by Arreyn Grey
Elise could hear her parents' voices and the sound of the TV dimly through the wall of their bedroom across the hall. At this time of night, they'd be getting ready for bed themselves, having to get up at six the next morning for work. Elise ducked back into her room and softly closed the door. It was the work of moments, her actions dictated largely by things she'd seen in movies, to slip an extra pillow under the blanket on her bed, hit “play” on the night time playlist on her iPod, and turn off all the lights except the little nightlight next to the door.
After sliding a dressy little beaded purse up onto her arm and dangling her shoes from her fingers, Elise wound a gray wool cape around her shoulders. She was ready. Closing her eyes for a moment, Elise drew on her power, wrapping it around herself like a cloak while she whispered to it in her mind. Invisible. You don't see me; you don't hear me. I am invisible. Taking a deep breath and fervently hoping this would work, she slipped out into the hallway and shut the door quietly behind her.
Elise slid her shoes back over her stockinged feet once she was out on the porch, then turned and locked the door. Her heart was racing, and she kept herself cloaked in power in case any of the neighbors happened to be looking out their windows. The complex knot her stomach seemed to have tied itself into made her certain she wouldn't be able to eat anything during this little outing; she had to swallow the lump in her throat as she tried to convince herself to start down the front stairs. She had never done anything like this before.
Wiping her damp palms on her skirt, Elise rolled her shoulders back and forced her jaw to unclench. Rashid was right about one thing, she told herself firmly. I am not a child anymore, and there are things I have to do. She took the first step, and suddenly, she was striding down the front walk, completely unafraid. On a whim, she reached up and released her hair from its clip, shaking it out so it tumbled down around her shoulders. Her heels snapped sharply on the concrete, and she didn't care who heard. The chill night air smelled like freedom.
She was a few minutes early, but as she drew near the corner of her street and the main road around the park, she was unsurprised to hear the smooth purr of an expensive engine idling. Elise could see the curvy black sports car parked beneath a street light, and was amused at the thought that he may have purposely waited in the light in an effort to ease her nerves. A laugh bubbled up from her throat-- did he really think she was that childish? Elise had seen enough evil in her short life to know that light or darkness made no difference. Tonight, however, she approached the car without trembling, regardless of who occupied it. She wasn't sure from where her new-found fearlessness had sprung or how long it would last, but she reveled in it.
When she got close enough, the driver's door opened and Rashid stepped out. Elise's breath caught in her chest for just a moment as she took him in. She had thought he was imposing the first time she met him, when he came up the garden path toward her and she cowered behind Alex; she'd been afraid of him since that first moment, but tonight, her pulse sped for a different reason. Recalling what they both were, she drew up her power, letting it sweep over them to ensure that he wasn't influencing her-- but her thoughts were hers alone. She had only herself to blame for the way her eyes lingered on the sharp cast of his cheekbones and his full lower lip, on his broad shoulders and the impeccable cut of his black suit. She was glad, upon noticing his semi-formal attire, that she hadn't even considered throwing his parting remark in his face just because he'd sounded snide; as it was, she felt just barely elegant enough.
Rashid had paused when he felt her energy stir, and now stood by the car, a tiny smirk curving his lips as he waited for her. “Satisfied?” He asked dryly, lifting an eyebrow. Elise flushed a little, something she hoped the night would hide from him. She'd never been caught ogling anyone before, and now didn't seem like the best time to start.
“You look very nice this evening,” she said, giving him a bland social smile.
“And you are as spectacular as ever, my dear,” Rashid replied with uncharacteristic sincerity. He gave a little bow, the movement smooth and entirely natural. Elise supposed that over the centuries, he'd have had a great deal of practice with such antiquated gestures. Stepping away from the car, he opened the passenger door for her. “My lady?” He gestured for her to get in.
She bit her lip, surprised by the lack of mockery in his gentlemanly behavior; he sounded oddly like Alex. He wanted something; she was sure of it. His sharp eyes caught her moment of hesitation, and the leer she knew and hated crossed his face in an instant. Elise's eyes narrowed as she wondered: he'd been behaving differently tonight, but then, so had she. She had never been so confident with him before this evening, but thinking back, on the rare occasions when her temper had overcome her fear, he had treated her with marginally more respect. The idea that her demeanor dictated the tone of their encounters was a new perspective, but one that bolstered her courage enough for her to toss her head proudly and graciously accept his hand as she got into the vehicle. His skin against hers was dry and cool, and sent an electric tingle up her arm that she purposefully ignored. Now wasn't the time to get distracted by the fact that she still wasn't used to touching people who weren't Alex or her parents.
Elise sank into the sleek black leather seat of what was clearly a rental car-- it was unnaturally clean, but had a used car smell about it that wasn't quite obscured by the little pine tree-shaped air freshener dangling from a stalk on the steering wheel. Rashid closed the door gently behind her, but apparently was in no mood to ape human behavior, because once it was shut, Elise blinked and he was opening the driver's side door. She'd thought she was careful not to react to the display of his capabilities, but he shot her a grin that said she hadn't been entirely successful. Still, the expression on his face was entirely pleasant, if somewhat distant-- perfectly polite.
She cleared her throat. “So, where are we going?” Elise asked, her eyebrows arched and not a trace of trepidation in her voice. She was actually, she realized, genuinely curious about where he'd take her-- particularly at nearly eleven on a Monday night, and particularly with a dress code like the one for which he'd had her prepare.
Rashid was still smiling as he put the car in gear and eased away from the curb. “You'll see, kitten,” he answered cryptically. He stopped at a stop sign, and cast her a glance. “I am glad you agreed to come,” he added warmly, his honey-colored eyes sincere. Elise swallowed hard; this side of him, real or not, was somewhat devastating to her resolution to despise and doubt him.
Deciding that she'd repay his honesty over their interactions with her own, she didn't bother trying to be subtle as she swept her power through herself once more-- just to make sure. She didn't recall ever noticing the color of his eyes before, which struck her as odd. But she couldn't detect any trace of his power within her; none of her thoughts held any hint of him or anyone else. She raised her chin, prepared to meet his dismissive gaze with a challenge, but he looked skeptical and a little amused. “Is something the matter?” He asked, a playful lilt to his voice.
Her answering smile was small and self-deprecating. “You're very different tonight,” she replied evasively. “You'll have to forgive me if, after our previous interactions, I don't entirely trust you.”
“No, no, I understand,” he said, his smile gone and his accented voice somber. “I have not exactly been the picture of civility these past few weeks.” They had reached the entrance to the highway, and he merged in smoothly. His eyes were focused on the road, though Elise couldn't tell if that was out of necessity or an unwillingness to meet her eyes just now. She rather hoped it was the former-- this apparent painful honesty from him was difficult enough; she wasn't sure how to handle Rashid giving heartfelt confessions. Fortunately, after the pause, he didn't seem inclined to continue. “We'll talk more about this when we get there,” he said, composed once more.
Elise's eyebrows climbed as they passed exit after exit, and it soon became clear that he intended to cross the river into Phi
ladelphia. Then again, she supposed that the closest big city was the most logical place to find an appropriate venue at this hour. She settled back into her seat, wondering if he would bother to make small talk during the rest of the nearly half-hour drive.
He didn't. The ride passed in silence, but it wasn't nearly as uncomfortable as Elise expected. She got the distinct impression that Rashid wasn't exactly the talkative sort, and that he was content to simply be, and to let her do the same. Much as she enjoyed Alex's conversation and energetic, active companionship, the traitorous thought occurred to her that she had grown to like the quiet. In it was the tacit acceptance of who she was, without anyone else's demands or expectations. The drive passed far more quickly than she had anticipated.
Before long, the Philadelphia skyline rose up from the horizon, its towers of lights growing ever closer as Rashid passed over the bridge and began to navigate the urban traffic with impressive skill. Elise hadn't been to the city very frequently-- mostly for a few Latin trips to the art museum and at Christmas with her parents each year since they'd moved to Willowdale, to see the massive tree in LOVE Park. That being the case, she had absolutely no idea where they were, which set her heart pounding as she realized that unless she wanted to hail her first cab-- not that the cash she was carrying would be sufficient for the fare-- she was entirely dependent on Rashid to bring her home safely. Then again, she supposed he had established from their first meeting that that was the case regardless of where she was. Taking a deep breath, she forced her heartbeat to slow and her pulse to steady. Out the corner of her eye, she saw Rashid's lips curve; of course he had noticed her tingle of nerves and subsequent spark of power. Raising her chin, she silently dared him to fall back into his usual behavior. Instead of acknowledging the slip in Elise's manner, Rashid turned into a parking garage Elise hadn't even noticed. A few minutes later, they were parked, and Rashid was opening the passenger door to offer her his hand.
“You know,” she frowned at him as he helped her out of the car. “It's rather disconcerting when you do that whole super-speed thing.”
Rashid laughed, shutting the door behind her without releasing her hand. “Oh, no, kitten. I'm not Alexander, to change the way I do things simply because you pout your pretty lips.” He slipped her hand through his elbow like she had seen people do in movies, and his manner was still polite and innocent enough that she had to resist the ridiculous urge to giggle at the old-fashioned romantic gesture. This man threatened me, she reminded herself forcefully, steeling her resolve. He threatened my family and pried into my life. I may not have caught him in a lie, but that doesn't mean he hasn't been creative with the truth to manipulate me. That thought straightened her back and lifted her chin; she left her hand tucked through his arm, but her posture remained stiff as she refused to relax into him. I'm not yours, she thought rather fiercely at him, then recalled belatedly that he might actually hear her if she wasn't careful enough.
She hadn't been. Not yet, his voice whispered through her mind, rich and dark as mocha. She jumped, gasping, and he laughed, a trace of his old manner peeking through. “Yes, kitten,” he continued aloud, his voice still warm but more intimate than it had been. “We are still playing our little game; best not trust me too much.”
“I'll remember that,” she murmured coolly as he escorted her into the garage's elevator. As long as she managed to keep her fear from seeping back through her, she felt like this might be a game she knew how to play.
Rashid brought her out of the concrete parking garage and onto a street that was still bustling even at eleven at night. Elise paused for a moment, conscious of Rashid's eyes on her but unable to help herself. No backwater hick, she was certainly familiar with cities; still, it always took her a moment to adjust to the swirling river of humanity she was stepping into. Tonight in particular, she was conscious of the flow of energy around her as people rushed here and there-- as they passed her, her confidence surged and she stood taller, only half-conscious of the smile curving her lips. Elise realized she felt lighter than she had in years, euphoric even, and had to fight the urge to giggle. She turned to Rashid when she heard him chuckle.
“What's so funny?” She inquired, one eyebrow cocked.
“I can feel the power surging around you,” he said, sounding almost awed. He looked carefully into her eyes, and his own eyebrows climbed, then dipped into a frown. “You're drunk with it!” He exclaimed, and settled his hands on her shoulders, firmly making her face him when she would have spun giddily in a circle. “Is this the first time you've been in a city since you became aware of your abilities?”
“Nu-uh,” she murmured dreamily, dropping her head back to gaze up at the dizzying heights of the skyscrapers around them. “I went to New York with Alex after you came to the coffee shop.” A group of college students passed them by-- three girls, two boys, all young and a little tipsy and full of life. “He took me to meet Gregory; I was very upset that day.” Two of the girls wanted to kiss each other, but they were nervous-- Elise wanted them to, too, and suddenly the group paused as the girls' lips drew closer, their hands smoothing each other’s hair--
Rashid shook her slightly, and the bubble of her power popped, releasing the group to carry on its way. “Alexander shielded you while you were in New York, because he took you there for a specific purpose, not just to train.” He muttered something under his breath in a language Elise didn't speak. But she brushed his mind, feather-light, and knew he was cursing Alexander and cursing himself, because he hadn't wanted to influence her tonight. His hands tightened on her arms, pulling her focus back to her body and away from his mind. He didn't like her there, she could tell. It was okay, though-- a businessman hurried past, going the other way. He'd stayed too long at the bar after work, didn't want to go home and face his wife, but now it was late and his breath reeked of alcohol and it would be so much worse. Elise wanted to make him happy again, and she could, if she just reached out--
She blinked up into Rashid's honey-brown eyes. The euphoric, swirling energy was gone, as was the buzzing high that made her feel so open and childlike with wonder. The power remained, however, and the confidence-- she stood straight and looked into Rashid's eyes as an equal. “What was that? What did you do?” She breathed.
Rashid sighed, straightening and tucking her hand back into his arm so he could escort her down the street. “Had I known you hadn't fed in a city before, I would have warned you; as it stands, I am having to shield you from the people around us or risk you causing an uproar.”
Elise blinked, remembering the day she'd stumbled in on what she now knew had been Alex feeding in the school cafeteria-- that had felt very similar to what she'd just experienced, though somewhat less scattered and random. But Alex had been controlling and directing the energy flow then, something she still lacked the skill and focus to achieve. It galled her to be in Rashid's debt, but he had just saved her from the consequences of a far worse situation than that one. “Thank you,” she stated matter-of-factly as Rashid led her toward the gleaming stone and glass edifice of one of the skyscrapers. He inclined his head gracefully in response.
1 “Elise” Arreyn Grey
10 POWER PLAY
Through the revolving doors, the marble lobby was dim and empty except for a night guard, who nodded them towards the elevators on the far side of the echoing expanse. The elevator itself was lavish, but Elise barely had time to notice before Rashid hit the button for the thirty-seventh floor, and she felt the bottom drop out of her stomach.
Despite being armed with the knowledge that shielding her would put Rashid in closer proximity to her emotions than usual, Elise wasn't able to do anything to disguise her sudden terror from him. But even if he hadn't been in her head to take note of intimate details like her slick palms and pounding heart, she wouldn't have been able to hide her suddenly bloodless face. As it was, she was keenly aware that the instant she saw their destination, he was conscious of all of the above. He turned to her with a tiny s
mirk.
“Is something the matter?” He asked solicitously.
Elise swallowed hard. “Nothing,” she snapped, pulling away from his gentlemanly grip and turning to grasp the brass rail that ran along the elevator walls. Behind her, she heard Rashid chuckle.
“You learn something new every day,” he murmured. And then the doors opened.
Elise couldn't help it-- a tiny gasp escaped her as she took in the room they had reached. It was dark: the floor, ceiling, and walls were all made of what looked to be black marble, which glimmered like the night sky in the light from the small red chandeliers hung in a line down the center of the ceiling. At the far end of the long, narrow room, Elise could just make out a man standing behind a red, engraved podium. She could barely see him from the elevator-- he wore black, and blended in with the wall behind him. But his face was illuminated by a small light on his podium, and she could tell he was watching them approach.
The quiet of the room was broken only by the sharp click of Elise's heels on the floor, but she refused to allow it to make her feel uncomfortable. Still, it seemed to take an inordinate amount of time for them to reach the podium. Once they did, the man, who it turned out was wearing a tuxedo, gave them-- or just Rashid? Elise couldn't tell-- a deep nod. “Your table is prepared, sir,” he said, his deep voice very calm. Elise had to catch herself before her expression betrayed her exasperation; clearly, he was only addressing Rashid.
They followed the maître d' through a shadowed doorway and into a sumptuous bar and lounge area. Elise was immediately overwhelmed; she didn't know whether to look at the luxuriously appointed room, the handful of people scattered within it, or-- her stomach flipped alarmingly-- out the windows that ran along every wall, providing a spectacular view of the city lights. Tearing her gaze away from the windows, Elise just barely noticed Rashid stepping back from the maître d', as if he'd leaned toward him to say something. Sure enough, the other man was nodding in assent. Elise frowned at them, but it seemed ridiculous to kick up a fuss over something she didn't even understand.