She rolled her eyes. “Yes. He has a TV, Ram, but that’s not the same thing as personal attention.”
I supposed I could see that.
“He doesn’t have the energy to carry on a conversation, but needs company. This seemed like a good solution.”
It made sense in a feminine, and therefore odd, way. “What’s that you have there?” I was referrin’ to a folder of papers in her hand.
“I type up as much of the stories, fairy tales, as I can remember.” I narrowed my eyes at her. “Sorry. I mean, um, elf tales.” Her smile was sheepish as if she had forgotten ‘twas a trigger for my temper.
“Better. I’ll go with you. I’d like to hear these elf tales myself.”
“Okay.” She looked dubious. “But remember, Ram, this is for his benefit.”
“What? Are you suggestin’ I can no’ be selfless?”
She just laughed.
I sat on the windowsill in Touchstone’s room and listened to Elora read. I did no’ think the story was great, but listenin’ to my mate’s voice was so soothing I felt a calm settle over me for, perhaps, the first time in my life when in an environment outside the New Forest. The feelin’ was so strange I could almost say ‘twas alien to my more naturally frenetic state of bein’.
The story was about a young girl, a ragin’ bitch of a stepmother, and a bunch of dwarves. The dwarf thing was creepy if you ask me. I would have kept my opinion to myself, but in the elevator goin’ back upstairs, she asked, “What did you think?”
I can no’ lie to my mate. So I told her the truth. “’Twas a stupid story.” Her eyes flared wide for a second, but then she just laughed and did no’ seem to mind that I did no’ care for the tale. “But I thoroughly enjoyed hearin’ the tellin’ of it,” I added quietly.
The compliment made her turn shy. She was a paradox. This smart polished woman with, well, super powers also had a vulnerability and even innocence about her. Most people, those who think I’m shallow, would question the Fates makin’ such a complex matin’ for me. I mean most people would no’ use ‘sensitive’ as a descriptor when they think of me. But I would do whatever needed doin’ to meet her needs, however complicated they were.
After that I joined her every night to hear another story.
And almost every day with Elora brought a new revelation or surprise.
“You what?” I was almost shakin’ from hearin’ her tell me that she had personal encounters with that insane beast downstairs, the one who did a fine impression of rabid.
“You heard me perfectly well. I’ve been working with him for weeks and we’ve progressed to the stage where I need to see how he’ll react to other people.”
I narrowed my eyes at her. “Elora, do no’ try to deflect with that haughty superior thing you do ‘cause we’re stayin’ on point and ‘tis this, people call me reckless, but even I think this is looney. You’d have to have a death wish to go inside the cage with that animal!”
“Come see. You’ll change your mind. Promise.”
When she looked at me that way, I knew I would never stand a chance of standin’ in her way when she wanted something. If she wanted to see me torn apart by that feral hound, I had no choice but to submit.
Then I saw her checkin’ a tranq pistol and packin’ it in a backpack.
“You know people do no’ usually need tranq’s big enough to bring down a rhino when they’re out for a stroll with their pet.”
“Just a precaution.” She looked at me sideways and smiled. I knew what was next. “Don’t be such an old woman. Come on.” She finished fillin’ the pockets of her hoodie with some kind of dog treats.
I had to laugh at the situation. “Who would have ever thought that you would end up being a bad influence on me?”
She stopped me at a corner of the network of hallways in the subterranean storage facilities, pulled the tranq gun from her bag, and handed it to me.
“Elora,” I began.
“It’s just a precaution, Ram. Promise. The pistol is loaded if you need it. But don’t worry. You won’t. Just give me a couple of minutes to say hello and prepare him. When I’m ready for you, I’ll call out.”
I caught her by the arm as she started away feelin’ really conflicted between allowin’ her to try and prove something with that monster and my desire to keep her safe. “Elora, are you very, very sure about this?” At first I did no’ grasp the implication of the sounds I was hearin’. She was makin’ chicken noises at me like we were ten years old.
“Bawk bawks? You’re no’ serious.”
Instead of replyin’, her bawk bawks just kept gettin’ louder and more obnoxious.
“I give you a first rate education in pop culture and then you use it against me?” She was good at it, too. There’s an art to bawk bawk delivery. “Oh for... fine. Waitin’ here.” But no’ likin’ it. At. All.
I held my breath, waitin’ for the inevitable snarlin’ and crashin’ against the chain link cage. But there was no’ a sound except for the clank of the metal gate latch openin’ and closin’, followed by Elora’s voice loud enough to know she was speakin’ but soft enough for me to no’ hear what was bein’ said, even with my ears.
When she called my name, I stepped around the corner bringin’ the strange sight into my field of vision. She was inside the cage, smilin’ like she’d won the lottery, standin’ next to the creature that was at present lookin’ more like a dog than a Tasmanian devil. She was holdin’ a leash and the mutt was sittin’ next to her actin’ like it was the most normal thing in the world.
When I took a step forward the dog rose to a crouch and pointed his ears toward me with a concentration that was alarmin’ in spite of the fact that he was behind chain link and remained quiet. The silence was short lived. As soon as I took another step he barked a warnin’.
Elora snapped the leash and told him to sit. When he did, she gave him one of those treats she’d stored in her pocket. The dog did no’ take his eyes off me, but did no’ show any further aggression, with her all the while tellin’ him he was a good boy. I would no’ have believed it if I had no’ seen it with my own eyes. I needed to add Enchantress of Wild and Crazed Creatures to her list of super powers.
Then she crossed a line. She got the dog to lie on his back and beg for a tummy rub.
“Now you’ve gone too far, Elora,” I said. “Allow the poor devil to keep a little bit of dignity. After all, he was originally intended to be J.U.’s mascot.”
She just laughed. “Come close to the cage so I can reach out and touch you.” She reached through a space about five feet high that was just big enough to get her arm through.
When I came closer the dog’s gaze flicked to the tranq gun and he gave up a growl that I would have thought was too soft for human ears to hear, but she corrected him immediately. She has extraordinary hearin’. Good to know.
She began to pet me, rubbin’ her hand across my hair and down my face to my shoulder. “See, Blackie, Ram’s a good boy, too.” I knew my plight had taken a pathetic turn when I realized I was revelin’ in bein’ petted and told I was a good boy, too. “Would you back up about twenty feet? We’re going to find out if he can maintain his manners on the outside.”
“Elora…”
“Keep your gun in hand. It’s just a precaution. He’ll be fine.”
She unlatched the gate and led the dog out, tellin’ him to heel, which he did. They walked away from me even though I could tell that no’ lookin’ back at me over his shoulder was goin’ against the dog’s sense of self-preservation.
“By Paddy, the beast trusts you,” I said under my breath.
When they started comin’ toward me, I laid the pistol over my forearm, kind of slow and casual like there was no’ a thing unusual about that. Elora walked the dog past me like ‘twas an everyday occurrence and then gave him praise and treats. He wagged his tail and grinned like a puppy.
“Well, what do you think?” she asked, giggling when he tried to steal licks from h
er face.
“I think nobody is goin’ to believe it. You’re amazin’.”
I did no’ know exactly how to interpret the look she gave me, maybe pride, or victory, but I knew I would never get tired of seein’ that expression on her face.
Blackie did no’ want to go back into the kennel, and who could blame him? But he proved that he could be bought for a price and ‘twas seven chicken treats.
That night at dinner Elora grinned as she told the rest of B Team about the transformation.
“You should have seen it. That slatherin’ mad beast was gentle as a little lamb,” I said.
“I’m not sure which one of you is crazier, my teammate,” Storm looked at me with daggers comin’ from his dark eyes, “or the new arrival to this world who may not know exactly how dangerous two-inch fangs can be.”
I opened my mouth to reply, but before I could speak I heard her sayin’, “Oh look who’s talking. How long are vampire fangs? Blackie’s fangs are not covered with bacteria that transforms DNA. So of the two of us, who’s crazier, Storm? You or me?” I sat back and smirked. My mate had put the great stolid Storm in his place. “Come with us tomorrow.” She looked between Kay and Storm. “Let me show you. Blackie needs to get used to more people.”
The next day Elora repeated the same maneuver, walkin’ Blackie past three of us, without incident.
“Which one of you three brave knights is willing to be the first to pet the dog?”
I’m willin’ to admit to a slight hesitation, but I could no’ let one of my teammates outshine me in Elora’s eyes. So I handed the pistol to Storm and stepped forward.
“Blackie, sit,” she said. “Come toward us slowly, no sudden movements. Hold the back of your hand out for him to sniff.”
The dog gave my hand a thorough sniffin’ followed by a little lick. I took that to mean I was cleared to touch in dog language. I touched his head between the ears and saw that he was relaxed. So I ran my hand over his lush coat that varied from coarse outer hair to silky undercoat.
“Good fella,” I told him.
With chicken treats and encouragement from Elora, he allowed Kay and Storm to pet him. Storm, bein’ the least animal-oriented of us, was probably least impressed, but he made an effort.
Blackie had just been put back in the kennel when he made all of us jump with a sudden burst of hellhound behavior. He was showin’ his very beautiful and lethal-lookin’ white fangs, snarlin’ and throwin’ himself against the chain link.
“Hey. What’s going on here?” A maintenance worker had come ‘round the corner.
Storm looked from the man to the dog, and back again. “I think maybe you’re the one who needs to answer that question. Is that a taser on your belt?” The man narrowed his eyes and looked uncertain as to how to answer. As Storm started walkin’ toward him he backed up. “What would maintenance personnel be doing with a taser inside Jefferson Unit?”
“It’s for self defense. How would you like to have the job of feeding that monster and cleaning up after it?” He looked both defensive and guilty.
Elora gasped. “You’ve been using a taser on my dog?”
Before I could process the fact that she’d referred to Blackie as ‘my’ dog, she was zappin’ the devil with his own taser and he was jerkin’ around on the ground. Storm took the taser from her hand before she killed the guy. That would have been a mess to clean up.
Kay had already called security. He put his foot on the maintenance worker’s chest when he tried to sit up. “I suggest you stay down until security gets here,” he said.
‘Twas no’ long before Kay was tellin’ them to take the guy and hold him pendin’ further inquiry. The investigation did no’ go in his favor, but did make all the difference to ‘Elora’s’ dog.
Elora took over Blackie’s care and feedin’. Soon afterward she had the dog off leash chasin’ tennis balls down the hallways and he was re-introduced as the Black Swan mascot at Lan’s posthumous ceremonial decoration. I can no’ tell you how proud I was when she entered the Chamber lookin’ like Diana herself.
She grinned before takin’ a seat next to me, the dog on her other side.
Before long she moved the dog into her apartment and it was okay with me. I imagined there was little in this world that Elora could no’ handle, but whatever was left, the dog would take care of. I suspected he would be fiercely protective of her and, like I said, that was okay with me.
“Blackie went berserk.” Her gaze flew to Kay when she realized that might be an offensive thing to say to a Berserker. “Uh, sorry, Kay.” He shrugged as if to say that he was no’ bothered. “They had this guy in chains, taking him across the Hub. Let me tell you, Blackie did not like him at all.”
O’ course we knew who ‘twas and knew exactly why the dog would object to a vampire bein’ near his mistress. We looked at each other unsure how much truth tellin’ would be prudent.
I turned my palms up to say I had no objection to havin’ her know what she’d observed. Storm looked at Kay who raised a shoulder, then he said, “You saw a very old and notorious vampire named Istvan Baka. He was captured nearly a hundred years ago and has been held in a facility in the Carpathian Mountains.”
“What’s he doing here?” she asked.
I answered. “’Tis above our pay grade. ‘Tis impossible to keep news of his bein’ here quiet. The purpose of the visit? Maybe only Sol knows.”
CHAPTER 12
Ram
Sol had called us, meaning B Team, to come into his office. It had already been decided that Ghost would be takin’ Lan’s place when I was cleared from the D.L. in ten days. So we had no idea what ‘twas about.
More curious was the fact that Elora had been included.
The four of us were gathered in the conference room adjacent to Sol’s office.
“Where is she?” Sol asked.
Storm got out his phone and called, but got no answer.
“Probably on the rugby field with her hellhound,” Kay said.
Sol opened the door and told the kid at the desk to go look for her at the rugby field.
“So what’s this about?” Storm asked Sol.
“We’ll wait until Ms. Laiken is present.”
That was my cue to take advantage of the coffee and cookie service.
I was halfway through a cup when she came breezin’ in, lookin’ for all the world like autumn itself with her bright hair and color in her cheeks. How I would have loved to grab her and kiss her senseless. She closed the door behind her and unsnapped Blackie’s leash. “Am I late?”
Sol’s ears turned pink from wantin’ to dress her down right there, but since she did no’ work for him, technically, he had to rein it in. ‘Twas amusin’ beyond description.
The dog, bein’ exceptionally smart as well as an excellent judge of character, came right to me, put his head on my thigh, and waited - eyes bright, ears forward, for a pet. As I gave the pooch a rub behind the ear with one hand, Elora sat down next to me and grabbed the half-eaten cookie I was holdin’ with the other. Some people might have bristled at such a proprietary display, but ‘twas pure pleasure to have her behave in such a familiar way with me. She tried to wash the ginger snap down with my coffee, but pulled back and screwed up her face when she tasted it.
I laughed. “Serves you right. Get your own.”
Sol cleared his throat. “Shall we get down to business, children?” ‘Twasn’t particularly surprisin’ that we did no’ answer a rhetorical question. I waited quietly for him to get past his little pout and continue. Elora nodded and got up to make herself a cream and sugar with a touch of coffee. “You’re aware that we’re losing ground with the vampire infestation in New York…”
He had to be talkin’ specifically to B Team, what was left of us, obviously. Elora would no’ know anything about whether or no’ we were holdin’ ground with vampire. At least no’ to my knowledge.
“So the Powers That Be have decided it’s time for extraordinary measu
res. I was instructed to offer the vampire, Istvan Baka, temporary freedom in exchange for helpin’ us restore the balance.”
I must tell you, that was a stunnin’ remark if I ever heard one. Vampire hunters workin’ with vampire? Everything in my gut said no. No. No. But as it turned out, there was more.
“He has agreed to help us in exchange for a private audience, unbound, with Elora Laiken.”
My eyes flew to her so fast I saw her stop stirrin’ her coffee.
‘Twas as if an invisible giant had reached down, grabbed me by the collar, and jerked me to my feet. That’s how fast I was up and sayin’, “NO!” in unison with Storm.
Sol sat back lookin’ like he’d expected that reaction and was plannin’ to dig in for a lengthy discussion if needs be.
Kay looked at Sol and said, “How does he even know about her?”
“He saw her when he was here last week. Described her in such detail there was no mistaking who he meant. He actually thought she was a knight. Called her Lady Swan.”
As she was reseatin’ herself, Elora gave Sol a level look while stirrin’ her cup. “I’m in.”
I looked at her like I could no’ have heard right, but saw out of the corner of my eye that Storm was about to throw a tantrum. Even in the middle of bein’ scared out of my mind for Elora, I recognized that there was something funny about puttin’ the words Storm and tantrum together in the same sentence.
She was ignorin’ us both. “Any ideas why he would make his agreement conditional on talking to me?”
“I didn’t ask. Anything more would be pure speculation,” Sol replied.
“Elora,” I felt my face heat from the sincere feelin’ that everything depended on findin’ the right words to bring her to her senses, “please believe me. ‘Tis one thing to read about vampire in trainin’ manuals and something quite different to come face to face with one. And, while we’re on the subject,” I turned on Sol, “you can no’ truly be thinkin’ to turn that monster loose in New York City?”
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