Night World : Spellbinder Chapter 11

I dont under reject, Eric tell piti entirey as Thea towed him toward the bl to each virtuosoers.Well, thats reasonable.Blaise wants to lecturing to me alone and you want me to do it.Thats even off. Thea hadnt realized it was possible to hale b justly and bleak at the same time. I told you shed probably go after you-And you told me to be c areful of her. You do the point very strongly.I live on. Its righteous Thea searched for an explanation that wouldnt be too such(prenominal) of a delusion and clutched her bottle of Evian water. She didnt need to ask him if he had the protective charm with him- she could sapidity New Hampshire pine needles.Its estimable that I mobilise its divulge to energize intimacys settled, she said finally. One way or the otherwise. So maybe if you rebuke to her face-to-face well, you kindle decide what you want, and we locoweed get this over with.Thea Eric stopped, forcing Thea to stop, too. He looked completely bewildered. Thea-I dont mana ge what youre sound offing, but I dont need to talk to Blaise to know what I want. He put his hands gently on her f number arms. No liaison she can say could make any difference.Thea looked at him, at his clean, good features and his expressive eyes. He vox populi things were so simple.Then you can just tell her that, she said, accentuateing to sound optimistic. And the whole thing entrust be resolved.Eric shook his lead, but allowed her to guide him onward.Blaise was leaning against a cover dug stunned by the baseball diamond. When they were s wantonly ten feet away, Thea stopped and nodded at Eric to keep going.He walked to Blaise, who easy straightened with the leisurely grace of a snake uncoiling.Thea put her thumb into the Evian bottle and jiggled it gently.Thea said you wanted to talk to me. Erics verbalise was polite, but not encouraging. He looked bear at Thea after he said it.I did, Blaise said in her liquid, persuasive component branch. only when to Theas s urprise, she communicate the ground, as if she felt awkward. just now well, I feel so embarrassed. I know what you probably think of me- tenseing to say something analogous this plot of land your girlfriend is standing in that location.Well Eric glanced back at Thea again. Its okay, he added, his voice softer. I mean, its better to say whatever it is in front of her than skunk her back.Yes. Yes, thats true. Blaise took a trench breath as if steeling herself and then lifted her head to meet Erics eyes.What on earth is she doing? Thea stared at her cousin. Where did this scene contract from?Eric I dont know how to say this, but I care intimately you. I know how that sounds. Youre thinking that I confine dozens of guys, and the way I treat them I cant possibly care about any of them. And I dont blame you if you just want to walk away right now, without charge listening to any more. Blaise fiddled with the zipper at her throat.Oh, look, Im not going to walk away. I wouldnt do that to you, Eric said, and his voice was even more gentle.Thank you. Youre organism so nice-much nicer than I deserve.Absently, as if it were the approximately casual of gestures, Blaise reached for the zipper at her throat and pulled it down.The necklace was revealed.Dont look directly at it, Thea told herself. She stared instead at the back of Erics sandy head-which suddenly went very still.And you know, this is going to sound strange, but most of those boys dont genuinely like me. Blaises voice was soft now-seductive but vulnerable. They just-want me. They look at the surface, and never even try to regulate any deeper. And that makes me feel so lonely sometimes.In Theas peripheral vision, gold stars and moons were shifting and flowing. Yemonja root and other delicious scents wafted toward her. She hadnt even noticed that the first time shed been too deep in the necklaces turn of events to analyze it. And a faint, high resonance hung in the air-two or three notes that fronte d to shimmer almost above the thres render of hearing. singing crystals. Of course. Blaise was assaulting every sense, weaving an inescapable golden web and the whole thing was tuned to Erics blood.All Ive ever wanted is a guy who cares enough about me to look deeper than the surface. Blaises voice had a slight catch now. And-well, before I knew Thea liked you, I guess I mind you might be that guy. Eric, please tell me-is that completely impossible? Should I just exclusively give up hope? Beca use up if you say so, I will.Eric was standing interrogatively now, as if he were crippled. Thea could confabulate his breath coming faster. She didnt want to see his face-she knew what it would be like. Like Lukes. Blank wonder changing into slow acclaim for Blaise.Just tell me, Blaise said, raising one hand in a gesture full of pathos. And if you say no, Ill go away forever. But if if you think you could care about me even just a little She gazed at him with luminous, yearning eyes.I Er ics voice was thick and hesitant. I Blaise He couldnt seem to get started on a sentence.And no wonder. Hes lost already.Certainty collision Thea, and she stopped shaking her plastic bottle. Her little Elixir of Abhorrence didnt stand a chance against Blaises magic. Eric was hooked and Blaise was reeling him in.And it wasnt his fault. Nobody could be expected to hold out against the kind of enchant workforcet Blaise was using. Enchantment and psychology so attractively obscure that even Thea found herself half believing Blaises story.But she had to try anyway. She couldnt let Eric go without a fight.With one final, violent shake, Thea took her thumb out of the bottle neck. Colorless liquid skyrocketed, spraying up and then precipitate down on Eric. A geyser of loathing.Only one thing went wrong. As soon as the mysterious downpour strain Eric, he dour to see where it was coming from. Instead of flavour at Blaise when the philosophers stone soaked into his skin, he was looking a t Thea.She stared back into his gray-flecked eyes with a kind of horror.Twice. Hed been twice enchanted now, once to love Blaise and once to hate her.Oh, Eileithyia, its over.It was a crisis, and Thea responded instinctively. She reached for Eric, to save him, to be saved herself.She flung out a thought the way shed fling out a hand to mortal going over a cliff.Eric.A connectionLike dosing a circuit-and that was all it took. Thea felt a wave of something, something hot and sweet, more magical than Blaises magic. Distilled lightning, maybe. The air between her and Eric was so charged that she felt as though her skin was being brushed with velvet. It was like being at the crossroad of cosmic force lines.And it was all okay. Erics face was his ordinary face. Alive, alert, full of warmth-for her. not zombie worship for Blaise.Thea.It cant be this simple.But it was. She and Eric were staring at each other in the quivering air and the universe was just one big singing crystal.Were righ t together.A yell shattered the dull communion. Thea looked toward the dugout and saw that Blaise the vulnerable had disappeared.Im wet, Blaise shrieked. are you crazy? Do you charter any idea what water drops do to silk?Thea opened her mouth, then debar it again. She felt giddy with the sweetness of relief. She had no idea if Blaise really thought the elixir was only water-but one thing was clear. However strong Blaises spell had been, it was broken now. And Blaise knew it.Blaise jerked the zipper up and stalked slay.Shes mad, Eric said.Well Thea was still dizzy. I told you she likes getting mad. She took Erics arm, very gently, and partly to steady herself. permits go.Theyd only gone a few steps when Eric said, Thank God you hit me with that water.Yes. Even if the elixir hadnt worked it had somehow broken Erics concentration or distracted Blaise or something. Shed score to see if she could figure out what had happened to disrupt a spell as potent as the one Blaise had crea ted.Yeah, because, you know, it was getting really awkward, Eric went on. I kept trying to think of a polite way to tell her there wasnt a chance, but I couldnt. And just when I realized I was going to amaze to say it and hurt her feelings-well, you soaked us.Thea stopped dead. She stared at him. He was serious.I mean-I know I hurt her feelings anyway. Or she wouldnt make believe gone away mad. Uh, are you mad now? Thea?She started walking again. Are you saying you didnt even want to be with her? Not even just a little?He stopped. How could I want to be with her when I want to be with you? I told you that before this whole thing started. possibly its because were soulmates. Maybe its because hes so stubborn. But, whatever, Id better never tell Blaise. Shell have a whole new reason for killinghim if she finds out her spell bounced finish up like water off a duck.Well, anyway, its resolved now, she murmured-and at that event she really believed it. She was too happy to think abou t anything dreadful.Is it? Does that mean that we can finally go out? Like on a exit?He sounded so wistful that Thea laughed. She felt light and free and full of energy. Yeah. We could go right now. Or we could go in. Your house, I mean. Id like to see your sister and Madame Curie again.Eric made an ouch face. Well, Madame Curie would probably like that. But Roz lost her case- the court ruled that the Boy Trekkers are a tete-a-tete organization. And she is not-pardon the pun-a happy camper. All the more reason we should go see her. unequal kid.Eric looked at her quizzically. Youre serious? You have a choice of anywhere in Las Vegas and youd like to go to my house?Why not? Thea didnt mention that a human house was more exotic to her than anywhere else in Vegas.She was happy.It turned out to be a modest frame house, shaded by a couple of honest-to-goodness trees, not palms. Thea felt a twinge of shyness as they went inside.Moms still at work. And-Eric checked his watch-Roz is supp osed to be in her direction until five.Home detention. This morning she microwaved herBarbie dolls.That doesnt sound good for the microwave. Rosamunds door was close with homemadeSigns. DO NOT ENTER. KEEP OUT AND THIS MEANS ERIC. feminism IS THE RADICAL NOTION THAT WOMEN ARE PEOPLE.When Eric opened the door a hoggish bank shaped like a skunk came flying toward him. He ducked. It hit the wall and, amazingly, didnt break.Roz-I hate everybody And everybody hates me A hardback harbor came soaring.Eric shut the door fast. Bang.Everybody doesnt hate you he yelled.Well, I hate them Go awayBang. Bang. Crash.I think maybe wed better leave her alone, Eric said. She gets a little moody sometimes. exigency to see my style?His room was nice, Thea decided. a lot of controls, some smelling of mildew-I get them at the used book stores. Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy. Development and Structure of the Fetal Pig. The Red Pony. roughly of them were about animals in some form or other.And lots of trophies. baseball game trophies, basketball trophies, a few tennis trophies. I have to leaf between baseball and tennis different years. Sports equipment was scattered carelessly around, mixed with the books and some dirty socks.Not so different from a teenagers room in the Night World. Just a persons room.There was a propose of a man on the desk, a man with sandy blur and a glorious, lightning-bolt smile like Erics.Who is it?My dad. He died when Roz was little-a plane crash. He was a pilot. Eric said it simply, but his eyes went dark.Thea said softly, My parents died when I was little, too. Whats sad is that I dont really remember them.Eric looked at the picture again. You know, I never thought about it, but Im glad I do remember. At least(prenominal) we had him that long.They smiled at each other.By the bed was a tank that gave off a pleasant percolating sound. Thea sat next to it and watched iridescent blue look for dart around. She turned off the bedside lamp to see t he lighted tank better.You like it?I like everything, Thea said. She looked at him. Everything.Eric blinked. He eyed the bed Thea was session on, then slowly sat at the desk. He stuck out a casual elbow to lean on and papers showered to the floor.Oops.Thea stifled a laugh. Is that the U.C. Davis application?He looked up hopefully from gathering them. It sure is. Want to see it?Thea almost said yes. She was in such a well-provided mood, ready to agree to anything, be open to anything. But a morsel of thought changed her mind. Some things were just going too far.Not right now, thanks.WellHe put the papers back. You know, you still might think about transferring to the zoology class at school. Ms. Gasparro is a great teacher. And youd really like what were studying.Maybe I could, Thea thought. What would it hurt?And if you were ever interested. Dr. Salinger is always looking for extra wait on. It doesnt pay much, but its good experience.And what would that hurt? Its not as if I wou ld be breaking any rights. I wouldnt have to use any powers, either, I could just be close to the animals.Ill think about it, she said. She could hear the suppressed excitement in her own voice. She looked at Eric, who was sit with his elbows on his knees, leaning forward, watching her earnestly. And- thanks, she said softly. For what?For wanting the best for me. For caring. The light from the fish tank threw wavering blue patterns on the walls and ceiling. It made the bedroom seem like its own little underwater world. It danced over Theas skin.Eric stared at her. Then he swallowed and shut his eyes. With his eyes still shut, he said in a muted voice, I dont think you know how much I care. Then he looked at her.That connection again. It seemed to be swig them together-an almost physical feeling of attraction. It was exciting, but scary.Eric got up very slowly and crossed the room. He sat by Thea. Neither of them looked away.And then things just seemed to happen by themselves. Th eir fingers were intertwined. Thea was looking up and he was looking down. They were so close that their breath mingled. Thea shivered with the electricity.Everything seemed wrapped in a golden haze.Crash.Something hit the other side of the wall.Ignore it its poltergeists, Eric murmured. His lips were an inch from hers.Its Rosamund, Thea murmured back. She feels bad-and its not really fair. We should try and make her feel better. She was so happy that she wanted everyone else to be happy, too.Eric groaned. TheaLet me just go see if I can cheer her up. Ill get laid back.Eric shut his eyes, opened them, and turned on the lamp. He gave her a pain smile. Okay. I have to water Moms outside plants and feed the rabbits and stuff, anyway. Let me know when shes cheered up enough. Ill be waiting.Thea knocked and ducked as she entered Rosamunds room. Roz? Can I just talk to you for a minute?Dont call me that. I want you to call me Fred.Uh, how come Fred? Thea sat cautiously on the edge of th e bed-or not the bed, actually, the box springs. The mattress was crosswise the room, standing on its side in a corner. The entire room looked as if it had been hit simultaneously by a hurricane and an earthquake, and it smelled strongly of wop pig.Slowly, part of a sandy head appeared above the mattress. One reverse lightning eye regarded Thea directly.Because, Rosamund said with terrible maturity, Im not a girl anymore. Things have always been this way for girls and they will always be this way and they are never going to change. And dont give me any of that B.S. about how females hear better and do better in submarines and have better fine go skills, because I dont care. Im going to be a boy now.Youre a unused kid, Thea said. She was surprised at how smart Roz was, and at how much she wanted to whiff her. But you need to study your history. Things havent always been this way. There were times when women and men were equals.Rosamund just said, When?Well-in ancient Crete, for one thing. They were all children of Eileithyia, the Great Goddess, and boys and girls both did life-threatening stuff, like acrobatics on wild bulls. Of course Thea paused, struck by a thought. The Greeks did come and conquer them.Uh-huh.But, um-Thea wracked her brain for human history-Well, the ancient Celts were okay-until the Romans came and conquered them. And and human being history was a problem.I told you, Rosamund said bitterly. It always turns out the same. immediately go away.Well Thea hesitated.It was the excitement that did it. The giddy feeling of everything being right with the world. It made her overconfident, made her feel as if Night World law were a little thing that could be dispensed with if necessary.Dont, a part of her mind whispered. Dont or youll be sorry.But Rosamund was so miserable. And the golden impertinence was still around Thea, making her feel protected. Invulnerable.Look, she said. This may not help much, but Ill tell you a story, a story that al ways made me feel better when I was a little girl. Only you have to keep it a secret.There was a flicker of interest in Rosamunds green eyes. A true story?Well-I cant really say its true. And thats true-I cant. But its a good story, and its about a time when women were leaders. About a girl called Hellewise.