Gaius blinked, I must have shocked him, but then he began to laugh, very hard. "Dear boy, you"ve no idea what you"ve gotten into."
"I"ve a fair idea."
"Proud and pa.s.sionate pa.s.sionate," Gaius leaned forward, his hungry smile revealing fangs, a grinning Disney wolf. "What will the Northman say?"
"The Northman? Ethan, you have some explaining explaining to do." to do."
"Mia, upstairs, now now!" Ethan commanded in a dangerously low tone. "I do apologize for her rudeness." I didn"t budge. Ethan gave me a threatening look. "We"ll talk later later Mia, go." Mia, go."
Gaius raised his hand. "I"m not offended. Indeed, I"m intrigued. In answer to your question little one, the Northman is elder elder of your of your house house. I"m surprised your lord lord hasn"t spoken of him. Brovik is an old friend of mine- a very old friend. His domain lies to the North, from Britain and above. He"ll no doubt want to make your acquaintance. Ethan, you know your duty. I won"t interfere, but neither will I lie." hasn"t spoken of him. Brovik is an old friend of mine- a very old friend. His domain lies to the North, from Britain and above. He"ll no doubt want to make your acquaintance. Ethan, you know your duty. I won"t interfere, but neither will I lie."
"Of course, he"ll be informed we"re here. I wouldn"t dare offend your hospitality."
"Good, when shall we expect you on Capri?"
"Soon, give my regards to your ladies."
Rising from the chair, Gaius crossed the room and inclined his head slightly. Ethan bowed, and they shook hands warily, two dogs cautiously sniffing around each other.
"Until then, Ethan." Gaius bowed to me and raised my hand to his lips. "Cara mia, our world is much more dangerous with you in it." He laughed and took the liberty of pinching my cheek.
Once Gaius was roaring back across the bay, Ethan checked the locks on the doors and windows and tested the electronic security system to see if it was functioning.
I threw myself in disgust into the chair Gaius had vacated. "What a jerk!"
Ethan sputtered with anger as he turned to face me. "Do you have any idea of what he is?"
I was definitely not in the mood to be scolded. "An arrogant old pervert!"
Ethan paced agitatedly about the room. "He"s two thousand two thousand years old, a former Roman general, not someone to trifle with. He"s called the years old, a former Roman general, not someone to trifle with. He"s called the Wolf Wolf, what makes you think you could take him on?"
I affected a casual pose examining my perfectly painted fingernails. "I"m not impressed."
"You"d better be. He says if we stay or go. He"s the closest thing this place has had to an emperor in a thousand years, and just as corrupt. Don"t do anything else to encourage him. Meeting his eyes, taunting him, it"s a challenge Mia."
"For heaven"s sake, it"s nineteen fifty one!"
He closed the heavy draperies. "I"ve told you how they are."
"You"ve evaded my questions for a year now. Tell me about Brovik!"
"There"s nothing to tell. He made me, period!"
"No, I won"t accept that."
"You"ll have to." He strode to the door. "I"m going out. Lock the door behind me and stay inside."
"You can"t keep me locked up forever!"
"Can"t I?" He laughed. "What would you do with this freedom you so desperately desire? That old monster on Capri would s.n.a.t.c.h you up in his jaws in a heartbeat, and you"d be one of three three concubines. You wouldn"t like their games much." concubines. You wouldn"t like their games much."
"Games?"
Ethan"s eyes turned to chips of blue ice. "My poor innocent lamb, you can"t imagine the things they get up to."
And there I was stuck again, despite the new locale.
Two hours later, he still hadn"t returned. I was agitated and restless. I wanted to be outside. What would be the harm of strolling along the beach?
I took the steep steps down to the narrow strip of sand and rock. Slipping off my sandals, I headed off blithely down the beach, the sand cool and moist under my bare feet. Balmy Mediterranean breezes ruffled my hair and over my face. Tentatively, I dipped a toe into the dark water, inviting as a warm bathtub. Wading deeper, the water lapped at my dress and dampened the hem. I lifted the skirt above my knees and continued to wander.
Moonlight cut a swath of silver across the bay"s blackened surface. Far out on the horizon, tiny lights winked on the boats anch.o.r.ed there. The wind whipped my hair about my face.
Release! I stretched my arms out before me, not caring if my dress got wet, and closed my eyes, enjoying the sting of the salt spray against my face. Why had this vampire never communed with the night? I raised my eyes to the stars and moon, laughing out loud at my rebellion. I spun in circles, holding my arms stretched wide to embrace the darkness, faster and faster, a tiny cyclone. Delirious abandon! Blessed freedom, to fly alone in the night free of the falconer!
Fragrance hung heavy in the air. Male. I turned toward the scent. The hairs rose on the back of my neck as I got a better whiff. Danger. Danger. Something was wrong, it wasn"t Ethan"s scent and there was more than one. Something was wrong, it wasn"t Ethan"s scent and there was more than one.
I stood dead still, listening to the whisper of footsteps and heartbeats, the slightest shifting and crunching in the sand. One, two, no three- closing in quickly. Panicking, I ran toward the steps as fast as my legs could carry me. At full speed, I"d beat a gazelle, but they were cheetahs and easily overtook me in that short distance. Remembering Ethan always cautioned to show no fear, I froze as they surrounded, appalled and amazed by their appearance.
All three had the look of p.u.b.escent boys, thirteen or fourteen, but spared the awkwardness of early adolescence, graceful, their enchanting, unblemished faces polished marble. All were somewhat raggedly dressed in the manner of street kids. Glittering eyes watched me curiously as they speculated in Italian where I"d come from and who I belonged to. Their circle around me tightened. Laughter tinkled like crystal bells. I felt like Wendy in a very bizarre part of Neverland. Ethan said this ancient world wasn"t the one I"d left behind. Nothing was sacred to these monsters, certainly not childhood. On each was a small mark behind the left ear, of the she-wolf suckling Romulus and Remus.
Their eyes were ancient and expressions hungry. I backed away slowly, preparing to flee. The leader inclined his head and the others moved in closer. Pack hunters. Pack hunters.
The leader sprang and clapped his hand over my mouth, dragging me away. In spite of his size he was much stronger. I struggled against him with all my power. His grip tightened nearly crushing my chest. Gasping desperately for air, I clawed at his bare arms, leaving long, raw tracks streaming with blood. He yelped.
Something large ran toward us at full speed. The other two took flight, leaving the leader holding me at the water"s edge. Ethan"s enraged roar filled the air. "Vermin!"
My captor dropped me abruptly. Salt water stung my nostrils and throat. I came up sputtering to see Ethan grasping him by his slender throat and holding him up to his icy gaze. The boy"s eyes bulged out of his skull as Ethan"s hand closed tighter over his windpipe.
"Ethan, for G.o.d"s sake let him go!"
"Mia, stay out of this!" Ethan growled, as he began to twist the boy"s head around the neck like a light bulb. The boy screamed, struggling vainly as his neck ripped open with a sickening crunch of bone and moist tearing of flesh. Tendons wriggled, b.l.o.o.d.y spaghetti, as the head came loose. Blood spurted everywhere splashing us both. Terror stricken eyes glared from the lifeless boy"s head, the once sweet mouth frozen in a grimace. Ethan grasped the head by the hair and held it over his open mouth, gulping down the rain of blood and then to my revulsion raised the body to his lips to suck the remaining blood from the raw stump.
He stood, a panting animal, licking thick crimson clots from his lips, covered in sweat and rusty red smears, his thick dark hair plastered to his skull. "How dare you disobey!" He struck me hard across the mouth. I fell to the ground, sheltering my body with my hands. "They"d have dragged you off and violated you again and again. They"re the lowest of the low, sewer rats, castoffs!"
"Gaius did this! Little boys Little boys, for crissakes, Ethan!"
"They were never innocent." He turned away and went about the business of burying the body, covering it with sand and rock.
"Did you have to kill him?"
He looked at me as shocked as if I"d suggested we go sunbathing the next day. "It"s customary, a matter of honor."
"Honor is s.h.i.t to me! You cling to these absurd notions as if they still meant something! It"s bulls.h.i.t, Ethan! Gaius is nothing but a disgusting pedophile! We should sleep in coffins and haunt graveyards because we are are ghouls. You think I can I develop a new conscience to suit? You make me sick! I"m no better off than them. Maybe I don"t wear your mark, but I can"t venture a foot from my doorstep without ghouls. You think I can I develop a new conscience to suit? You make me sick! I"m no better off than them. Maybe I don"t wear your mark, but I can"t venture a foot from my doorstep without someone someone preying on me. You never told me I"d be your slave when you swore undying love." preying on me. You never told me I"d be your slave when you swore undying love."
"You accepted me as your master."
"I thought it was a G.o.dd.a.m.ned metaphor metaphor!"
"You were aching aching for it." for it."
It was true. I wanted to be so thoroughly s.e.xually dominated by this spectacular creature that I hadn"t questioned all this entailed. Submission in all other aspects grated.
"Where does this put you in relation to your master?"
Ethan flinched. "I have no master master."
"I"m not that naive. Someone"s always on top. Does Brovik top you?"
He raised his hand again, but I stared him down. He dropped it and then tore off his clothes to dive into the water, swimming very far out. I hesitated a moment but then tore off my own to join him... "
Joe cleared his throat. "So- you called this Gaius an elder. elder. This is how order is kept?" This is how order is kept?"
"Elders are like feudal barons in their own little fiefdoms. There are thirteen houses in all. They fall over themselves to be hospitable should other Immortyls Immortyls chance to visit. It"s very bad form not to. You know the old story about vampires not entering a house without invitation? Believe it, because they"re highly territorial sonsofb.i.t.c.hes. You don"t just barge in without making the proper pet.i.tion to the head of household, but on the other hand he"s honor bound to make you welcome. Elders handle problems in house whenever possible. Justice is swift and deadly. Each house is its own little world, each one more bizarre than the next. The elder sets the tone. There"s a body called the Grand Council, made up of elders of the houses, presided over by the oldest living chance to visit. It"s very bad form not to. You know the old story about vampires not entering a house without invitation? Believe it, because they"re highly territorial sonsofb.i.t.c.hes. You don"t just barge in without making the proper pet.i.tion to the head of household, but on the other hand he"s honor bound to make you welcome. Elders handle problems in house whenever possible. Justice is swift and deadly. Each house is its own little world, each one more bizarre than the next. The elder sets the tone. There"s a body called the Grand Council, made up of elders of the houses, presided over by the oldest living Immortyl, Immortyl, Kalidasa. Major disputes are brought to the Chief. Otherwise the GC meets only at the turn of each century. Oh, by the way, slaves have almost no rights- cast-offs none. Kalidasa. Major disputes are brought to the Chief. Otherwise the GC meets only at the turn of each century. Oh, by the way, slaves have almost no rights- cast-offs none.
It never really hit me until that moment that I was his virtual prisoner. After the incident on the beach I was always apprehensive when he left but he a.s.sured me that sewer rats sewer rats would never invade the domicile of an would never invade the domicile of an alpha. alpha. But one night when I was alone, a car approached, from the whine of the engine, something small and sporty. It wasn"t Ethan"s. He preferred more substantial automobiles, always in discreet black. But one night when I was alone, a car approached, from the whine of the engine, something small and sporty. It wasn"t Ethan"s. He preferred more substantial automobiles, always in discreet black.
I"d taken up drawing in pastels and was setting up a still life of a bottle of wine and fruit on the table, opulent oranges, grapes and pomegranates. I couldn"t stomach veggies anymore, but fruit had a pleasant scent, like flowers. Rare red meat I devoured with relish. Strangely enough, garlic, the traditional old bane of vampires, was entirely revolting to me. So much for my Italian ancestry.
As the car pulled into the drive, I peered out the window. It was the landlord and he"d brought Dirk, his young alpha alpha in training, a thoroughly nasty creature who reminded me of a mortal child who pulled the wings off flies. This former SS thug was a hulking brute whose large hands hung down his sides, like he only recently learned to walk upright. I suppose some might call him handsome with his large nose, jutting jaw, yellowish eyes and blondish hair. Not my flavor by any means. But he liked me well enough. in training, a thoroughly nasty creature who reminded me of a mortal child who pulled the wings off flies. This former SS thug was a hulking brute whose large hands hung down his sides, like he only recently learned to walk upright. I suppose some might call him handsome with his large nose, jutting jaw, yellowish eyes and blondish hair. Not my flavor by any means. But he liked me well enough.
I went to the door and opened it. Ethan told me not to let anyone in while he was out, however I wasn"t sure his eeriness, Gaius would appreciate being treated so rudely.
Gaius took me by the hands, kissing my cheeks. Dirk grinned at me. I ignored him.
"Ethan will be back soon. Please come in, my lord."
Gaius"s unctuous smile flowed over his face. "If you insist. Dirk, come."
Dirk leered as he walked by me and reached out, tugging playfully at my hair. I could have protested but saw no reason to make a scene over something so harmless.
"Won"t you sit down?" I motioned to the armchairs by the fireplace.
"Thank you," Gaius answered, strolling over to the table to peruse my work. "Lovely."
"It pa.s.ses the considerable time."
"Don"t let us interrupt you. Continue," Gaius ordered. He wasn"t the type to just ask.
I sat down at my place to sketch again while Gaius stood at my shoulder observing. It was unnerving to feel those sharp black eyes on my neck, as if his fangs pierced the skin. "You must learn to paint in oils. I know a good teacher. He taught my Guilietta."
"Until she developed a taste for him and got whipped," Dirk put in.
Gaius snapped at him, "Mind your tongue."
I shuddered at this glimpse inside their little domestic arrangement and hurried to change the subject. "I"m not sure my talent is worthy of developing."
"You have a good eye and sense of proportion."
"You"re too kind, my lord."
"Lisette and Guilietta talk of you often. They speculate if you"re all the horrible things they"ve heard and why you hate men."
"I don"t hate men." I put down the crayon and blew the dust away. I c.o.c.ked an eye at Dirk lounging in the chair. "But life would sure be more serene without some."
Gaius took my drawing up in his hands, examining it closely. "They visualize you as an Amazon."
"I take it that"s not a compliment?"
He grinned. "An Amazon Amazon is a feral female Immortyl, masculine in demeanor." is a feral female Immortyl, masculine in demeanor."
Dirk snickered and put his feet up on another chair. His master glared at him and he promptly removed them. Gaius picked up the latest scientific journal Ethan had a.s.signed me from the marble console and flipped through the pages. "Hardly the romantic nonsense one would expect of a lady of leisure."
"Ethan is distressed by my lack of higher education- fascinating stuff actually, all about the building blocks of life. Ethan"s sure the clues to our mystery lie within."
"A most intriguing theory. Perhaps you"ve heard of a certain heretical Immortyl called Kaspar?" I shook my head. "Your Lord has never bothered to teach our history as part of your education? Thirty years ago, this amateur biologist made a study of our blood under the microscope, looking for some clue to our unique gifts. He experimented on mortals, to see how much blood it actually takes before the transformation is complete, and transfused them again with the blood of other mortals to see if the change could be reversed. Of course he failed and was killed by those he"d inadvertently created. Kaspar"s alphas complained to Kalidasa of the misbegotten Immortyls. They were destroyed and the GC decreed it heresy for Immortyls to dabble in science. Ethan has sorely neglected your education in our customs. Do you even pay tribute to Kali Maa, who endowed us with immortality?"
"Isn"t she some Hindu G.o.ddess?"
He chuckled. "She descended from the heavens, in a blaze of light to give her servant Kalidasa her immortal kiss- so he says."
"You don"t buy into it?"
"Heresy will never escape my lips."
Me and my big mouth. "Ethan won"t get into trouble?"
"I don"t make it my business to make petty accusations to the Chief Elder concerning the forbidden science forbidden science."
Dirk shifted in his seat, obviously bored and craving attention, disagreeable child that he was. "I say we do her."
Gaius growled, "Be silent!"
Dirk leaned forward. "He l.u.s.ts after your innocence."
"Another word and I won"t bring you again. Her master isn"t a trifling sort."
Dirk snorted. "For heaven"s sake, she"s his wh.o.r.e. Her function is to please. We both find her pleasing, what"s to stop us? You could have her just by saying the word. He"d give her to you to prevent a breach between our houses."
"Shut up."
Dirk yawned. "He"s trying to charm you away. It gets him up."
"Lord Gaius understands a woman is won with subtlety and finesse which you"re as sorely lacking as you are in intellect."
Gaius laughed out loud as Dirk seethed silently in his chair. "You shut him up. What a neat trick. Tell me your secret?"
"Use words he can"t understand."