The wrap party for the movie was the next afternoon. It seemed like a subdued affair after the last forty-eight hours, but everyone dutifully turned out for it, maintaining a human façade for the cast and crew, for Kate’s sake and for the media that were mingling. Sebastian, Winter and Nial returned to their public personas as Terry, Annette and David the nanny, for Patrick Sauvage also attended and added some sparkle to the occasion.
There were a lot of copies of trade papers and L.A. dailies being swapped around as everyone caught up on the reports of the Emmys and Kate’s starring role as the hottest item in Hollywood, with her maybe-ménage lovers.
Roman found Kate standing at the outer edges of the swirl of bodies, a Solo cup in her hand as she observed everyone. “This is familiar,” he said, sliding up behind her. “I remember another party like this one, where you stood watching everyone and scowling.”
“I was scowling at Micheil, then. And I’m not scowling at anyone tonight.”
Roman slid his arm around her waist and she leaned back against him. “Where is he, anyway?” he asked.
“He’s a sponsor, remember? He’s probably off somewhere being honoured for his squillions in contributions.” She snorted.
“A plaque?”
“I think so. With a strip of film mounted on it.”
“I think he probably prefers what he really got to mount while he was on set.”
She turned and smiled at him. “Did you read the tabloids?”
“Just one. They already had us shacked up together for the last year.”
“They’ll have me pregnant by next week. You watch. And there’ll be a secret baby scare in my history, that I got rid of because I didn’t know which of you was the father and you were both outraged with jealousy, forcing me to make the hard choice.” She laughed. “They’ll feed off this for months and months.”
Roman rubbed his chin over her shoulder, nudging the wide neck of her sweater closer to the edge, where it could drop down her arm. Her skin was soft and smelled heavenly. “The dailies were a lot nicer.”
“Mmm… They’re straddling. They don’t know which way to jump yet. They’re waiting to see which way public opinion falls, the gutless wonders. Entertainment Tonight was supportive, so they’re getting an exclusive on opening night.” She lifted her chin. “There’s Micheil.”
Garrett was moving through the party, talking to some people, shaking the odd hand.
“He’s a politician,” Roman murmured.
“More than I’ll ever be,” Kate said. “He’s natural at it. I have to force it.”
“He’s coming over,” Roman judged. “That’ll cause a flurry among the press that are here. They’re already watching us.”
“Let ‘em,” Kate said complacently.
Roman straightened his arm loosening. “Are you sure, Kate?”
She turned in the circle of his arm, facing him properly. “I know I was in bed right up until the party started tonight, but I wasn’t sleeping for all that time. I spent some of the time thinking.”
“Among other things,” Roman said, with a small smile.
She grinned. “Squeezed in right at the end there. It was shameful. We have to do better than that tonight.”
“You won’t get any argument out of me. But…you were thinking?”
She nodded, sobering. “Mostly, I was thinking about tonight. About the media being here. And about Nial’s mission to bring vampires out – the ones that want to come out. You’re going to, aren’t you?”
“I just don’t want to go back to pretending anymore,” Roman replied. “Nial’s right on the button there. Once you get a taste of living as yourself, you can’t go back. And now I’ve got you and Micheil and suddenly, a life building around the real me.” He shook his head. “I won’t give that up.”
“I had guessed as much,” Kate said. “I’m pretty sure Micheil feels the same way.”
Roman grinned. “Only five times as strongly. He’s been stuck in neutral a lot longer than me.” His grin faded. “Thanks to me.”
Kate rested her hand on his chest. “Stop that,” she chided him.
“Yes, ma’am.” He gave her a smile. “You were saying?”
“I like this idea of coming out and living your life as it really is, instead of pretending. Hollywood is the ultimate land of pretence, of course. Even after the cameras stop rolling, everyone keeps acting. I’ve been doing it for years. I hid the fact of Billy my ex down deep until he caught up with me. It was only thanks to you and Micheil I side-stepped that mess once more.”
Roman shrugged. “Everyone has messy histories. It’s part of being human.”
“But messy isn’t sexy in Hollywood. Everyone vacuums and glosses and hides. That’s exactly what I mean. You’re not allowed to be human or different, or sub-par. That’s what I decided today. If you and Micheil can step out, so can I.”
Roman glanced over her shoulder. “All the way, Kate? Micheil’s probably within his hearing range of us now, so you can talk to all three of us. Just don’t look at him.”
“All the way?” she asked, puzzled.
“This is still Hollywood and you still have a high profile career to maintain,” Roman said, speaking quickly. “Neither of us will jeopardize that without your express direction.” He gave a tiny smile. “We’ve been thinking, too. There’s press everywhere here tonight. When Micheil reaches us, which he’s going to do in about twenty seconds, he can just kiss you hello, and there’ll be a few photos taken, or he can kiss both of us hello and every camera, both still and video, will raise the temperature in here by two degrees because they’re being overworked so hard. Answer quickly. You say you’ve thought it through.”
Kate didn’t hesitate as she looked up at him with her marvellous eyes. “Both of us,” she said firmly. “Truth is truth. I love both of you. No more hiding.”
Roman took a breath and let it out. “I love you.”
“And I love you both,” Garrett murmured as he stepped up behind her. He bent over her and his hand slid up into her hair. “You look delicious,” he told her, and turned her head up to his and kissed her.
Roman saw swift movement over Garrett’s shoulder. There was a little flurry of cameras snapping away.
Garrett lifted his head to look at Roman. He smiled a little and reached out his other hand and rested it on the back of Roman’s neck.
The sound of camera shutters became a steady buzz.
Kate pressed her hands against their chests, turning her hips to wedge herself between them. “No, forget the cameras are there,” she said firmly.
Roman looked at her, puzzled. So did Garrett.
She shook her head a little. “You’re about to become infamous and very public figures. The media is going to run your life if you let them. Don’t let them. Micheil, if you want to kiss Roman, kiss him, but don’t do it for the cameras. Do it because you want to and do it the way you would if the cameras weren’t there, or you’ll be letting them direct your private life. You have to live your life despite them from now on, whether they’re there or not.”
Garrett let out a breath. “You’re right.” His fingers on Roman’s neck tightened. “We’ve got a smart lady here.”
“We have,” Roman agreed, as Garrett pulled him closer.
Roman mentally dismissed the cameras, or tried to, as Garrett’s lips met his. Kate’s hand was still resting against his chest and it seemed to grow heavier and hotter as the kiss deepened. His body hardened, his cock stirred, everything began to rouse as the kiss seemed to go on and on. Micheil wasn’t sparing him a single inch and it was heady, it was good, so good…
Roman realized he had forgotten about the cameras the moment Garrett released him. He drew in a long uneven breath and only then registered the applause and cat-calls, cheers and whistles.
Kate pursed her lips and rolled her eyes. “I think my cast and crew approve.” Her cheeks were touched with a slash of pink. She turned in their arms to face the rest of the room.
Everyone, not just the media people at the party, were now looking at them. Everyone not holding a cellphone or a camera was clapping or cheering or holding up their cup in salute.
“Well, we’re out now,” Kate murmured.
And the cameras were still clicking.
Epilogue
Kate stumbled a little and just managed to keep her footing as she threaded her way through the trailer, past her desk and into the bedroom. She dropped onto the unmade bed with a sigh of relief.
Micheil pushed the bunched up sheet and covers onto the floor and sat on one corner.
Roman leaned against the doorjamb. “You’re not in a fit state to talk dirty let alone have sex, so what’s up, Kate? Why did you bring us back here?”
Kate smoothed out a wrinkle in the sheet, then realized she wasn’t improving anything. “I’m compl’ly bombed,” she agreed. “But ev’ryone else will think we’re having sex, which is jus’ fine.” She took a breath. “More truth time.”
They were both looking at her steadily. Simply waiting.
Kate took another breath, this one for control. She spoke as precisely as she could manage after four Bulldogs. “I am a CIA operative, recruited by them when I was fifteen years old, and held under deep cover for mos’ of my life. I replaced the real Kathrine Lindenstream, who died of Cystic Fybrosis during a double lung transplantation. For the last three days I have failed to report into my coordinator and in the next twelve hours I will be considered a rogue agent.”
The silence in the room was almost total.
Kate licked her lips. “You know, you could both look…well, surprised, or something.
Micheil cleared his throat. “It’s truth time, isn’t it?”
She nodded.
“I already knew,” he said gently.
Kate drew in a startled breath. “No. How could you? No one knew. I’ve never told…” She swallowed, feeling cold and very, very sober. She looked up at Roman. “You, too?”
He lowered himself onto the bed. “I’ve known right from the start you were more than you were saying and a lot of small things told me it was probably the FBI or the CIA. But you didn’t say anything, so I didn’t.”
“I gave myself away?” She felt sick and it wasn’t just booze.
“Not to any normal human, you didn’t. But we’re not human.” Roman shrugged. Then he pointed to her hip. “You were trained for combat when they took you in, weren’t you? You’ve still got the instinct to reach for your gun on the back of your hip. The first day you met Micheil, in the basement car park when his limousine nearly knocked you over, you reached for it. You turned it into a tug on your bag, but I saw it, anyway.”
Micheil made a tiny sound and rolled his eyes. “That’s why you warned me that Kate wasn’t what she seemed to be.”
Roman grimaced. “I was still trying to figure out what it meant myself. Later on, I decided it didn’t mean a damn, whatever it was. But I kept noticing tiny slips. Then there was the gun and the way you took out MacDonald. They weren’t just slips, they were billboards, declaring yourself to us.” Roman looked at her. “But you’d already failed to report in by then, hadn’t you?”
Kate nodded.
“You’re trying to say you’re…what, Kate?” Micheil asked, his tone still gentle. “Joining up with Nial’s campaign?”
She swallowed. “I guess that’s part of it. I’m joining up with you two. In every way. They sold you out, you know.”
Roman let out a breath. “That’s who told you Micheil was a vampire. Of course you would believe them. They’ve been directing your life since you were a teenager.”
Micheil held up a hand. “Wait, Roman. It’s a bit more complicated than that. Kate, why did they tell you I was a vampire? Was that your assignment? To watch us?”
She shook her head, then halted the movement as the room spun and gasped. When everything was steady once more, she focused on Micheil and Roman once more.
“I love you both more than I can ever explain in words. This…what I’m doing now – it’s a tiny token, but it’s one way I can show to you that I really mean this. You’re right, Roman. They’ve been controlling my life forever. For the last five days, I’ve been mentally telling them to fuck off and considered myself independent, my world to be my own and just like you were saying earlier, I don’t want to give it up now.” She sucked in a breath. “If that means I throw my lot in with Nial and fight his war, then so be it.”
Micheil wiped her cheek, then brushed his damp fingers on his jeans. “You need to report in to your coordinator tomorrow. Give him a very good, very authentic-sounding excuse for being late in reporting in.”
“But—”
“He’s right,” Roman said softly. “You don’t want the CIA on your tail.”
She bit her lip.
“You can have your life, Kate. You just have to negotiate it properly. And that means letting the CIA think you’re still on their side. There’s too many of the Pro Libertatis in power positions throughout the federal government. You can help Nial by staying plugged into the structure.” He smiled. “We’ll know what side you’re really on.”
She sighed and nodded. “I just wanted to make my movie. They came to me after we got back from location shooting and laid out this incredible story about vampires being real and then topped it by telling me I was sleeping with one. And it was all to do with the goddamn stone I brought back from Turkey. They knew about it and they had been monitoring all these people in the government to see who took an interest in it.”
Roman and Micheil became still with the wariness she knew was their vampire natures on high alert. She studied them. “What?” she demanded.
“The ones in the government. They know about the Pro Libertatis,” Roman said, speaking to Micheil.
“They were trying to draw them out with the stone, too,” Micheil finished.
They both looked at her. “This stone,” Roman asked. “You still have it?”
“You’re sitting on it.”
Roman put his hand flat on the sheet, almost reverently. “It’s been here all along?”
She nodded. “I’m not an archaeologist, but I could tell by the ancient script on it that it was something incredibly ancient. I had it crated by an expert I bribed into silence, and because I didn’t know what it was and I didn’t have time to have it identified by experts, I put it where I could keep an eye on it.” She climbed off the bed and tugged at the edge of the mattress. “Up,” she commanded.
They stood up and lifted the mattress from the bed and propped it against the wall. There was a thin liner beneath that Kate tossed aside. Under that lay the base of the bed that the mattress rested upon. It was in two pieces and one had a small thumb hole in it.
“Christos, it’s not even locked!” Roman breathed, sounding distressed.
“Would you think to even look here?” Micheil asked. “Well, of course you wouldn’t. You didn’t.”
Kate hooked her finger in the thumb hole, lifted the sheet up an inch and dragged it over the top of the other and out of the way. Micheil and Roman leaned over and helped her with the cumbersome wood, for it did not have any runners or guides.
It finally dropped over the other base plate and they stood back and looked at the cavity beneath the bed.
It was empty.
“It’s gone!” Kate cried.
The bottom of the rectangular space was lined with the same carpet as the rest of the room, but just a bit more pristine and showroom perfect. Pale creamy white sand and tiny pebbles lay scattered all over the carpet, showing that something had rested there once.
“It’s been taken,” Micheil said.
“Menes Heru,” Roman said bitterly. “The Deadly Moon has the Blood Stone. The gods help us all.”
Other erotic vampire romances by Tracy Cooper-Posey:
Bannockburn Binding - Book 1 of the Beloved Bloody Time series.
In the early 23rd Century, vampires learned how to travel back in
time, and created a time-tsunami that threatened life as we know it, until they corrected their mistake. They created the Chronometric Conservation Agency, which is tasked with preserving history and therefore protecting humanity’s future. The Touring arm of the Agency offers trips back into the real past, with vampire guides, called travelers.
When Natalia (Tally) Marta, vampire and traveler, takes her client to visit the siege of Stirling Castle in 1314, she is caught and held hostage for ransom by Robert MacKenzie, a Bruce clansman. Rob finds himself drawn to the wilful, stubborn and very different English lady he has captured and the relationship becomes an intimate, highly-charged sexual pairing. Swiftly, Tally and Rob realize their bond is more than sexual, that the emotions stirring their hearts are true.
Christian Lee Hamilton, vampire, one of the last true southern gentlemen, and Tally’s ex-lover, knows the 1314 time marker enough to jump back and help Tally return home. His arrival at Bannockburn adds complications, for Christian finds himself drawn to Rob MacKenzie as much as Tally is. But neither of them can stay in the past forever. To do so means certain death.
Click here to buy Bannockburn Binding:
http://amzn.to/LFYDgE
_____________
Byzantine Heartbreak, Book 2 of the Beloved Bloody Time Series
Can they love again? Is it too late?
Nayara Ybarra and Ryan Deasmhumhain are the most powerful vampires known to humans in the 23rd century. They lead the Chronometric Preservation Agency, welded together yet divided by grief that won’t heal, their lives on hold. Vampires have lived apart from humans in the two hundred years since Nayara and Ryan jumped back in time and killed their lover, Salathiel, to halt the time wave that was destroying humanity and vampires.
Now, Càel Stelios, Worlds Assembly member, intends to make humans like vampires any way he can. He knows the vampires must become allies. Their unique strengths and abilities will help humans in the coming battle against the raging psi and their psychotic leader, Gabriel.
While he wages his political and social campaign he hides his true ambitions: to win Nayara and Ryan for himself. But despite being politically powerful, rich, smart and sexually potent, Stelios has a overwhelming disadvantage: He’s human. “No” is not a word he accepts without a fight, however. The psi-filers and Gabriel have plans, though, that will make fighting very real and bloody indeed...
Blood Stone Page 44
