“Oh, uh…”
“Thank you,” Rone said again and his deep voice throbbed with sincerity. He took Mimi in his arms and gave her a hug, then kissed her solemnly on each cheek.
“Oh my…” Mimi was blushing scarlet. Kate couldn’t help noticing that her tall friend looked almost petite in the big Kindred’s arms and she felt a stab of something like jealousy at the sight of him embracing her.
“You can do that?” she blurted before she thought about it. “I mean, you can…can touch him without feeling like you’re going to have a panic attack?”
“Why would I have a panic attack?” Mimi asked, clearly confused as Rone released her.
“I don’t know.” Kate looked away. “Never mind. It’s complicated.”
“Kate does not remember me. And…she fears me,” Rone said. There was a sorrow in his voice so deep it made Kate ache. “I believe it has something to do with the agent which caused her to lose her memory in the first place but I cannot be sure until I take her up to the Mother Ship to be examined by the doctors there.”
“The Mother Ship?” Mimi’s mild brown eyes widened. “You’re going to the Mother Ship?”
“I haven’t…exactly decided yet,” Kate muttered.
“You haven’t? But Kate—he’s your husband. And just look at him.” Mimi gestured at Rone’s muscular, bare chest. “I mean, come on—it’s like you won the husband lottery. He’s gorgeous.” She looked hastily at Rone. “Uh, no offense. I just meant…”
“None taken.” Rone cleared his throat. “I think I will go back to the kitchen for a moment. May I help myself to some refreshment?”
“Oh, sure.” Mimi still seemed a little dazzled. “I mean, anything you want in the fridge. Just go for it.”
“Thank you.” The big Kindred nodded and disappeared back around the corner. Clearly he was trying to be tactful and give them some time and privacy. And just as clearly, Mimi was going to take this opportunity to dish the dirt with Kate—not that there was much dirt to dish since she couldn’t remember anything. Still, there was a gleam in her roommate’s brown eyes that said she couldn’t wait to get Kate alone.
Chapter Seven
“Okay now, come on, let’s talk.” The minute the big Kindred disappeared, and before Kate could protest, Mimi was dragging her back to the master bedroom. When she opened the door, some of the cats were lying on the bed while others paced around the room restlessly.
“Oh! What is everybody doing in here?” Mimi stared at them blankly.
“Sorry. They don’t like Rone.” Kate sighed and plopped down on the side of the bed. Immediately, St. John, a huge, black Persian-mix came and settled on her lap. She stroked him absently as she talked. “They all hissed at him when we came in the door.”
“They did?” Mimi sat beside her and immediately gained two cats of her own, which came to see if there was any food and decided to stay and be petted.
“Uh-huh.” Kate nodded. “He says cats never like him. He even told me my mom’s cat, Mr. Sissykins, hated him. And then…then he told me that when the cat died he helped me bury it and that I cried because it was right after my…my mom passed away and…”
“Wait.” Mimi stopped stroking one of the cats in her lap and put a hand on Kate’s shoulder. “I thought you told me you didn’t remember how your mom died.”
“I don’t. And I don’t remember her funeral, either. Or losing Mr. Sissykins—it’s all part of that three year memory gap I told you about. But this guy…he seems to know everything. Seems to know all about me!” She shook her head. “It’s just…weird.”
“It’s normal if he’s your husband.” Mimi looked at her seriously. “Is he? I mean, is he telling you the truth, do you think?”
“I don’t see how he could be lying. You saw all those pictures he has—pictures of our wedding and honeymoon and all these places we’ve traveled around the universe. God, Mimi…” Kate ran a hand through her hair. “It’s like…like he knew some other girl. Some girl who looks just like me and who had an amazing, adventurous life. But I don’t know her—and I don’t know this life he’s talking about. It’s so strange.”
“But if it’s true it sounds like it might be wonderful.” Mimi leaned forward, beaming. “Maybe you should give him a chance.”
“What—just leave and go with him up to the Mother Ship? If that’s really where he’s planning on taking me?” Kate demanded.
“Kate, come on…” Mimi took her hand and squeezed. “Use your gift. What does it tell you? Does this guy mean you any harm?”
“Well…” Kate frowned. On one hand, the Knowing had warned her that Rone had a Beast inside. On the other hand, he seemed to have it completely under control—he had even said he would never let it all the way out around her. And if she had really lived with him for three years it must not be a danger to her. “I don’t think he wants to hurt me,” she said slowly. “He could if he wanted to but he won’t. That’s my gut feeling.”
“Then you should go with your gut,” Mimi said decisively. “Look, Kate—the whole time you’ve been with me, you’ve been wondering what happened to you. Where you came from. What happened during those three years you can’t remember. Now this gorgeous guy shows up, telling you that he’s your husband and shows you all kinds of un-fakeable pictures to prove it. It’s clear he’s in love with you and he’s been out of his mind with worry for you. So what’s the problem? Why aren’t you jumping to go with him?”
“Because…” Kate shifted uncomfortably. “Because of the way I feel when I’m near him—especially when I touch him. I mean, my heart starts pounding, my hands start sweating, I feel like I can’t get a deep enough breath—like someone is squeezing my lungs closed. It’s awful.”
Mimi frowned. “That is strange. I didn’t feel anything like that when he…uh, when he hugged me.” She blushed rosy red again. “Look, I don’t want to sound like I’m trying to take your man but did you notice he smells amazing?”
“No, I didn’t,” Kate said shortly. “Every time I get close enough to smell him I feel like I’m going to crawl out of my skin with panic. You know I actually shot him at the mall? That’s how freaked out he makes me.”
“You what?” Mimi stared at her. “You shot at your own husband?”
“I didn’t know he was my husband at the time!” Kate protested. “Anyway, that’s why he has his shirt off. I was treating the bullet wound—from a safe distance, that is.”
Mimi’s brown eyes widened. “Bullet wound? You mean you actually hit him? I thought maybe he was half undressed because you guys were, uh… She cleared her throat in obvious embarrassment. “Having a little reunion .”
“No, absolutely not,” Kate said flatly. “I was treating his wound—not that there is one, anymore. He healed right up as soon as I cleaned it out with hydrogen peroxide.”
“Wow—that’s amazing!”
“It was pretty cool to watch,” Kate conceded. “It healed up right in front of my eyes.” She sighed. “Then I touched him to see if it was really healed and the skin-to-skin contact flipped me out. I jumped across the room so fast it probably looked like my hair was on fire and my ass was catching.”
Mimi giggled. “Kate, you crack me up. But is it really that bad?”
“It’s really that bad,” Kate said grimly. “Of course, Rone—that’s his name in case you didn’t catch it—thinks it has something to do with the thing that made me forget everything in the first place. That’s why he’s wanting to take me up to the Mother Ship.”
“Well,” Mimi said thoughtfully. “I can certainly understand why it would be hard to go with him when just being near him gives you a panic attack. But if they can cure that on the Mother Ship and maybe give you back your memory too, well, wouldn’t it be worth a little discomfort just until you got there?”
“I guess so,” Kate said reluctantly. “But what about my job? I’m supposed to work tomorrow.”
“Kate…” Mimi gave her a level look. “Will you listen to yourself? Do you really want to spend the rest of your life working at a jewelry store? I mean, with a gift like yours, you could be doing so much more.”
Kate couldn’t help remembering that she’d been thinking the exact same thing herself earlier that night, while she was trying to sell the extremely hairy customer his Rolex. Thinking of that, made her wonder if everyone else in the store was all right…and what the authorities must think.
“What about the police? They’re going to want to know what happened. And I want to know if everyone else is okay. Rosalie and my customer…”