by Jave Kavfi
"Oh, he was in a rush to get away, wasn't he?" Gideon says to Caden. "I was just about to ask him if he wanted a tipple of Hetty's refreshing brew. He looks a rather pallid fellow – I might fetch him a glass."
"Don't." He points to Gideon's mouth. "Um ... you might want to..."
Gideon wipes the blood off his lips with a silk handkerchief.
"You're not turning vampire on us now, are you?" Caden says.
"No, though I wouldn't mind sinking my mouth into some flesh – of the delectable female variety. It would not, however, be her blood I would be interested in sucking. That girl of yours is a treat to the eyes..."
"Holly's not my girl – but you keep your eyes, mouth, and every other part of your body well away from her. Any idea what all the business with those automatons was about? They were after you or Ana?"
"Most likely me. There's a terrible shortage of channelers just now, and I get the impression Gabriela is determined to prevent Eudora doing any harm to Ana."
"See, that worries me. What's her interest in Ana?"
"I cannot say. She and Eudora are sworn enemies, so it could be that. She is certainly keeping Eudora busy, though I understand some unsavoury entities are getting through, so I would still be on guard, if I were you."
"We will be. Would you look at the state of Mavis – she's pissed on sherry again. This is not a good time for her to have another go with the basketball. Already brained the vicar twice. I need to go calm her down before she does someone a serious injury. Watch out – your little buddy doesn't look too happy. I'm gone."
Hetty is stomping towards Gideon. "Why are the townsfolk staring so?" she asks.
"Looks of admiration, no doubt, as you are exceedingly pretty, and even more so now you've changed into your ball gown," he tells her.
"Yes, I like it. You remember I got it that day of the hanging? It wasn't easy peeling it off the corpse." She points to Byrony. "That one has been scowling at me this good hour and why has she stuck forth one finger?"
"I'm afraid that is a crude gesture and means up an orifice or some such thing. A much-used insult."
Her eyes widen. "Up an orifice? She has an urgency to be gutted? Where's my knife?" She's searching through the little pouch attached to her dress.
He pulls her back by her bustle. "Be calm, Hetty. She may be a trifle rude, but I'm hoping she might be agreeable to a romantic liaison. Not ideal, but my situation necessitates a degree of compromise."
"Great tub of lard. A heifer," Hetty is muttering. "Pot-bellied, sour of scent. Do not fornicate with her, I tell you. I know you're in desperate straits, but it would not be worth sullying your stick!"
"Yes, well, I find her strangely attractive – most comely. But she's unlikely to be interested – I have the most awful luck with women. Mmm, I'm rather tired, I think I might have some more of your tasty brew. But, Hetty, I was thinking ... perhaps we should once again adjust our speech patterns to be more in keeping with the present century. You know we shouldn't draw attention to ourselves – it only leads to undue mocking."
"Yes, I forgot. See you later ... dude. Go partake of some spiffing blood soup and do not bang the ugly chick. Is that better?"
"Much. Isn't it lovely to see Ana and Caden laughing and so relaxed?"
She leans on his shoulder. "Have you told them yet?"
"No – and you must not say a word. Let them have some happiness while they can. God knows things are difficult enough for them."
"Yes, it's quite a gathering," Gertie is saying to Ana. "You are making a great success of the shop, though I doubt Mr Cribber will show much gratitude. Caden was telling me you hope to return to university after the birth of the baby."
"That's the idea. None of my plans are firm just now, I'm sort of playing it by ear and taking it one day at a time. My only concern right now is that the baby's all right – I'm always worried that the weird stuff that's gone on will have harmed it. I've my big hospital appointment coming up on Monday, so hopefully I'll get some reassurance then."
"Oh, my dear, I wish you had said. I should accompany you. I have an appointment with my publisher, but it would take little to cancel."
"Honestly, no, please don't go to the trouble. I'll be fine on my own and I'll be in and out in no time."
"If you're certain." She nods towards the doorway, where Holly is pulling Caden out of the room by an arm. "It would appear that young lady is determined to get her claws into our mutual friend, and it seems she's having some success."
"Looks like it," Ana says with a sigh. She turns to Gertie with a smile. "Henry's getting on well with Sarah – do you think there will be a romance there?"
"Unlikely. I would think Sarah is slightly sickened by romances at present, though I'll say no more about it."
Ana has left the chaos of the party and is sitting on the little bench in front of the shop.
"You escaped, then?" Caden has appeared and sat down beside her. "Not like any party I've ever been to, but going good, yeah?"
"Hey, I thought Holly had dragged you off to have her wicked way with you."
"No – I told you that's not happening. She has brought more of her stuff, though, so looks like she's moving back in. You'll have to fend her off for me – you know I've no self-control. What?" He ducks. "I was kidding." He gives her a light shoulder nudge. "Your big appointment at the hospital on Monday – right?"
"You remembered."
"You only told me about fifteen times and you've got it in foot high letters on the pin board."
"Oh... It's just that it's special to me and–"
"I was joking. I know it's special. Seeing your baby and–" He puts his arm across her shoulders. "Hey – don't be sad."
"Sorry, I wasn't going to cry, just ... I wish it could be different. That it was the way it was meant to be. Jarak would be there and we'd be planning for our future. Have you seen him again in the dreams?"
He shakes his head. "No. But the Ryden business has dominated everything. That's over, so the dreams should get back to normal now, I'm hoping. They have to – it's the only way I'm going to be able to get in contact with Mia, so I'm depending on it too. But for now we concentrate on taking each day as it comes, yeah? I don't suppose..."
"What?"
He stands up, sticks his hands in the pockets of his jeans and looks in the opposite direction. "Nah, just an idea..."
"You tell me – I hate when you do that." She pulls him around to face her.
"I was talking to Gertie earlier and she said she couldn't make it to your appointment," he says. "I know Holly hates hospitals. So, I was wondering how you'd feel about the idea of me going with you. For moral support – not like you'd even need it, but–"
"I'd love it!" She leaps off the bench and gives him a hug.
"...what is it about me that makes women want to grab me..." he says with a grin. "But seriously, Ana, I'd be honoured."
"Good – that's us set. And here's Boris, getting in on the act." She strokes his fur and he purrs so loudly they both burst out laughing.
Caden looks over her shoulder. "What's he staring at?"
"Who?" Ana asks, following his gaze.
"The guy across the road, leaning against the tree."
"There's no-one leaning against the tree."
"The one with the baseball cap and... Okay, his jacket has just fallen open – so he would be the one with the bloody great wound in his chest. You don't see him?"
"No. I think the dead are back, Caden."
He grabs Ana by the hand and pulls her towards the shop. "Come on Boris – you're out of here too."
"You're not going to help the man?" Ana asks, as they get in the shop and Caden slams the door shut.
"I am not. This lovely day is for the living – the dead are going to have to wait. Agreed?"
"Agreed."
***
Author's note:
I hope you enjoyed reading The Air You Breathe. If you have the time, please leave a review – they me
an a great deal to new authors and really help increase the visibility of their work.
The HEARTFIRE series began with a (strange) short story I wrote last year: Preoccupation
Preoccupation can be read as a stand-alone short story, but is now book one of the series (it has a slightly different tone from the novels).
The second in the series is a novel: Devastation
All books in the series feature Ana and her growing band of friends ... and enemies. More of the HEARTFIRE series to come.
Table of Contents
Contents
Title Page
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43