Red (20 page)

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Authors: Kate Serine

Tags: #Fiction, #Romance, #Paranormal, #Fantasy

BOOK: Red
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Chapter 24
 
No sooner had I entered the foyer of the Darcy home than forty pounds of energy and vivacity slammed into my legs in the form of a four-year-old boy. I laughed as I stumbled backward, windmilling my arms to keep from falling over.
I looked down to see Collin, Elizabeth and Darcy’s youngest son, smiling up at me, golden brown curls in disarray, a smudge of mud marring his dimpled, cherubic face.
“Hello, Aunt Tess!” he said cheerfully.
I scooped him up into my arms and gave him a healthy squeeze. “Hello, monkey! Where’s your mum and dad?”
“They’re in the sitting room. Would you like to see my frong instead?”
I frowned slightly. “Frong?”
My curiosity was rewarded when a rather hefty amphibian suddenly appeared an inch from my nose. “This is my frong, Nigel.”
Nigel gave me a rather resigned croak and, I swear, heaved a huge sigh.
“That is one handsome guy,” I said with a laugh, wondering just how long Nigel had been benefiting from Collin’s loving care.
“Collin, take your frog outside. Father said you cannot keep him.”
When I set Collin back on his feet so that he could scamper away, an extremely handsome lad of six years stepped forward and offered me a very polite, proper handshake. “Good day, Aunt.”
I grabbed William’s hand and pulled him forward to receive a bear hug and a showering of kisses on his still-chubby cheeks.
“Good day, Aunt. Good day, Aunt,” I mimicked, eliciting a hearty laugh. “You act like I’m some stuffy old cow.” I smothered his face with another smattering of kisses, then released him.
“Yuck!” William groaned, pretending to wipe my kisses away.
“Your brother is useless as a butler,” I joked, nodding in the general direction young Collin had gone. “Could you take me to your parents, Master William?”
Will nodded eagerly and took hold of my hand. “I think you will find I am a very good butler, Aunt.”
I smothered a grin. “Most assuredly so,” I agreed. “However, I imagine your mother and father have other aspirations for your future occupation.”
Will gave me a very solemn nod for one so young. “Indeed. Father believes I shall make a very fine businessman one day.”
“Well, your dad does have a good head for those kinds of things,” I told him. “He might be right.”
Will was positively glowing with pride as he ushered me into the sitting room. The moment we entered, both his parents looked up from their current activities, their eyes brightening at the sight of their darling boy.
No lack of love in this house,
I reflected, warmed by merely being in the presence of such a family. I had told Nate I had no dreams of ever settling down, having a family, living happily ever after, and that was mostly true. Except for moments like these.
“Tess!” Elizabeth cried, coming toward me and taking my hands in hers. “I was not expecting you! What a delightful surprise.”
“Good day, Ms. Little,” Darcy greeted. “A pleasure to see you.”
I gave them a rather contrite smile. “I wish I could say it was just a social call. Truth is, I need your help.”
“Will, darling,” Eliza said, casting an apprehensive glance my way as she spoke, “why don’t you run along and discover where Collin has taken his frog.”
As soon as Will was safely out of earshot, Darcy gestured toward a chair. “How can we assist you, Ms. Little?”
“Well, I—” My cell phone suddenly sprang to life, cutting off my words and earning me a rather disapproving look from Darcy. I flushed and silenced the ringer. “Sorry.”
Elizabeth cast an amused glance at her husband. “I am afraid Mr. Darcy disapproves of the modern insistence upon constant communication with one’s colleagues,” she teased. “Do not think his irritation is directed at you, Tess dear.”
“Sure,” I stuttered, intimidated as ever by Darcy’s powerful presence. I often had the impression I earned Darcy’s disapproval for a great number of reasons—hardly surprising, all things considered—but to his credit, he indulged Eliza’s affection for me and was never anything but cordial and welcoming.
“You were about to say?” Darcy prompted.
“Yes, sorry. I’m trying to determine the origin of a Tale named Sebille Fenwick.”
“Could you not just check the Registry?” Eliza asked.
I nodded. “I could, but I’d like to keep my inquiry private at the moment.”
“What is her current occupation?” Darcy questioned.
“She’s the personal assistant to Todd Caliban and the producer of his cooking show,” I explained, silencing my cell phone once again. “She has connections to a lot of people in two different ongoing investigations. That’s a lot of involvement in our world for a Tale no one’s ever heard of. I’d just like to know a little more about her.”
“Is it possible she is from
The Tempest
?” Elizabeth suggested. “A minor character, perhaps?”
I shrugged. “Possibly. Prospero had his fair share of unnamed fairies at his disposal. She could be one of those. It certainly would explain how she and Caliban met. But I don’t want to overlook any other possibilities.”
“Do you know if Sebille Fenwick is her given name?” Darcy asked. “Is it possible she chose an alias when she came over as so many others have done?”
“Entirely possible,” I admitted, suddenly feeling like this was going to be tougher than I’d thought and wishing I had a certain detective at my side to help guide the investigative process. As if on cue, my phone rang again.
“Do you need to answer that, dearest?” Elizabeth asked.
I shook my head absently. “No, it’s fine. So, let’s operate on the assumption that Sebille Fenwick is her real name.”
“The name Sebille could be a distortion of
sibyl
—one of the oracles mentioned in ancient mythologies,” Elizabeth suggested.
Darcy nodded. “Indeed. Have you considered this possibility?”
“I don’t know,” I said slowly. “Sebille doesn’t strike me as the oracle type.”
“A thorough search through literature could take a considerable amount of time, Ms. Little,” Darcy pointed out. “How urgent is your inquiry?”
“Very, I’m afraid.” I took out my cell phone and turned it off this time. “Anything you can find for me by tomorrow would be great. I can’t really bring Sebille in for questioning until I have something to ask her about.”
“Could you not speak to Mr. Caliban directly?” Elizabeth suggested. “Could he not just tell you how he met Ms. Fenwick and what he knows of her?”
I shook my head. “Not without raising suspicion about why I’m asking. We already brought him in for questioning once, so I’m reluctant to do so again without a good reason. And at the moment, my interest in Sebille is just curiosity.”
Elizabeth and Darcy exchanged a glance. “What if you were to bump into Mr. Caliban in a social setting?” Eliza asked, her eyes brightening.
“That would be different,” I conceded. “Just casual conversation. But it’s not like Todd and I run in the same circles these days, so the chances of just bumping into him are pretty slim.”
Eliza grinned. “Perhaps we can increase the likelihood of such a happy coincidence.”
I lifted my brows, admittedly curious. “How so?”
“The Charmings are to have a party tomorrow evening,” she explained. “As Mr. Caliban is well known to be Cindy Charming’s particular favorite, he no doubt will be present.” Elizabeth’s eyes twinkled with mischief. “Regrettably, Mr. Darcy and I shall be unable to attend, so we shall send you in our stead.”
“I don’t know,” I said warily. “If I show up at the Charmings’ compound, even with an invitation in hand, I’d probably get booted at the door.”
“Nonsense!” Eliza protested.
“It’s not like I keep an evening gown hanging in my closet.” I waved my hands down the length of my body. “Dressing up for me is wearing leather instead of denim.”
Of course, even as I expressed my hesitation, I had to admit that in addition to giving me an opportunity to corner Caliban, the party would also be a good chance to get an audience with the Charmings and question them about their association with Dave Hamelin.
Elizabeth laughed. “I certainly can find something in my wardrobe that would suit you.”
I eyed Elizabeth’s hourglass figure and ample bosom and somehow doubted that I’d be able to fill out any evening gown as well as she did, but I suppose it was better than showing up looking like I’d ridden in on a Harley. “Okay. What did you have in mind?”
“If you will excuse me,” Darcy interjected, rising from his seat with an amused grin, “I shall leave you ladies to discuss wardrobe accommodations as I fear I would be of little assistance.”
Elizabeth rose to meet him as he strode toward the door. Smiling lovingly, she extended a hand, which he eagerly grasped and swept toward his lips. I heard him speak softly to her, and although the words were too quiet for me to hear, the effect was unmistakable.
As soon as Darcy had closed the door behind him, I said, “I take it you and Darcy have once more found common ground?”
Elizabeth gave me a wry look. “You are incorrigible, Tess.”
“People keep telling me that.”
“Then perhaps you should listen.”
I waved her comment away. “Nah—ignoring sound advice is one of my more endearing qualities.”
Eliza’s musical laughter rang out once more. “Someday, someone will come along and educate you in ways you never thought possible, my dear friend.”
I started to tell her that there weren’t a whole lot of mysteries left in this world for me, particularly when it came to the opposite sex, but instead I decided to get back to a safer topic. “So, should I just come by tomorrow night and try on a few dresses or something?”
Elizabeth gave me a look of mild horror. “Oh, no, my dear. You will need more time than that. Be here at two o’clock—that should give us plenty of time to find something suitable.”
“Two o’clock?” I cried. “Are you kidding?” I glanced down at my watch to calculate how many hours of sleep I’d be losing, when I noticed the time. “Damn it!”
“Is there a problem, dearest?”
I sighed. “I’m running late. I have a date at seven and need to run home—”
“A date?” Elizabeth echoed, trying valiantly to hide her incredulousness, but failing miserably.
“Don’t sound so surprised!” I said with a laugh. “It’s not totally out of the realm of possibility that a man would want to take me out.”
“Forgive me,” Eliza said, smothering a smile. “You misunderstand. I only meant that you seldom take time off from your work to enjoy yourself. I am delighted!”
I grimaced. “Well, don’t be too delighted just yet.”
Eliza’s lovely brows lifted. “Why is that?”
I squirmed a little, knowing what was coming. “My date’s with Vlad.”
Chapter 25
 
Elizabeth’s stubbornness was legendary, but I’d never seen it firsthand until now. She stood with her back to me in front of the picture window facing the meadow behind their home, her chin lifted at a haughty angle.
“This is an unspeakable error in judgment,” she said firmly.
I blinked at her, too stunned to immediately respond. “Elizabeth, you’re my best friend,” I reminded her. “If you don’t understand, who will?”
She crossed her arms over her chest and lifted her chin even higher. “I care not.”
I exhaled in frustration. “I know you don’t approve of my relationship with Vlad, but—”
“Relationship?” Eliza interrupted, finally turning to face me. “You have no relationship—you have . . .
relations.
”
“You’re in the twenty-first century now, Lizzie,” I said. “It’s okay to call it sex.”
She flushed and strode to the fireplace, irritably stoking the fire. “He uses you.”
“I use him, too,” I admitted. “It’s always been like that between us. But he’s wanting to try to have an actual relationship.”
“So he says,” she mumbled.
“I have a
date,
” I reiterated. “An actual date.”
She stowed the fire poker in its proper place, then came to where I was sitting. After a moment of hesitation, her expression altered from anger to concern as she sat down next to me.
“Tess, dearest, I just want what’s best for you.”
I nodded. “I know.”
She sighed and leaned back into the pillows. “I want you to be happy. I want you to know the kind of love that I have known with Darcy.” She took my hand in both of hers, her brows coming together in a frown. “What if you have misread Vlad?”
“Mis
read
him?” I drew back a little, beginning to catch her drift. “Vlad’s pretty well ingrained in the cultural consciousness as he is now.”
“So you say,” Eliza replied, “but I have read his story, Tess. He may be a perfect gentleman now, but he once was a vicious fiend. One can alter one’s appearance, but one cannot change who one is in the essentials.”
“He was a victim of circumstances,” I said, inwardly cringing at how often I’d used that excuse lately.
Eliza’s brows lifted. “Are not we all? The difference is in how we react to our circumstances. When
you
encountered adversity, you became stronger for it. Vlad became a monster.”
Suddenly uncomfortable with the implications of what she was saying, I lurched to my feet and began to pace, chewing on the edge of my thumb as I mulled over her words. I understood the question she wanted to ask but was too polite to put into words.
“Even if things don’t work out between us, Vlad wouldn’t devolve into that version of his character again,” I said, not sure which of us I was trying to convince. “He’s come a long way since he was written.”
Elizabeth nodded. “I make no argument against that,” she conceded. “But his transformation has been due in large part to your influence as much as changing perceptions of his story.”
I shook my head. “You give me way too much credit. He’d be okay if I weren’t in the picture. He’d find someone else who could love him and help him through the difficult times.”
Elizabeth sighed. “Oh, Tess. Your affection for him makes you blind. Vlad cannot help what he is anymore than you or I. He must consume blood to survive. You have only so much to give. What happens when he must go to another? Will you lie awake in your bed, wondering if it is only blood he takes from another while you wait for him in the darkness?”
I couldn’t deny I’d had the same thought more times than I cared to admit, but I laughed it off. “Come on, Lizzie!” I replied. “It’s just a date! Don’t you think we’re overanalyzing this a bit? He asked me to dinner! I promise I won’t get mixed up in something I can’t handle.”
She gave me a pleading look but said nothing.
Trying to allay her fears, I dropped down on the sofa beside her and gave her a playful nudge. “Come on! When have you ever seen me bite off more than I could chew?”
“It isn’t
your
bite that concerns me.”
“I can handle him, Lizzie,” I assured her. “Really. You have to trust me, okay?”
Elizabeth exhaled with a little huff but nodded. “All right. I shall refrain from further lecture. But, Tess, do promise me you will take care. I could not do without you.”
I hugged her tightly and kissed her cheek. “I promise.”
Friends once more, Eliza agreed to walk me to the front door, but the moment she opened the sitting room door, my feet turned to stone.
“What the hell are you doing here?” I demanded angrily and, admittedly, somewhat breathlessly, when I caught sight of a familiar fedora.
Nate nonchalantly turned from his conversation with Darcy. “You didn’t answer your phone,” he pointed out. “You said I should assume you were in trouble if you didn’t answer by the fifth or sixth call.”
I opened my mouth to argue, but snapped it shut again, hating that he kind of had me on this one. Breaking free of my stupor, I marched toward him. “Well, as you can see, I’m fine.”
He nodded. “Yes—Mr. Darcy assured me of your safety when I came barging in his front door.”
I cast Darcy an apologetic look. “I’m sorry for my partner’s intrusion.”
“This is the Detective Grimm you mentioned the other night?” Eliza interjected, coming forward to warmly welcome her guest.
Nate cast me a smug grin as he extended a hand to Eliza. “One and the same.”
I rolled my eyes, then grudgingly called up my rusty manners. “Detective Nate Grimm, may I present Mrs. Elizabeth Bennet-Darcy?”
Nate suavely lifted Eliza’s hand to his lips. “Delighted to finally make your acquaintance.”
“Detective Grimm and I were just discussing Ms. Little’s request for our assistance,” Darcy explained to his wife.
Nate gave me a subtly chastising look. “Yes, indeed. Quite interesting. I can’t wait to hear your theory, Red.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “Well, you’ll have to wait. I’m on my way out.”
“Where are you going?” Nate asked, his brows drawing together in a frown.
“I have plans,” I reminded him haughtily. “And they don’t include
you
.”
Nate’s expression immediately soured. “Oh, that’s right,” he said, spitting the words out as if they were rotten sewage. “You’re seeing the vampire.”
“That’s right.”
Nate shook his head slowly. “He’s all wrong for you.”
I stepped forward, jutting my chin up at him. “It’s none of your business. You lost the right to an opinion when you lied to me,
partner.
”
Nate stepped closer, his eyes stormy. “I explained that,” he hissed quietly. “What else do you want me to say?”
“Tess, dearest,” Eliza interrupted gently. “Would you and Detective Grimm prefer to chat in the parlor?”
“No,” I said quickly, holding Nate’s angry gaze long enough to make a point. “I’m leaving.” When I heard him sigh in defeat, I turned to Elizabeth and hugged her good-bye. “Thank you both for your help. I’ll see you tomorrow afternoon.”
I bolted from the house and down the steps but was pulled to a stop by Nate’s grasp on my arm. “Red, please listen to me,” he pleaded softly.
I looked up at him, ready to tear into him about following me to Elizabeth’s, but the expression in his eyes stilled the words I’d intended. Instead, I said, “You have until I get to Gran’s. But you’re not talking me out of going tonight.”
He nodded and got into the Rover. I waited in tense silence for him to say something as I drove, but we were a good ten minutes on the road before he finally spoke.
“I don’t know how to convince you that I only had good intentions.”
I pressed my lips together for a moment, keeping my hurt and anger in check. “You could start by telling me the rest of the truth,” I suggested. I glanced over at him to gauge his reaction and saw that I’d hit the mark.
“I’m not quite ready to share everything,” he replied. “Soon. I promise. You’ll just have to trust me until then.”
“Yeah, well, trusting people isn’t exactly my strong suit,” I reminded him.
Nate let out a long breath. “Okay then, I’m just going to have to trust you.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’ve shared information with you that could get me fired from the FMA,” he pointed out. “Information that could get me ostracized from the Tale world forever.”
“I’m not going to turn you in,” I said irritably. “You know that.”
“Do I? I have no guarantee.” He reached over and pried my right hand from the steering wheel, then ran a finger down the center of my palm. “You hold a lot of power, Red. You could completely destroy me with what you know. I just have to trust that you won’t.”
I didn’t respond. Mostly because I didn’t know what to say. He was right, of course. If the rest of the Tales knew they’d been duped by a former Ordinary, every door would close to Nate. No one would trust him again. He’d be an outcast, a pariah. He could go back to being a normal Reaper, I assumed, but it sounded like there might be issues there, too. Which left the Ordinary world. And they’d proven time and time again just how accepting
they
were of anyone who was different.
We were still suffering through an uneasy silence when I pulled into Gran’s driveway and turned off the engine. For a moment, I just sat there, staring out the windshield, my emotions and my bruised ego in a pitched battle for dominance. Finally, I sighed, forcing them to call a truce.
“There’s a party tomorrow evening at the Charmings’,” I said at last. “It’ll be a good opportunity to talk to them about Dave Hamelin and to see if Caliban can tell us anything about Sebille Fenwick.” I paused, clearing my throat a couple of times. “Do you want to come with me?”
I didn’t have to look at Nate to know his brows were lifted in surprise. “You mean, as your date?”
I turned toward him to throw out a saucy retort but saw that he was grinning, obviously anticipating my response. “Something like that,” I groaned.
He gave me a wink. “Love to.”
“It’s black-tie,” I told him, trying to ignore how much his wink devastated me. I shoved open the car door and climbed out. “Can you come up with something to wear on short notice?”
Nate chuckled as he caught up with me. “Yeah, I think I can handle it.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow, then,” I called over my shoulder. “You can pick me up at Eliza’s at seven.”
“Red.”
I paused on the porch steps and turned around, finding myself at eye level with Nate, my face only a few inches from his. “Yeah?”
He reached up and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, his thumb grazing my jaw as he let his hand fall away. “Be careful tonight.”
I nodded, momentarily forgetting where I’d misplaced my voice.
Nate gave me a rather sorrowful smile, then leaned forward and brushed his lips against my cheek. It was little more than a flutter of sensation against my skin, but it was enough to steal my breath as my lids fluttered closed.
I stood there for a few seconds, unable to respond as I seared into memory the feel of Nate’s lips on my skin. But then, realizing how ridiculous I was acting by letting such a simple, meaningless kiss shake me to the foundation of my resolve, I gathered together the crumbling edges of my willpower and opened my eyes. Expecting to see him standing there with a self-satisfied grin on his face, I was rapidly preparing a smart-ass remark in response, but to my disappointment, he had vanished, taking the warmth in the air with him.
Shuddering from the sudden chill, I went inside to prepare for my date, wishing my intended companion was not the in-your-face-sexy vampire I was going to meet but rather the shadowy enigma who had so recently darkened my doorstep.

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