Meadow's Keep (The Gatekeepers Series) (21 page)

Jasmine turned another page and Eryk was looking at
what could have been a photograph of the garden between The Shoppe of Spells and its cottage. It wasn’t quite like any photograph he’d seen before. The picture focused on the head of one of the creatures outlined in a violet color. Again, the eyes glowed.

Before he could comment, Jasmine pulled another volume from underneath and opened it, resting it on top of the previous one. She flipped through several pages, found what she was looking for
, and tapped her finger on the page. A pale, emaciated man sat in a chair, a vacant look on his face. She turned the page back. A robust man was laughing, sitting by the fountain in front of The Shoppe of Spells. “That was before Morgan’s parents died.” She turned the page, once again, to the emaciated man. “This is the same person a month after they died.”

Bask reached over and took the book,
turned to the end, and pulled out a photograph. “And this is four months after Morgan and Dorian drove the Gulatega back through the portal.” He handed the picture to Eryk.

Eryk studied the picture, comparing it to those in the book. “Damn” was his only comment.

Still studying the picture, he said, “You said a man went through the portal.”

“Ian. Yes,” Bask
nodded. “Apparently he had taken on some of the Gulatega’s qualities. In particular, the violet outline and an intensity to the eyes.”

He hesitated before continuing. “Much like Bill.”

Eryk’s gaze settled on Jasmine as she looked at Bask, comprehension and sadness heavy in her expression. Without thinking, he reached toward her face, realized what he was doing and pulled back his hand. “The violet color, there has to be a connection.”

“I’ve never seen them,
but I’d know them anywhere. I grew up staring at them. Let’s show him your desk,” Jasmine said. Without meeting Eryk’s gaze, she turned and headed toward the door.

Bask didn’t need to be asked twice and Jasmine knew it. He loved that desk. It was his pride and joy.
Bask stepped around them, leading them across the upper lobby, where he stopped, opened the door, and held it for them to enter.

The
office was done in dark wood paneling. The gray day cast the room into shadow, yet Eryk could imagine light filtering through the stained glass, streaming jewel tones across the room. It was a fabulous room. A huge oriental carpet covered the hardwood floor and in the middle of the floor sat a magnificent desk. It looked to be hand carved. Burled wood, darkened, maybe.

Eryk stepped closer.
The top appeared to be held up by four gargoyles. Except Eryk knew from what he’d just seen that they weren’t gargoyles—but the Gulatega.

“Meet the Musketeers,” Jasmine intoned.
“Athos, Porthos, Aramis—”

“—and d’Artagn
an,” Eryk finished and walked over to examine the carved figures. He moved his hand across the soft wood finish. “Amazing.”

“Aren’t they?” Jasmine
stepped over and rubbed the carved figure, almost as one would a Buddha for good luck.

Eryk
turned to Bask. “How? Where?”

Bask walked around the desk and sat in the plush oxblood leather chair
, smiling.

“Now you’ve done it,” Jasmine
said and plopped down in one of the two club chairs facing the desk, sitting sideways and letting a leg swing over the arm, very much at home with the austere man.

Bask narrowed his eyes at her but spoke with affection when he began.
“We don’t have any history on this desk. It was found at an estate in South Carolina in the twenties, bought, and brought to the Abbott House. The likenesses are remarkable—so I’m told. I’ve never seen them.” He turned to Eryk “You, and those like you, don’t see them as a solid entity, but as vague violet outlines. The eyes have more intense color. They are about the size of cats and move as quickly. We haven’t seen any since Ian went through at Meadow’s Keep, which brings us to that issue.” He sat up straighter.

“I don’t know how I feel about sending you two on this assignment, since both of you are novices.
But, since I’ve never seen them attack anyone—”

“With the exception of the man who took Meadow—” Jasmine piped up.

“Yes. Well, there is that.”

“Didn’t they
also go after Dorian?” Jasmine turned around in the chair.

“
Yes.” Bask nodded. “I think that was an unusual circumstance. They got confused while protecting Ian. As soon as Morgan connected with him, they scattered.”

“You aren’t making me feel warm and fuzzy over here.” Eryk
interrupted.

Bask turned to Eryk. “Ian had an unusual affinity for the creatures—or they, him
,” he corrected. “And, apparently, his daughter, Meadow. She called them his pets.” He turned and looked at Jasmine. “He hasn’t met Meadow, has he?” He asked but continued before either of them spoke. “Of course he hasn’t. But, he will and I’ll warrant he’ll understand. She’s a very special young woman.”

Eryk looked to Jasmine for clarification
.

Bask provided it. “
Meadow is a very special blend of the direct Native American line and direct Scottish line. This combination hasn’t been around in a long time.”

Eryk pulled his phone out of his pocket, glanced at it, hit a button and shoved it back into the pocket again. He frowned at Bask. “
Sorry. Are you saying all Scots—?”

“Not at all.” Bask’s brows furrowed. “Not…no,
just those from Ian’s clan. Ian claimed he was the last living member. We’re looking into that.”

“What about Jasmine and me?
It’s my understanding that each of us is rather unique….” He stopped, pulled the phone out of his pocket again and looked at Bask. “I’m sorry, I really need to take this.” He rose and was making some comment as he left the room, closing the door behind him.

Bask reached over and
pressed a button on his desk phone. Eryk’s voice came through the speaker. “…he’s where?”

Jasmine
leaned across the desk and pressed the same button. “Have you no shame?” she chided.

“Not where Ruthorford—or you—are concerned.”
He was silent for a moment, studying her. “Let me send in someone from West Virginia,” he suggested.

She narrowed her eyes at him. It wasn’t like Bask to
suggest
anything. He was more of the command/demand type. She felt her spine stiffen and she sat up straight, using her posture to confront him. Before she could get two words out, Eryk walked back into the room.

“You don’t think we can handle it?”
he asked and walked over to stand behind Jasmine.

At
Bask’s look of surprise, he laughed and pointed to his ear. “Hyperacusis, remember?
I
can’t help eavesdropping.” He raised a single brow.

Bask leaned back in his chair and observed the two before him. How many times had he seen that same raised brow directed at him from the woman sitting in front of Eryk. Damn if
they weren’t a handsome couple, he thought. But, he’d wanted more time for her to heal. Hell, he just wanted to protect her. He knew he felt more like a father to the little hellcat than he ever wanted to admit. She’d clawed her spitfire ways right into his heart from the time she could walk—and sass back. Then, when her parents had died, leaving her alone, he’d thought about adopting her himself. But, what would an old bachelor do with an almost teenager, already with too much mouth and more daring than sense. When Teresa had stepped up, he’d slipped, once again, into the background.

But
, he watched. When she’d been kidnapped, he’d almost gone mad. Luckily, Dorian found her and Morgan’s friend, Jenn Davis, took her to Safe Harbor to help her recover. Naturally, Safe Harbor had received a healthy endowment. He let a faint glimmer of a smile show. They—no…Jasmine—had done a great job. She, once again, had the fire in her eyes and the confidence he’d been afraid was gone forever, after the attack. He needed to stop being overly protective. She was smart and talented, and together she and Eryk would make a valuable team.

Eryk
spoke up. “I don’t know if this will help. I need to go to Virginia Beach anyway. Some personal business. I understand Meadow’s Keep is nearby.”

When Jasmine turned her head and looked up at him, he couldn’t resist and ran his hand over her soft, black hair. He received one of her dazzling smiles, almost as a reward. He felt the
joy bubble up from his very core. Looking into her eyes, he said softly, “Dad’s in Virginia Beach, and I’ve made arrangements for some materials to arrive in Williamsburg for that project we talked about. I don’t see why a side trip to Meadow’s Keep shouldn’t fit right in.”

Jasmine
was thrilled that he remembered their conversation about a private performance at Safe Harbor. She had, in fact, cleared it through Jenn, who’d laughingly commented, “He’ll have a
captive
audience, that’s for sure.”

Sometimes families didn’t leave the safety of the grounds, even the building, for months
. That’s one of the reasons she tried so hard to give them something to make them smile. The make-overs helped. A fashion show would, too. But, a magic show with Eryk Vreeland. Now, that was something special. She’d tried to get his assistant, Brandy, okayed to assist him, but that had been nixed. It looked like Jasmine was going to be sawed in half.

Bask let out an exasperated sigh. “All right, you two. Go get checked out
while I make arrangements. Oh, don’t forget to stop by Miss Gwyn’s desk and sign the paperwork.” He was already messing with papers on his desk. “Come back up before you leave and I’ll have things in place.”

“
Eryk,” he called without looking up, “are you flying or do you want to use our plane?”

Eryk pulled the door open and stood back, letting Jasmine pass through, “I’ll fly. I’ll get clearance and we’ll leave late morning.”

Bask, writing on one of his ever-present legal pads, waved his hand at them, “Fine, fine. I’ll have a car waiting at the Newport News International Airport.”

As they closed the d
oor, Bask waited a few seconds and pressed the button. He could hear them talking to Miss Gwinn. Feeling comfortable that Eryk was out of earshot, he hit speed-dial.

“John speaking.”

“Did you do that background check I asked for?”

“Yes. He’s pretty much what he appears. Well, except for the abilities. He’s dedicated to his craft and is
renowned in the field. Well respected by other illusionists, by the way. There’s a bit of jealousy as well, since they can’t figure out how he’s perfected some of his illusions so far beyond them. He keeps to himself. Dates occasionally, but isn’t known as a big lover-boy. He does a lot of charity work. His corporation is large and he has his fingers in many pies, including his father’s holdings. I’m not sure his father is aware of the extent Eryk is involved. That’s all I’ve got so far. Will that do for now?”

“How do you feel about him coming to Safe Harbor?”

“I’ll be there. It shouldn’t be a problem, if he comes alone. I don’t want to have to deal with more than one intruder at a time.”

“Understood,” Bask said and hung up.

Chapter Ten

Jasmine led Eryk to the elevators
tucked under the stone steps. One had to know they were there to think of looking for them, and then only if they got past Ms. Gwynn.

Eryk looked back and notice
d the cameras discretely positioned in the crown molding. This place had better security than some of his father’s sites, and they had Top Secret ratings. The elevator doors slid open so quietly that Jasmine had to tug on him to get his attention. Eryk found himself wondering how that had escaped his hearing.

The doors closed and she hit
a button. In spite of the aged beauty of the polished mahogany paneling and the carved handrails, Eryk had no doubt the elevator was state of the art. It slid silently down one floor and stopped. Jasmine opened a small panel and punched in a code. The elevator moved downward again and stopped. When the door opened, Eryk stepped into a sterile hallway, easily resembling a hospital or a well-funded laboratory. Several people moved from room to room. All wore white lab coats and displayed digitized badges.

“Hey, Jasmine,” a young woman called. “Good to see you.”

Jasmine nodded as the woman disappeared behind the tinted glass in a heavy metal door. She turned to see Eryk sniffing the air. She, in turn, tilted her head and sniffed. “I don’t smell anything.”

“
Self-contained,” he stated. He looked down the corridor, counting doors. The corridor ended in a T. “Quite a set-up.”

She led him down the corridor and stopped outside a door, tapping on the glass. A young man opened the door and pulled Jasmine into a bear hug. “It’s been so long.” He stepped back and looked at her. “You look wonderful. How are you?” H
is tone had turned serious on the last.

“I’m much better, thank you. Ralph, this is Eryk Vreeland.”

Eryk stuck out his hand. Ralph took it, pumping it heartily. “I
knew
there was more to your act than just illusions.”

“That’s a first.” Eryk chuckled. “I usually get
just the opposite.” He made his voice grave, mimicking a pompous patron. “‘There’s no such thing as magic; they’re only illusions.’ To which I usually respond with some spontaneous bit of
magic
.” Eryk let a small spark travel into Ralph’s hand.

Ralph could barely contain his excitement. “That’s wonderful.
However, I suppose that’s why you’re here.” He turned and led his way into the lab. “We’ll start with basic blood work, then on to the machines.”

When Jasmine started to turn back toward the door, Ralph called out. “No, no! You are getting the same treatment.”

“Why, it’s not like you don’t have a ton of my blood.”

Ralph’s cheeks showed a tinge of red. “Not since…ah…you developed….”

She smiled and teased, “I hope you’re referring to my latent abilities.”

Poor Ralph turned
beet red. Jasmine continued teasing him as she followed him into the lab, “It’s okay, Ralph, I’ve developed both.”

Sitting with
a rubber band now made way too tight by a flustered lab tech, Eryk winced. “Jasmine, stop teasing Ralph or I’ll have more holes in my arm than I want.”

“Oh,” Ralph
said, slapped the crook of Eryk’s arm and opened a butterfly needle, “don’t worry. I could do this in my sleep.”

“Well, I
, for one, would prefer you not.” Eryk was eyeing the haphazard way Ralph was waving the needle around while smiling at Jasmine.

“You’ll feel a little pinch,” he said.

“I know. I know. Just do it.”

Jasmine watched as Eryk’s lips paled. “Crap,” she hissed. “Ralph, he’s gonna go.”

Ralph watched Eryk’s face and pulled the vial and needle and slapped a piece of cotton on place. “Too late to pass out.” He shook the stiff arm. “I’m done.”

Eryk shook his head. “Good. I didn’t pass out. You are good, Ralph.”

Jasmine sat down on a small physician’s stool. “Do me here, Ralph. Let him get some blood back in his brain.”

Ralph swung around and wrapped the band around her arm.

“Don’t look,” she commanded, seeing Eryk watching.

“Watching someone else doesn’t bother me.
Needles don’t bother me. Just blood draws.”

“Really?” She smiled at Eryk as Ralph finished
a second vial and tidied up, making a show of the ease with which she did the same thing. “Is that a chink in my hero’s armor?”

“
There might be a foible—or two,” Eryk answered.

“Welcome to my world,
” she muttered under her breath and remembered Eryk’s hearing as he tilted his head.

Without looking
at Eryk, she ask Ralph, “And just why did I get two vials drawn and he only got one.”

Ralph shrugged
at her question. If he knew, he wasn’t telling. “Brad’s waiting down the hall,” he said instead. “Let Eryk start with the CAT and you take the MRI first. You’ve already had a CAT.”

“I’ve already had an MRI, too,” she reminded him.

“Just following orders.”

****

By the time Eryk was finished, he’d been poked, prodded, and scanned over every inch of his body. Hair’d been clipped, nails cut, epitheliums scraped, eyes dilated, and hearing tested. He’d done sniff tests and taste tests. He’d shown his abilities with and without Jasmine. He’d noticed how nervous the demonstrations made her, so he’d given a little push, just to calm her. She’d smiled and pushed right back. He wondered what kind of recording that had produced. He’d worn electrode caps and chased dots across a screen. Where he’d finally drawn the line was when they asked for a semen sample. To him, that was going too far.

His last test was with Ralph and when he finished, Ralph told him that Jasmine
had headed back upstairs. He offered to escort him.

“No, I’
ve got it. Oh, by the way, the next time my show’s in town, give this number a call and you and Brad have a set of tickets waiting for you.”

“Thanks. Appreciate it.” He stopped for a moment. “How’d you know?”

Eryk just pointed to his ear.

“Damn
. Forgot that.”

Ery
k laughed and offered his hand.

He waved as he passed
Ms. Gwynn and took the steps two at a time. He knew immediately Jasmine was in Bask’s office because he could hear them and they were having one hell of an argument. He slowed his steps and listened.

“I’m only saying this because I care
,” Bask insisted.

That took some wind out of her sa
ils. Jasmine was quieter when she responded. “You can’t have it both ways. You can’t use me and protect me the way you want. We have to act together to do this job. You knew that going in. Now, you’re having second thoughts—”

“All right,” he interrupted her, “I’m having second thoughts. And thirds and fourths. You’ve been through so much.
We don’t really know him.”

“You didn’t know Morgan,” she countered. “But that didn’t stop you.”

“That’s not true. We’d been following her since birth.”

Eryk heard the exasperated hiss coming from her. “Well, now it’s our turn. You need us and you know it.”

Bask was quieter, barely audible, “It’s not that.”

“Then what is it? Oh, wait. It’s the match-mate crap, isn’t it?”

He could tell she was pacing back and forth. He took a quiet step forward.

“Yes.” Bask voice wobbled slightly. “You’re like a daughter….” He let the words drift off.

Jasmine spoke with a warm quality to her voice, “I know, old man. You’re like the father I never wanted,” she teased but he could hear the love in her voice. “But we are who we are. If not me, it will be someone like me. And if it isn’t him, it will be someone,” she stopped and pondered her words before adding, “well, probably not someone like him—I doubt there are any more. But, who knows. It’s so damn frustrating.” He heard the chair move as she dropped down in it.

Eryk
decided he wanted to be a part of the remainder of this conversation instead of being the object of it. He opened the door and walked in.

Bask looked up at him, a tight smile plastered on his thin lips. Jasmine didn’t even turn. “He heard” was all she said.

He nodded to Bask. “Okay, about this match-mate stuff…."

“
It happens to descendants. They’re drawn to their matches. They invariable mate. It’s forever.” Bask voice was clipped.

Well, the old man couldn’t have made it more to the point than that.
“Dorian went over it. And what if you don’t want…?” The words were out before he could stop them. He saw Jasmine’s body stiffen.

“If you mate, that’s it,”
Bask said, looking at Jasmine. “Right now, you have choices. The longer you stay around one another, the stronger the pull will become. I’ve heard it becomes uncontrollable at some point.” He ran his hand over his thinning hair. “Of course, you two have been together—not literally,” he added, his voice rising to a croak. He cleared his throat and continued, “I assume you haven’t or this conversation wouldn’t be happening—and you seem to have more control over it than others. Maybe you aren’t—” he stopped when Jasmine and Eryk looked at one another. “Forget I said that,” he amended and shook his head.

Jasmine spoke very quietly,
defensively, almost a whisper, “I don’t like it any more than you do.”

“I didn’t say that.”

“You didn’t have to.”

Eryk walked over and sat next to Jasmine, ignoring the man across the desk. “Do you realize that a week ag
o I didn’t know you or about any of this. Nothing. I thought I was an anomaly. Then, this gorgeous black-haired vixen shoots my magic right back at me and the world changes. I think I’ve done pretty well, so far.” He reached over and started to take her hand, but she pulled back.

Bask got up and walked out of the room, closing the door softly behind him.

“Did he really think we wouldn’t notice,” Eryk said in a stage whisper, directed at the closed door.

Jasmine turned to him, tears brimming in her black eyes.

He stood and pulled her resisting body up to his.

“Don’t
,” her voice cracked.

H
e kissed her. His warm mouth touched her soft lips and he was lost. Her lips trembled ever so slightly under his, but parted as if she had no choice. Eryk pulled her to him and they met, hungry and wanting, until the power turned their hearts into a single beating connection.

Jasmine pulled back.
Stepped back “This,” she breathed, “are you ready for this? For me?”

“It doesn’t look like I h
ave much choice.” He regretted the statement the moment he made it. “Not that I want one,” he added quickly. “I want you more than I’ve ever wanted anything or anyone. I would kill to have you.” There. That was the truth of it.

Jasmine shook her head, tears streaming from her beautiful obsidian eyes.
“That’s biology talking. Genetics. It isn’t fair.”

He stopped dead. “Jasmine
, is there someone else? Is this so repugnant to you? Am I?"

“No. And no.”
Jasmine saw his expression, saw the confusion. “See. We’re going through the same thing. We are only rational when we’re apart.”

She walked over to the window. As she moved away, E
ryk felt their heartbeats shift, become separate again.

He started to go to her and stopped, keeping his distance.
“I want to say that we can do this job and take it slowly, making sure it’s what we want—what both of us want—and not be dictated to by genetics. We are both anomalies, anyway. Stronger, I think, than those before us.”

She turned and looked back at him. “I was raised in Ruthorford. Other than vacations, I never spent any time anywhere else until I landed in Safe Harbor. The world is so different on the outside.”

“Then keep that in mind. Let’s go back to Virginia. We’ll take a look at Meadow’s Keep, I’ll see my father, and we’ll put on one hell of a show at Safe Harbor. After that,” he lifted his shoulders, “we’ll see.”

She smiled. He
r black eyes twinkled for the first time in days. “You mean it. No strings?”

“No strings.”

She started to step forward and stopped. “You won’t mind if we don’t shake hands.”

Eryk laughed as he held the door for her
.

****

One of the nice things about a fancy hotel was the fact that, with just a few words, dinner was served around the myriad of papers strewn across one end of the dining room table. Little lamb riblets, grilled, with different dipping sauces and some sort of warm wrapped veggies were all plated as finger foods. There was also spicy hummus served with toasted pita points. A nice Merlot completed the picnic affair. The food was so good, in fact, it served to distract them rather than allow them to plan the magic show they’d been determined to get on paper.