The Three (4 page)

I hope Kael can grow to like me. She directed the thought out to the universe, an uncharacteristic prayer.

She listened to another few moments of murmured endearments from across the fire before forcibly turning her mind off and waiting for the refuge of sleep.

When Anna awoke the next morning, it was to the sound of faint laughter coming from just beyond the campsite. She regarded the cold fire pit and empty sleeping bag with a smile, remembering what had taken place there the night before. Yawning, she dragged her tongue across her teeth. I wish I still had a toothbrush.

She visited the bushes, then returned to her sleeping bag and picked up the half-full canteen of water Elin had given her. She took a long pull of cool liquid, swirled it around in her mouth, then spat it on the ground.

She swallowed the second sip. Feeling a little awkward, she decided to seek out the laughter and voices she could hear just inside the trees. She crept, hesitant to surprise her new companions. After all, they could be having a repeat performance of last night.

When she found them, she thought for a moment that she’d been right. They were rolling around on the ground in a small clearing not far from their campsite, wrapped in a fierce embrace. Anna stopped in her tracks, surprised, but she soon realized that what she was seeing was a playful wrestling match.

“No way, pal.” Elin panted with exertion from her position beneath Kael. She squirmed until she was able to free herself from his hold, then scrambled to her feet and said, “I don’t think so.”

Kael sprang to his feet with a feral smile, charging at his lover in another attack. He brought her down hard and immediately pinned her wrists above her head. “Get out of this one, baby.”

Okay, maybe not so playful. Anna took a step back at the unexpected fierceness of the attack and at the position Elin was now in. Her mouth fell open a little, and her heart pounded in her chest. Painful tears stung her eyes, an instinctive reaction to the scene of dominance.

At first Elin appeared to go limp. Kael shifted his body a bit, and she began to squirm and twist beneath him, then brought her knee up to catch him in the crotch. He released a high-pitched grunt at the blow and struggled to keep Elin pinned as she fought against him like a woman possessed.

“Damn, honey,” Kael gasped, his voice high and breathy. “You’ve gotten good at this.”

A few moments more and Elin was free. Kael lay on his side on the ground, heaving, both arms curled over his stomach. “Good job,” he praised. He opened his mouth and rolled onto his back, spreading his arms wide as he regained his breath.

Elin laughed, then caught sight of Anna still standing among the trees. With a calm smile, she rose to her feet. “Anna, good morning.”

Kael lifted his head from the ground, managing a sheepish grin. “Good morning.”

Anna willed her hands to stop trembling. “Good morning.”

“Are you okay?” Elin approached and took one of Anna’s hands, giving it a squeeze. “I hope we didn’t scare you.”

“I’m fine. It’s just when I saw you at first—”

Kael sat up at the words, then clambered to his feet. He remained standing behind Elin, staring at Anna with genuine concern.

“Kael’s taught me almost everything I know about self-defense,” Elin said. “My dad, well, he taught me to hide and to run.”

“And he did a good job of it,” Kael praised. Elin shot him a pleased look. “Kael teaches me how to protect myself when he can’t.”

Eyes intense, Kael stepped closer to them, compelling Anna to lean into Elin for support. “I can teach you some moves, if you want.”

Anna remembered the sting of Kael’s comments about her fighting skills and fought not to get defensive about his offer. But despite her wounded pride, she knew an opportunity when she saw one. “Thanks.” She hesitated, then said, “I was one of the best fighters in my tribe. I do know a little, even if it didn’t look like it yesterday.”

Kael gave her the barest hint of an apologetic smile. “I can show you some great strategies for fighting with an injured ankle. With all kinds of injuries, really. I know it’s hard to rely on your regular moves when you’re hurt.”

Anna released Elin’s fingers and held out her hand, grateful when Kael shook it gently. Elin looked like she was ready to bounce up and down beside them, and she flashed white teeth back and forth between Kael and Anna.

“Awesome,” Elin said. “Listen, I’m going to go to the bathroom before breakfast.” To Anna, she said, “I have a toothbrush you can borrow, if you’d like.”

Anna exhaled in relief, grinning harder than she had in a long time. “Yes, please.”

“Give me a minute or so head start so I can find it in that disaster I call a bag, okay?” Elin left them with a wave and a sweet kiss blown in their direction.

Aware that she was wearing a goofy grin, Anna forced it down with effort. When she looked at Kael, she could see that he was struggling to wipe a similar smile from his handsome face. When she was all of a sudden alone with him, Anna’s discomfort kicked in. Wondering if she would ever feel at ease with him, she waited long enough that she wouldn’t appear totally rude, then turned to follow Elin back to the campsite.

She had taken only two steps when Kael spoke in a low voice.

“Anna?”

She looked back warily.

“I’m sorry about yesterday.” His expression was softer. “What I said…I was harsh.”

Anna shrugged. “You probably had a point.”

Kael shook his head and held up a hand to forestall her words. “I was an asshole about it, so let me apologize. It just shook me up, not only finding Elin in trouble with four men, but also seeing someone else who could get hurt.” When Anna opened her mouth to speak, he continued, “Elin told me you saved her life. She wouldn’t exaggerate something like that. For that I thank you, from the bottom of my heart. I’m glad you were there.” He paused, his eyes guilty. “I should have been.”

The emotion in his voice made Anna feel as if she were a voyeur once again. “Apology accepted,” she whispered. “And remember, like the lady said, you can’t always be there. She’s capable in her own right.”

Kael snickered and jammed both hands deep into the pockets of his jeans. “You don’t know how often I get to hear that. Just wait. You’ll see.”

With that, he sauntered off in the opposite direction of their campsite, and Anna turned the other way, following the path Elin had taken. She wore a slight smile, feeling worlds better after the short conversation with the man she’d been certain disliked her.

Elin and Kael had an obvious routine forged from two years of traveling together. After eating a small breakfast prepared by Elin, they packed their things and walked until the sun hung directly overhead. Anna didn’t know where they were going, and she didn’t care to ask. It didn’t matter. She had more direction today than she’d had yesterday, and for that she was so grateful she would follow them anywhere.

Around noon, Kael slowed his brisk walk as they entered a clearing and found a green field overgrown with pansies. The purple flowers provided yet another point of color in an already brilliant autumn day.

Elin’s hazel eyes grew wide, and her face lit up at the discovery. A light breeze whipped red hair around her pale face, and she pulled a strand away from where it had blown into her mouth. “You guys, isn’t this beautiful?”

Aware of Kael gazing with adoration at Elin, Anna found herself equally unable to tear her eyes from the sight of her. “Yeah, it is. Gorgeous.”

Elin stepped into the field and shot a sunny grin over her shoulder. “I’m just going to go on ahead for a minute, okay?” Before either of them could answer, she gave an elated whoop and took off running through the flowers.

Anna watched her simple, uninhibited joy with amazement. She couldn’t remember ever possessing that kind of innocent wonder, even as a child.

“You’ve never met anyone like her, right?”

At the soft question, Anna glanced cautiously at Kael, wondering if her warmth for his lover was too close to the surface. “No, I can’t say that I have. She’s so genuine.”

Kael hefted the large pack that was strapped to his shoulders and gave her the first real grin she had ever elicited from him, his whole face lighting up with it. “Elin came into my life at a very dark time. She was—

she is—a breath of fresh air.”

Anna stared ahead at the edge of the field. Elin was crouching near the wide trunk of a tree, bending low to inhale the scent of the violet blooms. Daylight played upon her hair and her pale skin, and she looked so lovely it made Anna’s heart hurt.

“How does she do it?” She glanced at Kael. “How does she stay so happy when the world is the way it is?”

“She hasn’t had to experience a lot of what makes the world so bad. Her father did a wonderful job protecting her.”

“Good for him.”

“I thank him every day.”

When they reached Elin, she was stretched out on the grass with her hands planted next to her hips. She watched their approach with an amused smirk. “Slowpokes.”

Anna jammed her hands in the pockets of her torn jeans. “I just enjoy nature at a decelerated pace, I guess.”

Elin grinned and lifted a delicate hand. “Help me up?”

“Lazy thing,” Kael admonished with good humor, as Anna pulled her to her feet. More soberly, he said,

“We’re coming up on Sullivan, if I’m reading my map right. I’m going to scout ahead. We can stop for supplies there.”

“All right.” Elin tugged Anna closer by their enjoined hands. “Anna and I will take the opportunity to have some girl talk.”

“Knock yourselves out.”

Elin giggled, sending Kael off with a gentle slap on his bottom. His only reaction was to raise an eyebrow at her as he passed them by. He rolled his neck from side to side as he walked away, cracking the vertebrae with a quiet groan. Elin shuddered at the sound.

When he’d disappeared into the trees, she took one last look at the field of flowers, sighed, then said, “He hates going into cities. Expect him to get a little edgy.”

A little edgy? As far as Anna could tell, Kael was always edgy. Peering ahead, she confirmed that he was no longer within earshot. “Elin?”

“Yeah?” Elin squeezed her hand.

“Is Kael uncomfortable having me around? You can tell me the truth.”

“No, of course not. Did he do anything to make you feel that way?”

“No, I…no. I mean, I know we got off to a rocky start, but he’s been really great today.”

“He knows I like you,” Elin said as they strolled slowly in his wake. “He’s trying. I know it may take some time, but I hope you’ll give him a chance. He’s one of the strongest, most amazing people you’ll ever meet.

But he can be tough to get to know. He keeps his distance unless he really trusts you.”

“Does he trust anyone but you?”

“Not yet.”

Anna caught a flicker of hope in Elin’s eyes. “But you’re optimistic?”

“I am.” Elin smiled. “One thing I’ve always wanted is a big family. Growing up, I only ever had my dad. That was hard. I would’ve given anything for a little brother or sister, or even just a friend. I loved Dad so, so much, and when he died, I felt like I had nothing left. Now I have Kael, and I love him more than I ever knew I could love anything in the world. And it feels so good to love someone, and to be loved back. I want as much of that in my life as I can get. Kael knows that.”

Anna accepted the pronouncement at face value, although she thought Elin could be overestimating her lover’s understanding nature. They walked a little farther in silence, their hands still lightly clasped, then Elin stopped abruptly.

“Anna, I want to say something. I don’t know what your plans are, but I want you to know you’re welcome to stay with me and Kael for as long as you want.” She squeezed Anna’s hand as she started to voice doubts, and said, “I guess what I’m saying is you could be part of our family.”

Anna’s vision blurred as emotion flooded her. Blinking, she stopped walking, and Elin halted alongside. It was exactly what she wanted, crazy as it seemed. She was almost afraid to believe that it was possible.

“You want me to be your family? How can you say that so soon? You just met me.”

“You risked your life to help me yesterday. You were brave and good. I know I’ve only just met you, but I feel a connection with you. I feel like you belong with us, and I can tell you’re a good person.”

They started walking again, Anna deep in thought. For the first time since Garrett’s death, she allowed herself to experience the hole his absence left in her heart. She would give anything for it to be filled up again. The emptiness she had been feeling before she met Elin had scared the hell out of her. She kept her fingers entangled with Elin’s, enjoying the simple human contact.

“I’m not sure that what I did yesterday makes me a good person,” she said after some hesitation. “After Garrett was killed, I felt like I had no more reason to live. When I lost all my stuff in the attack last week, I figured it was a sign that there was nothing left for me anymore. Yesterday…I don’t know if I was being brave or just suicidal.”

“Death wouldn’t necessarily have been the worst thing to happen to you yesterday,” Elin said. “But you helped me anyway.”

Anna basked in the warm glow of Elin’s sincere words. “I wouldn’t want to cause any problem between you and Kael. I don’t want to be a source of tension.”

“Don’t worry, nothing could ever come between Kael and me. Our love is too real for anything to weaken it.”

Anna felt her face flush as she once again remembered their lovemaking, and she cast a shy grin down at the ground. “I think it’s wonderful that you’ve found something like that. How did you meet him?”