Midnight Labyrinth

by Elizabeth Hunter

  “Emilie. She’s French? Does she have an accent?”

  Ben muttered, “Kind of.”

  Giovanni started laughing again.

  “You can stop,” Ben said. “Anytime now.”

  “It pushes every single button for you, doesn’t it? Missing painting. Missing third out of a set. Pretty girl with an accent. I’m never going to convince you to drop this.”

  “She didn’t ask for my help.”

  “Of course she didn’t,” Giovanni said. “Ben, you do have a type.”

  “Of woman? Hardly.” He loved all women. Every single one of them.

  “No, of job. Valuable art with a mystery attached? You can’t resist.”

  Ben smiled. “I hate being bored.”

  “I know.” Giovanni calmed down. “Emil Samson, you said?”

  “Heard of him?”

  “I’ve heard… something. I’ll try to remember, but the name sounds familiar. It was recent.”

  “How about Historic New York? Does that ring any bells?”

  “No. Have you spoken to Cormac or his daughter?”

  “I don’t want them to know I’m poking around. They have their own interests in the art world. Cormac’s brother Ennis likes to pretend he’s some kind of patron and collector, and Ennis is a pain in the ass. This doesn’t need to have anything to do with them.”

  “Fair enough.” Giovanni went silent for a moment. “Have you spoken to Caspar?”

  “No.”

  Giovanni’s butler still lived with Giovanni and Beatrice. He was married to Beatrice’s grandmother, but both were retired.

  “Caspar knows far more about the art world than I do. And he knows quite a lot about that era and work that went missing then. If you run into a wall doing research, try calling him.”

  “Will do.”

  “I need to go,” Giovanni said. “I’ll keep an ear out for any mention of that artist and let Beatrice know as well. And I’ll call Cormac tomorrow night.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Settle things with Tenzin,” Giovanni said. “She’s cranky when the two of you fight. I don’t want to get dragged into this.”

  “She’s your friend.”

  “And she’s your… partner. Or whatever the two of you are calling each other lately. Settle it, Ben. You won’t be happy until you do.”

  And with that warning, the line went silent.

  Tenzin flew back to the apartment and landed on the roof. Dawn was only an hour away, and she needed to get inside, but she hoped Ben was asleep. She didn’t want to deal with his self-righteous anger at the moment.

  But when she flew up to her loft, he was there, lounging on her floor pillows with his eyes closed.

  “That ladder is turning into firewood as soon as possible,” Tenzin muttered.

  Ben’s eyes opened. “Don’t be cranky.”

  “I’m not the cranky one.”

  He let out a sleepy sigh and stretched his arm out. “You were gone a long time. Come here.”

  She settled next to him but didn’t lie down. She didn’t need to sleep, so she had no bed in her loft. She did have a pallet and large pillows to make meditation more comfortable. Ben was taking up most of the space with his excessively long limbs.

  “I was mad earlier,” he said.

  “Yes, I may have sensed that with my superhuman powers of deduction.”

  “Don’t start with me.” He sounded more awake. “You were selfish. You were probably right too. But you were still thinking of yourself, Tenzin. Don’t try to make this about me.”

  “Chloe is an excellent addition to your people.”

  “Did you stop to think—even for a minute—whether she wanted to be one of ‘my people’? Or were you too excited to tell her?”

  Tenzin turned to him. “Do you regret knowing?”

  “About vampires? I didn’t have a choice, Tenzin.”

  “Yes, you did. Giovanni wouldn’t have forced you. You were a child. If you’d asked him to take you back to where he found you, he would have. He would have wiped your memory and you would have lived in ignorance.”

  Ben was silent.

  “You know I’m right.”

  “I didn’t have many choices then, Tenzin.”

  “But you do now. And every single time, you’ve chosen to be involved in our world. Your world. You could have stayed in LA and worked for Matt in human security. You could have gotten a job in business or in the government. You had the connections to do both. You chose to stay. You chose to live in the middle of it instead of staying on the edges.”

  His mouth was set in a line. “What are you trying to say?”

  She turned and leaned over him, her face inches from his. “You complain about your uncle being stubborn, arrogant, and high-handed, but you are exactly like him. You decided Chloe didn’t need to know about us. You didn’t consider her either. You decided, and that was that. You knew better than she did.”

  Ben gripped the back of her neck and pulled her face back, propping himself on one elbow to meet her glare. “I did know better. She didn’t need to know.”

  “Maybe she wanted to. Did you ever consider that?”

  His hand tightened in her hair, but he said nothing.

  “She was with you, Ben. For years. You were never shallow or simple. Neither was she. What do you think she saw in you? The pretty face or the dark edges?”

  “You didn’t consider what knowing about the immortal world would mean for her life,” he said in a low voice.

  “And you didn’t consider what ignorance would mean for her either.” His hand relaxed in her hair. If anyone else had pulled her hair, they would be bleeding. But it was Ben. “Chloe will be fine. She has the information she needs now. She can be as involved as she wants to be, and she’s under our official protection now. I’m assuming you already called Gio?”

  Ben released her and lay back on the pillow. “Yes.”

  “Good.” She lay next to him and put her head on his outstretched arm, using his bicep as a pillow. He was so warm and comfortable when he wasn’t being overbearing. “I like Chloe.”

  “I know you do.” He yawned. “I like her too.”

  “She’ll be an excellent day person.”

  “She gets to decide, Tenzin. We’ll have to pay her something because she’s under Gio’s aegis. But I’m not forcing her to stay if she wants to go.”

  “There’s room to build another bedroom downstairs. I’ll call the contractor in the morning.”

  “Tiny…” He drifted off, and she could tell he was falling asleep. “Gavin… he likes her.”

  Hmm. “That’s interesting.”

  “It’s not interesting. It’s dangerous.”

  “Again with the you knowing what she wants instead of letting her decide.”

  He closed his eyes. “Don’t care. She’s not working for him.”

  “Did he offer her a job?” Tenzin smiled. That was very interesting.

  Ben nodded. “Left a card.”

  She’d have to find it and give it to Chloe. Ben was being imperious again.

  “Sleep,” she said. “You can stay up here. I won’t destroy the ladder until tomorrow.” He’d been sleeping on that futon in the training area, and she knew it wasn’t big enough for him. He really did have excessively long limbs.

  Ben’s hand went to her hair, playing with one of the braids she’d woven behind her ear. “Don’t like it when we fight.”

  “But we do it so often,” she whispered.

  “You like it.”

  She did. “Sleep.” Tenzin put her hand on Ben’s chest and felt his breath moving in and out. “I’ll keep an eye on Chloe.”

  Ben was still sleeping when Tenzin heard Chloe stir. She waited until the human walked up the stairs before she flew out of the loft. Chloe was already looking up.

  “Wasn’t a dream,” Chloe said. “Got it.”

  “Ben’s sleeping.” She nodded to the loft. “Did you want breakfast?”

  “Okay
?”

  “Was that a question?” Tenzin landed in the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. “I can make you some eggs with tomatoes.”

  “That sounds good.” Chloe sat at the counter, staring at Tenzin.

  “I have cooked for you before.”

  “And you’ve eaten,” Chloe said. “That’s a little confusing.”

  “Ah.” Tenzin nodded. “That’s a fair point. Vampires do eat a little bit. Our stomachs like to have something other than just liquid in them. We can survive on blood alone, but food fills us up. And it tastes good. We still enjoy the sensual aspects of life, as humans do.”

  Chloe nodded. “All the sensual aspects?”

  Tenzin smiled, and for once, she didn’t have to hide her teeth. “Yes. All. Our senses are stronger than human senses—because of amnis, probably—so most of those sensual experiences we enjoy more than humans do, as long as they’re the pleasant ones. We have sexual intercourse, though we can’t produce children. We eat. Most of us sleep.”

  “But you don’t. Ben told me you don’t sleep.”

  “I wish I could, but I can’t.”

  “Why can’t you?”

  “I don’t know. It’s related to my blood.”

  “Huh.”

  Tenzin could see the wheels turning in Chloe’s mind.

  “What is it?” Tenzin asked. “Just ask. If I don’t want to answer, I won’t.”

  “Do vampires need to pee?”

  Tenzin burst into laughter, and Chloe’s cheeks turned red.

  “Sorry,” she said. “That’s none of my business.”

  “No,” Tenzin said. “I’m sure so many humans wonder, but they don’t ask. The answer is yes, but not very often. Our systems are very slow. That’s why my hair grows slowly. My fingernails grow slowly.”

  Chloe cocked her head. “About your hair.”

  Tenzin poured the beaten eggs into the heated frying pan. “What about my hair?”

  Chloe just shook her head. “You need help.”

  “I trimmed it a few months ago.”

  “I can tell. You have gorgeous hair, but you need it cut properly.”

  She frowned. “I don’t—”

  “That friend I mentioned a while ago? She’s moved to a salon that’s also a bar. They’re open at night. I’ll call her about fitting us in this week.”

  Tenzin was growing nervous. “Why?”

  “Because you’re beautiful, and your hair should be too.” Chloe grabbed a notebook that was sitting on the counter. “I’ll call her. Now, Ben said something about a job while he was hustling me to bed last night.”

  Tenzin found the card she’d retrieved from Ben’s pocket and tossed it toward Chloe. “Gavin offered you a job, but we’ll need you to work for us too. At least part of the time.”

  Chloe nodded and picked up the card. “Is this because I know about the vampire stuff?”

  “Yes, but I think Gavin offered you a job previously.”

  “What?” Chloe looked at Gavin’s card. “Why?

  “You can be my assistant,” Tenzin said. “That will work out nicely.”

  Chloe tapped Gavin’s card on the counter, then slid it in her pocket.

  Good girl. Save your questions for Ben and Gavin.

  “Okay,” Chloe said, “about being your assistant… I’m not going to argue because I got fired from my last job and I need the money, but will I have time to dance too?”

  “I’m likely to be a far more flexible employer than any human. If I need help with something, you help me. If I don’t, your schedule is your own. If we need to adjust things, we will.”

  “Sounds fair.” Chloe tapped a pencil against her lower lip. “I don’t suppose I’ll have medical insurance, will I?”

  Tenzin frowned. “Of course you will. Giovanni keeps it for all his human employees, and technically we’re an offshoot of his business.”

  “Oh my God, seriously?”

  Tenzin didn’t know why Chloe find that so exciting, but then Tenzin healed with an extra pint of blood. “I would recommend using Dr. Singh, however, for anything work related. He knows about immortals and won’t ask inconvenient questions.”

  “Dr. Singh knows about vampires?”

  “Of course. Also,” Tenzin said, “if you’re going to keep living here, we’ll need to make some adjustments to the loft.”

  “Am I going to keep living here?”

  “Do you want to?”

  “I don’t want to keep taking Ben’s room. He’s too tall for that futon no matter what he says. Maybe we can put up some dividers to create another room. Something like that.”

  Tenzin sighed. “See? This is why we need a day person. I have an excellent relationship with Cara, but it’s just not the same thing.”

  Chloe narrowed her eyes. “Isn’t Cara the voice-command program that runs the communications for the house?”

  “Yes. She’s great, but it’s just not the same as having a human.”

  “Ooookay then.” Chloe made a note on the notepad. “What would you like me to do?”

  “Ask Cara for a listing of contractors.” Tenzin stirred the eggs and added the tomatoes when they were almost finished. They were excellent tomatoes. She grew them on the roof garden. “Ben used one to do interior work already. We’ll need to add another bedroom downstairs. Do you mind sharing a bathroom?”

  “As long as Ben doesn’t.”

  “He does bring dates home occasionally. Not often, but is that going to be a problem?”

  Chloe waved a hand. “Been there. Done that. Don’t need a T-shirt.”

  “Excellent.” Tenzin slid Chloe’s eggs onto a plate and across the counter.

  “I do have one more question for you,” Chloe said.

  “Which is…?”

  “All these weapons around the house.” Chloe picked up a fork. “They’re not for display, are they?”

  “No. Does that bother you?”

  “Only if you’re not willing to teach me how to fight.”

  Tenzin reached over and stabbed a tomato. “This is going to work out perfectly.”

  13

  “This is going to drive me crazy,” Ben said, slamming back the scotch Gavin poured for him. “They’re ganging up on me now. In my own house.”

  Gavin pursed his lips. “I’d be happy to take Chloe off your hands. It’s the least I can do for a friend.”

  “You need to stop with the Chloe thing.”

  “Says who?” he muttered. “What are they doing?”

  “Construction.”

  “Ah.” Gavin refilled his glass. “That’s enough to drive any man to drink.”

  “And Tenzin said I need to bring Chloe in on the painting job.”

  “Are you going to bring me in on the painting job? I did obtain those gala invitations for you; I ought to know what illicit activities I’m supporting. You’re welcome, by the way.”

  “Yeah, how did you—?”

  “I sponsored a table for the gala. I’m a benefactor of the arts now. They’ll be asking me for charitable contributions for the next two hundred years.” Gavin tasted his scotch. Added a little water. “I was allowed to invite seven other people. You and Tenzin are two. Chloe will be the third.”

  “She doesn’t need to—”

  “Yes.” Gavin set his glass down on the bar. “She does.”

  Ben grew silent. “Are we going to have a problem about this, Gav?”

  “She’s not yours, Ben. You need to stop treating her as such.”

  “She’s not yours either.”

  Gavin picked up his drink and sipped it. “A beautiful girl who likes to dance deserves a night at a gala where she can wear a gown and be treated like a queen. You’ll introduce her to much of New York’s immortal society and associate her face with you, Tenzin, and your uncle’s aegis, which is not a bad thing for her safety. Plus her presence will keep the focus on the new girl instead of whatever mischief you and Tenzin are up to. So yes, Ben. She needs to be at the gala.”
<
br />   Damn clever Scotsman. “You planned that all out very neatly, didn’t you?”

  Gavin smiled. “Yes, I did.”

  “Fine. I’m bringing Emilie, so Tenzin and Chloe can go together.”

  Gavin’s eyes glazed over.

  Ben snapped his fingers in front of Gavin’s face. “Cut it out.”

  He blinked. “Sorry. Just enjoying a mental scenario I’ll never witness. You’re bringing your human girl?”

  Ben ground his teeth. “Yes. I’m bringing Emilie.”

  Gavin shrugged. “Fine. That makes four at my table. I’ll tell them to put three random humans with us so your girl won’t be uncomfortable.” He fiddled with a toothpick on the bar. “Do you know what color Chloe is wearing?”

  “No, and it’s none of your business.”

  “I’ll ask Tenzin. So tell me about this painting and why we want it? I haven’t stolen anything in too long. I’m nearly respectable now. It’s boring.”

  “We’re not stealing it,” Ben said. “We’re finding it and retrieving it for its rightful owner, who is the family of the artist.”

  Gavin grinned. “So we’re self-righteous thieves this time? Excellent.”

  “I’m telling you. We’re not…” He shook his head. “We don’t know where the third painting is. Not yet. But the other two are newly displayed at the surrealist exhibit at MoMA, which was sponsored by Historic New York.”

  “And you have what evidence that the third exists?”

  “Gut feeling.”

  Gavin gave him a look. “Seriously?”

  “Yes, seriously. Plus I think vampires are involved. Be honest. How many pieces of art conveniently ended up in immortal hands after the Second World War?”

  “I don’t know.” Gavin’s fangs fell. “How many priceless historic artifacts and artistic masterpieces have humans destroyed with bullets and bombs over the years?”

  “I’m not trying to start a fight, Gavin.”

  The vampire shook his head and bit back on his temper. “Fine. We’ll entertain this for the time being. Are the owners noted in the listing at the museum or online?”

  “Anonymous. Private collection.”

  “Hmm.” Gavin tugged at his lip. “Could be human or vampire. I’m guessing vampire since most humans like to preen.”