed on the radio. We'd spent half the flight in instrument conditions, and her aircraft didn't have as many niceties as Lara and I were enjoying.
To make it worse, it was going to be an instrument approach home, although we would break out of the clouds with plenty of altitude, but lower than ideal visibility.
Evidently Lara was worried about all of us. "Angel, when was the last time you shot an ap
proach into Dane County?"
She was asking Angel if she'd been practicing flying on simulated instruments into the Madison regional airport, the main airport serving the Madison region.
"June and I went out last weekend," Angel reported. "She ran me through the wringer."
She had done the same thing with me.
"All right. Are you both up to an ILS into runway two-one?"
"Sure," Angel said. "June and I did it that one twice."
"No problem," I said.
"All right," Lara said. "Pull out your plates, then we'll each call center and amend our flight plans."
An hour later, all three aircraft were safely on the ground.
It was good to be home.
Discontent
It was good to be home.
Violet's mate met us at the airport; Violet offered James and Hanna a ride home. Scarlett, Zoe, and Gia arrived with SUVs for the rest of us. November in Madison can be nice, but it can also be dreary, and it would be several days before we could retrieve the aircraft, returning them to their hangars at the pack airport.
Lara pulled Scarlett to the side. It was difficult to avoid eavesdropping when Lara said, "Angel is wiped out. Take her home and pamper her. If you order out, it's on me."
"What about-" I glanced over, and Scarlett was looking at me. As soon as my head turned to her, she snapped her eyes back to Lara.
"It was a stressful trip," Lara replied. "The Fox needs her friends around her, but I'm not sure she's in a mood to accept them tonight."
"What about you, Lara?"
"I'm fine," she said. I thought she was lying. "Tired. Take care of Angel tonight."
By then, our things were loaded into the backs of the vehicles, and I let Serena direct me to one of the SUVs. Lara climbed in beside me, and a minute later, our small convoy headed towards the airport exit.
During the ride, Lara tried to pretend she wasn't paying attention to me while acutely paying attention to me. I was doing the same about her. Serena and Elisabeth quietly rode in the front seat. No one was talking.
I couldn't quite tell if there was a little red-haired fox riding in the vehicle or a big elephant no one wanted to address. I didn't want to address it, either. So I ignored it as well.