Set the Sky on Fire (Fire Trilogy Book 1) (10 page)

The expressions on Nate’s face became more animated the longer he talked. It was hard not to be enchanted by the sparkle in his eyes that partnered the smile on his lips. Before long, he had Ari laughing so hard she had to hold her stomach to stop the muscles from hurting.
How long has it been since I felt this happy?
Her laughter started to die down. As she looked up at Nate, a stray hair trailed over her right eye. Nate moved closer and tucked it behind her ear, just as he had in the forest. Only this time, it wasn’t because of some stupid experiment.

Jude strolled into the room, clearing her throat, then announced dinner was ready.

Perfect timing, as usual.

Together, they stood and headed to the dinner table.

Their dinner plates sat empty and everyone complained they’d eaten too much. When Nate stood and started to clear the table, Ari jumped up to help gather the plates and take them through to the kitchen.

“Well, I think they like you.” Ari spoke softly, for Nate’s ears only.

“You are very lucky to have such a lovely family. Life might become a bit challenging for you for a while so don't ever forget what you have here.”

Ari hadn't considered what was to come. Fear plundered her mind, her eyes losing focus. What would the fight with the seether mean for her family and her friends? Ari chewed on a fingernail as worst case scenarios bombarded her thoughts. Nate laid a gentle hand on her forearm.

“Sorry, didn't mean to scare you.”

“You didn't,” she reassured him.
You terrified me.

It was nearly 9:00 pm. Nate stretched his arms above his head and looked over at the large, silver-framed clock on the wall.

“It is time I headed home,” he announced to Ari's parents. “Thank you so much for dinner. It was nice to finally meet you both.”

“It was lovely meeting you too, Nate,” Jude replied.

Ari walked Nate to the front door, which being in sight of the dining room table meant it was also in clear view of Ari's parents. Ari's frustration grew with every step when she realised they weren't going to make themselves scarce, that, instead, they’d started up some inane chatter between the two of them.

“Do you want to meet for lunch and perhaps see a movie or something tomorrow?” Nate asked as they neared the door.

Ari had more or less assumed she would be under house arrest and shut off from the world for a while. They hadn't had a chance to discuss the terms of what she assumed would be her incarceration until the seether disappeared. The question hung uncomfortably in the air. Ari blushed slightly before composing herself to answer, “I'd love to.”

During the silence, Nate had shifted closer. Now, he was only centimetres away. He slid a hand down her arm, stopping at her elbow, and lowered his head, until his lips grazed her ear.

“I will be nearby all night. If you need me, scream my name and I will come running.”

His thumb languidly stroking her arm electrified the hair on her body. She gently closed her eyes and savoured the moment. Then, unexpectedly, she felt his lips caress her cheek.

“Sleep well. I will see you tomorrow.”

“Good night.” She opened her eyes. Nate’s face sat only centimetres from hers, the corners of his mouth pulled up in a smirk. Ari tried to supress a grin, but it was impossible.

Nate turned his back and walked out of the house, gently closing the door behind him.

Ari rounded on her parents, who had stopped talking as soon as the front door closed. She raised her eyebrows and pursed her lips, a clear indication she was unhappy they had lingered.

Her mum ignored the look. “He seemed very nice, dear.”

“I'm glad you approve. I'm off to bed,” she replied, before traipsing off down the hall.

Ari replayed the kiss over and over in her head. It had been so fleeting, lips grazing her cheek. But God, it had felt so good. A voice in the back of her head kept telling her it wasn’t real. He kissed her in front of her parents. It was probably for their benefit. After all, they were supposed to be dating, so a kiss would be in keeping with the pretence. Or, did he do it so they wouldn’t notice him whispering in her ear?

She suffered a multitude of explanations. However, none of them could stop the flutter in her heart when she closed her eyes to relive the moment. Flopping onto her bed, she searched for his presence in the darkness outside. When she found him, she let the feelings envelop her. Not the same lust infused stupor as before, but more of a satisfied happiness. When sleep took hold, a faint smile still lingered on her lips and, for the first time in years, she slept well.

The paperclip in Ari's hand was a mangled wreck. After a little more manipulation, it finally snapped, leaving her with two mangled wrecks. She dropped them onto her desk, using her free hand to re-grasp the phone tucked between her ear and shoulder. Ari’s phone call to Nevaeh had started an hour ago and she’d spent all that time pretending—pretending she was excited, pretending there was nothing wrong. Pretending their holiday was going to be some fairy tale experience. Nevaeh became more and more excited as departure day drew closer and, with only five days to go until wheels-up, she was reaching what Ari hoped would be the climax. So, if Nate told her to cancel now, Ari knew Nevaeh would lose the plot. And, there was still that chance.

Ari played through several different scenarios in her head, planning how she could go about telling Nevaeh if she had to. So far, she couldn't find any way to break it to her nicely. She checked the time.

“I have to go. I have a date,” Ari blurted out, and regretted saying it immediately. She wasn’t even sure that’s what it was.

“What? A date?” Nevaeh screamed down the phone. “Who with?”

Ari winced, jacking the phone away from her ear.

“Tell you later. I have to get ready. Bye.” Ari hung up without waiting for a reply. Thirty seconds later her cell phone beeped. The screen lit up displaying a message from Nevaeh. It said she expected a lot more details followed by a kissy face emoji. Ari didn’t bother replying, scooped up the cell phone and dumped it in her purse.

Showered, dressed and groomed, Ari rushed to answer the rap of Nate’s knuckles on the front door.

“I've got it,” she called to her parents.

Ari opened the door. A gust of wind splashed through the gap, swirling the floral summer dress around her thighs, she had finally taken its price tag off. A soft pink handbag dangled from her shoulder, just big enough for the essentials. Her hair sat perfectly, Ari having taken the time to straighten every last strand into submission. It might not have been the comfortable clothing she was used to, but it did make her feel beautiful.

Nate’s eyes appraised her, up and down. “You look stunning.”

As she thanked him for the compliment, she completed her own evaluation. Nate was still in the same clothes as yesterday, not that it mattered, he still looked incredible.

“Where do you want to go for lunch?” Nate asked.

“How about Braithwaites? It’s a boutique winery on the outskirts of town,” Ari replied.

“Lead the way.”

Nate took a step back and, with both hands, directed her out the door.

They hopped into Ari's car without a word being spoken and pulled out of the driveway. Ari couldn't be sure if the air of nervousness was just hers or if Nate, too, was feeling the tension. A couple of times, Ari almost started a conversation then, nerves got the better of her. The silence seemed deafening. It stretched on until Ari, finally, spat out a question.

“I assume you're not from Auckland? You know, originally I mean.” A question had been building up inside of her and, as a result, it came out more like an accusation. She cringed at her tone and quickly softened it, hoping she hadn't offended him. “Where did you used to live—when you first got here?” Ari couldn't bring herself to say Earth. It was too weird.

“Before New Zealand?”

“No, at the very start.” She quickly stole a glance at him before returning her eyes to the road ahead. There was no angst on his face. Ari relaxed a little.

“I first lived in a village in southern Scotland.”

Not sure what sort of answer she would get, Ari was happy at how normal that sounded.

“What was it like there?” she inquired.

“I loved living in Jedburgh back then. I imagine it has changed a lot since I left. That was over 300 years ago now.”

“Wow.” Normality shattered, like a frozen puddle being decimated by a five-year-old in gumboots. Ari sat in silence for a while, trying to piece the shards together. Life 300 years ago wasn’t easy to comprehend. For hours, she had sat at her Nana's bedside, listening to stories of her youth. She had been fascinated by a life with so little technology, even romanticized what it would have been like to be alive then. Scenes from Pride and Prejudice had initially formed the basis for those fantasies. She was disappointed when Nana had pointed out the book was set well before her birth. But Nate would have lived then. Those fantasies came swarming back, this time with Nate dressed like Mr Darcy in all his finery. If he lived alone, as he did now, none of those fantasies could be true. The idea of Nate having walked a much longer and lonelier path than any book character upset her and, with an edge of sadness in her voice, she asked him, “Did you have friends or a family in Scotland?”

“I was married, with four children,” he replied. “But I had to leave them. Three boys and a girl.” His voice lost clarity as if the words were being distorted by the memory.

Oh, crap. A family
. That was not what she expected. “And they knew what you were?”

“I never had the chance to tell them. I had to leave them when they were young.”

“What was she like, your wife?”

Nate's eyes seemed to glaze over as he thought back to those days. His face looked almost happy to be back there, in his memories. Ari’s eyes jumped between Nate and the straight road in front of her.

“She was beautiful. Her name was Arabella. She had luscious, long dark hair she would wear in a plait reaching down to her waist, and deep brown eyes that looked straight into your soul. Her family was very accepting of me when I had first arrived in the village. Not everyone was. Not surprising really when a strange man shows up in town. Obviously, I couldn't tell anyone who I really was. I told them I was eighteen years old and had lost my whole family in a tragic accident. I said I needed to start a new life away from all my misfortunes. I had few possessions, but I brought with me a lot of money. Even with all that wealth, I only purchased a modest farm lot. I tried to settle into my new surroundings and my research. My intentions were to keep to myself, but I needed to eat. Arabella's father was a farmer, and I would often buy his produce. In my dealings with him, I would frequently see Arabella. I think she felt sorry for me. Whenever I was there, she would make an effort to come and talk with me. We became close friends.” Nate went quiet and looked at Ari.

“Go on,” she urged.

“When I first met Arabella, she already loved someone else, had done for years. She always thought they would marry, but his family had no money, so they sent him to Glasgow to work as a boat builder. I think she needed to tell someone, to get it all out. I had been in Jedburgh for about two years when Arabella's father became gravely ill. Within six months he passed away. He had been the only one in their family to tend the lands and, without any sons to carry on running the farm, Arabella and her two sisters would fall on hard times. Her father's last request had been that we marry for the sake of her family.”

“But you loved her?”

“Our life together was contented, and we cared for one another a great deal, but Arabella regretted not marrying her true love, Eadan. On the night before our wedding, Eadan returned to town and asked to see me. He said he was thankful Arabella's family had chosen me for her to marry, and he made me promise I would take care of her. Then, Eadan returned to Glasgow and did his best not to return. Arabella never knew I could sense her emotions and, for a long time, she mourned the loss of Eadan. Her sadness slowly dwindled until the pain became bearable.”

The story broke Ari's heart, and Nate’s downcast eyes suggested it was not a story he enjoyed telling. Ari tried to cheer him up.

“You look amazing for someone over 300 years old?” She gave an uncomfortable laugh. “How do you get away with not aging? People must notice?”

“I can age.” Nate's voice was once again clear and present. “I can manipulate my cells to give the impression of aging. It’s a slow process, but it is possible. It’s not something I particularly like doing, I'm as vain as anyone else, but it’s necessary if I want to go unnoticed. It’s a bit of a nuisance aging back, though. I generally have to go into hiding until the cells regenerate. People are more likely to notice when someone becomes younger.”

Ari glanced at Nate. The cells of his body looked perfectly arranged to her. She looked back to find the car swerving towards the wrong side of the road. She jerked it back.
Lucky nothing was coming
. She needed to keep her mind on her driving.

But she couldn't stop thinking of his wife.

“Do you miss her?”

“Some days, I miss my life there. It was a lot easier. But it was such a long time ago, it has now become a faint memory. More like a dream than anything.”

“I'm sorry,” Ari said.

“I'm not. It’s the good memories that get us through the hard times.”

“What about your wife? She had her heart broken twice.” Ari sounded callous. “Why did you have to leave her?” Ari felt a crushing sorrow for this woman.
If he could leave her so easily, and she was his wife...

“It was not long after the rift opened.” His voice sounded defensive. “I had to leave. I did everything I could to stay, but in the end, it was not enough. I had to go—for them, to protect them, to save them.” When Ari said nothing, he continued, “Before I left my family, I managed to track Eadan down. He was still alone and still madly in love with Arabella. I explained to him that I was sick and asked him to look after my family once I was gone. It gave me some peace to know, finally, she was able to spend her life with him, that she was truly happy after all the years she’d spent making me happy. Even so, it was the hardest choice I ever made. To consider leaving your own children is horrifying. To actually do it—I couldn’t do it again.”

Ari couldn’t find any words to express her thoughts. “I’m sorry,” was the best she could do. Useless words, but a token of her willingness to share his pain.

“That's enough about ancient history for today.” The conversation seemed to tire Nate, and he clearly didn’t want to relive the pain that still hurt after all this time. After hearing the devastation in his voice, it didn’t feel right to start up friendly chatter, so they drove in silence for a couple of minutes.

“How do you fly without wings?” Ari found her voice again. Before the story about his wife, questions had been queuing up in her head. Now, she searched for them again, hoping to obtain as many answers as she could while they were alone in the car.

I'm not entirely sure how it works, but it's a slight adaptation we have. We're able to move energy behind us and the result is forward propulsion. That is why I have a tendency to be shirtless, as my back has the largest surface area. It means less interference.”

You won't hear me protesting.

The driveway into the winery threaded through a large pergola covered in a green creeper, purple flowers cascading down from it. Passing under it, they saw before them an old villa with a gabled roof, painted in a light grey. Decorative white fretwork lined the edge of the veranda. The house had been renovated to function as a cafe. Beyond the villa was an expansive estate. Rows of grapevines disappeared into the distance and, closer to view, a beautiful garden contained a man-made lake partially concealed from the villa by the weeping willows that lined its banks. Roses filled the air with fragrance.

A young girl showed Ari and Nate to their seats, a romantic spot on the porch, flaunting glimpses of the lake through the trees. It was postcard perfect.

“It's really nice to get out of the house. Thank you.” Ari was grateful, and even more so for the company.

“No point keeping you trapped and miserable,” Nate replied.

They’d arrived early and, as time went on, they watched the cafe tables fill with patrons, welcoming the background noise they brought with them as it gave them a sense of privacy. It didn't take long for them to fall into comfortable chatter, getting to know each other better. Nate shared more about his life, but only about his life in this world and in this lifetime. Still, Ari listened intently, taking in as much as she could. The meals were delicious, but Ari paid little attention to the food. Now, with both knives and forks sitting idly, Ari realised their time was up.

She didn't want lunch to be over yet. In the hope of dragging it out further, she suggested they take a stroll through the garden. After fighting over who would pay the bill, they headed out into the sunshine. Having walked around to the opposite side of the lake, they now stood on the bank taking in the view. With the cafe obscured from sight, it seemed like a private retreat.

Nate gently took Ari's hand in his and turned her to face him.

“Thank you,” he said. “The last few hundred years have been torturous. It’s nice to have something to look forward to again in the morning.”

Nate pulled Ari in a little closer, enough so he could reach her lips. His expression softened as he bent toward her. Even knowing it was coming, the sensation when his lips caressed hers was unbelievable, so gentle and chaste. Ari responded, carefully at first, but once the surprise passed longing overwhelmed her, and she pushed in closer, kissing him more intensely, her lips begging for more of him. His thumb softly trailed along her jawline. Every inch of her skin stood to attention, hoping to be touched in exactly the same way. Ari wanted to run her fingers down his back, to pull him even closer, but as her hands came up they curled around nothing but air. Nate had torn himself off her, forcing her backwards.