Chapter 74
Luther must not mean her any real harm. That was the only answer. He was baiting a trap to draw Alexander to him. She knew Alexander could read her thoughts, was sharing her mind. She should have realized Luther was sharing Alexander’s mind as well. His laughter came again, that soft musical symphony of beauty.
“Now you see the futility of struggling against one such as I. This human child, though she is rare in this world, cannot fool one such as I by pretending to sleep. You cannot protect her from me, not with your safeguards, and not by trying to hide her from me. What Alexander knows, then so do I.
When I wish to make her my slave, I will do so. Right now it is tedious to think of such a burden.” “Luther.” Alexander said the name softly, gently.
“You grow tired of your existence. There is nothing to hold you to this world. You chose to lose your soul and follow the path of darkness, yet you gained no emotions, no power you had not already wielded. Allow me to aid you in leaving this madness behind. You want me to aid you. You have always wished such a thing.”
“That was your vow to me, brother, and you can do no other than honor it. Yet I find this world different, much changed since last I arose. It is true it is tedious to continue when I have no one to match wits with, yet you remain. Do you then also seek the dawn?” He laughed softly, as if to himself. “I think we should continue our game for a time in this strange world.” He was fading; Miah felt it through her link with Alexander.
He had lured Alexander to the hospital with the intention of battle, yet he seemed to have lost interest quickly, fading from Shaina’s room, from the very air itself, leaving no trace of power behind. Alexander sighed with frustration. Luther knew about both women.
How could he not? The power, unmistakably female, was there for any to read. Already the undead were being drawn to the city, looking for the one thing that might save them. Luther could not have failed to read the signs, would know that Shaina as well as Miah existed.
And he would know Alexander had claimed Miah, that she was an ancient Supernatural. He probably knew she was with child. What Alexander knew, so did Luther. Shaina was no longer safe in the hospital, away from his protection. Alexander shape-shifted as he landed, already striding across the hospital parking lot to the entrance. He blurred his image, not wanting to deal with humans while he checked to see for himself that Luther had not touched Shaina. They had to move her as soon as possible.
Luther could use human minions to harm her during the day when Alexander was unable to protect her. Shaina needed to be in their home where he could use safeguards. Where he could supply human bodyguards that could be trusted to watch over her when he was deep within the ground. In all the centuries they had battled, Alexander had never known Luther to use a servant in an attempt to destroy him during the day, but with Shaina to protect, he could take no chances. And there were others in the city, demons of lesser power, but still evil and vicious. Any might attempt to acquire Shaina.
He could not allow such a thing. Her mind could not take one more battering. Shaina was lying quietly, staring up at the ceiling, when he entered her room. His shadow reached her first. Someone with fewer powers of observation would never have noticed the tiny shiver that ran through her small body.
“Do you fear me?” Alexander asked softly, giving her the courtesy of staying out of her mind. He knew he would have to “read” her to be sure Luther had not taken her blood, but he was determined to respect her privacy whenever possible. Shaina’s fingers curled nervously in the sheet. “Not really.” Beneath the thin covering, the outline of the stuffed wolf was visible close to her side. There was honesty in her voice but her tone was a mere thread of sound.
“Do you know why I am here?” She looked at him then, her large gray eyes soft and wide, long lashes throwing thick crescent shadows across her cheek. She looked beautiful to him.
Shaina swallowed hard and brought up her hand to cover the scar running along the curve of her face. Very gently Alexander caught her wrist, preventing her from covering the thin, jagged white line. Tenderly he turned her hand over, ran his thumb over the myriad of scars crisscrossing her forearm, wrist, and hand.
“We are family, child, real family. There is no place for embarrassment. I am proud of you, proud of the way you defended yourself and kept yourself true to your own soul. Do not hide your badges of courage, Shaina, not from me and not from Miah.” Her large eyes moved over his face a little moodily. “I have always been alone, as far back as I can remember. Ever since my mother died, I have been alone. I’m not certain I know how to be with others.” Alexander had a breathtaking smile and he used it shamelessly. “Welcome to the family then, Shaina. I have been alone far too long and so has Miah. We will learn together.” He stroked back her hair with gentle fingers.
“We may be amateurs at it, but in the end we will be successful.” The smallest ghost of a smile flickered across her face. “You think so?” “I know it absolutely. I do not fail in my tasks, not even those abhorrent to me. This is the first time I am undertaking something for myself. Believe me, child, I will not fail.” She studied him, more adult than child.
“What tasks are abhorrent to you?” His white teeth flashed at her, a small tribute to her insight, to her special gifts.
“There are times I have no choice but to order the women in my family to do as I bid them,” he answered mischievously. Her soft gray eyes lit up briefly, a small victory for him. “And that is abhorrent to you? I doubt it, Alexander.” She felt very brave teasing him back. He sat down so he wouldn’t tower over her. It was important to him that he didn’t intimidate her. Miah’s influence had helped Shaina to accept him, to see him as someone good, not an enemy, but his position with her was tenuous. He made certain his movements were flowing and graceful so he would not startle her.
“If I take your hand as Miah does, I can read your thoughts,” he explained softly, “much in the way you receive information about those around you. I do not want to frighten you with my touch, but it is necessary that I ‘read’ your memories of the other one who visits you so often.” Her long lashes fluttered, veiled her large eyes.
“Will I be able to read yours?” There was a hesitation in her voice, as if she feared angering him. “Would you like to?” “I usually can.” When he continued to look at her, Shaina twisted the sheet between her fingers. “I’ve always been able to read people if I touch them.” She glanced at him, a quick surreptitious look. “I don’t think it’s the same way you and Miah read minds though. I just seem to know things. I can hear and feel her talking to me. I know she’s there with me.” Her fingers continued to pluck nervously at the sheet.
“Just like the other one is there when I’m afraid.” “Shaina,” Alexander said very gently, “if you do not wish to read my emotions or my thoughts, then you will be shielded from them. If it would reassure you to do so, then, by all means, let us begin.” Her large dove-gray eyes were very expressive as they moved over his face. He waited quietly, allowing her to make up her own mind. Eventually she nodded.
Alexander took her hand with extraordinary gentleness, leaned close so that his black eyes could trap Shaina’s gaze in the dark depths of his. She didn’t even blink. When the young woman made up her mind to do something, she threw her heart and soul into it and did it 100 percent. He would have to keep that in mind when he was trying out his nonexistent parenting skills. She startled him with her laughter, not aloud, but in her mind. “I’m reading your mind, too,” she reminded him.
“Great, you are going to be a pain in the neck, just like Miah,” he groused, teasing her gently while flooding his mind with the extent of his love for Miah, with his warmth and feelings of protectiveness toward Shaina. She felt his presence in her mind occasionally, but she didn’t realize he had already shared her memories of her childhood. That would have humiliated her. He knew it instinctively and had no intention of allowing her to be embarrassed. She read what he wanted her to read. His desire to welcome Shaina into his family, his hope he would be a good parent, someone who would protect her and guide her and always make her feel safe. He shared his feelings of inadequacy as a husband, his fears he would somehow let Miah down. He loved Miah more than life itself and he allowed Shaina to know he would grow to love her the same way.
All the time, he was delving deeper into her mind in an attempt to find a trace of power, a hint that his twin intended to use her to strike against Miah. He saw Miah’s work and it was flawless. He saw their combined safeguards, the strong protection they had wrought together, yet he could find no trace of Luther, no hint of tainted power, no dark hidden agenda. Alexander was careful, searching everywhere for the slightest anomaly, finding many, examining them all meticulously.