The Earthborn by Arlene F. Marks

Author:Arlene F. Marks [Marks, Arlene F.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: modern, urban, fantasy, science fiction, science fantasy, vampires, aliens, thriller, hunt, hunter, movies, film, assassin, traps, escape, run, flee, immigration, immortal, immigrant
ISBN: 9781928011965
Publisher: Brain Lag
Published: 2023-05-12T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

“I owe you an explanation.”

Nada. The wall of silence in the car was impenetrable. A glance in the rear-view mirror showed him Poochie, curled up on the back seat with his paws protecting his head. Animals could sense when a bad storm was coming.

Bilyash returned his attention to the darkened road ahead of them. He’d known from the moment Angie woke up that she was royally pissed. She’d been gracious and pleasant at the dinner table to the Dillingers and to “Pete”, the name Pyotren had given her while introducing himself. For Bilyash she’d had nothing all evening but dagger looks, even as she made a point of lavishing affection on the bewildered Chihuahua.

When it was time to leave, Billy hadn’t been certain at first that she would even let him get behind the wheel. It was her car, after all. Then Pyotren had made a point of handing him the car keys, and she’d evidently decided it wasn’t worth arguing over. (Fuming over was a different matter. Angie had been a sullen presence in the front seat of the Buick since they’d left the sports camp some thirty minutes earlier.)

True to his promise, Pyotren had ridden with them to the gate and had undone all his modifications to their human appearances before letting them drive off into the night. Being returned to his Billy Ash shape by another Nash’terel hadn’t felt comfortable—it was akin to being swarmed by a mob of crazed acupuncturists—but at least the residual itching had been mild and short-lived.

Angie had felt the same thing. When she’d asked Pyotren what the hell he was doing to her, he’d grinned and replied, “I’m a sorcerer, and I’m freeing you from a spell.” Then he’d winked at Bilyash.

Unfortunately, his joke had only deepened her scowl.

Bilyash tried again. “Angie, we need to talk about what happened back there.”

“Stat ay mesh maw Nash’terel,” she muttered. Just hearing those Yeng words spoken by a human seemed to drop the air temperature in the car by several degrees. Angie turned in her seat and demanded, “What language is that, and what does it mean, Billy?”

So, she’d overheard the scene inside the cabin, and the moment of truth had arrived, on a wave of something strangely like relief. He’d been hoping to have this discussion with her in a warm, intimate moment when she was feeling a lot more mellow and, hopefully, forgiving. On the other hand, travelling at ninety kilometres per hour along a deserted country road at night wasn’t a bad second option. It meant she would think twice before trying to jump out of the car—which was a distinct possibility given what he now had to tell her. At this point, he decided, he would take whatever small advantage the universe permitted him.

Bilyash swallowed hard. “It’s my parents’ first language, and it means ‘ignoble death to all Nash’terel’.”

Angie sat back slowly, digesting his words. “He said the emperor wouldn’t rest until the Nash’terel were wiped out. Is that why you’re here? To escape a genocide?”

“I’m afraid so,” he replied.

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