Bad Nerd Rising

by Grady, D. R.

  When he lifted his eyes from his plate it was to catch Tia lift a forkful of cheesecake to her mouth. Her eyes fluttered as her lips closed over the dessert. “Mmm,” she moaned, and she licked the rest of the chocolate confection from the tongs.

  He nearly lost it. His composure, his senses, his common sense all overloaded. Then he had to wait for his brain to reboot because the surge of power shut down his circuits. All of them. That had never happened before.

  “Is that American still there?” the venom in his mother’s voice caught his attention and something in Aleksi snapped. She spoke in their native tongue, but out of courtesy for Tia, he responded in English.

  “Mother, your manners are deplorable. Since you obviously have not remembered how to treat people, especially our guests, I intend to hang up now.” And Aleksi disconnected the call, despite her protests. He didn’t need his mother’s nasty comments poisoning his brain.

  Not after such a fantastic kiss from that American. He looked down at the cheesecake still on his plate, but got sidetracked when Tia forked up another mouthful. Watching her could become his new favorite pastime. After kissing her.

  He’d never seen a woman enjoy food more. “Do you fancy the cheesecake?” he asked, already knowing the answer.

  But he wanted what he got. Her eyes opened languidly and she stared at him with heavy, satisfied eyes. “Mm-hmm.” She smiled at him. A sensual, mysterious smile all women seem to know how to use to their best advantage.

  His hormones kicked up a fuss and he shushed them, trying to be a gentleman. It was too early to explain his plans to her. She was only just beginning to relax in his presence.

  The phone buzzed again, and Aleksi frowned at it. He had the good sense to glance at the screen this time. A smiling picture of his Aunt Loletta popped up.

  “I must take this call,” he said, in regret.

  “That’s okay. If your cheesecake is gone, don’t be surprised,” she warned in a husky purr that made him want to drop the phone and smother her with more kisses.

  The summons of the phone reminded him he needed to answer the device or his aunt would contact Emerson. Who would come searching for him... Emerson here... not a good idea.

  Aleksi left the room and answered his ringing phone.

  “Did you just hang up on your mother?” Loletta’s voice didn’t exactly sound accusing. She also spoke in their native tongue, which he reverted to, since Tia couldn’t hear him.

  “Yes. I despise her venom. She sounded so nasty, and I’m tired of it. She’s in London, she’s having a good time. There is no need for her to act like that.”

  “No, there isn’t, and I told her I would have done the same thing. She doesn’t need to act like a spoiled child, but she does.”

  “Is she still behaving like that regularly with you?”

  “Yes,” his aunt sighed. “I’ve never seen her like this.”

  “What did the therapist say?”

  “That’s just it. We’ve seen her twice now. And she says she thinks your mother is hiding something.”

  “Oh?” Aleksi went on alert. “My theory...”

  “I did mention that there were some family fears about that.”

  “Great, now she thinks I’m paranoid,” he groused.

  “I’m her family as well.”

  He sighed. “But I’m the paranoid one.”

  “True. And I’m not saying she isn’t capable of murder. Because I believe she is. I just want to be certain we keep all avenues opened.”

  “And what did the therapist say?”

  “She doesn’t believe it’s out of the realm that your mother could have killed your father, but she doesn’t believe that’s true.”

  “That’s a relief.”

  “Yes. Before you relax, remember, she says she doesn’t think it’s impossible. She’s simply not sure at this point what’s going on in your mother’s brain.”

  “What about the physical tests?”

  “We haven’t gotten all of those results back, and all Dr. Cleary is saying is that we might need further tests.”

  Aleksi dropped onto a lab stool. “So there could be a problem physically?”

  “Yes. I believe...” she started, but broke off.

  “What, Aunt Loletta?”

  “I think we might be dealing with a physical problem and a secret.”

  His eyebrows rose as his stomach sank. “A secret?”

  “Yes. I think she kept something from your father, and never told him, even when he was dying.”

  “Why would she do so?”

  “I don’t know. I do believe she loved him very much, and I just wonder if whatever secret she held might have hurt him rather than aided him, so that’s why she never said anything.”

  “She wouldn’t have said something to hurt him. They were very careful of each other’s feelings,” Aleksi said, thinking of his childhood. His parents had enjoyed a close, loving, respectful relationship. Maybe not as loving as say Graham and Maria, but a good marriage, nonetheless.

  “No, she wouldn’t have. That is why I believe she’s held this secret so long. I wonder if she’s torturing herself with this and everyone else around her is suffering right along with her.”

  “Always a possibility. She’s been embarrassingly hostile. Especially to Tia,” he said.

  “Yes. I’ve heard some pretty rude comments on that quarter, and I can’t imagine anyone being as bad as she makes your Tia to be.”

  “Mother doesn’t even know her. Tia, who is an American, showed better manners and more grace than my own mother who is supposed to be a princess.”

  “I know. Gracia never gave her a chance. That is also unlike your mother.”

  Aleksi heaved a calming breath and shoved a hand through his hair. “I don’t understand her these days.”

  “No, but I’m starting to suspect that your father didn’t die from natural circumstances.”

  “What?”

  “I don’t think he was murdered, but I am wondering if, like you’ve feared, there was something in your wells that affected him badly enough, or poisoned him, if you will, and that’s what killed him. And has changed your mother into someone we don’t recognize.”

  “You think the problem with our wells effected Father enough that he died?”

  “I suspect. I don’t know. We might never know. But your mother’s behavior is decidedly odd.”

  “Yes. I thought she was experiencing menopause.”

  “She is nearly through that. But it’s not entirely to blame.”

  “I see.” He didn’t want to, but he did understand. Aleksi remembered Tia’s media plate from well twenty-six as his eyes rested on one of the incubators in the lab.

  “I’ll see what Tia says about the wells maybe contributing to Father’s death. See if there is a bacterium on one of the plates that could have killed someone.”

  “You’re not intending to give her the details are you?” His aunt sounded alarmed.

  “Of course not.”

  “I thought...”

  “You thought I’d tell her family secrets? That would be a good idea, Aunt Loletta. ‘Tia, let me tell you how messed up my family is.’” He heard the exasperation in his voice.

  “Sorry, love. I lost my head for a moment there.”

  “I want this woman to marry me, why would I tell her things that would make her run in the opposite direction?”

  “An excellent question, of course. You wouldn’t.”

  “I should think not,” he muttered and rubbed a hand over his face. “Will you phone me as soon as you have these test results?”

  “Of course.”

  “Let’s hope the doctors there can figure out what’s ailing Mother. I’d really like for Tia to meet the real her.”

  “There is a possibility she’s lost, you do know that?”

  His aunt’s voice sounded as melancholy as he had ever heard.

  “Yes, I do. But I’m willing to believe the doctors there can help her.�
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  “I am hoping for the same. If anyone can help her, these folks can.”

  “Short of sending her to the Mayo Clinic in America—” Aleksi started but his aunt’s snort cut into his statement.

  “Like that’s going to ever happen.”

  “That’s what I thought.”

  “The Americans have excellent doctors, but your mother isn’t about to set foot in that country.”

  “Think an American might have something to do with her secret?”

  Silence.

  “I don’t know.”

  Something in her voice made him frown. “What?”

  “I’ve been toying with the notion that you have something to do with her secret.”

  Chapter 15

  Tia finished the last of her cheesecake as Aleksi re-entered the room. “Hello,” she said, feeling absurdly shy.

  She had just passionately kissed this man, and she wanted to do it again. There was no reason to be shy. Of course, his eyes were like pools of liquid chocolate. Thick and sweet and rich.

  Drowning in them was a definite possibility.

  Especially since she knew what it was like to kiss him. She wanted to kiss him again. Wanted to shove her fingers through those gorgeous curls again.

  But something in his eyes stopped her. They seemed...sad, maybe.

  “Is something wrong?” She tilted her head to the side, and watched him.

  He straightened his jacket before seating himself. She noticed he didn’t meet her eyes. “No, why do you ask?”

  “You seem sad, or upset,” she answered, not sure if she believed him.

  “I am fine.” But his smile didn’t reach his eyes. He looked worried, and tired.

  Not at all how he had appeared when he left the room.

  “You spoke with your aunt?”

  “Yes.”

  “Was she angry with you for hanging up with Virulent Woman,” oh, don’t say that, “I mean, with your mother?”

  This time his smile did reach his eyes. “Virulent Woman, an apt phrase for my mother right now. And no, Aunt Loletta was not upset with me. My mother has been acting strangely, most unlike herself for a year.”

  “She isn’t normally so...” Tia bit her lip. How to say this nicely? “Hard to get along with?”

  “No. During my growing up years, even two years ago, she was all that was refined, gracious, and polite. It has only been in the last year that she’s turned into someone we do not recognize.”

  “And do you and your aunt believe that your mother hasn’t been able to grieve properly?”

  “Yes and no.”

  She cocked an eyebrow, encouraging him to elaborate. Tia noticed he didn’t pick up his fork and finish his cheesecake. Instead, he sat across from her and watched her, weighing each word he said carefully.

  Why was that?

  “Some of the tests from her physical indicate she may require additional testing. My aunt is worried there might be something both physically as well as mentally with my mother.”

  “What do you mean by mentally?”

  “The grieving bit. My aunt is concerned my mother is keeping secrets.”

  “Ah, something’s eating her, and she won’t allow herself to grieve for your father because she feels guilty for not telling him something important.”

  He nodded. The lines around his mouth didn’t relax though. Apparently this secret wasn’t only eating his mother.

  “Does this secret have to do with you?”

  “We do not know.”

  “Ah, that’s tough.”

  He nodded but didn’t comment.

  “Tia, is there a possibility one of those bacterium from well twenty-six could be deadly?”

  She blinked at the sudden change in conversation as well as the intensity behind his question. “I suppose so. Anything in great quantities can be dangerous.”

  “But you have not located a bacterium from that plate in your tests,” he waved a hand toward the lab, “that might have killed someone?”

  “Aleksi, any bacteria can kill if it grows out of control, or if the individual is allergic to it.” Unfortunately, it appeared most of the bacteria she suspected were on that plate were well known killers. But she hadn’t verified that yet, so she didn’t want to commit to it, just in case.

  The lines around his mouth deepened. “What if the person already had a weak heart?”

  “The simplest things can kill someone who is already weakened.”

  “Do you think that well might have killed someone?”

  She hesitated. This was tricky, untried ground. “It’s difficult to say. I’d be willing to venture that well twenty-six made people ill. Definitely. And if someone drank from it, it’d make them incredibly uncomfortable for a time, if not downright sick.” How she hated questions like this one.

  “But it probably wouldn’t kill them?”

  “I didn’t say that, because someone who is immunocompromised... there is a high probability. The problem is we don’t know exactly what’s in that well yet. There’s no way to tell until we can further isolate the different bacteria.”

  “What do you mean by further isolate?”

  “We’re trying to make each different bacterium grow specifically and individually. Meaning that’s the only one growing on said plate or in said tube.”

  He nodded. “And the reason for that is?”

  “So we can identify each species growing on the initial Petri dish.”

  “This will indicate what that well contains?”

  “Yes. Once we know what’s contaminating the well, we’ll know how to treat the affected patients in addition to cleaning all the wells.”

  “You will have to treat all the wells?”

  “I hope not. But at least we’ll know what is in each well.”

  “Is this testing something we should be doing regularly?”

  “Yes. And for the most part, you are. Your water personnel picked up that there was a problem at the same time your doctors started seeing more patients.”

  “But we will have to change our testing methods?”

  She frowned. “I don’t know. This might be an isolated incident. Then again it could be a recurring problem. It’s still too soon to know.”

  “We have been dealing with this for nearly a month now. We grow impatient.”

  “And rightfully so. But we’ll figure it out, without cutting corners. If we rush through this phase, we’ll make mistakes and more people could suffer.”

  “You are saying I need more patience.”

  She smiled at him. He looked so cute all disgruntled like that. “Yes, that’s essentially what I’m telling you.”

  “Will you be able to tell if any of those bacterium killed someone?”

  “Perhaps with a skilled physician who knew the individual well,” she prevaricated. Who did he believe had been killed? Why did he want to believe that individual had died from a bacterial infection? Had there been a recent murder in Rurikstan?

  Since no answers were forthcoming, Tia glanced at his untouched plate. “Okay, a more important question?”

  “Yes?” His eyebrow soared in the cutest way. If she didn’t find something to distract herself, fast, there’d be trouble. Of the six foot four variety plus her at five foot ten. Visions of them entwined again circulated in her brain. Not good.

  “Are you planning to eat that cheesecake?”

  ***

  Strolling down the hall, Aleksi was torn between shouting, punching the wall, or returning to the comfort of Tia’s arms. But he reluctantly left the lab because he could clearly see she had a stack of work ahead of her, and he knew he couldn’t linger any longer.

  Instead he turned in the direction of his bedchamber. There he entered the closet and selected athletic clothing. Right now, the safest way to work off the tension and anger looping through his system was a good workout. He tugged on a t-shirt before selecting a pair of running shoes. If he didn’t rid himself of this restless energy, he was l
ikely to do something stupid.

  As he was trying to court a certain lady, stupidity didn’t fit into his game plan. He needed to keep life simple. Only it was spiraling out of his control and he hated when life did so.

  The feeling of chaos and tumult fought with his closely guarded self control and restraint. So far, the chaos appeared to be winning, which only upped his stress levels. He definitely needed to run off the steam.

  Aleksi loped toward the exercise room. Thoughts of Tia were never far from his mind. But then there was the other woman in his life also occupying space. His mother would drive him insane before this was all over. Why was she such a problem these days?

  And what about that mystifying secret?

  Why had his aunt told him she suspected he played a role in it that his mother hadn’t confided? They didn’t even know if there was a secret.

  His thoughts threatened to overwhelm him, and Aleksi, fists clenched, made for the treadmill first. He set the speed and incline at rugged levels and took off, wanting to race away from his problems.

  But they’d only follow him. He knew that. It didn’t stop him from running faster.

  ***

  Tia tried again to rub her headache away, but something inside her brain wasn’t paying attention. She pinched the bridge of her nose, and kept logging results into the computer. Her headache roared back with evil laughter, or taunting menace, she wasn’t quite sure which.

  Deciding to ignore the pain, she kept working, and thought longingly of her shower. All those levers with the various pressures and the steam would ease her aching head. But she stayed at the bench and kept logging plates. The results weren’t what they had expected, but then why should that surprise her? So far this entire visit hadn’t been what she expected. Life wasn’t what she had expected.

  With a sigh, she placed the next plate onto the finished pile, suspicious of the To Do stack. She was sure it was reproducing when she turned her head. Maybe there were elves in the palace who kept sliding more plates into the heap when her back was turned.

  She scowled at the pile and with a grumpy groan, picked up the next plate. Maybe she shouldn’t have eaten half of Aleksi’s cheesecake. But he had proven to be a tough negotiator. She only got half, but then she also managed to steal kisses in between bites. Tia still couldn’t figure out if she’d enjoyed the dessert or the man more.