Key to Redemption

by Talia Gryphon

  Trocar was murmuring an archaic chant while the Fey sang softly. Both of their hands were positioned over Perrin’s ravaged face. The Grael moved forward; sculpted, obsidian fingers wound around the Sidhe’s light blue ones. They steepled their hands over the area and continued chanting and singing.

  “Bellissima, he wants to know ‘How bad is it?’ ” Aleksei’s voice, though pitched low and soft, made everyone jump. He was firmly in Perrin’s mind, holding back the pain, reading the surface thoughts from the musician.

  “It’s not bad, Perrin. It’s remarkable,” Gillian said, tears in her voice. “There is flesh growing over the stone. Trocar and . . .” She paused, not knowing the Sidhe’s name.

  “Kestrel,” the Fey said.

  “. . . Kestrel are doing what they can,” Gillian finished, still pressing his hand tightly to her.

  Perrin seemed to struggle for a moment, but Aleksei’s hold on him was firm. The two healers kept up what they were doing for what seemed like ages. Finally both pulled away from each other and sat back.

  “We can do no more, Mellina,” Trocar stated, using Gill’s Elf Friend name.

  Hearing that, Aleksei released his mental hold on Perrin, who blinked, his eyes coming back into focus, hands going up to touch his newly re-formed but scarred face.

  “May I . . . look?” His voice was shaky but still lovely.

  “Of course, my friend.” Aleksei stood, raising Perrin with him and steadying him.

  Gill scooped up his mask then joined him to take Perrin’s other arm. Together they led him to a mirror in the bathroom off the foyer.

  Perrin stared at his reflection in the mirror. The left side of his face and bottom right side were as they always were: perfect, lovely, astonishingly beautiful. The upper-right third, devoid of the mask, was now without the gray stone bursting through it on cheek, nose and forehead. Everything was covered by pink, shiny scar tissue.

  There were newly filled in black lashes around the right side’s gray green eye, but part of his nose was still missing. Perrin looked like he’d been burned in a fire, then had skin grafts afterward. It wasn’t much of an improvement from the gray stone, but it was an improvement.

  “Flesh from stone . . .” Perrin whispered. “It is a miracle.” A single tear, wept from the right-side gray green eye, its lower lid no longer twisted from the growth of living stone, trickled down the newly scarred cheekbone. He forced himself to look at it critically.

  His face wasn’t cured but rather healed; the stone deformity was merely covered up with flesh and skin. The mask would continue to be necessary in public, but he felt the shock of its removal would not be as great should he ever have occasion to take it off again. Still, not having magical rock growing out of his face was an improvement he would never have hoped for, never dreamed about as possible.

  “Thank you, all of you,” Perrin said softly, still not quite believing what he saw. “All of you, this place, you have given me back my faith, my hope, the ability to live and love; now you have granted my most secret wish. I do not know how to thank you.”

  He turned, clasping Aleksei’s arm in one hand and cupping Gillian’s chin with his other, his remarkable eyes searching her face, “Mon petit ange, I know that you will be embarrassed if I thank you directly for everything you have done so altruistically to bring me back to life, so allow me to say this: If ever you should have need of me, for whatever reason”—he lifted his head and included Aleksei and Trocar in his statement—“any of you . . . you have but to ask. I would move heaven and earth for each and every one of you.”

  Perrin drew Gillian to him, then Aleksei, hugging them both tightly. When they stepped away, Trocar unexpectedly moved forward to embrace him.

  “Eluvano,” the Grael said in his beautiful voice, “you already have.”

  “He called you his ‘lovely little brother,’ Perrin,” Gillian informed him, hoping that she was correct in her memory of High Elvish.

  The gray green eyes, which had been sparkling, overfilled, spilling tears down both sides of his face. “I am honored, Trocar.” He looked at all of them, knowing it was a tender moment that would likely never be repeated.

  “I do not have any friends, but if I did and they had problems such as I had, I would recommend them coming here. You people cannot know what you have done for me.” Perrin took his mask from Gillian, pushed past all of them out the door and hurried out of the castle.

  Gillian started after him, but Trocar stopped her. “Let him go, Mellina. He needs time to adjust.” She nodded and turned back to take Aleksei’s hand. Everyone’s eyes were damp, even Trocar’s, but now they needed to see to the others.

  Luis and Oscar were sitting together against the archway, watching the activities of everyone in the enormous room. They waved and nodded to them as they passed, seemingly all right after their shared ordeal. When Aleksei and Gillian appeared in the archway, followed by Trocar, the noise in the room stopped and everyone turned to look at them.

  “We are healed, Lord Aleksei.” That was from a phenomenally handsome, tall male Vampire with very long dark hair and equally dark eyes. He continued, “I am not of your Line, but I will, this night, take your Oath and sign your document.”

  There was scattered consensual comments from around the room, including Sidhe, Sluagh, Spriggan and Lycanthropes. “We were here for our Oath to our Liege Lord only, but now we will remain for our Lord Aleksei, who gives us another way to govern his people.” That was from a female Lycanthrope, with a lovely heart-shaped face and spring green eyes.

  Cezar, Aleksei’s Alpha Wolf, looked on proudly. “My friend, there is a consensus. Most here are not of your Oath or Line nor mine, but they are willing to sign, swear and seal this bargain tonight.”

  To Aleksei’s utter horror, Cezar dropped to one knee. The rest of the room followed suit. Only Gillian, Trocar, Daed and Kimber remained standing.

  Gillian glanced over her shoulder. Luis and Oscar were both kneeling behind them. “Good grief, it’s fanged obsequiousness!”

  “Please,” Aleksei implored all of them, embarrassed and appalled, “please get up. I have never asked for nor expected fealty like this!” The marvelous, deep, rich baritone voice cascaded over all of them. No one moved.

  He tried again, “That you all are healed is enough. That you came at my request is enough. You have shed your blood, that is enough. I do not wish to govern you from your knees. Please get up and be our partners in this endeavor. Be our trusted friends and comrades, watch our backs as we watch yours.”

  “Forgive me, my Lord, but that is not how it is done in our world, as you well know. You may consider us whatever you like, but we will be yours in name and deed.” That was from the first handsome Vampire. “My name is Teo, and I swear Oath to you.”

  He rose and went to Aleksei, kneeling again at his feet and offering his wrist. The Vampire Lord was transfixed for a moment.

  Gillian whispered in his mind, “Do it, Aleksei. They’re expecting a ritualistic acceptance. It’s being offered freely. I’m not picking up any duplicity and I know you aren’t either.”

  “Piccola, I—”

  “Just do it. It will give us a tactical advantage that Dracula won’t expect or know about. You’re not recruiting; they’re making their own deal with who they think is the best leader on the best team. We’ll sort out the details, about bowing and kneeling, later.”

  “Teo, I am honored to have your allegiance,” Aleksei said formally, taking the other Vampire’s wrist, then raising him to his feet before he put his mouth to the offering.

  Aleksei looked into the other Vampire’s eyes before he bit into the proffered wrist. It was quick; Gillian couldn’t be sure she’d actually seen it, just Aleksei brushing his mouth over the other’s flesh, then lowering the arm.

  Teo blinked. “Your touch is gentle, Lord Aleksei. I felt nothing but pleasure from your bite.”

  Ew! Gillian thought but kept her mouth shut. When Teo turned to her, she braced h
erself. Surely not.

  “My lady, may I offer my allegiance to you as well?”

  O-kay. She was so not going to suck anyone’s blood, and she was so not going to stay in Romania forever as Aleksei’s . . . consort . . . girlfriend . . . mate . . . Ack!

  Wide-eyed, she turned to Aleksei for guidance. “Aleksei?” “Gillian does not need a blood exchange, Teo. She is Human, but I am certain she will accept your hand and your word.” Aleksei deftly rescued her from any sanguineous activities. She shot him a grateful glance and offered her hand to the Vampire.

  “I will gladly accept your friendship, Teo, but I am not in a position to accept your allegiance. Alek . . . er, Lord Rachlav is in command here on the Paramortal front. I just work at the Institute.”

  The Vampire shook her hand and bowed. Gill smiled at him, then stepped back next to Aleksei. A strong arm went around her shoulders and she looked up into bemused ice gray eyes.

  “Captain Key, or Dr. Key, as some of you know her, has a gift for understatement as usual.”

  He cocked an eyebrow at her, making her feel suddenly nervous. “While Gillian does work for the Institute in her capacity as psychologist, she will continue to be an invaluable resource in tactical and military matters. I encourage all of you to seek her out for her wisdom and advice should you require it. You may speak to either her or myself if you wish to organize any offensive effort. I trust her and so should you.”

  Gillian stared at him openmouthed, mirroring the astonished faces of Kimber, Daed and Trocar. By the look of things, all of them were shocked. They could all see that she too was floored by the news. Aleksei hadn’t discussed it with her; this was definitely a surprise.

  “She is your chosen then?” Teo asked.

  Either Teo was the unofficial spokesman for the lot of them or he needed to find another goddamn hobby besides worrying about what her place, her business or her anything was with Aleksei, and he needed to find it really fast, in Gillian’s opinion. Chosen? Baldour’s balls. Chosen sounded a little too much like shopping for drapes.

  Nile green eyes rose to his own once more, but this time they were flashing a definite warning to tread carefully. Aleksei stared at her for a moment, drinking in the view of her as she started to tremble under his arm, and her cheeks took on that delicate coral flush he loved so much when she was in the beginnings of a temperamental episode.

  “While she would be my chosen, if she wished it, Gillian has her own mind and will make her own decision about her personal relationship with me in her own time. Meanwhile, I expect all of you to afford her the courtesy and respect which you would give me, always. I also expect you to be courteous enough not to inquire as to the nature or status of our relationship. Gillian will remain here in whatever capacity she chooses for as long as she chooses. She is under my protection, as are her friends.”

  Aleksei gestured toward Kimber, Daed and Trocar, then to Luis and Oscar. “All of these people are to be given deference, and treated like the finest crystal at every moment. That includes Dr. Gerhardt when he is in residence, and any patients or guests who lodge here.”

  He looked around the room, holding each of them with his gaze. As long as he had their attention, he decided to get one or two other things straight.

  “Cezar remains my senior Alpha to any pack or lone Wolf who remains here to serve me. He is not to be questioned nor challenged, as he has my trust and my ear. The same goes for any Shifter wanting to remain in this area of Romania, not just the Wolves.”

  There was some undertoned muttering and grousing at that among the assembled. One of the Shifters, a big man with amber eyes and auburn hair, stepped forward.

  “The Bears do not answer to Wolves, Lord. We are a sovereign nation ourselves. Nor will we answer to your female. If you want the help of the Bears, you may call upon us but we will not be subjugated to lesser beings.”

  Aleksei’s eyes flashed and he started to glow softly. Shit, it’s Smokey the Werebear, Gillian thought. “Careful, Aleksei, he’s testing you.”

  “I am aware of that, piccola,” he sent her assuredly.

  “You will answer to Cezar as if the order comes from me directly if you are called upon. If you are not needed, you will certainly remain a sovereign nation and I will not involve myself in your affairs unless necessary. As for Gillian, I strongly advise you that I will support her in whatever decision she makes, and if you cross her, I will consider it a personal insult.”

  He held the massive Shifter’s eyes in his, their wills battling it out. It was the Shifter who dropped his first.

  “As you wish, Lord Aleksei.”

  Once the Bears threw in their lot, there was no bickering at all. One by one, the Vampires all came to Aleksei, offering their wrists. The Sidhe offered nothing but a bow and an Oath, as did the Brownies and Elves. The Shifters all went to Cezar, who kept Pavel at his side as he was greeted by and acknowledged by all the Lycanthropes in the room. Not one of them had any lingering pain, injuries or scars.

  Soon, the Great Hall emptied, except for their original little group. Gillian turned to Aleksei. “Thank you for being diplomatic and for what you said.”

  “About you?” he asked and she nodded.

  “I am learning, Gillian. You have taught an old Vampire a few new tricks these past two years.”

  He raised her hand and kissed it, which earned him an “Awwww!” from Kimber and Daed.

  Trocar shook his head and smiled one of his unreadable smiles before heading off to watch over Perrin on his last night. Gillian watched him go. She would stop by to make sure her soon-to-be-discharged patient was all right but thought it might be a good plan for Trocar, Kestrel or Aleksei to stay with him to make sure there were no magical aftereffects that none of them had foreseen. Since Kestrel had vanished with most of the Sidhe and Aleksei wanted to stay with her, she agreed to let the Elf go since he was the magic expert on-site.

  CHAPTER 22

  WHAT had happened was nothing short of a miracle and the whole of the Paramortal community in the area was talking about it. That Aleksei’s phenomenal power had been inspired and aided by his Human lover. All had been healed in a most agreeable manner and everyone was impressed.

  Csangal had heard as well. Waiting unobtrusively in the bar at the Inn, he listened to the recounting of the situation. Aleksei Rachlav had unexpectedly grown in power. Intriguing, to say the least. Csangal had not been in the area for over a century but he was certain that the Vampire Lord would remember him so it was best to keep a low profile. No use in spreading the word around that a formerly local Vampire was crazy enough to be availing himself of Dr. Key’s skill.

  Still, healing on this magnitude was something to be reckoned with. He knew that Gillian wasn’t a magical being so all or most of the power had to have originated with Aleksei. Apart from her ability to conjure some mild spells and her enormous level of actual empathy, Gillian was still just a Human female. A brilliant, talented Human female, but Human nonetheless.

  Looking around the room, Csangal recognized some of the Vampires. It had been a long time and was interesting to still see a familiar face or two. He kept himself cloaked to Human and Paramortal alike, blurring his edges slightly, so that even after a direct stare into his face, no one would be quite able to remember him.

  Times were dangerous for everyone these days with the War going on. He had seen the evidence of it around the county and the Country. During his travels, he was finding there were beginning to be some very clear-cut loyalties and divisions growing among all that were not Human. It was to every person’s advantage to lie low, not draw undue attention to themselves, and try to focus their efforts on the side most likely to prevail.

  After tonight’s activities at the castle, Gillian probably wouldn’t come to the Inn this evening. He was free to wander about the area, leaving a note with Radu that he would return tomorrow evening, in case she did come again that night.

  Aleksei waited for Gillian on the porch of Perrin’s hou
se. They’d stopped by to make sure he was all right. He was; Trocar was with him and they seemed to be getting on well. He even had his white mask back on. It was a familiar comfort to him, and after all, while the healing had helped a great deal, the upper-right quadrant of his face was still a grotesque parody of his exquisitely handsome left side.

  Aleksei and Perrin said their good-byes with a handshake and a brotherly embrace. Since Aleksei wasn’t his therapist or an employee of the Institute, Perrin had no restraints on keeping in touch with the Vampire Lord. By mutual agreement, if letters were exchanged, they would be without any pertinent Gillian information. It wouldn’t be ethical, and since both men held honor in high regard, they would follow the edicts of her profession and let the time frame run.

  Gillian would be driving back to Brasov with Perrin the next afternoon, returning that night with Cassiopeia and Helmut. She wanted Perrin to have his time to say good-bye however he wished.

  Perrin held her close for a fragile moment; Gillian’s eyes became deceptively bright. Perrin smiled at Aleksei over Gill’s head as he watched, hoping that whatever was best for all of them would come to pass. Perrin knew he needed to live his life before he could hope to compete for Gillian’s affections with Aleksei, if it should come to that.

  There was no hope if he stayed here or close by. Finding new experiences and new relationships was high on his agenda. If he came back to her, came back for her, he wanted it to be for the right reasons. There was a twinge of guilt at that thought.

  He knew Gillian and Aleksei were lovers. The Vampire Lord was his friend. Someday, after he had determined what real love was, not just the hero worship, gratitude and admiration he was sure he felt for her, he would seek her out. The chips could fall where they may; she may not want anything to do with him on a personal level, but he would have tried.

  Trocar politely left them for a moment as Perrin enfolded her in his arms. After watching her be so calm, commanding and strong tonight, it was a revelation to see her so openly vulnerable if only for a moment. He marveled at the feelings that had wound through him: pride, admiration, for her strong presence, her leadership skills, the way others looked to her for advice and guidance.