Ashes of the Day (2 page)

Damian suppressed a wince. “Indeed. One would be a fool to believe everything one hears.” Although, in this case, one would be justified in doing so.

“Rumors?” Conrad stilled. “I was not aware there were any. What are they saying?”

Damian glanced at him in surprise. What was it that had suddenly made Conrad so tense? Did he imagine these rumors had something to do with the twins? The deadly gleam in his eyes, the set of his jaw, even the alert way in which he held himself all suggested that was the case, and that was
not
a good sign. This was not the place for bloodshed.

Damian sidled closer to Conrad, close enough to jostle his shoulder, in hopes that the contact would help put him at ease. “Now, now,
querido
, there’s no need to get so upset. It’s just idle gossip after all.”

Blissfully unaware of the danger, Claudia smiled sympathetically at Conrad. “I can well understand your being annoyed about it. I assure you those of us who consider ourselves your friends were quite outraged on your behalf as well.”

“Yes, well, thank you for that.” Conrad’s tone conveyed his confusion. He turned to frown inquiringly at Damian, his expression all but demanding an explanation.

“She means the rumors that we’d parted ways,” Damian explained reluctantly. “I had mentioned them to you.” How like Conrad to force Damian into embarrassing himself by having to discuss his greatest source of shame. Then again, as Conrad was well aware, those rumors were not rumors at all, but the cold, hard, humiliating truth. Conrad
had
ordered Damian from his house. He’d banished him from his life, disgraced him in the eyes of all who knew them. It was hardly surprising that such news as
that
would have traveled.

“Ah, yes. That.” Conrad’s mouth twisted. “Of course. I’d quite forgotten.” Then he surprised Damian by wrapping an arm around his waist and pulling him close, squeezing so vigorously it was all Damian could do to keep from spilling his wine.

Jared shook his head. “It’s no one’s business but your own, of course. Still, people will talk. But no one has the right to tell another man how to run his own family. Discipline must be maintained, after all.”

“Exactly,” Conrad agreed. “Occasionally there comes a time when one might put one’s foot down a little more harshly than one would like. No matter the provocation, at the end of the day, one’s loved ones are still one’s loved ones. One can’t stay annoyed with them forever. At least, I would hope that’s the case.”

“Oh, indeed,” Jared replied—more out of politeness than actual agreement, Damian couldn’t help but think. Jared had a reputation for having both a hard fist and an unforgiving memory. “Discipline
and
kindness. Both of them together—that’s the ticket. Too much or too little of either benefits no one.”

“Such very wise words,” Claudia murmured. Damian was sure he detected traces of spite and buried anger in her tone, and was reminded again that Claudia was Jared’s spawn as well as his consort, a dual role similar to the one he himself once held with respect to Conrad. “But, according to the stories I heard, Mr. Quintano, the annoyance, so to speak, was on the other foot. ’Twas said it was Master Damian who’d decided to leave, and that you were quite devastated by your loss.”

Conrad’s jaw clenched. “Ah, I see. Well, thank you for clarifying that, my dear. As I said, I hadn’t heard these rumors myself.”

Damian blinked in surprise. Is that what was said? That it was
Conrad
who’d been devastated? It was the first he was hearing of it!

“It’s a preposterous tale,” Jared said, shooting a stern glance in Claudia’s direction. “I never believed it for an instant. And you should not be repeating such nonsense.”

Claudia bowed her head. “Of course. You’re entirely right. Allow me to beg everyone’s pardon for speaking out of turn.”

“Can you imagine anything more ridiculous?” Damian said, shaking his head and smiling as though he found the subject amusing. “Everyone knows I find travel excruciatingly tedious at the best of times. Why, even when I’m under direct orders I can barely stand to go where I’m sent. I’m sure I can’t think of any circumstance that would induce me to go off on my own!”

Conrad quirked an eyebrow. “How good of you to clear
that
up for us as well. I suppose I should count myself lucky that you agree to accompany me anywhere?”

“Speaking of travel, you’re not thinking of relocating your family out this way again, are you?” Jared asked. Was the change of subject an attempt at easing the tension, or did it merely reflect Jared’s concern at the thought of having to share his territory?

“No, not at all,” Conrad replied. “I’m quite content to remain where I am. In fact, I plan to return to San Francisco almost immediately. I’ve been absent from home far too long.”

Damian’s chest tightened. Well, there was another nice surprise, and just when he’d thought his night could not possibly get any worse. It was all he could do to keep his dismay from showing on his face. Did Conrad really mean that? If he did…where would that leave Damian?

“By the way.” Jared lowered his voice so as not to be overheard. “Seeing as you’re here, I’m wondering if you might lend me a hand with something. I’m told there are a couple of youngsters here tonight. Strangers, by all accounts. No one seems to know anything about them, so it’s possible they’re feral. I was on my way to seek them out and vet them when I spied the two of you. If you’d care to accompany us, I’d welcome your help. I’d like to avoid any unpleasantness, if possible. I’m sure you understand.”

Youngsters? Damian nearly groaned aloud. Jared had to be talking about the twins and, despite his avowed wish to avoid unpleasantness, there was no mistaking the dangerous look in those clear blue eyes. Jared was spoiling for a fight and if he wasn’t very careful, he would get one—a far more deadly battle than any he’d bargained for.

Jared’s family was well established in the area, and had been for some time. As such, he had a vested interest in what went on here. Someone of Conrad’s stature could, of course, go wherever he pleased. There were very few vampires foolish enough to try and cross him. Any of his brood could expect to be given a wide berth as well, for fear of reprisal. Vampires who were less well connected, those who hailed from a less prestigious House, for example, would very likely be invited to leave the area immediately. And, if the vampires in question were feral, that invitation would be issued with extreme prejudice.

“I apologize.” Conrad favored Jared with a small smile, one that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “I should have said something sooner, perhaps. It was not my intention to cause you any unnecessary concern. There’s no need for intervention. The younglings are mine.”

“Oh, are they?” Jared regarded Conrad with surprise. “Well, well. That’s not at all what I expected to hear. I’m glad to know it, however. I’ll be certain to pass the information along to all my people to ensure that no one takes it into their heads to try and roust them. I must say, I am pleased to learn you’re still expanding your nest. Fresh blood—that’s what our society needs in order to stay vibrant and alive. I know there are those who say it’s dangerous, in this day and age, to have too many fledglings knocking about in the world, but I disagree. If we don’t continue to move forward, if we give in to inertia, I’m convinced we’ll meet with the same fate as the dinosaur. Besides, I’m firmly of the belief that any such danger can be kept to a minimum. It’s all in the raising. Bring them up right, and they’ll give you no trouble later on.”

Claudia nodded serenely. “Yes, indeed. Breeding is so important, is it not? A strong sire can make all the difference. Some people, on the other hand, should simply never be allowed to have children at all.”

Damian eyed her curiously, wondering how much she believed of what she said and which of them she considered unfit to parent.

It was well after midnight before Conrad was finally able to extricate himself from Jared and his lady. He knew Jared had intentionally prolonged their conversation, no doubt expecting that Conrad would, at some point, order Damian to bring the twins over so that they might be formally introduced. Proper protocol might have demanded that he do so, but Conrad was not yet ready to take that step. Better to let Jared think him rude, or believe he’d recently adopted the more relaxed manners supposedly endemic to the West Coast than to run the risk of starting any more rumors—or worse yet, starting a war. Where the twins were concerned, Conrad knew he could never be objective. Therefore, he’d much rather err on the side of caution.

“Well, that could have gone worse,” he observed after Jared and Claudia had finally taken their leave. In truth, however, it was hard to see how. From start to finish, the entire evening had merely proved all his worst fears a reality.

He’d had only one reason for suggesting they attend such a large public gathering. He’d been hoping the festive atmosphere would spark some sign of life in Damian. Instead, he’d remained as glum as ever. His continuing lack of interest—in anything at all—had progressed from worrisome to alarming and could easily turn deadly if left unchecked. Conrad had seen it happen before. The losses that inevitably accompanied eternal life grew sometimes too heavy to bear. As apathy increased, mistakes were made. Sometimes those mistakes proved fatal.

Under normal circumstances, if anything that involved the two of them could ever be categorized as normal, Conrad would have bent all his efforts toward protecting Damian, caring for him until he could once again care for himself—even if it took an eternity for him to reach that point. The presence of the twins in their lives complicated matters, as tonight’s encounter illustrated far too clearly.

For thirty years the four of them had lived their lives in a kind of bubble, isolated from others of their kind. Hidden. Secluded. Safe. That had not occurred by accident. Rather, it was the successful result of a carefully thought out, meticulously followed plan. Had he and Damian grown too complacent of late? Or was Damian’s worsening depression making him careless?

If it were the latter, then by rights Conrad should order Damian to take some time off. To go away somewhere until he could pull himself together. To distance himself from the twins until he was no longer a threat to their welfare.

But, if he did that, who would watch over Damian and protect him from himself?

“Did you mean what you said tonight?” There was a bleak, hopeless note to Damian’s voice that tore at Conrad’s heart. “Are you really planning to return to San Francisco so soon?”

Conrad pulled his attention from a drifting balloon that had been lofted from the dance floor below. “Yes, I think so. Although, I admit, I hadn’t made up my mind until this evening. Seeing Jared reminded me that I have other obligations. I’ve ignored them for too long.”

“When would you be going?” Damian asked. His posture was stiff but his tone was still indifferent.

“As soon as arrangements can be made to ensure the twins’ safety, I suppose. It will be hard on them. I’m not entirely happy about the prospect of leaving them completely on their own like this, but it must be done. And, of course, they’ll still have each other.”

“On-on their own?” There was real fear in Damian’s eyes as he turned to face him. Conrad felt selfish for being so pleased about that. As an emotion, fear would not have been his first choice, but
anything
was better than the blasé lack of interest that had become Damian’s usual mood. “Without
either
of us to watch out for them? Conrad…you can’t mean that. It’s far too dangerous.”

“I disagree.” At this point, the real danger would be to leave the twins in Damian’s care or, even worse perhaps, to leave Damian alone. “There’s some risk to it, I realize that, but what else are we to do? They’ll have to spread their wings at some point, you know. We can’t keep them wrapped up forever. I think it was a stroke of luck, our running into Jared here tonight. I’ll go and have a word with him sometime in the next few days and ask for his assistance. I’m sure he can be counted on to keep an eye on the children without interfering. Doing so will take very little effort on his part, after all, and it will put me in his debt—something I’m sure he’ll be quick to recognize. And to mention.”

“But what if—” Damian broke off. He glanced around quickly and then lowered his voice. “What if, in
keeping an eye on them
, he learns their secret?”

Conrad nodded. That was a risk as well, but one he felt he had no choice but to take. “I am fairly confident he can be counted on to keep his distance. I’ll simply tell him I’m concerned they’ve grown too soft. I’ll explain I’m hoping to use the isolation as a way to toughen them up and would therefore appreciate their being left strictly alone, so that they might work things out on their own.”

Damian rolled his eyes. “Ah, s
í.
That sounds
exactly
like the kind of plan he’d approve.”

“It does, doesn’t it? Plus, he’ll see nothing strange in their being kept so far from the nest, not once I explain that they have relatives and childhood friends who are still living on the West Coast. They’re young enough for that to be true, you know.”

“
Sí
. On that, too, we agree. They’re entirely
too
young. And since they do not
actually
have any relatives there, why
can’t
you take them to San Francisco with you? Or, better yet, let me stay with them here. I’ll keep them safe. I’m far more likely to do so than Jared is!”