The Council was now meeting beneath an old church they'd bought and renovated. The church itself was open during the day for tourists and public tours. It was only at night—on certain nights—that vampires came and the grounds were guarded and off-limits to anyone else. A door behind the pulpit led downward to the meeting cellar, and it was not only hidden but built better than a bank vault. Henri and Gervais were guarding the door when we arrived. Both stood straight and tall as I passed them. I recalled how we'd worked together to improve their misting time. I wanted to hug both of them, but that wouldn't do. Sighing, I passed them by and walked down steps leading to the Council chamber, flanked by Wlodek and Merrill.
Someone had recreated the horseshoe-shaped table in carved stone, but there were comfortable chairs placed around it now and the Council was already seated. Charles was there, not only as Flavio's Chief of Staff, but also as a Council member, along with Dalroy and Rhett. Finally, American vampires had broken into the European Aristocracy; Council members were automatic members.
What shocked me, however, was what happened as soon as Wlodek, Merrill and I walked into the large, underground room—every Council member, including Flavio, rose from their seat. I figured it was out of respect for Wlodek. He was Flavio's sire after all, and had held the Head position for a very long time. Merrill steered me to a spot at the left where there were seats waiting for us. We sat and the Council sat.
"Bring the prisoners forward, as well as our two guests," Flavio ordered as soon as the Council was seated and comfortable. Two vampires in cuffs much like those I'd seen on Refizan were brought forward. I recognized Trevor; he was still an Assassin and tonight he was in charge of the prisoners. He was still around, at least. The two who were missing from this meeting were Gavin and Tony. I sighed as quietly as I could.
Baxter and Dmitri, two Enforcers I recognized from before, brought both vampire witnesses forward. There were several other faces around the room I didn't recognize—vampires who'd taken the spots vacated by Radomir and the others. I'd know their scents next time, though.
"I must beg the indulgence of our Queen," Flavio said inside the dim interior of the Council Hall. That caught my attention. He was addressing me as Queen? That was unexpected. Wlodek must have convinced him somehow. I knew Flavio wanted me to discern the paternity of the two prisoners standing before him. I rose from my seat. Baxter and Dmitri were waiting next to the two unfettered vampires. I already knew what Flavio desired to know before I approached.
"Your name?" I asked the first of the unfettered ones.
"Samuel," he replied, watching me with wonder in his eyes. He'd never seen a female vampire before; I would have bet on it. Now he was seeing two—Susila was still on the Council.
"And you?" I asked the second one.
"Petrus," he replied.
"Honored One," I turned to Flavio. "Petrus sired both these vampires; Samuel did not make them." I jerked my head toward the prisoners. All three—Petrus and his two turns—held taint. All were guilty in some way.
Petrus attempted to get away but Trevor, Dmitri and Baxter had him subdued and cuffed after a very brief struggle. Samuel had gone to his knees and was thanking me, I discovered, just as soon as the scuffle with Petrus was over. Baxter pulled Samuel up and escorted him from the hall.
"Now, Petrus," Flavio placed compulsion, "tell me why you implicated Samuel as the sire for these two."
I was escorted to my seat by Dmitri and we all sat and listened while Petrus explained under compulsion that he wanted to draw attention away from himself. He'd turned his two murdering children in and implicated Samuel as their sire because he and Samuel had once been friends but had a falling out over the years. Samuel didn't agree with Petrus' views on blood substitute, it seemed.
Petrus, who'd been turned after blood substitute was created, had never been taught to take blood from a donor by his sire, who wished to prevent Petrus from taking from a donor to begin with. Petrus had taught himself—with the occasional mistake, here and there. That alone would have earned him a death sentence. He was barely a hundred years of age and had created and then taught the other two now on trial.
I knew how this was going to end; Trevor beheaded all three of them when the sentences were passed.
"Lissa, this is Montrose," Wlodek introduced me to the Council members afterward. I nodded to him and took his hand when he smiled and offered it. Jarl, the one remaining member who'd voted for my death in the beginning was next.
There was another new member I hadn't met; he'd taken Flavio's place when Flavio took over Wlodek's position. His name was Friedrich and he was nearly as old as Flavio. I shook hands with him; Susila and Oluwa smiled widely when I was introduced to them. Rhett and Dalroy offered their hands right away; Charles gave me a hug and a kiss on the cheek.
"Bubba, you look good as a Member of the Council," I patted Charles on the back when he let me go.
"Do I?" He grinned at me.
"Yeah, that outfit says it all," I told him. The 1930s weren't in only for women. He looked good in his double-breasted, pinstripe suit.
"We're going over to Flavio's for a drink," Charles said. "Why don't you come? Merrill and Wlodek have been invited and both want to go."
"Now, you know I can't hold my liquor," I said. I wasn't sure about sitting down for a glass of wine with Flavio, Merrill and Wlodek. Charles would be fine—in fact, I wouldn't mind going to a bar in London with him, for old time's sake.
"Nah, come to Flavio's. I promise to keep you from getting blitzed."
"We'll come," Wlodek was there beside me, placing an arm around my shoulders.
"Good," Charles grinned. "Give us half an hour to drive." I followed Merrill and Wlodek up the stairs and out of the church where hovercars were waiting to take everyone home. We folded away, landing on the doorstep of what was once Wlodek's mansion. Flavio had it now. Rolfe answered the door just as he always did and I couldn't help myself, I was hugging him and crying happy tears.
"I was so afraid you'd be gone," I brushed away tears when I looked up at Rolfe. He would have been a welcome addition to any basketball team with his height and agility. I'd seen him fight.
"Little Queen," Rolfe smiled down at me. I blinked at him. How did he know? Perhaps Flavio had informed him, or he'd overheard it. Rolfe heard everything, after all.
"Rolfe knew I was a Queen before anyone else did," I hugged his waist again before Wlodek moved me away from the door.
"We should listen to Rolfe more often, then," Merrill observed.
"I think you should, too," I told him, causing an eyebrow to rise.
Flavio, Charles, Rhett and Dalroy came in later. Wlodek led me to the library in the house instead of the study where I'd always been taken before. I'd never been in the library, I realized.
Merrill Pulled in several bottles of wine—white and red—and uncorked them. Charles handed out glasses as Merrill poured. "Thank you for your help, Lissa," Flavio said, raising his wineglass to me. "You made this so much simpler for us since the Council now knows you can scent the blood. Charles and I already guessed at the truth, but we couldn't tip our hand. We have carefully hidden the fact that we aren't completely vampire, now."
"So you already knew Samuel was innocent," I said.
"I did. But how do you explain this to the Council without them learning you aren't one hundred percent vampire any longer? Merrill hid his from us, even from father. We never knew until after he became Saa Thalarr."
"I can't believe you didn't smell the barbecue," I muttered, sipping my wine.
"Lissa, you must have smelled it through my pores—I always took care to change and clean up," Merrill chuckled. Well, somebody was in a good mood.
"Her nose is better than any I've ever seen," Dalroy hauled out mixed nuts and pretzels. Rhett and Dalroy were having a beer. Well, my nieces' blood had worked wonders for those two. Flavio, too; he was dipping into the pretzels.
"Lissa, will you come with me to the kitchen? I nee
d help getting ice and cookies." Charles grinned at me.
"You have cookies? What kind?" I was interested.
"I don't know, Kyler brought them earlier," Charles said. "Come on." He motioned for me to follow. I followed. We made it to the bottom of the grand staircase when Radomir folded in, and Gavin was with him. I squared my shoulders and looked away. Gavin didn't want me. Didn't recognize me. Somebody had done that to me. I almost misted away. I never got the chance.
Gavin can move very, very fast. I'd seen him do it in the past, after all. He'd been Wlodek's elite Assassin for a reason—very few could stand against him. Now, I was crushed in his arms, and he was crying amber tears and calling me every endearment he knew, in every language he knew.
Chapter 14
"I don't believe we were ever on Wlodek's roof before," Gavin said later. I was still held as tightly against him as he could manage without crushing me. "We were on Merrill's roof many times, as well as a few hotel roofs and at least one in Oklahoma City and another in Corpus Christi. I remember the one in Corpus Christi fondly." He leaned down and nuzzled my cheek.
"How do you remember?" I asked. I was still recovering from the shock of it.
"Cara, we all did—Anthony, I, the Council. All at once, the memories arrived. I cannot believe how we were made to forget."
"Winkler's gone," I mumbled, hanging my head.
"I know," Gavin said softly. "Do not weep again, I beg you." I'd been crying, right along with Gavin, when he'd swept me up.
"I'm doing my best," I told him, sniffling a little.
"Lissa, will you come home with me?" Gavin asked.
"Honey, I don't even know where you live," I replied.
"Anthony and I live at René's old home," Gavin informed me softly.
I'm going home with Gavin, I sent to Charles.
I will inform the others, came the reply. I hoped the others included my twins. Yeah, I thought of them as mine. I hoped they still thought of me as theirs when I didn't come home tonight.
"I know there are others," it was as if Gavin were reading my mind. "I do not care, love. Take as many as you like as long as I am included in that number. Something can be worked out among us, surely."
"I hope so, too," I said. "Wait until you meet Connegar," I said, more brightly. "You should get along with him, for sure." I folded us to René's old home.
"Anthony is on assignment," Gavin said as soon as we settled in the dining room. The floor to ceiling windows were still there, I noticed, although the table and chairs were different. "We donated much of the furniture to a museum," Gavin explained, hugging me. "There is an entire exhibit of period furniture now, and it is referred to as the de la Roque exhibit."
"René would have liked that," I nodded. I wondered if Connegar had been to see it.
"Lissa, is it too much to ask for you to come to bed with me?"
"I want to," I said. "But there's something I have to do first."
"And that would be?" Gavin thought he was going to have to wait and there was disappointment in his face and his voice.
"I have to give permission before you take my blood. Are you ready?" I looked up into his face and those beautiful brown eyes.
"I am," he nodded.
"My blood is a gift to you, Gavin," I said, placing my hands on his face. "You will take no harm from it. There are no bindings or conditions—it is freely given."
"I can bite you now?" he was smiling.
"You can bite me now. I was hoping we'd be in bed when you did it, though."
"Then I will show you my bed." He lifted me up and carried me halfway through the house just as fast as he could.
Did I expect Gavin to pass out the minute he got my blood? No. He did, though. And he was snoring softly, instead of going into the rejuvenating sleep. Well, I didn't know that would happen. Eventually, I curled up beside him and went to sleep, too.
* * *
"Lissa?" Someone was shaking my shoulder, trying to wake me.
"Huh?" I mumbled, keeping my eyes tightly shut.
"Lissa, will you explain to me, please, why I am awake in daylight?" Uh-oh. Fuck. Fuck cubed. That was Gavin's voice. What had I done?
"What time is it?" I opened my eyes to find Gavin's worried face leaning over mine.
"It is after eight, the sun has been up for more than two hours and I am awake. Explain this, please."
"Uh, Gavin, I didn't know this would happen. Honest. Ever since I came back to myself after the big bang, so to speak, I knew I had to give permission if anybody wanted to take my blood. I just thought it would keep you alive. I didn't know this would happen."
"I still have my fangs and claws, and can still drink blood—I have done so already," Gavin said, sounding miffed and mystified all at once.
"Well, now you know how I felt after Griffin gave me his blood. At least you know what happened—I didn't—not for a while, anyway."
"I can still operate as a vampire, as you did?" Gavin asked.
"Yes. The only thing that's changed is your ability to walk in daylight. You get to choose when you want to sleep, now."
"The Honored One will ask for my resignation," Gavin flopped onto his back beside me.
"The Honored One might surprise you," I said tartly. "Come on, we'll go see him right now."
"He will be sleeping," Gavin muttered.
"Let's find out." I sent mindspeech—Flavio was still awake. I'll be there in a minute, I sent. Flavio sounded sleepy but said he'd be waiting. Gavin and I had to dress first and he grumbled the entire time. It was worth it, though, to see his and Flavio's faces when we folded in.
"Lissa Beth, does this mean what I think it means?" Flavio was wide-awake now, I noticed.
"I guess. I didn't know it was going to happen—honest."
"Honored One, why are you awake long past sunrise?" Gavin asked, folding his arms over his chest.
"The same reason you're awake," Flavio snapped. "And if you want further proof, go see Charles, Rhett and Dalroy right now. All will be awake or able to rise for exactly the same reasons."
"Your blood did this?" Gavin stared at me.
"Those guys bit somebody else with the talent, not me," I said, smacking him lightly on the arm. "But on the brighter side, you can have pancakes for breakfast with me."
"Pancakes?" Flavio was interested, I could tell.
"Come on," I folded both of them to the villa. Mike was fine with me fixing pancakes for breakfast and Radomir wandered in while I was mixing batter and broiling bacon. He got breakfast, too.
"Want to try coffee?" I asked Gavin, who frowned at me—he was very much into his syrup-covered pancakes, thank you. The bacon disappeared, too, I noticed. I had my short stack and slice of bacon with coffee while I listened to Gavin, Flavio and Radomir discussing current vampire politics and events. They were having a great time, just having breakfast together.
"See, I told you the Honored One wouldn't be upset," I made a face at Gavin.
"You are so beautiful, cara," Gavin mumbled, kissing my hand.
"My nieces are more beautiful," I said.
"You have nieces?" Gavin stared at me.
"I didn't know either," I said. "But they're twins. Kyler and Cleo."
"I have seen Kyler," Gavin nodded. "With the Honored One, here. She is quite beautiful, but to me, you are lovelier. Will you spend the day with me, cara mia?"
"I have some work to do, or I would," I replied. "I'll get you and Flavio home, first."
"I'll take them home," Radomir offered.
"Thanks," I told him, gave Gavin a quick kiss and took off. Gavin had changed—I could see it from a mile away. The edge had been removed from his temper, from the moment I'd offered him blood. Who knew? Now, I had four more gates to get and I wasn't dressed to go after Flakkar. I went to my bedroom first, dressed quickly in jeans and a pullover then went after ugly, smelly things. I got all four remaining gates before coming back. I didn't expect to find Gavin asleep in my bed, though. I didn't bother him,
just changed into my swimsuit and went to get in the hot tub.
"Now, see, you didn't tell us again," Drake and Drew were there—naked, of course—and sitting right beside me in a blink.
"I have been waiting for you as well," Connegar appeared, undressed with a thought and climbed into the water. He had to make himself smaller so the water wouldn't come to his waist.
"Hey, thanks for calling me," Shadow slapped Drake on the back and climbed in too. All of them were naked—had they no shame?
"Uh, Gavin's asleep in my bed," I muttered, sinking into the hot water.
"All right," the twins gave each other a high five.
"What was that about?" I asked.
"We had a bet going with Dad and Uncle Crane on how long it would take him to come to his senses," Drake laughed. "We just won."
"I'm gonna pull both your braids," I grumped.
"Sounds good," Drake said, scooting closer.
"Gavin received Lissa's blood and is now capable of walking in daylight," Connegar observed.
"Even better!" Drew laughed. "We'll sick him on Dad and Uncle Crane. We'll see how a vampire Assassin stacks up to the Falchani."
"I don't believe this," I felt a headache coming on.
"You did not have a midday meal," Connegar leaned around Drew and placed fingers against my forehead. "You should eat something."
"How about pizza?" Shadow suggested. "They never make it at Grey House."
That was how we all ended up eating pizza while soaking in the hot tub ten minutes later. Mack and Justin came in, bent time and came back with enough pizzas to feed an army. They also got into the hot tub and didn't mind a bit that they were naked, either. Grace and Devin had to be proud.
"Lissa Beth, what is going on?" That was Gavin and he was now awake and looking for me.
"Gavin, I'm eating pizza and soaking in the hot tub with a bunch of naked men," I answered honestly, looking up at him—he was standing over me on the flagstone floor.
"Are all these yours?" He had hands on his hips.
"Those two aren't," I pointed out Mack and Justin. "But they brought pizza so I'm not complaining." That made Justin snicker.
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