Chapter 34
34
I t took half an hour for Kwaku and Zara to go the palace, get what clothes they needed, and return. Pari took a quick shower while they were gone. The need to be in her own space, using her own things grounded her. Now she stood in her bathroom, the door closed and stared at her hair. Uncle Al and Uncle Leo hadn’t said anything about it. How could they not notice? But as often as she changed the color of her hair, why would they?
But her tattoos were also missing, and her nose ring? Had her disappearance left them that distraught?
“Pari…” Melvale said outside the door. “Are you ready?”
“Yes.” She took one last look at herself in the mirror. She didn’t put any make-up on and was pleased to see that she didn’t really need it. Her cheeks were rosier than normal. Maybe it was the pink hair. Her lips too, were rosier, and her complexion creamy looking. Maybe time in the Muiraran palace had done her some good.
She opened the door, and her jaw dropped. Melvale stood wearing a pair of long, dark athletic shorts and a white tank top that sported a picture of the Looney Toons Tasmanian Devil on it.
She snorted then covered her mouth. “You look…”
“Presentable?” Melvale looked at his shirt. “Kwaku is paying me back for all the times I’ve dressed him for assignments.”
“Assignments?”
“I’ll explain later. The others are in the living room, waiting.” He offered her his hand.
She took it. “Kwaku and Zara are going with us?”
“It is safer if they do.”
“Yes, but, don’t you guys kind of stand out?” She looked at his long, loose hair, and sighed. “You’re going to stick out like a sore thumb.”
“Thankfully, I’ve done nothing to my thumbs.” He winked, then led her into the tiny living room. Kwaku was dressed like he’d just come from a tennis game, Zara too. They looked classy, Melvale looked, well, it didn’t matter what he wore. He was so darn handsome he’d attract attention no matter where he went.
“What do you wish, little treasure?” Kwaku asked.
Pari was surprised they were being so accommodating. “Erm, could we hit the grocery store? I can make something for dinner.”
“Or we can,” Zara suggested. “We have studied your culinary practices.”
She glanced at Melvale and back. “You’ve taken cooking lessons?”
“Call it research,” Zara said with a smile. “You and Melvale should spend time getting to know each other.” She smiled at Melvale. “You have much to talk about.”
Pari’s eyes widened. She’d spent her time in the shower convincing herself that after today this was it. She shouldn’t see him. Pari didn’t fancy a broken heart, but what else could this end with? Best to stop whatever this was now.
But she didn’t want to…
Melvale put an arm around her and steered her toward the front door. “Let them cook. It will be good for them to be domestic if only for one evening.”
“One?” Pari glanced at Zara. “You mean she never cooks?”
Melvale laughed. “She is the mate of a powerful Time Master. So no, Zara does not cook unless she feels like it. They’re practically royalty. In fact, Kwaku was royalty where he comes from.” He looked over his shoulder at the tall, regal Time Master, and gave him a nod.
Pari turned in time to see Kwaku give him a nod in return as she was steered to the front door. Kwaku squeezed past, opened the door, and went out. Melvale stayed where he was.
“Why aren’t we following?” Pari asked.
“Kwaku will make sure everything is safe first. You should get used to this.”
“But…” Pari snapped her mouth shut. She didn’t want to tell him she wouldn’t be going back. She didn’t believe all his talk of not being able to live without her. Good grief, he barely knew her!
Zara joined them. “It is safe, Alpha.”
“Good.” Melvale ushered Pari out the door and down the stairs they went.
“How did she know Kwaku said it was safe?” Pari asked. “I didn’t hear him say anything.”
“His heart spoke to hers,” Melvale explained.
She tried not to gape like an idiot. “You can do that?”
“Yes. It is how a mated pair communicates, as well as Time Masters, families, and many Muirarans.”
“So, there are some you cannot communicate with?”
He nodded. “Those whose hearts we are compatible with, are able to speak heart to heart. But if one is not, then it is much harder. Some you cannot speak to at all.”
“Wow, that’s freaking amazing.” She gazed up at him. “Can you speak to my heart?”
He stopped at the bottom of the stairs of the second floor. “Not yet.” He started off again.
Pari followed. “Wh-what do you mean, not yet?”
He looked at her over his shoulder. “You are not mine yet.”
Pari stopped a moment and stared at him as he proceeded down the stairs. Zara caught up to her. “Give him a chance, young one. He does not yet know how to navigate these waters.”
She turned her gaping face to the beautiful woman. “What?”
Zara chuckled. “You have much to learn. And you have been through a lot.” She gave her a knowing look. “I will help you with him.”
She swallowed hard. “Help with what?”
Zara smiled. “Understanding him.”
“But… why do I need to?”
Zara’s eyes turned sympathetic. “There is such brokenness in you, child. You cannot see or believe what is happening.” She put a hand on her shoulder and gave it a comforting squeeze. “Come, let us catch up to our men.”
Pari’s breath caught on the words “our men” and it took her a moment to get moving again. Zara waited for her and remained at her back. So, she was protecting them as was Kwaku. Okay. She wasn’t going to argue with that.
When they reached the first floor, Uncle Al stepped out of his apartment. “Where are you going?”
Pari looked at her little party and shrugged. “The store.”
“We are cooking,” Kwaku said proudly.
Melvale eyed the door leading into the vestibule and the street beyond. His eyes were slightly narrowed, and she wondered what he might be thinking.
“Pari, what’s with the pink hair?” Uncle Al asked. “And your tattoos. I knew there was something different about you!” He stepped out of his apartment and looked her up and down. “You look great, kid.”
She smiled, hugged him, then let him go. “We’ll be back.”
“Do you need money?” Uncle Al asked.
“No,” Melvale said. “We are prepared to purchase what we need but thank you for offering to help her.” He faced him. “She will want for nothing.”
Uncle Al gaped at him. “What?”
“Never mind,” Pari said and gave Melvale a shove toward the door.
“Are the two of you really dating?” Uncle Al asked as she went into the vestibule. “And do you have your key?”
“Yes, Uncle Al!” She called as they went through the second door to outside.
As soon as they went down the stoop’s steps, Melvale stopped and took in a long, deep, breath. He then sniffed the air a few times. “This way.” He started down the front walk.
“What?” Before she could move, he’d reached the sidewalk.
“Let him hunt,” Kwaku said next to her. “You will stay with us, little treasure.”
“But…” Her face screwed up. “Wait a minute, hunt?” Kwaku put a hand on her shoulder and guided her to the sidewalk. There was no sign of Melvale. Pari looked up one side of the street then the other. “Where did he go?”
Zara joined them. “Kawahnee,” she said in awe. “He has speed.”
“Yes, Pretty One. His Alpha’s attributes are surfacing. He will be difficult to control, I fear. Unless…” He looked down at Pari. “You control him.”
“What?! Me?!” Pari had no idea what they were talking about.
“We have much to talk about,” Zara said again. “But first, let us follow him as best we can. You know where he is going, Kahwanee.”
“Yes.” He looked down at Pari again. “You, little treasure, will find him.”
“What?” Sandwiched between the two, she looked at one then the other. They were both so tall, she was going to get a kink in her neck in no time. “What do you mean? He’s gone.”
Kwaku bent to her. “Not from you. Nothing can truly separate the two of you. But right now, your ability to know where he is, is limited. Still, you should practice.”
Pari’s eyebrows shot up. She had no idea what he was talking about.
“Picture Melvale in your mind,” Zara instructed. “Just Melvale, then let surroundings form.”
“Uh, okay. Like, now?” It was probably a stupid question, but they were starting to freak her out. But they were aliens , Zara and Melvale at least, so what did she know? Maybe this was normal for them.
“Now, little treasure,” Kwaku said. He gazed up the street and frowned.
Pari got the feeling that Melvale might get himself into trouble if he wasn’t careful. She backed to the wrought iron fence that enclosed a small grassy area and the building’s trash cans to get out of the way of any passersby. That done, she closed her eyes and tried to picture Melvale in her head, as Zara instructed. Suddenly she saw him going into a three-story brownstone and disappearing into the building’s basement. What was weird, was the pull she felt in her chest to go right, and then head up Park Street. When she opened her eyes she was already moving. “What is this…?”
“There is already a bond between them,” Zara stated.
“Good.” Kwaku walked beside her and bent toward Pari’s ear. “Follow him.”
A chill went up her spine as the sensation to find Melvale grew, and she picked up the pace. Soon she was trotting up the sidewalk, the urge to move faster overwhelming, until she could stand it no longer and had to break into a run.
She heard Kwaku right behind her laughing. He sounded mighty happy about something.
Pari ran for several blocks before she slowed. But not because she was tired, but because she sensed she must. When she stopped it was in front of a three-story brownstone with a leaded glass door. The same building she saw in her mind.
She went up the stairs, opened the door, went through the vestibule and reached for the handle of the second door. It was broken, as if someone forced the locked door open.
“Melvale is here,” Kwaku said.
Zara looked at the door and sighed. “Yes, I see that.” She pulled some money from a small cross body purse she wore and an envelope. She stuffed the money in the envelope then produced a pen. Pari watched her scribble something down, then close her eyes. When she opened them, she went to the first door on the right and shoved the envelope beneath it. Was it money for the broken lock? “Let us go.”
Kwaku smiled and touched Pari on the shoulder. “Go.”
Pari stood for a moment before her eyes fixated on the end of the hall. There was a door to the right at the end of the hall. Pari headed for it and saw its lock was broken too. “Melvale did this.” She looked at Zara. “I hope you left them enough money.”
Zara smiled and said nothing.
“Go, little treasure. Find him,” Kwaku urged.
Pari went to the door, opened it, and descended a set of stairs into the building’s basement.