Chapter 13
Without me having to ask, Misha stopped the car, and we both spilled out, which led to him snapping, “What are you doing? Get back in the vehicle.”
“No.”
“What do you mean no? The pernicae is coming for you.”
“I’m aware, and while I know you’re capable of shooting it from the sky, it will just come back. Might as well rid ourselves of it now.”
I didn’t need to explain for him to grasp my intent. “Don’t you dare use Anivivi’s magic!”
“Didn’t you say your version of elf magic was the only thing that could stop it?”
“It’s too dangerous. I forbid it.”
“Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha.” I laughed at his command. Like seriously, “You’re not the boss of me.”
“You don’t know what you’re doing.”
“Nope, however, I am willing to try rather than keep running, wondering when it will next attack.” Speaking of which, it, the flying monster, had begun its dive.
I held out my hand and kept my wish simple. “Stop.” Only to realize as it kept coming that stop didn’t exactly explain what I wanted.
“Stop flying,” I repeated with a wave of my hand.
The wings immediately ceased flapping and down dropped the monster. It hit the ground, hard but immediately popped to its clawed feet and began running for me, mouth wide open, teeth still big and sharp, gaze as malevolent as before.
“Stop running!” I screeched, and the monster froze in place, one foot hovering, its body trembling. It then proceeded to walk.
For fuck’s sake.
“Die, foul creature.” Like duh.
Only the pernicae kept coming, leading Misha to mutter, “It’s not alive, hence it can’t die in a conventional sense.”
“I’m open to suggestions,” I yelled as I sought for a way to get rid of it permanently.
“Here’s one. Get back in the car.” Misha aimed his gun and fired.
Bang. Bang. Bang.
The pernicae turned to smoke, and I whirled on my companion with annoyance.
“Why did you do that? It’s just going to come back.”
“It will, but by then, we should be across the channel in the Netherlands. Let’s go.”
I sighed as I clambered back into the tiny car.
He’d probably done me a favor since I’d not had a clear idea how to get rid of the pernicae.
Still, I’d always worked best when under pressure and on a tight deadline.
The pernicae’s slow walk with intent to kill me would have fit the bill.
Surely, I’d have figured something out like I did on the plane.
“What do you know about the monster?” I blurted out as Misha began driving.
“It’s a construct, which means it can’t be killed, merely temporarily disassembled.”
“If it was made by magic, then can’t magic get rid of it?”
“Yes, however, without Anivivi to strengthen us, even our strongest in the arts lack the power to do so.”
“You really should have let me try,” I grumbled.
“You did, and it didn’t work out.”
“I’d barely gotten started.”
“Probably a good thing. I’d rather not risk you killing me with your attempts.”
“I wouldn’t have aimed any death spell at you,” I huffed indignantly.
“Not on purpose perhaps. However, after having seen what you did with the plane, even you have to admit you’re not entirely in control of what happens.”
The lack of faith bummed. What was the point of being a witch—even if by fluke—if I couldn’t do anything?
We drove in mostly silence until we reached the port with the ferry. Seeing the city of Hull, I did perk up a bit. So many cool-looking old buildings. The place reeked of history, and I wanted nothing more than to explore.
“Ooh, what’s that place?” I asked, face plastered to the window eyeballing a structure with minarets.
“Hull Minster, an old church.”
“Can we go take a peek?”
“No.”
Despite knowing the answer when I saw a sign advertising The Deep, an aquarium, I still had to ask. “Ooh, fishies! Can we?”
“No.”
I got the same answer for the Dinosaur Museum, and every other place I pointed at. Spoilsport.
When we arrived to find out we’d just missed the last ferry, which had departed at eight thirty p.m., and the next not schedule until the next evening, I bounced and clapped my hands. “Yay. Since we’re stuck here until tomorrow night, I wanna go exploring.”
“Oh no we’re not. We’re booking into a nearby hotel until it’s time to leave.”
My turn to offer a much nicer, “No. And before you say it’s not safe, you told me it takes a bit for the monster to reform.”
“Yes but—”
“No buts! I’ve never been to the UK, and I am not wasting a chance to do a bit of sightseeing.”
Cedric cleared his throat. “I think it’s best if you give the girl this chance because if you don’t, she’s liable to put you to sleep and go off on her own.”
It wouldn’t have occurred to me, but now that the cat had suggested it…
Misha sighed. “Fine. But in bed by midnight and, tomorrow, I want us waiting at the port by seven p.m. at the latest.”
“Hell yeah!” I could do a lot in that time.
We started first by finding a room, where Cedric chose to stay and nap since we couldn’t exactly bring a cat to a pub. Because, yes, I went to an authentic British pub and had fish and chips and absorbed the cockney accents and got tipsy on ale.
Like a good girl, I was in bed by midnight, but up and ready to go by eight a.m., dragging a grumbling Misha to all the places.
Although, to his credit, he didn’t grouse for long.
He lit up at the aquarium. Apparently, I wasn’t the only one who liked to see the fishies.
I even caught him smiling a few times when we went to check out the dinosaurs.
By dinner time, which we did early, given our itinerary, I daresay he’d enjoyed himself, seeing as how he leaned back in his seat, cradling a mug of ale.
“Thanks for letting me see the sights.” Knowing how against it he’d been, best to throw him a bone.
“It did prove to be more enjoyable than us staying enclosed in that room all day.”
“I don’t know. I’m sure we could have found something fun to do.” I winked, expecting him to bluster or blush, but Misha leaned forward and purred, “We would have, but I doubt Cedric would have appreciated it.”
My cheeks heated because, hot damn, the sexy elf had just flirted with me.
But I couldn’t let him have the last shocking word.
“Don’t we have a cabin on board the ferry?
” A must since the overnight trip would take twelve hours.
“I’m sure Cedric wouldn’t mind roaming the ship to give us privacy.
” Bold, but then again, on vacation—of sorts—such things were expected.
“Our room has bunk beds, but I’m sure we can make it work,” Misha drawled, a statement that gave me the most delicious tingles.
“It’s after six now. Should we be grabbing our things?”
“Let me settle our bill and we’ll head out.” Misha left to hunt down the waitress rather than wait for her to make her rounds. Impatient? Good. A girl liked to feel wanted.
As I waited and finished my drink, someone bumped into my chair.
“Apologies, I didn’t mean to jostle,” said a deep voice.
I partially turned to see a tall dark-haired man offering an apologetic smile. “It’s okay,” I said. “The bar is rather crowded.”
“You don’t sound local,” he noted.
“Neither do you.”
He shrugged. “Because I’m not. I’m heading home shortly on the ferry.”
“We’re also taking the boat.”
“Sightseeing in Rotterdam or heading farther?”
“Russia, actually. You?”
“Romania for business but I’d rather be going to Russia,” he said with a deep laugh, flashing white teeth that contrasted with his swarthy complexion.
“You’ve visited before?”
“Oh yes. Quite often actually. I love Saint Petersburg. Which city are you planning to hit?”
“I’m not sure. Misha hasn’t said.”
“Your husband is surprising you, how delightful. Have a good trip.” Off went the stranger, and a moment later, Misha returned.
“Let’s go.” He might sound brusque, but the fingers wrapped around mine as he led me through the crowded bar spoke differently.
We headed for the hotel and quickly freshened up before loading our things—and Cedric—into the car.
The embarkation process for the ferry went smoothly, and we soon were in our cramped cabin—and suddenly, I felt like an awkward schoolgirl going on her first date.
Despite our flirtation at the bar, Misha didn’t pounce me. He immediately left on the pretext of checking out the boat.
I sat on the narrow bottom bunk and sighed.
“Now why are you moping?” Cedric asked.
“Do you think Misha likes me?”
“Does it matter if he does?”
I bit my lower lip. “I really had fun with him today.”
“And?”
“And I think he wants to have sex with me.”
Cedric recoiled. “Whoa. Why are you telling me this?”
“Because I want to make sure I’m not making a mistake.”
“I don’t think I’m the right person to talk about this.”
“Who else am I supposed to ask? Charlie’s not here, and it’s not as if I can call her.”
The cat paced on the floor. “Sleeping with Misha would complicate things.”
“How?”
“Have you forgotten your suspicion of him?”
“No.”
“Or the fact he’s likely keeping secrets?”
“He’s been opening up a bit more.”
“What if the sex sucks? Or he’s a one-night-stand kind of guy? What happens then?”
“Who says I want more than a single romp? As for bad sex, it happens.” But I doubted that would be the case with Misha. The chemistry alone would have me coming without much effort on his part.
“You barely know the guy.”
“And? How long did you know your lovers before you did the dirty tango?”
“It’s different for males. We don’t tend to get as emotionally attached,” Cedric blustered.
“That is such a misogynist thing to say,” I huffed. “Women are allowed to have needs and fulfill them.”
“Can you?” his pointed riposte.
I sure as heck hoped so, but rather than say that, I went on a different tangent. “Do you know where we’re heading to in Russia?”
“No, but I’m going to guess it’s not heavily populated, given Misha’s people have been able to stay hidden.”
“Should we be pressing him harder on the actual address? I mean, what if something happens to him or we somehow get split up?”
“Planning to travel there on your own if the sex is bad or he gets too clingy?”