Touching Fire (Touch Saga) (24 page)

“No, she wasn’t
.” He dampened his lips, and then bit down on the bottom half. “What happened between your mother and I, it wasn’t something I walked knowingly into, Fallon. I would have been happy to simply be with her, but she longed for children and I … I was too weak to resist.”

“So you went to Garrison.”

He nodded. “I had known Terrell years before I met your mother. I knew what he was doing, or attempting to do. I was fascinated. It was barbaric, but I could see the progress in each new experiment. Terrell Garrison is a brilliant man,” he said, probably having noticed my disgust. “He is far beyond his time. I never had any doubt that he would one day do incredible things.”

“Garrison is a madman with a god complex,” I said, not bothering to conceal my hatred of the guy.

“Yes, but look at what he has accomplished.”

My eyes narrowed. “You sound like you admire the guy.”

Ashton nodded. “I do. He has managed to achieve the impossible. You would need to be blind not to be slightly impressed.”

“I’m not impressed. He’s evil.”

Ashton chuckled. “So am I. So is your Isaiah. That creature he became in the corridor yesterday, there was no good in him. No mercy. No kindness. Garrison once believed what he was doing was for the greater good, that he was helping mankind.”

“What changed?” I bit out.

“I think the death of his daughter.” He lowered his gaze to the sofa. “His wife, Abagail, also took her own life. I think the grief of two losses so close together was what destroyed his sense of purpose. It’s something I can almost understand. After your mother left with you, it took a great deal of time for me not to fall apart. I had a region to rule and siblings just waiting for the first hint of weakness to swoop in and … well, doesn’t matter now.” He looked at me. “If you’re waiting for an apology for what I did, you won’t get one. Not from me. If I could have you again, I would without hesitation, because you were never a mistake, Fallon.”

I believed him. As much as I wanted to be angry with him and wanted to hold on to
the grudge that had been festering inside me for seventeen years, I couldn’t and that infuriated me. Why couldn’t he be some lowlife jerk who used me to make hybrid killing machines? Why couldn’t he have been awful to my mom, forcing her to leave? Yeah I got that he wasn’t innocent, but I couldn’t fault him for his reasons either. He had loved my mom. It showed every time he spoke of her.

A gentle hand patted me l
ightly on the knee, bringing the room back into focus. Ashton offered me a half smile.

“
I’m not going anywhere.” He removed his hand after a gentle squeeze. “I’m actually not here to discuss that. I want to talk to you about Isaiah.” His gaze pinned mine. “He really must be returned to his world tomorrow at the latest, not only because his humanity will begin deteriorating soon, but because it’s only a matter of time before the guard appears on our doorstep, looking for him.”

I knew it was coming. Ashton had told me often enough that Isaiah had to go back. I just hadn’t expected it to be so soon.

“We’ll be ready,” I murmured.

Ashton started. “
We
?”

“Yes. We. Isaiah and I. I can’t stay if he goes,” I told him when he simply stared at me.

“Because you think you need his blood?”

Something in the way he said it, like I was being ridiculous, had my spine stiffening.

“I don’t
think
I need his blood,” I said, barely moving my lips. “I know I need it, but that’s not the only reason. We’re partners. We watch each other’s backs. I won’t let him face Garrison alone.”

“It is not safe, Fallon, not with the passing just around the corner.” Ashton exhaled and forced ten fingers back through his hair. “It’s only a matter of time someone realizes w
ho you are and what you can do.”

“I don’t have a choice,” I replied. “If Garrison gets his hands on Isaiah … there won’t be a world left because I won’t even bother keeping the monster at bay.
He is everything to me,” I added in a much softer tone. “I love him.”

I didn’t know
how else to say it. I felt guilty for hurting him, but his world wasn’t mine and I wasn’t sure it ever would be. I was too used to being human. It was the only thing I knew how to do.

I rose to my feet.
“I should get ready if we’re leaving tomorrow.”

“Fallon…”

I offered him a small smile. “It’s okay. We’ll see each other again, right?”

His clothes gave the faintest rustle as he got to his feet. His hands rested lightly on my shoulders. He drew me forward
. “Of course we will. This is your home.”

“Thank you.”

The kiss he brushed against my brow was tender, almost as tender as the hand he skimmed down my hair. He drew back and searched my face.

“There is sti
ll so much I need to tell you.”

“
Maybe I can call you from time to time?” I suggested. “I mean, assumingly this place has phone reception.”

Ashton chuckled. “No, but I will find a way.”

“I am sorry to interrupt.”

We twisted around to find Celia watching us
from the doorway.

“What is it?” Ashton
asked.

Celia never glanced at me as she spoke to her husband. “
Emeric is here to see you. He insists that it is urgent.”

“All right.” He glanced down at
me. “We’ll finish this later, okay?”

I nodded and watched as he hurried from the room, leaving me alone with Celia.

She offered me a small smile. “How are you feeling, Fallon?”

“Honestly?” I gave a weak chuckle and threw up my hands. “I have no idea.
It’s all been so much. I kind of feel lost and numb.”

Her face took on that sympathetic look, right down to the slight head tilt, pursed lips and hands folding delicately in front of her. “I wish I could help ease your mind.”

“I wouldn’t say no to a giant box of chocolates.”

She laughed. “I will see what I can do.”

No sooner had she waved her slim fingers and slipped out of the room when Archer stalked in. He inclined his head to Celia before swinging his tall frame through my door.

Couldn’t a girl get a few minutes alone?
Why did everyone think
now
was the time to visit?

“Good evening, Princess.” He did that mock bowing thing. “
I have come to whisk you away.”

“Really?” I half moaned.
“I’m really not up to—”

“Boss’ orders,” he interrupted.

So much for taking a nap and pretending my brain wasn’t about to explode.

I took a step before stopping myself. “Wait. Which boss?”

He smirked. “Prince Charming of course. Now come along. I have other things to do that don’t involve fetching cranky girls.”

“
I’m not cranky!” Okay, so I was a little cranky. After everything I learned in the last two months, I think I earned a little crankiness. “Lead the way,” I muttered, waving him towards the door.

He didn’t. Instead, he folded himself at the waist and spread his arms open wide for me to go ahead first. Any other time, I would have argued he was being condescending, until I realized I didn’t care. I wanted to go down, see what Isaiah was up to and then return to my room for a much needed nap. God I was tired. Not just physically, but mentally and emotionally. I felt absolu
tely drained, and the sun was still fairly high in the sky.

“Ashton says you’re next in line to be
a Sire. Is that true?” I asked, needing something to distract myself from falling asleep standing up.

He paused and turned those shaded eyes to me, at least I thought he did. It was impossible to tell. “
It is.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means that when my father is ready, he will step down and I will take his place.”

“As the ruler of Ira?”

“Yes.”

“Are you an only child, or the eldest? Is that how you got the position?”

“I am neither.” He dropped his chin to watch our feet. “Ashton was the one to suggest me to my father.”

“Why?”

The corner of his lip turned up, revealing a hint of tooth. “So many questions.” He sighed. “He believes I’ll make a good ruler.”

“You don’t think so?”

“Does anyone?”

I shrugged. “Guess not. So how
old are you?” I couldn’t help asking. “Are you married? Do you have kids? Why are you here? Why do you always wear those sunglasses? What’s with the—”

“Whoa, slow down, Princess. I think I just got word-lash.”

I grimaced. “Sorry.”

He folded his arms, his expression amused. “What’s with the third degree?”

“I’m curious and they’re legitimate questions.”

Snickering, he turned and started for the door. “
Aye, they are, but you have to ask yourself, are you ready to hear the answers?”

I thought about it for a moment as we walked through the corridors. “I think so.”

“All right.” He cleared his throat. “I’m a couple thousand, give or take a century. I’m not married. I have no children, at least none that I am aware of. I wear the glasses because my eyes are very sensitive and no, I won’t take them off.”

I blinked. I hadn’t been expecting complete honesty, or forthrightness. I was expecting
an argument.

“Why are you here?”

“Because Ashton asked me to be.”

“And do you always do what Ashton tells you to do?”

He rolled his shoulders in a shrug. “Most times. He’s like a brother to me, but more than that, I owe him my life.”

“Why do you call him Ashton? And who chose Archer? Why don’t you like your name?”

He turned his head in my direction. “You are just full of questions today.” He faced forward once more. “He asked to be called Ashton and I chose Archer and I have no problem with my name. It’s just simpler when we do business with humans if I use a name that isn’t mine.”

I frowned. “Why?”

He sighed. I couldn’t see it, but he may have also rolled his eyes. “Because, Princess, a name has power. Giving it to just anyone can be dangerous. I’m not a Sire like Ashton. My name could be used against me.”

“How?”

“Good lord, woman!” he exploded with an exasperated huff. “It just can be. In the hands of the wrong person, your name could be power. They can bind it so you do everything they ask of you.”

“Then why did you give me your name?”

For several long moments, he said nothing. We walked in silence in some unknown direction. Finally, when we reached the top of a stairway, he stopped and faced me.

“Maybe because I wouldn’t mind
my wife having power over me.” While I started at this blunt response, Archer burst out laughing. Maybe at my stunned, slack-jawed expression. When he sobered, he continued to grin widely at me. “Take it easy, Princess.” He turned towards the stairs and started down them without waiting for me. “It’s usually around humans we have to worry. They’re always trying to find answers to life’s big questions. Those of our kind aren’t into the whole controlling each other thing.”

I narrowed my eyes, my shock having worn off. “Do you come across humans often?”

He cast me a glance from over his shoulder. “Who do you think helps your father with those human children?”

I blinked, quickening my pace. “You help Ashton?”

He shrugged. “When I can.”

“What do you do? Do you pop into Garrison’s compound like
Night crawler
?”

His fair eyebrows furrowed over the frame of his glasses. “Who?”

I shook my head quickly. “Never mind. How do you do it?”

Still eyeing me, he replied, “Like any normal person. We walk through the doors.”

My shoulders drooped in disappointment. I was expecting something a bit more … dramatic.

“That’s it?”

He snickered. “Sorry to disappoint, Princess. The only way our kind survives is if the humans don’t know about us. That’s easier to accomplish if we don’t use our powers on a whim. Besides, it’s against the rules. What Ashton did at the park … if anyone were to find out … he’d be in a whole world of trouble. But that’s nothing compared to the shit he’d be in if people were to find out about you. He could get executed.”

I swallowed the shiver that threatened to grip me. “Why are you so cool with it?
And who set these rules?””

“Because
I’ll back anything Ashton does and the Guild did.”

“Even if you don’t agree with it?”

He turned his head forward as we reached the bottom. “Just walk down that way until you reach the end,” he said rather than answer me. He jerked a nod to the corridor on the left.

I had so many more questions. I wanted to know
more about their operation freeing Garrison’s prisoners … or experiments, in this case. But Archer was already turning back and I had no choice but to find Isaiah and see what the big surprise was.