Eternal (12 page)

If you think folk dance you'd be getting close, except I never saw a folk dance so intricate.
Mad
ó
ran
took the goblet back from Caeran and Len and they jumped into the dancing, Caeran leading Len around and rescuing her when she got in trouble. The rest of them didn't seem to mind when she messed up. I felt a little jealous, because she had to have learned that dance before; it was too complicated to wing it.

Mirali left the circle, laughing. When Nathrin followed her she shook her head and shooed him back into the dance, then sat in one of the patio chairs to watch.
Mad
ó
ran
joined her. I decided against being a third wheel, and instead leaned on the wall beside the fountain and watched.

Dancing in the glowing light of the lanterns the
ælven
were even more beautiful, which I wouldn't have thought possible. Caeran, who was usually so serious, was laughing and smiling as if he didn't have a care in the world.

I noticed one
ælven
standing outside the circle, watching the dancers. He was the only one not smiling, the only one with his hair pulled back. He sensed my gaze and turned his head to meet it. The skin across my shoulders tightened and I suddenly couldn't breathe.

It was Savhoran.

I
stood frozen, scared to believe it was really him. For a second I thought I was hallucinating, then he smiled just a little.

Oh, man. If there hadn't been dancing partying
ælven
in the way I would have run straight to him. Instead I worked my way around the outside of the circle to where he was standing by the trunk of a tree. He watched me all the way, arms folded across his chest.

I stood staring up at him for a minute, then remembered to talk.

“
Hi.”

“
Hello,” he said softly.

“
I didn't know you were here.”

He looked down. “I was unsure whether I should come.”

“
Well, I'm really glad you did!”

His voice took on a wry note. “It is nice that someone feels that way.”

I glanced at the
ælven
in the circle. “They're your family. I'm sure they're happy to see you.”

He gave a small shake of his head and a sad smile. “Mirali is not, for one.”

I looked across the yard and saw her staring at us. Of all the
ælven
I'd met, she was the least friendly.

“
Why?” I said, half to myself.

“
She is concerned for the safety of her child. I understand; I do not blame her.”

I could see the pain in his eyes so I changed the subject. “How've you been? I've been thinking about you.”

A lot. A lot a lot.

“
I am … managing. It is difficult.”

“
I heard you left
Mad
ó
ran
‘s.”

“
Yes. I am here now.”

“
In Albuquerque?”

He nodded. My first feeling was indignation, but I put a quick damper on that. I wasn't mad at
him
, just at life.

I thought of a million nosy questions, but knew better than to ask them. If he'd wanted to see me before then he would have; he knew where to find me. I had to assume he didn't.

“
It is best for me to be near a large city,” he said. “Less likely that my hunting will be noticed.”

I didn't like the word “hunting,” but I let it pass. “Do you have a place to stay?”

“
Yes. Caeran found me an apartment.”

So Caeran knew he was in town, and hadn't told me. Maybe Savhoran had asked him not to. That hurt.

The music wound up to a big finale and everyone clapped and cheered. Mirali and Nathrin stood up and said something to
Mad
ó
ran
, then all three of them went into the house. When I glanced up at Savhoran I saw him biting his lip.

“
Hey, you want something to … drink?” I asked, barely saving myself from a faux pas.

“
No, thank you.” He looked so unhappy I wanted to hug him, but I didn't dare.

“
Is it getting any easier?” I asked, lowering my voice.

He closed his eyes. “Not really. I dislike living this way, but I have no choice.”

I swallowed. “Do you miss the sun?”

“
I miss a lot of things,” he said, looking at me.

My stomach flipped over. Did he mean me, or just things in general? He looked so sad and lonely. I wanted to make him feel better but I didn't know how, and I didn't want to offend him.

He looked toward the house and I followed his gaze.
Mad
ó
ran
had come back out, alone, and gone over to where Caeran and Len were talking with Faranin and Bironan. Lomen started playing the flute again.

“
Oh!” I said, “I have a present for Len and Caeran—will you come in with me while I get it?”

Savhoran frowned. “Mirali is inside.”

“
I think they left. Anyway, you're not going to bite her, right? Come and keep me company?”

He looked reluctant, but he followed me across the circle and into the house. The living room was empty. We went on through the nook into the kitchen, where the turkey that had been in the oven was now sitting on the counter smelling even more wonderful.

“
Have you talked to anyone? Tonight I mean.”

“
Only you.”

I opened the fridge. “Well, you should say hi at least. I bet they'll make you welcome.”

“
If they do, it will be out of politeness. I am a danger to them now.”

I looked up at him, arms full of lettuce. “I thought it wasn't that contagious?
Mad
ó
ran
said it took intimate contact—”

“
That is what we believe, but we have no proof. Many prefer to be cautious.”

I unearthed the Gruet and stuffed the lettuce back in the bin. The smell of the turkey was making my empty stomach grumble. I carried the wine out to the living room, then stopped and turned to Savhoran.

“
Len and
Mad
ó
ran
are working on a cure, she told me.”

“
Yes, but it will take a while. I am not sure that I want to wait.”

That scared me more than anything he'd said. “You're not alone,” I said, too sharply.

He gave me another sad smile. “Thank you.”

I couldn't stand it any more. I put the champagne on the coffee table and got in his face.

“
Don't you quit on me,” I said.

He looked startled. I threw my arms around his neck.

“
Don't give up,” I said into his shirt.

For a minute he didn't move, then he slowly put his arms around me. I had my face buried in his shirt and he smelled fantastic. My whole body was tingling. When he kissed my hair—so lightly—it sent a shock through me and I raised my head to look at him.

He stared back at me. The sadness had been chased away by a spark of something else—something stronger.

Yes. Oh, yes.

He kissed my forehead, then my cheek, then the corner of my mouth. Feather kisses; they drove me crazy. Finally he kissed my lips, and I kissed back with all the bottled-up feelings I'd had for weeks. I knew it was all right when his arms tightened around me.

“
Guys! Get a room!”

We jumped apart just like in the movies, and I shot Len an angry look. She smiled as if she hadn't noticed.

“
Hi, Savhoran! Good to see you, I'm glad you could come.”

“
Th-thank you.”

He looked confused. I wanted to hug him again and soothe the worry away.

“
Man, we need to set up the feast,” Len said. “Will you help me?”

“
Uh, sure.” I looked at Savhoran.

“
I should not be near the food,” he said.

Len went on into the kitchen. I caught Savhoran's hands. “Don't leave.”

“
I'm going to find
Mad
ó
ran.
I have a question for him.”

“
Savhoran—”

He kissed my forehead again.
I won't leave without saying goodbye.

I gasped, because suddenly I could feel him—not his body but his soul, I guess—and it felt
wonderful!

He smiled and squeezed my hands before he let go. The sense of him faded at once, much to my regret. I watched him out of sight, then followed Len into the kitchen, stunned. She had put the turkey on a platter and was arranging roasted potatoes and carrots around it.

“Unwrap those casseroles, will you?” she said.

I stared at her. “He just talked to me without talking!”

She glanced up. “Oh. Cool, huh?”

“Does Caeran do that? Is that what you guys are doing when you make moony eyes at each other?”

“Heh. Yeah. You going to help or not?”

I unwrapped the casseroles: stuffing in one, noodles in a creamy sauce in the other. “How come Caeran never talks to me like that?”

“Well, it's kind of intimate, you know.”

Yeah, I knew. I wanted to know some more.

“Do they talk to each other that way?”

She paused and frowned. “I don't think so. No, if they could do that then Caeran wouldn't need a cell phone. Could you get out the salad?”

I got the gigantic salad bowl from the fridge. We put all the food out on the table in the nook, along with bread, cheese, cranberry sauce, gravy, a couple more side dishes and a huge bowl of fruit. It looked like enough to feed a couple dozen people, and we were down to seven, not counting Savhoran.

I followed Len out back and while she was summoning people to the feast I looked for Savhoran. He was over by the tree again, sitting with his back against it. I sat next to him and watched the others go in.

“Go and eat. You are hungry.”

I looked at him, scared and excited at once. “Are you?”

He frowned. “No.”

“Because if you are—”

“No! Do not say that—do not think it!”

“I would do that for you.”

He gazed at me, sadness back in his eyes. “I would rather die than hurt you.”

I swallowed, hoping I hadn't offended him. Maybe he heard that thought, because he smiled and touched my cheek.

“Go and eat,” he whispered. “I will be here.”

I did, because I was starving. I wanted to grab some food and bring it out to where Savhoran was sitting but I thought that might make him uncomfortable, so I cut a couple of slices of fresh bread and made an impromptu sandwich with some turkey, stuffing and cranberry, and stood in the corner of the living room scarfing it down.

The family was sitting on the floor and the furniture with their plates. Caeran had opened the champagne and shared it around. I shook my head when he offered me some. I wanted to keep my head clear so I wouldn't do anything stupid.

They were talking about some other place they had been, Europe maybe. Len had told me that's where they came from before they got to Albuquerque. Lomen was telling a silly story about tricking humans who were trying to track them down.

I felt out of place. They could say I was part of the clan all they wanted, but I still didn't feel welcome. Maybe they didn't like my interest in Savhoran. Or maybe they were uncomfortable having him at the party.

I swallowed the last bite of my sandwich, went in the kitchen and grabbed a soda, and went back outside. The candles were still glowing in the lanterns, filling the yard with soft light. The empty circle with the colored lanterns on four poles looked like some formal space now. I walked around it, not wanting to break whatever sacred energy filled it.

Savhoran smiled up at me as I sat beside him again. I sipped my soda, trying to think of something to say. The things that were most on my mind would be awkward to talk about. I settled for conventionality.

“How long have you been in Albuquerque?”

He hesitated. “Two weeks.”

“Oh.”

Two weeks and he hadn't contacted me. Maybe he wasn't so sure he wanted to see me.

He took the soda out of my hand and put it on the ground, then took me by the shoulders and kissed me.

I did want to see you. I tried to avoid it because I do not want to harm you.

And there it was again, all his pain and sadness. I clung to him.

You won't harm me.

He wrapped his arms around me.
I will try not to.

You've been going out with them, haven't you? Hunting the alben?

Yes.

I took a sharp breath, because his anger had flared with that answer. He wanted vengeance, and the alben was his target even though she wasn't the one who had infected him.

We have a custom—it is something like your “eye for an eye.” I will not rest until she is dead.

Nothing I could say to that.

I leaned my head on his shoulder and closed my eyes. I was tired of being scared of the alben, tired of being lonely. It felt so good just to be held.

I woke up in my bed, alone. Sat up trying to remember my dreams, figure out whether they actually were dreams. I reached for my water glass and that's when I saw it.