Olivier was waiting in the foyer when I returned, holding my birdcage and glaring at me. “You sent an Uber.” I didn’t answer so she continued. “For birds.”
I shrugged with a smile. “I couldn’t take them into the store. What would you have done?” I was carrying a few shopping bags, but I managed to take the cage from her with my free hand and checked on the birds. They were sitting on the little perch chirping to each other.
“I would’ve just opened the cage door and let nature do its thing.” She furiously wiped the hand that had held the cage on her leather dress like the birds had given her cooties.
“Pet hater,” I threw over my shoulder as I started walking up the staircase. Othello’s secretary had given me my new room assignment via text, so I headed up to the top floor, which was reserved for visiting guests, like the Council, and the oldest vampires. I had the seniority to live up there with the big boys, but I’d preferred my old room on the third floor. Until now, that is.
I eventually found my new room after passing several groups of Council members sitting in the top floor lounge. I had a feeling the ones glaring at me were some of the 4 people that wanted me to die. Nice talk, gentlemen.
The key was already in the door to my new suite, so I turned it and stepped inside. Completely bare of color and furniture, it had a similar layout to my old rooms with a corner window spread, but it was larger, with five bedrooms instead of two. One for the couple, one for the child, and three for their companions.
I sat down on the floor, set the birdcage and my bags down next to me, and hugged my knees to my chest. I felt tiny in the huge space. It was meant for a family. I was alone. My birds were still singing to each other. I looked over at them and saw they were already getting along.
My birds had more friends than me.
Olivier interrupted what was turning out to be a lovely decorating plan by bursting into my new rooms without knocking. I’d carried my desk and chair up from my old rooms and was sitting at it, pen and paper on one side and the birdcage on the other.
“Where’s the fire?” I asked her. I was joking, but she looked way too serious. “Shit, did you tear someone’s arm off again?”
“You jest, but I am about to tear something in half downstairs, and it won’t be pretty if I do.”
I got up and walked to her calmly. “Okay, what’s wrong?”
“It’s the turned. You know I’ve been teaching them on my own, and that’s been a fucking parade.” She made a raspberry sound with her tongue in frustration. “I am capable and smart, but I’m not you. I need you back. Get your job back. Please. I am begging you. The Princess of Morocco is begging you.” I hadn’t forgotten she was actually a princess, I just never remembered it when I thought of her. The fact that she was mentioning it showed how serious she was about this. And probably how serious she was about tearing something in half.
“Alright alright, calm down. I’ll try to get my job back.”
Olivier grabbed my hand and kissed it, then held it to her brown forehead. “Thankyou–thankyou–thankyou…”
I patted the top of her short curly black hair. “There there. Now, what’s going on with them that’s so aggravating?”
She straightened and growled, “Everything!” She paced the floor. “They don’t listen to me anymore. At every turn, it’s ‘Why can’t we do this?’ and ‘That’s a stupid rule!’ and ‘You can’t tell us what to do!’ It’s a fucking nightmare! Plus, Renard is with them so he gets to see me yelling at them just to keep them in line!”
“Yelling isn’t the preferred method,” I pointed out.
“I’m not you,” she repeated. “I don’t solve things with words and explanations. I solve them with a gun in their face.”
“Please tell me you haven’t tried that.”
She angrily crossed her arms over her chest. “Othello said I couldn’t have a gun.” I raised my eyes to the heavens in thanks. “I feel powerless. When I was out as a Hunter, I knew what was expected of me, how I was supposed to react, and how things would play out. The turned are wild cards. Especially this group.”
“I hear and acknowledge your words. I will go see Othello right now to get my job back.” I went back to my desk to put my shoes on.
Olivier waved a hand at me. “I can go for you.” She sounded like she was just trying to be helpful, but she had a look on her face that didn’t speak helpful. I narrowed my eyes at her.
“He’s not the father, I can see him whenever I want to.” She put her hands up in an ‘if you say so’ shrug because she still didn’t believe me. I rolled my eyes and left, pushing her out the door with me.
“Hello, Marie,” I greeted cordially when I’d reached the side corridor outside of Othello’s office. In the Born part of the castle, the carpet was hunter green and the walls a creamy beige, in keeping with our hunting lodge theme of décor. All we needed was some mounted deer heads and we’d look exactly like a British smoke club.
After standing for several minutes, wrinkling my nose at the painting of fox hounds taking down a stag that was hanging behind Marie’s desk, I realized she was full-on ignoring me. Now that she was Othello’s mate, it seemed she still hadn’t learned to not hate me for grabbing his attention.
I lifted my fist over her walnut desk, right where she had an antique glass lamp. I could break the shit out of it easily. “If you’re too busy to talk to me, I can always put a hole in your desk.”
Marie bounced up, getting between my fist and her antiques. “Othello is absolutely busy. I’m sorry, but he can’t see you right now.”
Instead of punching her in the face, which would have made me very happy, I crossed the short distance to a couch on the other side of the hallway and planted myself on it. Marie buried her face in a blue folder, still ignoring me, and I as rolled my eyes, I picked up one of the mints Marie kept on a lamp table beside the couch. It tasted like soap. Why would she have soap that looks like candy?
Sitting there, it worried me that the turned were acting unfavorably. Even though they usually questioned our methods and rules, they usually were okay with our answers. Though I hated to do so, I slightly suspected Olivier was blowing it all out of proportion with her short temper. It was easy to blame an unruly child’s behavior on the child itself, and not on the person in charge of them. Still, I was open to both sides of the situation.
Othello came from his office just then with Castilla, of all people. They shook hands and said a few business pleasantries before they noticed me. I tossed the mint wrapper into the bin next to the sofa and stood up with a smile.
“Elisabeth,” Castilla said with a respectful nod. “We were just making arrangements for the Council members to be sent home. Your castle is extraordinary, but I can’t say I’m not excited to see Spain again.” They’d been here so long, but that was their own fault for being indecisive.
“I’m sorry everyone had to stay here for such an extended time,” I apologized, feeling no guilt whatsoever. Now that I wasn’t under trial, Castilla had much more warmth to her, and she smiled at me like we were friends. So not.
“You should be honored we were here for so long. We have a profound respect for you. There are very few of us that are as old as you. It would have been an utter tragedy to end your life, and I’m very glad it did not come to that.” She stepped over to me and kissed me on both cheeks. “May I?” she asked. I didn’t know what she meant until she gestured to my belly. I nodded, and she placed a hand on my stomach before closing her eyes. “Mmm, a sweet child. She will be strong, like her mother.” She. Damn it, more spoilers. Castilla stopped smiling and concentrated on what she was sensing. “She’s different. I can’t tell what I’m seeing.” I lifted Castilla’s hand from my stomach. I didn’t want her delving too much. I should have never let her do that. She straightened and tried to smile. “I’m sorry, I must be tired. I’m known for baby reading. I can tell things about children when they’re still in their mother’s womb. That was… strange.” My hands
automatically went around my stomach, as if I was trying to protect my child from her. She shook her head and smiled wider to hide her unrest. “Ignore me, I’m an old soul. I saw love. This baby will bring you much happiness.”
I thanked her and she left, thank god.
Othello smiled when I turned to him. “Lisbeth. What can I do for you?”
“I need to discuss a few things.”
He held out a hand towards the open doors. “Come. We’ll talk in my office.” Marie tried to follow us with an entitled smirk, but Othello shut the door in her face. He sighed heavily and went to sit behind his massive dark brown desk. “You’re wondering why I chose her,” he said. Actually, I didn’t give a flying fuck. He was free to do whatever the hell he wanted. “She’s annoying, I won’t lie. But I needed a mate. I thought if I was mated, they might let me oversee your trial. It didn’t work.” Oh my fucking god. As usual, he made a pointless gesture for me and didn’t think of himself first. Gods, this man was hopeless.
“Now you’re stuck with her forever,” I said. He looked unhappy, and I felt slight guilt over it. Slight.
He shook it off like it meant nothing to him. And she probably didn’t. “So. What did you need from me?”
“I’d like my old job back, if that’s acceptable. Olivier needs my help with the turned.”
“Done. Anything else?”
“Just like that?” I asked in surprise.
“Just like that,” he answered back.
“You do remember I was on trial, right?”
“And you were pardoned. There’s no reason to keep you from doing anything.” He stood up and retrieved some paperwork from a file cabinet, bringing them over for me to sign. “The papers for getting your job back.” I signed them with his big feather pen and handed the stack back, then he took it to his desk and put his seal on them. “I’m sure you’ve been informed that the turned have been a bit… unruly as of late.” That’s what he calls it? “I expect you and Olivier to report any changes to me. It’s your job to control the turned. Find out what’s going on down there, and end it.” I nodded and waited for him to dismiss me. Instead, he came out from behind the desk and stood in front of me. Shit. He had his serious face on. Was he going to hit on me? “People think your child is mine. That’s why Marie is acting like that. Not that she was much better before. I assume you know of this rumor?” I wasn’t surprised he was bringing this up, but it made me uncomfortable. At least he wasn’t flirting with me like usual.
“Olivier mentioned it.”
He studied me, maybe waiting for me to confess who the father was, maybe feeling hurt that I’d found someone else that wasn’t him. Owing to his very long and extended crush on me, I wasn’t expecting what he said next.
“I apologize for the affection I showed you before. I knew it was unwanted, and I pushed it on you without consideration for your feelings. Being with Marie has certainly shown me what that feels like.”
I saw a glimpse of the regret I assumed he didn’t have over choosing Marie. A minuscule part of me felt bad that I’d been slightly mean to him over his affection towards me. I tried to smooth it over by smiling at him. “You were fond of me. It’s not your fault.”
He shook his head, tapping his long, yellow fingernails against the wood of his desk. “I was fond of the idea of you. When you left as a fledgling, you had a taste of the world. You came back different so I was certain you wouldn’t stay. It scared me, and I thought that if I could make you love me, you’d never leave again. And then it just became a habit, showering you with gifts and my attention. I had done it for so long I forgot why I’d started. I forgot that you were once somewhat my daughter.” While it all made sense, he was, as always, misguided in his actions.
“I never loved you as a father,” I told him blankly, feeling slightly bad about it. A look of hurt flitted across his face, but then it was gone. “Maybe now we can be friends?”
He reached out for me and I stepped into a hug. I expected to feel the revulsion I usually felt when I was this close to him, but that sensation didn’t come. Instead, I felt relief. Extreme, relaxing relief.
“I’m sorry,” he said as he rubbed my shoulder. “We wasted so many years. I wasn’t there for you when you needed me, and I alienated you from the rest of the Order. You were never fully invested in any part of our world except for your job. You’re my right hand. You should know everything that goes on here, but you stayed away. I neglected my duties to you.” He let me go and took a step back to give me space. “Please, let me make amends for all that I’ve done.”
I’d never expected such a turnaround from him. He was right, I’d kept my distance from everything in the Order that I wasn’t part of. I didn’t educate myself about anything I didn’t need to, because it would’ve meant being near Othello. Maybe if I had, I’d have known how to deal with James, and I would have known the Council gives fair trials. I wouldn’t have run. And I wouldn’t have met Knight. I supposed it was better this way. It seemed everything had happened for a reason, even Othello crushing on me.
“We can’t change the past,” I told Othello, and managed a smile. “But we can make a new future. I’ll be involved. You tell me what to learn or do, and I’ll do my best.”
“Splendid,” Othello said with an answering, but appropriate, grin. “With regards to your child, I can tell everyone I’m not the father. I’ll make a public statement.”
“No. Please don’t do that,” I pleaded in a rush, almost reaching out for his hands. He raised his eyebrows in question, and I felt stupid reacting so strongly. “If they know it’s not you, they might try to find out who the real father is.” I couldn’t take a risk like that. Castilla’s baby reading had spooked me.
“Very well. I won’t try to discover your motives. You’d tell me if there was a problem.” He started walking to the doors and motioned for me to follow. “Get lots of rest, don’t overdo it. I’ll let you know when I need you.” He opened the door and waved me out.
8. Managing the Hunters
On the trek back to my rooms, I felt nostalgia over the past year and everything that had transpired along the way.
Breaking the law. Meeting Knight. Being bitten and forced into borderline servitude. Working together with the man who should’ve been my enemy to break free.
Then I’d fallen in love, for real, after centuries of waiting for the right person to come along. And just as quickly, he’d been taken away from me.
I’d been put on trial for my crimes while at the same time becoming pregnant. After months of will they won’t they, I was set free, only to discover that not only had my best friend turned himself into a vampire, my baby daddy had deserted me.
The cherry on top was Othello finally leaving me alone so I was free to continue whatever type of life I could have after all those things.
It would be a fresh start for me. I’d never truly felt part of the group. My closest friend was an outsider, so it only made sense that I’d secretly felt the same. Maybe it was not knowing who my parents were. Something had held me back. And now I could feel myself opening up again, because this was a new day for me. No more hiding in my room. I did that far too often, my imprisonment aside. It was time to change, from a recluse to… whatever the opposite of that was. Social butterfly? No. That sounded exhausting.
I returned to my rooms to find Benjamin and Alfred sitting on the floor playing cards. Without Arthur to instruct them, they were now under my supervision. They stood up when they saw me, and stood at attention. I was going to shoot Arthur for sticking me with them. I felt like someone else had picked out a cat for me, and the cat hated me.
“Gentlemen,” I acknowledged, nodding. “You.” I motioned toward Alfred. “I’d like your real name, please.”
“You cannot pronounce it,” he said in his thick African accent.
“Son, I’m over four hundred years old. I think I can keep up.” He ignored me so I sighed in defeat. “Fine. Your name is Alfred now. You good with th
at?” He looked like he’d rather stick his head in the toilet, but he nodded. “Two of the bedrooms are for you. You can fight over who gets which one. It doesn’t matter to me, so feel free. Where were you sleeping before now?”
“Arthur’s room,” Benjamin answered.
I noticed two army bags against the wall. Their only possessions, no doubt. I went over to my purse and fished out one of my credit cards. “Here. You can use this to buy furniture, or clothes, or a Monet painting. Hell, get yourself a statue of Aphrodite. Whatever you need. It has no limit.” Benjamin took it and stared at the little card like it was the holy grail. They both looked at me with wonder and surprise.
“May we keep whatever we buy? When we are set free, I mean,” Alfred asked cautiously. Set free, he said, like this was a prison. God, Arthur sucked.
“Yes, don’t be silly. You can keep everything. I won’t be needing it. So, you know, go crazy.” The room was silent, except for the occasional chirps from my birds. It seemed the men hadn’t been told that shopping privileges were part of the companion arrangement. I wasn’t too surprised since Arthur didn’t know our standards, or more like didn’t care to know them. “Look,” I told the two men. “I’m supposed to make you comfortable and happy while you provide me with the blood I need. That’s how this works. So please, for me, go buy the things you need. They’ll give you a car in the garage, and the stores in town know our address if they have to deliver anything.” Benjamin walked to the front door, but Alfred stopped in front of me.
“Thank you, ma’am,” he said, a genuine amount of respect on his face. Bet he felt bad for not telling me his name now!
I smiled back at my reluctant cats. “Have fun, go shit crazy. But be back here later. I need you to help me assemble my bed when it’s delivered. Don’t forget to buy yourselves beds as well. You can’t sleep on the floor.”
“Arthur didn’t care where we slept,” Alfred said quietly.
The Born Vampire series: A Reverse Harem Paranormal Romance (The Complete Series, NSFW Edition) Page 24
