“Nicole showed me how to make birds.” Seated at the kitchen counter, Bastien touched his finger to the wing of a paper butterfly Nicole had left near the toaster.
Today was the third day in a row he’d come to Riker’s quarters after they sparred in the exercise room.
Myne had taught Bastien well—the kid was a fast learner, and he was starting to gain control of his ability to briefly turn invisible. Once he mastered that, the power to flash invisibly out of the way of an incoming strike would make up for his lack of fighting experience. Bastien was going to be one hell of an asset to the clan someday.
“I’d like it if you made me a bird sometime,” Riker said.
“I’ll carve you one out of wood. Baddon showed me.” Riker had to smother a grin as Bastien swung off the bar stool. The boy had grown, not just physically but emotionally. “I’m going to shower and help Grant in the lab. Are you going to teach me how to read the wind tomorrow?”
“You bet. You’ll be hitting the bullseye with arrows in gale-force winds before you know it.”
There was a single knock on the door, and then Myne strolled in with a six-pack of beer. “Swiped it from a hunter’s camp.” He gestured to Bastien. “If you guys are busy, I can come back.”
“I was just leaving.” Bastien started out the door but turned to Riker at the threshold. “Later, Dad.”
Bastien disappeared, leaving Riker’s mouth dry and his heart pounding. “Did you hear that?” he asked
Myne, hoping his buddy had heard it, too, and it wasn’t all in his head.
Grinning, Myne tossed him a beer. “Yeah. Pretty cool. Guess he’s over his daddy issues.”
Riker didn’t raise his hopes that much, but it was a good start. “I heard you haven’t found Chuck.”
“Fucker is practically on lockdown since Nicole was taken.” Myne sank into the overstuffed chair kitty corner from the couch. “It’s going to be a while before we can do the world a favor by removing his head.”
Riker looked down at his beer, wondering how Nicole was going to feel about that. It was one thing to say you didn’t care what happened to your brother and another to experience it.
“And Bastien? Have you felt him out about this?”
“He says he doesn’t care what happens to Chuck.”
Myne clink ed his bottle against Riker’s. “Personally, I think we should catch the bastard, toss him into the prey room, and let Bastien have him. We’ll call it alternative therapy.”
Riker had always believed in alternative therapy.
Even when he’d been human, he’d known that a well— placed bullet in a terrorist’s chest could heal the mind and spirit.
“How’s Lucy?” He planted his ass on the couch, figuring they were stuck talking for a while. “I haven’t seen her since I got back.”
“She’s been making friends with Bastien. He reads to her like a big brother.” Myne leaned back in his chair, cradling his beer like a lover. Myne’s therapists had always had names like Henry Weinhard and Captain Morgan. “Now, what’s up with Hunter? No one has seen him in days. He’s been shut up in his chambers. Won’t even let in any females.”
“No females?” Riker frowned. “That’s disturbing.” Almost as disturbing as seeing the change in Hunter when he spoke to kars. Both chiefs had radiated a certain sinister energy that had raised the hairs on the back of Riker’s neck. Then there had been the crimson lighting in their eyes. It was almost as if they’d been tapping into a well of power so strong their bodies couldn’t contain it.
Myne twitched one shoulder in a half shrug. “I’m happy enough not seeing him every day.” He took a swig from his beer. “Have you talked to Nicole?”
Her name was a blade to the chest. “I was hoping she’d want to talk by now. Guess I underestimated how she felt about me.”
“So you want to see her?”
Riker inhaled raggedly. “I’d sell my soul if she’d walk through my door.”
“Huh.” Myne chugged his beer and slammed the bottle down on the coffee table. “Gotta go.” All Riker could do was stare as his friend popped to his feet and took off. Before Riker could even process the fact that Myne was gone, he was back, pulling Nicole inside with him.#p#分页标题#e#
“What the hell are you doing?” The feather mark tingling, Riker stood, unsure if Nicole needed help or if she was completely cool with being dragged into Riker’s quarters.
“She’s been waiting in the hall.” Myne shoved her forward. “She didn’t want to come in if you weren’t willing to talk to her. Since you said you’d sell your soul, I took that as a good sign. Now, if you two will excuse me, I’m outta here.”