"That did not give him the right to murder your mother and to nearly kill you, too," Gavin pulled me against him. "No man has that right and no vampire has that right. It is a death sentence if a vampire kills his mate or companion."
"A stroke killed Howard Graham. He's buried in the prison cemetery; nobody went to see him before he died, either." I said. "He had a brother who walked away from him when he killed my mom. Travis lived in Ohio at the time. I don't know if he's still alive."
"Travis Graham's safety should not be an issue since we know his brother was not your natural father," Wlodek said. "What about aunts and uncles on your mother's side?" He was still toying with Merrill's letter opener, focusing on it and not looking at me.
"Mom had an older brother who died in World War II; he died of peritonitis on the battlefield—they couldn't get treatment for him fast enough," I said. Merrill nodded; I'd told him this when Franklin had appendicitis. "He's buried in France, at Colleville-Sur-Mer, I think."
"His name?" Wlodek picked up a pen to write.
"Cecil Hart," I replied.
"Very well, we will investigate this." The pen scratched across paper on Merrill's desk. "Do you know if he was married or had any children?"
"Mom never said anything." Had he? I never thought to ask. Mom always cried when she talked about him, so I didn't ask any questions. There wasn't much information on him either, when I cleaned out the house before Don and the lawyer helped me sell it. It held too many awful memories for me to keep it and I'd used the money from that plus the life insurance policy to buy the house that Don and I lived in for twenty-three years.
"Charles," Wlodek said, handing over the scrap of paper.
"I'll search the records right away," Charles was already tapping on his computer. That man—or vampire—could do six things at once.
"How close were you with your husband's relatives?" Wlodek asked next. Uh-oh. I hadn't even thought about them; I'd been too concerned about my side of the family. I was going to have to push my brain in all directions.
"We weren't; Don and I only had holiday dinners and birthdays with his brother and his wife, though they lived about twenty miles away from us. David and Sara were at social functions more often than they were at home, sometimes. They had one son, but Danny got killed in Desert Storm."
"What about the son—was he married or did he have children?"
"None as far as I know. He was twenty-two when he died."
"Human wars have not been kind to your family," René murmured.
"They were doing their best to weed out the Workmans and the Harts," I agreed. "Don's father was a Korean war casualty. David went to Viet Nam. He was proud when Danny signed up with the Marines right out of high school. Don had heart disease, so he couldn't serve."
"Anyone else in your family?"
"Not on my mother's side, or my husband's, except for two cousins of Don's and David's; their parents are gone. They both live in Kansas; anyway, that's where they were when Don passed."
"We know about those," Wlodek nodded. He was still playing with Merrill's letter opener; he seemed to like it. I wondered what kind of sword the Greeks carried and what Wlodek's profession had been before he became vampire. It also made me wonder about his sire. I was probably not destined to find out about that.
"Now, Lissa," Wlodek went on, "while I realize that you can do as you like, I hope you understand that it will be a mistake for you to go anywhere alone. If Gavin is not available, then someone else will be assigned to accompany you, should you leave Merrill's estate. I beg you not to ignore me on this." Dark eyes bored into mine, compelling me to listen.
"That's fine, I guess," I grumbled. I could probably take care of myself, but backup was always a good idea.
"I am working out a deal with Paul and Deryn; I am tripling their salary to stay and watch over Franklin and Greg if they venture out during the day. They also will go with Giff and Roff should they need to leave the grounds," Merrill said. "The vampires will not be awake to attack while the sun is up, but they may have human servants. The Werewolves will work out nicely as day guards." We really were going to have a full house, especially if René and Tony stayed.
The meeting was finally over and Gavin herded me toward my bed. He had a few things on his mind besides sleeping, and that's why we were going early.
* * *
"Did she seem upset that she might have a living father somewhere?" Griffin landed in Merrill's kitchen while Merrill poured out a glass of wine for himself and Wlodek. Merrill pulled out another wineglass for Griffin and poured for him, too.
"I think she was worried that her father might be in danger if he still lived," Wlodek sipped his wine and nodded at Merrill. Merrill kept the best wine cellar and the door into it was next to Wlodek's bedroom.
"She was worried about me?" Griffin was beginning to feel hopeful.
"Yes. I believe she thinks her mother's affair was a fleeting one and now thinks her father probably wasn't aware of her existence," Wlodek went on.
"I knew Harriet was pregnant when I left her; there was only the once with her before Thorsten found out and hid her from me," Griffin grumbled.
"Your old war with Thorsten has not gone unnoticed," Merrill tapped his wineglass, encouraging Griffin to drink. Griffin lifted his glass and toasted his friend.
"Amara wants to come for a visit, and I understand your two new employees are adept at making wine. Might you be interested in a guest house a few yards away, where additional visitors might stay and where Roff and Giff might ply their trade as time allows?"
"I have no problem with that," Merrill smiled. Rolfe came in then; it was nearing dawn and Wlodek poured out a glass of wine for his bodyguard.
"You are the little Queen's sire?" Rolfe studied Griffin.
"How do you know this?" Griffin looked up at the tall vampire.
"The shape of her face is yours," Rolfe said. "And I overhear many things. It cannot be helped."
"My daughter looks a little like me?" Griffin seemed very happy with that information. "She has her mother's beauty," he added.
"Her willfulness has not gone unnoticed, either," Merrill observed dryly. "I believe she comes by that through you."
"You call it willfulness," Griffin took another swallow of his wine. "Do you know how much courage it takes for her to do that? It would be so much easier for her to sit and do as she's told—and so much worse for those around her. One of your misters would be dead without her. I have Looked, my friend. Without her help in New Mexico, five more vampires would have died, along with eleven werewolves and four humans. Is that what you wanted?"
Wlodek moved uncomfortably on his seat; he'd wondered about it but it hadn't changed the Council's decision or Lissa's punishment afterward. Flavio had been avoiding her; he felt responsible for Lissa's attempted suicide.
"When will the guest house go up?" Merrill asked.
"This morning," Griffin grinned. Rolfe was the only one whose eyebrows rose.
Chapter 3
I was dreaming, and that was impossible; I hadn't dreamed since becoming vampire. My mother was standing in our old kitchen, wearing her favorite apron over old jeans and a T-shirt I'd given her for Mother's Day. Afternoon light was shining through the kitchen window, just as it always did when I got home from school. "Hi, baby," my mother said, giving me a smile.
"Mom?" I stared at her—she looked so young.
"Lissy, I always meant to tell you some things, but we never had any time," she said. The light pouring through the window bathed her in a glow as we talked—she truly was beautiful—that's why Howard Graham wanted her in the beginning and why he was never willing to let her go. Other men envied what he had; he'd just never appreciated it properly.
"What things, mom?" I was holding back from going to her—was she prepared to tell me about her affair, now? She turned away from me to swipe the kitchen counter with a cloth in her hand. It made me think of the times she did that before—to hide the bruises mad
e by Howard Graham's fists.
"I was adopted, honey," she admitted, scrubbing at a spot on the counter. "Your Uncle Cecil wasn't, and my mother always wanted a girl. Somebody abandoned me when I was a baby, and my parents adopted me."
"Why didn't you say that before?" I wasn't sure how to take this information, and somewhere in my mind, I reminded myself it was only a dream.
"Don't be angry with your father, Lissy." She turned back to me, squeezing the cleaning rag in her hands. Mom always called me Lissy, just as Tony did. I never told him that—it would have made my heart seize up if it still worked.
"He killed you. I'll be mad at him if I want," I retorted. I was acting fourteen again for some reason, talking back to my mother.
"Not the one who killed me," mom said. She reached out a hand to me, but couldn't touch, for some reason. "Your real father. He couldn't help it, hon." Sky-blue eyes pleaded with me to understand. I didn't.
"Couldn't help what, mom?" I was reaching out to her, but she was sliding away from me as the kitchen disappeared. "Mom!" I was shouting and running after her, but I never got any closer. "Mom!" I yelled again, when a blinding light pushed me back, making me wake with a start.
I was sitting up in bed, whimpering and breathing hard, failing to notice for several seconds that darkness hadn't fallen—it was daylight outside. The muted light in the bedroom was strange and hazy to my eyes as I stared in shock at the clock on my bedside table. It was three in the afternoon. What was I doing awake? Vampires didn't wake during the day. Did they? The dream unsettled me, and that shouldn't be, either. I had no idea what was going on and my feet slid over the side of the bed automatically. I truly was awake during the day. I glanced back over the bed; Gavin was still asleep and not breathing (as was the norm), locked in the rejuvenating slumber that we all went through. I was just out of it, somehow.
Curious now, in addition to still being shaken (I hadn't dreamed of my mother in years), I walked out of my bedroom and then down the stairs leading to the first floor. My destination was Franklin's kitchen, but the light streaming through the windows there caused a bit of disorientation. Franklin was putting a grocery list together and Greg was standing next to him, his arms around his mate.
"Frank?" My one-word sentence caused Franklin and Greg to turn and gasp.
"Lissa, darling, what are you doing out of bed?" Greg was at my side as quickly as he could get there.
I rubbed my forehead with shaking fingers, "I had a terrible dream," I said. "I dreamed about my mother and that hasn't happened for years. I think it was because they were asking questions about my family last night."
"Come on, sit down," Greg steered me toward a barstool.
"Can I have some water?" I asked. I felt extremely thirsty. Franklin was worried, I could tell, but went to get a glass of water anyway, handing it off to me.
"Are you sure you don't want blood instead, little girl?" he asked. I was slurping water as if I did it every day and it wasn't coming back up—at least not yet.
"No, this is good," I said. "Is that sunlight?" I pointed to the window that usually showed darkness beyond. I rose and walked unsteadily toward it, so I could take a look. My eyes were mere slits and I shaded them with a hand when I made it to the window, but I gazed at a lawn that had been mowed recently, and flowerbeds neatly planted and tended. I wiped tears away as I saw a color of green that never came through at night.
"Why aren't you frying?" Greg whispered.
"They put a shielding disc under the skin at the back of my neck," I explained absently, staring at Merrill's expansive grounds.
"That still doesn't explain how she broke out of the rejuvenating sleep," Franklin muttered.
"I can hear you, Frank," I said, turning away from the light. It was still making my eyes water or I was crying, one of the two. Giff and Roff were now in the kitchen and Roff was leading me away from the window while the others followed along behind.
"Raona, you should go back to sleep," Roff reprimanded gently, his honey brown eyes displaying concern and alarm. "What are you doing out of bed?"
"I had a bad dream," I said, pulling away from him and sitting down at the kitchen island; I was beginning to feel dizzy.
"No, Raona," Roff admonished, taking my hand again. "Come to bed."
"I'll carry her up," Franklin offered.
"No, I will do this," Roff waved Franklin off. "We were made to work with the vampires and defend them if necessary. We are stronger than we seem." Roff lifted me as if I weighed nothing, and with Giff trailing him, carried me up the stairs. Once there, Giff left us and Roff climbed into bed with me, holding me against him. He laid my head on his shoulder, put his arms around me and told me to sleep. I closed my eyes and slept.
* * *
"She was up? In the middle of the day?" Gavin ran a hand through his hair in a gesture of frustration. Wlodek and Merrill were both listening to Franklin's account of Lissa's brief journey downstairs in daylight.
"She said she had a bad dream," Franklin looked at Merrill. Gavin snorted. "I'm only repeating what she said," Franklin tossed up a hand.
"I'll talk this over with Griffin; He'll be here tomorrow with Amara," Merrill sighed.
The guesthouse was up and located fifty yards from the manor. It fit with the manor's architecture and was two stories high, with the lower story set up for Roff and Giff to make wine. They'd already looked at the space and were quite happy. Griffin had two adoring comesuli, now. The Saa Thalarr, when free to use their considerable power and talent, could make amazing things happen. Only the Larentii were more powerful.
* * *
"What's going on?" Gavin turned quickly, looking a bit guilty. I was yawning as I walked into the kitchen; I still felt sleepy, which wasn't surprising since I'd been awake earlier.
"Sweetheart, Franklin says you were out of bed earlier," Merrill came to me and held my face in his hands, his bright blue eyes narrowed in concern.
"I was. I dreamed about my mother and I haven't done that in years," I yawned again. "I think it was because we were talking about my family last night."
"Do you often dream?" Wlodek was standing beside Merrill, now, examining me carefully. Gavin wanted to move Merrill aside so he could get his hands on me, but Merrill wasn't moving.
"No, this is the first time since I was turned," I told him. "Now I feel tired."
"Did you feed?" Wlodek asked.
"Yes, honey," I said without thinking. Wlodek chuckled, then turned his head and laughed.
"Where is this disc that Gavin and Franklin are telling me about," Merrill asked, smiling. Wlodek now had himself back in hand.
"Back here somewhere," I lifted what little hair I had; it covered my nape now and I was happy about that. Merrill came around to study the back of my neck.
"Lissa, is that what these four puncture marks are?" Merrill leaned around to look at me.
"No, those are Kifirin's claiming marks."
"Claiming marks?" Merrill blinked at Gavin, who was staring at Wlodek.
"It's something he and the High Demons do," I shrugged. "They put their teeth in their mate's neck. Get him to explain it next time; I don't know much about it."
"The claiming is terrible when the High Demons do it," Roff came in, carrying a large container of blackberries. "They turn to their smaller Thifilathi and sink their canine teeth into the back of their mate's neck. The female is gravely ill for days afterward. Sex with the linking follows, when the female recovers. The claiming is never a pleasant experience for her."
"Is that what he did?" Gavin demanded.
"I wasn't sick, he just put his teeth in my neck," I felt embarrassed at the admission. "My neck was a little sore after, but that's all. The, uh, other stuff came later, and well, it was okay," I amended. "Dragon said we had a M'fiyah, Kifirin and I," I went on. "That's why I didn't fend him off after a while." I shrugged and went to help Roff wash blackberries.
"Mate recognition," Merrill informed Gavin, who must have worn a
puzzled frown, still. I had my back to him at the time.
"I think I had it with Gavin, too. He smelled so good when I met him and no other vampire has smelled like that to me." I turned to look at Merrill and Wlodek, who were regarding me with confusion. "Of course he ended up being a big schmuck," I said, turning back to the sink. Roff and I were dumping washed blackberries into a large, wire colander.
"Am I still a schmuck?" Gavin came over to stand behind me.
"At times. You can't help it. It's a damn good thing I love you." Roff took his blackberries and headed toward the door into the garage. "Where are you going with those?" I asked. Roff seemed to have some purpose for dragging clean blackberries out the door.
"We, ah, have a new guesthouse," Merrill explained. Gavin pulled me against him and was now nuzzling my neck.
"Merrill, how can we have a new guesthouse? We didn't have anything yesterday," I said, trying to convince Gavin to stop nipping my neck. I mean, Wlodek was right there, after all, as was Merrill.
"Come, I will show you," Gavin picked me up and hauled me out the door. One of the garage bay doors was open; we went out that way and there it was; a huge, two-story guesthouse that had magically appeared in the last few hours, emerging like a mushroom that pops up overnight.
"Did somebody pour water on that to get instant extra space?" I asked as Gavin set me down outside it. I went to touch a stone wall with my hand; it was solid, all right, and looked as it had been there for months instead of hours.
"Merrill says Griffin completed this in very little time," Gavin informed me. "I had my doubts too, but here it is. Want to go inside?"
"Of course I do," I sniffed and walked through the door that Roff left open.
Roff and Giff were inside, crushing blackberries. They had buckets, bottles, bags of sugar and yeast plus many other winemaking things handy.
"Griffin provided everything we need," Giff was happy with what he was doing, mashing blackberries with his hands. "And a Larentii came to help build this," he waved a hand at our surroundings. "We knew of Larentii, but we have only seen them once before," he went on, smiling brightly before going back to crushing berries.
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