They’d spent hours talking books. Within a week, they were lovers, and he was demonstrating all the remarkable things he could make her body do. Within a month, she was so deeply in love, she didn’t see daylight for the next eleven years.
She’d never even questioned the frequent absences he explained as “traveling for work.” Though in a way it was true. He just hadn’t told her the “work” involved fighting spies, dictators, and warlords.
When Ulf had finally walked out, only the need to take care of ten-year-old Adam had saved her from a complete meltdown. Now here they were. How can I get him defused without telling him anything that will blow up in my face?
Guilt and longing shadowed his expression when he finally spoke. “There’s a few things I need to get off my chest.”
“Oh?” Where was he going with this? “About what?”
“The way I treated you and Adam. I owe you an explanation. I hurt you, and you didn’t deserve it.”
“Ah.” Cheryl blinked. Of all the things she’d expected him to say, that one hadn’t even made the list. Did you flambé my friend? Yes. Sorry I’ve been a dick, no. “Okay.”
“I wanted to tell you the truth from the beginning --”
“But the Magekind makes the CIA look like CNN.”
He smiled faintly. “And there was Alys.”
She went still at that, frowning. Gaia’s memories tended to pop up when something triggered them. This was no exception.
Ulf had been at home in the Mageverse at the time, nervous as hell. Afraid of how she was going to react to finding out he was a vampire. He’d been planning to ask Gwen to cast the needed spells to make Cheryl believe him. And if necessary, to ensure she’d maintain her silence if she decided she wanted nothing more to do with him.
Then Alys had knocked on the door and…
“Oh, fuck,” Cheryl breathed, eyes going wide. Why didn’t you show me that before?
You didn’t need to know. You do now.
You irritate the hell out of me, you know that? Aloud she said, “Alys is never the bearer of good news, is she?”
“Not really, no. She warned me not to tell you the truth because it would trigger something ugly. She wasn’t sure what, exactly, or how it would happen, but she was convinced it would lead to catastrophe.”
“And it would have,” Cheryl said, Seeing the memory. What felt like a wave of ice rolled up her face at how close they’d come. “Because you’d have realized I was a target for the Fomorians and made sure I wasn’t captured. Gaia wouldn’t have been able to escape the ring when she did. When she finally made it out, the timing would have been wrong. So many little choices…”
That’s enough, Gaia snapped.
Cheryl’s jaw locked, and she choked. Damn it, Gaia!
I do as I must. One wrong word will drown us like all the dogs in Atlantis.
Fortunately, Ulf didn’t notice. Rising to his feet, he walked over and dropped wearily onto the couch beside her. “I thought the vision meant I wouldn’t be able to see you again. But Alys said we were going to have a son, and I had to be in his life.” Ulf laughed, a short, humorless bark. “That scared the fuck out of me, too. I knew I’d love him as much as I was coming to love you.” He reached over and picked up one of the hands she’d fisted in her lap. Began playing with her fingers.
He’d always said he loved her hands. His felt warm. Rough with sword calluses.
“I asked her several times over the years if I could tell you. I’d watch the black clouds roll over her eyes, the way they do when she has those visions. Every time, she’d look more horrified, because it got worse.”
“Yeah. It would have.” She could See it now with Gaia’s eyes. All those pivot points into disaster.
Ulf swallowed and interlaced her fingers with his. The pain on his face made her draw in a breath. “Jesu, I’m so damned sorry about this. What I did to you. Then. Now. This fucking thing with Gaia.”
His gaze met hers, and she realized why he was saying all this. He’s afraid I’m dead. He’s thinks you ate me. How in the hell do I convince him you didn’t?
You can’t. This is another one of those pivot points.
Of course it is. I hate this shit. Cheryl blew out a breath, forced a smile, and said the first thing that came into