Juliette smiled. "Cute. But what does all of this mean for me?"
Hands clasped behind his head, Ash leaned back. "Oh, nothing much. If you and Tristan end up together, you’d have to run with us every few years before anyone realizes several people aren’t aging. You'd have to move and start over. During lucky times you might get six whole years in one area."
"If I’m willing?"
"I'll say welcome to the family, but it's up to him. You’ve both got to put your chips in."
Juliette stared up into his hazel eyes. "What was it like for you? Finding out all of this exists? Becoming an animal?"
Ash whistled. "Confusing and upsetting. The first time I changed, I thought I'd died. No one around me could tell me anything. As soon as I had a chance, I ran away from my family and never saw them again. An elderly upiór named Jane Underwood found me, and she took me to Gabrielle, Tristan, Emma, and Sunil. She mentored Gabrielle a hundred and some odd years before Tristan came along. Jane and Gab had practice breaking the news by the time I got there. I still thought I was dreaming sometimes. But it's been long enough now that I’ve accepted it."
"Who died for you?"
"Someone targeted me for murder. I didn’t see who jumped in and started fighting them off. He told me to make a run for it and he’d be right behind. I did. I was far away when they killed him, but close enough to hear."
Juliette squeezed his wrist. "I'm sorry. How frightening."
Ash nodded. "Yeah. I had to face everything that happened, and you should too. Go talk to him, figure out what you're going to do. You'd both be fools if either of you walked out on each other."
"I can’t go in there with everyone waiting."
"Go upstairs and I'll send him to you."
Juliette sipped the last of her tea. "Okay. Give me five minutes. Thanks, Ash."
* * *
Juliette sat at the head of her bed with eyes closed and her hand over her heart, willing it to slow down.
A soft voice called out to her. "Juliette?"
She raised her face and smiled. "Hey."
Tristan resumed his earlier place, kneeling on the floor. "I'm sorry I deprived you of the right to decide what you're willing to do with your life."
"You're forgiven. I kind of understand where you were coming from, but that doesn't matter now."
Tristan leaned his head against the mattress. His back rose with each deep breath.
Juliette ran her fingers through his curls. "I want to give us a shot. I lo--, I mean, I'm willing to do whatever I have to. If that means never setting down roots, then I won’t. On the other hand, if you only want me a few years..."
"One human lifetime with you is better than the rest of my existence without you. What if I wanted you every day for the rest of your life?"
"Then it would be harder for you, Tristan, to say goodbye when I die, but I’ll give it to you.” She patted the space beside her. “Please sit up here. Be my partner instead of a pet on the floor."
Tristan abided her request and pulled her into his arms. "I didn't even think about saying good-bye to you. I also don't want you to regret me or be miserable."
Beneath her ear, his heart slowly thudded. His warmth made her smile. "No regrets. After such a busy day and night yesterday, this morning and afternoon have emotionally drained me, and I'm still in shock, I think, and a lot of disbelief. I need to take a nap and sleep on it all a bit. Would you stay with me until I fall asleep?"
Tristan kicked his shoes off, reached down for the coverlet at the foot of the bed, and pulled it over them both. "How's that? I’ll be here with you while you sleep."
A bright laugh filled the room. "That's good. Is it okay if I kiss you? Or would you pull away again? Three-for-three?"
A firm, yet gentle, hand cupped the back of her head and guided her face toward his until their noses touched. "Does this answer your question?" he whispered as his mouth closed in on hers.
15. Plans
"I don't know how the military does it," Sunil lamented after another day of research. "We've used every satellite viewing service we could access and scoured the internet for news articles mentioning anything unusual in any secluded area of Canada, and still nothing."
By the window, the magic house sunlight highlighted Emma’s honey tresses. "The military’s also got the manpower to send hundreds or thousands of people out to physically search.”
"I think we should give it a bit of a break to see if we can recharge our thoughts." William took a large drink of wine from his glass.
"Or," said a soft voice, "we could travel to Canada, stay in little motels near wherever they are believed to have been last, and start interviewing locals, pretending to be reporters from a small American newspaper researching local folklore. Maybe I’ll even begin to believe all of this after a while." Juliette stood several steps behind the couch next to Tristan, his arm wrapped around her waist, one of her hands gently resting on his.
Tristan looked down at her. "What do you mean, 'we', Mon Amie? You need to be here, where you’re safe."
"Tristan!” At the table Gabrielle’s fingertips tapped down onto the wood.
Sunil lowered the panel of his laptop. "Well, why don't we discuss the risks and benefits and let Juliette decide?"
After squeezing his hand, Juliette left Tristan's side to take a seat on the couch. "The trip will be dangerous and may be non-stop for days at a time. I get that. I have a license and can get a passport in as little as two weeks, and could rent a vehicle on the other side of the border. I can check us into the places that require some I.D."
Sunil shrugged. “We have passports and identification.”
“How?” Juliette tipped her head to the side. “You don’t have recent birth certificates, right?”
“Not important.”
Tristan sighed. "Juliette, I don't want you doing this. You might be hurt. Please."
Juliette reached over the back of the couch for Tristan’s hand. "I know more about how he thinks than you do. I’ll help.”
The computer in front of Sunil dinged with a notification. Juliette turned toward him. “How do you get passports?"
An uncertain look passed between Sunil and Emma. Emma crossed her arms and licked her lips. "Jules, we buy citizenship and documentation from certain small countries. We use the documents to get passport and identity stuff that will pass whatever verification airports and border patrol wants to do."
"Barely-legalities aside, why are we still questioning her going?" Ash rose from his seat and began walking around the room. "I like her interview idea."
The heel of Jareth’s shoe kicked against the wall behind his back. "How would she get from point A to B if we're not on main roads? She can't run as fast as us."
"I'm a reindeer. She can ride on me," Ash answered. "Juliette, I don't think anyone should try stopping you."
"If you're willing to let me ride you, Ash--”
William snickered. A hand from behind lashed out and smacked his head. “Ash--”
Juliette narrowed her eyes at William. “Then I'll do that. I want to go and help."
"I think you should come." Emma toyed with a button on her white blouse. “Even keeping track of some clothes for us would be a big thing.”
Tristan tossed his hands up. "If we stay in those small motels, the rooms won't always be comfortable, and meals we can hunt in the woods or get at gas stations. Off paved roads, we’ll sleep in the forest."
Juliette glared at Tristan and crossed her arms. "Tristan, if I only need a fluffy bed and something better than convenience store sandwiches to be happy and comfortable, then I would still live at Nathaniel's house!"
"Please, Juliette.” In front of the couch, Tristan dropped to a knee and turned his eyes up to hers. “I'm worried you'll get hurt or worse, and I can't stand the thought of anything happening to you."
“I’m sorry.” One of Juliette’s hands came to a rest under his jaw, her thumb stroking his cheekbone. “I just took a low blo
w, saying what I did about staying with Nathaniel. You can’t change my mind. I’m going with you, and no comforts here can make me content to wait behind instead of helping you.”
Tristan leaned his mouth down to kiss her palm.
Juliette raised an eyebrow but accepted the explanation. "All right, so aside from you," she said, motioning with her chin to Jareth, "since you'll say no anyway, does anyone else have any good reasons I shouldn't go?"
Tristan touched her arm. "Please, this isn't your concern. You’d take a lot of risk for something we aren't sure even exists."
"Getting me away from Nathaniel wasn't your problem either, but you did anyway because you care," she snapped. "I understand the risks, and there are a bunch of skin-walking things who'd probably kill me slowly to get revenge. Even though that's a terrifying thought, I'm willing to assume the risk. What do you want to wager I’ll be the one to find them?"
"You've lost this one." Sunil smirked at Tristan. "Take it from a married man. Quit the battle before it’s a war that you, my brother, will lose."
"Thank you, Sunil." Juliette smiled at him. She turned around on the couch to face Tristan. "I'm going. Now I suggest we get on some computers and look for areas heavy with myths and lore and see if any of those are anywhere near Nathaniel’s old base camp, because he obviously knows something we don’t."
"Juliette for the win," William said with a slow clap. “Dating a day and already becoming the boss.”
She beamed at him and laughed. "Thanks, Will. Whose computer can I use?"
Right away, Jareth opened the panel of his laptop. "Let me set up a profile for you and I'll fix dinner."
"Well, thank you. I appreciate it, Jareth." Juliette told him, confused about his sudden willingness to help her.
"Since you're going, you should get some idea what you're in for and where.” Jareth clicked his track pad and a few keys. "Here you go. I'll go cook."
Juliette sat on the chair Jareth vacated, and double-clicked a familiar compass to open a browser. The drone of murmurs around her faded to near silence as she set about using her first time online in weeks to research upiórs.
* * *
Dozens of pages, each with different tales, lay spread out on the table surrounding a cork-backed map. Tristan and Sunil hunched over the papers, identifying the locations of the stories and marking them. Hundreds of miles north of the old camp lay the heaviest concentration of red pins.
Gabrielle, Emma, and Juliette stood in the living room, a map of the Unites States and Canada in front of them folded to show only the west coast.
"The Pacific Coast Highway will have prettier views." Emma traced the route with her index finger.
"The 5 and the 99 are faster," Gabrielle countered.
"The 5 and the 99 are a little shorter, but heading through the valley wouldn’t be so relaxing, and we’ll need to relax." Juliette crossed her arms. "Do you want to risk the cops in Fresno? Or having to make a pit stop in Merced or Modesto? Driving the Pacific Coast Highway won’t take that much longer than avoiding the 5. If we take the PCH, we can break in San Francisco and make our first driving day a short one. Let’s cut across and take the 5 up to somewhere around Olympia, Washington, and then…" Juliette paused, considering the map, tracing a few paths with her finger.
"Awfully optimistic, don’t you think? Three days?" Emma grimaced.
"So PCH to San Fran, cutting over 80 to 5 and up to Eugene in Oregon the next day, and up to Vancouver in Canada on the third, and up to Prince George by way of the Caribou Highway on the fourth, on up to Smithers on the last?"
"Did someone call me?" Ash teased, carrying a tray of biscuit-wrapped hot dogs into the living room. "Mr. Caribou at your service."
"Aren't you a reindeer?" Juliette raised her eyebrows.
"Same thing, different name."
"Oh. I forgot about that. Thanks for the snack."
Gabrielle grabbed a hot dog. "I think the five-day plan sounds best. That will give us room if we need to make more stops or even want to try to enjoy the drive."
"Prince George to Smithers looks short enough. We could take some time to rest before going by animal," Emma muttered. "It'll be awfully cold, Jules. We'll be fine in fur and feathers, but you…"
Tristan stretched his arms over his head and lay one across Juliette’s shoulders. "She'll what, Em?" His nose moved in small circles behind Juliette’s ear. She gasped and blushed.
"Well, Jules is going to freeze to death so far north. We need to prepare for her and probably buy full-length furs."
"Where can we get those this time of year?” His arm tightened around the woman by his side.
Gabrielle scratched her head. "Well, it's September. Stores might start carrying, but maybe I could order some shipped sent express."
"I don’t want accommodating me to be so much trouble." Juliette’s eyebrows pinched together.
Tristan pulled her tighter to him. "Don't think of it that way. I'm actually kind of glad you'll be with me after all. I want us not to be separated again, and you’ll probably be safer with us than left here alone."
"Oh, cut the sappy stuff for a few minutes," admonished Emma. "Ordering furs isn’t some big hassle. Come on, who are you talking to?"
"Uh, Emma?” Juliette paused. “I hate to be picky, but is there any way to get ahold of used ones? So no more animals die? I wouldn't be comfortable in something new if anything else is available."
Gabrielle pulled her finger off the map. "I think that sounds like a fine idea, though you not freezing is the priority. We'll check online later."
A metal triangle tinkled in the doorway to the kitchen.
"Dinner is ready. Cooked meatballs for the human, plenty of blood soup for the rest of us." Jareth laughed, watching Juliette blanch.
* * *
The cloak’s velvet tickled Juliette’s hands while she creased the fabric to lie in a tissue-lined cedar box. She carefully folded her silk gown, still in awe of the gold and jewels, and set it on top. Other belongings waited for her to decide what to take or leave in storage. Books loudly fell into an open bin. Her summer dresses found a temporary home in another box. Her full-length wool skirt would be warm, like wearing a blanket. She laid that near a small duffel bag, next to a turtleneck sweater. A pair of jeans was added to the to-take pile, along with a few sets of undergarments. She put her hands on her hips, surveying her selections so far and what she still had to choose from.
A set of arms wound through the triangles her bent elbows formed. A light kiss behind her ear sent a shiver down her body and a deep throb she wasn't prepared for. She rolled her eyes back and gasped, leaning her head against the shoulder behind her.
"You weren’t expecting this?" a teasing voice whispered to her.
"No, not at all." Keeping Tristan's arms around her, Juliette spun about, rested a hand behind his neck, and stroked his cheek with the other. With a small half-smile, she whispered, "I never expected anything to happen with you, but here we are."
"Well, months ago, we stood like this." He smiled at her.
"Hey, will you let me forget that?" she laughed, dropping her head forward to hide the embarrassment tinting her face. "I only want to think about now, and how we've come so far, and have gotten to know each other better. Also, how I feel about you. With you."
Tristan's heart raced, his breathing slowing. "How’s that?" His voice was gruff. Fingers trailed up her back, tangling in her hair.
She sucked in a shuttering breath, her heart's pace echoing his. "Maybe…hopefully the same way you do."
The intensity of his gaze left her breathless. His mouth covered hers, soft at first, then hungrier and hungrier. His lips parted her lips, his tongue exploring hers. Desperate longing took over them both, and Juliette pulled Tristan with her, until her knees hit the bed. She sat and scooted back, shoving her laid-out clothes aside, keeping him with her, rolling him over her.
His feathery light kisses down her neck heightened her senses. She gasped sharp
ly when he lightly bit her earlobe. Without thinking, she wrapped a leg around him and rolled him over, straddling him. As his hands grabbed her thighs, hers fumbled to unbutton his shirt. Her palms pressed into his chest. Observing his unfocused eyes, she slid one hand upward to his shoulder, the other traveling over the firmness of his sculpted abs. Her fingertips dipped into his waistband.
In one swift move, he pinned her under him. He grabbed her hands, their fingers interlacing, and held them down over her head. Rougher than before, his mouth crushed hers, tasting her, drinking in her scent. She drew him to her with her legs, bucking up into him as he thrust her back down, trapped by fabric. A quiet moan escaped his throat.
A sharp knock brought them crashing down. Gasping for air, they stared at each other, Juliette's body pulsing for him, her heart still racing.
"You might want to shut the door next time," William snickered.
Tristan rolled to Juliette's side, letting her hide her embarrassed face on his shoulder. "I’m going to wallop you, Will. You get a five-second head start."
William tried to suppress a laughing grin. "Hey, I came up to let you know we're all going into Carpinteria for the evening, a last chance to get a break before we leave tomorrow. But I think you have better things to do." He pressed his fist against his mouth, his body shaking from suppressed laughter.
Juliette huffed, moving closer to Tristan. "We'll go. Now get out of here before I roshambo Tristan for the privilege of kicking your ass myself.”
William doubled over, slapping his knee. "You kids. We're leaving in an hour! Ash is going to get a kick out of this!" He backed from the doorway and jumped down the stairs.
Juliette propped herself on her elbow. "I'm so sorry. I don't know what came over me. I almost had you break your vow."
He held one of her hands over his pounding heart. "No, don’t blame yourself. I failed to exercise personal restraint. You made me do nothing I didn't want to do, and if Will hadn’t shown up…"
"We might have followed through?" Juliette giggled. "Would have been a fun first time."
Tristan raised his head and softly kissed her. "I don't want my next to be some heat-of-the-passion event without firm commitment. No more breaking hearts. And there are certain things we haven't said. For you, if your first is with me, I want you to hold my heart in your own, to have yours in return, and for us to say we love each other. You'll never regret waiting for it."