I hadn’t even considered playing because it seemed it would have taken them long enough to even explain the rules to me, but now I knew the thought wasn’t even logical.
“I see your point,” I said as everyone began to form near the center. They were picking teams. I pointed with my forehead. “You’d better go.”
Liam winked at me before swiftly joining them, standing next to Katherine. I couldn’t hear anything, but I saw her point for Liam to join the forming on the right side of the field. It was a team that consisted of Charlie, Jane, Patrick, and Henry. I sighed as Liam and Sean approached the center, putting Katherine between them. She revealed a black ball slightly smaller than a bowling ball but three times the size of a shot put, or so it seemed from this angle.
Every other immortal had scattered. Grace stood with her hands on the left post while Henry stood on guard at the right pole. It wasn’t exactly a mortal game, but I knew a sport when I saw one. Each side was going to try and gain points by making it through the guarded posts, but somehow I knew there was a catch.
But before I had time to realize what it was, I watched Katherine raise her hand. She moved so swiftly that I didn’t notice she had released the ball until Sean and Liam were already in the air. It was the same speed that suddenly had her by my side to signal the game had begun. It was Sean who grabbed the ball with his ability to read Liam’s move. I couldn’t say that was fair if Liam couldn’t use his own power but I wasn’t a referee either.
Though I tried, their speed at running and throwing the ball to one another was almost beyond my ability to watch. Only with each pivoted stop could I see Sean’s team swarming the right side with the ball. As Lillian paused with the ball in hand, I shifted my focus to the post Henry guarded, assuming she would launch the ball. But instead I found the catch to this game. Henry didn’t attempt to catch it. The height of the pole and the size of the hole didn’t just make the shot more difficult, but the challenge lay in something else. Though I had to blink a few times to be certain, I could see Henry was moving the pole back and forth with his hands. A moving target, I thought.
By her disappointed grimace and thrown fist, I learned Lillian had missed her fist throw. I expected a pause in the game in order for someone to annoyingly chase the ball, when I noticed that the game hadn’t exactly stopped. Charlie came from behind the post, revealing with his turning pivots that he had the ball, at least for the moment. With Sean’s advance on Jane, I expected him to strip her of the ball, only to watch her leave him confounded by her pivot and angled jump toward the other end post. Though Grace shook with force, I could hear the small shouts of celebration on the opposing side. Jane scored.
I looked back at Katherine, who was watching the game intently as if she were keeping score. But in that moment, I realized that was exactly what she was doing. She was the referee. And after noticing the roughness of the game that was worse than that of a mortal rugby match, I understood why she was needed, especially when two members of opposing teams got too close. Well, mostly just a specific two.
Every time Sean neared Liam, my stomach filled with jumping nerves. It was obvious Sean was taking the opportunity to let his frustration out at Liam. But I can’t say I didn’t enjoy seeing Liam cheat with his power just to get in an extra inch when shoving Sean. I couldn’t quite resist a smile at that.
As the game went on, I can’t say that I felt comfortable away from Liam but that had nothing to do with Katherine. I just didn’t know her all too well yet. But I knew I should make the best of the situation like I had when I was spontaneously introduced to the Alexanders that first time. Fortunately she didn’t exactly come across as Jane. In fact, she seemed quite the opposite. She turned her head slightly before gazing down at me with an inviting smile.
“How long have you known the Alexanders?” I asked.
Her eyes shifted over me.
“Henry was the first to meet Patrick.” Katherine paused, remembering what she had been told, before her eyes bounced back to meet mine. “Back in 1671.”
My mind mentally shifted through the memories until I remembered.
“That was a year after Mary then,” I said.
Katherine nodded to confirm.
“By the time I met the Alexanders for the first time in 1800, Grace had already been with Patrick and Mary for two decades.”
“Liam told me that you were roamers.”
Though my tone hadn’t exactly risen, there was still a question in my words.
“There are a select number of immortals who are given the task of travelling around from territory to territory. My family was one such chosen,” she said before catching my squinting curiosity. “We travel to each territory almost like what humans would call . . . ” She paused, searching for the right word, her eyes shifting left to right. “Extra infantry.”
“Oh, so you’re there almost as a precaution?”
“Yes, like a precaution.” She lifted her chin with a smile, as if she liked the very word I used. It was almost like a mother’s pride.
“How do you know where or when to go somewhere new?”
“Once we send word about the current territory, we then wait for a message from Marius to let us know where our next visit will be.”
His name was spoken as if the ancient immortal was a king, but I realized it was just because he was so highly respected among their kind. I wanted to ask more, but I felt that I had reached my limit for questions; sometimes, there was such a level when meeting new people. Too many questions, especially from a mortal, could come across as annoying.
“So, Emma, tell me how you and Liam met,” Katherine said.
It was a light request, just out of curiosity, carried in her lyrically sweet voice. It seemed that in every relationship that was always a topic of interest. I guess it was different for Liam and me. To any human it seemed quite simple, but to any immortal, who waited years, decades, or even centuries for love, it would seem odd. It was almost like a legend, a human and immortal together.
“Umm . . . it was my first day at school. He just seemed to always be there.” I watched her from the corner of my eye. Her brow rose, intrigued, as if I were telling a fairytale. “I don’t think either one of us planned it, every day just seemed to bring us closer together. Especially after . . .” My eyes shifted to meet the suddenly widened gaze of hers. “Well, after I discovered what he was.”
“And how is it that a human could just discover that?” My neck turned to find Jane walking up to us on my left. Was she taking a break? Were there timeouts? Was she letting Katherine play now? “From what I hear, it wasn’t even our kind that Liam rescued you from.”
Her hissed word sounded like Latin. I wasn’t sure what to say, let alone do. The best I could think to do was focus on the grass below us.
“Jane, please. It’s one thing to be rude before you met Emma,” Katherine said. I peeked my eyes up, grateful for her defense.
“Sorry,” Jane said. Even though it wasn’t sincere, I made sure to nod with acceptance anyway.
“I can’t answer for Liam. I just know that after he saved my life, I found myself curious to discover what he truly was.” I shook my head as if to display proof in Liam’s defense. “But it wasn’t like he came right out and told me. It was never easy.”
“We like it that way,” Jane said.
Katherine looked at Jane as if she wished to slap her wrist.
“Well, it was Liam who actually gave me the clues. I wouldn’t have figured it out without his help.”
“Why would he be so stupid for just one girl? It’s not like he’s never—” Jane hinted at Liam’s experience.
“Jane,” Katherine interrupted though I knew what she would say.
“But then again it wouldn’t be the first time one of the Alexander’s went against the rules,” Jane said.
Though I knew they could easily hear I prayed that neither Liam nor Mary was listening. It was hard enough trying to hide my own humiliation.
&
nbsp; “She must know it can never work.” She turned her gazed onto me. “You are mortal and he his life is eternal. You can’t be together. There is a reason for our rule. It’s not to be cruel, it’s to protect you.”
“Jane, that’s enough. I don’t need a turn. You can keep playing.”
It appeared that Jane had broken the last straw. Katherine straightened her lips in stern annoyance.
“I’m just trying to spare Liam the pain of watching her die, and helping her avoid a short life,” Jane said.
She shrugged at the sight of me before disappearing from where she stood.
“I’m sorry for Jane’s rudeness. She means well,” Katherine said.
Though it was comforting I could see the same truth in her eyes.
“It’s all right. She was just being honest,” I said.
It may have been a blunt approach, but still an honest one.
“Yes, but she sometimes forgets to let her compassion through. It’s not only her power that she shields, it’s also her heart these many centuries.”
So Jane had trouble letting people in. Apparently even immortals had this issue. Maybe it was even a characteristic carried over from her own mortality.
“Liam and I know that what we have isn’t exactly a simple love. It’s bound to confuse and even annoy most of your kind. I’m sorry for that.”
“No need to apologize for something you could not help.” Katherine grinned with an endearing pride that felt undeserving and motherly. My lips followed with the welcoming moment between the two of us.
A moment shattered instantly by the wetness of Katherine’s immortal blood splattering across my face. I never saw where the object was launched from or even how fast it spun in the air toward us all. I was only left with the sight of its effect of Katherine’s forward thrust as it made its way through her chest and into her heart, the only place an immortal was vulnerable, their Achilles heel.
I felt the shock of horror freeze my every muscle as Katherine moved her hand to the wound, where I finally caught sight of the sharpened tip of wood that had penetrated through her chest. Stake, I thought. Katherine’s eyes met mine with the same if not more disbelief. How had a moment with so much warmth turned so horrid?
So many things began at once. My mind could barely keep up. Liam had appeared in front of me like a shield, protecting me from the direction I could only assume the stake had been thrown from.
I didn’t even have time to reach for Katherine’s hand before my body was pulled back and toward the ground.
24. Distraction
I felt a cool vibration pulse the skin around my wrist. My neck turned expectantly to see Liam with wide eyes, only to find he wasn’t there. It was Lillian’s stern gaze that found me only a moment before she moved to protectively clasp me close to her body. The same cold rose up my arms and through my body as her power shielded me from view, the power I had learned about only briefly, one that allowed Lillian to project a shield of invisibility for herself and anything that she touched. Right now that was me.
But being so guarded only reminded me of what lay in front of me. With Lillian’s focus on the environment around us, my eyes shifted back to Katherine. She had slumped to her knees before falling back onto her side with finality. A coldness unrelated to Lillian’s power shot through my chest at the sight of Katherine’s newly pale skin.
I blinked out of my daze as Lillian moved to block my view from the troubling sight of Katherine’s death. I was suddenly grateful she had pulled me to the ground before my knees had given out involuntarily. She herself turned her neck toward the lifeless immortal a moment before she let me catch a glimpse of her bright chestnut eyes. They didn’t have the innocent shock that I held in mine. Lillian had seen the death of her kind for decades. Of course, that didn’t stop the slight grief that lingered at the loss of her friend.
That was until her attention was drawn toward the surrounding trees on our left. I had only enough time to catch a peek of the oncoming group before Lillian lifted me into her arms and ran through the group unnoticed. Rushing past I was able to make out a tall charmingly dark-haired immortal. His distinct bright misty grey eyes focused on me without realizing I was even there. I closed my eyes, telling myself it was for the way to avoid the dizziness, but knew it was more to avoid that haunting stare. As Lillian continued to run, I could hear the booms behind me. It sounded like boulders colliding with the ground.
When Lillian finally placed me down on my feet, I opened my eyes, to see I was inside the Alexander mansion. Though it was naïve it felt like a sanctuary or the base in a game of tag. The coolness was fading away with Lillian’s absent touch just as I turned to find Liam entering through the door. But he wasn’t alone. Henry was behind him with something in his arms. It was Katherine. Well, it was a limp Katherine, who had grown pale white with distinct thick veins across her skin. I cringed at the sight before walking to wrap my arms around Liam for comfort.
“Are you hurt?” he asked.
“No, I’m fine,” I said. Yes, except for having someone murdered a few feet from me, I was fine.
“You shouldn’t have followed me. They could have followed you back here,” Lillian said.
“You didn’t expect me to just leave her,” Liam said.
I dropped my right arm to look over at Lillian’s stern eyes and straightened lips.
“Liam, this ambush only shows the laziness of our guard.”
“Enough,” Henry said. Both Liam and Lillian turned to his controlled guidance, as a teacher would call from his students. His hands were emptied of his wife as he stepped forward. “Your powers are the two most useful in battle.” He shifted his eyes to each of them. “Now go before more damage can be done. I’ll stay with Emma. Go!”
Liam turned back to me with a hard gaze. He placed his hand on my cheek.
“I’ll be fine,” I said.
While I couldn’t stand the thought of knowing I could just as easily find Liam or Sean lying next to Katherine, I had to accept that Liam was immortal. I had to accept that Sean was immortal. They had no choice but to defend themselves. It would be selfish of me to prevent them from doing what their existence called them to do, so I ignored the images and nodded my head with approval.
Liam lifted his chin, swiping my cheek until his thumb met my lips. I knew that he wanted to lean into them but it would take too much strength to let go again. I reached up for his hand while gazing deep into the bright emerald of his eyes. “Go.” He nodded in appreciation of my command, as if it was the push he needed to leave. He stepped away just a second before he followed Lillian out the door. With him out of sight, I let myself sigh out the worry that came with not just him but Sean fighting too.
Please be okay.
I closed my eyes for a few seconds of composure. When they opened, I was met by Henry’s frozen gaze.
“I’m so sorry,” I said.
Though the bright baby blue of his eyes seemed to appreciate my sentiment, he said nothing. Only a nod was given as he swiftly left the grand living room for the back hallway. Within a few blinks, he was back with something in his hand. A sheet, a thin white layer he placed over Katherine’s body while leaving her face uncovered. He bent to his knees before reaching the back of his hand out to swipe her right cheek. It was something Liam did to me so often, and I felt selfish for displaying that affection not just a moment ago in front of Henry. I felt the tension build in my throat as I tried to avoid any wetness in my eyes. It wouldn’t help if I let my human emotion get in the way of Henry’s own grief.
In fact, I thought it was best to give him some privacy in the moment. I went down the hallway from which he came until I found the bathroom on the left side. Once I shut the door, I leaned my body back against it for support. My hand moved to my chest to feel the racing of my heart. Everything began to spin. It was like vertigo. Jane had been right with her brutal words. I was naïve to think anything else. I was lucky to find myself the opposite of where Katherine had
ended.
But then again, no matter how or when it happened, death was inevitable. Every human knew that. I guess it came down to whether I was willing to accept that could be soon, and honestly I didn’t know. It was a lot to be delivered. All I knew is that I couldn’t rest until I saw Liam and Sean greet me vertically with the smiles I knew so well. Anything else I thought right now didn’t matter to me.
I exhaled before turning my attention to the mirror, but my eyes widened at the ghastly sight. Why Liam was so concerned now made sense. My face and neck were splashed and my clothes were damply spotted with Katherine’s blood. I squinted with a small confusion. I had sworn that the wetness I felt was only a drop on my skin. Could the shock have prevented me from feeling all of the blood?
Though I felt guilty about Lillian’s clothes, I knew I couldn’t do anything about the stains right now. My left hand unwrapped the scarf from my neck as the right removed the white cap, throwing them to the corner along with the gloves. As I unbuttoned the coat and shook out of the arms I was grateful to see my top had escaped the damage. I pushed up my sleeves before I reached up into the cabinet in hopeful search of towels to wipe my face with. I wasn’t certain, but I was counting on Mary stocking the downstairs bathroom with human products, much like Liam did in his upstairs. I was relieved to pull out a few lavender washcloths. I put the others above the sink as I soaked one with a warm dampness. I lightly squeezed out the excess water before placing it on my face.
It took me roughly ten minutes to get most of the blood off. Good enough, I thought. Perhaps Liam could help me with the rest when he got back. I wrung all the washcloths out and placed them neatly over the faucets to dry as I ran the water until all the stained blood ran down the sink. I reached up again until I found a larger hand towel to pat my skin dry.
I sighed, took one last look in the mirror, and opened the door to the hallway. When I walked back into the grand living room, I found Henry’s gaze at my entrance. Though I desperately wanted to, I couldn’t possibly think of what to say to soothe Henry. What was one supposed to say when an eternal being lost their soul mate, someone they had loved for over four hundred years? I merely took the time to focus on all the unique fixtures and antiques the Alexanders had collected over the years.
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