by I. T. Lucas
If he could smile, he would have. That was so true. He was nothing like that man. But how did Annani know about Gudbrand?
“He might have worked on improving his character throughout his subsequent incarnations,” Sari said. “Isn’t that the entire purpose of the never-ending cycle? Through its own suffering, the soul learns to be compassionate and selfless.”
David had been afraid of that answer, but it was the only one that made sense when his dreams were considered. The dreams had not really been dreams at all, but past life memories. He used to be Gudbrand, a brutish, arrogant, and selfish man, and over many life cycles, he had learned humility and selflessness.
But had he?
He was still quite arrogant. He’d only learned to hide it better. And as for selflessness, he wasn’t sure about that either. He could have swallowed his pride and been a better son to his father. He could have ignored the put-downs and visited more. But he’d been arrogant, and his father’s dismissal of his professional successes had angered and saddened him.
And what about his mother and sister? He thought that staying away and letting them live their lives was the right thing to do, but perhaps he’d been motivated more by laziness than altruism. He should have been a better son to his mother and a more caring brother to his sister. Lisa barely knew him.
Bottom line, he was not so different from Gudbrand.
“Gudbrand was never as whiny.” Jonah floated down from a spot on the ceiling and sat down on David’s bed.
Strangely, the mattress sank under him even though he appeared weightless. But then none of this was real, and he was probably dreaming again, a strange dream within a dream.
“How do you know about Gudbrand?”
It was a stupid question to ask a dream apparition that was a product of his imagination. Besides, Jonah’s ghost knew everything because he lived in David’s mind.
His brother smiled. “Asked and answered. But I’m not a product of your imagination, and I don’t live inside your head. I’m just as real as you are but in a different way. While you are still bound by your body and its limitations, I am a bundle of information that is part of the cosmic smorgasbord of information. It’s all a mind game, David. The very reality you live in is an illusion. It’s thought made manifest.”
“That’s an old idea.”
“It doesn’t mean that it is untrue.”
“If thought can create reality, then if I think you are actually here, sitting on my bed, I can touch you.”
“Go ahead.”
As David pushed up on the pillows, he realized several things. In the real world, he had a ventilator stuck down his throat, but in this dream, he could breathe and talk freely. He could also move, which he couldn’t do in reality. So, if he could do all that, he could also embrace his brother.
“Bravo.” Jonah clapped. “You are learning the rules.”
“Or lack thereof.” David leaned forward and put his arms around his brother. “Thank you for coming back. I wasn’t sure you would.”
“I got permission.”
“From whom?”
Shaking his head, Jonah smiled. “Nice try. You know that I’m not allowed to answer that.”
“I figured it was worth a shot. Can our father get permission to visit me as well?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Because he has already been reborn. Only those who remain in the in-between can make contact with the living.”
That was disappointing. If he could have told his father that he was sorry for not trying harder to be a better son, maybe he could have gotten rid of some of the damn guilt plaguing him.
Jonah laughed. “If anyone needs to apologize, it is he, not you. You’ve done nothing wrong except to follow your heart. If the old control freak could not accept that, it’s on him, not on you.”
“He wasn’t mad at you for choosing business over medicine.”
“That’s because I never showed any inclination for the medical field, and frankly, I didn’t have the stomach for it. He knew that there was no way I would become a doctor. All his dreams and aspirations were focused on you, and that’s why he was so disappointed that you didn’t choose to follow in his footsteps.”
“Did he tell you that?”
“He didn’t have to. But don’t worry. You’ll get a chance to fix things with him. You’ll meet him again and again, life after life. That’s how it works.”
David frowned. “If I survive this, I will be immortal. I will be free of the cycle.”
“No living being is ever free of it. Immortals just have much longer cycles.”
“How come you are in the in-between instead of being reborn? You should be a five-year-old boy now, wreaking havoc on some poor family somewhere.”
Jonah chuckled. “I could have also been reborn as a girl, but you are right. I would have been a firecracker regardless of my gender.” He crossed his ghostly legs. “I’m not in a hurry to reincarnate. I’ve lived through many cycles, and so have you. We are both very old souls.”
“That’s what our mother used to say about me. Did she say the same to you?”
Jonah shook his head. “I was always getting into too much trouble for her to think that.”
“That’s true.” Smiling, David closed his eyes. “You were a handful, but they both loved you more for it.”
“The squeaky wheel gets the grease, David. But that doesn’t make it more lovable. You were the good kid, the dependable one who did well in school and didn’t need constant attention and bailing out of trouble. If anything, they loved you more.”
“And yet, here we are, with you saving my ass, and not the other way around.”
“That’s what brothers are for. We’ve taken turns saving each other many times in the past, but you have been my savior more often than I’ve been yours. This time it happens to be my turn, for which I’m thankful. I have a big debt to repay.”
38
Eleanor
“I didn’t think you’d come to class.” Kri clapped Eleanor on the back.
“Why wouldn’t I?”
“We had one hell of an exercise session this morning.”
Eleanor dropped her duffle bag on the floor next to the wall. “I’m your warm-up and cool-down instructor, and I take my job seriously.”
“Your unpaid job.”
“So what? I’m thankful for having something to do. Besides, I don’t think virtual exercise counts.”
“That’s a good question. We should have asked William about it.”
“He’s not a doctor.”
“True, but the guy is a genius. I’m sure he can answer that.”
“Did you go back to answer his questionnaire?”
A sheepish grin spread over Kri’s face. “I will go after class. I was busy.”
Lucky girl. The best Eleanor could hope for was phone sex with Greggory, and she wasn’t sure how cooperative he would be, if at all.
Chances were that he hadn’t remained celibate and was slaking his needs with random humans, and if she had any brains, she would have done the same.
Even with her nefarious reputation, there were plenty of immortal males who were more than willing to share her bed. She’d noticed the covetous glances. The problem was that none of them had stirred anything in her.
The only one she seemed to crave was Greggory.
Hopefully, William had already arranged for her line to be private, or as private as any other clan member’s, so she could call Greggory and get on the sexy with him. But she needed to gather her courage and come up with a plan. How was she going to suggest it? What could they actually do?
Eleanor wasn’t very imaginative in that regard, and she was too reserved to ask Kri for advice.
“When you go to see William, I’ll come with you. He has my phone, and I need to pick it up from him.”
“Why? Did it break?”
“Since Annani compelled everyone’s adherence to the accord, I asked him to remove
the tap from my phone.”
Kri arched a brow. “And he agreed?”
“He asked Kian’s permission, and surprisingly, Kian allowed it.”
“Awesome.” Kri slapped her back. “Now you can get naughty with Greggory over the phone.”
Her friend either knew her well or projected what she would have done in Eleanor’s situation.
“Yeah. I guess I can.” She started stretching to hide her embarrassment.
Fortunately, their students started spilling in and put an end to the conversation. A few minutes later, the class started.
When it was over, and everyone had left, Eleanor lifted her duffle bag off the floor. “Are you ready?” She slung the strap over her shoulder.
“Let’s go.” Kri followed her to the door.
Since she left her things in the locker, Kri didn’t have a bag to carry.
The lockers were free for everyone to use, but Eleanor’s old habits and suspicious nature made her uneasy about leaving her things unattended. It wasn’t as if she had anything to hide in her duffle bag, but in case she ever had, it was better for people to get used to seeing her always keeping it with her.
“You didn’t even break a sweat,” Kri said. “My class is too easy for you.”
“I’m so ready for the advanced one. I can’t wait for Brundar to return from Scotland.”
Kri fell in step with her. “You’ll need to pass his test first, and it’s brutal.”
Eleanor grinned. “As I said, I can’t wait.”
As they walked down the corridor to William’s lab, Turner stepped out of Onegus’s office.
“What a lucky coincidence. I was just on my way to talk to you.” He offered his hand to Kri. “I have a job offer for you.”
“Thanks, but I already have a job.”
“It’s only for a couple of days.” Turner motioned for them to keep walking. “I asked Kian to loan me a couple of Guardians, and after I explained what I needed them for, he suggested you. I spoke with Onegus, and he has no problem with giving you a leave of absence.”
“I’m honored.” Kri put her hand over her heart. “And I’ll gladly help you out with whatever you need. If Kian suggested me, it’s probably a very low-risk job.”
“It is, and as a female, you will have an easier time infiltrating the cult.”
Eleanor’s ears perked up. “A cult? That sounds interesting. I’ve always suspected that cult leaders have some compulsion ability. I would love to test that theory.”
Turner eyed her from under his pale lashes. “I suspect the same thing. Some humans obviously have the ability to compel the cooperation of others. Hypnotic suggestion is a watered-down version of compulsion.”
“I have an idea.” Kri put her arm around Eleanor’s shoulders. “How about Eleanor and I infiltrate the cult together? Her talent makes her uniquely suited for the job.”
“I didn’t tell you what the job is yet.”
“Given the type of business you run, someone hired you to save a loved one from a cult.”
Turner nodded. “A concerned father hired me to retrieve his daughter. I did some digging into the so-called spiritual retreat she’d joined. It’s obviously a cult like any other, exploiting its members financially and often also sexually.”
“Is it a retreat for singles or for couples?” Kri asked.
“Both.”
Her hand on Eleanor’s shoulder tightened, and she drew her closer. “Then, Eleanor and I can join as a couple.”
“Are you nuts?” Eleanor flicked her arm off.
“Not at all. It’s the best cover.”
“No, it’s not. I bet that the cult leader is a man, and he won’t be interested in a couple of lesbians.”
Kri grinned. “On the contrary. Men are fascinated with lesbians. All we have to do is hint that we swing both ways, and our acceptance is guaranteed.”
“I agree,” Turner said. “The problem is that Kian will not allow Eleanor to leave the village.”
“She will be with me.” Kri wrapped her arm around Eleanor’s shoulders again. “I will guarantee her return.”
“I’ll have to talk to Kian and Onegus.” Turner looked at Eleanor. “But before I do that, you need to decide whether you want to join the mission.”
“What’s the risk factor? And what’s the backup plan? I assume that we are not going entirely solo.”
“You assume correctly. Between you and Kri, you can thrall and compel whoever you need to and get the girl out peacefully. But if anything goes wrong, my teams will take the place by force.”
“How would you know if anything went wrong? We can’t go in with wires on us. I’m sure they check for them.”
Turner smiled. “I know what I’m doing, Eleanor. Every detail will be covered, but before I can finalize the plan, I need to assemble my team, so I know what I have to work with.”
“He’s good,” Kri confirmed. “Turner is the best strategist on the planet.”
The guy smiled smugly, not even trying to pretend humility and refute Kri’s exaggerated claim.
“If Kian and Onegus agree to let me go, you can count me in. But I doubt that they will.”
“Hey, I have an idea.” Kri let go of Eleanor. “If either Ella or Vivian come with us, the communication problem will not be an issue. They can talk with each other in their heads.”
Turner nodded. “Not a bad suggestion, but I doubt either of them is ready for another adventure. They’ve endured enough.”
“True.” Kri deflated. “What about Lokan? He can dream share with Eleanor.”
Eleanor lifted a brow. “What are you talking about?”
“Lokan can dream share with immortal females. That’s almost as good as Ella and Vivian’s telepathic connection. I just hope that he can still do that after bonding with Carol. She also might object to him dream-sharing with another female. It’s kind of intimate.”
Frankly, the idea of sharing dreams with any guy seemed creepy. Even if it were Greggory, Eleanor wouldn’t want to do that with him. It was too invasive.
“I don’t want to dream share with anyone. It’s creepy. You can do that.”
“I can’t. Michael would have a fit.”
“Ladies.” Turner lifted a hand. “We are not going to use Lokan, so there is no point in you arguing about who will dream share with him. Leave the communications problem to me. As I said, I know what I’m doing.”
39
David
As David opened his eyes, he was fully aware that he was opening them in a dream and that his physical body was unable to perform the simple operation of lifting his eyelids.
He wasn’t fully unconscious, though. From time to time he could hear the conversations going on around him, but when Jonah was there, everything else faded away.
It was good to have his brother back though, even if it was only a dream. David had prayed and hoped for that ever since Jonah had died. Any contact was better than none. Any proof, no matter how intangible, that the soul continued after the body died was a gift that he was grateful for.
Since no voices were filtering through David’s awareness, he assumed that Jonah was either there or about to manifest.
Jonah? Where are you? We are not done talking.
As the doorway appeared and his brother stepped through, David didn’t know whether to feel relieved or disappointed. The light on the other side was so damn tempting, and the yearning to cross over so strong, that he couldn’t understand how even a handful of people managed to resist it and come back from the brink.
“Hello, David.” Jonah floated to the same spot he’d sat on before. “I promised that I would come back, and here I am.”
“Thank you. I’ve prayed for the opportunity to talk to you ever since you died.”
“I know.” Jonah put a hand on his chest. “I wanted to come, but I wasn’t allowed.”
“Why are you allowed now? Is it because I’m unconscious?”
“That makes it easier. But I’ve been aid
ed by unexpected allies who need my help.”
“Who are they?”
Jonah smiled. “I can’t tell you that, but you can guess.”
A lightbulb flicked on in David’s head. “The Fates. Were you the one who whispered in Kalugal’s ear to bring me to Sari?”
“I can neither confirm nor deny.”
This was frustrating. “What are you allowed to talk about? The weather?”
Jonah chuckled. “Unless it’s about the existing weather conditions, that’s forbidden as well. I can’t impart any information about the future.”
“Do you know what will happen?”
“Some of it. Most of the future hasn’t been written yet.”
“Can you talk about the past?”
Jonah nodded. “Only a small portion of it. There are specific things I got permission for.”
“How about our past lives? You said that we have reincarnated many times, and you made it sound as if we were brothers in other lives as well.”
“Not always. Sometimes we were best friends, and sometimes we were father and son.”
David smiled. “I just hope that we have never been a couple. That would have been awkward.”
“I agree. We were always reincarnated as males, which is not how it usually works, but there was a good reason for that.”
“What?”
“The things we needed to work out over many lives were gender-specific—brotherly rivalry, anger, aggression, lack of compassion, vengefulness, pride, and so on. But mainly the brotherly stuff. We always loved each other fiercely, but we also couldn’t stand each other. We are very different individuals.”
David grimaced. “If I was Gudbrand, then you must have been Olek, and out of the two, Olek was the better man.”
Jonah lifted a brow. “You are right about that, but Olek killed Gudbrand, not the other way around, and he carried the anger and guilt for it over many cycles.”
“He was overtaken with grief and not thinking straight. Gudbrand had failed him. Olek loved his wife and was dedicated to his clan, while Gudbrand only thought about himself.”