Asanni

by J. F. Kaufmann

  Instead of paneling, the walls were painted in warm, deep coral pink, complementing the dark wood of the window frames and doors. The shiny mahogany furniture was light and elegant, and the thick Oriental carpets were in rich colors. Delicate white lace curtains allowed the outside light to pour inside in abundance. Several well-chosen watercolor paintings complimented the lightness of the interior.

  THE BRANDON brothers had decided to drive back to Red Cliffs the same day, and after lunch they took off in Jack’s car.

  “I’m having second thoughts about leaving my car here,” Astrid said later as she parked her beloved cobalt-blue Accord in the garage. “It’s a perfectly good car, it’s served me well, and I could use it in Red Cliffs.”

  “And it complements the color of your eyes, that’s why you bought it in the first place,” Jack said, laughing. “How many miles did you make in the last year?”

  “Close to three hundred. Well, I like walking.”

  “I’ll buy you a new car when we come back home. Something more compatible with your personality.”

  “Really?” Astrid clasped her hands and smiled happily. “I’m curious to see what you’ll choose.”

  “You’ll see.”

  Astrid smiled. Two weeks ago, it would have been impossible for her to accept a car as a present from anyone. Today it made her happy.

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Astrid

  MY UNCLE completely monopolized my attention, but he was so visibly happy that I didn’t have the heart to deny him that pleasure. He’d been waiting for years to meet me, and he wasn’t shy about showing me his affection. He couldn’t take his eyes off me, he held my hand, he smiled, gently, fondly, studying my eyes and my face.

  “You look so much like your father, Astrid,” he said in a thick voice, and I suddenly realized that James had never completely gotten over his brother’s death. Perhaps now, when he knew that a part of Hal, alive and solid, was going to stay close to him, he could finally let his sorrow go.

  JAMES MOHEGAN was a good-looking man. He had short, dark hair, peppered with grey here and there. His eyes were moss-green and his face bold and big-featured, with a prominent nose, high cheekbones, firm lips and energetic chin. Almost as tall as Jack, his frame was more brawny and robust: strong head, powerful neck and shoulders and muscular arms and legs. The few extra pounds he carried didn’t make him even a bit less attractive; oddly enough, they only seemed to add to his manliness. His dominance was so evident that it was almost palpable, and he wore it as naturally as his skin. It was everywhere: in his impressive physique, his voice, his movements, his posture. It was simply him. It suited him so well that I wondered if he was indeed ready to give up his position and power.

  I moved my eyes to Jack. Equally indisputable, although not so obviously displayed, Jack’s authority was of a different kind. James was like a thunderstorm; Jack was like the steady yet unstoppable force of a mighty river.

  James looked as if he was in his late thirties, except for the moments when his eyes softened, which happened every time he looked at me. Then he seemed young, even younger than Jack. He asked me question after question: about my life in Rosenthal, my job, going back further and further into the past. He inquired about my studies, the years I spent in Europe, my wizard powers, then came back to the last change I went through and the attack that followed. And then the whole cycle would start again. All the time, he was careful not to mention my mother or the events after she’d left my father.

  From the corner of my eye, I could see Jack talking to his mother, and the Blakes engaged in a lively conversation with my grandparents. Jack threw occasional glances in my direction, but didn’t join us.

  “Your house is ready, sweetie, but Betty and I hope you’ll stay with us,” my uncle said.

  “I would like that. We’ll have more time to get to know each other,” I said and smiled. I didn’t like the prospect of being alone in a big, unknown place full of memories that were not even mine. Jack wouldn’t be around much anyway, and even if he was, he wouldn’t stay with me in my house or I in his.

  During dinner, I was seated between Arnaldur and Uncle James. Jack sat on the opposite side. I longed to touch him, just briefly, to feel the warm tide of our connection. Since we’d arrived, we’d been separated, and my mind and body silently protested.

  “Morgaine’s son is coming to train you in martial arts,” my uncle said casually. “It was Jack’s idea to train you in human fighting techniques.”

  Jack arched his eyebrows. “My idea was about me training Astrid,” he said sharply. “And then somebody upgraded it with young Nakamura.”

  “Arnaldur actually suggested it,” Betty Mohegan said in a stern voice. “It’s a good solution, Jack.”

  My uncle looked at Jack. “For the next few months you won’t be around enough to train Astrid, you know that, son.”

  “For the next two months, James,” Jack said. “That’s all you get. And then Astrid’s moving in with me. Astrid.” He turned to me. “Takeshi Nakamura is a bujutsu master. I assume he’ll teach you various combat techniques.”

  “I didn’t know Ellida Morgaine had a son,” I said.

  “His father’s a werewolf, Hayato Nakamura,” Jack said.

  “Morgaine will complete your wizard training,” my grandfather said, “and teach you things that you can only learn from another Ellida. I’m sorry, Astrid, that we didn’t teach you more.”

  “Oh, grandpa, don’t be silly,” I said. “You did what you thought was best for me. I never wanted to know more until recently, and only because it became necessary. I always wanted to have an ordinary life. Now I’ll learn whatever I need to.” I smiled. “Besides, you who taught me the Fire Spell, and I’m so grateful for that particular skill.”

  “So am I, Astrid. So am I.”

  Ella gave her husband a sharp look. “I was wondering how she knew it! So it was you, Arnie. Well, I suppose I’m glad you did teach her. What else did you teach her that I don’t know?”

  My grandpa winked at me. “This and that, nothing she didn’t need, right, Astrid?”

  “I’ve asked Arnaldur to work with you on your metal skills,” James said. “What do you say about that, sweetie?”

  “But that’s wonderful! You two are coming with me to Red Cliffs?! Why didn’t you say anything? Oh, I can’t believe it!”

  My grandma squeezed my hand. “Not right away, darling. Later, in summer.”

  “Oh. All right, then,” I said, happy and disappointed at the same time.

  Ella leaned over to Tristan. “How much longer are you going to stay in Rosenthal, now that Astrid’s gone?”

  “When I delivered that short farewell speech at the hospital, I also wanted to mention that I’ve accepted another position,” Tristan said. “But I didn’t have the heart to do it. Everybody was so upset by Astrid’s leaving. The staff adored her, you know. I’ll tell them in a week or two.”

  “Who would’ve guessed I’d miss Rosenthal?” Liv said. “It didn’t look like much when we arrived there a year ago, but all in all, we had a good time, right Astrid?”

  “I had a meltdown of epic proportions today when we left town. I cried my eyes out,” I said. “I liked my job.” I paused, looked at Jack and continued, “And the fact that I really didn’t need a car. I liked my little house, my patients. Mrs. Fontaine, for example, whose husband was a former Rosenthal mayor. She used all her influence to get invited to the farewell party, which didn’t include my former patients, prominent citizens or not.”

  Jack laughed. “She pulled me aside and told me I almost came too late to Rosenthal because she was determined to match Astrid with her grandson,” he said. “‘If I’d just had one more month,’ she said to me, ‘you would’ve left Rosenthal empty-handed, young man.’”

  “Oh, I know all about her grandson. She even showed me his photos. He’s in Singapore, he is a manager of a bank there, and hasn’t come home for almost two years, she said. I think her idea was t
o use me as a decoy to drag him back. She raised him, you know. And then there’s Sheriff McLaren. His wife Molly is my favorite nurse. His sister Gellie is a paramedic and she’s in love with Molly’s brother Sam Spencer, the Deputy Sheriff; Sam’s little boy, Jake; Mr. Hoffmann, who liked to play chess with me in the common room while he was recovering. His daughter gave me a huge discount on car insurance.”

  “As if you ever needed one.” Jack chuckled.

  “And who always baked lemon meringue pie for you?” Liv said.

  “Ah, Mrs. Frazer. I mentioned once how much I liked lemony desserts.”

  “For a wizard with less than perfect social skills, people liked you just fine,” Liv said, laughing.

  “Who could resist her?” Tristan said and patted my cheek.

  THE RELAXED conversation around the table continued. Only Jack was more quiet than usual. I longed for him, and no matter how much I liked being with my family, I missed the time we’d spent together.

  I was aware of his mother’s occasional glances, and tried to be myself as much as I could. Betty Mohegan wasn’t a person who would take someone else’s opinion for granted; she wanted to come to her own conclusion.

  I didn’t think the fact that Rowena was my mother bothered her at all. She wanted to see if the girl her son brought home was the right person for him: decent enough, good enough, smart enough. As far as she was concerned, the fact that I was the clan’s Ellida, a wizard, a doctor, was irrelevant. She was determined to see beyond that: she wanted to know if I was going to make her son happy. She would smile at me, gently and pleasantly, and I was certain she knew that I knew what she was doing, but beyond that, her expression was unreadable. I would know when she was done with her evaluation, and I could only hope she would like what she found.

  With her deep insight into human nature, Liv was also correctly reading Betty’s gentle smiles and discreet looks, and skillfully controlled the conversation. Without making her intentions too obvious, she let Tristan or my grandparents tell the little stories of my life, introducing to my werewolf relatives an Astrid she loved and respected: compassionate, gentle, hardworking, emotional, in short, a good, decent being. Tristan immediately figured out what Liv was doing and backed up her story. I was deeply touched by my friends’ support and love.

  “I’M TAKING Astrid to Seattle tomorrow,” Jack suddenly announced before James and Betty retired to their room. “She needs to buy some warm clothes and pick up something from her condo.”

  I nodded, hoping that I didn’t look too surprised. He hadn’t mentioned anything about going to Seattle.

  Tristan, who’d just come back from the garage with a suitcase in his hand, said, “Liv and I’ll go with them.”

  “Is my room ready?” I said.

  “It’s always ready, love,” my grandmother said and kissed my hair.

  I sighed. “Before I have time to see you properly, I’ll be gone again.”

  “I’m so happy we’re coming to Red Cliffs, Astrid. We’ve missed you so much.”

  My chest tightened. “Oh, Ella, I’ve missed you, too,” I said and gently tucked a stray lock of her soft blond hair behind her ear.

  My beautiful grandmother. To James, Hal and I could be two peas in a pod, but there was lots of Ella in me. She was tall and slim, with the same dark blue eyes, although Hal had them, too. Ella’s golden-blond hair, a shade lighter than mine, was a mass of thick locks that shone like a halo around her pretty head. I also had her straight, narrow nose, a tiny bit longer than current fashion required, but nice and feminine nonetheless. With her perfectly smooth skin, her vibrancy and vitality, she looked too young to be my mother, let alone my grandmother.

  There was little of my mother in me, though. In a physical sense, my mother greatly resembled Arnaldur. According to the few photos I had, she was also dark haired with almond shaped gray eyes and an oval, well-proportioned face. The most beautiful part of her stunning face was her lips: full, soft, wide, perfect.

  She was tall, womanly and beautiful. But no matter how hard I stared into her eyes in those photos, I was never able to decipher the true expression they held. They appeared serious and mischievous, warm and ironic, inquiring, intriguing, sensual, all at the same time. There was nothing mean in them, and that was the only thing I was sure about. Through the years I’d learned how to hide my pain deep inside me, only to be crushed by its unbearable magnitude every time I looked at her picture.

  Ella’s voice cut through my painful thoughts. “We’ve tried to protect you, and it almost backfired. Thank God your grandfather was smarter than I when it came to your training.”

  “Ella, please don’t. Try to see the big picture: I found Jack. That’s far more than I’ve ever hoped for. We are not going to have this conversation again. I’m happy you’re coming to spend some time with me. I need you.” I tenderly kissed Ella’s cheek and gently yet firmly closed the subject.

  My grandfather joined us, bringing his familiar, dear scent, subtly mingled with Aramis Tuscany, his favorite cologne, the same one Jack liked to use. The three of us sat in the salon. The rest were already in their rooms.

  “Ingmar came a couple of times,” he said. “He was upset because we didn’t want to tell him anything about your whereabouts. He went to Africa, but he phoned from there every week, I’ve already told you that. And then he came again a few days ago to tell us he’d seen you.”

  I smiled, remembering Ingmar’s unexpected visit. It seemed so long ago. “He just showed up one evening in Rosenthal. I told him what was going on,” I said. “He offered to help.”

  “Yes, he said that. That’s Ingmar. I’m not surprised.”

  WE CONTINUED chatting until well after midnight. “Astrid,” my grandmother said, “you’re still recovering from the last change. You should go to sleep.”

  I’m a twenty-six-year old woman, Ella, I wanted to say. I don’t need to be sent to bed.

  I sighed. I’d be always their little girl, even when I was one hundred and twenty six.

  “You’re right, Ella.” I sighed. “I do feel a bit tired. It’s been a long day.”

  I kissed them both and went to my old room.

  I didn’t bother to undress and just lay across the covers; I wasn’t sleepy or tired at all. I went over the whole afternoon again: James and his evident delight upon seeing me, Jack’s mother and her gentle, inquiring eyes, Jack’s unusual quietness, my grandparents and their irrational feeling of guilt, Liv and Tristan’s display of loyalty and love.

  I could sense them all, scattered in different rooms. James and Betty were in the east wing, Jack’s room was beside theirs. The Blakes were on the west side, with me. Had anybody released them from their bodyguard duty? I hugged the pillow, my thoughts drifting back to Jack.

  This time I didn’t even have his jacket with me.

  MY SHARPENED senses detected faint traces of my own scent from long ago, lingering in the room of my childhood and youth. I opened the window and peeked outside, onto the familiar landscape. The oak tree now reached almost to the roof. I remembered it being much smaller when I was a child.

  The night was cool and quiet, and smelled of earth and rain. “One more place to leave too soon,” I whispered and swallowed back tears.

  A barely audible knock on the door brought me back. “It’s me, Astrid. May I come in?” I heard Liv’s soft whisper.

  I opened the door and she stepped in. “Jack asks if you could do whatever you did the night he arrived to Rosenthal. To leave your aura here.”

  I smiled. “Sure. But why?”

  “Then do it, he’ll tell you why. By the way, our car is parked behind the gate, but make sure you muffle the engine, just in case. Don’t stay too long,” she said with a soft chuckle and disappeared.

  I did as Jack had asked me and sat on my bed, waiting, leaving the door ajar. Sure thing, he came in within a minute, and closed the door behind. He pulled me to his chest.

  “You’re still dressed, that’s good. Let’s go,
” he said.

  “Where? What are you up to, Jack Canagan?” I whispered, burying my nose into his neck. It didn’t look like we were going anywhere any time soon. “Oh, I missed you. Don’t forget to leave your jacket here later,” I whispered.

  “We’re going out. On our first date. I know a couple of restaurants that are still open.”

  “Jack, I don’t think I can soundproof the whole house so quickly. What if they catch us?” I giggled while I cast the spell that would leave our outlines in our rooms. I felt as if I was fifteen again.

  “They won’t,” he said. “We’ll go through the window. Just leave it open so that we can come back the same way, if necessary.”

  And with that, he walked to the window and jumped down. I gasped, my heart stopped. In two long strides I was beside the window peeking out, half expecting to see him sprawled on the ground. He smiled at me from below, his white teeth flashing in the dark. “Jump, I’ll catch you,” he whispered.

  And I did, without a second thought, and landed right in Jack’s firm embrace.

  “Are you rebelling against your father? Aren’t you a little bit too old for that?” I whispered, suppressing a laugh.

  “I didn’t do much of it when it was time for it. It seems I’ve got a chance to catch up with my rebellion in the next few months. Come, Tristan’s car is right over there.”

  “He let you drive his beloved Mercedes?”

  “The other option was to steal James’ rental. Let’s go.”

  We took off, leaving the quiet house and its sleeping inhabitants behind, and spent the next several hours in the city wrapped in night, neon and rain.

  Chapter Thirty-Six