Key to Conflict

by Talia Gryphon

  Sighing, Gillian disagreed. “I haven’t told him for that very reason, Maeti. Everyone is half crazy trying to protect me. Don’t you think these others had protection? It didn’t help them…How will it make a difference if I add more worry into the mix?”

  Maeti picked up a brush and attacked Gillian’s wet hair, hoping to relax her more. “You do what you want, my friend, but when he does find out, and he will, you will be sorry you did not disclose this when you were able to.”

  “I know. That’s what worries me.”

  CHAPTER

  17

  A FTER a night of rest, Gillian visited Dante, who informed her that the conflict was spreading. Apparently he did have connections. Ghosts in general were allying themselves with the Osiris and Dionysus camps. They had nothing to gain from Dracula’s rule, nor from the others, but the majority of displaced spirits did not want to be exorcised, banished, ignored or avoided by causing a panic in Humans if they chose the wrong side. There was no need to declare allegiance to a leader who would clearly disregard them as insubstantial and unimportant.

  Most of the Sidhe—Seelie, Unseelie and Mith-Seelie of the Light Court, Dark Court and Twilight Court, respectively, including Fairies, Elves, and their kin—were falling into a sort of neutral area. Where the Sluagh’s loyalties lay was anybody’s guess. Most definitely did not want to be under Dracula’s banner, but nor did they wish to remain as fringe citizens in the current Paramortal/mortal world. Humans tended not to always take them seriously and there was a growing movement to bring legal injunctions for libelous depiction against the works of the Brothers Grimm; the makers of Keebler cookies; Kris Kringle d/b/a Santa Claus (a limited liability company), who insisted on depicting his workforce as indentured servants to a fat, bearded Nordic man in a red suit with a reindeer-drawn sleigh; and the Walt Disney Corporation for their largely unflattering characterizations of magical folk such as demi-Fey Tinkerbell and Unseelie Maleficent.

  J. R. R. Tolkien, in contrast, was a hero among the Fey, having brought Elves and others into the full glare of celebrity; as was TSR and related companies for Dungeons & Dragons and other role playing games, and author Laurell K. Hamilton with her Merry Gentry series. They rather liked mortals knowing that the Fey, Elves, Fairies, Dwarves and Hobbits could kick their asses on many levels—not all magical.

  Osiris sent word through Anubis that envoys were needed to convince the Sidhe and their friends that he and Dionysus were trustworthy and that the Fey, all of them, were respected by Vampires and their kin. Dionysus was sending some representatives out, as was Osiris; hopefully they would bring back good news of treaties signed and sealed. Osiris asked Aleksei if he would like to be considered for one of the diplomatic envoy appointments. Since Count Rachlav was the head of the Romanian faction of Vampires and therefore a VIP in Fangdom, it would be an honor for any Fey to host him. Aleksei said he would give it some thought; then Anubis butted in, pointing out that it might not be a wise idea since Dracula was gunning for Aleksei in the first place.

  Tanis, listening to the exchange, which began to get heated when Aleksei’s sensibilities were offended by the suggestion that he hide out, offered to be one of the envoys instead of Aleksei. As the Count’s brother, he held a high rank; he was also a target but not an obvious one, and therefore could leave and return will little fanfare, hoopla or attention being drawn to himself. Besides, he found he rather liked dealing with the Fey and their intricate societal practices, which Aleksei found tedious.

  After much discussion and argument along with Osiris’s rethought recommendation, Tanis was duly appointed and made preparations to leave. His first visit would be to Finland—home and Gateway of the Elves, then the United Kingdom. Ireland held a large population of Werewolves that might be persuaded to be on their side.

  Gillian was not happy about this development. She and Tanis were not exactly a bonded couple, but he was her friend and she didn’t like him out of the country and away from the protection he had there at the family castle. They had a discussion or two about it—one heated where they wound up in bed and one not so heated, where they also wound up in bed. In the end, Gillian backed off, recognizing male muleheadedness in the Reborn. Tanis was a big Vampire and could take care of himself very well. Those steel-corded muscles were capable of lifting a small car or stopping a charging bull; he didn’t need a petite marine guard at his side.

  She pondered their friendship, thinking about what her life would be like if he weren’t in it. Liking him had come easily, despite his chauvinistic overtones. Caring about him had been harder. Gillian lived her life securely behind a professional coat of armor. As an empath, it was safer that way. She could care about her clients, keep a reasonable clinical distance and close the file when the case was done.

  Tanis had been her lover and friend for months but, true to form, Gill still remained somewhat detached. Tanis knew it, she knew it. Problem was, neither was doing anything about it. They rarely discussed their relationship or emotions. It was one of the reasons that he was more unsure of his own feelings than he normally would have been at this stage of their relationship. He cared about her, as a friend, as a lover; had respected her skill and courage, but knew her heart wasn’t fully his. It made him wary and to think that a break might do both of them good, perhaps give them a little perspective. Tanis wanted to understand her; he wasn’t sure how to go about it.

  Gillian wanted to understand Gillian too; Tanis’s feelings were somewhat extraneous at this point. Having a gorgeous, hot man available in her life—okay, she could overlook the Vampire thing—was still scary as hell. Completely competent and totally capable, Gillian still had a major flaw in her character. She had no idea how to truly love someone. It bothered her occasionally, but not enough for her to work on it.

  Commitment phobia ran so deeply within her, she had no idea how to even begin to combat it. Her knee-jerk reaction to closeness was making her argumentative and aggressive with Tanis. If she held him at bay, pushed him away hard enough, was enough of a hardass, he’d let her alone. It had worked for her in the past and she saw no reason to change. This break wasn’t threatening to her at all. It gave her time to ignore the problem for a while rather than face it. If Tanis had forced her to confront it, he would get Gill at her worst: a first-class bully. Behind the bully was someone very frightened of belonging to someone else, of allowing her intrinsic vulnerability to surface. Sometimes being a bitch was all she had.

  Aleksei was another matter. His reaction and response to her the night of Pavel’s near attack had been puzzling. Maeti had tried to broach the topic of the tall, dark and devastating count, but Gillian refused to discuss either him as a patient or that he might have feelings for her. As far as she was concerned, she was in a difficult position just being there. Thinking about how Aleksei might or might not feel was damn scary and confusing. She couldn’t afford to contemplate it just yet. After the year time frame was over, if she was still in the Country, maybe she’d think about it. Otherwise it might blow over on its own. Avoiding emotional confusion was another strategic defense tactic she did very well.

  Aleksei was having thoughts and concerns of his own. Issues was too vague a term. Aleksei did not have issues. He knew exactly what was bothering him. Four hundred years of discovering his inner Vampire had given him tremendous insight, despite the fangxiety that had initially brought Gillian into his life.

  His normally high tolerance was being strained at every turn. Gillian’s proclivity for getting into hazardous situations was wearing thin as his newly evolving feelings for the little blonde shrink were growing more intense, despite his trying to avoid contact with her as much as possible. Agitation showed clearly in his manner and bearing. He was becoming increasingly isolated: taking long walks alone, staring out windows, perusing the Internet and pacing the corridors until Gillian lost patience and yelled at him. That earned her a sharp reprimand from Aleksei, who noted that Gillian was not the castle activities director and wo
uld she please shut the hell up if she wanted them to remain on speaking terms.

  Gill figured Aleksei focusing on the big picture rather than on the short, sassy detail living under his roof was probably better for their long-term friendship anyway. Edgy and temperamental, everyone was soon giving him a wide berth and letting the Lord of the Manor climb his own pinnacle. Maeti noticed that the pinnacle was looking more and more like Gillian’s lithe and lush form every night.

  Tanis was too preoccupied with his own thoughts in the matter to notice and could not have focused if he’d had bifocals on his emotions. Sekhmet and Anubis exchanged many a knowing glance. People who are happy in their committed relationships tend to be monumental pains in the ass. They believe that everyone needed to be paired up and deliriously happy, just like them.

  Gag me with a spoon, Gillian thought after the umpteenth time that Sekhmet tried to have a little “girl talk” with her, while extolling Anubis’s virtues, prowess and circumference. That was just way too damn much information for Gillian to stomach about a four-thousand-year-old Egyptian Vampire. She liked Sekhmet but wanted to be able to remain in a room with Anubis without embarrassment.

  Cezar and Pavel showed up with Cezar practically dragging the mortified Lycanthrope into the castle to speak to Gillian personally. Sitting together in the same library where the near attack had happened, Pavel stammered and colored to his discomfiture and Cezar’s amusement, but managed to apologize. Gillian graciously explained that it had not been his fault and that she took full responsibility for the failure of the hypnotherapy.

  Aleksei entered during their conversation, scenting the pack leader and budding alpha wolf. His own senses on full alert after the last visit by the lupine league, he strode in and perched on the arm of the couch next to where Gillian was seated. Cezar had the audacity to look amused at the veiled threat. Pavel simply looked terrified. Hearing the last bit of conversation, Aleksei groaned inwardly, watching Pavel and Cezar join the Gillian Key Admiration Society, as she smoothed over the entire incident.

  Shaking hands with Gill and Aleksei, Cezar and Pavel took their leave, with promises to let Gillian come to a pack meeting and to run with them if she would like. Enthusiastic, she accepted their hospitable offer, much to Aleksei’s irritation. There was no way in hell he was going to allow her out roaming the mountains with a pack of Lycanthropes—he didn’t care who their Alpha was. He trusted Cezar implicitly, but wasn’t up for Gillian cavorting about in the midst of all that teeth and fur.

  Cezar shut the door a he exited and Aleksei was startled by a resounding thump on his upper arm. Turning, he looked down into Gillian’s intense green eyes, which were snapping in anger. She had punched him.

  “What in the hell is wrong with you? You come in here and hover over me, threatening that poor kid?” Gillian hopped up on her feet to face him directly, trying to feel at less of a disadvantage. Well, damn, it didn’t work; even seated on the arm of the couch, Aleksei was taller than she was. Fine. She’d wing it.

  An ebony brow arched elegantly over his silvery gray eyes. Eyes that were taking on a distinctive red cast as his temper began to simmer. He had gone perfectly still the way only a Vampire can manage. It was unnerving.

  “Gillian…,” he began, in a warning tone.

  “There is no excuse or reason for you to babysit me, Aleksei. I am a former soldier and an adult. If I want your goddamn help I’ll ask for it.” She was seething. The entire company of resident Vampires were on her like white on rice as if she were a delicate little flower. Drove her nuts.

  Reading her thoughts easily, since she was broadcasting like AM radio, he managed a smirk. “You are delicate, piccola. Much more delicate than you can imagine.”

  Damn. Shit. And hell. His voice was still the most remarkable thing she’d ever heard. That and the fact that his inherent sensuality and breathtaking beauty were combined with that voice. And that he was seated less than two feet in front of her. Close enough to touch…rock hard, er…muscles. Yeah, muscles. To smell…cardamom and nutmeg. To kiss…jeez, those lips, that mouth…Oh goddess. Her mind was wandering where it shouldn’t be.

  Stop it! she yelled at herself. That was not good. He couldn’t be attractive to her just yet. He just couldn’t. Good thing he made her really mad seconds later.

  “Delicate my happy ass! I did not survive battlefield conditions and conflict in Somalia and Bosnia by being delicate, you insufferable shithead! Don’t you lecture me about being delicate or being female or being a target. I know exactly what I am doing. I am being careful. I am being mindful of my safety. It’s not like any of you would let me forget about it anyway for Hell’s sake!”

  She practically spat the last at him, drawing herself up to her full five-foot, two-inch height and bracing herself for the coming explosion. Her hands were clenched in fists at her sides, knuckles white and trembling in her anger.

  Far from exploding in fury, Aleksei regarded her with glacial calm, as the deep beautiful voice rumbled from his chest. “Perhaps it would drive home the point of just how vulnerable and easily overpowered you are if I demonstrate exactly what little effort will be required to put you over my knee.”

  To her horror, she reddened under his unwavering glare. Devious, chauvinistic bastard. How did he do that? She could feel the weight of his age and power pouring over her. His eyes held hers, two pools of mysterious silver metal, but no metal ever held that weight of intelligence and heat. Having had experience in this area, she had no doubt that he would make good on his threat if she didn’t shut up. Her mouth, however, refused to obey her brain’s directive.

  “We are not living in the fucking seventeenth century! You can’t just spank someone because they don’t agree with you!” She snarled up at him, trying not to look nervous on top of her self-conscious blush.

  The look he gave her wasn’t friendly. “Whether you agree with me or not matters very little, Gillian. I am less concerned with you being angry than I am with you remaining alive. I am an Old-World man; if I must resort to direct methods of convincing you, I will. That you will be alive to hate me will be a small price to pay.” That he meant every word, she had no doubt whatsoever.

  It was the first time being with him that she felt anything remotely akin to fear. Empathy flared; she picked up his anger, his fear for her and something else she couldn’t place right then. One thing for sure, he was deadly serious. Aleksei apparently had a hell of a temper hidden beneath that silky ruffled shirt. Gorgeous and chauvinistic. Interesting.

  “Why does it matter to you so much, my remaining alive, I mean? I’m just your former therapist and now a forced guest in your home. I’m nothing to you, Aleksei; you don’t have to remain responsible for me. So why do you care so much?” Nile-green eyes stared unflinchingly into his own shimmering gray ones.

  If her tone had been anything other than one of an honest question, he would have jerked her across his lap and thoroughly tanned her lovely rear. Powerful emotions were surging through him; he knew it and he knew why. She did not. Her clear eyes were guileless, with no inkling of her effect on him. Her question wasn’t meant to provoke him. She was just asking.

  Mulling her words, forcing down his turbulent emotions, Aleksei’s voice softened a little. Velvet over steel. “It matters, Gillian. You matter to me, mia preziosa.”

  He shackled both her upper arms in his elegant hands and shook her lightly. “You do not understand why or how you impact another life but you do, bella piccola. You do.”

  In retrospect, it would be a profound moment for both of them. Gillian looked at him as a man for the first time. Not as a patient, not as a Vampire, not as a resource, but a man who was trying desperately to put her needs above his own even if he pissed her off doing it.

  Aggressive, powerful and dominant, he was from another time, another way of thinking. An alpha male in all his Vampiric glory. He couldn’t help being chauvinistic and bossy any more than Tanis could. Being Lord of the Manor in more ways than one
had made him the way he was. Four hundred years of living one way was not going to evaporate due to a limited association with a New-World woman.

  Right now he was hanging on to control by a thread. Gillian could feel it. Seething emotions were pulsing through his being. He cared about her as a woman and he let her see it, honestly and openly. It was in his eyes, in his remarkable beauty; in the way his hands were curved around her arms gently but firmly. His voice was pitched differently. Love. Sweet freaking Hathor. He was falling for her and hard. Shit, she so did not need this.

  Aleksei felt her brachial pulse leap under his hands. All he could do was hold her still in front of him and try to remember to breathe evenly like a living man. He prayed she wouldn’t move because if she touched him, if the slightest brush of her fingertips flicked across his erection, he knew his control would shatter and they would wind up making love on the couch heedless of the library door being unlocked. Standing as close as she was between his legs as he sat on the couch’s arm, he felt the heat of her body over his chest and groin, smelled her snow-on-clover scent like a heady drug. Thank the gods she didn’t look down. He was hard and aching for her despite his anger.

  Gill knew Aleksei was honorable; that he knew she was also honor-bound not to break her own profession’s ethics and he would not push her to do so. Desire and need from him was beating at her despite her shielding and his own. Violating her trust was something he would not do, but he wanted her. She knew it and respected him for keeping a lid on it.

  What he didn’t realize was she didn’t have to look down to know how aroused he was by her closeness. Her empathy was broadcasting that to her on every possible channel. Goddess, he was so unbelievably beautiful, sensual, touch-starved and so rock hard that it bordered on physical pain. Electricity snaked between them in a sensual current and it was all Gillian could do to stand perfectly still and wait for him to release her. If she moved at all, she’d accidentally brush against his inner thighs or groin, as close as her hands were to him. At that point all bets would be off, because they’d wind up in a pile of tangled limbs on the couch and fuck each other’s brains out. The only thing that saved them both was the phone ringing.