Night World : Soulmate Chapter 3

I he sleek white limousine raced by dint of the night like a dolphin underwater, carrying ThierryDes-couedres push through-of-door from the airport. It was taking him to hisLas Vegas mansion, white w tout ensembles and palmtrees, limpid blue fountains and tiled terraces. Rooms full of artwork and museum-quality furniture.Ein truththing any star could call for for.He shut his eyes and leaned back against the crimson cushions, wishing he were somewhere else.How wasHawaii , sir? The drivers voice came from the movement seat.Thierry subject his eyes. Nilsson was a good driver. He catch outmed to be ab push through Thierrys own age, more than or lessnineteen, with a orderly ponytail, dark glasses despite the fact t chapeau it was nighttime, and a discreetexpression.Wet, Nilsson, Thierry verbalize quietly. He st atomic number 18d out the window. Hawaiiwas real wet.But you didnt find what you were looking for.No. I didnt find what I was looking for again.Im sorry, sir.Thank yo u, Nilsson. Thierry well- as understand to look past his own reflection in the window. It was disturbing, beholding that young man with the white-blond hair and the superannuated, old eyes looking back at him. He had such apensive expression so lost and so sad.Like somebody always looking for something he drive outt find, Thierry thought.He turned out from the window in determination.Everything been red all right while Ive been gone? he asked, picking up his cellular holler. Work.Work always helped. Kept you busy, kept your estimate off things, kept you away from yourself, basically.Fine, I depend, sir. Mr. James and Miss Poppy ar back. Thats good. Theyll make thenext Circle Daybreak meeting. Thierrys finger hovered over a sack onthe phone, considering whom to call. Whose demand might be the close to urgent.But before he could touch it, the phone buzzed.Thierry pressed send and held it to his ear. Thierry.Sir? Its me, Lupe. Can you hear me? The voice was faint and brok en by static, but irrelevant as it was,Thierry could hear that the caller sounded weak.Lupe? Are you all right?I got in a fight, sir. Im a little torn up. She gave a gasping chuckle. But you should see the dissimilar wolf.Thierry reached for a leather-bound address book and a goldMont Blanc pen. Thats non funny, Lupe.You shouldnt be fighting.I know, sir, but-Youve really got to restrain yourself.Yes, sir, but-Tell me where you are, and Ill turn over somebody pick you up. specify you to a doctor. Thierry made apractice delay with the pen. No ink came out. He stared at the cock of it in mild disbelief. You buy aneight-hundred-dollar pen and then it doesnt write, he murmured.Sir, youre not listening to me. You dont go out. Ive found her.Thierry stop trying to make the pen write. He stared at it, at his own long fingers holding the chunky, rough gold barrel, knowing that this sight would be impressed on his memory as if burned in with atorch.Did you hear me, sir? Ive found her. When his voice came out at last, it was opposedly distant. Are you sure?Yes. Yes, sir, Im sure. Shes got the mark and everything. Her name is Hannah Snow.Thierry reached over the front seat and grabbed the astonished Nilsson with a hand like iron. He saidvery tranquilityly in the drivers ear, Do you have a pencil?A pencil?Something that writes, Nilsson. An creature to make marks on paper. Do you have one? Quick,because if I lose this connection, youre fired.Ive got a pen, sir. One-handed, Nilsson fished in his pocket and produced a Bic.Your salary only if doubled. Thierry took the pen and sat back. Where are you, Lupe? The Badlands of Montana, sir. Near a township called Medicine Rock. But in that locations something else, sir.Lupes voice seemed less steady all of a sudden. The other wolf that fought me-he saw her, too. And hegot away.Thierrys breath caught. I see.Im sorry. Lupe was suddenly talking quickly, in a burst of emotion. Oh, Thierry, Im sorry. I assay tostop him. Bu t he got away-and now Im afraid hes off utter her.You couldnt help it, Lupe. And Ill be thither myself, soon. Ill be there to take care of-everything.Thierry looked at the driver. Weve got to make some stops, Nilsson. First, the Harman store.The witch place?Exactly. You can triple your salary if you stick to there fast.When Hannah got to capital of Minnesota Winfields house the next after(prenominal)noon, the sheriff was there. Chris Grady was anhonest-to-goodness Western sheriff, boom with boots, broad-brimmed hat, and vest. The only thingmissing, Hannah thought as she walked around to the back of the house where capital of Minnesota was pound signboards across the broken windows, was a horse.Hi, Chris, she said.The sheriff nodded, sun-weathered skin crinkling at the corners of her eyes. She took off her hat and rana hand through shoulder-length auburn hair. I see you found yourself a couple of giant timber wolves,Hannah. Youre not hurt, are you?Hannah shook her manoeuvre no. She tried and true to summonup a smile but failed. I think they were whitethornbe wolf-dogs or something. Pure-bred wolves arent soaggressive.That print wasnt made by any wolf-dog, Chris said. On the cover flagstones outside the windowthere was a paw print made in blood. It was similar to a dogs footprint, with four pads plus claw marksshowing. But it was more than six inches long by that over five inches wide.Judging from that, its the biggest wolf ever heard of around here, bigger than the White wildcat of theJudith. The sheriffs eyes drifted to the empty rectangles of the broken windows. Big and mean. Youpeople be careful. Somethings going on here that I dont like. Ill let you know if we catch your wolves.She nodded to capital of Minnesota, who was sucking his finger after banging it with the hammer. Then she set her hatback on her head and strode off to her car.Hannah stared at the paw print silently. Everyone else thought there was something going on. Everyonebut her.Becau se there cant be, she thought. Because it has to all be in my head. It has to be something I canfigure out and fix quick something I can control.Thanks for seeing me again so soon, she said to capital of Minnesota. Oh He gestured, tucking the hammer under his arm. Its no trouble. I necessity to get to the base ofwhats upsetting you as often as you do. And, he admitted under his breath as he let them in the house,I dont actually have any other patients.Hannah followed him stilt a hallway and into his office. It was dim inside, the boards across thewindows reducing the youthful afternoon sunlight to separate oddly-angled shafts.She sat in the contoured chair. The only thing is, how can we get to the bottom of it? I dont perceivewhats upsetting me, either. Its all too strange. I mean, on the one hand, Im clearly insane. She roundflatly as Paul took his seat on the opposite side of the desk. I have loony dreams, I think the world isgoing to end, I have the smelling Im being fo llowed, and yesterday I started hearing voices in my head. Onthe other hand, me being insane doesnt explain wolves jumping through the windows.Voices? Paul murmured, looking around for a pencil. Then he gave up and faced her. Yeah, I know. Iunderstand the temptation. Last night after having those wolves stare at me, I was about ready to intendthat there had to be something He trailed off and shook his head, lifting papers on his desk to glanceunder them. Something really strange going on. But now its daytime, and were all rational people,and we realize that we have to deal with things rationally. And, actually, you know, I think I may havecome up with a rational chronicle. He found a pencil and with an expression of vast relief hookan towaggle it between his fingers.Hope stirred inside Hannah. An explanation?Yeah. I mean, first of all, its possible that your premonitions and things are entirely unconnected withthe wolves. People never want to believe in coincidence, but it happens . But as yet if the two things areconnected-well, I dont think that means that anybodys after you. It could be that theres some sort ofdisturbance in this area-something thats stirring up the whole ecosystem, making wolves crazy,doing who knows what to other animals and that youre somehow sensing this. Youre attuned to itsomehow. Maybe its earthquake weather or-or sunspots or negative ions in the air. But whatsoever it is,its causing you to think that some terrible disaster is coming. That the world is ending or that youre aboutto be killed.Hannah mat the hope sink inside her, and it was more painful than not having had it at all. I suppose thatcould happen, she said. She didnt want to hurt his feelings. But how does it explain this?She reached into the canvas bag she carried instead of a purse and pulled out a folded slip of paper.Paul took the paper and read it. Theyve seen you. Theyre going to assure him. This is your last chance toget away. He stuck the pencil in his mouth . Hmmm I found it this morning wrapped around my toothbrush, Hannah said quietly. And its your handwrite? She shut her eyes and nodded. And you dont remember writing it. I didnt write it. Iknow I didnt. She opened her eyes and took a deep breath. The notes scare me. Everything thatshappening scares me. I dont understand any of it, and I dont see how Im supposed to fix it if I dontunderstand it.Paul considered, chewing on the pencil gently. Look-whatevers happening, whoevers writing thenotes, I think your subconscious mind mind is trying to tell you something. The dreams are evidence of that.But its not telling you enough. Theres something I was going to suggest, something I dont exactly believein, but that we can try anyway. Something to get toyour subconscious directly so we can ask it whats going on.Get to her subconscious directly. Hannah held her breath. Hypnosis?Paul nodded. Im not a big hypnosis fan. Its not some magical trance like TV and the movies want youto believe. Its j ust a state of mind where youre a little more relaxed, a little more presumable to be able toremember threatening things without choking up. But its nothing you cant achieve yourself by doing breathing exercises at home.Hannah wasnt happy. Hypnosis still seemed to mean giving up control. If not to Paul, then to her ownsubconscious.But what else am I supposed to do? She sat and listened to the quiet helplessness in her mind for amoment. not a peep from the cool wind voice or the crystal voice-and that was good, as far as she wasconcerned. Still, it pointed up the fact that she didnt have an alternative.She looked at Paul. sanction. Lets do it.Great. He stood, then reached for a book on the corner of his desk. Always assuming I rememberhow. Okay, why dont you lie down on the couch?Hannah hesitated, then shrugged. If Im going to do it, I might as well do it right. She lay down andstared at the dark beams in the ceiling. In spite of how miserable she was feeling, she had an almostirr esistible impulse to giggle. here she was on a real psychologists couch, waiting to be hypnotized. Her friends at school wouldnever consider even going to a shrink-out here inMontana craziness was okay. After all, you had to be alittle eccentric to be living in this hard land in the first place. What wasnt okay was admitting you couldntdeal with it on your own, stipendiary too much attention to it, asking for help. And allowing yourself to behypnotized was even worse.They all think Im the most independent and together of any of them. If they could see me now. Okay, Iwant you to get comfortable and shut your eyes, Paul said. He was perched with one hip on the edge ofhis desk, leg swinging, book in hand. His voice was quiet and soothing-the professional voice.Hannah shut her eyes.Now I want you to imagine yourself be adrift. Just floating and feeling very relaxed. Theres nothing youneed to think about and nowhere you need to go. And now youre seeing yourself enveloped by abeautiful violet light. Its bathing your entire body and its making you more and more relaxed The couch was astonishingly comfortable. Its curves fit under her, supporting her without being intrusive.It was easy to imagine that she was floating, easy to imagine the light around her.And now you feel yourself floating down deeper into a deeper state of relaxation and youresurrounded by a deep blue light. The blue light is all around you, shining through you, and its making youmore comfortable, more relaxedThe soft soothing voice went on, and at its direction Hannah imagined waves of colored light bathing herbody. cryptic blue, emerald green, golden yellow, glowing orange. Hannah saw it all. It was amazing and effortless her mind just showed her the pictures. And as the colors came and went she felt herselfbecoming more and more relaxed, warm and almost weightless. She couldnt feel the couch underneathher any longer. She was floating on light.And now youre seeing a blood-red red light, very d eep, very relaxing. Youre so relaxed youre hush up andcomfortable, and everything feels safe. Nothing will upset you you can answer all my questions withoutever feeling distressed. Do you understand me?Yes, Hannah said. She was apprised of saying it, but it wasnt exactly as if she had said it. She wasntaware of planning to say it. Something inside her seemed to be answering Paul using her voice.But it wasnt frightening. She still felt relaxed, floating in the red-faced light. every(prenominal) right. Im now speaking to Hannahs subconscious. You will be able to remember things thatHannahs waking mind isnt aware of-even things that have been repressed. Do you understand?Yes. Again, the voice seemed to come before Hannah decided to speak.Good. Now, Ive got this last note here, the one you found wrapped around your toothbrush thismorning. Do you remember this note?Yes. Of course.Okay, thats good. And now I want you to go back in your mind, back to the time that this note waswritten.T his time Hannah was aware of a need to speak. But how can I do that? I dont know when it waswritten. I didnt write-Just-just-just let go, Hannah, Paul said, rife her. His voice soothing again, he added, Feelrelaxed, feel yourself becoming very relaxed, and letyour conscious mind go. Just tell yourself to go back to the time this note was written. Dont worry abouthow. See the ruby light and think 1 will go back. Are you doing that?Yes, Hannah said. Go back, she told herself gamely. Just relax and go back, okay?And now, a picture is departning to form in your mind. You are seeing something. What are you seeing?Hannah felt something inside her give way. She seemed to be falling into the ruby right. Her ordinarymind was suspended it seemed to have been shuttled off to the side somewhere. In this odd dreamlikestate, nothing could surprise her.Pauls voice was gently insistent. What are you seeing?Hannah saw it.A tiny picture that seemed to open up, unfold as she stared at it.I see myself , she whispered. Where are you?I dont know. Wait, maybe Im in my room. She could see herself, wearing something long and white-anightgown. No, she was that self, she was in her bedroom, wearing her nightgown. She was in Paulsoffice, lying on the couch, but she was in her bedroom at the same time. How strange, she thought dimly.All right, now the picture will get clearer. Youll begin to see things around you. Just relax and youllbegin to see them. Now, what are you doing?Without feeling anything-except a kind of distant amusement and resignation-Hannah said, Writing anote.Paul muttered something that sounded like, Aha. But it might have been, XJh-huh. Then he saidsoftly, And why are you writing it?I dont know-to warn myself. I have to warn myself.About what?Hannah felt herself shake her own head helplessly.Okay what are you feeling as you write it?Oh That was easy. Paul was undoubtedly expecting her to say something like fear or anxiety. Butthat wasnt the strongest thing she was fe eling. Not the strongest at all.Longing, Hannah whispered. She moved her head restlessly on the couch. Just-longing.I beg your pardon?I want-so much I want .What do you want?Him. It came out as a sob. Hannahs ordinary mind watched somewhere in amazement, but Hannahsbody was entirely taken over by the feeling, racked with it. I know its impossible. Its danger and deathto me. But I dont care. I cant help itWhoa, whoa, whoa. I mean, youre feeling very relaxed. Youre very calm and you can answer myquestions. Who is this person that youre longing for?The one who comes, Hannah said softly and hopelessly. Hes wicked and evil I know that. Sheexplained it all to me. And I know hell kill me. The way he always has. But I want him.She was trembling. She could feel her own body radiating heat-and she could hear Paul swallow.Somehow in this expanded state of consciousness she seemed to be able to see him, as if she could beeverywhere at once. She knew he was sitting there on the edge of the des k, looking at her dazedly, fox by the transformation in the young woman on his couch. She knew he could see her, her face watch and glowing from inner heat, her breath coming quickly, herbody gripped by a fine muscular tremor. And she knew he was stirred-and frightened.Oh, boy. Pauls breath came out and he shifted on the desk. He bowed his head, then lifted it, lookingfor a pencil. Okay, I have to admit, Im lost. Lets just go back to the beginning here. You feel thatsomebody is after you, and that hes tried to kill you before? Some old boyfriend whos stalking you,maybe?No. He hasnt tried to kill me. He has killed me. He has killed you. Paul bit his pencil. He muttered, Ishould have known remedy than to have started this. I dont believe in hypnosis anyway.And hes going to do it again. Ill die before my seventeenth birthday. Its my penalisation for loving him.It always happens that way.Right. Okay. Okay, lets try something really basic here. Does this mystery guy have a name?Hannah lifted a hand and let it drop. When? she whispered.What?When?When what? What? Paul shook his head. Oh, hell-Hannah spoke precisely. Hes use different names at different times. Hes had-hundreds, I guess. But Ithink of him as Thierry. Thierry Descouedres.Because thats the one hes used for the last couple of lifetimes.There was a long silence. Then Paul said, The last couple of ?Lifetimes. It may still be his name now. The last time I saw him he said he wouldnt bother to change itanymore. He wouldnt bother to hide any longer.Paul said, Oh, God. He stood, walked to the window, and put his head in his hands. Then he turnedback to Hannah. Are we talking about I mean, tell me were not talking about He paused andthen his voice came out soft and boneless. The Big R? You know He winced. Reincarnation?A long silence.Then Hannah heard her own voice say flatly, He hasnt been reincarnated.Oh. Pauls breath came out in relief. Well, thank God. You had me scared there for a minute.Hes been alive all this time, Hannah said. He isnt human, you know.