Page 81 of A Murderous Crow
“I don’t know…” she said and looked skeptical.
“Never been on the back of a bike?” I asked, curiously.
“Does a four-wheeler count?” she asked.
“No,” I shook my head.
“Then, no,” she said with a laugh.
“Well, if you’re going to be with a biker, there’s no time like the present to learn,” I held out my hand and she looked dubious, but took it. I took her over to the bike and said, “Wait here.”
She trailed fingertips along the leather seat, as I went into the garage to the set of shelves built over on the side with my Porsche. I picked up my helmet, and the spare I kept for the odd occasion I needed anonymity. It was solid black, the facemask a deep dark tint. It was hers, now if it fit like it was supposed to. My everyday wear was my usual brain bucket.
I put mine on, holding hers between my knees and then went back out to her, lifting the facemask so I could see what I was doing and helping her put it on.
“It feels tight,” she complained, and I nodded.
“Like it’s smashing your cheeks in?” I asked.
“Yeah, forcing me to have fish lips,” she crossed her eyes. I laughed. I couldn’t see her mouth, but I imagined she was pulling her cheeks in and making the face.
“That means it’s a good fit,” I told her. “You’ll get used to it.”
She laughed and it was more than a little nervous.
“Don’t we need to pull out the cars?” she asked.
“Nah,” I pointed to the double side gate.
“It’s a minor inconvenience because I’ve got to hand-lock them up after us, but the curb is so low it’s nothing to use themto get out when cars are parked in the garage. I’m just going to have to bite the bullet and get them automated.”
I went over to them and unlocked them, swinging them inward. It used to be the original entrance to the place, horse and carriage would ride in, make a loop around the round brick drive, back the carriage under the carriage house on one side, horse stalls on the other. Neat and tidy.
Back at the bike, I instructed her to lean with me, not against me, to hold on tight, and to watch her feet – I didn’t want her shoes melted to the pipes. Above all, I told her, towatch those pipes.They get hot, and I didn’t want her to burn herself on them mounting or dismounting.
She listened with rapt attention, her blue eyes wide through the open visor of her helmet, and when we were ready to go, I closed it for her, told her how to breathe to keep it from fogging up on her, and went over to the bike, starting it up. She got on and settled behind me, which was a bit of a process for her first time as she carefully minded both the pipes and where she placed her feet.
The ride to the Manse was a woefully short one, and only required we take surface streets, so no freeway. It had been a good long while since we’d taken a group ride anywhere or had gone to do anything that wasn’t just a short ride through Savannah, and I realized just how much I’d been dying to go for a real ride.
It was certainly something to bring up at dinner.
We arrived on the back side of the Manse and I noticed that Savannah’s attention was on the pool. I smiled and made a mental note that a swim should be in our future. It was one of the surprising things we had in common, after all.
There were a lot of things I wanted to do, just her and I, and I realized how long it had been since I’d really gotten to doany couples’ things and also, that I had missed it more than I realized.
I pulled into line with the bikes already present and it didn’t take much more than a quick count to see everyone was already here.
We left our helmets with the bikes, and I threaded my fingers through Savannah’s, walking with her up to the kitchen doors.
Several of the guys were in the kitchen with Tor who was whipping up his magic in a metal bowl. I saw Requiem, Death, Revenant, and Specter – so all that Savannah had already met.
I didn’t know how much exposure she’d really had with each, but I know she’d met them.
“Hey, hey!” Torment called as we entered through the doors.
“Hey, boys. How’s it hangin’?” I asked.
“Short, shriveled, and a little to the side,” Revenant said and he shook one leg where he was standing at the end of the counter.
