“Emily?” Exavior said from behind her.
She turned around just as he pressed his lips to hers, and kept her from moving away from him with a hand on the back of her neck, and another on the small of her back. She pushed against his shoulders with her hands, but he pressed his body to hers and trapped her between himself and the counter.
Exavior finally broke the kiss and smiled at her.
Emily slapped him across the face, “Don’t do that.”
“The sexual tension between us is strong,” Exavior said, and returned to his seat.
Emily glanced to make sure Alec was gone before she moved to Exavior. She pushed him again, almost tipping his chair, “Listen to me. There is no sexual tension, and you have no right to kiss me, so stop it.”
Exavior grinned, “You’re just mad because you liked it.”
“Don’t flatter yourself,” Emily scowled. “Another thing, my ultimatum to the factions said that none of you mess with my family, and Alec is my family.”
“Not by blood,” Exavior said, and took Emily’s hand.
Emily ripped her hand away from him, “He is my uncle, and you will leave him alone or you can face the factions when I leave.”
Exavior chuckled, “I’m sure the factions will understand. It’s his decision.”
“Leave him alone, or so help me, you’ll wish it was the factions after you.”
“Why don’t you just sleep with me and get it over with?”
Emily screamed and then stormed out of the house. She disappeared into her bunkhouse and slammed the door, locking it behind her.
She sighed and grabbed her phone when she’d calmed down, then dialed Kyle’s number and tried to forget about the new round room.
“Em?” Kyle asked.
“Hi,” Emily said.
“What’s wrong?”
“Exavior knows about the lumbar puncture. How does he know?” Emily asked.
There was a short pause before Kyle spoke, “We’ll find out.”
“Is nothing I do a secret? Nothing private?”
“We’ll find out who’s telling him, I promise.”
Emily sighed, “It’s just frustrating.”
“I know, but we’ll fix it.”
“Go away!” Emily yelled when she heard a knock on the door.
“Do you need me to come down?” Kyle asked.
“No, but give me the phone number to the Valle Council.”
“That’s it, I’m coming.”
“No, I said. I can handle it. I’m going to bed now though… stay in Council City,” Emily told him, and hung up. She slipped on a big t-shirt and crawled into the warm covers, and was finally able to fall asleep.
Emily stretched and opened her eyes when the rooster crowed. She pulled the covers off and sat up suddenly when she saw Exavior in her room, “What are you doing?”
“Watching you sleep,” Exavior said as he leaned back against the wall.
“Get out,” Emily yelled at him.
“You slept late. Alec and Pat have already gone to the funeral home. I told them I’d drive you in.”
“Get out!”
“Ok, I’ll wait for you out by the truck,” Exavior said, and then grinned before blurring from the bunkhouse.
Emily dressed quickly in a simple black dress and heals, and then threw her hair into a French braid. She sighed before walking out of the bunkhouse and over to the truck. She opened the passenger door and growled when Exavior lifted her inside.
“Stop touching me,” Emily said, and slammed the door. She buckled in while Exavior got into the driver’s side, laughing.
Emily scowled in silence all the way to the funeral home, and jumped out as soon as Exavior stopped the truck. He caught up with her and they walked in together.
She ran quickly to Pat and hugged him. Exavior moved to one of the back pews, while Emily sat with the family up front. After the funeral, she rode in the limo to the grave site and wished she had taken Chevalier up on his offer to come with her. She felt alone as she watched her Aunt buried.
Emily rode back to the ranch with Alec, and was soon playing hostess to dozens of well-wishers who brought dinners and deserts with their tears. Emily was cried out, and welcomed them into the home, ignoring the way that Exavior sat silently and watched her every move. Things became tense when Jeff wheeled in, but he avoided Emily and Exavior and only stayed for a few minutes, just long enough to give his condolences to Alec.
Too soon for Emily, the guests stopped coming and she set about heating up dinner for those left, herself, Alec, Pat, and Exavior. Pat’s wife was expecting their first baby and wasn’t able to fly. She was supposed to be arriving the next evening.
Emily dished up the casserole and they all sat down to eat.
“I appreciate you two helping Dad. I couldn’t get here soon enough,” Pat said softly.
Exavior nodded, “Our pleasure.”
Emily glared at him briefly and then turned to Alec and Pat, “I’m glad I could come help family. I know I’m far away, but I think about you all the time.”
“How are things up north?” Pat asked.
“Good thanks, Allen is growing so fast. He’s already taller than I am, and Alexis is already 3.”
“How long are you staying?” Pat asked them.
“I’m going to be here for about a week. I promised to help with some of the paperwork,” Exavior said.
“I have to leave in the morning,” Emily said, ignoring Exavior’s glance.
After dinner, Emily opted to clean the kitchen instead of following the others into the living room. She had time to think about Jess and about the decision Alec was trying to make. She also wondered about how all of her secrets were getting out to the Valle. As soon as the kitchen was clean, she went to her bunkhouse and locked the door behind her.
Emily pulled out her phone and dialed Chevalier.
“Hi, Em,” Chevalier said.
“Hi, how’s it going?” Emily asked.
“Things are ok. Kyle told me about Exavior’s knowledge. We’re narrowing it down.”
“I should have let you come.”
“I can be there in a few hours.”
“No, I’m coming home in the morning, if there’s someone to come and get me.”
“Sure, meet Equites 2 at 10am.”
Emily nodded, knowing he couldn’t see her, but she was afraid her voice would give away the strain she was under. Strain from the round room, from Exavior’s advances, from Jess’s death, and Alec’s thoughts of turning into a heku.
Chevalier’s sighed, “Em… talk to me.”
“Do… you… you know… ever…” Emily couldn’t say it. She kept hearing Exavior say that it was a heku’s nature, and that all heku did it.
“Do what?” Chevalier asked.
“Never mind,” Emily whispered.
“No secrets. If you want to know if I’m doing something… just ask.”
“No, I think I’ve decided I don’t want to know.”
“That’s almost worse,” Chevalier said softly.
“There are some things in a heku’s nature that I don’t understand,” Emily said, quoting almost exactly.
“Meaning… what, exactly?”
“I love you.”
“I love you too, Em, and I wish you’d tell me what’s going on.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Emily hung up the phone and dropped it onto the floor before rolling over and falling asleep.
She was dreaming about fighting to get out of the round room when she heard a soft voice whisper next to her, “Shh, it’s ok.”
Emily’s eyes opened, and she pushed against Exavior, who was lying in bed next to her, “Get out.”
“No,” he said, and then kissed her, pressing his body against hers, so she couldn’t get away.
Exavior gently ran his hand down her side and around to the small of her back, and slipped it under her t-shirt, so he could feel her soft skin beneath his fingers.
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He finally broke the kiss, “I love you, Emily.”
“Get away from me.”
“I’m so much better for you than Chevalier. Why can’t you see that?”
Emily tried again to pull away from him, but his hands held her tightly, “I don’t see that because it’s not true. You’re more like Jeff, apparently, than Chev.”
A flash of anger passed Exavior’s face and then he smiled, “Nice try. I’m not in the mood to fight though.”
“If you don’t get away from me, I’ll ash you,” Emily warned.
“No you won’t. That would break the peace agreement,” Exavior said, and started to kiss her neck.
Emily stopped for a moment, analyzed Exavior’s weak points, and then made a quick decision where to strike. She knew she had only one chance before he restrained her, so she planned carefully and struck. Quickly putting her hands on his head, she turned it hard to the side. She heard the bones snap as he hissed and rolled away from her.
She sat up and scooted off of the bed, and was just standing when his hand shot out and grabbed her arm. His fingers dug into her flesh and crushed the bones beneath his grasp. Emily screamed in pain, and Exavior let go and sat up with fear in his eyes.
“Emily, I’m so sorry,” he said, and tried to help her, but he felt the burn start in his chest and fell back against the bed, gasping for breath. The burn ended quickly, but he took the warning and moved away from her.
Emily’s arm was already swelling and turning purple, and she groaned with the pain as she grabbed her cell phone from the floor.
“Emily, please, forgive me… I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
She turned and glared at him before leaving. The night air was cold, and all she had on was a big t-shirt. She looked around the dark lot and decided on Exavior’s truck. She crawled in and stepped on the gas, spinning out as Exavior watched her from the bunkhouse door.
Emily drove with her elbow as she dialed Chevalier’s number, “Em, what’s wrong?”
“Come… tell them to come now,” Emily whispered.
“Are you hurt?”
“Yes,” Emily whispered. “Please, come now.”
“We’re taking the jet. Meet us at the little airport outside of town, ok?”
Emily nodded and hung up the phone, then changed course and fought to stay focused as she drove out of the city toward the municipal airport. The throbbing in her arm was getting worse and it was swelling. Every small bump sent a jolt of pain through her arm and shoulder, and made her feel like she was going to pass out.
She drove Exavior’s truck across the field and onto the runway, and hoped the Equites would hurry. She knew that Exavior would first check for her at the helipad, but when he didn’t find her, she knew he would come and check here. She locked the doors and laid back on the seat, breathing through the agonizing pain.
Emily was only vaguely aware of an airplane landing nearby. The deafening roar was muted by the sound of her heart pounding in her ears. She opened her eyes when she heard the truck’s door torn off of the hinges, and soon found herself in Chevalier’s arms. He blurred her onto the plane and laid her down on the bed in the back as the pilot took off for Council City.
Kyle watched from the door as Dr. Cook gave Emily a pain medication and she felt the sharp pain dull slowly. The doctor started looking over her arm and hand.
“This is more than I can fix. We need to take her to an Emergency Room,” Dr. Cook told Chevalier. “This swelling, though, looks like a hand.”
Emily nodded, “Exavior broke it with his hand.”
Chevalier growled, “He did?”
“Yes, after I broke his neck,” Emily said with a slight smile. The medicine was making her relaxed and with the dulled pain, she was able to settle down.
“Why did you break his neck?” Chevalier asked, touching her face lightly.
“I can handle him. Tomorrow, I’m going to talk to Sotomar,” Emily said, her words slightly slurred.
“Tomorrow, you are going to be in bed,” Dr. Cook told her, and checked the pulse in her hand.
“I warned him, but he didn’t listen,” she said, and drifted off to sleep.
“Warned him for what?” Chevalier asked, and took her good hand. He felt a jolt and images flashed quickly through his mind, silent pictures showing the trip, everything from the funeral to the numerous advances by Exavior.
Chevalier hissed and the doctor looked at him with wide eyes. The Elder stood up, and clenched his fists, “I think Exavior and I need to have a talk.”
“What did he do?” Kyle asked angrily.
“He wouldn’t stop kissing her,” Chevalier said, and brushed past Kyle and tore a chair from the airplane floor.
The plane landed smoothly and Chevalier carried Emily onto Equites 1. They made arrangements with the hospital and used their helipad. Several nurses and doctors came out with a gurney and transferred Emily over to it. She was whisked away to the Emergency Room. Kyle went to fill out the paperwork, while Dr. Cook and Chevalier followed her to the curtained room.
An x-ray tech came and took multiple x-rays of her arm, and the doctor had them in his hand when he came into the room.
Emily watched him walk in, but her eyes felt heavy and she had a hard time concentrating on what he was saying.
“I’m Dr. Manney… I wanted to show you the x-rays,” he said, and put the x-rays up on the lit board. He glanced at Emily and back to the x-rays, “I’ve never seen a break like this. It looks like a crushing force injury.”
“Exavior did it,” Emily said softly.
“Who is Exavior?” Dr. Manney asked.
“My horse,” Kyle said, stepping into the room. “She tried to lasso him, but the rope caught on her arm.”
The doctor looked back at the x-ray and nodded, “Ok, I can see that now.”
Dr. Manny looked over his glasses at Kyle, “I’m going to cast her entire arm eventually, to see if those bones will fuse on their own. She’ll need to be seen in a month, so we can see if she needs surgery to correct it.”
Chevalier nodded, still focused on the x-ray.
“Course, I can’t cast it until the swelling goes down. So for now, I’m putting her on bed rest and leaving that arm alone. When the swelling’s down, we’ll cast it,” he finished.
Kyle nodded, controlling his temper.
“This is Dr. Cook, he’s on my staff and will be overseeing her care,” Chevalier said to Dr. Manney.
Dr. Manney looked at Dr. Cook curiously, “Ok, easy enough. I’ll send some pain pills and a few injections if you would like. She’ll need the cast for eight weeks, but again, I want to see her back in four weeks so we can x-ray and see if it’s healing properly.”
Dr. Cook took the medications from Dr. Manney and tucked them into his pocket, where Emily couldn’t see them, “I can cast it when the swelling goes down.”
Emily was still watching them all in a daze.
“Until then, just keep it still,” Dr. Manney said, and left the room.
The nurse came and ran though the instructions again with Dr. Cook, and then brought a wheelchair after refusing to let Chevalier carry Emily out. The nurse helped Emily into the wheelchair, and had her arm propped up on a pillow. Its grotesque swelling and purple color reflected what kind of pain she was in with every movement.
Mark pulled up in the Humvee when they arrived outside, and Chevalier put Emily inside and buckled her seat belt. He sat beside her and she leaned against his shoulder for the drive in to the palace.
Emily’s cell phone rang from Kyle’s pocket, and he grabbed it and sighed, “It’s Exavior.”
“I can’t even talk to him right now,” Chevalier growled.
“What?” Kyle asked over the phone.
“Where’s Emily?” Exavior asked.
“What do you care?”
Exavior whispered, “It was an accident.”
“You seem to have a lot of accidents,” Kyle said angrily.
“Just let
me talk to her.”
“She’s not able to talk right now, thanks to you,” Kyle said, and hung up.
“He says Kyle does it… and you do it…” Emily whispered softly.
“Do what?” Chevalier asked her, and Kyle looked over to see what she was talking about.
“I saw them… he said you all do it.” Emily’s voice was growing softer.
“Exavior did?”
Emily sighed softly, “Some things in... heku… nature…”
“She’s asleep,” Chevalier said, frowning. “Wonder what Exavior told her we do.”
“There’s no telling,” Kyle said, frustrated.
Mark pulled the Humvee up to the front doors and let them out, then disappeared into the garage as Chevalier carried Emily into the palace.
“Is Mom hurt?” Allen asked, running down the stairs to meet up with them.
Chevalier considered lying for a moment, but thought better, “She had a run in with a Valle.”
Allen frowned, “What happened?”
“She fought him, and he grabbed her arm and broke it,” Kyle told him.
Chevalier laid Emily down in bed and cringed when she cried out as her arm moved. He carefully placed her arm on a pillow and covered her up.
“I’m sorry… I’m always hurt,” Emily whispered.
Chevalier smiled, “It’s part of your charm, Em.”
“Tell Exavior… if he does it, I’ll kill him.”
Chevalier frowned, “If he does what?”
“We just got back from Powan,” Quinn said, stepping into the room. “Dare I ask what happened?”
“Exavior was…” Kyle glanced at Allen, “Pushy, as Emily once put it. She broke his neck, so he grabbed her arm and crushed the bones. She called us from New Mexico.”
“There’s more though,” Chevalier said, watching Emily. “He’s told her something that all of us do… and he’s doing something Em wants him dead for.”
“Pretty cryptic,” Zohn said. “Maybe drug induced.”
“She seemed pretty adamant about it,” Kyle said, and set Emily’s phone on the table.
Allen grabbed Alexis as she tried to jump on the bed.
“Is Mommy sick?” Alexis asked, looking down at her.
“She has a hurt arm,” Allen told her.
Proditor : Book 5 of the Heku Series Page 10