by I. T. Lucas
Bridget threw him a pitying look, then quickly masked it with her all-knowing doctor expression. “When you open yourself up to it, you’ll get it.”
She leaned over Calypso and gently started unwrapping the bandage over her forehead. “Look at this. It’s nothing more than a scratch. Give it a couple of hours, and it will fade completely. I bet her arm is going to be as good as new by the end of the day or tomorrow morning.”
“What is going to be as good as new?” Calypso asked.
“Your arm,” Bridget answered.
With her eyes still closed, Calypso smiled. “I’m dreaming, right?”
“No, you’re awake.” Bridget walked over to one of the cabinets and pulled out a mirror. “Take a look.” She handed it to her, then lifted the back of the bed to a reclining position.
Calypso opened her eyes, but it was too dark for her to see. Apparently, her eyesight was still human. “What am I looking at?”
“Get the lights, Brundar,” the doctor ordered.
He turned them up, but not all the way, there was no reason to flood the room with a bright light that would hurt Calypso’s eyes.
“Oh, wow. My bruises are gone. What did you give me, a magic potion?”
“Not a single thing.”
Calypso frowned and looked closer. “I thought the cut on my forehead was deep. But look at this, it’s only a scratch. I don't know why they made such a big fuss about it.”
Her mind was looking for an explanation within her frame of reference. Unless someone told her what was going on, she would never think in that direction.
But damn, where to begin?
Bridget took the mirror away. “Let me show you something, Callie.” She loaded a tray with a few packets of sterile gauze and a small surgical knife.
“Give me your hand.”
Calypso eyed the tray suspiciously. “What are you going to do?”
“A little test.”
She offered the doctor her uninjured hand. Bridget held it, palm up, then struck fast, making a tiny cut.
“What the fuck? Why did you do that?” Calypso tried to yank her hand out of Bridget’s grasp.
“Just look at the cut, Callie.” Bridget wiped the blood off with a gauze square.
It wasn’t closing as fast as it would for an immortal, but it was much faster than humanly possible. She was still transitioning, her body would probably get more adept at healing itself when the process was completed.
“I’m dreaming.” Calypso dropped her head on the pillow and closed her eyes. “Some really fucked up dreams. Where the hell is my brain coming up with that?” she mumbled, talking to herself.
Bridget rose to her feet and threw away the soiled gauze. “I did my part, but she is still in denial. Now it’s your turn.”
Brundar swallowed.
“Where do I start?”
“At the beginning, of course.” Bridget cast him a smile over her shoulder as she headed out the door.
Right. At the beginning.
Chapter 55: Callie
Bridget had told Brundar to start at the beginning. What had she meant by that?
The beginning of what?
Brundar sat on the bed next to Callie and kissed the palm Bridget had nicked with her wicked knife. “You’re not dreaming. This is all real, and after I explain, it will all make sense. But first, you need to drink some more. You were thirsty before you fell asleep again.”
“I still am.”
Heck, even if it was a dream, it was for sure interesting. She would play along and see what her mind was capable of inventing.
Brundar got up and walked over to the sink, filling her cup with tap water. “All the water in the keep is filtered.” He handed her a cup.
Did he say the keep? Like a castle? Both times Callie had been taken to this place, she hadn’t seen where it was. The first time she’d been blindfolded, the second time asleep. But from the one she’d been conscious for, Callie remembered that the drive wasn’t long. As far as she knew, there were no castles within driving distance of her old house.
“Thank you.” She gulped the contents in one go.
Brundar sat on the bed again and clasped her hand. “Remember how you wondered about my incredible recovery? It wasn’t because of some revolutionary new procedure. I heal fast because I am immortal. And so are Anandur and Bridget and every other member of my family. That is the real reason I couldn't be with you, and it’s also the reason Kian was so angry about us bringing you to the keep. Our existence must be kept secret from the human world. Can you imagine what would happen if word got out that there are people who don’t age?”
If they were real, they would be hunted and collected like the most precious treasure in the world, and experimented on. But of course, they weren’t. Brundar would have not been talking about it so openly either.
“So if it is such a big secret, why are you telling me about it now?”
“Some humans carry our dormant genes. They are very rare and almost impossible to find. Typically they exhibit some paranormal abilities, like precognition or telepathy.”
Callie frowned. “I remember you asking me if I had any.” Immortals were not a new concept, there were plenty of movies and books featuring some sort of creatures that couldn’t die, but she didn’t remember ever reading anything about Dormants, and it was unlikely that her mind had conjured that idea out of nothing. Could it be that it wasn’t a dream after all?
He nodded. “I was hoping against hope that you were one of these rare humans. Because if you were, I could activate those dormant genes and you would’ve turned immortal, which would have meant a possible future for us.”
Lifting her palm, Callie glanced at the spot Bridget had nicked with her surgical knife. It was completely healed as if it had never been injured. “Are you telling me that I am one of those humans who carry immortal genes and that you accidentally turned me into an immortal?”
She had one hell of an imagination to come up with a story like that. Nice story, though, where she and Brundar could live happily ever after. Forever. Which brought her back to the dream theory. This was the sort of fantasy she was capable of inventing.
“That’s exactly what I’m saying. The Fates have smiled upon me. There is no other explanation for you appearing in my life. Dormants are extremely rare, and finding a true love match is even rarer. It cannot be a coincidence.”
As crazy as it sounded, Callie held similar beliefs. From the very start, she’d felt that her meeting with Brundar had been fated. Except, she’d thought it had to do with him rescuing her from Shawn.
But what if the picture was bigger than that?
“What is the catalyst for activating those dormant genes?”
Brundar smiled. “Kiss me, and I’ll show you.” He lowered his head and took her mouth in a gentle kiss. She wrapped her good arm around his neck and held him close, savoring his warmth, his solid chest.
There was nothing in her world that compared to the feeling Callie got every time their bodies touched like that, and it wasn’t only the attraction. It was a coming together.
They were like two halves that needed to fuse in order to breathe easy.
“Open your eyes,” he said as he let go of her mouth.
The lights must’ve been playing tricks on her because it looked as if Brundar’s eyes were glowing from the inside.
And then he smiled.
“Oh, my God!” She pointed. “You have fangs.” Now Callie was certain she was dreaming.
“That’s what happens when I am aroused, or when I get aggressive. That’s why I insisted on the blindfold. Obviously, I couldn’t allow you to see me like this.”
Why did it make so much sense?
Maybe because she was the one making it up?
But what if all of it was real?
How would she know?
“Are you in shock?” Brundar asked when she remained quiet.
Callie shook her head. “I have to find a way to ascertai
n if I am dreaming or hallucinating. If this is real or not. But I can’t think of anything that would prove it beyond a shadow of a doubt. I often have very realistic dreams.”
“Would it help if I pinched you?”
“Not really. If pain were a convincing sign, then Bridget cutting into my palm would’ve been proof enough. I’ve dreamt about pain, and I’ve dreamt about pleasure, and both felt very real.”
Brundar rubbed his jaw. “If I tell you my clan’s history, and it will be a tale that you could’ve never imagined on your own, would you believe me then?”
“I have to hear it first.”
Brundar took in a deep breath. “I’m not the best at telling stories, but I’ll give it a try. The gods you’ve learned about in mythology were real. The furthest back our known history goes is ancient Sumer. The mother of our clan—”
More than an hour passed until Brundar was done with his story. And one hell of a story it was. Callie had about a thousand questions, but she’d asked none, listening to Brundar’s tale from beginning to end without interruptions. Here and there she’d tried to guess where the story was going, but most of the time had gotten it wrong, proving to herself that it wasn’t a product of her imagination.
“I have so many questions that I don’t know where to start.”
“Do you believe me, though? That this is not a dream?”
She nodded, fighting the tears stinging the back of her eyes. “It’s such a sad story. Poor Annani, to lose her one true love so tragically and then everyone else she’d ever loved. To be all alone in the universe. She was so incredibly brave.”
“Indeed, she is. But the most amazing thing about her is her heart and her joy in life. After all that she’d been through, she should’ve been bitter and jaded, but she is not.”
Callie hoped to meet the goddess one day, even if only to see her from afar. After all, it wasn’t likely that a powerful being like Annani would deign to talk to a simple ex-human like Callie. “Annani could be such a fantastic role model. Especially for girls. It’s a shame her story can’t be taught in schools.”
With a smile, Brundar pulled her into his arms for a gentle hug. “You’re amazing, Calypso. Always thinking of others. I’m so proud to call you my mate.”
She cleared her throat. “About that mate thing. Can we call it something else?”
Brundar pulled back, amusement dancing in his glowing eyes. “Would you prefer wife?”
“Is that a proposal?”
“Only if you want it to be.”
Chapter 56: Brundar
It wasn’t the most romantic proposal, even Brundar knew that. Calypso would probably say no, or not yet. She hadn’t grown up with the myth of a true love match, and she might not realize the gift they had been given.
In time, she would.
Except, with her history of being pushed into a marriage that had resulted in a catastrophe, she might never be ready.
It didn’t matter. Brundar didn’t need a ceremony to bind him to Calypso, or her to him. They were bound by much stronger forces than that.
Love and fate.
But she was so damn young.
What if she decided to follow the advice he’d given her about not rushing into another commitment before partying for a while?
Over his dead body, or rather that of any male she partied with, which now included his immortal clansmen.
He should dissuade her from that idea. “You don’t need to answer me yet. But just so you know, the venom is addictive. You’ll be repulsed by other males. Human and immortal alike.”
Calypso cupped his cheek. “Since you and I are never going to have other partners, that’s not a problem. You are it for me, and I am it for you.”
“So, is it a yes?”
“If you can find someone to marry us now, I’ll do it here in this hospital room with Bridget and the nurse as witnesses.”
He shook his head. “First, you need to get well, which fortunately is not going to take much longer now that you’re immortal, or rather on your way to becoming one. According to Bridget, it takes up to six months for the body to complete the transition.”
Calypso lay back on the pillows and closed her eyes. “Yeah, you’re right. I don’t want to black out in the middle of the ceremony. I keep falling asleep.”
“That’s because of the transition. The first stages wreak havoc on the body, and it tries to preserve energy by becoming inactive. You’re lucky to only fall asleep. Syssi was unconscious for over a day, and Andrew for several days.”
Calypso’s eyes widened. “Syssi was a human? No wonder she seemed so normal.”
“She was the first Dormant Amanda found. And what do you mean, Syssi seemed normal? Amanda and Bridget didn’t?”
“Not really. I felt a different vibe from them, same with you and Anandur.”
Brundar frowned. As far as he was aware, humans couldn't detect immortals unless they were showing glowing eyes and fangs. If something was giving them away, he needed to know about it. “Different in what way?”
“It’s hard to explain. I thought it was because you guys were all originally from Europe, and Europeans have a different vibe than Americans. But maybe that’s not it. I really can’t put my finger on it.”
“If you come up with something later, please let me know. Staying hidden and undetectable is crucial to our survival.”
“I’ll try. Maybe this is my special talent? Sensing immortals?”
“Could be. But, apparently, there is another Dormant here who exhibits no unique abilities. So maybe it’s not a prerequisite.”
When Calypso didn’t respond, Brundar realized she’d fallen asleep again. Except, now that he knew why this was happening, he was no longer worried. She needed the sleep.
Careful not to disturb the bed, he got up and walked out. Leaning against the wall of the reception room outside the recovery area, he pulled out his phone and called his brother.
Anandur answered before the first ring ended. “What happened?”
“Everything is all right,” Brundar calmed his brother. No wonder Anandur assumed he was calling with news of some disaster. He never called unless it was an emergency. “I have good news. Calypso is transitioning.”
Aside from Anandur’s heavy breathing, the line was silent for a long moment. “How?”
“Apparently, she is a Dormant.”
“Are you sure she is transitioning?”
“Positive. Bridget performed the cut test. Calypso blacked out while driving because she was transitioning. I thank the merciful Fates for her getting away with only minor injuries. She could’ve been killed.” His gut clenched uncomfortably at the thought.
“Right. But you were together for weeks, and I assume it wasn’t a platonic relationship.”
“Where are you going with that?”
“She should’ve transitioned a long time ago. Why only now?”
Brundar rubbed his jaw, trying to figure out what had been different about last week. Well, since he’d been staying with Calypso, they had been having sex more frequently. That could’ve been the difference. “Before my injury, we hadn’t had sex as often.”
“Nothing else?”
“Calypso started using birth control. Could that have anything to do with it?”
“What did you do before that? Did you thrall her every time to make her think you had protection?”
What kind of a man did his brother think he was?
“Of course not. I tried to keep the thralling to a minimum. I used condoms. And thanks to the blindfold, I didn’t need to thrall her after every bite either.”
“You need to tell Bridget. It might be important.”
“True. I also wanted to tell you that I asked Calypso to marry me and she said yes.”
“Yes!” Anandur shouted.
“Keep it down. Is Kian with you?”
“He and Syssi are taking a nap. But, bro, we no longer need to keep it a secret. Do you want me to tell him? Or do you wan
t to do the honors yourself?”
“I’d rather wait until he is back.”
“Do you have a date? Or is it just in the agreement stage?”
“You know who is here. It’s an opportunity.” Even though their sat phones were using a secured and heavily encrypted connection, Brundar preferred not to mention the goddess’s name.
“Right. Are you going to wait for me to come back?”
“Of course I will, you moron. I’m not getting married without you. Besides, Calypso needs to heal completely first, and then she would probably want to get a nice dress and maybe plan a party or something.”
“Aha, so it’s not that you are waiting for me to come back because you want your brother to be your best man. It’s all about a dress.”
Brundar chuckled. “Of course, it’s about the dress. You can’t come to my wedding wearing jeans.”
Anandur gasped dramatically. “Brundar, you told a joke! You are cured!”
Chapter 57: Jackson
It was the middle of the night when a small cloaked figure practically floated into the room and closed the door behind her. Even with the cloak’s hood hiding her face and her inner glow subdued, Jackson knew who it was.
He pushed to his feet and bowed. “Greetings, Clan Mother.”
“Shush.” Annani pulled the hood back and put a finger to her lips. “No one knows I am here.” She smirked. “I was supposed to stay in Kian’s penthouse, but I wanted to give my blessing to the new member of my clan. How is the girl doing?”
Jackson bowed again, moved by Annani’s concern for Tessa, a girl she’d never met. “Thank you. Tessa is doing well. She is sleeping.”
The goddess glided closer and put her hand on Tessa’s forehead. “She is not unconscious. This is good. I was worried, but I see that she is very young. The young fare better through the transition.”