Harmony Page 5

  “Sure,” Ian replied. “I’ll be waiting.”

  I quickly darted upstairs to change and run a brush through my hair. Boy, did I need it! I studied my face in the mirror. Why was Ian attracted to me? I knew he was, but I couldn’t understand why for the life of me. The girl in his memory was far more beautiful. She had long auburn hair, a petite figure, and piercing blue eyes. She was mesmerizing. How could I compete with that! I was just plain, old five-foot six Sophie. I brushed through my stick-straight blond hair that at best came to my shoulders, and studied my eyes that were more times green than blue. What did Ian see when he looked at me? I knew I wasn’t ugly, but for someone as devastatingly handsome as Ian, he needed an equally glamorous woman by his side. I sighed. Resigned, I did the best I could. Lip gloss and blush were about all I was used too.

  I found Ian in his library, as I liked to refer to it. He was lounging in his leather chair with his eyes closed. I stood in the doorway not wanting to interrupt. I wanted to always remember him like this, so ordinary, so human-like.

  “You can come in and stop staring,” he said.

  Momentarily embarrassed at being caught ogling, I deflected, “I thought vampires didn’t sleep?” “I’m not, just meditating.” I didn’t say anything. “It helps me refocus my energy and regain my strength,” Ian explained. “Come here.” He pulled me onto his lap. “What on earth were you doing up there? I don’t like being away from you.”

  I laughed. “My… aren’t we a wee bit possessive.” I tried to use the best Irish accent I could.

  Ian roared, “That was beautiful, lass!”

  “Oh my gosh, that was horrible!” I countered. “I was trying to improve my appearance, but I seem to be a lost cause.”

  “Why do you do that? Don’t you know how beautiful you are to me?” Ian said. He was clearly frustrated.

  “No one has ever told me that.” I deflected again, refocusing the conversation on him. “I thought vampires had this keen sense of vision. Do you need glasses?”

  Ian quickly kissed me in defeat. “You can be so stubborn, Sophie. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”

  “So, does this mean we are okay now? Not mad that I took sooo long?” I asked.

  “I’ll survive,” Ian stated. “Will you be okay for a couple of hours on your own? I made you some dinner.” He raised his hand to stop my protests. “It’s nothing fancy, just a sandwich like you requested. I have to go out for a while.”

  “Where are you going? I’ll come too,” I said as I stood.

  “Soph, I have to go alone,” Ian said.

  I stopped as I sensed the direction of his thoughts, the ones he didn’t like me to read. “You have to eat too, Ian,” I replied.

  He hid his face in his hands. “I have to feed soon, Sophie.”

  I dropped to my knees and knelt in front of him. I gently raised his face. “Ian, it’s okay. I understand.”

  “How can you? Doesn’t it frighten you?” he asked.

  “I know you think it should, but it doesn’t. Look, you don’t do it for sport, do you?” I inquired.

  “No, I gave that up a long time ago,” he admitted freely.

  “I know you don’t feed off of humans anymore. I’ve seen that. So, is this extra need for sustenance because of me?” I wanted to know. I could tell he didn’t want to confirm what I already knew. The longer we were together, the stronger his appetites appealed to his carnal vampire nature.

  “Yes,” he whispered.

  “Then go,” I said, steering him to the front door. “I’ll eat the sandwich and read a book. Then we will have a serious conversation where you answer all my questions.” I kissed his hand as we parted. “I’ll be right here when you come home.”

  RAVENS

  Cathbad slowly made his way up the winding staircase to his tower. His ravens would be coming soon with tidings from the present. “Matthias!” he shouted to the empty room. “You worthless excuse for a page, my patience is running thin!” he said, banging his fists upon the stone altar in front of him.

  Matthias scurried into the tower carrying a pitcher and sustenance for his lord. “You bring me no new tidings?” Cathbad spat.

  “No, my lord. The ravens have not returned,” Matthias said, kneeling.

  “Tell me why should I let you live?” Cathbad hissed.

  “Sire, forgive me. The seer stones remain lifeless,” Matthias said, trembling.

  “Bring me the stones. Do I have to do your tasks too?”

  “Yes, my lord.”

  As Matthias scurried from the room, Cathbad sat upon his poor excuse for a throne in the dark, wet, and musty fortress bequeathed him by Connacher. His fortress lay in the dark recesses of space between times. His domain granted him easy access to the past, present, and future. It was here that he could wield his Druidic powers without fear of intrusion by those pesky Knights of the Red Branch. He’d been reduced to this meager existence by that sorry excuse of a king, Connacher. How he wished that he’d foreseen the path Connacher would take! Connacher had abused the giver of his new life and power. It repulsed Cathbad how the child had turned on the father, so to speak. Cathbad was running out of time and life force. His search for the girl, Deirdre had prophesied about was tedious, and it had taken its toll on what was left of his mortal frame. How was it possible that a mere girl could evade his sight for so long?

  Cathbad had spent a century sending Connacher through time to find where she was hiding. Perhaps, it was as Connacher claimed—she did not know of the power she wielded, and could not be detected by the stones. Was it possible that such great power could lie dormant for so long? No matter. Cathbad waved a hand in front of the hearth and sparks began to form. He sensed the return of Matthias. “My lord, the stones,” Matthias said reverently, laying them out on the altar.

  “Away with you! Be on the lookout for the ravens.” Cathbad began to chant. Slowly, the seer stones began to hum, vibrate, and glow. “Find her!” Cathbad whispered in Gaelic.

  What is this? Cathbad thought curiously. A small spark intensified in one of the stones. He tapped his mind into the stone’s fluid connection with the earth. It flickered. She was a girl, no, a woman in the forest. Had that much time passed? Cathbad thought in astonishment. The last clear image he had was of her as a child. She was tentative in her discovery of self. What had brought it on?

  He searched further into her mind. No! It couldn’t be. Cathbad was slightly amused. Ian. One of Connacher’s lost ravens had masked her true identity with his own darkness! He gasped from her sudden pull away from his mind, as she recognized his intrusion, and the connection was severed. The stones were dormant once more.

  Cathbad’s frame sagged back into his chair. He shook his head in disgust. Ian had been shielding her, fighting darkness with darkness. Did Connacher know? No matter, something had slipped and he’d found her! Finally, he could set his plan in motion and be done with Connacher. Patience. Cathbad seethed in his hatred for the king, but he still needed him to play his part in the game of the gods.

  The stones leapt to life once more, detecting the flight of the ravens and Connacher’s approach. Cathbad sighed and moved to the window as he spied their arrival. How he longed for freedom. “Cathbad!” Connacher shouted from the doorway to the tower. “We’ve found her at last! Come, my pet, it’s time to feed.”

  Patience, Cathbad thought, as he turned and offered his life force to the king.

  THE HUNT

  Slowly and stealthily, he walked amongst the underbrush and trees searching for his prey. It bothered him that Sophie was not disturbed by his nature. The vampire within him was getting increasingly harder to be in her presence. He wanted her so, not only the vampire, but for other reasons. He was in love. He’d known since she was a child that he cared for her, that he would try to protect her from the others, but this feeling was new. He didn’t remember feeling this way even when he was human. He’d have to talk to Carmichael and others like him. He was perplexed and frustrated, becau
se he knew he couldn’t live without her any more. His existence meant nothing now.

  Ian’s hearing was enhanced by his vampiric abilities, and he easily sensed the mountain lion before he spotted her. He entered the clearing, giving the cat a clear chance to see him. He moved swiftly, like a gazelle on the wrong end of pursuit. He needed to satisfy the vampire in him or someone would get hurt. He hated himself for resorting to such means, but if it protected Sophie, then he’d continue to hunt this way.

  Ian was unlike some vampires who took great pleasure in inflicting pain on their victims. Ian was merciful and quick about his actions. Even with humans, he’d been this way. He couldn’t bear to see the pain in his prey’s eyes. He sighed; it was a necessity to his being. Cursed being, he thought. He hated what they’d made him into. He’d tried countless times to end it all. He constantly put himself in harm’s way when he was younger, reckless in nature. He didn’t care who knew he was a vampire. Maybe that was why they chose him to be protector. They were all fools, but who would protect Sophie from him? Certainly the guardians or those blasted Red Branch fools wouldn’t. They’d made that much clear. When they had approached him, they sensed conflicting light with the darkness in his soul. Even as a vampire, he couldn’t kill a child. He cared too much for Sophie now to just walk away from it all. He’d been tempted.

  Ian slowly buried the remains of the mountain lion, wiping the blood from his lips and slowly walked back to the cabin. Back to Sophie.

  ***

  Where is he? I thought as I paced around the room. Certainly, it couldn’t take that long to hunt and eat? I shuddered as I thought about him killing an animal. Stop it, Sophie! He had to eat too. It’s logical, makes sense. It’s who he is. I just had to accept that part of him too. Besides, maybe he did the blood bank thing too. There was more light in him than he knew.

  I scanned the shelves for something interesting to read, as I was restless and needed to pass the time. I didn’t like being alone anymore. Months before, I would have been content reading alone and pensive in my thoughts. Come to think of it, I really was quite boring. I was discovering that I had some adventure inside of me after all. It was thrilling!

  “Let’s see,” I said. “Ah, poetry.” I smiled, touching the various bindings. I knew Ian liked poetry. I wondered who his favorite poet was. He had on his shelf Keats, Browning, Byron, Shelley (that’s funny), and Moore, my favorite poet.

  I picked up the copy of The Poetical Works of Sir Thomas Moore, 1865. Of course, a first edition. I sat down and began to read. I was lost in my thoughts when I heard the clock chime. Midnight. I panicked, worrying that something had happened to Ian. I clearly didn’t understand all this “hunting,” but maybe he needed some time to himself. It wasn’t as if I didn’t have a million things to sort through. Namely, how could I be falling in love with a vampire? Talk about bizarre, but I felt that was the least of my concerns.

  I reluctantly headed upstairs to get ready for bed. Sometimes it really sucked to be human. All this sleep was killing me! I brushed my teeth and swapped my jeans for sweatpants and a cami. Climbing into Ian’s bed (yes, it was weird for me too), sleep came quickly, and I began to dream.

  ***

  Ian sat watching her in the dark. He missed watching over her sleep, as he had when she was younger. She hadn’t had the nightmares for a long time, but he knew that they’d returned with their meeting. Sophie was the peace that his soul craved. He actually started to believe that he could be something more than vampire. He only wished he could see what she was dreaming. Sophie was learning quickly, too quickly on how to block his view.

  ***

  “Ian, how long have you been here?” I asked.

  Ian moved and sat tentatively on the edge of the bed, smiling. “I’m sorry, just a little while. I didn’t mean to wake you, go back to sleep.”

  I rolled closer to the edge of the bed. “Is there a reason you are just sitting there?” I couldn’t emphasize my words or meaning any clearer.

  “Would you prefer that I left?” Ian fumbled with his words.

  “No silly, do I have to spell it out?” I threw off the covers and jumped out of bed. “For as old as you are, you really are dense.” I gently placed my hands on his face. “I want you beside me.”

  “Oh,” Ian replied, hedging. “Soph, I don’t know if that’s a good idea.”

  I hadn’t thought about it, but maybe it was too much for him. He read the disappointment on my face and in my heart.

  “Sophie, come on. You know it’s not like that,” Ian protested.

  Will you be tempted? I thought, opening my mind to him.

  No, I’m in control. His face darkened.

  Ian, I didn’t mean it like that, don’t be mad at me. Come here, please. This is all new for me too. Ian reluctantly let me pull him down, and he lay beside me, wrapping his arm precariously around my waist. He pulled the quilt tightly around us.

  “That’s better, now I can sleep,” I said, snuggling into his embrace.

  At least one of us can…. Ian thought.

  I was too tired to make sense of his last thought. “Goodnight, Ian,” I said and closed my eyes.

  FALLEN ANGEL

  Reluctantly, I woke up. It was bound to happen sooner than later; our weekend away was quickly coming to a close. I wasn’t ready to go back home, but I was sure that Grams wouldn’t consent again to such an “outing.” Only after Ian had sworn upon his existence to mind his manners and protect me, did she reluctantly agree to our plans. Oh, how I couldn’t wait for school to end! One more month and then graduation. Ugh…I was never as unsure about my future as I was now. I had applied for fall semester at both Willamette University in Salem, and Oregon State University in Corvallis, but hadn’t made a decision. Both schools had excellent liberal arts programs, and were in close proximity to Grams. If I wasn’t confused enough before Ian, what was I going to do now? I thought about my friends—Emily and Max. Emily had a full ride scholarship to OSU and Max …was Max. I would miss them terribly, but they’d understand. Right? It was only a matter of time before the two of them hooked up. I wondered if Ian and I would stay here in Jefferson or someplace else? I really could go to college anywhere. Listen to me! Stop it, Sophie. It was easy to get off track, but were we a couple? Dating? It felt like something bigger than all of that.

  As I climbed out of bed stretching, I thought we had to make the most of today. I needed to get some answers. Ian was nowhere in sight. He could be so dang sneaky; it drove me crazy. I padded down the hall quietly as humanly possible. Of course, I could smell breakfast. I paused in the doorway and tiptoed closer.

  “You are not that quiet. I heard you stomping about this morning,” Ian said, not even turning his back.

  No fair, I thought. How do you do that?

  Ian replied in the same manner, It’s really not that unusual, telepathically speaking of course. I’m so used to your scent and aura now that it’s easy to anticipate your every move.

  “Oh really, so what am I going to do now?” I quizzed him.

  Come over and hug me?

  “You don’t have to be telepathic to know that!” I laughed.

  “Hmm. Okay, let me see,” Ian said, turning around with spatula in hand. “Kiss me and heap lavish praise on me about my wonderful culinary skills?”

  “I think I could manage that,” I said amused. I quickly kissed his mouth. It was electrifying. Wow! I thought. Good morning to you too. I could really get used to this.

  “Here, I picked these for you,” Ian said, handing me a vase of wildflowers.

  “They are beautiful,” I said, breathing in the delectable aroma. “No one has ever given me flowers before. Thank you.”

  Ian switched the flowers for a plate of pancakes. “Eat up so we can go. I have a few spots that I want to still show you today.” I could sense the urgency in his voice. It was pleasant enough, but he too knew that our weekend away would soon be over. His thoughts were pretty easy to read at the moment.

/>   “Okay, I’ve never eaten so much and so fast!” I protested with my mouth full. So much for lady-like behavior. “You have got to stop feeding me, Ian! I’m going to gain ten pounds dating you,” I said, pushing my plate away.

  “Dating?” Ian raised an eyebrow.

  My cheeks burned. “Yeah, don’t look at me like that. You know that is what we’re doing,” I said, trying to remain calm. “Or did they call it courting in your time?” I asked.

  “Now, now,” Ian said in defense. “No need to bring age into this. I can be… cool.”

  I laughed so hard that juice spewed from my mouth. “Ian, you’re perfect the way you are. I don’t think I could stand it if you were cool.” I added, “I certainly couldn’t compete with the vanity.”

  “Probably true,” Ian affirmed as I threw my last piece of toast directed at his head.

  “Okay, let me get dressed and showered. I’ll be back in a few.” I abruptly stopped in the doorway. I knew the second he was present in my mind. “What do you think you’re doing?” I blushed, turning around. “You haven’t spied before, have you?” I didn’t honestly think he had, but…

  Ian threw his hands up, protesting his innocence. “I was only teasing you,” Ian said mischievously. “I’ll give you your privacy.”

  Relief washed through my mind. I wasn’t ready for that yet. It was amazing how the motivation of a “boy” waiting on me that kicked my morning routine into high speed.

  As I bounded down the stairs, I was taken aback by how casually Ian was dressed. Gone was the dark sweater and jacket—his signature style. In its place, he wore a pair of khakis and a t-shirt.

  “Is everything okay?” Ian asked.

  “Yeah,” I said, recovering some sort of composure. “I just haven’t really seen you wear anything else. I kind of like what you are wearing,” I replied with a smile.