Intuition: The Premonition Series Page 13

  “No, you didn’t say that to a twelve-year-old girl! You’re heartless!” she says accusin’ly.

  “Oh, but I did, and ya know what ya said, Aoibhe? Y’all said, ‘Leander Duncan,’ that was my name then, Leander, ‘I’ll not give ya another thing ‘til ya tell me ya love me.’ And ya ran away and ya left me alone,” I say in a gentle tone, rememberin’ that fiery, beautiful little girl.

  “Then what happened?” Evie asks when I don’t continue right away.

  “Well, a few years went by and I went home to my family, so when I saw ya again, y’all were ‘bout sixteen or so, and oh my Lord, were ya the most beautiful creature I’d ever seen in my life,” I say, smilin’ ruefully at Evie as she grins at me wickedly.

  “Ha, ha, serves you right, Leander! Tell me everything and don’t you leave out any details!” she grins.

  “All right, so I had come with my Mam to visit with her kin, the Campbell clan, for a kind of gatherin’ thing we used to have from time to time back then. I saw y’all with yer Da, who by the way, was a blacksmith and he had arms like this,” I say, indicatin’ a bicep the size of my thigh. “He had to be one of the most intimidatin’ men I’d ever seen,” I go on, rememberin’ the size of Aoibhe’s father. “And he was taller than I am now, so ya can imagine someone like me not really bein’ intimidated easily by another fella, but he was one scary Da.” I watch as Evie tries to imagine what I’m tellin’ her. “Anyway, y’all were with yer Da, and the minute ya saw me, it was like y’all had eaten some bad haggis or somethin’. Yer face went pale and yer jaw clenched and ya wouldn’t look at me again after that.”

  “So, what did Leander do?” Evie asks, sittin’ forward in her seat.

  “Well, I just kinda watched ya for awhile. Every young man in the whole place was watchin’ ya, so I was in good company. Ya danced every dance with a new partner, but ya didn’t seem to have any particular interest in any one, so I felt it was safe to ask ya for a dance. But, when I did, y’all turned me down flat. No explanation, I just said, ‘May I have the next dance?’ and ya said, ‘no.’ Then, ya danced with the next fella that asked ya.” I watch Evie’s eyes sparkle as I continue the story how I remember it. “When it was time for supper, I was sittin’ with some of the fellas I knew and the lasses were servin’ up trays of food. Y’all were passin’ out the bread and ya got stuck with my table, so ya went down the line and when y’all got to me, ya skipped me, like I wasn’t even there. When I pointed out to ya that y’all had missed me, ya know whatcha said?” I ask Evie with a chuckle, rememberin’ the response in my head.

  “No, what did I say?” Evie asks me with a quirk of her brow.

  “Ya said, ‘I didn’t miss ya, Leander, I skipped ya ‘cuz ya told me that yer never gonna take another thing from me again and, guess what? I’ll not be givin’ ya another thing either.’”

  “Hooray for me!” Evie laughs. “Then what did you do?”

  “Well, ya tossed down the gauntlet, now didn’t ya?” I ask, rubbin’ my hands together, rememberin’ what I did next. “I had to see just how stubborn y’all were, so I started off by bringin’ ya flowers. That was an easy one for ya to turn down. Then I bought ya a chaplet for yer hair. Y’all turned that down, too. Then I bought ya some kid-skin boots, but y’all wouldn’t take those either, so I figured ya couldn’t be bought.” I tell her, as I go down the list.

  “So, if I couldn’t be bought… then what?” Evie asks with a curious smile.

  “Well, I had to get underhanded. I followed y’all when ya went to visit yer sister in a neighborin’ burg. When ya went inside, I ran yer horse off and waited ‘til ya came out,” I admit, hangin’ my head, feelin’ a little ashamed at what I had done over eight hundred years ago.

  “Russell!” Evie says in shock.

  “I know, but I was gettin’ desperate and y’all were so stubborn. Anyway, y’all came out and I pretended to have just seen ya. I offered ya a ride back, but ya wouldn’t take it. So I had to walk behind ya all the way back, feelin’ guilty for what I had done to ya. Y’all told me later that ya knew I’d done it, too, so ya walked extra slow to punish me,” I say, smilin’. “Y’all were such a mean lass!”

  “Me? You drove the horse off,” she says, laughin’.

  “Anyway, by now, I was so obsessed with ya I didn’t know what to do with myself. I had fancied myself in love before, but nothin’ came close to what I was feelin’ for ya. So, keep in mind I was a desperate man—maybe I shouldn’t tell ya this part,” I say, gettin’ up from my seat and grabbin’ my bag.

  “Where are you going? You can’t leave until you tell me what you did to me!” Evie says, grabbin’ one of the throw pillows from the sofa and tossin’ it at me. I catch it easily, huggin’ it to my body, inhalin’ her perfume on it as I sit back down in my chair.

  “Okay—just remember—desperate man. So there I was, in love with ya, and I couldn’t come up with a way to make y’all unbend toward me. So, I followed ya to the loch. Y’all went there to wash yer clothes and, when everyone else left, ya stayed to wash yer hair. Ya only had on yer kirtle, which is kinda like a slip made of linen and when it’s wet, well, there’s nothin’ left to the imagination. So, I took the woolen overdress ya left on the bank and I sat just under the tree with it, waitin’ for y’all to notice,” I say, toyin’ with the corner of the pillow.

  “What happened when I noticed?” Evie asks breathlessly.

  “Well, ya stormed out of the water with yer hands on yer hips. Y’all took one look at me sittin’ under the tree, and ya started marchin’ home. Y’all would’ve had to go right through the center of town in yer wet kirtle, if I hadn’t caught up to ya and stood in front of ya, blockin’ yer way,” I explain, smilin’. “Although, I didn’t mind the view from behind ya at all…” I add, and catch the next pillow easily as it sails toward my head. “Anyway, I said that y’all had to take yer dress back from me before someone saw ya. Y’all said, ‘I’m never gonna take any of yer tokens from ya, I’d rather walk through the town naked.’ So I said, ‘But I love ya.’” I pause, lookin’ up at Evie. Her eyes are on me, listenin’ to every word I say. “So y’all said, ‘Good Lord man…finally! I thought I was gonna have to walk through town, nearly as naked as the day I was born, before ya told me that ya loved me,’” I tell Evie, smilin’ ruefully. “And then, well, ya kissed me…and it was so sweet and innocent and hot, all at the same time.”

  “So, Aoibhe married Leander?” Evie asks in a soft tone, bitin’ her bottom lip.

  “Yeah,” I sigh, noticin’ she has distanced herself from my memories once again. “Y’all already had yer Da make the rings. Y’all were just waitin’ on me to get to the ‘I love ya’ part. Y’all always were one step ahead of me,” I say, standin’ up again.

  I start walkin’ from the room when Evie asks, “What happened to Aoibhe and Leander?”

  I pause, not sure I should tell her this part. “Well, a few years after we were married, I got real sick with what we used to call the morbid sore throat. And there I was, beggin’ ya to leave me be and go back to yer Da, but yer stubborn and y’all wouldn’t go. Y’all kept nursin’ me and I got better…and y’all got sick…and ya didn’t get better,” I say quietly, ‘cuz my throat gets tight as I remember Aoibhe dyin’ in my arms. The sorrow of that day still lingers in my soul. “Ya seein’ a pattern here at all, Red?” I ask her sadly. “Y’all gave up yer life for mine.”

  “I don’t remember being Aoibhe,” Evie says in a quiet voice

  “I know, but she’s there—in yer soul—I kissed her on the beach and she tried to give up her soul for me a few months ago. I know y’all don’t remember, but yer her and she’s y’all and this is by far the strangest life I’ve ever had,” I say, rubbin’ my hand through my hair.

  “Just say the word and I’ll end it for you and you can be free to go on to your next life,” Reed says as he enters the library in his customary stealthy way. I never even hear him comin’ and that is irratatin’, since I should with m
y improved hearin’.

  “I’ll let ya know on that. I was thinkin’ of stickin’ ‘round, at least ‘til ya get called back to Heaven. Wouldn’t want to miss one minute with ya,” I reply, tryin’ not to let him get to me.

  “Reed…be nice please,” Evie says, tryin’ to be stern to Reed, which never works ‘cuz she always ends up smilin’ at him anyway.

  “I’ll see ya later, Red. I’m gonna go and see if Zee’s available to train me. Ya know, y’all can come, too. I bet he can teach ya how to fight and protect yerself ‘cuz yer gonna have to learn sooner or later,” I urge her. I want her to figure out that the angels are not always gonna be ‘round when she needs them. I shouldn’t have to spell it out, since we both barely lived through the inconvenience at the 7-Eleven. Evie needs to, at least, be able to defend herself against a Reaper, like Alfred, ‘cuz he is still out there, waitin’ to get at her again.

  “She is not ready yet, Russell. She hasn’t evolved fully and that makes her too vulnerable to train,” Reed says as he sits down next to Evie on the sofa.

  “Correct me if I’m wrong, Reed, but I don’t see the Fallen puttin’ things on hold ‘til Red fully evolves. Y’all should start now with at least the basics so that she has a chance if they attack her without y’all to protect her,” I argue my point adamantly.

  “Why would one of us not be with her, Russell?” Reed asks in a quiet tone from where he sits, not lookin’ at me, but at Evie.

  “Don’t tell me that with all of yer life experience and military trainin’, y’all can’t imagine a scenario in which Evie could be facin’ those freakin’ fallen cannibals without ya.” I must have hit a nerve ‘cuz I hear him growl a warnin’ to me.

  “Right now her strength for surviving lies in two areas: persuasion and flight. She needs to try to run first, and then, if that option is unavailable, she is very persuasive in turning angels to her favor,” Reed says, takin’ Evie’s hand in his.

  “It wouldn’t hurt to give her another weapon in her arsenal. I don’t understand ya. Y’all say ya love her, but then ya don’t even try to help her,” I say, but no sooner had the words left my mouth, then Reed is standin’ directly in front of me with his hands in fists at his sides. It’s freaky how fast he can move in a fraction of a second.

  “Never question my motives where Evie is concerned. What you are proposing is an unnecessary risk at this point in time,” he says by my ear. He’s tryin’ real hard not to show the agitation he feels just below the surface. Knowin’ this, I press on.

  “What are ya afraid of, Reed? Would it bother ya that Evie might not need ya to protect her?” I ask with equal quiet, meetin’ his eyes without flinchin’, even as my instincts are tellin’ me to be cautious. “No, that’s not it is it…” I say, studyin’ his face for a moment. “Yer afraid—yer afraid she’ll get hurt—ya can’t stand seein’ her in pain.” Reed growls again and I can tell I have come close to the mark. “Yer losin’ perspective, general,” I say through clenched teeth. “Y’all have to prepare for every eventuality, isn’t that what Zee’s always sayin’?” I ask him, lookin’ in his eyes.

  Evie is right here, tryin’ to step between us, which is becomin’ more and more of a habit as this livin’ situation wears on. “Okay— this is so much fun, you two, I don’t know what I’ll do when it ends.” Evie says with sarcasm. “Russell, I think you’re right. I think it is about time I started to learn how to defend myself,” she says. I look past her to Reed, who is scowlin’ fiercely.

  “We’ve been usin’ the dinin’ room to train, since Reed already started remodelin’ it when y’all were sick. It’s just ‘bout perfect for what we need with all the vaulted ceilings and wood floors. We could use some mats if yer gonna train, too,” I explain, lookin’ at Evie.

  “No, we won’t because she is not training with you and Zephyr,” Reed says with his eyebrows pullin’ together.

  “I say she is,” I reply, defendin’ what I believe. Before I know what is happenin’, I’m off of my feet and propelled to the back of the library where I come to rest against the wall with Reed’s forearm diggin’ in my chest.

  “Do you want to see her die, is that it?” Reed asks, holdin’ me off the floor. “Because it would only take Zephyr a momentary lapse in concentration to snap her in two,” Reed says, searchin’ my face.

  Evie is there in seconds, holdin’ on to Reed’s arm and sayin’, “Reed, put him down, now!”

  Reed complies, droppin’ me to my feet instantly and steppin’ back a few paces. He isn’t lookin’ at her though, he is lookin’ at me. “Reed, listen to me, ‘cuz I’m only gonna say this once. I love her, too. I want her to survive probably more than y’all do.” I explain, runnin’ my hand through my hair in exasperation. “Here’s what I’m afraid of—I’m afraid that, for whatever reason, someone in Heaven is gonna get it in their head that Evie, or me, or both of us, could do all right without the help of angels and decide to call all y’all back to test the theory. If that day comes, wouldn’t ya want her not to be at the mercy of the next fallen angel that crosses her path?” I ask him, hopin’ he will see reason. “‘Cuz I don’t think I’m gonna be much help, at least ‘til I get my wings, and then, who knows…” I say grudgingly, wishin’ I knew when all of this is gonna occur so that I can have a timeline for kickin’ some angel ass. “But, I’m gonna do everythin’ in my power to be ready for when I can help, and I will protect her with my life, if it comes to it.”

  “That won’t be necessary because I’m going to learn how to defend myself so no one has to die for me,” Evie says in a stern tone, lookin’ from Reed to me and back to Reed. “I’ll tell Zee myself, so there is no miscommunication.”

  “We need to discuss your safe—” Reed begins, but Evie cuts him off.

  “My safety—Russell’s right.” Evie says with genuine concern. “I can’t rely on you to protect me all of the time. I need to be able to defend myself if I can.” It isn’t sittin’ well with her to be just comin’ to this conclusion now.

  “Yes, I agree, when you are stronger and it makes more sense, but now—” Reed begins again, but is again cut off by Evie.

  “I can’t marinate in denial anymore, Reed. I need to take care of myself. I can’t rely on you to do it for me.” Evie says, puttin’ her hand on Reed’s cheek to get him to look at her.

  “You don’t need to do this,” Reed assures her.

  “Reed, I’m over the shock of still being alive. I need to do something to insure I stay that way. When are you training, Russell?” Evie asks.

  “Zee?” I say in an even tone. It takes Zephyr less than two seconds to join us in the library. He moves past us to the windows. “Can y’all train Red to defend herself?” I ask.

  “I was wondering when we’d get to this. Evie, are you ready to learn?” Zephyr asks Evie, lookin’ directly at her with his discernin’ eyes.

  “No, she is not,” Reed replies for her.

  “I am aware of your thoughts in this matter. I am now asking Evie. I want to know if you are fully awake now?” Zephyr asks Evie evenly.

  “What do you mean, Zee?” Evie asks, lookin’ down at the floor, tryin’ to hide the fact that she already has some idea of what he means.

  Zephyr says, “What I mean is that you have so much sorrow in you that you have been walking around like you are asleep half of the time. If we are to do this, I am going to need you to break the shell you have created around yourself, or else, I will end up hurting you.”

  “I see. I thought I was doing a better job at hiding my emotions, but I guess the only person I was fooling was myself. I’ll go change and I’ll meet you in the dining room, or is it gonna be the training room from now on?” she asks.

  “Are you sure, Evie?” Zephyr asks.

  “I’m fully alive now, Zee, and I intend to stay that way,” Evie replies, squarin’ her shoulders and walkin’ toward the library doors like a warrior.

  That’s my girl, Red, I think, smilin’ after her as she leaves th
e room. Then, I see the dangerous look on Reed’s face and I stop smilin’.

  “Do you know how long we have been killing?” Reed asks as he continues to scowl.

  “No,” I reply.

  “So long that you would believe it was forever,” Reed says with a stern look.

  “Oh,” I say, tryin’ not to look impressed.

  “And, do you know what it takes to kill one of us?” Reed asks with menace.

  “Yeah. Zee explained that ya have to tear y’all apart for it to be effective,” I say, tryin’ not to adopt a smart-ass tone that won’t help this situation.

  “Right. How eager are you to see Evie tear another angel apart? Do you really think that she is ready to do that?” Reed asks me.

  “Under the right set of circumstances, I’d say she’d do all right with it. Don’t underestimate her, Reed; she is a force of nature and she’s had centuries to hone her iron will, even if she doesn’t remember any of it,” I say as an explanation. “I haven’t even begun to go all the way back in my memories and I’ve already learned that.”

  “What do you hope to accomplish by telling her all the stories of the past? She doesn’t remember your lives together,” Reed asks me.

  “I don’t know, Reed, maybe I’m hopin’ to accomplish exactly what yer hopin’ I won’t accomplish,” I reply, exhalin’ and rubbin’ my neck in irritation knowin’ he was listenin’ when I told Evie ‘bout her life as Aoibhe. It’s private. It was when she was mine and I won’t share that part of her—of us—with him.

  “It’s not helping her,” Reed says with concern.

  “No, what’s not helpin’ her is allowin’ her to live like nothin’ can get to her ’cuz we both know that’s not the case,” I reply in disgust at havin’ to say it out loud.