Currents of Thunder



  CURRENTS OF THUNDER

  A Short Story

  by

  Roger Jackson

  Copyright 2009, 2012 Roger Jackson

  License Note

  Be sure to visit the author’s website

  and his Facebook page.

  Other books by Roger Jackson:

  A Shade of Mind

  A Gathering of Lions and Lambs

  A Reckoning of Lions and Lambs

  CURRENTS OF THUNDER

  I thought he was dead; my ex-lover, my hunter. Not dead really. Our kind can’t completely die. It’s tough enough to kill off one of our incarnations. What I did to him should have at least slowed him down, but here he is.

  He looks tired. Maybe I did more damage than I can detect superficially. Annais always had boundless energy. He was the best at flying between the pinnacles of Theontibeux and water skating across the Vontocuus Ocean. My companion of ten thousand years did everything all-out. I love him for that. Our kind is called Thunder by other races and Annais lives up to that name.

  The thought of our wraiths conjoining in the Ether makes this body feel a longing between its legs. I don’t know I’d do that with Annais in this incarnation. Humans are too fragile for anything serious – and they don’t do it very well. The only two lovers I’ve had on this planet were sadly lacking. It killed them after only their first try.

  “Mademoiselle, your car is waiting.”

  “Cancel my appointments for the rest of the day, Edouard.”

  “Mademoiselle …”

  My personal assistant stops, of course, when I give him the look. He knows when to stop. That’s why I keep him.

  “Oi,” he says contritely, but he won’t be put off. “I will give reasons for your absence. Shall I tighten security?”

  “That won’t be necessary.” Edouard knows something is up, but it will do no good. No one on this quaint planet can touch Annais. “I have it covered.”

  And I do. The energy dampening field I possess will allow no harm to this body from charged weapons, explosives, what have you. Beneficial energy is allowed to flow. It’s a nice bit of technology I “obtained” from the Krugean. They were rather pissed, but what were they going to do? Kill me? Right.

  My security people are here only for human threats. A person with the wealth and power I’ve accumulated makes enemies. They can’t hurt my true self, but their crude weapons can damage this body. My device isn’t perfect against that sort of thing. No need to let that happen. But my people can do nothing to stop Annais.

  “Keep security in place,” I say. “And send the car away. I’ll walk when I’m done here.”

  Edouard says nothing. Well trained.

  I look across the street. The expression on Annais’ face is odd. Wistful? No, not that. Sad? I’ve never known him to be sad. Pained, perhaps, but not sad. Patient? Yes, Annais is the most patient being I know. I’m unsure of what he’s feeling, but he’s certainly not happy.

  Doesn’t seem like it’s been a millennium since he was forced to come after me. He’s still angry at Them for choosing him to be my hunter. I can feel it smoldering under his calm exterior. Still angry at me also. I can’t blame him. I broke the Law. That’s unforgivable. I’m glad the intensity of his ire has faded a little over the centuries, but it’s been replaced with something just as intense: determination

  It’s not determination he’s feeling right now though. Acceptance? That would be scary.

  I scan the area with my senses. Not my human ones. Those are far too limited. Only Annais is there, unarmed.

  I nod to Edouard and he leaves. I watch him go. This body finds his pleasing, but I would never take him in that way. He’s too valuable to waste.

  When I return my attention to Annais, I try to sense more of what he’s feeling. Jealousy? No, not exactly. Desire? That’s it. Desire without the ability to achieve possession.

  So, it is acceptance, and that is scary.

  As I leave my table and cross the street, a smile plays around Annais’ lips and his eyes brighten. That’s more like him. Always glad to see me; even when he intends to destroy me. He stands and pulls out a chair for me.

  “Sit with me a while, Melienda?” he asks.

  “Playing the role of a human today?” I say as I allow him to seat me like a proper human gentlemen. “Do you feel the need for that?”

  He sits before he says, “Need? No, not for me.”

  Strange comment, implying he is doing this for my benefit. Or for someone else’s benefit? That makes me wary, so I scan the area again. Still nothing.

  “What’s the occasion?” I ask. “You usually attack without warning.”

  Annais drops his gaze and smiles. There it is again, that elusive emotion.

  “Not always,” he replies.

  I watch him closely. I’m not afraid of Annais. My power equals his. Actually, I may be stronger than him now. When I broke his incarnation thrice removed, I damaged his true self. Regenerating from that is more difficult. At our last encounter, I thought I had done it again, but I may have been mistaken.

  “I just want to talk to you,” he says without looking up.

  I become even more wary. He’s not angry, not vengeful or hurt. He can’t hide those feelings from me, nor I from him. When he looks up, his eyes searching mine, he seems at peace. Now I’m getting uncomfortable.

  “Calling a truce?” I ask.

  He laughs, genuinely amused.

  “Oh no, Melienda. Let’s call it a recess, a breather. This body enjoys the sensuality of this sun’s warmth and the breeze on its skin. Let’s just enjoy it for a few moments.”

  “You’ll let me know when those moments are up.”

  “As long as you sit at this table, you are safe.”

  I relax a little. Annais never lies.

  “Besides,” he continues and then hesitates. He feels uncertainty. Interesting. “Besides, I miss you.”

  The sincerity of his statement is no surprise. He loves me and always has. I feel his love each time he’s near and I make sure he feels mine. Speaking it aloud? That surprises me.

  “I miss you too, my darling,” I say mockingly, but Annais doesn’t bite at the bait.

  “I tire of this,” he says seriously. “Don’t you want it to end?”

  “Of course I do, but how can it while I’m free?”

  Annais doesn’t answer and I feel uncomfortable again. Something I don’t understand is going on inside him.

  “I suppose so,” he says, almost with resignation. He takes a deep breath as he points his face upward toward the yellow star. I have to admit, it does feel good to this body. Annais looks back at me solemnly and quietly says, “All you do now is question my every move or dismiss me. Do I mean so little to you?”

  I feel a pang of guilt – a short one only.

  “I am glad to see you,” I admit. “We haven’t talked in so long, I…”

  I stop. Annais nods. He knows what I mean.

  “I thought it would be nice to speak one more time.” Annais looks away. “I have to go. Stay here as long as you like.”

  And he leaves. Without further adieu, as the human cliché goes.

  Extraordinary encounter. I don’t like Annais’ new approach. He’s never been so damn cocky before, as if he already knows I’ll not survive what comes next – when I leave this table. I’m sure he’s been confident with his plan of attack in the past, but never so much that he wanted to say goodbye before he executes it. Truly extraordinary.

  I can’t help but wonder what will happen. Curiosity has always been my weakness. That’s what got me into trouble, of course. Huma
ns have a quaint saying about curiosity. Apparently, it kills their cats. I’ve seen several dead ones lately.

  I sit at the table, watching Annais walk away, even after he’s no longer within sight. He travels along the street before me, then makes a right turn into an alley. I know the place. I’ve seen it before. Then he stops. He waits. That’s all. He makes no attempt at hiding. Oh, this is going to be good!

  I’ve almost come to think of this as a game. If the stakes weren’t so serious, I’d actually have fun with it. But unfortunately, sometimes it’s quite painful. And it can be dangerous. Even though we can’t completely die, we can reach a state we wish we would. Powerless, unable to sense, to feel, to move. Aware of existence, but unable to experience it. I had witnessed an execution once, one mandated by Them.

  I knew They would hunt me when I broke the Law, but I had no intention of being caught. I also had no intention of being hunted by Annais. I thought he was beyond Their reach, but I was wrong. They knew he was the only one capable of catching me. They made him do it. Miserable bastards.

  There have been times he had come close. And they had hurt. I had hurt him too, hoping to weaken him enough so he could give up the chase without retribution