by I. T. Lucas
Eventually, Brundar took pity on him and handed him the small, silver flask of whiskey he had hidden in his jacket's inner pocket.
"Thanks, bro, you're a lifesaver.”
Anandur took a big swig of the Chivas, gurgled it in his mouth a few times and then spat it out. After the second and third swig had gone down his throat, he handed the flask back.
Brundar took the thing, and cranking back his neck, emptied what remained of the whiskey down his own throat. As his adrenaline level began dropping, Brundar's aches and pains made themselves known, and the beating his body had taken became hard to ignore. Slumping down to the floor, he propped his back against the cold concrete wall and let his head drop back.
Now, with their gruesome task done, all that was left was to wait for the clean-up crew. Until then, they had to maintain the shrouding and guard their prey.
Brundar felt tired, yet energized.
It was good to be fighting again, to feel the adrenaline rush, to use the skills he had practiced and perfected over the centuries.
Lately, he'd been feeling almost useless. What was the point of being a perfect killing machine if you never got to kill anymore?
As he reveled in the sense of power and utility, there was a small tinge of guilt in all that satisfaction. The enemy was attacking his family, but instead of dread he was feeling good about the rush he'd gotten from the fight.
It was good to feel needed, though; to do the tasks only he and his Guardian brethren could do.
Perhaps now, with this new danger looming over the clan, they could call in some of the others, those who had left the Guardian force for lack of purpose.
With a rare, fond glance at Anandur, he reminisced about their stormy past in the force. The battles, the brotherly revelry when they had come back home victorious, the pride of accomplishment, the gratitude of the clan.
Closing his eyes, Brundar welcomed the visions of his glorious past and smiled wistfully.
He missed those halcyon days.
CHAPTER 18: SYSSI
Syssi's cheek was resting on something hard and smooth that smelled amazing.
"Wake up, sleepyhead. We're here." She felt strong fingers caressing her cheek, the deep, masculine voice reverberating through her ribcage.
Who? Where?
Suddenly, it all came rushing back.
Kian.
He was holding her tucked against him, caressing her and talking to her as if he gave a damn.
She stiffened, attempting to sit up and shake his arm off. The sudden movement made her head spin and she had to lean back against the seat... and his arm.
"Take it easy, beautiful, give yourself a minute; there's no rush." He kept stroking her cheek with his thumb.
They were in what seemed to be an underground parking structure, still sitting in the same car, supposedly still in the same universe.
Who are you, and what did you do with Kian the grouch?
The man sitting next to her had more mood swings than a hormonal teenager. Still, it felt so good to be held like that. She kept still, allowing herself a few moments of bliss to enjoy this surreal break in reality. Maybe she was still dreaming? And in her dream this gorgeous man was caring, kind, and warm… and called her beautiful...
She didn't want to wake up...
Just a few moments longer....
Then Amanda had to ruin it by sounding the wakeup call. "Okay, Syssi. As lovely as it is in here, I'm sure it's more comfortable in Kian's penthouse. Let's go!"
Nope, no dream.
Kian extracted his arm from around her shoulders and opened the door. Unfolding his tall body, he stepped out of the SUV.
As soon as he left her side she missed him; his warmth, his closeness, his scent. Standing by the door, he offered her his hand—being gentlemanly, or perhaps thinking she needed help getting out.
As a matter of fact, she did.
She was still woozy and felt weak as if she'd been awakened too early from a very deep sleep or had too much to drink. But neither of those applied.
What was happening to her? She wasn't sick, wasn't hungry... So why was she feeling this way?
Trying to make sense of why she felt so off-kilter, Syssi concluded it must've been the aftermath of all that adrenaline leaving her system.
Taking Kian's offered palm, she stepped out of the car and let him walk her to the elevator.
Once they reached the penthouse level, the three of them and Kian's driver stepped out into a beautiful vestibule. A round granite table stood in the center of a mosaic inlayed marble floor, holding a huge vase of fresh flowers. Across from each other, two sets of double doors led to what probably were two separate penthouse apartments.
Kian's driver opened the one to their left, ushering them inside with the flair of a seasoned butler.
The place was beautiful.
If Syssi were to design her own dream home, she would make it look just like that.
The first thing that caught her attention was the wall of glass opposite the entry door, overlooking the magnificent, unobstructed cityscape. To its right, another glass wall opened to a huge rooftop terrace, complete with a lush garden, a long narrow lap pool, and an elegant assortment of lounge furniture.
The living room decor was magazine-perfect.
Over the dark hardwood floor, a bright area rug delineated the sitting area of three espresso-colored leather sofas surrounding a stone coffee table that was at least eight feet wide on each side. Vibrant, large-scale art covered the cream-colored walls while a big screen topped a contemporary style fireplace.
To complete the perfectly put together room, vases filled with fresh flowers were strategically scattered throughout.
Syssi could think of nothing she would've changed. She loved the way Kian had managed to make the space warm and inviting despite its size and opulence.
Come to think of it, most likely it had been someone else who had done the decorating... a woman...
Of course Kian would have someone in his life, maybe even living with him, she had no reason to assume he was single.
Syssi rubbed a hand over her sternum, calling herself all kinds of stupid as she tried to soothe the sudden ache in the center of her chest.
Walking towards the glass wall overlooking the city, she decided to discreetly fish for information. "Wow, this is beautiful. You have an amazing taste, Kian," she complimented.
Kian took the bait. "Can't take credit for it. This is all the work of our interior decorator, Ingrid. My only input was no clutter and no museum pieces, just a comfortable, livable space. Ingrid came up with all the rest on her own, and I basically approved most of her suggestions." He shrugged and walked over to the bar. "What can I offer you, ladies?" Kian asked, pouring himself a Scotch.
"I'll have gin and tonic," Syssi called from her spot next to the glass wall, pretending to look out at the view.
Exhaling in relief, she felt like an idiot. Even if there was no woman sharing his home, it didn't mean he didn't have one... And besides, he wasn't hers. She had no business feeling jealous or possessive over Kian.
But oh, God, how she wished she did.
"Same for me." Amanda joined her at the view wall, slanting her a knowing glance.
"House! Open terrace doors." Kian commanded the smart-home system, sending the mechanized glass-panels sliding almost soundlessly into the wall.
Stepping outside, Syssi chose one of the loungers next to the pool and sat down. She listened to the city's distant hum—from this high up, except for the occasional car horn, it was nothing more than a quiet drone.
Tilting her head back, she gazed at the darkening sky, its wispy clouds illuminated by the orange and red hues of the setting sun.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" Amanda plopped next to her. Lying back with her palms tucked under her head, she joined Syssi in gazing at the color display in the sky.
"Yes, it is." Syssi sighed.
With a glass in each hand, Kian walked out and sat sideways o
n the lounger facing Amanda and her.
Even sitting down he looked big and so damn beautiful that he took her breath away. And what's more, with his jacket off and his white dress shirt's top buttons open, she glimpsed the outline of all those hard muscles she'd felt when he'd held her close in the car.
Syssi stared, not quite gaping, but still, her lips were slightly parted, and she felt her face reddening. With an effort, she shifted her eyes away from him and glanced up at the sky, discreetly observing Kian from the corner of her eye.
After handing Amanda and her the chilled beverages, Kian pulled a gold lighter and a pack of Davidoffs from his trousers’ pocket. Taking a cigarette out, he held it between his thumb and forefinger, lit it, and inhaled deeply.
His lids dropped over his eyes as he took several long drags, and the tension that was etched on his handsome face seemed to ease. With his craving assuaged, he lifted his eyelids a little, peering at Syssi from behind a column of smoke.
"Pew! Kian, you said you'd quit!" Amanda crinkled her nose in distaste, waving a hand in front of her nose.
Ignoring Amanda, Kian's eyes stayed trained on Syssi. "It doesn't seem to bother you, Syssi, does it?" he asked on a stream of smoke.
"No, I like the smell of cigarettes, even cigars. I find it relaxing." Taking little sips from her drink, Syssi inhaled, enjoying the smell of tobacco mixed with Kian's cologne. After a long moment of just staring into her glass and swishing the ice cubes around, she squared her shoulders and turned to Amanda. "So, would anyone care to explain what's going on?"
Amanda pushed up from the lounger and walked a few steps away, distancing herself from the offending smell. "There are those who believe that what we do in the lab is evil or unnatural, the work of the devil or some other nonsense like that. A certain religious sect declared war on our work, sending us nasty messages and threats. Luckily, Kian took it seriously and decided to post guards around the lab, believing the nuts may become violently incensed and actually carry out what they've been promising to do. As much as it pains me to say, it seems Kian was proven right. The guards called him to let him know they spotted suspicious characters in the hallway, and Kian decided not to take any chances with an unnecessary confrontation. The guards called again to say they were able to scare the thugs off, so hopefully this is the end of it."
Turning to Kian, Amanda smirked. "Anyhow, I'm going to leave you two lovebirds alone and head across the hallway to my place. I need to call Onidu and have him bring over my stuff. I have nothing here." She winked at Syssi and walking away blew a kiss at Kian.
Syssi blushed down to the roots of her hair.
Did she really say it? Lovebirds? Really, Amanda? How could she do this to me?
She swore she was never going to forgive Amanda for embarrassing her so.
"I probably should be going too; it's getting late. I should call a taxi. I usually walk home from the lab, it's only about twenty minutes away on foot, so I leave my car at home... to save on the parking fees." Syssi was blabbering but couldn't stop herself. So embarrassing.
Now he'd think she was an idiot.
Not to mention that he might get the impression that she was stingy, or poor. She was neither. Syssi was frugal, preferring a hefty bank account to frivolous spending. Her girlfriends from the lucrative private high school she'd attended used to roll their eyes at what she considered fiscal responsibility, and some even had gone as far as calling her a tight-wad. While they had been flaunting their parents' money, competing for who had the latest and most expensive things, she'd never developed a taste for it.
Syssi had no idea where this propensity had sprouted from. Growing up as she had in an affluent home with parents who could afford and had never refused any of her requests, Syssi had never lacked for anything. But even as a kid she'd preferred getting money rather than toys or other trinkets as birthday presents, and had been thrilled to watch her bank account grow with every new deposit. Maybe it had been her mother's dislike for shopping that had influenced her. Anita simply hadn't had the time or the inclination for it and had ordered what was necessary from catalogs. After all, her mother had spent most of her days wearing a lab coat and had deemed what was under it inconsequential.
That being said, Syssi didn't think it had been intellectual snobbism that had her sneer at unnecessary spending. Syssi valued independence almost above all else, and a big part of being independent was having her own money—and plenty of it—with the caveat that it had to be earned. She was quite proud that while her parents had covered all of her school costs, including room and board, throughout undergrad and architecture school, she'd not only paid for her non school related things but even managed to build a nice savings account working part time as an SAT tutor during her studies.
Kian smiled at her, but it wasn't the comforting kind, more the amused expression of a predator ready to pounce on his cornered prey.
And what do you know... that blast of desire hit her again even harder than before.
Come kiss me... she beckoned him mentally. Touch me. Do something. Can't you see I'm burning here? Quickly averting her eyes, Syssi hoped Kian couldn't read her expression.
She wished she was the type who could actually voice these thoughts, let alone act upon them. But she never would. Even intoxicated she could never be that brazen.
Sighing, Syssi cursed her romantically debilitating shyness. She could lust after Kian on the inside, but she'd never make the first move.
Braving a glance, she expected Kian to look smug. Instead, she was surprised to find what looked like regret in his beautiful eyes.
With a resigned sigh, he pushed up from where he sat and offered her his hand. "Come on, beautiful, let me take you home," he said quietly.
Ignoring his hand, Syssi kept looking at him with wide questioning eyes, perplexed by the mixed signals he was sending her.
"Why do you keep calling me that?" she blurted. Usually, she was good at reading people, but Kian was driving her nuts. One moment he looked like he was about to pounce on her and ravish her, the next he treated her like she was a nuisance that he wanted nothing to do with. Then calling her beautiful again...
Make up your mind! Syssi wanted to scream at him.
"That's because you are... beautiful." Kian's face softened, but his smile remained tight-lipped. Pulling her up to her feet, he held on to her hand as he led her out. At the front door, he paused to call to his butler, "Okidu, I'm taking Syssi home. I'll be back shortly."
The squat man rushed out of the kitchen. "Let me drive the young lady, Master. You do not have to burden yourself thus." Okidu was already putting his driver hat on.
"It's okay, Okidu. It would please me to take Syssi home myself." Kian held the door open for her.
She wanted to tell Kian that she'd rather have the butler drive her, but after a quick look at his face she reconsidered. That hard, determined expression of his reminded her of Andrew, and she knew Kian wouldn't budge. She had enough experience arguing with her brother to know it would be futile to try.
It's gonna be torturous. Syssi grimaced, imagining the awkward silence that would most likely stretch between them on the drive to her home. Kian didn't seem like the kind of guy who did small talk, and neither was she. Hopefully, traffic would be merciful and the drive short.
She'd been right.
Starting with the elevator, through the car ride, it was just as awkward as she had imagined it would be. Kian drove stone-faced and quiet. She was stiff and nervous, anxious for it to be over.
It felt like a first date gone all wrong. Except, it wasn't even a date! Just two people who rubbed each other the wrong way, or perhaps the right way, which was even scarier.
As they got closer to her place, she began to worry. There was no doubt in her mind that Kian was the type who would insist on walking her to her door and not leave till she was safely inside. And after seeing the grandeur of his place, she hoped he wouldn't think that her tiny guesthouse-apartment was a dump.
Right behind her landlady's home, the converted garage was cozy and safe. And the rent was no more than what she would've paid at the dorms while offering her more privacy and quiet. But compared to his penthouse it looked like a hovel.
Damn, sometimes being frugal and independent backfired. If she'd accepted her parents’ offer to pay for a decent apartment, she wouldn't be fretting now about Kian getting the wrong impression about her.
Kian insisted not only on walking her to the door but on checking the interior for any possible threats as well. Thankfully, though, he didn't seem to mind or even notice the old secondhand furniture, or the mess. Syssi, on the other hand, added it to her long list of Kian-related embarrassments.
Standing like a doofus by the door, she waited for him to be done.
It took Kian all of thirty seconds, and even that took long only because he decided to include the bathroom in his sweep.
Her neighbor's cat decided to take advantage of the open door and perform an inspection of his own. Walking around the small space, his tail held high in the air, he gave Kian serious competition for the whole aloof, regal, everyone-is-beneath-me look.
Crossing paths, the two males stopped to face and size each other up, and granting each other their royal approval, continued on their way.
Syssi just cracked up.
Add snorting laugh to the list, she admonished herself, but it was just too funny. It was a shame she didn't record the exchange, it would've gone viral on YouTube.
"What's so funny?" Kian regarded her like she was short of a screw.
Covering her mouth with her hand to try and suppress the giggles, Syssi just pointed at him and then at the cat—who, sitting on his hind paws, waggled his tail in agitation—apparently disapproving of the giggling as well.
"Whatever it was, I'm glad my feline friend and I were able to make you laugh. It was our distinct pleasure to amuse you." Kian bowed theatrically, his hand almost touching the floor.
Suspecting he didn't get to be this way often, she found his unexpected playfulness endearing. It made him seem more approachable, easing some of the discomforting effect he had on her.