Tempt Me When the Sun Goes Down (11 page)

“I’ll come with you.”

“You just ate when we got back to the house.”  I looked up at him in surprise and he gave me a sheepish look.  So much for him being able to spare some of his blood.  “Why don’t you stay here?  It’ll be quicker if I go on my own.”  That, and to be honest, I didn’t want him around when I was vulnerable.  There was no telling what I might end up doing, and feeding was definitely one of those vulnerable times. 

A furrow appeared on his brow.  “You shouldn’t be going out by yourself.”

“I’m only going downstairs instead of making them send someone up.”  It still bothered me to order up a human being like a pizza and I didn’t want to eat in front of him.  “And newsflash, nobody’s interested in me, not with
Lady
Carys soaking up all the spotlight.  I’ll be fine.”

“Still, maybe you should ring Lee or Gunnar up…”

“Lee’s already gone to bed and Gunnar’s off playing secret agent man.  I’ll be back before you know it.”

“But…” He started to follow me to the door, but I stopped and turned around.

“I’ll be fine, Rob.  Just stay here and try to keep out of trouble.”

“Yes, miss,” he said with a mocking bow, and I didn’t know whether to smile my thanks or stick my tongue out at him for the dig.  I got out of there before I was tempted to do either, letting out a long breath once I stood in the deserted hallway. 

Deserted, until Bishop came out of the room right across the hall from mine. 

“Oh… hi,” I said with an awkward smile.  Somehow I’d thought he’d be down in the lower levels.  “You’re not staying in your old quarters downstairs?”

His face brightened when he saw me, though he did turn to fuss with the doorknob which hadn’t closed properly.  “No, I guess my rank warrants an upgrade this time.  Besides, it’s still pretty lonely down there without any other Order members in the house.” 

“Oh right.” 

“But, I already talked to Jakob, and we’re going to be bringing the Order back to Vetis for good.  That was one of the stipulations for me helping him find Carys.”

I wondered what the other conditions were, but I didn’t think it was my place to ask.  “That’s good.  So will it be Rush and those same guys, or new blood?”  I could understand some of them wanting to avoid anywhere Jakob lived after what’d happened last time. 

“Ah, I don’t know.  I haven’t had much time to give it any thought.  It’s been a weird couple of days.”

“I’ll bet,” I murmured.  He finished fiddling with the door and we stood in the hall, the silence stretching between us.  “I was going to go down for something to eat.” 

“Do you want some company?”

Cool beans
, two offers in the past five minutes.  But was Bishop asking to share more than a meal?  The thought was intriguing, but not the best plan for almost all the reasons I’d said no to Rob.  “Actually, don’t take this the wrong way, but no.  I don’t have the best control when I’m feeding and I don’t want things to be any more complicated between us than they already are.”

“Seems to me like you do just fine.”

“Thanks, I guess I’ve gotten better as an actress since I took over this Elder gig,” I smiled.  “Besides, shouldn’t you be getting back to Lady Carys?”  I’ll admit, part of me was hoping he’d say he’d rather spend the rest of the evening with me, but instead he let out a short puff of air, shoulders slumping.

“Yeah, I should.  Look, do you think that later we could…”

“Ulrik?” Carys’ voice carried down the hall.  “Here you are, I thought you’d gone missing, you naughty boy,” she scolded him as if he was a toddler, grabbing hold of his arm as soon as she reached his side.

Bishop’s jaw clenched, but his voice was mild when he replied.  “I was getting settled in.”

“There are servants for that,” she said with a long suffering sigh.  “Honestly, you never did learn to take command.”

I didn’t know what Ulrik was like, but boy howdy, did she not know Bishop.  “Seems to me like he does just fine,” I ventured, and he shot me a brief smile.

“You needed me, Carys?” he prompted, changing the subject.

“Yes, I want to take a turn in the gardens.”

“Allow me to escort you then,” he said with perfect courtesy.  Did part of him enjoy the formality between them?  “I’ll talk to you later, Anja,” he added as an afterthought as they started down the hallway.

“Yep, catch you later.”

Carys turned and shot me a look over her shoulder that said –
wanna bet?
    

I waved Gunnar in, not bothering to shush him about Rob still sleeping on the couch.  From experience, I knew we could detonate an atom bomb in there and Rob would keep sleeping the sleep of the undead for another hour at least. 

“I can come back later, boss,” he offered, but I waved his concerns away. 

“No, it’s fine.  I’d rather hear what you’ve picked up from snooping around the house.  You do have something to report, don’t you?”

“Yes, I find something strange when I ask around,” he admitted, his eyes alight with excitement. 

“Don’t keep me in suspense, spill!”

“There are not so many vampires here as when we last visit.”

I waited for him to go on, but he just sat there with a big smile on his face.   “And…?”

“And, that is the news.  There are less vampires here.”

“That’s not so strange, is it?  The people staying at the Vetis House at any given time must fluctuate, right?”

He shook his head with a pained look, clearly I wasn’t getting it.  “Yes, but this is not what I mean.  Vampires leave like rats from the sinking ship since we are last here.  Not in the House so much as the vampires in town.”

London vampires were getting out of town?  “Where are they all going?”

“No one knows, boss.  Well, someone probably does, but not the ones around here.  If I can go into the city and ask around, put out the feelers, then maybe…”

“Sure, that sounds like a good plan, but be careful.  Whatever this is, I don’t want anyone to know we’re looking into it yet.” 

He looked affronted by my warning.  “I know how to be discreet.”

I bit back a smile.  The six foot plus, burly man with chiseled features and a distinct accent definitely stood out in a crowd, but I trusted him to do his job.  “Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help.  I guess try to find out if they’re actually leaving and going somewhere, or if someone’s making them disappear.”

“I’m on it,” he beamed, shuffling to the door.  His head tilted to one side, pausing before he opened it.  “Someone is out there,” he mouthed, barely making a sound.

“Then open the door and let’s see who it is,” I replied in my normal speaking voice.  It was probably someone going from one place to another, it was one of the main corridors, after all.  Or maybe it was Carys looking for Bishop again – or sneaking out for an early evening walk of shame? 

Suddenly I wasn’t so eager to have him open the door, but it was too late.  Only instead of Carys in an evening gown and smeared mascara, Jakob stood out in the hall dressed with casual elegance in a crisply tailored suit of charcoal gray.  His blue shirt was open at the throat, as he tended to wear them, letting a hint of his deeply tanned chest peek through. 

“Good evening,” he said formally, bowing his head in a polite nod.  “May I come in?”

How could I say no after such a display of manners?  “Of course,” I nodded, gesturing him into the sitting room.  “Would you care to have a seat?” I asked just as politely while Gunnar slipped out.  Of course Rob took up the entire couch, but there was still a smaller loveseat and the wingback chair. 

“First I have something for you,” he smiled, thrusting a small blue box into my hands, the kind that came from expensive jewelry stores. 

“What’s this?”

“Open it and see,” he prompted, far more excited about it than I was.  “I feel badly that I missed your birthday.”

“Jakob, my birthday was months ago, in March.”

“No, the anniversary of your rebirth,” he clarified and suddenly I understood.  So this was a –
sorry I missed the celebration of when I killed you
– sort of gift? 

“You didn’t have to get me anything,” I started to say, but he waved me on, so I opened the box.  Inside sat a glittering watch, so encrusted with diamonds, I could barely distinguish the hands from the face.  It must’ve cost a small fortune, but how exactly were you supposed to use it to tell the time?  “This is um… it’s very pretty, Jakob, but…”

“I spared no expense, your happiness is everything to me,” he beamed, pulling it out of the box to strap it to my wrist.   

“If that’s true, I’d rather settle for you taking your last gift back,” I replied, waggling my finger at him where the cursed ring sat.  Not that it wasn’t beautiful in its own right, but the price was far too heavy to bear. 

All at once the delight drained from his face.  “I can’t do that.” 

“You know I’m not happy about this, right? You can say what’s done is done all you want, but it doesn’t make it any better.” 

“I didn’t do it to hurt you, I did it to protect your heart,” he explained.  “There is nothing so painful as when your
childe
turns against you.” 

Jeez Louise, did he even hear the words coming out of his mouth?  “And you thought killing him off was a better plan?” 

“I could end this very easily.  Say the word and I’ll restore him.”

My jaw dropped – was he finally coming to his senses?  “Isn’t that what I’ve been saying all along?  End it!  Fix him before it’s too late.”

Jakob held his hands up when I would’ve grabbed his arm to drag him over to the couch.  “All you have to do is ask me and I’ll compel you not to love Rob any longer,” he clarified.  “He’ll be fine, as Ulrik was.” 

Just like that my hopes crashed and burned like a Viper without thrusters.  “That’s
not
what I’d call fine.  You don’t think it’ll hurt him for me to stop loving him?”

His head tilted in confusion.  “I wonder that you still love Rob at all.  I thought you had a falling out with him.”

“It takes more than that to kill real love.” I might not be ready to jump right back to the way things were with Rob, but I knew part of me still loved him, or he wouldn’t be sick.  And we both deserved a shot at finding out what would happen without the curse between us.

Jakob’s voice turned wistful.  “I wish I knew that to be true.”

I don’t know if it was an honest emotion from him or said to gain my sympathy, but it had the opposite effect on me.  “Here’s the proof of it!” I yelled, picking up Rob’s lifeless arm to let it fall heavily to his side.  “He’s dying.  I can’t decide if I want to kiss him or kill him myself, but he’s dying because I can’t switch it off on a whim, unlike some people.”

“You can if I compel you to.” 

It was the simplest way to fix things.  Rob showed signs of improvement getting regular meals, but how long would it be before he’d need to feed four times a day or more?  Was it an act of cruelty to refuse Jakob’s solution?  What if I allowed it just until we found a way to break the curse?  Then we could search easier with Rob in top shape. 

But could I realistically go back to being just friends with Rob?  Thanks to the compulsion I wouldn’t care, but Rob would.  He’d feel that lack of love every time I looked at him, unless I compelled him not to mind, as Carys had done with Bishop.  In the end, that’s what made my decision for me.  I was nothing like Carys.

“I’m not going to make this horrible mistake of a situation any worse.  I’m going to find a way to beat this curse, with or without your help.”

It was easy to see that my answer dismayed Jakob, but he nodded stoically, not trying to sway me – for which I was grateful.  He could’ve taken it upon himself to compel me at any time and smooth things over, but continued to let me have my free will.  Thank goodness for small favors. 

He drew himself up, buttoning his suit coat.  “If you find a way to defeat it, please contact me.  I would like to help you if I can.”

“Do you really mean that?”  I wanted to believe him, but experience had made me wary. 

“I’m trying to,” he said with a broken smile.  “If you’ll excuse me, I have promised my Nelleke a trip into town to see the arts.  Of course, you are more than welcome to join us.”

That sounded like fun, but the last thing I wanted to do was tag along with Jakob.  Besides, I had to light a fire under some gypsies.  “That sounds shiny, but I already have some other plans for tonight.  I’m glad you two are getting a chance to spend some time together though.”

“I am as well.  Another reason to be thankful to you for bringing us together.  Nelleke is a delight to me.  It brings me great pride to welcome her into our fold.” 

“Yep, we’re all one big happy family now,” I said, forcing a smile.  While I wasn’t thrilled with Jakob, it was hard to begrudge him this happiness, and Nell had been over the moon to be so readily accepted by her father.  That didn’t mean I’d forgotten about jamming Mr. Pointy through his ribcage, but I was willing to bide my time.  He might still prove useful after all.  In the end, he’d probably disappoint Nelleke as well, and if I was lucky, she’d kill him for me. 
Ugh
, when did I get to be so
gorram
ornery? 

* * *

With Rob still asleep, Gunnar playing I-Spy, and Maggie, Lee and Tucker off doing whatever it was human people did while vampires gathered around being pretentious, I ventured down to the Great Hall, relishing the chance to be on my own.  I probably should’ve picked a better place to spend my
me
time. 

Carys held court from Aubrey’s throne while the Elder of Vetis was absent.  Bishop was there to play fetch and carry though, giving her any little thing her heart desired almost before she asked for it.  It was such an odd experience for me, watching him dance attendance on her.  Where was my tough as nails vampire cop who I’d had to practically chase down to get him to look twice at me? 

Was it compulsion or something deeper between them?  There were times when he looked at me that I swear he still had feelings for me, but then he’d turn around and give her
that
smile, the one that was supposed to be only for me, and I felt like I’d been punched in the gut. 

His cell phone rang, and Bishop’s entire demeanor changed, his shoulders straightening, jaw squaring.  “Excuse me, I have to take this,” he said with a faint bow to Carys. 

“Can’t you leave it?  I need you,” she pouted, but he was already halfway across the floor, demanding a report in short, clipped words.  I almost put my hand up to high five him in passing at seeing him recover his bollocks, but I settled for stepping out of his way at the intense look on his face. 

Carys looked mad enough to spit tacks though, and I settled on that to keep me feeling warm and fuzzy inside.  “Oh, I have something of yours,” I remembered suddenly, pulling the cuff bracelet Kursik had given to me and offering it to her once she quit staring daggers at Bishop’s disappearing back.

“Where did you get this?” she frowned, turning it over in her hands before slipping it onto her wrist. 

“Kursik thought I might want it, but it belongs to you.” 

“Aleksandr,” she murmured, her lips curving into a smile.  “I wonder how he fares after all these years?”

“Dead as a doornail.” 

“Surely not!  He was a very powerful man,” she scoffed and I got tired of her attitude. 

“He was an incredible bastard and he deserved to die,” I shot back at her.  Maybe she was into the whole date rape thing, but I for one was glad he was gone.  “I killed him, of course.”  An eency weency exaggeration, which I regretted the instant I said it, even though it was popular opinion.   

“You?” she gasped.

“Well, I had him killed, which is almost the same thing,” I backpedaled.  “Jakob wasn’t at all happy about how Kursik treated me and ripped his black heart right out.” 

“Jakob’s judgment has been flawed these past years without me to guide him, I’m sure.  No matter though, now that I’m back, I’m certain I can get him to see the light.”

All manner of Chinese phrases (and I only knew the swearing ones for the most part) exploded through my brain as I bit back the urge to show her I wasn’t the right person to mess with.  I don’t know if she took my silence for a victory or what, but her smug grin only deepened. 

“Oh dear, I’ve gone and left my shawl back in my room.  Be a love and fetch it for me,” she said, her voice dripping honey.

“Your legs aren’t broken, go get it yourself,” I grumbled, not about to play maid for her.

“I said go and fetch my shawl,” she frowned, her eyes boring a hole right through me, and then I understood what was going on. 

Carys was trying to compel me. 

I laughed so hard every pair of eyes in the hall swung to me, and that only made me giggle harder – all the while Carys stared at me as if I’d completely lost my noodle. 

“Fetch it,” she insisted, which started my giggles all over again. 

“I’m not your servant, get it yourself,” I managed to get out, swiping at my eyes as I enjoyed the shock that rippled through her.  You know, laughter really is the best medicine.  When I got myself under control, I dropped my voice for her ears only.  “You know you can’t compel other
draugen
, right?”