A Lost Kitten (25 page)

“Good morning.”

John skidded to a halt in front of them. “Where’s Bogdan and Audra? I need their help. Something’s wrong with Jasira. She won’t wake up.”

“Where is she?” asked Sirius.

“By the trees behind the house. Please help me.”

Asher started moving toward the house. “I’ll get my wife and Bogdan.” He ran off.

“Take me to her,” said Sirius.

John led Sirius back to his wife. They found Jasira exactly where he had left her. John’s worries increased. There was indeed something wrong with his wife. He dropped to Jasira’s side and tried to touch her. His fingers touched grass, twigs, and dirt.

“Damn it!” He glared up at Sirius. “Can you help her? Can you see her?”

Sirius shook his head. “Only those with Surrealan blood can see the mist ones. I do sense she’s unconscious. I’m not sure why. We’ll have to wait for Bogdan and Aud—”

The sound of rushing footfalls reached their ears.

Sirius turned around. “Over here!”

Asher arrived with Bogdan and Audra.

“Whoa!” Bogdan quickly turned around.

“What’s wrong?” John asked anxiously.

“She’s naked,” Audra said. She knelt on the ground beside John and called out Jasira’s name.

“Sirius said she’s unconscious. What’s wrong with her?”

“I’m not sure. She’s waking up.” Audra spoke quietly to Jasira.

“What is she saying? Can you help her?”

“I’m trying, but it’s a little difficult when I cannot touch her.”

“I thought you could interact with her?”

Audra sighed. “I can see and speak with the people of the mist, but I cannot touch them.”

“No one can but their kindred soul,” inserted Bogdan.

John gritted his teeth. “
I’m
her soulmate. And I still can’t touch her.”

“You touch her,” corrected Asher. “Perhaps not with your hands, but you touch her.”

Bogdan interrupted. “We need to get her back to the house where she can rest.”

“How?” John said. “We can’t touch her, remember?”

Audra snapped her fingers. “I got it. John, Jasira could hold on to you, and you could escort her back to the house. I’ll keep an eye on her to make sure she does not show signs of fainting.”

Bogdan spoke up. “Sounds like a plan. But first, can you please cover her up? I feel uncomfortable seeing her like this.”

“Yeah, I don’t like it, either,” John said.

“Then give her your shirt,” Audra ordered.

“Excuse me?”

Audra held out her hand. “You do not want my brother looking at her nakedness, then give Jasira your shirt.”

“And what is she going to do with it?”

Audra pressed her lips together and shrugged her shoulders. “I guess he does not mind that you see her naked, brother. You can turn around.”

“Who the hell said that?” barked John.

Asher moved closer to his wife. His gaze turned chilly as he scowled at John.

“She’s in and out of consciousness,” said Audra. “She cannot dress herself, and I cannot help her. Just give her your shirt so we can get her in a warm, comfortable bed inside to rest.”

“She’s a ghost!” John’s voice rose higher. “What is she going to do in a bed?”

“We can always leave her on the dirt floor naked for all Surrealans to see!” retorted Asher.

“Fine.” John rose to his knees. Though he felt foolish giving in, he removed his jacket then his shirt.

Audra took the shirt. “Hold out your right arm so Jasira can use it for leverage.”

John did as she instructed. He felt Jasira’s small hand take hold of his forearm. “Jasira, baby, it’s going to be all right. I’m here. I won’t leave you.”

Audra took John’s left arm. “Let her lean against you so she can catch her breath, and I can help her with the shirt.”

John felt Jasira’s weight on his left arm. Audra slipped his shirt around Jasira’s shoulders and buttoned the front. John stared in awe at the floating shirt; at the outline of two perky, feminine breasts.

“This is going to be a bit tricky,” said Audra. “The moment I tell you to do so, John, you lower Jasira to the floor. We do not want her fainting and falling out of your arms.”

John quickly nodded. Bogdan finally turned around. Asher picked up John’s discarded jacket.

“All right, then.” Audra prepared to stand. “Jasira, let me know as soon as you feel up to it. John will help you stand.”

It was nerve-racking, but with Audra’s patience and guidance, John was able to place his wife safely in bed.

.

Chapter 13

Friday, the 19th of November

John kept a wary eye on the barn doors while he helped Bogdan drag and stack large carcasses of meat into six huge piles in the center of the enclosed field. Being around one Surrealan horse was stressful enough; he was not thrilled with being near eight. Nor was he happy to discover that Rau was serious when he had said they were carnivores.

Bogdan stretched his back. “That should do it.”

John wiped the sweat from his forehead with the rag that dangled from his waistband. “You do this every day?”

“When I do not let them out to hunt on their own.”

“Why don’t you?”

“They would get too fat.”

John looked at him like if he was crazy. “Who would notice under all that hair?”

Bogdan chuckled.

“Besides, wouldn’t it be more cost effective?” He pointed to the pile of meat with his chin. “This must cost a king’s ransom.”

Bogdan wiped his face with his own rag. “It would if I paid for it.”

“Didn’t you?”

Bogdan met his gaze and frowned. “I’m not that rich. I went hunting.”

“Hunting!” John eyed the six piles. “How the hell did you gather this much meat hunting alone?”

“We have big game on Surreal. And I did not go alone. The men in my famuhlee joined me.”

John recalled the beast he had seen in the forest. He remembered Rau’s words—that there were bigger creatures than a horse on Surreal. This headless pile of skinned meat was the closest he wanted to get to any of them.

Bogdan headed to the barn. “You had better get to the fence. The horses are hungry.” He opened the double doors.

John bolted to the nearest fence and leapt over it. From the other side, he watched the horses trot out of the large barn. They spread out and began devouring their meal. John wondered how Bogdan had killed such a large beast. He must possess powerful weapons.

Bogdan appeared beside John. He sat on the fence facing his horses. John raised his foot and rested his arms on the fence. They watched the horses eat in silence for several minutes.

“Bogdan, how far do Jasira’s parents live from here?”

“A half-day’s ride on horseback. Why?”

“She’ll need to say her good-byes.”

Bogdan looked at him. “Good-byes?”

John glanced at him. “She’ll be returning with me to the empire.”

Bogdan’s confusion was on his face. “Did she tell you this?”

“She’s my wife, Bogdan. Where I go, she goes. I’ll tell her tomorrow, after she gets back. She might want to return to her house and gather some of her things.” John shook his head and chuckled at the idea of a ghost owning possessions.

“John…I hate to be the one to tell you this, but Jasira cannot go with you.”

John looked at him. “Of course she can.”

“No, she cannot.”

John noticed Bogdan’s grimace. He waited for Bogdan to explain.

“If she leaves Surreal, she will cease to exist.”

John laughed softly. “What are you talking about?” He went back to observing the horses. “She’s already dead.”

Bogdan shook his head. “She is mist. But she will vanish permanently if she tries to leave this planet.”

John’s smile vanished.

“You do not remember, do you?”

“Remember what?”

“That Jasira’s soul is anchored to this planet. The Medlothians linked all dying Surrealan souls that were about to pass into the afterlife to the planet’s energy core. The planet supplies the mists with the energy they need to exist without their bodies. If they leave, they will be truly dead.”

John lowered his leg and faced Bogdan. “That can’t be. Bogdan, tell me the truth!”

“That is the truth, my fend.”

John scowled. “Then what am I supposed to do? I can’t leave my wife here. And I’m not staying. I have to return home!”

“I’m sorry.”

“Sorry?” John looked back at the house. Dena’s words entered his head. “Tell me something, Bogdan.” John stared coldly at him. “Why did you bring me here? Were you really trying to be a good guy, or did you have an ulterior motive for offering me a ride home?”

Bogdan swallowed hard, averting his eyes.

“Why did you bring me here, Bogdan? This time I want the truth.”

“Does it matter now?” asked Bogdan. “You found your other half.”

“Yeah, I did—and she’s dead!” he said sharply. “Answer my question. Why did you bring me here?”

“To find your other half.”

“Stop lying to me!”

Bogdan’s head whipped toward John. “I’m not lying to you! I’m a Seeker. A Surrealan who has chosen to sail the stars to seek kindred spirits for my race. I sensed you were on Cerko—”

“What do you mean, sensed?”

“One of the spells the Medlothians placed on my peepuhl allows us to locate those meant to share their lives with a Surrealan.” Bogdan faced the horses. “You were one of them.”

“So you did have an ulterior motive,” said John. It was not a question.

Bogdan stared at John. “Yes, I did. It’s what I do. What I will do until I die.”

John glared back at him.

“You found your other half.” Bogdan looked at the horses. “And I saved another soul.”

“Saved? She’s dead! You didn’t save a damn thing! What you did was make everything worse!”

Bogdan regarded John in confusion. “By bringing the two of you together?”

“Yes!” blurted John. His gaze dropped to the ground. He reached out and braced himself on the fence.

Bogdan spoke quietly. “I thought you were happy.”

“My soulmate is dead. Why the hell do you think that makes me happy?” John paused. “I searched everywhere for her. I had all these wonderful plans for our life together. I tried not to think of never finding her.” He snickered. “I don’t know which is worse. Living your life without your soulmate, or living your life with a soulmate who’s not really there.”

“But, John, she
is
here.”

“No, she’s not!” John glared at him. “I can’t see her. I can’t touch her. I can’t talk to her. I only know she’s there because I was born with heightened senses. I can never have what you have, Bogdan. A real wife. A family.” He swallowed and focused on the mountains in the distance. “I love Jasira. She’s my soulmate. But it’s not enough.” He glanced at Bogdan. “It’s only half a dream.”

Bogdan lowered his head. He said nothing.

John watched the horses eat. He mulled over what Bogdan revealed. He thought of his life before meeting Jasira. Even though he had a large loving family and an enormous amount of caring friends, John could never shake the feeling of being alone. Whenever Jasira was around, that loneliness disappeared. Could he return to a solitary existence? Did he want to?

“I don’t want to lose Jasira completely,” he finally admitted. He took a deep breath. “I guess half a dream is better than none. If it’s all I’m meant to have,” he said, stepping away from the fence, “then so be it.”

Bogdan watched John move away. “What are you going to do?”

“The only thing I can do,” he said, returning to the house.

Sunday, the 21st of November

The French double doors to the balcony were open. A slight breeze entered the room, carrying with it the scent of vanilla. John woke up with a smile. It no longer bothered him as much that he lost consciousness after making love to his wife. It was a small price to pay for experiencing something so extraordinary.

What bothered John was the lack of energy afterward. It not only made him lose consciousness, but it kept him from making love to Jasira more than once. If Jasira were real, he would have no problem mating with her frequently.

John yawned and stretched, sitting up in bed. Lowering his arm, he checked the time. It was ten in the morning. He reached out with his senses. A life force stood outside on the balcony. He glanced out the doors. The balcony was empty.

“Jasira?”

By the short wall, a glowing swirl of mist appeared. John watched as the mist gathered and condensed. Jasira’s form materialized. John was amazed. She had not done that before. Jasira stood with her back facing him. Her outstretched arms were on the wall. She glanced over her left shoulder at him and smiled.

John’s breath snagged. “I can see you.”

Jasira faced him, leaning her bottom against the wall. She remained on the balcony, watching John observe her beautiful, pale features. Her ghostly image was denser than the last time he had seen it. She had been translucent then. This time, he could barely see the low wall or the blue sky behind her.

Jasira wore the same dress he had seen her in the last time. It had a low-cut bodice and it hugged her waist before flowing past her hips, to the ground. Her hair flowed around her shoulders in dark waves, reaching to the middle of her back. Her lips were full and pouty. Her nose, small and dainty.