Beasts and Burdens (19 page)

Gypsy took a long drag of her cigarette and blew it out before she offered a smile. “That’s confidential.” She winked. “Who are you?”

“That’s confidential.” He winked back.

She shook her head, still holding her amused smirk. “Your name is Daniel McGrath. You’re a former resident of an underground prison in Russia that houses dangerous supernatural creatures. You are currently employed as a bounty hunter for that same institution. A pretty good one I’m told.”

“Holy shit,” he answered.

“How do you know that?” Cori asked.

Gypsy turned and looked her over. “It’s classified.”

“Are you military or private?” Nevia asked.

“It’s…class-i-fied.” Gypsy’s constant smirk didn’t waver even as she took another drag. “I am sorry about tonight. I wasn’t prepared for so many werewolves. We are used to dealing with two or three. You three must be pretty important. How did you three get involved with her?”

“It’s classified,” Cori retorted sarcastically.

“You got a problem with me mama bear, or what? You’ve been on my ass since I got here, and since I’ve established that we are the good guys, I think I deserve a pass on the sniping.”

“You haven’t established anything, Gypsy, but if you must know I have a problem with psychopaths.”

Gypsy stood leaving Daniel to hold his own ice pack, which he promptly tossed away. Cori’s rings flared with current, but she didn’t release it. Gypsy stood before her, taking note of the hair-raising energy she was producing. “Gypsy?” She wrinkled her nose trying the name on.

“Gypsy Grace as I knew you or Grace Gypsum as the rest of the world knows you, former cancer nurse from New York. You quit to join the military, which I can only assume brought you to this assignment.” Cori looked her over critically in case she thought she had cornered the market on swagger.

Gypsy cocked her head to one side, and nodded introspectively. “Gypsy, I like that,” she said neither acknowledging nor denying Cori’s dissertation on her. “I don’t suppose I could get your name.”

“Cori Reiger. What you don’t have a file on me?” Cori asked sarcastically.

“Not yet. You are familiar though.”

“My mother was one of your patients.”

“Mmm,” Gypsy sucked down her last drag and flicked the butt down the alley. “No, that isn’t it. I think I remember you from the back of a milk carton.”

“That’s enough.” Daniel stood. “Do you need something from us, or can we go?”

Gypsy held her gaze on her for a long moment, before she turned to answer Daniel. “Fair warning, Daniel McGrath, Frederique is already an unstable werewolf. She won’t take kindly to me taking her eye, but she knows she can beat me in a fight. What’s really going to get under her skin, is you. She doesn’t like to lose.”

“I could take care of that now, if you like,” Daniel said without a hint of amusement.

Gypsy’s eyes danced over him, evaluating him in a whole new way. “I bet you could.”
Nevia shifted beside her, stepping closer to Daniel. “Unfortunately my job isn’t to kill, just subdue when necessary.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to give me a hint about what your other job duties are, or who has hired you?” He asked.

“Oh, I definitely want to. I like telling secrets, but my boss is very…” she took in a deep breath looking for the word, or just adding emphasis to it, “…perceptive. The best I can do, is give you my card. Should you ever need assistance…” She pulled a black card from her pocket and handed it to Daniel on two fingers. Daniel gripped the card firmly, but didn’t pull it from her grasp until he had given her a leveling stare that she didn’t flinch at. “Good to meet you, Mr. McGrath.” She glanced at Nevia who was creeping closer to Daniel the longer the conversation went on. Nevia wasn’t fully glaring at her, but the impassive level look did give Gypsy pause. She glanced at Cori, but only found a full on glare.

She snorted and shook her head. “Fuck this has been a weird night,” she mumbled as she walked away. 

“Come on.” Daniel put his arm around Cori and Nevia and ushered them forward. “Let’s get one of you ladies into my bed, maybe both.”

48

Ethan didn’t remember walking back to his room after the bath, but none the less he awoke there. Stumbling out of his room he found his way back to what he thought was the kitchen. Instead he found the altar room again.

Adrianna and Annette were in the center of the altar kneeling toward one another. Annette held a vial of what Ethan could only assume was dragon’s blood between her praying hands. Adrianna sandwiched her hands with her own.

The chant being spoken was quiet, but Ethan was surprised to hear a whisper of it from Adrianna. Levi had mentioned that her mute-ism was selective. He could only assume the magic surrounding the ceremony offered exception to whatever damage forbade her speech.

There was no doubt of the power behind the magic. Just stepping into the room, Ethan felt compelled. Compelled to leave or stay he wasn’t sure, so in the end he just stood stalk still and watched.

When the chant was over, the women slumped back and let their heads fall to look at the stalactites on the ceiling. They seemed to be relishing the tantalizing effect of the magic they had just created.

“Ethan,” Annette said even before her head turned to look at him. “How did you sleep?”

“Like a bat in a cave. What time is it?”

“It’s time to find out if you have been chosen by the goddess Earth to commune with the dragons.” 

“So breakfast is out?”

Ethan knew the blessing was important, but he wasn’t sure why he had to be naked. He kept his hands crossed before him for some propriety, but it didn’t keep Levi from snickering at his misfortune. He wasn’t participating in the ceremony, but Annette insisted that he observe, so he perched himself on a rocky outcropping nearby.

“Is this really necessary?” Ethan asked again when Annette came over to sprinkle salt around him. “Can’t I just take the blood and see what happens?”

“I’m sorry Ethan. I know this is uncomfortable for you, but once the ceremony starts you won’t care about anything as trivial as clothes.” Even as he opened his mouth to protest Annette slipped off her red robe revealing her own naked body. He immediately looked up to keep from ogling her. “It’s alright Ethan, it’s not really my body; you may look if it pleases you.”

“Why do you change your image?” he asked looking over her face only.

“I would like to say it is because the power of a woman’s will is stronger when her youth and beauty are close at hand, but the truth is I’m vain and I just want to be pretty again.” Annette laughed heartily and motioned for Adrianna to approach.

As Adrianna neared Ethan, she removed her robe as well. He kept his chin high, focusing on Levi in his enviously clothed state. Levi’s eyes lingered on Adrianna momentarily before looking down to his feet. He could only assume that her emaciated body was still a source of uneasiness for him. He wondered why, if she was so powerful that she didn’t disguise her image as Annette did.

“Let’s begin,” was all that preceded the deep heat that passed between the two women, through him.

The power rippling between them lured him to his knees and they followed his movements, embracing him as he fell forward. He could feel hands and arms pressing against him, holding him and caressing him.

The whispers of sweet, angelic voices offered him sympathy, but no release from the will being pressed against him. He lifted his head to look at his oppressors to beg for a cool breeze, or a short nap.

Annette’s sweet face looked old and worn, a window into her true image. Her eyes were pinched shut and her thin, lined lips moved in time with the chant he couldn’t hear anymore. He turned to face Adrianna, and found her cheeks full and rosy. Her hair draped over her shoulders in smooth heavy waves. Diverging from his personal decency, he glanced over her body and found the frame to be properly portioned and hydrated.

Ethan wondered if Annette’s youth was created by an extraction of Adrianna’s. He didn’t believe that Annette would be so vain as to cripple another’s youth to retain her own, but he couldn’t rule out the perils that came with power, especially when that power is as strong as the Earth itself.

49

Ethan shoveled in spoonful after spoonful of porridge until he was panting from not breathing. He had never been so hungry, nor had he been so energized. Had he been home with his wife, he would have known exactly what to do with this energy, but here he would have to find less pleasurable ways to burn it.

Adrianna stared at him from the opposite side of the long table. He glanced up occasionally to see if she was still looking at him. When she didn’t stop, he looked to Levi who had joined him in a bowl, albeit with less enthusiasm. “Why is she looking at me like that?”

Levi looked down at Adrianna and waved. “He’s fine! Go away!” She frowned and crossed her arms, indicating that she was there to stay. “That particular ritual was essentially an interview of your soul.”

“What does that mean?”

“They gave you a teaspoon of the power they possess. They want to see how you react to it? Do you feel like ransacking a village?” He smiled.

Ethan chuckled. “No, but I wouldn’t mind fighting a dragon.” When he glanced up at Adrianna she frowned. “I take it that’s the wrong answer. Unfortunately, my first choice of playmate is several thousand kilometers away.” Adrianna’s frown lessened and she finally looked away.

“Are you ready Ethan?” Annette asked entering the kitchen.

“What now?”

“Time for the blood.” She smiled, but it faded fast. “Come along, all of you.” She left the doorway again and Ethan looked to Levi.

“She doesn’t seem as excited as she was before,” Ethan said.

“She’s been searching for a way to commune with the dragons…all her life. If you are able to speak with them, then her life’s goal will have been achieved…by someone else.” Levi stood and headed out. As he did, Adrianna stood to follow him.

Ethan stood quickly and blocked her way. Her eyes widened revealing the fearful wild animal inside her. He raised his hands in surrender.

“I’m not going to touch you. I just want to ask you something.”

She looked longingly at the door behind him, but she took a step back and waited for him to ask his question.

“During the ritual, I saw…you looked different. I just wanted to ask you, if Annette’s powers were harming you in any way.” Her face scrunched with confusion. “Annette looks much younger than she should and, forgive me, but you look very weary. Is her power hurting you in any way?”

Her eyes flickered over his, and she relaxed looking at the floor. A hint of a smile crossed her lips before she shook her head.

“Are you sure? I will withhold my cooperation if you need help.”

She offered a full smile and moved closer to him. She raised her hands slowly and pressed them to his face. He resisted the urge to pull away and let her imbue him with a warm fuzzy feeling that he assumed was a nonverbal thank you for his offering. Intentionally or otherwise, it reminded him that Adrianna was not weak willed and was in no danger of being taken advantage of.

50

The dragon stared Ethan down as she ate from the large haystack Annette had ordered for her. The altar seemed an odd place for a snack, but Ethan reminded himself that she viewed these creatures as godlike.

After an hour of waiting for the beast to enlighten him with endless knowledge, he was starting to wonder if this particular dragon was more likely to be able to commune with a cow. The constant chewing and the occasional gas did not seem like signs of intelligence to him, but more a commentary on quality of life, versus longevity of life.

Ethan finally gave up concentrating, and moved back to sit with Levi on the rock outcropping. Annette was more than disappointed, but she was starting to give up hope too. She turned to Adrianna beside her and motioned for her to put the dragon back. She nodded and proceeded to guide the dragon with an unseen lure to one of the large cave tunnels where it disappeared into the darkness.

“Thank you for trying Ethan,” Annette said nearly on the verge of tears. “I won’t hold you any longer. You may arrange your departure as you see fit. Levi will take care of everything. “Please send my love to Danato.” Annette left without any further instruction.

“Is she going to be okay?” Ethan asked Levi.

“She probably just wants to mope. I think she was hoping to make you her new apprentice. You know, one she couldn’t break.” Levi nodded to Adrianna as she joined them returning from her duty. She caught the last of his statement and pinched his overhanging leg through his pants. “Hey, it’s true. I’ve heard the rumors.”

She shook her head.

“Lies are they?” Levi crossed his arms. “Then tell me what really happened.”

Ethan expected her to hit him or pinch him again, but she smiled and peeked toward the door. When she was satisfied no one would walk in and interrupt them, she placed her hands out for both of them to take. He looked to Levi who was smiling and shaking his head.