Gairett stepped forward and embraced Hale as hard and as deeply as he could. Having their brother back in their arms forced both into laughter and easy smiles.
Then Hale kissed his cheeks and said, "Oh, 'ow I've missed you." Distracted, he scented the air. With eyes narrowing he leaned forward and inhaled the odor of Gairret's jacket. Standing back, Hale drug his tongue across his lips. "You've been snuggling with a 'uman and it's not Tayen. She'll be angry. 'Ose body 'ave you been caressing?" He gave Gairett a most devious smile and had one eyebrow lifted.
Ignoring the question and his face, Gairett changed the subject as best he could, after sitting down he asked, "Tayen? She is alive? How?"
"She's a sorceress Gair. She can do almost anything she wants." He raised his eyebrow again and with a smirk said, "Oh? Are you still interested in that beauty? I think she still lives in the States. 'Awaiting the return of 'er loved one.'" He said in a mocking tone. Then laughed and sat down in the chair across from him. "Playing doctor, I believe. Being a Good Samaritan." He was smiling bigger now. "Oh, 'ow did she put it, 'I have powers, and unlike you and your half-brained brother, I'm going to put mine to use.'" He mimicked her perfectly. "She wants you still, you know?" Hale looked down at his glass and twirled the contents around before taking another sip.
"Hmmm." Was all Gairett could manage. He was overjoyed, knowing that Tayen was still alive.
"So, tell me, why 'ave you come back? 'Ow, for that matter? Tayen did everyting in her power to make sure you were encased in that tomb." Hale was looking at him, waiting for an answer when he realized Gairett had dodged his original question. He let out a brisk exhale in frustration. "Smooth. So, tell me who the new one is? Is she why you're back?"
He laughed when he saw the irritation on Gairett's face blossom. "Did you think that I would forget when you're covered in the overwhelming smell of a 'uman?" He inhaled the scents again and finished with, "Female?" His eyebrows danced up and down a few times.
Then the smile disappeared, and he moved in closer and drug in the fragrances of his jacket. The same spot Velori had been clinging to when he took her into the air. He knew what he smelled. The same thing Gairett noticed when he awoke to Velori singing. It was her blood and pheromones.
He jerked his head back and continued in an angry whisper. "Why does this female smell like. . ." He was now nearly laying over the table to sniff Gairett again and then whispered. "Melisa?"
Gairett knew that Hale had treasured her as well. She would have most likely picked one of them to mate with, to continue their bloodline. Or so they thought. With all of them being Ru'tah, it only made sense. Why risk hurting a human when they had each other? Gairett knew Hale wanted it to be him. He had even believed Hale might have loved her more than him, but the pain Gairett felt when she died, seemed to have proved otherwise.
Gairett knew he was going to have to explain the aroma and why he had come back. That's why he didn't bother changing clothes or masking away her scent. Neither would have helped. Hale's sense of smell was too strong to hide anything from him.
The waitress returned with an expensive bottle of wine and a mixed drink. Hale was sitting back in his chair as she sat both on the table.
"These are both my favorites and the best sellers. Enjoy!" She took another look at him and Hale and walked off thinking more exotic thoughts of the both of them on some far-off island.
"Answer me." He said through clenched teeth. His jaw was set, and he was clenching it together over and over again.
Gairett breathed in a long sigh and looked back at the female band that was now changing songs and collecting money. He took a sip of the mixed drink and spit it back out again.
"For the love of the Gods!" It was disgusting. In an attempt to wash the unwanted taste from his mouth, he took the wine and poured a small amount into the glass and swished it around. It was intensely better than the other foully sweet beverage.
Hale's expression told him that his attempt to stall was not appreciated. He took another breath and began telling him of Velori, her place, and her fragrance. How she brought him and their parents back to her home along with the tapestry and his tale of their history.
"I woke up to her humming Mel's favorite song Hale and there is no way she could have known it. I thought I was dreaming at first." He let out a breath and ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. "She has to be connected somehow, Hale. There can't be any other explanation. I do not know how, but . . . well maybe... maybe Mel survi-"
"NO." He was looking into his eyes with an intensity that burned straight through Gairett. He was in pain, from the sweetness of Velori and because he had told Velori of their family. This time some of the patrons rose their eyes to the brothers in interest but just as quickly lowered them back down.
Hale lowered his tone. "No," He shook his head and then bowed it. "…she didn't. She's dead and gone and this 'Velori' 'as nothing to do with 'er. With us for that matter and I can't believe you told 'er of us, of the family. What were you thinking!?" Hale paused because he had started to yell again. After taking in a deep breath, counting to five he looked back up at Gairett and continued in what was no more than a whisper. "Not even my father or your mother knew. We tell no one Gairett. You knew that. You KNOW that."
"Tayen knows of us. She knows more about us, our family, and our past than we do ourselves."
"Yes, but Papa told it to 'er. He told it to 'er whole bloody tribe. They still 'ave drawings of our family on their walls. It was a mistake then and this is a mistake now. What are you going to do with 'er? What are you going to do? You aren't going back to 'er are you?"
"I have to Hale. She's alone."
The waitress came back then, asking if they wanted anything else. He ordered another bottle and a glass of whatever Hale was having. They both sat quietly, listening to the music. Allowing it to calm them.
After pouring another glass of the wine and sipping it, Gairett finished with, "I have to." He let another thirty minutes go by before he started talking again. "So? What of you, then? What have you been doing while I have been gone? Have you mated?"