Part 15 (1/2)

”Theo said you were going down to check on Robert last night and you fell in the dark. Down the stairs. Mom! Mom! You have to be more careful!” Sam no longer channeled his father, but now was taking on the characteristics of Vonnie. You have to be more careful!” Sam no longer channeled his father, but now was taking on the characteristics of Vonnie.

She'd lifted the cup of tea so as to have a moment to think, unsure of what he was going to say. Now she lowered it, relief and appreciation rus.h.i.+ng through her. ”I know. It was stupid of me.” She raised the tea to sip again. ”How is Robert? Do you know?”

”Vonnie's with him. She said to tell you he's doing okay.” Sam sat on the edge of the bed and looked at her.

Selena's heart sank. He had that look on his face ... the same look he'd had when he asked her what had happened to his father. And why the bounty hunter Seattle looked at her the way he did.

”Mom,” he said firmly. ”This Theo guy ... he's a little ... different.”

Selena nibbled on a wedge of pear. ”Different how?”

Sam shrugged and looked away, then back at her. ”He offered to show us about those things in the arcade. I want to learn.”

The relief she felt because he didn't seem to be aware of the depths of their relations.h.i.+p was swiftly usurped by unadulterated fear. ”No. Absolutely not.” She drew in a deep breath, squelching a different kind of panic. ”Sam, it's too dangerous. They're too dangerous. There's no reason to get involved with those things-they're from another world. Another time.” Absolutely not.” She drew in a deep breath, squelching a different kind of panic. ”Sam, it's too dangerous. They're too dangerous. There's no reason to get involved with those things-they're from another world. Another time.”

”But Mom, he knows all about 'em. I saw him working on them ... He's like ... magic. Like on the DVDs. It's so cool.” His voice rose, half pleading, half in admiration.

”No. Stay away from them. And from him. This is a direct order from your mother, Sam. And besides ... he's not going to be here much longer. Now that he's healed and healthy, he'll go back to Envy or wherever he's from.” Thank G.o.d. And the sooner the better. Thank G.o.d. And the sooner the better.

Sam's face twisted with frustration and belligerence. ”Mom, that's-”

”Sam.” Her voice whipped out with more sharpness than was probably necessary. But it had the effect of silencing him-for now.

”Whatever,” he said, sullen.

”Sam,” she said, remorse soft inside her. ”I love you. That's why.”

His features eased a bit. ”I know. But I still think it's busted.” He stood. ”I have to go help Frank before he pukes a 'phant.” He bent to kiss her on the cheek, and she lifted her sore arm to hug him. ”Rest awhile. Okay, Mom?”

”I will.”

But that wasn't likely. She had things to do. Patients to attend to. And-her heart squeezed-Theo to handle.

How was was she going to handle him? She needed to get rid of him. Get him away from here, away from Yellow Mountain and back to Envy, where he could forget about this whole thing. she going to handle him? She needed to get rid of him. Get him away from here, away from Yellow Mountain and back to Envy, where he could forget about this whole thing.

Not only that, but he was too young for her. It was ridiculous to want or expect anything more than a little fling. She'd heard Jennifer's horrified conversation with Theo the other day. The girl hadn't attempted to hide the shock in her voice. ”She's old enough to be your mother. That's just ... ”She's old enough to be your mother. That's just ... busted! busted! Totally rank.” Totally rank.”

Jennifer was right.

As if conjured up, the expected knock came on the door at that moment, followed by Theo's ink-black head poking around the door. ”I just saw Sam and he said you were awake,” he explained without preamble.

His slanted eyes seemed more deep set than before, with shadows beneath them. His hair was wet, as if he'd just showered; and what she could see of his olive skin carried a damp sheen. Selena's mouth dried as she noticed the outline of muscle beneath the dark s.h.i.+rt that clung to his chest and shoulders.

”Yeah,” she said. Selena eyed him, trying to read his expression. But it was inscrutable. So she dove right in. ”I've been expecting you. A visit from you.”

”I'm sure you have,” he replied mildly, closing the door behind him.

”Thank you for ... everything.” Her voice roughened and she blinked.

Last night ... she couldn't think about it. It had been the worst. It had been so close, and she'd feared for her life like never before. If he hadn't been there-if he hadn't brought her back and taken care of things ... and told Sammy and Vonnie lies- ”What does Vonnie know about your night time activites?” he asked, sitting on a chair next to the bed.

Not on on the bed. Not on the same bed they'd done a thorough job of destroying last night. She was acutely aware of that. the bed. Not on the same bed they'd done a thorough job of destroying last night. She was acutely aware of that. Good. Keep your distance. Let's make this as easy as possible. Good. Keep your distance. Let's make this as easy as possible.

If it were one of the old romantic DVDs, they'd both be dancing politely around what needed to be said-but both would have the same goal: to end it without hurting anyone. Without awkwardness.

Here's hoping it works the same way now.

”Vonnie ... not much really; she doesn't know all all of it.” of it.”

”Well, what the h.e.l.l part does she know?” His voice tightened, got a little louder. ”The part about you going out alone at night without a weapon? Or the part about the d.a.m.ned monsters mobbing you half to death? Or does she know about the way you have to touch them and-what?-kill them? Tame them? What the h.e.l.l h.e.l.l was going on out there?” was going on out there?”

He clamped his lips shut and shoved a hand through his hair, making it spike all over. And glared at her. ”You know, there's a h.e.l.luva lot safer way to get rid of them besides shaking their d.a.m.ned hands.”

Selena's heart was pounding. How could he understand? No one else did, not with ganga ganga attacks year after year. All he and others saw were murderous, flesh-eating creatures; everyone except Vonnie, and even she didn't really comprehend it. She didn't understand what Selena had to do. attacks year after year. All he and others saw were murderous, flesh-eating creatures; everyone except Vonnie, and even she didn't really comprehend it. She didn't understand what Selena had to do.

Why?

”Theo,” she said, forcing herself to smile, ”last night was ... well, I wish you hadn't seen it. It's terrifying and incomprehensible, and it's probably best if you just forget about it. It's not going to happen again, and everything worked out all right. In the end. Thank you.”

Now his face darkened and, for a minute, she was almost afraid. ”What the h.e.l.l kind of fool do you think I am?” he said from behind a tight jaw.

”I don't think you're a fool, Theo,” she said soothingly, trying to hide her desperation. This was not going to go well. ”But it's really nothing you need be concerned about.” She moistened her lips. ”Look, Theo, there's no reason for you to stick around here now that you're healthy-heck, you don't even have a wound. You're going to head back to Envy or wherever and get back to your regular life. And please ... just please ... please ... forget about this. It's nothing.” forget about this. It's nothing.”

He stood abruptly, his motions jerky. Instead of leaving the room, as she'd expected, he paced. Across, back and forth, with heavy, furious steps, his hand curling into a fist and his other swiping through his hair. And then he sat back down and glared at her again.

”Cut the c.r.a.p, Selena. I know you'd like to relegate me to being your young studly boy toy and send me on my way after you've had a little fun, but I don't believe it for one G.o.dd.a.m.n minute. I'm not a child-in fact, I'm far from it-and I've seen and experienced things you have no idea about.”

”I heard the conversation you had with Jennifer,” she began.

”Yeah? Then you must have heard me tell her I wasn't interested in her. And I don't care what she thinks. There are things about me that you you don't know either.” He calmed a little. ”You keep hinting that I'll be leaving soon. don't know either.” He calmed a little. ”You keep hinting that I'll be leaving soon. What? What? Do you expect me to slink off with my tail between my legs after having been involved with an older woman? As if I'm ashamed of it? Have I given you any indication that that's my intent?” Do you expect me to slink off with my tail between my legs after having been involved with an older woman? As if I'm ashamed of it? Have I given you any indication that that's my intent?”

Selena shrugged, trying not to wince-G.o.d, I'm so sore. ”There's nothing for you here. And what about Sage?” ”There's nothing for you here. And what about Sage?”

”Sage?” She might have found the shock on his face amusing if the conversation hadn't been so intense. ”Huh. I haven't even thought about her in ... wow. Quite a while. But what do you know about her?” She might have found the shock on his face amusing if the conversation hadn't been so intense. ”Huh. I haven't even thought about her in ... wow. Quite a while. But what do you know about her?”

”That you love her, for one,” Selena said, realizing how difficult it was to force the words out. And to accept the concept that there was another woman in his life. ”You were raving about her when you were ... well, when you first got here.” She wasn't about to mention at this point that she'd caught one of his memories during his resurrection-an image of a beautiful, young young redheaded woman. redheaded woman.

”Loved. Definitely past tense. Besides, she's with someone else,” he said quietly.

”I'm sorry.”

He shrugged. And try as she might, she didn't see any real grief in his face. ”She's happy, so I'm happy too.” Then he s.h.i.+fted, and his eyes grew flinty. ”So now that we've discussed my romantic past, how about your turn? Is this what happened with Brandon? He found out about you and-what?-tried to help and got hurt or killed? Forbid you from doing it? He got all angry at you for risking your life risking your life? I can't say I blame the guy, if that's the case.”

Selena didn't think she'd ever felt so out of balance and outnegotiated. He was quick. Too quick and insistent. ”Leave Brandon out of this. It's a totally different situation.”

”What? How the h.e.l.l am I going to understand you and help you if you won't f.u.c.king talk talk to me?” to me?”

Understand me? ... If only. Selena drew a calming breath. Selena drew a calming breath. Here we go. Here we go. ”I don't talk to anyone, Theo. It's no one's business, no one's burden but ”I don't talk to anyone, Theo. It's no one's business, no one's burden but mine mine. And I'm going to keep it that way.”

Theo didn't slam the door when he left Selena's room, but he wanted to.