Needle Rain (30 page)

Of course, there were still those trapped in the mansion. Soon, she told herself. Now, she had to sleep. She lay down on a patch of grass.

“Heloise? Heloise? Is anything wrong?” Thom’s voice.

“No. Nothing at all.” Fatigue loosened her tongue. She fluttered her eyelids enough to see him. “You’re perfect.”

The startled drawing together of his brows settled in place the decision she’d made.

“I’m going to help you.”

“How?” he asked. “Why?”

“Shhh.”

She’d vowed to free the child ghosts too. There wasn’t time. Maybe...maybe she could wait for the soldiers to leave and return then? Yes, that would do it. She smiled then sleep overcame her.

Imperial Investigator
– a person appointed by the Imperator to investigate matters that might threaten the empire.

*****

Writing the letter to Bull was difficult. Her heart was heavy with guilt and regret at her tardiness in telling him her feelings. To do it now seemed like cheating. It would’ve been easy if not for her guilt.

She sighed and rubbed her nose, shifted from her cross-legged position.

“Are you okay? Do you need help?” Thom asked seating himself before her on the ground.

The friendly goat had returned to this temporary resting place beside the sea-mansion. Along with two other goats from the herd, she had followed Thom and now began to pull up grass and munch on it.

“I’m okay.”

Thom’s lips twitched into a smile. “You have ink on your nose.”

“Oh.” Heloise rubbed the tip of her nose then stared at the black smudge on her fingers. It was lucky that Omi had brought a pen with him.

She couldn’t explain to everyone her dilemma but her and Thom must leave soon or be cornered by soldiers, else execution would be his fate. She gripped the steel and brass pen. Tiny iridescent green beetles roamed in a spiral about the barrel, near the nib.

Wherever had Omi gained this from? It was a trinketton pen. A hundred years of living must let you collect all manner of things.

“Write,” she muttered. “No, this is for me to do, Thom. But thank you.”

She forged onward, adding to the
Dear Bull
, which was all she’d managed so far.

I’m so sorry to have to tell you this in such a cowardly way. You’ve always been a great friend to me, more so than anyone, anyone at all. I am thankful and I hope we will remain friends. When I can, I hope to see you and say all this in person.

However…

She paused and knuckled at her forehead. Writing Thom’s name might be unwise. Someone else might see this note.

I must journey with you-know-who, away from here. You know he will be in great danger if he stays. My fate seems tied to his, but also I feel I have a connection with him.

That I want to explore, she thought to herself. Damn. She couldn’t be so explicit as to say she was attracted to the man. Or that she wasn’t attracted to Bull. Bull would have to read between the lines. He would’ve already figured this out, anyway.

I need to help him. It is the right thing to do.

Bless you,

Heloise.

She really needed to hug Bull. Heloise swallowed down the sadness then she folded the letter and stood.

“Omi, can you give this to Bull, please?”

“Oh course.”

“Tell him also…” She sniffed and swiped at her watery eyes. “That I will miss him and I wish I could hug him.”

He smiled. “I will.”

“But now,” she glanced at Thom and at the few things he had beside him – two backpacks, some weapons, and a goat. That made her grin. “We should go. We aren’t taking goats, I hope?”

Looking frustrated, if amused, Thom shook his head. “I think she may follow me a ways, but they’ll return to the orphanage, once we go a fair distance.”

“Okay.” She strode over, acting confident to disguise the flotilla of butterflies that’d arrived in her stomach. “Let’s be off then.”

In a week or so, they could cautiously return and she would free the rest of the children.

After exchanging handshakes, hugs, and choked-up good wishes with Samos and Omi, she and Thom set off on a track that led north toward the Clandom of the Bloodmen. The border wasn’t far and once across that, he was legally safe from the Imperator.

They’d still have to hide. Legalities weren’t going to stop an Imperator if he thought Thom needed to be dead.

****

That night, they made camp deep into Bloodmen territory. There were trees shielding them from the sky overhead, though the sea was close – they only had to trek twenty yards west through the fringes of the forest to reach the dunes. Stars showed through the forest canopy and a fire crackled in the pit of sand and rocks they’d made. Salted meat was all Omi had been able to give them.

“Tomorrow perhaps we can find a village or catch some fish.”

“Yes.” Thom laid another branch on their little fire.

They had no line or net but being optimistic was better than the opposite. She had a trade and knowledge, maybe Thom also had some skills they could sell. They would get by.

Heloise stared at her fingers where firelight played at her skin, recalling the manipulation of needles. Could she do that again, without Vassbinder inside her? Maybe she could use healing needles, at least? Skills did linger after possessions.

Still…

A cool, night breeze blew in from the ocean.

She shuddered. Retaining that particular memory might not be for the best.

“You’re cold?” Thom rose and walked around the fire to sit next to her on the rug. “We can keep each other warm.”

The contemplative gaze he settled on her made her certain he was thinking of more than warmth. His thigh was barely an inch from hers.

Such temptation.

Should she? The tenderness in his eyes beckoned. He most likely knew what she was thinking too. No man sat beside a woman, after sharing a kiss less than a day before, and didn’t think of going further. Still, he was letting her decide.

Hell, the last few months had taught her how short, violent, and ugly life could be. One should treasure the good moments and seize the…opportunities.

She shifted closer until their legs touched. The surge of desire was potent enough that she held her breath for a few seconds. When he leaned into her and slipped his arm about her body, she couldn’t help sighing.

Snuggling even closer seemed natural. On her next shaky inhalation, she registered the scent of his body.

“Heloise?” He put his hand to her hair then gently lowered his palm until he cupped her shoulder. When she didn’t protest, he turned and bowed his head, locking his eyes with hers. The question was obvious.

“Mmm?” She parted her lips and nervously licked across them. “Kiss me before I change my mind.”

Thom chuckled. Slowly, he reached up then ran his thumb over her lower lip. “And are you? Going to change your mind?”

He lowered his mouth to hers. The light brush of his lips then his withdrawal to wait on her reply, answered the burning question in her mind. Did she really want this man?

Yes.

“Are you always such a tease?”

This smile never touched his eyes. The fierce intensity she saw in his regard made her tremble again – the good kind of shiver.

He kissed her properly, this time, deeply, with tongue and occasional force. The heat of her body rose. So primitive, so delicious were the urges of sex. Moaning and writhing at the press of his body on hers meant she could barely breathe or think. The world tumbled. The sea might wash in and sweep them away and she figured she’d just…

Keep on…

Kissing him…

They wrapped their bodies about each other, their legs and arms tangling, shifting, and rearranging. They collapsed onto the rug, still kissing. First her atop, then they rolled until he pinned her under him.

She paused to gulp in air and remembered to be grateful the rug was big, otherwise they’d be covered in sand and dirt.

While she blinked up at him, Thom sneaked his hand to the apex of her thighs then squeezed his fingers into the hollow. She spread her legs and he settled himself there. The hardness at his groin made her lower her eyelids so as to better appreciate the sensation. “
Mmm.
That’s nice.”

Then, inexplicably, he stopped moving.

“I’ve always thought, Heloise, that you might be too young for me.”

“What?” she rasped, blinking and trying to register what this meant. She raised one sceptical eyebrow. “How old are you?”

“Me? Twenty-nine.”

The truth or not? “I’m twenty-three. Yes, I’m sure you’re far too old.”

“Twenty-three?”

Was that doubt on his face? Lying wasn’t the best start to this relationship.

The trees stirred, branches shaking, leaves whispering…
Honesty.

Had the trees said that? The air seemed to shiver with cold and her nipples hardened. Was it just the two of them in this clearing?

Either way, the trees were right. “Okay. Twenty-one.”

His forehead creased.

“Thom, do you
really
think two more years should make a difference? I don’t. I want you.” She snagged her lip in her teeth. His thighs and erection pushing at the juncture of her legs were awfully distracting. “Gods.” A small whimper escaped before she could stop herself. “Come here before I’m undone and explode or something.”

“You’re sure?” He grinned, wedging his body between her legs with more…diabolical pressure.

Her groan was one of exasperation as well as one of longing. “Take my leggings off now or I swear, I’ll –”

Instead, he began popping open the buttons on her bodice. His kisses down the slope of her breast made her gasp then arch.

Clothes were shed, regardless of whether all the buttons and ties were undone.

Getting naked on the rug, with only the ocean to accompany the sounds of their lovemaking and only the distant, pearlescent moon to observe them – it was glorious. Though...if there
was
a goddess here, damn her, she could watch.

They made a heaven all of their own.

When they lay together afterward with the sweat cooling on their bodies, she put her hand on his chest and found herself awed. Feeling his heartbeat and the lift of his chest as he breathed made her wonder what she’d been missing. She’d never had such deep contentment before.

A thought dawned. “Now I see,” she whispered.

“What do you see?” He shifted to look at her face and placed his hand over hers.

“Love and hate. The goddess. This came full circle. How we are, how it all turned out, whether fate or her influence, it creates balance. Hate was answered with love.

“Love? Mmm.” Then he rose onto his elbow and seemed distracted by the tattoo on the outside of her forearm. He traced along it, following the curves of the angel wing. “I remember when this caught my eye. I loved this, lusted after you, from that first day.”

Thom cradled her jaw in his hand to kiss her then drew away a little and broke into that broad, delighted smile she was only now getting used to.

The man had a beautiful soul, yet she might never have realised this if not for the misfortunes and malevolence and the terrible events that had come between them.

“Love.” He said thoughtfully, kissing her arm, then he turned her hand over to kiss the palm of her hand. “It is so,” he said softly. “You are right, Heloise. Now, with us together, the world is perfect.”

It had been five weeks since his return though it seemed like ten years. Samos eased himself down onto the jetty, letting his aching heels dangle over the edge above the water. He closed his eyes to slits, and put his hands back onto the timber jetty to prop himself, though the fish scales that stuck to his skin made his hands slip a little. Fish scales, fish stink, and he could almost taste the fish. Early winter but the midday sun made a mockery of the season.

“Samos!” bellowed Tarlos. Wearily, Samos looked around.

“Get your lazy ass back here!” He stood next to a wall of boxes stacked with fish. “Break’s over already and we’ve gotta shift fish!”

Samos groaned and pushed himself to his feet. At the sight, Pela giggled.

“Don’t laugh! I’ve got scales in my hair, my shirt!” He shook the shirt to show her and scales glinted as they fell away.

“Long as they’re not in yer ass crack!” Jussumo elbowed the man next to him. “Pela wouldn’t like that!” And they both fell about laughing until Tarlos’s glower silenced them.

“Don’t you listen to them, Samos.” Pela came toward him smiling, cheeks ruddy from the work scaling the fish. Her black hair was piled atop her head with pins. Despite the swell of her belly against her smock, she was so beautiful he almost had tears in his eyes. “I don’t care if you’re covered in scales.”

She reached him and went on tiptoe to whisper in his ear. He caught her round the waist with both hands, pulling her even closer. “Samos,” she said. “You can
be
a fish if you like, so long as you make love to me the way you did last night.”

“Ahh, my beautiful lady.” Then he kissed her long and thoroughly. “Woohoo!” cried Jussumo. “That’s more like it!”

“Back to work you lot,” said Tarlos. “Let the love birds be a moment.”

At the end of the day, when the carts had been delivered to the fish markets, he walked hand in hand with Pela back to their small house in the Haplander district. Waiting by the front gate was Joss, with his feet doing their usual agitated shift back and forth. He waved a piece of paper.

“Here, Samos! Done it!”

“Done it? Samos squinted at the writing on the document and slowly read it out loud, enjoying the feel of each syllable on his tongue. “The Imperial Society of Bio-energeers herewith declares that Joss Goodkin has passed the entrance examination and is entitled to be apprenticed to a Master Bio-energeer. Such apprenticeship to be arranged within the a period of one month.”

“I’ve done it!”

“Congratulations, Joss.” Pela took his head between her hands and kissed him once on each cheek.

It was a fitting end to the day. The delicious smell of beef stew wafted from the house. Thank the gods, thought Samos, not fish. “Come in and have dinner with us before you return.” The Apprentice Hall would have a meal waiting for Joss but it was good to have the boy back for a while.

“Have you heard the news? About Miss Tatiana?” The boy’s eyes gleamed with so much excitement they looked like they’d pop from his head.

“No.” He gestured for Joss to go first but he kept talking while walking backward along the path.

“They’ve put her in a prison with only ladies to watch her. Special prison. No men. Is that because...” He caught Pela’s frown and stopped. “Um, anyway, the Imperator isn’t going to execute her and everyone says...” He lowered his voice. “He’s in love with her.”

Samos groaned. “Joss. No more. Come inside and wash up.”

He stopped and let Pela and Joss go through the front door, fingering the jade pendant at his neck. He’d never told Pela the full story of the pendant, or indeed, what had happened on board the ship. Tatiana had swallowed the pendant and some things were too much for
any
relationship.

Memories assailed him. There was something nagging him. He could have worked it out before...before when he thought a little better. Something about Tatiana and women. He shook his head. Didn’t matter. Not his business any more. Though fishing was, and sometimes a bit of bodyguarding when Bull brought the jobs his way.

The Imperator had been good to him after all. Dismissed from the army, yet awarded a nice medal to go in his cabinet. Funny little man, never seen anyone look so much like a rat. He scratched his head and dry fish scales fell like rain. He elbowed the front door open.

Maybe he’d see if Bull wanted to start up a whole new enterprise doing bodyguard stuff only. More money in it than fishing...and less scales. En-ter-prise. Nice word. Must add it to the Haplander translation dictionary he was penning.