"I thought the Sanctuary drivers were not allowed to miss appointments, under penalty of death?" Varden turned to me, giving me one of his quizzical looks.
"Correct, so something must have happened. I gave him four hours to make the trip, he should have had plenty of time to get here." My driver was never late, ever. When he was given a time and place, he always showed up, always.
I always like to hear Varden laugh, he doesn't do enough of it. But this time I knew it was directed at me.
"What this time?" I asked, stepping away from him.
"You have no concept of traffic do you."
"Traffic, something that occurs when many vehicles occupy the same road. It sometimes becomes so severe that the traffic flow is slowed." I thought I'd explained it well enough so that even an idiot could understand it. Yet Varden just laughed harder.
"They have I-96 shut down, the only way into this part of the city is through side streets. There's a concert tonight so there are more people than normal trying to get into downtown. And you only gave your driver only four hours to get to this spot from Stu Saint Marie. Give the guy a break, an unrealistic time frame is not his fault."
"I expect him to do what it takes to do as he's commanded, that is his place." I stomped my foot in frustration.
"Simply because he's a guy, right?"
"Let's not start this again. You know the rules we have and why we have them. You are not bound by them because you are not human. So, let's drop it okay." He opened his mouth to reply but was cut off by the sound of course laughter.
"Hey guys, I told ya I heard something." A skinny dark-skinned teen stepped out of an alley across the street, followed by eight more, each in equal levels of disgusting.
"Look what we have here. A white girl and her knight in shining armor. Isn't it a bit late be out on these streets?"
"Cat, it's not worth it, and if we leave a body here, there'll be a lot of explaining to do." Varden grabbed my arm when he saw me start towards them.
"What do you take me for, I'm not an idiot? I'm not going to kill them," I turned towards the Koinós and smiled, trying to strike the best slut pose I could.
"Were you gentlemen talking to me?"
"I don't see anyone else around here, do ya?"
"No, I was just wondering whose ass I was going to have to kick first?" I stopped in front of all of them and when they had come to a stop I asked. "How many bones do you want me to break?"
"Look bitch, your man is all the way over there, and there are nine of us. By the time we're done with you you gonna be wishin we'd kill you."
"Come on Cat, we don't have much time. I think our ride's here." Varden called from the other side of the street. He could be protective to a fault, but he also let me have my fun when he saw no threat.
"Don't worry hun, this won't take long." As I said, two minutes later every one of them were on the pavement. Each had at least three broken bones, but I had killed none of them, Varden hates it when I kill humans. Me, I only kill when I need to, but our definitions of the word need are highly divergent.
We were in the car and on our way in a matter of minutes. Okay it wasn't a car in the purest sense it was a limousine, a limousine that had been made from the original body of a hummer. Built to intimidate it caught eyes no matter where it went, which was fine by me, as long as I was on a mission where steath was not a consideration. Before the vehicle could even begin to move, I was tapping on the glass panel that separated the passenger compartment from the driver.
"Why were you late? I called in a pickup at Nine o'clock and you weren't here. If you would have been I wouldn't have had to beat nine humans senseless while waiting for you." I wanted to reach through the small opening and really show him how I felt but strong arms grabbed me from behind and pulled me back.
"Just drive Jeff, she hasn't had enough sleep, and don't worry, with traffic as it is I'm surprised you got here when you did." Varden wrapped both arms around my waist and held me down as I struggled to get back to the driver.
"Let go of me this instant! You are so toast when I get free!" I screamed out my frustration while I tried to swing with everything I had, aiming to hit him with my elbows.
"Just calm down Cat, the guy's just doing his job for god's sake. No matter how much you might not like it. Even you can't repeal the laws of physics."
"Hummfffff," I glowered over my shoulder at him, wanting to stay mad.
Then I felt a light feathery sensation creep from my thigh, up the curve of my hips and up towards my shoulder. All thoughts of anger fled as goose bumps raised up and down my body, not stopping until the fingers left my skin.
"It sure doesn't take much to shut you up does it?" Varden looked down at me where I had slid during his torture.
"Oh, shut up, can I help it that I'm a little ticklish?" Before I could move his fingers had wormed their way under my shirt and were tracing lines of fire up and down my side, then across my stomach.
"Would you please stop, I was trying to be mad, why won't you ever just let me simmer, I like to simmer." Flashing him a sly smile I slid out of his grasp and jumped into the seat across from him.
"Because you're going to give yourself a heart attack before you're even three hundred at the rate you're going. Too much stress is not healthy." Now it was his turn to grin.
"Fine," I said as I sweep an amber colored bundle of stray hairs out of my face and tried to push them behind my head, I partially succeeded.
I'd been thinking about cutting my hair shoulder length, against my mother's wishes, but then I'd found Varden. He loved my long hair, so I'd kept it, not that I'd ever admit to him that that had been the reason.
"Oh, come on the guy's doing the best he can, why do you ride them so hard?" Varden asked.
"Because that's the way it is, and that's the way it's always been. If you give them an inch, they'll take a mile. So, we don't give them that inch."
"So, all the sons of the Shapers are sequestered into lifetime service to you women. Then you demand their absolute obedience. It's a wonder they don't stab you in your sleep." I recoiled at the thought.
"The men of the Sanctuary are treated very well. They want for nothing, and when we want, companionship they have the privilege of providing it."
"I don't know what disgusts me more? You women for thinking so little of giving away your bodies, or your men for behaving like stallions to your mares." He looked straight at me until I returned his gaze. "And you still wonder why I won't live there?"
My chin hit my chest, pulling a heavy sigh past my lips.
"No, I know exactly why you choose not to stay with us. But all the other sisters and the high mother don't know you as well as I do. They think you've been corrupted by your human upbringing."
"More like educated. Come here," he motioned me over beside him.
With an eyebrow cocked I stepped over and sat beside him.
"What is wrong with us?" He asked. "I mean, we should hate each other. You're a shaper and I'm a guy. We shouldn't want anything to do with each other, but here we are." An arm wrapped around my shoulders and pulled me next to him.
"I do still hate you sometimes, but I know you better than anyone else at the Sanctuary does. Your kind, and strong," I pushed my head onto his shoulder and grabbed his arm. "And you know how to love me better than anyone I've ever met."
"How much longer before we get back to my prison, I mean the Sanctuary." He asked as he stretched out behind me on the long seat.
"It took him over four hours to get here and we've been moving for only about ten minutes. So close to four hours."
"Good," he reached up and pulled me on top of him. "Then it's time for a nap."
I fell asleep listening to the sound of his heartbeat and the rhythm of the tires on the road.
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