Visions of Fire and Ice (The Petiri) (17 page)

He nodded. “Yes.”

She kept seeing the woman, dead in his arms. Cold. The room was so cold. She rubbed her arms. What kind of man kills his wife? But it was an accident, wasn’t it? Did he know the knife held poison?

“So, you’ve had the dreams, too? Of your past life?”

“I know what happened to the woman, yes.”

Tamara scooted off the edge of the bed. Sadness seeped into every pore. Such loss. Such pain. Such violence. “Your wife, in that other time, she…”

“Was frightened of me.” He finished for her.

That hadn’t been what she’d planned to say, but something about the way he spoke bothered her. She was missing something. Hell, she was probably missing a great deal, because in her head she kept seeing the woman spitting at him, calling him
Najak
. Demon. She’d sensed his pain at the word, and the anger when her brothers attacked. Now, she received no emotions from him. As though he’d slammed a door between them. Not like the man who’d kissed her on the streets of Cairo.

“Maybe. Maybe she didn’t understand you.”

“No, she understood. Yet still she feared me.” He stepped to the window and stared out. Alone. “And you fear me, too. I saw your terror in that alley. Do you believe I’m a demon as well?”

The subtle difference in his voice finally clicked. He thought she would assume the man in the dream was him, and, if she did, she would also believe him to be evil. Talk about a stretch. “Ramose, you can’t possibly think…” But he did. “Look, you aren’t a demon. You aren’t an ordinary man, by any means, but that doesn’t make you a demon.”

He trailed a finger over the glass, frosting the window with his power. “But you were terrified, and, when you awoke…”

Tamara cocked her head. This was the first time she’d seen him refuse to look at her. Maybe she had problems separating her dream from reality, but she hadn’t seen anything like this before. None of her nightmares had shown him with a wife. The edge of jealousy pushed again.

She stepped to the window and blew on the frosted glass, watching it melt. “I told you, I was afraid because of the place, not because of you.” They stood so close, almost touching. Both so alone. She’d been alone all her life, despite her sisters and brother. She could understand the pain inside, but she didn’t understand what was really happening between them.

No color circled his body to tell her of his thoughts. She couldn’t tell if he was angry or not. For the first time in her life, she had to deal with a man like any other woman. No color circled his body to help. How did normal women do this? Panic rose in her throat. Had he found a way to hide it? Or had the dream somehow stolen her powers? She’d read before how past lives affected the present life. If he’d killed once, would he kill again?

“You’re afraid now.” He spun away from her paced the floor.

“No. I’m not. Yes, I was for a second there, but not of you.” She cocked her head to one side, struggling to judge his mood by his stiff body language.
This is tough. Being normal sucks.
“I just noticed something different, that’s all.”

He gave a smirk. “Something so different your heart would speed up? Something so different fear would cause you to step back and stare at me? Tamara, let’s be honest. The dream frightened you, and now you wonder if Mandisa had it right.”

Anger rose, and she stormed up to him. “Let’s get something straight, Ramose. I don’t lie, and, as much as I’m sorry that woman died, she was a wimp. She attacked the man she supposedly loved out of fear. A man who had no intention of hurting her, only loving her. You really want to know why I was afraid just now?” He moved as though to respond, but she didn’t give him a chance, waving off when he opened his mouth. “Fine, I’ll tell you. Since the moment we met, I have been able to see your aura.”

“And now?” Answering anger built in his eyes. Shit, if they got out of control again, they’d set the damned hospital on fire.

She took a deep, shuddering breath and let it out, forcing the calm she didn’t feel. What was it about him that drove her to anger so quickly? “Well, I can’t see it anymore, okay? It’s gone. Poof.” She snapped her fingers. “I can’t read your emotions anymore.” She couldn’t believe she was sharing this. All her life, she’d hidden her talents, yet after only a few days with Ramose, he now knew all her secrets.

“And this frightens you? That you cannot see my aura?” The anger softened on his face.

“Well, I could before now, but, apparently,” she threw an arm outward in frustration, “now, nothing. So, tell me,
Mr. Don’t Be Afraid of Me
, what does that mean?” She really should quit taunting him like this, but she couldn’t help herself. The nightmare mixed with the fear over her cousin, the fear of her overwhelming desire for him, stealing all common sense. But instead of growing angrier, as she expected, he smiled.

“Maybe you can read other’s auras and just not mine.”

“Are you saying you did something to keep me from seeing yours?”

He frowned and shook his head. “Not on purpose.”

“Great. Just great.” She threw herself onto the sofa.
Not on purpose my ass.
“So, tell me about these dreams, Ramose. I’m tired of them. They haunt me every single night. Dreams of you in your past lives, mostly here in Egypt. Nightmares. And you didn’t seem surprised with them, only upset over my dreaming about Mandisa.”

He sat on the edge of the sofa, dwarfing the small piece of furniture. It was moments like this she realized just how big he really was, and how much power he held in his body.

“Trust me, I was surprised. Very surprised.”

Her anger drained out, and she ached for some kind of contact.

“We call them the
Erosewyt
.”

“Eros Sweet?” He nodded at her weak attempt at pronunciation. “Who’s we?”

“My people. From the desert.”

“And so you dream about other people’s past lives? Why? You must dream of your own, but I only dream about yours. I don’t understand—”

She turned to the sharp knock at the door. Jeff poked his head in. “I just wanted to let you know she’s awake.”

Chapter Nineteen

Tamara sat beside Julie in her hospital room, fingers wrapped around her cousin’s hand. Jeff stood opposite her, his own hand gripping Julie’s, his stress evident despite his wife’s attitude. Julie was all smiles.
I’d be all smiles too on the drugs she’s taking
.

“I’m telling you I’m fine. Really! They’ve taken great care of me.” A machine stood beside the bed, attached to an IV filled with pain medication.

“I know. I just like to make sure. Ramose is going to find a good place to take you, so you don’t have to stay cooped up in this hospital until you’re able to travel home.”

“And when that time comes,” interrupted Julie, “Jeff and I will go. There’s no reason for you to shorten your stay.”

“Shorten my stay?” Tamara gasped in horror. “Julie, it’s going to be weeks before you’re able to go home. You can’t even ride an airplane until they’ll let you bend your knees again. Those braces have to come off for the trip.”

Julie rolled her eyes.

“Don’t roll your eyes at me. I’m telling the truth.”

“It won’t be weeks.”

“Oh, right. I’m sure those drugs you are on are telling you how fast you’ll heal, but they lie.”

“You know better than that. If anyone understands her talents, it’s you.” Jeff’s voice edged sharp, like the dagger Tamara had seen thrust into Ramose’s back by his own wife. Pain tugged at her heart. Would she ever get over that dream?

Meeting Jeff’s glare, Tamara stood, her hand still gripping Julie’s fingers in hers. “Yes, I understand, but I also understand her limitations. She’s drugged, Jeff.”

“And just because I’m drugged doesn’t mean I can’t see flashes of the future. You know that. Relax. Let’s talk about that man of yours.”

“What?” Tamara almost choked on the word. She couldn’t call him hers. Not yet, anyway. Maybe never, after her cowardice.

Julie laughed. “Don’t you act like that. I know exactly what’s happening.”

“You’re trippin’ on those drugs, cuz. You’ve gotta stop that.”

Julie sobered and met Tamara’s eyes. “And you have to stop hiding behind your fear.”

The blood drained from Tamara’s face, and she stiffened. In all their years together, she’d never said a word to her cousin about the attack which became the biggest cause of her fear. It would have only upset her for not knowing it ahead of time. Tamara remembered Julie saying something similar yesterday morning. “What are you talking about?”

“You know exactly what I mean.” Julie turned to her husband. “Jeff, honey, can you go see if there’s a way I can have a soda? This water is just not helping”

Jeff shot a glance toward Tamara then back to his wife. “But—”

“We’ll be fine. Take your time, sweetness.”

He gave a slow nod, before leaving the room.

“I don’t think he likes me,” murmured Tamara as the man left the room.

“Nonsense. He loves you. He’s just trying to let you know he’s here for me now.”

“Like I should have been. I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you.”

Julie shook her head, a soft smile on her face. “But you were! You were there within minutes.”

“Did you see him? The man who pushed you?”

Julie shook her head. “No, did you?”

Since the two girls had hit puberty, they’d always shared visions of happenings in their lives. The older they grew, the clearer the visions. Their connection was stronger than either had shared with any others. Maybe that’s why Jeff didn’t like Tamara around so much. Maybe he was jealous.

“No. Did you know you were in danger?”

“Not really. I sensed something, but I thought it was coming from you. I sensed fear and then anger. But I could tell you were okay, and it wasn’t that serious. And, no, Jeff is not jealous.”

It had always been this way. The carrying on of two conversations. One out loud, and the other in response to one another’s thoughts. Strangers probably thought them insane. “As you can see, I’m fine, though you aren’t. And if Jeff isn’t jealous, why does he glare at me all the time? He doesn’t speak ten words to me in a day.”

Julie waved a dismissive hand in the air. “Jeff is not used to having so many people around is all. He comes from a small family, you know. The next thing he knew, he’d married into our family. You have to admit, with so many of us, it can be rather confusing.”

“True.”

“Besides, he knows it’s time for you to take on your own life. He doesn’t want me getting hurt when you get married and don’t return with us.”

“I’m not getting married,” Tamara denied.

“Maybe. Maybe not. But before you do anything, you have to face this fear of yours. You’re going to have to share it. You’ve kept it bottled up long enough.”

“Who says I’m afraid of anything?”

Julie pursed her lips.

With a sigh, Tamara agreed. “Fine. I’ll tell someone later. Just not sure who. Besides, Ramose has gone to find a place for you to stay. We want you out of this hospital as quick as we can. Then he’s taking me to dinner. Maybe I’ll talk to him then.”

“Good.” Julie’s fingers traced the pattern on the blanket on the bed, her face intense, as though working on a puzzle.

“What?”

“He’s got his own secrets, this man of yours. Secrets I don’t understand.” She lifted her gaze to meet Tamara’s. “Just be careful, Tamara.”

* * * *

Amunkha moved down the hospital hallway. This was the best idea he’d had in centuries. He’d arrived, intent on checking out his work, but the scents around him, combined with the energies of death brought a gleeful smile to his lips. He’d snatched a white lab coat to avoid being detected, and it worked. He had wandered through the halls unimpeded for the last hour, inhaling every smell.

Fear. It coursed through his veins, strengthening everything he was. Everything he could be. His darkness snatched at it, feeding on the smell, building his power. Patients. So many patients. All frightened about their futures, all in pain. With fluttering eyes, he savored the taste. He stepped into the cancer ward.

Amunkha breathed in. Like a delicious buffet, a multitude of frights permeated the rooms. Patients and their families huddled together, each trying to be strong for the other. Each struggling to hide the terror of coming death from their hearts. Their deaths. Their loved one’s deaths. Each with its own flavor.

It had taken him a few thousand years to understand what fear did for him, how it strengthened him. The
Other
didn’t like fear and retreated as though burned. That alone was sweet ambrosia.

The
Other
had been restless of late, even going as far as speaking to the woman the other day. Unacceptable. That’s why he was here, feeding on fear, forcing the
Other
back. He stepped into the center of the hospital ward. With a sigh, he opened his senses, becoming the sponge to the terror-filled energies. Strength coursed through his veins. Darkness filled every crevice of his body, shoving the
Other
into its tiny corner of light. Oh, yes. He knew about the
Other’s
light. He just didn’t care. A giggle bubbled into his throat.

Chapter Twenty

Ramose dropped onto the couch in Selket’s house, not waiting for her invitation. “I need you to do me this favor.” He was tired. Staying up all night, protecting Tamara while she slept had taken its toll on him, especially when he listened to the words she muttered from time to time. Knowing she dreamed of his darkest hour had eaten away at the confidence he’d built for so many years.

Selket studied him, her brow furrowed. He’d confused her. That’s good. He wasn’t the only one now.

“Why here?”

He shrugged. “Because you have no stairs, and it’s a big house.” He waved a hand to encompass her living room.

Ramose scrubbed a hand over his face.
Damnation
. He’d been doing that way too often. For centuries, he’d worked to hide his emotions, and now they were all over his face. And burning in his heart. “I need a place for her to stay until I can contact Mereruka. I sent him off to check out a dig in Alexandria. Once he gets back, I’ll have him see if he can speed up her healing.”