Huntsman Read online

  Sighing with relief when he left, she stripped off the leather, the fabric, the skirt, the bodice, the underskirt and the boots. When the layers were gone, she slipped into the water before it disappeared again and soaked her exhausted body. Keeping up with him was tiring.

  Once she was scrubbed clean, she leaned back in the tub and let the water lap at the edges. Harka looked over at her grubby clothing and finally called out, “Is there a way to clean my clothing?”

  “You could wash them.”

  “It would take them hours to dry. Do you have something for me to wear in the mean time?”

  “I do. Wash your things and I will get you something to wear.”

  She went to it and climbed out of the tub, grabbing her blouse and soaking it in her bathwater. The outer skirt went in next. When all of her clothing was washed as clean as it could get and wrung out, she draped it over the privacy screen.

  “Derin, if you haven’t fallen asleep out there, I would appreciate the clothing.”

  A bundle of white fabric came flying at her over the screen and she grabbed it, shaking it out and slipping it over her head. She was wearing his shirt.

  With bare feet, she poked her head around the screen. “Thanks for the bath. Being spattered with blood is distracting.”

  “I agree. I could have cleaned your clothing, but you couldn’t be in them at the time. You still would have ended up naked, and I think that the bath gave us both a moment of privacy.”

  She wandered into the main room and sat across the table from him, pouring out two cups of tea.

  “So, what does your government want with me?”

  Harka shrugged. “I don’t know. I only know I am getting five years’ wages for this six months. I will be able to open my own shop when I have recovered.”

  He sipped at his tea. “What is it doing to you?”

  “Well, first, there is the hair loss then loss of muscle tone and skin density. I will be in rougher shape than you are when I get out of this. It will all be worth it though. I will be my own boss in a tiny shop on the edge of the city.”

  Derin smiled. “You don’t like being bossed around?”

  She wrinkled her nose. “I don’t have the temperament for it. I like to be in constant motion. It is a compulsion.”

  “So, this time must be awkward for you.”

  “Well, my body suffers but my mind is scrambling around trying to figure out which book to take down and peruse first.”

  He rose to his feet, and she watched the play of muscles in his back. He had literally given her the shirt off his back and the view was enthralling.

  When he had been facing her, she had kept her gaze on his face, but there was no danger of him seeing her gape at him now.

  The Edinar women must have been striking if they could keep the attention of these men. If Derin was a fair sample of his race, they were beautiful, elegant and attractive.

  While he stared at one wall and made a few selections, she darted to another shelf and pulled out a book that was scarlet with gold lettering. She opened the book and closed it just as quickly.

  She heard a chuckle from across the room.

  “The sex manual is not for those who don’t have strong and analytical curiosity. You have to look at the images clinically or you will shock yourself to your toes.”

  Harka put the book back on the shelf and read a few of the titles on the colourful books in the immediate area. It seemed that the candy-like colours all had a sexual component.

  Derin put a pile of books on the table, and he returned to her. “I have made some selections for you. Come on. The amount of heat your blush is generating is not an efficient way to heat the room.”

  She ignored him and returned to the chair with her bare legs tucked under her. In her mind, she was stuck on one factoid. “How can there be twenty types of kissing with different variations? A kiss is just a kiss, right?”

  Derin sat across from her. “When was the last time you were kissed?”

  “My mom kisses my forehead from time to time.” She looked at him with wide eyes.

  She could see his shock.

  “You are kidding.”

  “Sometimes on my cheek.” Harka poured another cup of tea for each of them.

  She grabbed for a book, and he put his hand over hers.

  “You mean you have never kissed a man?”

  She shrugged. “Not the way you mean. If I kiss you here, I still won’t have kissed a man. We will leave and this will all be a dream, well not even a dream. It will be lost time for me and strange impressions for you.”

  “Why?”

  “Because we have already been together for four months. Monitors are trained to alter the perception of time. It is our only skill, really.”

  “So, if I kissed you, you would not remember it.” He frowned as if the thought was objectionable.

  “Well, I might remember an impression but not you in detail.”

  “Damn.” He sat back as if his plans had been ruined.

  She sat and flipped through a book on business management. When her feet fell asleep, she moved them to sit with them on the floor, tingling and warning her that pain was imminent.

  Thunder crackled overhead and the room suddenly got chilly. She shivered and grabbed a book, taking it to the chair by the fire.

  Derin joined her, but there was only one comfy chair, so he surprised her by lifting her and setting her down across his lap, book and all.

  “This can’t be comfortable for you, Derin.”

  “It is precisely where I want to be at this very moment.”

  She turned to look at him, and his lips were half an inch from hers. He kept his gaze on her, and closed the distance. He kissed her slowly and softly, coaxing her into participating.

  Harka clutched the book to her chest and held onto it with white knuckles while she hesitantly returned his kiss.

  He placed one hand on her waist and held her with that one hand while their kisses continued.

  When Derin lifted his head, he pressed his forehead to hers. “That was one type of kissing.”

  She blinked, a little out of breath. “I see. It felt like more.”

  He opened his mouth to speak, but the ground under them shuddered. “What is that?”

  “Your healing is almost complete. They are getting ready to eject me from your mind.” She released her book with one hand and stroked his cheek. “It has been educational.”

  “I don’t want to forget you.” He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight.

  * * * *

  They remained together like that until she faded out of his mind and left him alone, the rumpled pile of his shirt on his lap.

  If he wanted her, he was going to have to get control over his body and get her. Now, he just needed to keep her in mind.

  He quickly pulled together books that would remind him of her and placed them in the centre of his psyche. With a calm attitude, he exited his home and gave himself back to his body to rejoin the physical world.

  The hunt was on.

  * * * *

  Talking to the therapist after being a monitor for six months was Harka’s least favourite part of rehab. The muscle pain was fine; the emotional digging was annoying.

  “So, Ms. Tweel. Are you having any dreams this week?”

  Harka sighed. “No. Nothing beyond my dream to open a shop. I have filed a business plan and gotten the loans and staff all lined up. I just need a full discharge from you and I can resume my life.”

  The therapist sighed and made notes. “Well, you seem to have covered all points of your recovery, but if the dreams return, I want you to come back in. I will leave you with the clearance. There shouldn’t be too many aftereffects from the monitor duty. We want you back to normal.”

  Harka smiled tightly. “I don’t think normal was applied to any of the monitors. We all wanted the reward at the end and were willing to do anything.�
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  The therapist didn’t say another word. She signed the discharge papers and included the offer for additional sessions.

  With a bright smile and the short inclination of her head, Harka headed out of the facility with her small bag over her shoulder. She was free. The money was in her account and her shop was ready to enter business.

  The only thing was that with hiring competent people, Harka had put herself out of a job. She was strictly set up to reap the rewards, and she had no idea where the management information in her mind had come from. She thought she should know but she didn’t.

  Ten months after being discharged from the monitor program, Harka got an invitation in the mail.

  As a previous monitor, you are cordially invited to a ball to celebrate the fortieth Edinar awakening.

  Dress is formal and the ball will be held at the Harkenar Observatory, eight in the evening on five-day.

  We look forward to seeing you there. This project has benefited all of us and we expect your cooperation.

  Harka checked her calendar. “Damn it, only two days.”

  She went to her com and called a friend. “Hiya, Sno, have you got an invitation?”

  Sno snorted. “Two days to find a formal gown? How thoughtful of them.”

  “I can pick you up and we can head to the shop right away.”

  “I will be ready.” Sno disconnected the call.

  Harka left her home and headed to Sno’s home up the hill. The small vehicle that she had purchased with her first quarter’s profits was a small splurge, but it let her get around and occasionally have a passenger.

  Her friend joined her in the vehicle and buckled in. “I have no idea what I am going to do with my hair.”

  Harka put the vehicle in gear and headed for the shopping district. “Neither do I. I never anticipated losing all of it to begin with, let alone what to do when it grew back.”

  Sno sat quietly for a moment. “How is the shop going?”

  “Great. I don’t have to do a darned thing. I hired good people and they are running it like clockwork. The money just keeps pouring in.”

  It was true; her little café was doing business hand over fist. It appealed to everyone who enjoyed a good meal, no matter their walk of life. They opened at dawn and continued on until nearly midnight. All Harka had to do was count the receipts and sign the chits for payment.

  Things were already in the works to open another café on the other side of town.

  “Where did you learn all that?”

  Harka shook her head. “I have no idea. It must have been in the monitor state. There must have been something in my patient’s head.”

  Sno looked at her with curiosity. “You are remembering?”

  “No. But, I think the blurred memories become instinct and you can use them or not. I chose to and they seem to be working.”

  “Huh. All I got from my experience was an instinct for tomorrow’s weather.” Sno snickered.

  Harka laughed and parked near the dress shop. “Well, as long as it is good weather for the event, I will be content.”

  “What do you do at work when the weather turns?”

  “We make soup. Come on. Let’s get pretty.” Harka got out of her vehicle and Sno exited as well.

  It was time to see if they could find anything to suit them.

  During their rummaging through the racks, a familiar face appeared. Harka grinned and they had a mini reunion with Ohra who had also been called to the event.

  As a group, they were able to find gowns that suited them all. Sno was in midnight blue and sparkling crystals, Harka was in burgundy and gold and Ohra had chosen a pale blue flowing gown that made her look tiny and vulnerable.

  With their trophies in hand, they left the dress shop and Ohra went off on her own way while Harka and Sno headed for the salon. It was time to see if something could be done about their hair.

  Making their way up the hill on the night of the party, the interior of the vehicle was silent. Sno was wearing tiny crystals in her hair, which glowed like stars.

  The blue streaks that Harka had the hairstylist put into her hair felt right and made her smile. Something about it satisfied another of those instincts in her, so she embraced it.

  They showed their invitations to the guards, and someone was dispatched to park her tiny vehicle.

  At Sno’s urging, they had arrived early, and it paid off. As they walked into the building, a thick pathway of larger escort cars were pulling up and blocking the entryway.

  After a security check, they headed to the woman with the clipboard, and at that point, they were divided and seated at separate tables with meters of strangers between them.

  Harka fidgeted and stared at her name card in front of her plate.

  Her table began to fill and she smiled and introduced herself to each new arrival as they sat.

  Immediately on her right, a man sat, and he turned to introduce himself, pausing before he spoke. She met his gaze, and he was staring at the blue streaks in her hair.

  “Is something wrong?”

  He shook his head. “No, you have just reminded me of someone that I had almost forgotten.”

  Since he was stunned, she took the lead. “My name is Harka Tweel, Monitor of Horalthia.”

  He smiled slowly. “It is a lovely name. I am Archivist Derin Conic of Edinar.”

  She extended her hand and he took it, turning her palm over as if he would see something there. He stroked her hand gently, and while she was a little embarrassed, she also felt a nearly audible click in her soul.

  They sat in silence with her hand in his while the room filled around them. She finally pulled her hand from his when she caught a glimpse of Ohra across the room. Harka waved at her and she waved back.

  Jolted back to reality, Harka sat with her hands in her lap and listened to the conversations around her.

  “You are surprisingly quiet, Ms. Tweel.”

  “Archivist, call me Harka, please. I am on my best behaviour.” She smiled shyly at her dinner companion.

  “Well, Harka, you are being too quiet. What have you been up to since you were a monitor?”

  It was a safe enough topic, so she told him about her business plan and the success of her small café.

  By the time she was finished with her details, the monitors were being asked to stand up for a round of applause.

  When she was back in her chair, the woken Edinar were asked to rise.

  Archivist Conic rose to his feet and nodded to those around. When he sat back down, he smiled at her. “What do you dream for yourself?”

  She shrugged. “I already have my dreams. What do you dream of?”

  He blinked his deep brown eyes and smiled. “I dream of unending reading material, a cabin in the woods and a woman distracting the hell out of me.”

  “That is a fairly general dream.”

  “Ah, but this woman is special. She haunts me and makes me ache and laugh in turn.”

  “Aching sounds painful.”

  “I can manage it. The promise of pleasure later makes many things bearable.”

  To Harka’s surprise, dinner and dessert had come and gone without her noting it. She had eaten mechanically because she felt full and could taste the dessert.

  She sipped her wine and swallowed hard. “Pleasure?”

  “Indeed. Horalthians and Edinar are compatible.”

  “Oh, so your woman is a Horalthian.”

  “She is.” He smiled and propped his head on his fist, staring at her.

  She sought to change the topic. “How was your physiotherapy after your long sleep?”

  “It was short. One of our healers had been woken just before me. He was able to assist with the building of muscle and coordination.”

  Harka looked him over. “I think he may have overdone it on the muscle building.”

  Archivist Conic laughed and Harka blushed.

  “I am sorry
, Archivist Conic, my mouth runs away with me sometimes.”

  “Call me Derin. I find your ability to share your thoughts very admirable.”

  She didn’t know where to look, so she watched the people heading to the dance floor.

  “Harka, would you dance with me?”

  She blinked rapidly while she composed an answer. “I am not very good.”

  “I can take a few knocks. Come with me.”

  He stood and extended his hand to her. She placed her skin along his and, once again, felt the electric shock that ran up her arm, into her brain, to her heart and then moved lower.

  She eased to her feet and walked with him to the dance floor. With a smooth motion, he turned her into his arms and they moved with the rest of the crowd on the floor.

  Harka lost track of time. She danced, paused, had a few sips of wine and returned to the dance floor with Derin as an enthusiastic and graceful partner.

  By the end of the night, her feet ached, her throat was sore from talking about anything that entered her mind and she was ready to head home.

  “Well, Derin, I have had a wonderful time, but I think it is time for me to be on my way. Have you seen Sno around? I gave her a lift and told her I would take her home.”

  “I believe that her dance partner is seeing to her return home. They left an hour ago.”

  Harka looked around at the sparsely populated hall and said, “Oh. Well, I had better get myself home then.”

  “Allow me to see you home. You have had some wine and are tired. You should not be driving.”

  She couldn’t fault his logic, but… “I am going to have to bring my vehicle home tomorrow. This just makes an extra trip for me.”

  “I will have them deliver it to your home. Shall I take you home?”

  There was no reason not to go with him, so she nodded. “Please. I have to do payroll sometime tomorrow, so a good night’s sleep and a clear head would be helpful.”

  They left the observatory and he gave the officer in charge of the vehicles her address. It would be delivered by dawn.