Wanderers 4: A Tough Act to Follow (The Wanderers)

by Richard Bamberg

  Rafe and Cris stood and the two Wanderers briefly shook hands. I was surprised that Rafe would even consider shaking hands with him. I couldn’t get it out of my head that Rowle was the enemy the one who’d tried so hard to instigate Ragnarök. It amazed me that Rafe seemed to be willing to accept Rowle’s claim to have changed.

  They released hands and Rowle nodded to Cris and then to me. “Goodnight, ladies, I hope you have a pleasant rest. Alex will show you to your rooms.”

  “Thank you, goodnight, Rowle,” Cris said.

  I merely returned the old Wanderer’s nod and tried to keep the disgust I felt from showing on my face.

  Rowle walked out of the great room toward a wide hallway that disappeared in darkness into the back of the house. A few seconds later, I saw a light come on and then a door shut, cutting it off as quickly as it had appeared.

  The four of us stood still, gazing at one another. Finally, Cris broke the tension that had filled the room with Rowle’s departure. “I’m not really sleepy, but I would like to freshen up. Alex can you show me where I can?”

  “Certainly,” Alex said with a nod as a smile crept back to his face. “You know, I am really pleased to meet you, Cris. I was looking forward to becoming your apprentice.”

  Cris returned his smile. “And I was looking forward to having someone Rafe recommended as an apprentice. I think a lot of your father and I would do anything for him.”

  Alex’s smile faded when she mentioned Rafe in that context. He glanced nervously at Rafe and I could feel the uncertainty coming off him in waves. I gave his hand a little shake and then brought the back of it to my lips, kissing it softly and suggestively. Turning toward me, Alex’s smile returned.

  Then his eyebrows furrowed. “Ah, I’m not sure what the sleeping arrangements are among you three. I had understood that Rafe and Cris were, ah, lovers before you came along Tess, but now I understand that the two of you–”

  I giggled softly and leaned forward to kiss him on the lips. “Don’t worry; I’m sleeping with you tonight. Rafe has Cris to keep him warm and I want you to myself.”

  His smile brightened at my words.

  Good, I didn’t want him thinking about the fact that I’d slept with both him and his father. Besides, there was a good chance that I could convince him that he’d be better off with Rafe and me than with Rowle.

  I know, it makes me sound like a conniving little tramp, but I liked Alex and I didn’t want to see him with Rowle. I didn’t trust that man any farther than I could throw him.

  Chapter 42

  Raphael

  The storm seemed to be strengthening as darkness fell. As the old saying goes, twas not a decent night for man nor Beast. I was glad he and Maia were in the barn.

  Tess and Alex were snuggled together on one end of the couch, doing a light petting that I tried to not see. Cris and I had kicked off our boots and pulled chairs up closer to the hearth, mostly so our backs would be to the other two. We’d finished a third bottle of wine between us and I was relaxed for a change. If someone had told me two days ago that I’d be sitting in Rowle’s home, drinking his wine, I’d have thought them insane. It’s a crazy life Wanderers lead.

  I felt a hand on my shoulder and looked up to see Tess staring down at me. I felt her quest for my mind and we meshed.

  *What’s up?* I asked.

  *I, ah, I wanted to know how you feel about me spending the night with Alex,* Tess said across our meshed link.

  *How I feel? Tess, you needn’t worry about how I feel.*

  *I know you’ve said that we could each have our own lovers, but after Cris dropping that bombshell of our feelings, I wasn’t sure that would still apply, particularly with your son and me.*

  *That’s sweet of you to consider me, but you are a Wanderer, Tess. Even if you are an apprentice, you are a Wanderer and Wanderers decide where they sleep and with whom. My feelings for you will not change based on your desires for someone else, even my son. You may have whatever dalliance you wish. It won’t change my role as your mentor or my role as your lover whenever you will have me.*

  She gave me a warm smile and nodded. *I understand, Rafe. My feelings are the same toward you, nothing you could do, or no one you could do, would affect my relationship with you.*

  Tess glanced toward Cris who was holding my left hand and ignoring our private conversation. *You know she can’t stay with us for long.* It wasn’t a question.

  *I know and she does as well. No matter how much the three of us might like to be together, Wanderers have to travel their own roads.*

  Tess nodded. *Then enjoy her company while you can.*

  She dropped the meshing and I turned my attention back to Cris.

  “Wanderer stuff?” Cris asked.

  I smiled and nodded. “Yep, Wanderer stuff.”

  She leaned into me and her lips met mine.

  I heard movement behind us and Tess said, “We’re going to bed. Goodnight, Cris, goodnight Boss.”

  “Goodnight, Tess,” Cris and I said in unison.

  “Goodnight, Cris, goodnight Rafe. Ah, is it all right if I still call you Rafe? Calling you Dad just seems…”

  “Rafe is fine, Alex,” I said. “Goodnight to you, too. Come on, Cris. We should probably get to bed also.”

  Alex and Tess disappeared behind the thick wooden door to one of the two guest bedrooms on the main floor. As the door closed, I could hear giggling. I wasn’t sure I’d ever get used to hearing a Wanderer giggle. Cris and I stood in stocking feet, my hand around her waist, in the hallway at the entrance to our own assigned bedroom. We watched their door for a few seconds as the giggling faded into less distinguishable sounds.

  I felt her body turn against mine and I met her gaze.

  “Well, I guess those two are getting busy,” Cris said.

  “Please, that’s my son you’re talking about,” I said as I lowered my lips to hers.

  Cris put her arms around me and pulled me into our own guest room. We moved slowly at first, but with increasing haste as we shed clothes and tumbled onto the bed. The last couple of nights, between attacks by Greek Titans, had been filled with frantic sex. Tonight was more subdued. Considering the few times we’d actually had sex together, we moved more like a couple who were well acquainted with each other’s bodies and pleasures.

  Later, relaxing in the afterglow, we cuddled together until Cris dragged me from the bed and into the shower. We took turns bathing each other, cleaning all those marvelous nooks and crannies we’d previously explored together. When it looked like our shower was going to turn into another sexual escapade, we turned off the water and stepped out.

  Cris insisted on drying me first and it was all I could do to keep my hands to myself as she ran the plush terrycloth over my skin. When I finally got my chance to return the favor, Cris pushed me away. She dropped the damp towel over my up raised member. She picked up another towel and wrapped it around her as she moved toward the bedroom. “No, that’s enough for now. I’m tired. We hardly got any sleep at all last night.”

  “Sleep? Who needs sleep?” I asked as I tossed the towel aside.

  “What the hell.”

  “What’s wrong?” I asked hurrying to the bedroom.

  “Who in the hell made the bed?”

  I stopped beside her. The bed was laid out like a swanky hotel. The turned down sheets looked crisp and clean, nothing like the smelly damp ones we’d just abused. The only thing missing was mints atop the pillows.

  “Well, I’ll be damned,” I said. “It looks like Rowle has some kind of spell to freshen the sheets anytime you get out of the bed.”

  “Really? Are you sure the bastard didn’t sneak in here and change them while we were in the shower?”

  I grinned. “Not unless all of his sheets look alike. That’s the same pattern as the ones we started with. No, I think he’s just had enough time to create spells to improve his comfort. Hell, he is something like two hundred and eighty years old. That’s a long time to get
creative with your spells.”

  Cris was still frowning. “I don’t know.”

  “Trust me.”

  Her frown disappeared and she smiled. “You know I trust you.”

  I took a pair of clean shorts from my saddlebags and then tossed her my dress shirt. She dropped the towel, instantly drawing my full attention. She kicked the towel onto a wing chair near the windows and slipped into the shirt. I pulled on my shorts and went to her.

  “Let me do that,” I said as I pushed her hands away from the buttons.

  “Are you sure you know how to fasten them on a woman. I know you can unfasten them, but–”

  I showed her I could and she rewarded my efforts with a kiss.

  We climbed into the bed on opposite sides. I lay on my back and Cris snuggled up against me and rested her head on my chest. I put an arm behind her and let my palm rest where her smooth, round, cheeks stuck out from beneath the shirt.

  “Rafe?”

  “Yes?”

  “What are you going to do if Alex comes with you?”

  “What do you mean?” I asked.

  “Tess is in his bed tonight, but I don’t see how the three of you can train all the time and not have, ah, issues in the bedroom.”

  I was more than a little concerned about that myself. “Well, it’s not going to be like that night we three spent together at the cabin in Georgia. I shudder to think about it. He’s my son and I’d like to see him training as fast as Tess is, but there’s no way I can mesh with him on a daily basis.”

  She laughed softly. “I’d volunteer to join the three of you and have you stay in my bed, but I know you and Tess belong together. I don’t see how you’re going to work it out with your son in the mix.”

  I didn’t want to admit it, but neither did I.

  Chapter 43

  Raphael

  I woke with Cris snuggled up against me. Her hair was tickling my nose as she snored softly against my chest. I wondered just what had woken me. The curtains were pulled, but I could see a faint glow behind them that hadn’t been there when we’d retired for the evening. Then Cris moved and I felt the pressure against my bladder. Oh, of course.

  I triggered my levitation tat and focusing on Cris, I floated her a couple inches above me. Then I slid out from beneath her and slipped off the bed. Barefoot, I hurried into the adjoining bath and shut the door behind me before I relieved myself. I washed my hands. Glancing back toward the bedroom, I wondered if Cris would wake up soon.

  After she had fallen asleep, I lay awake for much longer; trying to decide how today was going to play out. While I had been willing to listen to Rowle’s story and consider his desire for mentoring Alex, I had to convince him to let Alex go with me. If he refused, my options were limited. I couldn’t attack him while inside his home. Our invite across his threshold did allow me full access to my magic, but that was conditional on my good behavior. My magic would not be able to beard the lion in his den, so to speak. What would be the odds of him letting Alex make up his own mind? He was strong enough to keep Alex here, if he was willing to force him.

  I went back into the bedroom, where Cris still floated over the mattress. She’d stopped snoring. I considered getting dressed and finding coffee, but then I slipped onto the bed, moved under Cris, and gently lowered her back onto me.

  When I put my arm around her, she raised her face to mine. “Oh, goddess, is it morning already?”

  “I’m afraid so,” I said.

  She groaned. “Do you think you could find coffee while I dress?”

  “I’m sure I could.”

  “Good.” She gave me a quick peck on the cheek and slid out from under the sheet. I watched her bare backside, appreciating the view, until she closed the bathroom door. Then, consigned to my duty, I dressed in full leathers including my gloves. I was going to have to respell my leathers before getting into another fight. I couldn’t have a bunch of mundanes shocking me silly again. Dressed, I went in search of coffee.

  Rowle didn’t have a Keurig, but a twelve-cup stainless steel Cuisinart sat on the counter near the sink. I filled it with water and looked around for the coffee. Its hiding spot wasn’t immediately obvious, so I activated my senses tat and sniffed. There it was. It was on the counter near the coffee pot in a green ceramic decanter. I let the tat fade and wondered if the filters were that close. It turned out he used a metal filter that was already in the brewer. I measured out coffee grounds; made sure the carafe was sitting properly, and turned it on.

  This wasn’t going to be an instant process, so I left the kitchen and went to look out the tall front windows. The snow had stopped falling during the night and the wind must have died with it. The trees had a nice coating a few inches thick, but three-foot high drifts rolled across the ground like waves on the sea. We wouldn’t be riding out on motorcycles today. I briefly wondered if Rowle had gotten Alex a motorcycle, but then thought no, Rowle had never been a biker. He had his familiar possess that enormous Chevy Suburban. I guess there was a certain logic in that when you had an apprentice, but Walt and I had managed with just the bikes.

  I stoked the remains of last night’s fire, but only a few embers remained. I moved enough wood from the bin to the andirons and triggered my fire tat. When the wood was burning, I killed the tat, and heard footsteps behind me on the hardwood. I turned to fine Rowle walking down the long hallway from his master bedroom. As large and nice as his guest rooms were, I figured his master suite must really be luxurious. Who stayed in these posh quarters before us? I’d never had anyone to visit me and damned few people I visited. What had made Rowle decide to settle down in one place? Was it the years? Did more than two centuries of wandering the world give you an itch to settle down, to have a place to call home? Maybe, if Tess and my moving into Joe’s cabin was any indication. I knew I was staying at the cabin to make life a little easier on my apprentice, but to be totally honest with myself; I was enjoying our time together in the cabin. Getting out of bed in the morning and fixing a nice meal, drinking coffee in front of a crackling fire, going to bed together at the end of the day. They were all pleasant, but I did feel like we should be on the road, as things had been when I’d been alone.

  Well, we’d have to see. Tess was learning fast and when she could control her magic well enough, we would hit the road permanently. Okay, maybe not permanently, we could still stop by Joe’s cabin for a break between jobs.

  “Good morning, Raphael,” Rowle said.

  “Good morning to you too,” I responded.

  “Did you get any sleep?” the old rogue asked.

  “Some, although I must say a visit with Cris doesn’t allow for much sleeping.”

  He smiled at that and came to stand beside me at the fire. “I don’t imagine it does. I’m getting old enough that I find the rest almost as nice as the pleasure.”

  I grinned. “Come on, Rowle. You’re about two hundred and seventy or maybe eighty, but you look like you’re still in your forties. Surely the pleasures of the flesh haven’t become jaded to you.”

  “Hah, jaded, certainly not, but my body isn’t barely out of its teens like yours. I’m old enough to understand that one of these days, even if I’m careful and stay out of battles involving that apprentice of yours, I will pass on to whatever awaits us all.”

  “Please, you’re probably good for a few more centuries. That’s a lot longer than mortal man has.”

  He held his hands to the fire and nodded in agreement. “Yes, much longer, than mere men, but I can see that one of these days I will welcome the peace that comes with death.”

  “Why are you two being so morbid?” Cris asked from the hallway.

  We both turned to greet her.

  “Not morbid, just recognizing that all things die,” Rowle said.

  “Even the gods?” Cris asked coming nearer. She was wearing jeans and a beautiful silk blouse that was open at the collar to reveal the lovely swell of her breasts. Her boots were on and the hills made little clicks a
s she walked. She stopped at the couch and sat down on one arm.

  “Yes, they too, if their believers die off. The old gods are only as powerful as their disciples are. When the last one dies, so too does the god.”

  “You know this for a fact?” Cris asked.

  “I’ve not seen it with my own eyes, but I’ve heard of it happening. The last one I know of was the jaguar god of some Central American natives. I never heard what the tribe’s name was, but I heard that the last believer died about two hundred years ago of some disease or other. The god then faded from existence and there was no one to mourn his passing.”

  Cris gave a little shudder. “Sad.”

  She turned to me. “You were supposed to be getting me coffee.”

  “I had to make it first.” I activated my senses tat again and my nostrils were filled with the aroma of fresh coffee and some kind of subtle perfume that Cris had applied just below her chin and other places that I’d like to sniff out. I smiled at her.

  “What?” she asked.

  “I like your perfume.”

  “You can smell it from there? Did I use too much?”

  I went to her and bent to kiss her neck.

  “Not too much, just enough,” I whispered into her ear. “And not just on your throat.”

  Cris reddened and I chuckled.

  I enjoyed making the naughty Wiccan blush. “Let me get that coffee for you. Rowle, can I pour you a cup?”

  “Certainly, the cups are in the cabinet to the left and above the pot.”

  Before I could cancel my tat’s magic, I heard the sounds of heavy breathing and moans coming from the other guest room. Again? I canceled the tat and fetched the coffee.

  With the three of us consuming coffee and enjoying the fire, I decided I had postponed things long enough. It time for business. “Rowle, that was a nasty little trick with that booby-trap in New Braunfels. Damn near killed me, but what I’m really curious about is how you got to Alex so soon after he was reaped. You didn’t have anything to do with his death, did you?”