Flicker (34 page)

              Elise's eyebrows climbed as they passed exit after exit, and it soon became clear that he intended to cross the river into Philadelphia. Then again, she supposed that the closest big city was the most logical place to find an appropriate venue at this hour. She settled back into her seat, wondering if he would bother to make small talk during the rest of the nearly half-hour drive.

              He didn't. The ride passed in silence, but it wasn't nearly as uncomfortable as Elise expected. She got the distinct impression that Rashid wasn't exactly the talkative sort, and that he was content to simply be, and to let her do the same. Much as she enjoyed Alex's conversation and energetic, active companionship, the traitorous thought occurred to her that she had grown to like the quiet. In it was the tacit acceptance of who she was, without anyone else's demands or expectations. The drive passed far more quickly than she had anticipated.

              Before long, the Philadelphia skyline rose up from the horizon, its towers of lights growing ever closer as Rashid passed over the bridge and began to navigate the urban traffic with impressive skill. Elise hadn't been to the city very frequently-- mostly for a few Latin trips to the art museum and at Christmas with her parents each year since they'd moved to Willowdale, to see the massive tree in LOVE Park. That being the case, she had absolutely no idea where they were, which set her heart pounding as she realized that unless she wanted to hail her first cab-- not that the cash she was carrying would be sufficient for the fare-- she was entirely dependent on Rashid to bring her home safely. Then again, she supposed he had established from their first meeting that that was the case regardless of where she was. Taking a deep breath, she forced her heartbeat to slow and her pulse to steady. Out the corner of her eye, she saw Rashid's lips curve; of course he had noticed her tingle of nerves and subsequent spark of power. Raising her chin, she silently dared him to fall back into his usual behavior. Instead of acknowledging the slip in Elise's manner, Rashid turned into a parking garage Elise hadn't even noticed. A few minutes later, they were parked, and Rashid was opening the passenger door to offer her his hand.

              “You know,” she frowned at him as he helped her out of the car. “It's rather disconcerting when you do that whole super-speed thing.”

              Rashid laughed, shutting the door behind her without releasing her hand. “Oh, no, kitten. I'm not Alexander, to change the way I do things simply because you pout your pretty lips.” He slipped her hand through his elbow like she had seen people do in movies, and his manner was still polite and innocent enough that she had to resist the ridiculous urge to giggle at the old-fashioned romantic gesture.
This man threatened me
, she reminded herself forcefully, steeling her resolve.
He threatened my family and pried into my life. I may not have caught him in a lie, but that doesn't mean he hasn't been creative with the truth to manipulate me
. That thought straightened her back and lifted her chin; she left her hand tucked through his arm, but her posture remained stiff as she refused to relax into him.
I'm not yours
, she thought rather fiercely at him, then recalled belatedly that he might actually hear her if she wasn't careful enough.

              She hadn't been.
Not yet
, his voice whispered through her mind, rich and dark as mocha. She jumped, gasping, and he laughed, a trace of his old manner peeking through. “Yes, kitten,” he continued aloud, his voice still warm but more intimate than it had been. “We are still playing our little game; best not trust me too much.”

              “I'll remember that,” she murmured coolly as he escorted her into the garage's elevator. As long as she managed to keep her fear from seeping back through her, she felt like this might be a game she knew how to play.

              Rashid brought her out of the concrete parking garage and onto a street that was still bustling even at eleven at night. Elise paused for a moment, conscious of Rashid's eyes on her but unable to help herself. No backwater hick, she was certainly familiar with cities; still, it always took her a moment to adjust to the swirling river of humanity she was stepping into. Tonight in particular, she was conscious of the flow of energy around her as people rushed here and there-- as they passed her, her confidence surged and she stood taller, only half-conscious of the smile curving her lips. Elise realized she felt lighter than she had in years, euphoric even, and had to fight the urge to giggle. She turned to Rashid when she heard him chuckle.

              “What's so funny?” She inquired, one eyebrow cocked.

              “I can feel the power surging around you,” he said, sounding almost awed. He looked carefully into her eyes, and his own eyebrows climbed, then dipped into a frown. “You're drunk with it!” He exclaimed, and settled his hands on her shoulders, firmly making her face him when she would have spun giddily in a circle. “Is this the first time you've been in a city since you became aware of your abilities?”

              “Nu-uh,” she murmured dreamily, dropping her head back to gaze up at the dizzying heights of the skyscrapers around them. “I went to New York with Alex after you came to the coffee shop.” A group of college students passed them by-- three girls, two boys, all young and a little tipsy and full of life. “He took me to meet Gregory; I was very upset that day.” Two of the girls wanted to kiss each other, but they were nervous-- Elise wanted them to, too, and suddenly the group paused as the girls' lips drew closer, their hands smoothing each other’s hair--

              Rashid shook her slightly, and the bubble of her power popped, releasing the group to carry on its way. “Alexander shielded you while you were in New York, because he took you there for a specific purpose, not just to train.” He muttered something under his breath in a language Elise didn't speak. But she brushed his mind, feather-light, and knew he was cursing Alexander and cursing himself, because he hadn't wanted to influence her tonight. His hands tightened on her arms, pulling her focus back to her body and away from his mind. He didn't like her there, she could tell. It was okay, though-- a businessman hurried past, going the other way. He'd stayed too long at the bar after work, didn't want to go home and face his wife, but now it was late and his breath reeked of alcohol and it would be so much worse. Elise wanted to make him happy again, and she could, if she just reached out--

              She blinked up into Rashid's honey-brown eyes. The euphoric, swirling energy was gone, as was the buzzing high that made her feel so open and childlike with wonder. The power remained, however, and the confidence-- she stood straight and looked into Rashid's eyes as an equal. “What was that? What did you do?” She breathed.

              Rashid sighed, straightening and tucking her hand back into his arm so he could escort her down the street. “Had I known you hadn't fed in a city before, I would have warned you; as it stands, I am having to shield you from the people around us or risk you causing an uproar.”

              Elise blinked, remembering the day she'd stumbled in on what she now knew had been Alex feeding in the school cafeteria-- that had felt very similar to what she'd just experienced, though somewhat less scattered and random. But Alex had been controlling and directing the energy flow then, something she still lacked the skill and focus to achieve. It galled her to be in Rashid's debt, but he had just saved her from the consequences of a far worse situation than that one. “Thank you,” she stated matter-of-factly as Rashid led her toward the gleaming stone and glass edifice of one of the skyscrapers. He inclined his head gracefully in response.

1              “Elise”              Arreyn Grey

10 POWER PLAY

              Through the revolving doors, the marble lobby was dim and empty except for a night guard, who nodded them towards the elevators on the far side of the echoing expanse. The elevator itself was lavish, but Elise barely had time to notice before Rashid hit the button for the thirty-seventh floor, and she felt the bottom drop out of her stomach.

              Despite being armed with the knowledge that shielding her would put Rashid in closer proximity to her emotions than usual, Elise wasn't able to do anything to disguise her sudden terror from him. But even if he hadn't been in her head to take note of intimate details like her slick palms and pounding heart, she wouldn't have been able to hide her suddenly bloodless face. As it was, she was keenly aware that the instant she saw their destination, he was conscious of all of the above. He turned to her with a tiny smirk.

              “Is something the matter?” He asked solicitously.

              Elise swallowed hard. “Nothing,” she snapped, pulling away from his gentlemanly grip and turning to grasp the brass rail that ran along the elevator walls. Behind her, she heard Rashid chuckle.

              “You learn something new every day,” he murmured. And then the doors opened.

              Elise couldn't help it-- a tiny gasp escaped her as she took in the room they had reached. It was dark: the floor, ceiling, and walls were all made of what looked to be black marble, which glimmered like the night sky in the light from the small red chandeliers hung in a line down the center of the ceiling. At the far end of the long, narrow room, Elise could just make out a man standing behind a red, engraved podium. She could barely see him from the elevator-- he wore black, and blended in with the wall behind him. But his face was illuminated by a small light on his podium, and she could tell he was watching them approach.

              The quiet of the room was broken only by the sharp click of Elise's heels on the floor, but she refused to allow it to make her feel uncomfortable. Still, it seemed to take an inordinate amount of time for them to reach the podium. Once they did, the man, who it turned out was wearing a tuxedo, gave them-- or just Rashid? Elise couldn't tell-- a deep nod. “Your table is prepared, sir,” he said, his deep voice very calm. Elise had to catch herself before her expression betrayed her exasperation; clearly, he was only addressing Rashid.

              They followed the maître d' through a shadowed doorway and into a sumptuous bar and lounge area. Elise was immediately overwhelmed; she didn't know whether to look at the luxuriously appointed room, the handful of people scattered within it, or-- her stomach flipped alarmingly-- out the windows that ran along every wall, providing a spectacular view of the city lights. Tearing her gaze away from the windows, Elise just barely noticed Rashid stepping back from the maître d', as if he'd leaned toward him to say something. Sure enough, the other man was nodding in assent. Elise frowned at them, but it seemed ridiculous to kick up a fuss over something she didn't even understand.

              And then the maître d' headed toward a small, L-shaped booth against the far wall, directly beside one of the large banks of windows, and Elise knew exactly what Rashid had said. Clenching her fists, she steeled herself, and when Rashid gestured grandly for her to precede him, she managed to summon up a passable imitation of her usual grace and cross the room behind their host. Now all that remained was to avoid looking out the window right in front of her for the entire duration of their stay. Elise tried to be discreet as she wiped her palms on her skirt again, and heard Rashid smother another chuckle as he pointedly occupied the seat that put the window to his left. She cast him a withering glare as she swept into the remaining seat, facing directly out.

              Elise couldn't decide, in the moments after the maître d' left them, whether she wanted to look out the window or at Rashid-- both choices were equally appalling just now. Finally, she settled on studying the grain in the polished wooden table and hoping it wasn't too obvious that she was gripping the edge of her seat. Thirty-seven floors was a dizzying concept in the abstract-- she didn't even want to think about the effect seeing the reality would have on her composure.

              This time, the silence dragged, but with Rashid up to a new kind of tricks, Elise refused to break it. Before it could get too uncomfortable, however, a serene waitress appeared at their table with a pair of sleek, leather-bound menus. “May I take your drink orders?” She asked calmly. Elise suppressed the urge to grab her, shake her, and demand to know if she was aware that they were more than three hundred feet above the ground. She took a deep, steadying breath. This was ridiculous, she knew-- just a few weeks ago, she had flown to Pittsburgh and back with no problem. But even as the thought occurred to her, her mind started listing all the ways in which this was different. Rather than focus on such things, she paid attention to what Rashid was ordering for himself, and cut in smoothly before he could order a glass of wine for her as well. She'd learned her lesson last time.

              “Just water for me, please,” she said firmly, looking the waitress in the eye and smiling warmly. The young woman looked slightly dazed, and smiled in return before retreating. Rashid raised an eyebrow at Elise once she was gone.

              “One of the finest wine selections in the city, and you ask for water?” He said, sounding amused and just a tad exasperated.

              Elise stopped herself from sticking her tongue out at him by reminding herself forcefully that he was not Alex. Instead, she pointedly ignored him in favor of her menu. She was surprised to find that it was a dinner menu, not upscale bar food. Before she could stop herself, she blurted out, “It's after eleven-- how are they still serving dinner? I'd have thought the kitchen would be long closed by now.”

              Rashid smiled, looking for all the world like the cat that ate the canary, but his eyes were intense as they bored into her. “They serve me regardless of when I come. That's what power looks like, kitten.”

              Elise swallowed hard, taking in all the intricacies of the evening. He'd made his point.

             
Have I
? His smooth voice whispered seductively through her mind once more.

              “Stop that, you,” she snapped repressively. “A gentleman ought not to invade a lady's privacy.”

              Rashid chuckled. “You are right, of course-- forgive me. The temptation to put you off balance while I still can has simply been too great.”

              Elise frowned at him. “While you still can? What, are you going somewhere?”

              “I would have thought that idea would make you happy,” he quipped. Before Elise could decide how to respond to that, he leaned back comfortably in his seat and went on. “No, I'm not-- I was simply referring to how well your training is progressing. Before long, I won't be able to put you off like this. Of course,” he mused with seeming idleness; Elise didn't trust his absent tone for a second. “I personally wouldn't have conducted it this way, but I suppose Alexander has his reasons.”

              Elise snorted. “We're back to that, are we? Look, you're not fooling anyone-- you want to drive a wedge between Alex and me. Well, if you can't do any better than he does, don't waste my time.” She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back comfortably herself, keeping her eyes locked challengingly on his. If he couldn't figure out what she meant, when she'd take a damn bus home rather than sit here and let him manipulate her any longer.

              Rashid looked away with a sigh, settling his chin on his fisted hands as he gazed out the window instead. “You want blatant honesty, kitten? You may not enjoy it-- but I suppose you're old enough to decide that for yourself.” Elise had to grip tight to her emotions to keep from giving an outward sign of her stunned pleasure. Unless he'd cheated and picked the information from her mind, which she supposed was entirely possible, he had actually hit on one of the things that bothered her most about Alex.

              Rashid turned his intense gaze back to her as he went on, his voice less musically seductive and more flat, almost harsh. “Alexander should have warned you what would happen if you went into the city without properly shielding. Frankly, he should have brought you here to teach you that weeks ago-- it's one of the first things you would need to know to be out in the world on your own. The fact that he has not done so says to me that he wants you dependent on him-- which in itself is deplorable.

              “But furthermore, to achieve that same end, he had only to tell you that you needed him to  shield you like I did; it's a lie, of course, but it would have kept you thinking that you need him. That he has not warned you at all is dangerous for you, and to be blunt, for this entire city. If you, not aware of any problem, came over the bridge with your parents without telling Alexander beforehand, you could all three have been killed, along with many other innocent people.” Elise was taken aback by how vehemently and venomously he spoke. She recalled Alex telling her that Rashid didn't care who got hurt as long as he got his way-- but then, she also remembered Alex saying something similar about himself. He had wanted her to be his good deed, to balance out the guilt he felt for the bad; it wasn't a far stretch to imagine that Rashid might be after something similar. Somewhat against her will, she felt herself softening toward him just a bit.

              “So what else hasn't Alex told me?” She asked, hoping she sounded more casual than she felt. “I mean, if there are other things I should know about living as an active vampire, so far your track record of honesty is a bit better than his.”

              Rashid smirked slightly, his eyes letting her know he'd seen through her attempt at flattery. Still, he answered her bluntly. “One of our most strict rules, enforced by the Court, is that of secrecy. The actual letter of the law is somewhat complex, but it is written in Russian, and even the translation is rather dry. For the most part, we simply abide by the mandate to clean up after ourselves."
              "Clean up after ourselves?" Elise repeated skeptically, eyebrows raised. "So what does that entail-- if you screw up, you have to kill everyone who's learned the big secret?"
              "Nothing so dramatic," Rashid scoffed.
              "So what, then?"
              He sighed, preparing to answer, but then his gaze shifted beyond her and further into the lounge. Elise turned to see the waitress approaching with their drinks; with a flush of embarrassment, Elise realized she had barely even glanced at the menu.

              “Thank you, Sierra,” Rashid murmured as the young woman placed their drinks on the table. Elise wondered when the woman had mentioned her name, and then realized that she hadn't.  Elise glanced over to Rashid, and saw an amused gleam in his eyes. “This is how it works, kitten,” he said, his voice suddenly rich with power as it glided over her skin. “Sierra, dear,” he looked up into the young waitress's eyes. “I am a vampire, and there is nothing on this menu I care to eat.”

              Elise sensed him diverting energy into something, though she couldn't tell what-- until he opened his mouth wide to display an impressive set of massive snake-like fangs. Elise couldn't tear her gaze away from Sierra as the waitress's brown eyes bulged in terror, she opened her mouth to scream-- and then just as suddenly, the motion turned into a yawn, which she quickly covered with her hand. Elise whirled in her seat, staring at Rashid as he casually sat back into the plush upholstery of the booth.
              "Oh," was all she could think to say. Turning back to check on the waitress once more, she met Sierra's expectant eyes and realized that waitress was waiting for her to order as if nothing had happened.

              Elise blinked helplessly at the menu, which she swore was now written in a foreign language, as she blushed furiously. Then Rashid spoke, and Elise jumped, but couldn't suppress a rush of gratitude. “We'll have the grilled truffle flatbread to start,” he said smoothly. “Then I would like the smoked ribeye, and the roasted tuna loin for the lady.”

              “Of course, sir,” Sierra the waitress said just a tad breathlessly, and she took their menus and was gone. Elise found suddenly that she couldn't bear to look up from a studied contemplation of her napkin.

              “I hope that was not too presumptuous.” Elise didn't dignify his gloating with an answer. After a silent moment during which Elise suspected Rashid was mastering his urge to laugh, he continued more soberly. “I didn't frighten you with that little demonstration, did I?”

              Elise started to answer with her typical bravado, but recalling that that sort of behavior may have been what sparked his snide, miserable demeanor before, she opted for more sincerity. “A little,” she said, her gaze level. “But I've seen worse, don't worry.” His tiny smile made her vulnerability worth it, and reminded her of an earlier conversation. “So,” she continued more gently. “You told me that once we got here, you'd explain more about this drastic personality change you seem to have undergone. Care to elaborate?”

              His teeth flashed in a sudden grin. “I tried to sway you with my power,” he said as if it was the most simple thing in the world. Perhaps, for him, it was. “In older, less civilized times, two men vying for a woman would impress her with demonstrations of their abilities-- needless to say, she would choose the one of them who was the better hunter and the stronger warrior, so that he could keep her safe and provide for their family. I'm sorry to say that old habits die hard.”