by Deanna Chase
Cheney laughed, but Sebastian continued on seriously. “What else?”
“I did better when I was angry.”
“Why?”
“My Spidey senses kicked in.”
“I do not know what that means.” Sebastian looked to Cheney for translation, which made me smile—and notice my face muscles were the only muscles on my body not sore.
“I think she means her elven abilities,” Cheney explained. “But while that’s true, it isn’t entirely accurate. Your abilities are heightened whenever your emotions are heightened. You don’t have to be angry.”
This morning seemed like years ago, but I still blushed at the referral. Flirting with Cheney definitely brought my senses to life. “Why?”
“Because it’s harder to repress yourself when you’re focused on something else. You’re very singular in your thoughts and actions, princess. You don’t half do anything. Everything you feel consumes you. Take today for example. We could have stopped hours earlier—we both offered to quit—but you insisted we keep going.”
“That’s rather ironic since I’m made entirely of halves. Are you saying I can do anything I set my mind to?” I joked, hoping he’d stop looking so deeply at me.
“I’m saying you don’t know when to quit. You’ll die trying to do whatever you set your mind to.”
“Well, there’s a pleasant thought,” I said dryly.
“You need to think more carefully through the decisions you make.”
Deciding to become a changeling was what he was getting at, which made me bristle. I gave him a hard look. “I’m too tired to fight. Try not to instigate one.”
Sebastian laughed loudly, and both Cheney and I turned toward him. I hadn’t known Sebastian long, but he didn’t seem like the laughing sort.
“I don’t really see what’s funny about this.” Cheney glowered.
He wiped tears from his eyes. “It took Selene becoming a human to have enough sense not to argue with you.”
Cheney looked away. “Isn’t it about time you went home?”
I suffered the pain and kicked him under the table. “Don’t be rude.”
“It’s okay, Selene. I’m happy to see Cheney back to normal. However, Prince Cheney should take his own advice and think more carefully through the decisions he makes.” Sebastian stood up and gave me a half bow. “Until tomorrow.”
I abandoned my dinner, hobbled into the living room, and collapsed onto the couch. Cheney followed me in and sat in the chair.
“That was mean,” I said.
“I doubt Sebastian thought so.”
I propped myself up enough to see him. “It was still rude. What did he mean when he said you need to think through your decisions?”
Cheney leaned back and closed his eyes. “You’ll have to ask him.”
“Why are you deliberately difficult?”
“Selene, we have any of number of things we need to speak about. Why do you insist on discussing Sebastian?” He rubbed his temples.
Because I still didn’t know how I felt about the things he wanted to discuss. I collapsed back down. “You want to talk about the marriage thing? Is that why you kicked him out?”
He took a deep breath. “That depends. How mad are you? I’m not in the mood to argue either.”
“I don’t want to talk about it,” I said miserably, shutting my eyes and hoping I’d fall asleep and escape.
Cheney’s sigh was more annoyed than was humanly possible. “Figure out what you want. I can’t take this back and forth much longer.”
“Back and forth? I’m not back and forth.”
“You are the queen of vacillation.”
“I am not.”
“One moment you’re all over me, and the next you can’t stand to look at me.”
I covered my head with my arms. “If this is you not fighting, you suck at it.”
I heard Cheney walk out of the room and I almost felt bad—almost. Cheney may have been right about my being a tad bipolar when it came to him. I was struggling with past feelings coming back and current feelings that were building, but he should understand that. I had to sort all of this out before I could know how I really felt. God, he was irritating. Part of me felt ridiculously connected to him and wanted to be close to him all the time. Like now. Just having Cheney leave the room made part of me want to go look for him. But the other part of me blamed him for changing everything and wanted to lash out. I was happy before. I had a great boyfriend, great friends, and a promising career. Cheney messed up everything.
A few minutes later he came back and sat on the edge of the couch, much too close. “Drink this,” he commanded, handing me a juice glass filled with a foggy amber colored liquid.
I pushed myself up with some difficulty. “What is it?”
“Poison,” he said dryly.
“Oh, well, in that case.” I took the glass and tossed it back like a shot. Cheney’s eyebrows shot up and he broke out in laughter as I sputtered and coughed. “Holy crap, what was that? It tastes like peppery dirt with a spoiled milk aftertaste.”
“It was dirt.”
“What!”
“I’m kidding. It was a very potent tea that will help you sleep. You’ll feel better in the morning. Normally, it is sipped, but…”
I was woozy. The room was spinning with increasing velocity. “I’m going to be sick,” I choked out.
“No, you’re not. Just breathe. Don’t fight it.” Cheney looked completely unconcerned.
I lay my head against my knees, wishing he had given me poison. “You could’ve warned me.”
“I could have.”
I had plenty more to say on this subject, but my vision went black and I was dead to world.
Chapter 18
The next morning I woke up completely refreshed, without a sore muscle in my body. Whatever Cheney had given me tasted like shit, but it was well worth it. Cheney and Sebastian were talking again. I let my Spidey senses take over as I listened.
“Do you think this is a good idea, Cheney?”
“What choice do I have?”
“You know the other option.”
“That is not an option.”
“I understand how you feel, but she obviously doesn’t feel the same.”
“She’ll remember.”
“You can’t be positive. The fact that she hasn’t since the awakening, even with the bond, makes me think she might not regain her memories at all. Whatever the old witch did, I don’t know if we can undo it. You saw her yesterday. She fought like a human. This changes everything.”
“Don’t forget she had moments where the elf came through. She will remember. She has to,” Cheney insisted.
“Let her go and deal with the problem at hand.”
“No. She’s still in there.”
“I hope you’re right, for all our sakes.”
“We have to try harder. You can’t coddle her. Selene does best when she’s challenged. Something will trigger her memories. We just have to find it.”
I no longer wanted to eavesdrop. Why did I have to remember? I was here. I was doing what they wanted me to do. Why wasn’t that enough? They could look for triggers until the moon fell from the sky. I would never stop fighting this. I got out of bed and dug through my suitcase until I found something acceptable to wear.
When I opened my door, they immediately went silent. I ignored both of them and went to the kitchen. I pulled spinach, a banana, strawberries, almond milk, cranberry juice, and vanilla yogurt out of the fridge, then started opening cabinets looking for a blender.
“Can I help you find something?” Cheney asked from the doorway.
“Is there a blender in this Godforsaken place?”
He went to the correct cabinet and pulled it out for me.
“Thank you,” I said curtly.
Cheney leaned over the other side of the counter, casually watching me. I blended my green smoothie until it was smooth and poured it into the largest glass I could find.
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Cheney’s nose scrunched. “You’re really going to drink that?”
“It’s better than the dirt you made me drink last night.”
“But you feel better”
“Much better.”
“Then it did its job. What exactly does that do?”
“It gives me vitamins and minerals and increases my energy.”
“It looks like something scraped off a pond.”
“Says the man who eats Gark. Don’t knock it until you try it.”
Cheney held out his hand, and I gave him my glass. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but it’s actually not half bad.”
I smiled despite myself. “Give my drink back. It’s delicious and you know it.” I went into the living room and sat in one of the chairs, crossing my legs. “So what’s on the torture menu for today? Limb stretching, splinters under my fingernails, electroshock therapy?”
“Conditioning and awareness,” Sebastian said, ignoring my comments.
“What exactly does that entail?”
“You’re going to run through the woods and try not to get hit with darts.”
“You’re joking.”
“No.” His eyes were grave, and he didn’t look like he liked the idea any more than I did.
“I take it these aren’t foam darts.”
“Not exactly, but they aren’t poisoned either,” Cheney said with a smile.
“Ah, a compromise,” I said dryly. “And why am I doing this?”
“You need to be battle ready,” Cheney said, and Sebastian looked at his hands.
“Like a literal battle?”
“Hopefully not. But there’s a possibility, and I want you to be able to defend yourself. I’d prefer not to lead a lamb to slaughter.”
“And this would be with the rebel people? I still don’t understand why they want to kill me.”
“They won’t just let you help us.” I hated that I had to make so many life-altering decisions when I didn’t understand the situation.
“You were always a good fighter, Selene,” Sebastian offered. “You need to embrace that part of yourself.”
“Oh, is that all I need to do?”
Sebastian nodded earnestly. He really didn’t follow my mood very well. Cheney, on the other hand, walked a safe distance away. “How’s Gram doing?”
“Well. The rebels haven’t made any other moves against her. I’m sure they’re still watching her house and hospital room though.”
“Is she safe?”
“As long as they don’t feel they can use her against you she is. They don’t know she’s your family, and hopefully they’ll conclude she isn’t enough temptation to get you into their trap.”
Sebastian frowned at Cheney.
“Great,” I grumbled and swallowed the last of my smoothie. I took the glass into the kitchen and rinsed it before returning to the living room. “I’m ready.”
They led me to the edge of the woods behind the house. “Your goal is to make it to the other side without getting hit. You can take any path and use any strategy you like. You will not see us,” Sebastian told me.
“Good luck,” Cheney said with a wicked grin and they both disappeared.
“Fantastic.” I contemplated going back in the house but talked myself out of it. I didn’t want anyone else I loved to be hurt or, worse, killed because of me. I stared into the forest, trying to decide what path to take.
Cheney’s voice rang out. “The Selene I knew was never this big a chicken.”
All thoughts of plans and strategies evaporated. I took off into the woods in a zigzag pattern, keeping close to the trees. The first dart hit me, sticking out of my thigh at an odd angle. “Son of a bitch.” I stopped to pluck out the dart, only to be hit with three more. Right—no stopping.
I took off, running faster. Darts whizzed past me and into me as I ran. They stung, but mostly I could ignore them. I came to the edge of the woods, panting for breath and looking like a porcupine. I wanted to collapse, but I was riddled with little darts.
“Did you miss any of them, princess?” Cheney taunted from behind.
“Thanks for not hitting my face,” I said calmly as I removed darts out of my arms and legs.
Cheney gently pulled darts from my back. “We don’t want to hurt you. Just do better.”
I read between those lines—just be her. “How many are still in me?” I asked.
“One more—there, done,” he said, resting his hand on my shoulder. I jerked away from him and lay on the ground. My body tingled, and my feelings were hurt.
“Are you ready to go again?” Sebastian asked, emerging from the woods.
“Aren’t you going to give me a critique?” I stalled.
“Don’t get hit,” he offered.
I pushed myself off the ground. “I don’t like either of you very much. The other me must have been insane.” Then I sprinted off before they had a chance to get to their hiding spots, understanding too personally what the fox in a foxhunt must feel like.
I ran as hard as I could, but the darts found their way to their favorite pin cushion regardless. I stumbled over a root and pitched forward at full speed. This is going to hurt. I braced myself to be impaled on the fifty darts currently protruding from me, but instead of hitting the ground, two hands caught me and set me back on my feet.
I looked at Cheney. “That was close.”
“This exercise is finished, Sebastian,” he called out and starting plucking darts from me again. “I’m sorry,” he said. “We shouldn’t have done this. It’s too dangerous.”
“It wouldn’t have killed me to fall. They aren’t very long. It would’ve just hurt—a lot.”
“You aren’t doing this again,” he commanded.
“I can do it. I just need to keep practicing.”
“What if one of our darts strays and hits you in the neck? No, this is a bad exercise. I should have thought about it more, considered your limitations.”
“You mean your limitations. You’re the one worried about your aim.” I shrugged, faking indifference. Why did I want to impress him so much? When he drew a line in the sand, why did I feel compelled to cross it?
“You’re impossible.”
“Kettle, it’s so nice to see you again.”
Cheney shook his head, not amused. “No more today. You can try again later.”
I looked down at my shirt. It was covered with little pin pricks of blood, and trails of blood ran down my arms. “I look like I survived a slasher film.” Cheney reached towards me to transport us out of the woods, but I dodged him. “Let’s walk.”
He nodded and fell in step with me silently.
“I don’t mean to go back and forth—or to give mixed signals,” I told him quietly, his words from the night before still nagging me.
“Then stop doing it.”
“Try to see this from my point of view. You already feel like you know me. We have a history to you. We’ve had those first dates, those long conversations, and the excitement of getting to know one another. I haven’t had any of that. I have a few stray memories and a lot of rootless feelings. Yes, part of me wants to jump right in with you and see what happens, but another part of me just wants to go home.”
Cheney didn’t respond. We walked in silence until we reached the edge of the tree line where Sebastian waited. “You okay?” he asked me.
“I’m fine.”
“We’re done for today, Sebastian,” Cheney said.
If Sebastian thought that was strange in any way he didn’t betray it. He nodded and disappeared. Cheney and I headed into the house.
“I’m going to take a shower, wash off some of the blood,” I said as I walked toward my bedroom. While I was drying my hair, there was a knock on my bedroom door. I answered in my towel. “Cheney?”
His eyes traveled up and down my body slowly. His gold eyes met mine. “I brought you this.” He handed me a small jar with no label. “It will help heal the marks left by the darts.”
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br /> “Thanks.” I took the jar.
“Also, I’ve been thinking about what you said and you’re right. I haven’t approached this correctly. I would like to start over and ask you out on a proper date.” He gave me a sexy half smile and his untamed eyes made my heart stutter.
“I would like that.”
Chapter 19
A date with Cheney. This was either a very good or a very bad idea. I unpacked my suitcase, putting the clothes in drawers so they wouldn’t wrinkle any further, while I thought.
I had no idea where he’d take me. I couldn’t imagine Cheney in a suit, at a club, or really in any public place. I stuck my head out the bedroom door. “Cheney?” I said at a conversational volume, not wanting alarm him.
He appeared around the corner of the kitchen, pulling a cell phone from his ear, raising his eyebrows at me.
“Sorry. Where exactly are we going?”
He only smiled and disappeared back into the kitchen. He wasn’t going to tell me. Jerk. I eyed the clothes still strewn across my bed. Somewhere in the mess, there was the perfect outfit. I just had to find it. I took the cream Cheney gave me and absentmindedly smeared it on every red mark on my legs, arms, and body that I could reach as I inspected my choices.
Finally I pulled out a pair of snug black pants and a mauve silk and chiffon strapless top with a sweetheart neckline and a ribbon accenting the waist. The outfit was simple and easy to move in yet alluring. In my bathroom, I was amazed to find that every single mark I’d put the cream on was healed. I finished my hair and makeup.
Cheney was still on the phone when I entered the living room, but he’d changed into a pair of dark jeans and a crisp white button up shirt that complimented his muscular arms and chest. He looked back at me and the phone disappeared from his hand. “You look lovely.” He produced a bouquet of sunflowers.
“My favorite,” I said. Cheney smiled and I had a sinking feeling. “But you already knew that, didn’t you?”
He shrugged. “Tonight we aren’t talking about what I know about you. Let’s call it a lucky guess.”
I smiled. “Will you do me a favor?”
“Anything.”
I handed him the jar of cream he’d given me. “I can’t reach all the spots on my back. Do you mind?”