Blackbird (23 page)

              He pushed the unpleasantness out of his mind. Now there was only him. Now there was only Lindsay. Now there was only…
Chelle…
             

              A throbbing filled his head, beginning slowly at first, and then building to a steady pulse that reverberated throughout his entire body. He reached out, further and further into the darkness, the strength of the metal beginning to flood his brain and bones. The old skeleton had seen better days but when he allowed the silver to take over he was just as strong as he’d been in his youth. The wings he kept inside.

             
Chelle…

              For a long moment there was nothing, and then all at once like a lightning bolt she was there. As strong and fierce as he’d imagined her to be. He knew and saw all that she was and a slow smile crept across his face as her strength met his. This daughter had a toughness. An inner strength that he could almost literally touch. All of it was there underneath the fear she also felt at being reached out to for the first time. That part of her was more like a frightened child.

             
It’s normal to be scared. But you needn’t be.

             
No response.

             
It’s alright, child. You don’t need to talk, all you need to do is listen. I am here to tell you what you are,
who
you are.

             
A panicked thought reached him. Her first communication back. He wanted to weep with the happiness a mother does when a child says their first words.
Who are you? What do you want?

              I am, Victor. I am the one who created you.

              You created me? What am I? Can you make it stop?

              No. All will be answered in time. For now, before the connection is broken, let me see you. Find a mirror.

             
There was a pause and he could sense she was hesitant. He let her wrestle it out with her own thoughts for a moment. Better she should retain her autonomy at this point. After a moment of doubt he knew she was where he’d asked her to be.
You’re there aren’t you?

              Yes.

              Good. Now, close your eyes. When you open them again you will see me, and I will see you.

             
Victor stood and turned toward the mirror in his study. There was a small flicker and then all of a sudden there was a light in the darkness. Chelle had opened her eyes and he was looking at her in his mirror, and he knew she was seeing him in hers. He smiled. He remembered her human parents more clearly now. He’d picked this couple for their genetic strength and beauty. Everything else they’d lacked, but not that. Now he congratulated himself on what a wise choice that had been.

              She was slender and beautiful, full dark eyes and long flowing dark hair. She was a prize.
My child,
he communicated, reaching out to touch the mirror. Chelle lifted her hand to touch the mirror at the same time and as the tips of their fingers came together there was a spark, then a scream. Victor jumped back, startled as the mirror cracked.

              The connection was broken. Lindsay heard the commotion and came running in. “Victor? Are you alright?” She grabbed him by the shoulders and sat him back in the chair, looking him over, furrowing her brow as she did.

              “I’m just fine,” he said taking her hands in his and patting them gently.

              “Did you reach her?”

              He smiled and lay his head back in the chair, exhausted. “Yes. What power she has.” He gestured toward the mirror and Lindsay stared at it in wonder.

              “She did that?”

              “She did.”

              “How soon can we have her with us?”

              “Soon enough. If she won’t come willingly we’ll have to draw her out. One way or another, she’s coming.”

***

              Robert took off down the hallway and bolted through the door of the guest room as fast as he could. He wasn’t prepared for what he saw. Chelle was standing in front of the mirror wearing only her underwear, blood dripping from her hand. The mirror on the dresser now sporting a large crack straight down the center. He grabbed a towel from the closet and went to her wrapping it up and applying pressure. Large tears were streaming down her face and she looked at him like she didn’t know where she was. “Chelle?”

              No response.

              “Chelle?” he said louder, shaking her shoulder with his free hand. Finally her eyes focused and she looked at him, as if seeing him for the first time. “What happened? Did you fall against the mirror?”

              “No,” she said as if speaking had suddenly become a burden. Her eyes went out of focus for a moment and her head lolled back as if she were going to pass out.

              “You’re scaring me,” he said, tipping her head forward once again. He sat her down on the edge of the bed in case she should fall. “Tell me what’s going on.”

              “I can’t,” she cried. “It doesn’t make sense. You’ll think I’m crazy.”

              Tenderly he touched her face and felt the same wonderful trembling he’d felt before. She made him nervous in a way he couldn’t explain, but that he loved somehow. “After the last few days I don’t think I’d doubt anything you’d say. Try me.”

              He could tell she was hesitating, fearful of what he’d think. He simply continued to apply pressure to her hand and wait until she was ready to speak. Finally she did. “A man. There was a man in your mirror. He spoke to me. His name was Victor and when I touched the mirror…”

              “What?”

              “I felt him. Then everything went crazy. Like a flash went off inside my head and the mirror…”

              Robert looked at her intently. “I believe you,” he said, knowing she needed to hear it. “Did he say who he was? What did he want?” Robert spoke with a calmness that surprised even himself. A few days ago if she’d told him she’d talked to a man in the mirror he’d have taken her to see a psychiatrist.

              “He said he’s the one who made me.”

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chelle looked down at the blood covered towel and unwrapped it to inspect the damage. “Careful,” Robert said. “You might need stitches. It was a pretty big gash.”

              She was afraid to look, but the absence of what she saw frightened her more than what she had expected to see. The large cut she knew she’d received from the broken glass was completely healed. Her skin was perfect, as if the cut had never been there in the first place. Unable to hide her fear she began shaking. “Robert,” she cried. “I don’t know what I am. This man said he
made
me. What does that mean? What if I’m some kind of monster?”

              Robert spoke sternly. “Listen, you’re no monster. If you were you’d know it by now. Whatever’s going on here Michael and Greg are working to figure it out.”

              He took her to his chest and held her, wrapping her in his arms and burying his face in her hair. Chelle was shaking so hard that if she hadn’t known any better she would have sworn he was shaking too. “I’m scared.”

              “Don’t be. I’m here.” He squeezed her tighter. The way he was holding her could almost make her believe everything really would be ok. She began to calm down, feeling safe, protected. Chelle could remember plenty of times in her life when she’d been scared to death, but she could never recall a time when she felt completely safe. This might not have been completely safe, but it was pretty close.

              When she finally calmed down and stopped crying it dawned on her that she was in nothing but a bra and panties, and in the same room with her boss. She was beginning to think of him as much more than that, but was sure he certainly wasn’t. She flushed with embarrassment and pulled away, covering herself with the blanket. Now he looked embarrassed too.

              “Oh god, Robert I’m sorry.”

              “No, no. Don’t be sorry. It’s me who should be sorry for just barging in here. Your hand ok?” he said, grabbing the bloody towel off the floor.

              “Yeah, for sure. I’m fine, everything’s fine. I’m just gonna get dressed and I’ll be right out. I should figure out something. I think enough time has passed. I don’t want to trouble you anymore.”

              Surprisingly he looked slightly disappointed. “Oh. Ok. If that’s what you want, but I mean, you don’t have to go anywhere.” He was stumbling over his words. “That is to say, my bed is empty. I mean the bed is empty.
That
bed is empty and we might as well sleep in it.” He put his hand over his mouth realizing he was putting his foot in his mouth. “What I mean to say is that I have this spare room and nobody else is here so you can use it. Just come out in the living room when you get dressed, I have good news.”

***

              “I’m such an idiot,” Robert said to himself as he plopped down onto the couch, rubbing his forehead. “
My bed is empty
. Jesus, that’s not creepy at all.”  Suddenly he realized that lying to himself wasn’t going to work. She fascinated him, entranced him, and he wanted her for far more than friendship. He
di
d
want her in his bed, and in his house and wherever else he happened to be. He wanted her every which way, he just wanted her. He told himself it wasn’t right. That it was too soon after Billie, and that he didn’t really know who Chelle was, or as she had said,
what
she was for that matter.

              Those thoughts were quieted immediately upon hearing the bedroom door click open. He looked back to see her standing there, barely able to meet his eyes and holding her backpack. Slowly, awkwardly, she made her way to the couch and sat on the opposite end, folding her hands in her lap. “What’s the good news?”

              His heart was racing in his chest and for a moment he couldn’t find his voice. “Um, Rich,” he said.

              “Rich? Oh that’s your friend. The lawyer right?”

              “Yeah. He persuaded the crown to drop all the charges.”

              “That
is
good news,” she said, never lifting her head. The vibe in her voice sounded like it was anything but.

              “Yes. He’s a good lawyer.”

              “He must be. They caught me red handed.”

              “True, but you don’t have any priors and you didn’t steal anything.”

              “Robert,” she said taking her backpack in hand. “I don’t know how I can ever thank you, for everything. But I’ve been thinking. I’ve been on my own for ten years and it’s worked up until now.”

              “I don’t want you alone out there, Chelle.”

              “In one way or another, I’ve been alone all my life.”

              Gently he reached for the backpack and placed it behind him. If she was going to take it and leave she’d have to go through him. He wasn’t about to let that happen. “What do you mean? Tell me.”

              Having the backpack out of reach caused her obvious distress and she wrung her hands together, staring at it from where she was sitting. “I already told you my sob story. I’m sure you don’t want to hear it again.”

              “You said your parents kicked you out. You were only fifteen years old. What were things like before that? Did you ever try to see them again? Didn’t they ever reach out to you? Or report you missing at least?”

              “Not that I know of. I’m sure they didn’t. They didn’t want me around anyway, wings or no wings. I got in the way of their drinking. Everywhere I go I seem to be in someone’s way. That’s why I need to go. I need to get out of here, Robert. You’ll just end up hating me.”

              Hearing her say that pained him and rational thought went out the window. He grabbed her hand with no consideration for whether or not it was appropriate. She was still his employee after all, but he couldn’t sit and listen to this. Not anymore. He laced his fingers through hers and brought her hand to his chest. “I would never hate you, Chelle. Please, don’t go.”

              Both of them sat, frozen, staring at each other. Time felt as though it stopped and the only thing that existed was the two of them. He was holding his breath, waiting for her to say or do something. He wanted to hear her say she would stay. She was staying anyway, he made up his mind he wouldn’t let her go, but he wanted to hear her say it. He wanted her to
want
to stay, and he wanted to kiss her.

              Slowly, he placed his free hand on her face, tracing the line of her jaw with his index finger and she closed her eyes in response. He could sense the conflict within her. He couldn’t blame her for it, but desperately needed to quiet it. She opened her eyes again and looked at him once more. Just as he was about to move in for the kiss they both so desperately wanted his cell phone went off, startling them both.