by Lisa Olsen
“Is she now,” the old man chuckled as if he’d heard a private joke.
Uh oh… “Yep, that’s me, daughter of Carys,” I lied glibly, prepared to make a run for it if he called me an out and out liar. Luckily, the elder didn’t seem to question it further.
“The world is a sadder place without her in it.”
“That’s what everybody tells me,” I smiled tightly.
“Play something for me, Ulrik.” He changed tacks, and I saw Bishop’s shoulders tense at the mention of his given name.
“I don’t play anymore.”
“But you will play for me, won’t you?” He gave Bishop a kindly smile and I thought he would just blow him off, but Bishop gave a curt nod, turning on his heel to approach the grand piano tucked into the corner of the room. I wanted to come with him, but I didn’t want to make him nervous either. Bishop already looked far too tense, almost angry at being asked to perform, and I could sympathize with being put on the spot. At the same time, I couldn’t wait to hear him play again. The one time I’d heard him was all too brief.
Bishop’s hands hesitated over the keys as if he couldn’t decide what to play, but then they moved with sure skill, the melody flowing from his fingers. I recognized the song after a few notes, but not the name. Something by Franz Liszt, I thought.
Bridget sidled up to me. “Hey, he’s pretty good.”
“Shh… he’s magnificent.” My feet carried me forward, good intentions forgotten as I got caught up in the music and I was struck by how there was so much more for me to learn about him. It warmed my heart to think we had forever to know each other. Let Angel screw with his schedule for the time being; I was in it for the long haul.
Bishop’s expression was one of utter absorption, though his eyes focused on an invisible point rather than on the keys themselves. I thought maybe he might be annoyed when I got too close and broke his concentration, but instead he smiled, a glorious, sunny smile, just for me. The song changed, and I recognized Lass Dich Nur Nichts Nicht Dauren, Let Nothing Ever Grieve Thee, and I remembered our debate about the song back when he’d first agreed to show me how to hunt. He was right, our accompanist Alan was terrible compared to him. I could practically hear the four part harmony in my head, but before the urge to sing along grew too tempting, he segued into something by Billy Joel, and Thomas leapt to his feet.
“I know this one!” he cried out happily, joining me beside the piano. His tenor voice rang out in a decent rendition of Piano Man. The next thing I knew, I was participating in a vampire sing along with Thomas, Felix, Bridget, Fisher and a short brunette named Valeri, that I’d barely exchanged two words with. What Sylvius thought of the spectacle was anyone’s guess, but his toe tapped along to the music.
“I thought you hadn’t played for years,” I drew Bishop aside when Thomas scooted him out of the way to play a passable performance of the theme from Cheers.
“I haven’t.”
“So tell me how you know Billy Joel?” I raised a brow.
“Just because I haven’t played it doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy music. I do still have ears.” And a very talented set he had for being able to play the song by ear too. I waffled back and forth between asking him to play something else, or saving it for when we had some time alone, when Sylvius approached with a benevolent nod.
“Very interesting music, Ulrik, though I prefer the classics myself.”
“Did you require something, your Grace?” Corley’s smile felt strained as he interrupted the conversation.
“No need to get nervous, Simon,” Sylvius patted him on the cheek. “I came to hear the lady sing, that is all.”
“Of course. Is there anything I can bring you? Something young and fresh perhaps?” Corley snapped his fingers and a human was hustled in, fresh faced and young. He went down on his knees head canting to one side.
“Thank you, I’ve already eaten.” Sylvius waved him off. “I feel the need to stretch my legs. Perhaps, take a stroll through the gardens.”
“Yes, of course. I’ll come with you,” Corley offered, and I couldn’t help but wonder what he was so antsy about.
“That won’t be necessary. I think I’d like the young lady to join me.”
Corley snapped his fingers again and Maggie stepped forward, her eyes downcast.
“Forgive me, I misspoke. I meant the lovely songbird that roused me from my chambers.” Sylvius offered his arm to me.
“You want me to walk with you?” I gulped, glancing at Bishop who gave me a slow nod. “That would be lovely.” I managed a smile, even as my insides twisted up in knots. Walk equaled talk, and in the garden meant in relative privacy. Why would he want to talk to me in private?
Taking his arm, I flashed Bishop a last uncertain smile as Sylvius led me to a small library, and through the French doors to a small garden, much better kept than the mess out back. “I thought we might take in the moonlight and have a chat.” He patted my arm, leading me to a burbling fountain featuring a winged angel watering three little lambs.
“That sounds nice.” A bajillion questions squirmed inside me, dying to get out, but I didn’t dare speak first.
“And are you enjoying your visit to the Vetis lands?”
“Oh yes, it’s been… very educational. Not that I haven’t been here before, but it’s been so long…”
“Come now, I know perfectly well you’ve never set a foot onto my lands before.”
Frak! “What makes you say that?” I hedged.
“Corley may think I’ve become nothing more than a hermit, puttering around in my chambers, but I can assure you, there is very little that happens in my domain I am not aware of.”
Double frak! He knew I was a phony, I could feel it in my bones, but still I stuck to my story. “Well, I don’t like to make a fuss when I travel. I’m not one of those vampires who likes to flaunt my arrival with a big old entourage or anything.”
Sylvius chuckled. “I daresay you’ve never ventured beyond the West lands with any regularity, have you?”
“Don’t be silly… I’m…” My tongue darted out to moisten suddenly parched lips. “I travel plenty, I just prefer my own, um…” I let out a long breath. “You’re not buying this, are you? I’m like the worst liar on the planet.”
“No, my dear, but it’s amusing to watch you try.”
The jig was up, there was no point in denying it any longer. “Okay, so what happens now? Are you going to out me? Throw me out of the mansion? Turn me over to the Order?” Holy Hannah… what would they do to Bishop?
“Nothing so dramatic as that. I’m merely curious as to why you haven’t claimed your rightful heritage?”
“At first I wasn’t sure who it was and then one thing led to another and I ended up caught in a web of lies. Wait, when you say rightful heritage, how did you even know about that?” Could he somehow tell that Jakob was my Sire?
“I knew it the moment I laid eyes on you. We are the same, you and I. Draugen.”
I’d heard that word before, but I was fuzzy on his meaning. “Um, aren’t all made vampires draugen?”
“The term refers to the first generation of vampires directly sired by Ellri. I knew you could not be Carys’ daughter, and when I saw your ring I could guess at your Sire.” My eyes flew down to the ring on my finger. “And how is…”
“Shh…” I cut him off, afraid someone would overhear. Not that I wasn’t royally screwed if anyone had heard even a small part of the conversation already. “He doesn’t want any attention right now. I’m not sure why.”
“Ah, and that is why he allowed Ulrik to claim you?”
“No, he did that because Bishop and I love each other, and he respected that.” It sounded a lot better put that way than my threatening to hate Jakob forever if he kidnapped me.
“He must have changed very much in the time since I saw him last. That, or he is merely biding his time.”
“Yes, I worry about that sometimes too,” I admitted. “Then you won’t tell t
he others I’m a fraud?”
“Of course not, my child.” He patted my arm soothingly. “Our kind must stick together, there are precious few of us left and none so young and fresh as you. It costs me nothing to maintain the charade for now and I find it amusing.”
For now… I didn’t miss that little caveat. “Thanks. Is your Sire still out there somewhere?”
“Sadly, no. He died quite some time ago, before the turn of the millennium.”
Millennium. “Jeez, how old are you? Oh… I’m sorry, it was rude of me to ask that, wasn’t it?”
“I’ll forgive you the impertinence. It’s rare to find someone so open, never lose that quality. I have seen well over a thousand winters myself, though they grow colder with each passing year. Sometimes I feel the urge to sleep as the Earth sleeps, but I’m afraid I won’t rise so readily when she does in the spring.”
“It must be hard to watch so many things you love grow old and die,” I commented, not having much more than my empathy to draw upon.
“It does make it difficult to form attachments. Even among our kind, life is fleeting.”
I’d never thought of it that way before, but he was right. Anything could happen to either Bishop or me; being a vampire didn’t mean we were truly immortal. “I guess forever isn’t what it used to be.”
“Live each day to the fullest, for tomorrow may never come,” he said sagely, pointing us back to the house. “Now, let us return. I think I’ve left Simon to stew in his own juices long enough,” Sylvius chuckled.
“Don’t you like him?” I wasn’t sure what the relationship was between them, only that Sylvius was much older.
“Certainly I do. It’s to his credit he didn’t seek to murder me in my bed ages ago when the hunger to rule first overtook him. Nevertheless, I enjoy tweaking his beard every now and again before I return to my chambers.”
“Tweak away then. I’m glad we had a chance to meet.” Impulsively, I leaned up to kiss his cheek and Sylvius beamed all the way back to the house. The hall fell silent as soon as we entered, and Corley did look like he wanted to rip his own skin off, he was so nervous.
Sylvius cleared his throat (not that he needed to command anyone’s attention, he already had it). “Miss Gudrun is a friend of Vetis. No harm is to befall her on our lands.”
Cool beans. It had to make Bishop sleep easier during the day. “And now, I think I shall return to my rooms. Come, Simon, walk with me.” Corley danced attendance on him, and a ripple of conversation went through the room after they left.
“Weird old guy,” Bridget commented when I joined her by Bishop’s side.
“That old guy is one of the oldest vampires, one of the last remaining first generation,” Bishop reminded her gently.
“No big whoop. Jakob’s older right?” she shrugged, and I grabbed hold of her arm.
“We agreed not to mention the J word while we’re here, remember?”
“Okay, okay, sorry.” She rubbed her arm and I felt bad for holding on too tightly. “I’ll go sit in the corner and molder. God, who would have thought living the rich life could be so boring.”
“Everything okay?” Bishop asked softly, and I nodded, not much feeling like getting into it with so many ears around.
“How long can you stay?”
“I should be back out there already. I wanted to make sure you were alright first though.”
“I’m fine. But we should talk later, so please try and wake me this time if I’m asleep when you get back,” I reminded, and Bishop let out a snort.
“You don’t think I tried last night?”
“Okay, try harder tonight then. And be careful.” I hung onto the front of his jacket and he leaned in for a kiss.
“I’m always careful.”
*
It was much later, near dawn when Bishop came back to the room. He filled me in on how the search was going for the killer, and I let him know what he missed after he’d left the hall (not much). More importantly, he wanted to know what Sylvius had talked about out in the garden and I recounted the conversation as best I could.
“Do you think we can trust him to keep my secret?”
“I think if he wanted to expose you he would have done it by now,” Bishop replied after a moment’s thought. “You should be more concerned with what comes out of Bridget’s mouth if you want something to worry about.”
“Why because she mentioned Jake?”
“You start talking about Ellri and you’re going to attract a lot of unwanted attention. You should consider muzzling her,” he chuckled, taking off his boots.
“Like that wouldn’t raise a few eyebrows.”
“You’d be surprised.”
“Eewh, I don’t want to be surprised like that.” I wrinkled my nose at the image that leapt to mind.
Bishop stretched out atop the crisp sheets. “I didn’t mean literally, I meant compel her to avoid certain topics. I can’t believe you didn’t do that already since she started hanging around with Felix so much.”
“Just because I can doesn’t mean it’s a good idea. I don’t like messing around with people’s heads if I can avoid it.” Turning off the lights, I snuggled up next to him, glad to have that intimate time with him in the darkness before my body shut down for the day. Bishop’s hand lazily stroked my arm, but I could tell from the tension in his body that he was far from relaxed. “Is something wrong?”
“Not wrong exactly. I’ve been doing some thinking lately.”
“About what?”
“Something that could have a pretty big impact on our lives.”
Suddenly I wished I could see him better, but with the windows shut up tight there was very little light in the room at all. “That sounds pretty serious. What is it?”
“I’ve been thinking about leaving the Order.”
Chapter Seventeen
I sat up and snapped on the light, the topic too important to leave to the cover of darkness. “Leave the Order? Are you serious? Why would you do that? Is something wrong?” My mind jumped to all the wrong conclusions and stacked them on top of each other.
“Calm down, nothing’s wrong.” He blinked against the light, sitting up against the headboard. “I just think it might be time for a change.”
“Moving to England wasn’t enough of a change for you?”
“Sure it was, but not necessarily the kind of change I wanted to make. That’s a big part of it. I’m getting tired of others telling me where I can and can’t go.”
“I thought you were used to it.” He’d accepted it so easily, but now I could see the strain it put on him. Still, he’d been in the Order for so long, it was deeply ingrained into who he was. “Won’t you miss the danger?”
“Not if it puts you there with me.”
So that was where the talk of change came from. He didn’t like me being in danger. “Bishop, I’m not in any more danger here with you than I would be at home. Like it or not, this is a dangerous world we live in.”
“Maybe I don’t want to be right in the middle of the most dangerous place to be for a change? It’s not the same anymore, and part of that is because I’ve met you. Maybe I want to slow down and enjoy life with you for a while.”
“That sounds great, but are you sure about this? I mean, really sure? You’ve been with the Order for so long…”
“Don’t you want me to quit? I thought this would make you happy.” His brows drew together in confusion and I reached for his hand.
“Let’s forget about the fact that I would love to have you with me all the time, with no duty calling you away at a moment’s notice. I don’t want you to give up something that’s such a part of you just to make me happy.”
“What if I’m doing it to make me happy too?” He gave my hand a squeeze. “I found something out about myself tonight. When Sylvius ordered me to play, I was angry and frustrated, but once I started to play, and I saw you there smiling at me… it didn’t hurt anymore. It was like rediscovering a part of myself
I thought I’d lost, and for the first time in longer than I can remember, I wanted to be with you more than I wanted to follow my duty.”
“That would be okay then, very okay.” Tears pricked at my eyes at his beautiful words, and I threw my arms around his neck in a tight hug. “So… you are definitely doing it?”
Bishop let out a long breath and I sat back to look at him again. “I haven’t made the final decision yet. I can’t leave them in the lurch with this hunter on the loose, but after we stop him, I think we should talk about this again.”
“That sounds fair enough,” I nodded, reaching past him to turn off the light again and we both settled back under the covers. “What would we do if you left the Order? Go back to San Francisco?”
“If you want to, but we could go anywhere we want, really. I could show you my favorite places. There are churches in Europe that are so amazing, so beautifully constructed… when the music swells it could make the heavens weep.”
I could already see the changes coming over my tough as nails vampire cop, and I smiled in the darkness to hear him say such a flowery thing. He went on about some of the different places he’d been and what he thought I might like. It reminded me of Jakob’s plea to show me the world. “Let’s cross one bridge at a time. First you work on tying up your loose ends here and then we’ll see what happens. Maybe by then Angel will get it through her pea brain that you’re not on the menu and she’ll let you go back home.”
“That would be the best of both worlds.”
There went our plans for a trip around the world. “You’d rather stay in the Order if you could go back to being in charge of the West?”
“Maybe, I was happy there. You were happy too, weren’t you?” He pressed a kiss to the top of my head and I nodded against his chest.
“Yes, of course I was. I mean, we didn’t have much of a chance to settle into a routine, but I was happy to be with you. You know what else Sylvius said to me? He said live every day to the fullest because tomorrow might never come, and I think he’s right. Forever might never get here. We have to find happiness now, not save it for the future. So, whatever you decide to do, make sure you find a place in there for me too.”
