“Are there any other questions you’d like me to try to answer tonight?” she asked as she claimed one of the chairs and motioned for him to take the other.
Sitting across from her, Aidan took the deck she offered, cut it, and shuffled it several times. “Not really. Just curious about my future, I guess.”
The vision had shaken her. But she did a fair job of hiding it as she began to lay out the cards. Her brow furrowed. “Something bad is definitely coming, Aidan. Has anything happened that could give you a clue as to what it might be? The more I know, the more I may be able to see.”
He shook his head. “No.” He had even spent a couple of days at David’s place, which had become the hub of the Immortal Guardians’ world here on the East Coast, to see if he’d catch any weird vibes as Cliff would say. But Aidan had felt nothing off when he encountered Seth this past week. He had found no clues at all that might help him guess why Seth would apparently soon want to kill him. “Not so much as a hint,” he murmured.
Frowning down at the cards, she slid her hand across the table.
Aidan clasped it in his, eager to touch her again.
How long had it been since he had held a woman’s hand?
A moment’s thought couldn’t uncover the answer.
He had taken a lover here in the United States in the 60s. A lot of immortals had. The era of free love and the prodigious use of hallucinogens had, for once, made it easy for them. No need to worry about their lovers freaking out over glowing eyes and fangs when such could be blamed on the drugs.
But it had been a casual affair. All about sex. No emotional connection. No hand-holding or snuggling. No real spark, not like the one Aidan felt each time he saw or touched Dana.
“I still can’t see what it is,” she said, raising frustrated eyes to his. “Just that it’s going to be bad.”
“I’ve seen bad before and lived to tell the tale.”
Her gaze dropped to his chest. “I guess you have. But you had men at your back you could trust then, didn’t you?”
He slid his thumb across her hand, loving her soft skin. “You still believe I’ll face whatever is coming alone? That my brothers won’t be by my side?”
She glanced down at the cards. “I don’t know if you’ll be alone. But I keep feeling like you won’t know who to trust. Or that someone you do trust may turn against you…” Her fingers tightened around his.
Aidan delved into her thoughts as another vision gripped her.
Two men, indistinct at first, hacked at each other with swords.
Him and Seth again?
No. As the figures swam into focus, Aidan had to clamp his lips together to prevent an expletive from bursting forth.
Roland Warbrook swung his swords with furious precision. Nearly a millennium old, he was a formidable opponent, matching Aidan in skill. And Roland appeared to be as determined to kill Aidan as Seth had been in Dana’s previous vision.
What the hell?
Roland’s mouth moved in a shout that went unheard in the silent vision. But Aidan had little difficulty reading the British immortal’s lips.
You killed her, you bloody bastard! You killed her!
Dana yanked her hand back, leapt to her feet, and again stumbled away from the table, nearly knocking over her chair.
Aidan’s heart pounded in his ears.
Killed whom? Killed Sarah—Roland’s wife?
His blood went cold. Who else but Roland’s wife could Aidan kill that would drive the reclusive, antisocial immortal to seek Aidan’s death?
He swallowed hard.
Aidan would never harm Sarah, let alone kill her. She was the one who had given him hope again. She was the reason he believed he might actually one day find a woman who would love him and transform for him. Nothing could make Aidan slay Sarah. It just didn’t make sense.
“Okay,” Dana blurted, eyes wide as she pointed a trembling finger at him, “you have got to stop sword fighting in your spare time. Because that crap is going to get you killed!”
If Seth and Roland both wanted Aidan dead, there was a damned good chance it would get him killed.
She drew in several slow, deep breaths to calm herself, then retook her seat. “Aidan?”
Try though he might, he couldn’t find a lighthearted response.
Her brow furrowed. “I’m sorry Aidan. I didn’t mean to shout. And I shouldn’t have said that. I don’t really think your reenactment thing is crap. I just—”
“Had another vision that startled you,” he interrupted, unoffended.
“Yes, but I didn’t actually see you get killed, if that’s why you look so worried. It was just another vision of you and one of your reenactment friends going at each other with swords. But it was so vivid that it caught me off guard and scared me.” She smiled wryly. “Again.”
He nodded.
“I’m sorry. I overreacted. I didn’t see you die. I really didn’t. So please, stop looking like I just told you the exact date and time of your death.”
He wished she could tell him the exact date and time he would die. Then he would know how long he had to head off whatever the hell was going to make Seth and Roland want to kill him.
He smiled and forced his shoulders to relax. “No worries.”
Her lips tilted up in a smile as a twinkle entered her eyes. “I don’t know why so many people think men who do the whole reenactment thing are nerds. What I just saw was like something you’d see in the League of Assassins or something. Very impressive.”
He winked. “Does that mean you’ll still go to dinner with me?”
“Absolutely.”
“Good.” He stood.
Her eyebrows rose. “You mean now? Don’t you want me to finish the reading?”
He shook his head. “Another time perhaps.” If she saw much more in her visions, she’d know they had nothing to do with a reenactment group. He would like to get to know her better—and for her to get to know him better—before he risked all and tried to explain the whole I’m-immortal-and-kill-vampires-for-a-living thing.
Rising, Aidan crossed to the coat hooks and retrieved his tie.
“I’ll go change my shoes,” Dana said as she headed for the doorway.
“You’re welcome to wear those,” Aidan reminded her, glancing at her Chucks.
She laughed. “Maybe on our next date.” Her eyes widened. “I mean, if there is one.”
Aidan winked when color flooded her face. “Too late. You’ve already promised me a second date. I’m going to hold you to it.”
Laughing again, she ducked out of the room.
The restaurant Aidan had chosen was owned and operated by the network.