“Oh Anyanka,” Cerise was laughing now as she reached into her bag for the silver case holding her cigarettes; “You are such a sweet, shy thing aren’t you?”
“Shut up,” Anya dug her hands in her jeans pockets and kept walking.
“Have you talked to Trajan about this?” Cerise asked a short time later when they had stopped at a café.
“What do you think? He’s still too careful to even kiss me.”
“I think it’s a miracle he is willing to give any kind of physical contact a chance. Give it time; I am sure he will come around.”
“It’s not like I don’t have bigger things to worry about. Katya’s bringing her friends to Trajan’s and I will be going back to school,” Anya said as she tore up a piece of her croissant and tossed it to a crow jumping near her. It pecked at it and cawed expectantly. Pigeons soon got curious and came over as well.
“Rats with wings,” Cerise sniffed. “You shouldn’t encourage them. Speaking of birds isn’t it good to see Yvan making the most of his current situation. Having someone who can use fire like that will be handy in a fight.”
“Yvan is very clever and if anyone could win over a stubborn mythological creature it would be him.” Cerise lowered her glass of wine.
“You care for him a lot don’t you?”
“Of course I do. He’s the best man I have ever met. Certainly one of the only ones to treat me with any kind of worth. Don’t take this the wrong way but I trust him to stand by me more than any of you.”
“No offence taken at all. You set him free, you have crossed worlds together, and there is a close bond that comes with that.”
“He set me free as much as I did him,” Anya answered and parted with the last of her pastry to the circle of birds. “We should be getting back.”
“That sounds like a sensible idea. I am sure Katya will be back with the Twins. She said they are ancient Shamans of their people. I am going to have to behave with two old men in the house.”
“Somehow I don’t think they will be old. Katya told me they are her favourite ‘boys’ to drink with.”
“You will soon learn honey that no matter how old men are they will always be boys.”
***
Trajan was pacing his rooms when the phone rang. Very few people in the world that had his phone number and that made him wary.
“Hello?”
“Good morning sunshine!” a cheery voice said on the other end of the line.
“Hamish?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Where are you calling from?”
“Brisbane. I’m on my way. Sure as shit better be an emergency because you know I hate flying and fucking airports.” Trajan couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief.
“You know I wouldn’t ask for your help if it wasn’t important.”
“Yeah, yeah. You still have my Winchester rifles?”
“Of course I do. Do you have enough money to get here?”
“Yeah don’t sweat it. Tell me how deep the trouble is this time.”
“Deeper than it has been for a very long time. There’s a girl—”
“There always is, Trajan. That is from where all trouble generates. It started with Eve.”
“If I recall correctly I pulled you out of your girl trouble once upon a time.”
“Don’t even bother bringing her up. She was probably murdered back then for all I fucking know.” Hamish’s tone was flat and Trajan knew he had gone too far. On that particular love affair Hamish was a closed book.
“I’m sorry but I am in a rather desperate situation. I really need you, Hamish.” There was a long pause on the other end of the line.
“That sounded so fucking gay.” Hamish laughed loudly.
“I believe you would know about that more than me. Please get on that plane and don’t get too drunk or torment the flight attendants. I don’t want to have to collect you from airport security again.”
“Fine, I’m going. You still living at the same unpronounceable place?”
“Neuilly-sur-Seine, yes I am. If I cannot make it myself I will send a car for you.”
“Damn straight you will. See you soon.” The line went dead and Trajan smiled. Hamish was loud and brash but he was one of the few people Trajan could trust with the secret that was Anya.
***
The Twins looked around the garage with wide eyes and drooling mouths. “Hey Honaw, I think we need to make friends with these supes,” Chayton said as he studied a particularly beautiful Rolls Royce.
“Come on you two.” Katya took both their hands and pulled them into the elevator. She remembered the last trip she had in there with Izrayl and smiled.
“I see that smile and it usually means trouble.” Chayton gave her hand a squeeze.
“And you haven’t even met him yet.” The elevator door opened and they were flooded with the warm sweet smell of frying pancakes. “By the smell of things he is cooking up a storm.”
“No wonder you are in love with him. He is replacing Aleksandra with the prestigious position of keeping you well fed,” Chayton laughed.
A dreamy look passed over Honaw’s face. “Oh Aleksandra; she can cook a meal so good it will make a man weep,” he sighed.
“Sounds like you weren’t just sighing over her cooking. Don’t be getting mushy ideas about her or I will have to kick your ass like last time,” she warned.
Katya followed her nose to the kitchen and pushed open the door. Izrayl stood in front of the stove, dressed only in a pair of jeans, flipping pancakes. Easily the sexiest damn thing she had ever seen. As he turned the muscles in his back flexed and shivered. He placed the tea towel he was holding over his bare, brown shoulder.
“Good morning,” he smiled. Katya’s gaze lingered along the smooth pelvic grooves which disappeared under his loose jeans. She knew where they led and wanted to visit again.
“Boys, this is Izrayl. Izrayl this is Honaw and Chayton,” she managed to stumble out.
“The wolf,” they said together. Honaw offered Izrayl his hand and Izrayl shook it.
“That’s me. I thought you would be hungry after such a shitty flight,” Izrayl replied.
“Honaw is always hungry, don’t worry about that.” Katya’s glance started to linger over Izrayl’s mouth and she quickly snapped her attention to the huge pile of pancakes he had cooked.
“I’m starving,” she said loudly. She hustled the Twins to sit and set them up with plates and toppings. Katya did her best to ignore Izrayl as she brewed them all strong coffee. He disappeared out of the kitchen for a few moments, returning with a black singlet on. She wouldn’t have been able to say why but that was worse than having his skin bare. Katya placed the coffee on the table and sat down. Izrayl brought the food over and sat next to her, his knee lightly brushing hers.
“Dig in,” he said informally.
“Did I tell you Isabelle Blackwood is in town?” Katya asked the brothers. Both stopped eating at the same time and gave her identical stares.
“Seriously?” they synced.
“We went with her on a job last night, a really fucked up one too. I think we could use her help with what’s going on with Anya and the Darkness.”
“You want to be careful she doesn’t make things worse for you. That girl draws trouble like ants to honey,” Chayton said and placed a hand over Katya’s. “Are you sure you are in that much trouble you would want to risk it?”
“We need her. She has more of an idea of what is going on with the Illumination and the Darkness and we need that edge. What we found last night was beyond fucked up. They have been experimenting on people with magical bloodlines, amongst other things. I don’t know if they are planning something big or just want to increase numbers. Isabelle has been looking into it so she is supposed to drop in sometime in the next few days.”
“I hope you know what you are doing. I love her but you know she doesn’t play well with others.” Honaw shook his head.
“Do any of us? I
for one will always feel better with her at my back.”
“She certainly gave the impression of someone you’d want to avoid in a bright alley let alone a dark one,” Izrayl commented. “She isn’t all human that’s for sure.”
“No she isn’t but I won’t be the one to talk about it, mainly because I have never asked her. If the Twins know they will keep their mouths shut. Right boys?”
“We don’t have a death wish,” they echoed. “Besides, it’s all speculation.”
High female chattering echoed through the house and Cerise and Anya entered the kitchen. The Twins stood respectfully.
“Hello boys, I’m Cerise. My, my I am glad that I was wrong about you being old men.” Her blues eyes were pure mischief as she looked them over.
“We haven’t encountered a keres in a long time,” Chayton said cautiously.
“There are a few of us hiding about. Don’t worry, I am retired. Sort of. ”
Anya held out her hand.“I’m Anya.” As her hand touched Honaw’s there was a loud crack of static and they blew back in opposite directions. Honaw hit the wall with an audible thump. Anya shot back and hit the kitchen bench.
“Holy shit,” Honaw muttered and sank to the floor. Chayton was by his side in seconds.
“Oh my God, I’m so sorry,” Anya stammered as she touched the back of her head. Blood covered her hand and she burst into flames. Everyone took a step back as the flames went higher. The kitchen door swung open and Trajan appeared beside her.
“Get back Trajan,” Izrayl warned. “She doesn’t need you getting burnt.”
“Anya, you are okay. Turn the flames off,” Trajan said calmly. Anya wrapped her arms around her knees and started to rock. Yvan appeared and moved Trajan out of the way.
“I’ve got this one,” he said. Yvan’s arm licked with the firebird’s flames and he reached out to take Anya’s hand.
“Shalosť, look at me.” She slowly turned her big green eyes on him. Their flames mingled and everyone moved through the doors leading into the garden. “Calm your mind and turn the flames off.” Anya nodded slowly and closed her eyes. As the flames began to fade on her arms, Yvan’s melted back into his skin. Her eyes opened and she fell forward into his strong arms.
“Get me out of here. I don’t want them to see me cry,” she whispered. He scooped her up without questioning her. Yvan carried Anya easily, finally placing her on a soft couch in the library.
“Just shoot me now will you?” she muttered as he placed a blanket around her. He bundled together a wad of tissues and sat beside her so he could hold it to her head.
“You seem to be more than capable of hurting yourself without my help. You shouldn’t be so hard on yourself. You are untrained and have a lot of power. These sorts of things happen.”
“To who?”
“When Vasilli first started learning magic he blew up the top of a tower. All you did was set yourself on fire.”
“I suppose. I make such a good first impression don’t I?”
“The first time we met you tried to hit me with a big stick.”
“In my defence you were naked and sprawled out on my floor,” Anya smiled at the memory and then blushed a little at the details.
“You had best turn so I can see this cut,” Yvan said as if sensing her unease. He lightly brushed her hair back over her shoulder and leant in to inspect the damage just above her ear.
“It doesn’t seem to be very deep,” he said, his breath tickling her neck. “The firebird can heal it if you like.”
“I would appreciate it. I am meant to be learning magic and I can’t do that with a blazing headache. Though I will be surprised if I still have a teacher.”
“You will. Now, hold still.” He placed two fingers on the wound and Anya felt a warm charge of power flow into her. “Good as new.”
“That’s amazing,” Anya said as her fingers brushed the healed place.
“The firebird doesn’t like to see you in pain. I am not very keen on it either.” Anya turned and hugged him tightly. “Anya? What’s wrong?” He wrapped his arms around her and rested his cheek on the top of her head.
“I feel like something is coming for me. A darkness is closing in and I won’t be able to stop it when it arrives. It’s a dread, Yvan, that I will be forced to watch you all die because of me.”
“I won’t lie to you shalosť, there are battles coming. That is no reason for you to fall into despair over it. What we do with this time now is we train, we learn, we make our plans so when the battle comes we are ready for it. No sides in a war are without losses but you cannot shoulder the burden of seeing that as your fault. You didn’t ask for any of this. The ones who stand beside you are the ones who love you. You would die for the ones you love so don’t expect any less of us.”
“What am I going to do?” Anya sighed against him.
“You are going to go and wash the tears from your face and the blood from your hair. You are going to get your runes and your drum and you are going to go to the Twins and get some training. That is the only way you will feel more in control. Make yourself too busy with learning to think of anything else. Do you understand me?”
“Yes, I understand,” Anya sat up and kissed his cheek. “What ever would I do without you to give me such good advice?”
Yvan smiled her favourite smile, the rare one he only ever seemed to show her. “I don’t know shalosť but you had best get moving.”
No one was in the hallway when Anya snuck out of the library and hurried upstairs to her room. She went in the bathroom and looked at the fright that was her hair. Shedding her shirt she stuck her head over the bath and turned on the taps.
“Do you need some help?” Trajan asked and Anya yelped in surprise. “I’m sorry I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“You are far too quiet for your own good,” Anya looked up at him through a tangled curtain of bloody hair.
“Let me help,” he said and rolled up his shirt sleeves.
“You will get blood and water-”
“It doesn’t matter, Anya,” he said firmly and knelt beside her, “Honestly I feel useless enough to help you as it is. At least I can do this.” Anya didn’t argue with him as he began to pour the warm water over her hair.
“You don’t need to worry about the cut, the firebird healed it,” she mumbled.
“That is helpful. It is good that Yvan is here to come to the rescue.”
“It is good. I could have burnt you alive if you had tried to touch me. I can’t control it yet. Don’t be jealous that Yvan stepped in. He was the only one who could help.”
“I am not jealous!” Trajan said and then laughed. “Maybe I am. It’s definitely new.”
“Don’t be,” Anya said as she tried to relax enough for him to finish cleaning the blood from her hair. He was slowly and methodically massaging conditioner in and detangling the strands as he went. Anya had never had her hair washed by someone else before and was quickly discovering how much she enjoyed it.
“Be patient with me. Like I said, jealousy is a new emotion.”
“Yvan is my best friend. You need to accept that and fast because it’s not about to change.”
“I know that.”
“Good.” Trajan didn’t reply as he began to towel her hair. She really didn’t need a jealous boyfriend on her hands. She would have to stamp out her attraction to Trajan for the good of her health if he was going to cause an upset.
One look at him through wet hair told her she could be a hundred years old and the attraction wouldn’t be stamped out. He was wearing finely tailored navy pinstripe pants and waistcoat with a pale blue shirt rolled to his elbows and slightly damp. Anya couldn’t help but smile. After a lifetime of dour farmers in woollen coats and overalls Trajan and his taste in clothing was both novel and alien.
“What? What are you smiling at?” he asked as continued to dry her hair with the corner of a towel.
“Nothing. You.”
“I don’t understand.�
� He looked so confused and that just made her smile more.
“Neither do I.”
“You are a strange girl,” he said as he combed her hair back from her face with his fingers.
“You will get used to it.” He found the fresh scar in her hair and slipped on his glasses for a better look.
“Is it really bad?” she asked.
“It’s barely noticeable. It is amazing, I didn’t know the firebird could heal like that.” He studied it for a moment before he leant over and kissed it softly. “I love the way your hair smells,” he whispered as he moved his head so he could breathe her in. Goosebumps rose up her arms as he kissed the soft skin behind her ear.
“For someone who has limited experience with women you are rather good with them,” Anya said softly.
“I read,” Trajan said and she felt him smile against her skin. “Voraciously.”
“I should probably go and find the Twins and see if they are still willing to teach me.” Trajan’s arms went behind her and gripped the sink to trap her.
“And what if I want to keep you here?” he asked innocently.
“While the idea has merit,” Anya kissed his exposed collarbone lightly. “I don’t think you have quite reached the chapter in your books that is currently playing out in my mind.”
“Touché. Fine, go and fill your mind with knowledge. But kiss me first.”
“I was planning to.” Anya grabbed his tie to pull him closer and kissed him all the while marvelling that he’d asked.
After changing her clothes and grabbing her drum, runes and Eikki’s journals, Anya hurried to find her teachers. She didn’t know if they could make any sense of Eikki’s scratching but it wouldn’t hurt for her to ask. She found them settling into some guest rooms.
“Hello, I apologise for shocking you before,” Anya said awkwardly to Honaw.
“Lucky you’re so pretty, otherwise I would have had to blast you right back,” Honaw joked.
“Now you can see why I need your help. I can’t control it at all. It comes unbidden at the most unexpected times.”
“You have a lot of magic, Anya. You will have to be patient if we are going to teach you,” Chayton smiled.
Cry of the Firebird (The Firebird Fairytales Book 1) Page 25