by Colleen Tews
“Oh hey, Sasha.” I leapt over the couch arm and half-skipped to her. “Why can’t I report to Lucian?”
“It’s too dangerous right now. Hopefully in a day or two you’ll be able to see him again. Get what you can from Raphe. I’ll get Lucian over here soon. I promise.”
The giddy excitement of the night faded away into heartache. “Don’t worry sweetie. I’m sure he misses you just as much as you miss him.” Sasha was such a good friend. She didn’t need to reassure me of my standings with him, but her wistful words lightened my mood.
I gave a half-hearted shrug. “I’m sure you are right. But in a way I hope you aren’t because being apart like this feels like crap and I really don’t want him to have to feel crappy.”
“You are too cute and so young.” She pinched my cheeks.
“Stop.” I swatted at her hand.
Sasha mocked me with a grin and a chuckle before she left.
I pushed off the door and went to the staircase. I shook the sturdy handrail. This was all mine. Every last nook and cranny belonged to me. I’d never had my own place before. Smiling, I bolted up the stairs, skipping steps, eager to pick out my bedroom.
Chapter 15
A knock at the bedroom door woke me from my daily slumber. Half asleep I called out, “Come in.”
Albert entered the room. His modest, pressed black suit fit the new house. He was an added bonus Sasha neglected to mention last night. He scared the hell out of me when I caught him turning down sheets. Tonight, he carried a silver tray with a wine glass full of blood and my cell phone.
The bedroom I chose was swathed in luxurious comfort. Its crisp cream paint with light gold highlights offset the black iron bed I lied in. I pulled red silk sheets and a soft, thick red comforter over my head. Before the cover shielded my eyes Albert paused between the black loveseat at the end of the bed and the black iron table with its green glass top. “Ma’am you have a phone call.”
“Who is it?” I slid the comforter under my nose.
He took that as a sign to come closer. Albert set the tray on the black lacer nightstand by the headboard and turned on the bedside lamp. Its iridescence brought out the red and green shades that were woven into the heavy curtains. They were so heavily woven that without the light the drapes appeared black. “A Master Raphe, ma’am, he said you are expecting a call this evening.”
“Crap, yeah.” I pushed up on the mound of pillows against the headboard. Then retrieved the phone and brushed hair out of my face. “Hello?”
“Hello beautiful, how are you this evening?” His deep playful voice brought a smile to my face. I envisioned the twinkle in those icy blue eyes.
“I’m doing better now. I have to admit I’m still in bed.”
“Really?” That one word spoke of the mischievous possibilities he plotted for us tonight. “Would you like some company?”
“I would love company. Unfortunately for you I’m not that kind of girl.” I caught a glimpse of Albert through the corner of my eye. He stood against the mirrored walk-in closet smirking. He blushed and attempted to hide his amusement by diverting his eyes. I threw a pillow at him. It bounced off his head and he caught the cotton filled fluff ball before it hit the floor.
“And what kind of girl is that?”
“The kind that fuck a guy before he’s bought her dinner.”
“Then I will just have to feed you soon then, won’t I? Will breakfast be just as good?”
“Either one will work with our odd schedules.”
“Then come to my place tonight. Get dressed, or not, your choice, and have dinner with me, my treat. I have a variety of people that will quench that first morning thirst.”
“Only one problem though, I don’t know where you live.”
“Do you have a pen and paper handy?”
“What an odd question to ask someone who just told you they hadn’t gotten out of bed yet.”
“How could I forget? I’ll call back and leave a message with my address. See you around ten-ish.”
“I’ll be there with bells on.”
“Only?”
“I’ll think about it.”
“Fantastic. See you later then beautiful.”
“Bye.” I hung up the phone then fell sideways onto the bed. My face smashed into the comforter. “I have no idea what I am doing.”
“I’m sure you will figure it out as you go.”
I sat up in time to catch the pillow in the face. He stood there, staring straight ahead, with a small quirk of the lip. “Oh yeah, I’m sure you’re right, Al, because I am just so quick on the draw.”
I tossed aside the pillow; then scooted out of bed. He sidestepped out of my way, allowing me access to my closet. I slid open the door and started figuring out what to wear. The contents of the closet ranged from regular jeans and t-shirts of all colors, to evening gowns and cocktail dresses. Lucian, although more likely Sasha, thought of everything.
After a few minutes of riffling through everything two, three or twelve times I decided on something flattering but not overly revealing. I laid out a black skirt with an uneven pointed hemline and a black low v-neck shirt with a sheer overlap. The sleeves were a short extension of the overlap and sliced up the middle to allow the fabric to move with the breeze. “Can’t go wrong with basic black.”
“Shall I draw you a bath ma’am?” He stood next to the bedroom door ready to leave.
“No, I’ll just take a shower. Thanks though, I appreciate it.”
“My pleasure ma’am.” He hesitated with a hand on the doorknob. “If I may be so bold ma’am could I ask why are you going through all this trouble?”
“You mean why am I plotting to seduce the sheriff of the city?” I thought it was obvious. When one plotted to overthrow a government your first step is to weaken its defenses.
“Yes. I couldn’t help but over hear you and Sasha last night. Master Lucian and you hold each other in high regard; are you willing to jeopardize that relationship by getting involved with this sheriff?”
I spread the shirt out on the bed and pondered over what Albert asked. It never occurred to me what Lucian might have thought if I slept with someone. I suddenly got angry. I didn’t know if I was angry with myself for not thinking about Lucian’s reaction or Albert for bringing it up.
Then it hit me as to why I hadn’t thought of it before. “I am doing this for Lucian. He wants this city bad. If I can help get it for him then it is worth getting a little down and dirty with an attractive guy. He’ll understand.”
“Very well ma’am, is there anything else you will need from me this evening?”
I turned my back on him as I got my breakfast. I shook my head to the sound of the door closing. The bastard closed the door on me before I answered. I chugged down the blood, wishing I could savor it a bit more, and ran out of the room.
“Albert.”
He stopped with his back to me. “Yes ma’am.”
“What gives?”
He pivoted. His shoulders slumped, eyes widened and brow furrowed. “Pardon me?”
“Last night you acted all nice and polite. Even to the point where you refused to call me by my name in order to maintain proper etiquette. You followed Sasha’s orders to the letter, which led me to believe that you will do anything and everything asked of you. Then today you stood in there, questioned me, and then judged me.”
Albert raised a palm, pleading me to stop. His lips quivered with uncertainty. Small bags under his eyes cradled the sad growing intensity. Words fumbled on the tip of his tongue. He dropped his hands to his sides. Frustrated sadness mixed with the protective nature I sensed from a father to his child came off of him in waves.
My anger subsided into utter confusion. “Wait, you were rude to me because you’re worried for me?”
“Yes ma’am.”
“Why are you worried about me? You’re the ghoul. I’m the vampire. Shouldn’t this be the other way around?” This became more baffling by the second.
<
br /> He took in a long, deep breath. “Before I was drafted to work for Lucian I belonged to the Primus of Chicago; you may have heard of Priscilla of Cemal House.”
“Only by reputation, she was said to be a fairly lenient Primus. Where is this going?” I put my hands on my hips. I liked story time, but something in my gut told me I might not like what he had to say.
“Her Lieutenant was Caelyn.”
“You know Caelyn?” An ache tightened in my chest. I tried to avoid knowing what was going on in his life ever since I ran away. Until now I was doing pretty well at pretending he didn’t exist.
“He spoke very highly of you, Angela.” He made small steps closer to me.
“Don’t call me that.” I speed-walked toward the bathroom. I should have trusted my gut. Before I reached for the bathroom Albert slid between the door and I.
“When Lucian’s army attacked Chicago Caelyn was at the front line. He left Priscilla in the safety of her guards and took Lucian head on. But Lucian saw right through the ploy. Caelyn and I got there too late.” His words trailed off as his eyes clouded with the haunting memory. It was as if there was something else he wanted to say, but dared not find the words. “He slaughtered her.”
“Why are you telling me this?”
“I’m telling you this because you deserve to know who you are risking everything for. I owe Caelyn that much, to stand by your side no matter what you choose. And to make that choice you need the facts. He was a dear friend.” The cloud in his eyes lifted and revealed a slight twinkle of hope. “It’s funny how much he spoke of you. Sometimes I had to stop and remind myself that you aren’t his biological daughter.”
I choked out half a laugh. Aside from pure curiosity, I dreaded asking this next question. “Did Caelyn make it out alive?”
“Lucian let him go.”
“Good.” The grandfather clock in the dinning hall chimed nine. “Crap.”
I wiped the unshed tears from my eyes. “I have to finish getting ready.”
“You’re choosing to help Lucian, still?” His thick eyebrows almost touched his hairline.
“I have to. I knew what kind of vampire Lucian was before I agreed to work with him. This changes nothing.” I sidestepped around Albert.
“I promised to stand by whatever you decide, but you are disrespecting the vampire who raised you, who loves you like a daughter.” He grabbed my upper arm.
“I don’t see it that way. I respect Caelyn by staying out of his life.”
“That’s an odd way of looking at it.”
“Yeah, well, I’m an odd person. If Lucian wanted him dead he would’ve killed him. I’m sorry about Priscilla. Horrible things happen in war. Besides he isn’t the only reason I’m going through with this, my friends were murdered because of the Cabal bastards in Kent. We’ve both lost people we cared about. If Lucian had killed him, too, then that would be different. Instead he let him go. Now if you’ll excuse me I have a date to get ready for in a very short amount of time.”
“Very well ma’am.”
“And stop calling me ma’am. My name is Veronica. Get used to it.” I headed into the bathroom.
“As you wish, Veronica.” Albert started back down the hall towards the stairs.
I poked my head out the door. “And Al.” I waited till he stopped and turned around before continuing. “Thanks for telling me about Caelyn. I didn’t think I wanted to know, but now that I do, it’s enlightening. So thanks.”
“Your welcome.” He gave me a phantom smile then proceeded down the corridor. “Though I would be lying if I said I am not depressed by how little this knowledge changed things for you.”
I nodded, respectfully, and closed the door. I leaned back against it, took comfort in solidarity. Part of me agreed with Albert. Another part knew no amount of Lucian’s life history detoured the path I was on.
Chapter 16
After a quick twenty-minute drive into Kent, via Mustang, I arrived at Raphe’s shabby, two-story house. White paint chipped and peeled due to age and weather damage. The yard was a blanket of snow. Small, unattended shrubs protruded around the front of the house with their snowy caps. A tall, stringy stretch of barren trees ran the length of the property like a natural fence. A broken cement driveway was polluted with a string of expensive luxury vehicles. At the bottom corner of the yard stood a black lamppost about six and half feet high. All the windows, but one, were covered with heavy blankets. A man’s silhouette passed in the window above the door.
I parked across the street, slid out of the car, buttoned my brown suede coat with its fluffy fur border, and crossed the street. The moment I passed the lamppost the world shifted under my feet. I braced myself on the trunk of a silver Cadillac. A foggy haze disrupted my vision and escalated into a cold light-headed wash that spread over my body. I closed my eyes to settle the sudden uneasiness. Much to my surprise when I regained a sense of composure and opened my eyes the house before me was not the house I saw a second ago.
This house was modern with powder blue vinyl siding. There was a picture window with plump shrubs under it. Light bathed the pale wooden porch. Every light was on.
I tried to remember the initial image of Raphe’s house but could not recall it. I listened to the message Raphe left and rechecked the address. They matched. My confusion faded away as the last of wooziness vanished. The distance from the street and the shadows must have made the house look different.
I walked up onto the porch, pressed the doorbell, heard a soft ding-dong from inside, and waited for someone to let me in. I didn’t have to wait very long. A woman with waves of copper hair around her face opened the door. Sensual blue eyes sparkled under a thick layer of black mascara drenched lashes. A soft chin supported full, smiling, red lips on her pale, oval face. She looked eager in a tight leather bodice with silver clasps that started at her massive mound of exposed cleavage and trailed all the way down. Sheer, red, silk covered her nether region and showed off black and red lace panties that matched her lipstick. Black stilettos with silver pumps added length to her long, tone legs. She laughed at first, but upon seeing me her happy, seductive greeting faltered. I recognized her as the girl from the coffee table at the frat house.
“Hello. Can I help you?” She checked me over as she asked. Her light voice and somewhat friendly disposition had suspicious suggestions.
“Yes, hi, I’m here to see Raphe.” I aimed to be as polite as I could while being judged.
She leaned against the doorframe, closing the door against her body, and blocked my view. “Is he expecting you?”
Standing this close to her I heard the sound of her heart beat and saw the pulse in her neck. Yet, her breath held a faint smell of fresh blood. “He asked me to come over about an hour ago.”
“Alright, but he is tied up at the moment. You should come back later.”
Raphe yelled from inside, “Stacey, let my guest in.”
Any residual sign of a smile she had vanished as Raphe stripped her of her door authority. She dropped her eyes to the floor. Stacey reluctantly stepped back, opened the door, and allowed me to enter.
The inside of Raphe’s place was as nice as the exterior. Pale blue walls were covered with pictures of various locations, cities and scenery from all around the world. Black, plush, leather couch was under the picture window. A floor lamp set in the corner. The far wall was a system of shelving set up for entertainment. Across the room was a dual swing door, like you would see in Wild West movies. Next to that was a matching leather loveseat pushed against a staircase, carpeted in navy blue.
Raphe stood at the top of the staircase, gazing down at me, lit from the second floor hallway. The light created a slight halo affect around him that made it hard to really see his face. Small, black swirls of chest hair speckled his lean, naked upper body and a thin trail led down into taut black leather pants. As Raphe descended I noticed he was barefoot. “Sorry about the confusion. It’s been one of those nights.”
Raphe ble
w past Stacey as if she wasn’t there and embraced me. I let his strong arms encircle my waist, outside the coat. I reached around his neck, placing my head in the nape of his neck, and returned the affectionate greeting. I took in the scent of him; so warm, so inviting. Faint musky cologne mingled with his natural aroma. I expected to smell blood, believing he had fed off Stacey before I arrived after smelling blood on her, but there wasn’t any. “Has anyone told you lately how wonderful you smell?”
He chuckled low in his chest. “No, but thank you. I could say the same about you.”
He leaned back only to lay those full lips of his against my cheek. At this angle lower parts of our bodies pressed firm together. “Stacey, be a doll, and get the drinks from the kitchen.” He didn’t look away from me when he ordered her to get the beverages.
She stalked off in a hastened huff. Her heels sank into the navy blue carpet. It wasn’t until well after she slammed through the swinging door that the rapid distinctive clicks of her heels were heard.
“Let’s have a seat. There’s no point in standing in front an open door.” He escorted me to the loveseat with an arm around my waist. Raphe lounged into the corner closest to the swinging door. Like a wolf tired after a long hunt, he stretched one arm across the back of the couch and the other propped his head with his elbow on the armrest and his legs open wide. I struggled to maintain eye contact.
Sasha told me that Freud said when you sat down near the person you desired and crossed your legs you subconsciously pointed your knees toward that person to express your feelings without having to say a word. I took that small lesson in psychology into practice and gracefully, consciously, sat next to Raphe. It’s all about body language.
“You okay?” Raphe dropped his elbow as he cocked his head.
