Once outside Mia expected them to start chatting. But Viking was silent as they walked down the sidewalk. It was a companionable silence and not as awkward as Mia would have expected. But she couldn't help the amusement she felt at the lack of small talk. Silence continued their entire stroll down to the sub shop.
It went as far as no communication as they ordered their sandwiches other than Viking insisting he pay, including Sherry's. Mia made a little joke about eating at such a ritzy place. But she wasn't entirely sure Viking got it.
It wasn't until after they were seated that Mia finally spoke. She didn't want to eat in silence. "So, tell me about yourself. General small talk. Do you have any pets? What do you do for fun? Any childhood traumas? What was your first pet? Anything interesting I should know about you? "
She got a better reaction than she anticipated. He stopped mid bite, his eyes wide and looked at her, pausing for a second before swallowing. Laughing, Mia took a bite out of her sandwich.
"I never had a pet. I'm not sure what else I can tell you that would be interesting to you. I've known Gwen for more than twenty years. Ever since she was little. I just stuck with her since. There is not much to tell about working at the bookstore. You own one, you know all the ins and outs. I am sort of the general manager. I am her right-hand man or general if you will. As for childhood traumas I'm pretty sure that is not a first date thing, but nice try. What about you? What do you do for fun? What made you open your shop? And all the other questions you asked me."
He seemed happy with his response as he took a hearty bite of the sandwich. Mia felt her libido sing a little. She found him amusing. Especially with his current expression. He was congratulating himself on a job well done. The expression suited him rather well.
Mia swallowed her bite and took a sip of her drink before answering. "I earned a doctorate in comparative religion five years ago. Originally I thought I would teach but by the time I finished that idea did not hold the same appeal it once did. Instead I opened my store, where people can come and look into new ideas and not feel guilty or chastised for wanting to look into something that might not necessarily be how they were brought up."
As for my first pet it was a hamster named bubbles. Don't ask me why he was named bubbles, I was four. And as for things that I might do for fun, I don't really have a lot of time for anything since I spend so much time in the shop. When I'm not at the shop I'm working on things for the shop."
As she was taking another drink something Viking said resonated with Mia. "What do you mean when she was a child? You don't look much older than her but you make it sound like you were not an adolescent when you met."
There was a brief flicker in Vikings eyes before he answered. "There is a large age gap. Even though I consider her to be like a sister we are quite far apart in age. She is twenty-seven. I am near forty. So that is quite the gap."
Mia didn't think it was quite that big of an age gap. But she supposed if they were really young when they met perhaps it could've been a vast difference.
"Tell me how you got interested in world religions enough to get an advanced degree."
She knew she was smiling. She loved discussing human spirituality. It was her passion. Throughout the rest of the lunch she was surprised at how much Viking new about ancient religions. It made for a much more active conversation than she was expecting from him.
She quickly lost track of time. When she looked up at the clock on the wall behind the counter she saw that it was already ten after two. Before she registered what she was doing she jumped up from the table. It was a good thing her drink was empty because she knocked over the cup.
"I am so sorry. But I'm late for my two o'clock. I have to get back now. I hope you understand."
The worry that had been on Vikings face quickly vanished. "Absolutely. I will walk you back. I will see you in a couple hours. I plan on coming with Gwen to the talk tonight."
Mia couldn't help the little flutter in her stomach. He genuinely seemed interested in her passion and in her as a person. She couldn't remember if there had ever been a man so attractive interested in her. Mia quickly squashed that train of thought. Smiling she grabbed her trash to throw it away on the way out of the store. The walk back once again had that companionable silence. Mia couldn't believe they had been in the sub shop as long as they had. It only seemed like ten minutes.
As she entered the store Viking held open the door for her. Mia smiled at him before glancing over the store looking for her aunt. It didn't take her long to see her aunt, as well as Charlie. They were standing in front of the display nearest to the counter. Both women looked towards the door as Mia walked through.
Her aunt gave the same joy filled smile she always gave Mia. Charlie, on the other hand, was giving a wide-eyed look to Viking. Mia turned to look at Viking. He was giving Charlie a confused expression but he quickly blanked his face and looked back to Mia.
He smiled and inclined his head. "I'll see you tonight."
Mia walked over to stand next to her aunt, who gave her a side hug before they both looked at Charlie. Charlie was watching Viking go through the front windows. It wasn't until after he was in an SUV and driving away that Charlie turned and looked at Mia.
"Mia you know that man?"
Mia knew she was giving Charlie a funny look but she couldn't help it. "I met him at my women's retreat. He was hired as a sort of private security for the event. And he happens to work for a bookstore I know up north. The owner of that bookstore and I go to the same naturopath conference every year. I don't know him very well. But he asked me to lunch so I told him yes but I had to be back by two to meet you guys. By the way, so sorry I'm late I lost track of time."
Her aunt's smile grew. "Well honey that's wonderful news. It's a sign of a good date when you lose track of time." She nudged Mia with her elbow as she finished her sentence.
Mia rolled her eyes but other than that, ignored her aunt. "Why do you ask Charlie?"
"I do not think we should be discussing this out here. Let's go back to your office and settle in. You can tell us about these dreams you've been having. We'll take care of that first. When that is finished I'll see if I can explain my question."
Charlie didn't even wait for a response instead she turned on her heels and started walking towards the back of the store to the door that read employees only. Mia exchanged glances with her aunt. The older woman only shrugged before following her friend.
As they sat down in the back room, with Mia and her aunt on the couch and Charlie in the rolling chair that sat at the desk, Mia's aunt looked at Charlie expectantly. When it became clear Charlie wasn't going to say anything her aunt sighed and looked at Mia.
"Okay Mia just begin with telling us exactly what happened last night. Don't start with the weird part. Start before."
Mia took a deep breath. Taking a moment to center herself before answering. "Okay well, I was coming back from the women's retreat. After a late lunch with some of my friends I swung by and did some work at the store. Then I went to the shop Viking works at. I wanted to thank him for going out of his way to volunteer and help control security at the women's retreat.
"So I went up there and thanked him in person, shook his hand before coming home. After that I noticed things looked a little funny. It was as if the world around me became sharper. I was more in tune with things. I didn't think anything of it at the time. I was too busy concentrating on Viking's response to my thanking him. He seemed to be taken off guard.
"Anyway I went home, watched some TV and went to bed. The only dream I remember is the last one I had before I woke up. It started out a little strange. I was in the Pac-Man game. I was one of those little ghosts being chased by Pac-Man. I remember being frightened and running as fast as I could. Eventually Pac-Man caught up with me, and when he did he turned into something else instead of devouring me.
"He became this smirking black shape. I could see burning red eyes. The rest was just blurry, almost gaseous. He
scared me. I knew as soon as he changed that this was a real entity and not just something in my nightmare.
Even though I was frightened I couldn't help but wonder how it had gotten into my dream.
He started laughing. Saying that though I look delicious, he would spare me because I would do quite nicely. He went on to say not to worry. We'll meet again soon. As he reached out to touch me. I forced myself to wake up. I had this overwhelming feeling something bad would happen.
"By that time it was about five in the morning and I was drenched in sweat from the effort of waking up. I know it does not seem like a big deal but I can tell it was something bad. My concern is that being will pop into one of my dreams again. He really seemed like a bad being, whatever he wants."
Both Charlie and her aunt were silent for several moments. They both looked like they were lost in thought. Her aunt spoke first.
"Well honey it sounds like somehow you have a hole in your shields and this thing happened to be nearby and found a way in. I don't think it's really worth worrying about. I can tell from sitting next to you that your shields don't feel one hundred percent. We can very easily fix that for you and you should be good as new." Her aunt smiled at her reassuringly before patting her thigh.
Charlie pursed her lips. "I think being in that shop set you off. Almost like an allergy. Or recharging a battery, I guess is a better way to put it. Your abilities are shining much brighter. Even before we taught you how to do shielding. I think, something worked as an amplifier. That amplifier has made you even more powerful or appear more powerful and therefore more interesting to entities nearby. And since your shields were built to hold only so much they are buckling. I think this means we need to build more heavy-duty shields. I am going to have to teach you to concentrate more."
What Mia had originally found reassuring, she now heard warning bells chime in the back of her head at Charles words. She knew when someone was trying to avoid telling her something. Grabbing her hand, Mia leaned in.
"Charlie I have known you most of my life. I have never known you to skirt around an issue. Why are you doing so now? What is it that you're trying to hide?"
She felt her aunt stiffen next to her but the other woman didn't withdraw her hand. Charlie leaned back in the chair she was sitting giving Mia full eye contact. Her face was blank.
"Mia don't take this the wrong way but I'm not one hundred percent sure this is your business."
Mia felt herself lean back in shock. That was the last thing she would ever expect to hear from Charlie. She could not believe the other woman's words. All Mia could do was blink at the other woman several seconds before anger started to creep in around the edges. Something working as amplifier for her abilities was not her business, which seemed ludicrous. Before she could formulate a response Charlie continued.
"Don't get me wrong I know what you are thinking and believe me it sounds ridiculous to me too. But I could get us both in a lot of trouble telling you anything." Charlie began to look a little nervous.
It may have been the first time Mia had seen Charlie this way.
"Do you remember hearing me referred to myself as an MP?"
Mia nodded.
"An MP is also known as a Magical Practitioner. This is the name for what I am in the Night World. The Night World is a sort of subculture if you will, of people who are more than people. This is going to seem like a lot to swallow. In the Night World there are many MPs like me. We come in several different kinds depending on what sort of magic they do. I'm not talking magic like your aunt does. This is something much stronger. When I do a spell I get immediate results there's no wait time. It's a real magic like you will see in a movie or read in a book.
"There are several different types of people in the Night World but for the sake of time I'm only going to explain three. First, there are the MPs like me.
"Second, is someone known as the Lady of the Dead. This is a woman who can see the Spirit World. There is only one born every hundred years. She can see beings, spirits, ghosts, all of that. Because her power can grow to be so great another group of people have to protect her. They send bodyguards to look after her.
"These men are called Warriors. Warriors are always men. Don't ask me why, it's just the way of things. These men are stronger, faster, better fighters, and all-around better physicality than anyone else. Currently, the Lady of the Dead resides just outside Bellevue, Washington. Her name is Gwen. Everyone in the local Night World knows her."
Mia felt her blood run cold and adrenaline shoot through her system at the same time. She started to get a very bad feeling about what Charlie was saying. It was one thing for her to be talking about doing real magic but to be talking about other species of beings or people or whatever she should call them just seem too far-fetched. But as soon as she mentioned Gwen's name Mia knew she was telling the truth. The other woman's energy was so strong, she had to possess some kind of power. Charlie's explanation made sense. With all that Viking did, did that make him one of these Warriors?
"The Warrior in charge of her bodyguard detail is a man named Viking. We all know what he looks like because of who he protects. That sort of thing is something you tend to know. You might have just been on a date with the highest ranking Warrior on the most important detail in all of the North American kingdom. I'm not quite sure what made him pick you but I'm going to do some digging and find out. He clearly has some sort of abilities and I think that his ability is sort of counteracting your shields and caused you to have a short circuit. I'm not sure spending time with him is in your best interest."
Mia didn't know what to say. It was a lot to take in a once. Most of it seemed impossible. She looked at her aunt. All the other woman's expression told her was this information was not news to her. Mia felt as if someone just tilted her world and shuffled things around. This seems so far-fetched and yet she found herself believing.
She found herself with one question. "Does that make my aunt and I MPs?"
Charlie shook her head. "No you are very strong Sensitives. You are not MP's. That kind of thing doesn't skip around in a family the way your family’s abilities do."
"This is a lot to take in. You know that right?"
Charlie just nodded.
For a moment Mia thought she was going to respond but in the end the other one stayed silent. There were several moments when all talking seem to be suspended. As if all three of them had forgotten how. Mia was in shock. There were no words floating around in her head, as if her brain was refusing to process this new information.
Her aunt patted Mia's arm. "I know it is a lot to process. I have known Charlie a long time and it is still a lot for me sometimes. Right now, it is best to focus on the problem at hand. Charlie and I will be working with you to help get you stronger. We are going to practice it just to be safe. I don't want to risk that being coming back. Am I right in thinking Viking is coming back this evening for the speaker?"
Mia didn't seem to be able to form words so she simply nodded in response to her aunt's question.
Charlie exhaled loudly. "After I re-ward your apartment I am going to use that time to poke around a little. Warriors bumming around this area for any reason couldn't have been kept secret." With that, Charlie stood up and came to stand directly in front of Mia. "Now, let's get to work on those broken shields of yours."
Chapter 6
"So how did it go?"
Viking didn't know why he was surprised to see Raider and Poet standing in the doorway to the lounge when he got back to the bookstore after his lunch with Mia. He should've known they would be waiting for him. Raider, because he genuinely worried and cared about Viking's well-being and Poet just out of sheer annoyance and curiosity.
He was tempted to ignore Poet's question and continue toward the store. He knew he would have to report to Gwen no matter what. When she wanted something she would be relentless until she got it. That didn't bother him as much as it usually did. Mostly he was touched by the fact that she ca
red enough about him to be concerned.
So far the only effect of the Maddening was a quicker temper. Though anger wasn't as far away as Viking would like. This surprised him because the symptoms had been so strong in Cesar so early on that Viking had expected his experience to be similar. He didn't know how to take the slow onset of symptoms, as a good thing or bad.
Shaking his head to get it back into the present, Viking continued walking towards the store.
"Aw don't make me ask in a more embarrassing and public fashion. Inquiring minds want to know. If you don't answer I'll just start making things up and telling people it's the truth. You know people will believe me."
That stopped Viking in his tracks, if for no other reason than he didn't want Poet telling everybody that he went on a date.
His last date had been about a decade and a half before he'd been assigned to Gwen's security. While for most of the old warriors that was still recent, there'd been enough changes in the last few decades to still put him out of touch.
Sighing, he turned back around to see Raider's expression. The other man's face showed he was annoyed with Poet but clearly appreciated that the other man's tactics worked.
Viking pushed past both men and entered the lounge, grateful no one else seemed to be in there. Once the other two stepped inside Viking turned back and shut the door behind all three of them. He then walked to one of the couches and plopped himself down. Raider sat on the opposite side of the same couch. Poet leaned against a nearby table so he could watch Viking's face. Poet's smile was a little too eager for Vikings taste.
"It was fine, awkward but fine."
"What, that’s it? That's all you got?"
"Shut up Poet!" Growled Raider.
Not wanting to repeat himself Viking sighed and closed his eyes. Drawing on his dwindling inner calm he called Gwen.
"Little One would you join us in lounge please. I was waylaid by Poet and Raider. And I do not wish to tell the story twice."
"What you back already? Okay I'll be right there."
Viking Sensitivity (Night World Series Book 2) Page 5