Triquetra

by Marguerite Labbe

  “Conversing would’ve been a bad idea, considering both of our moods. I did not wish to argue with you again.”

  I almost sniped back at that, only I sensed how true that statement was for Kristair. Even during the madness last year, when he didn’t know if he was going crazy or not, when he didn’t have control over whether he was coming or going, even then, I hadn’t sensed this deep unquiet with him. Arguing would relieve my tension, but it would only add to his.

  The car pulled to a stop and the driver asked me to wait a moment as his friend checked out the place. I suspected that they were guards of some kind for me. Just as long as they didn’t try to hang around inside with us, I was fine with them. “What do you think, Kristair? Is the house clean?”

  “I would be very surprised if the Syndicate knows I own this place. I have not made it a point to visit and the upkeep has always been done through an intermediary.”

  “Why keep it if it bothers you so damn much?”

  All I got back was another mental shrug, and I bit down my rising frustration. It was amazing how little I could get from him when he was like this. How I could share someone’s thoughts and emotions and still not understand all his layers was a problem I’d never get straight.

  Once the all-clear was given by the guard, I stalked inside the house and shut the door in the man’s face. If they wanted to keep an eye on me, they could do it from outside. I shook my head when Kristair retreated deeper into my mind as I locked the door. “Nope, we’re having this out before you drive me outta my mind.”

  Kristair’s confusion followed me as I started up the stairs. “What is there to have out?”

  “Please, just get out of my head so I can look at you.”

  There was a momentary pause and I sensed Kristair’s vast reluctance before he did as I asked. As he appeared ahead of me on the stairs and walked on, he didn’t look back. There was something about his quiet dignity that seemed very vulnerable to me. His nakedness only added to the impression.

  I followed him into a small bedroom and frowned in confusion as he went to the double doors that opened out onto a balcony. He stepped outside and laid his hands on the railing, staring out, his mind a chaotic mix of sorrow, anger, and loss.

  I reminded myself that no one else could see him naked, and joined him. It occurred to me then that I had never seen such an open expression on his face. Everything he was feeling showed in the downturn of his lips and his lined brow.

  I couldn’t begin to imagine Kristair letting anyone else see him like this, so off balance and upset. Only me. Somehow it helped to put things into perspective. With anyone else, he would’ve gathered his composure around him like a mantle, shrouding himself behind his poise.

  My heart twisted, ached, and filled. If it was possible to fall in love all over again, I think I just had, and all because Kristair was lost in thought and miserable and letting me see him in this state. How many times had I argued with him about the walls he had up? Now there wasn’t any kind of barrier.

  I wanted to touch him so damn bad and gather him close. I settled for wrapping a mental arm around his shoulder as he stared out at a city sparkling with lights and heavy with sounds that cities all over the world seemed to make. “I didn’t think it would’ve changed so much.”

  “It’s been a long time, Kristair.” I glanced down, trying to see it as Kristair had known it, but even with his memories, I couldn’t grasp it. It was too different from what I knew, seemed more like looking at a memory of a movie than reality. “What made you leave?”

  “My Mistress was gone and the city was falling apart from the inside out. The Empire was failing and Rome had already been sacked once, destroying everything we had, when I decided to go. There was going to be another invasion; it was only a matter of time.”

  “If you hated it so much why didn’t you leave earlier?”

  “At first I wasn’t allowed to. I was a prisoner until my Mistress thought I’d learned enough to not embarrass her. Then I had nowhere else to go. Or at least that’s what I believed.”

  I glanced at Kristair’s face and noticed he wasn’t really looking at the city, but at a long-gone memory. So this wasn’t the house where Nerissa had taken him after she’d made him a vampire. I wasn’t sure why, but it made me feel better.

  “No, it’s not,” Kristair said, glancing back at the townhouse. “There are some belongings of hers that I’d saved and returned here and the land is hers, but I had this built later, after Kayla came to me. I thought the property should belong to her and that she should have something to go to, some remnant of her ancestry, if she wished.”

  “You’re a good dad, Kristair.” It kind of made me wonder what it would be like if things were different. If he were human and we weren’t caught up in such a supernatural mess. What would it be like to raise a family with him? I’d never had those kinds of thoughts before, and damn, I must have been more tired than I’d thought if I was having them now.

  He laughed, but there was no real humor in it. “Your opinions are prejudiced.” He turned away from the balcony, some of his upset sloughing off under renewed determination. Now that was the Kristair I knew. “The city still stinks though,” he said with a snide twist to his lips.

  “So says the man who lived in Pittsburgh during the steel era. Now whose opinion is prejudiced?”

  “There’s a different heartbeat to Pittsburgh. It’s built on toil and common folk. The steel mills may have left their mark, but at least it was honest work. Rome is imperial self-indulgence, corrupt and rotting from the inside out.”

  All the bits and pieces were beginning to come together. Kristair had already been set against what this place had stood for, given his people’s war with the empire. Being brought here against his will would’ve been enough to give him a grudge, but it went even deeper than that. Kristair valued self-possession, moderation. For all of his own wealth, he lived in an unassuming manner. Given the way Rome was when he was here, he would’ve been disgusted and horrified by its excesses.

  “Do you intend to go out and explore?”

  Another time I would’ve jumped at the chance. Pittsburgh had been the farthest away from home I’d ever been before and now I was on a whole other continent. But right now, the thought was unappetizing. As much as I was sure Kristair would dislike the thought of needing comfort, he did.

  “No, I’d rather stay in. I’m beat.”

  A smile flickered over Kristair’s face. “Your motives are transparent.”

  “Who cares? I might only have ten more days with you. Rome can wait for another day. Why don’t you show me where the bed is?”

  The quick whiplash of longing that went through Kristair made me want to pull him into my arms. The fact that I couldn’t do that and watch the surrender I knew would be on his face was maddening.

  I followed him as he turned back inside, locking the balcony doors as he drew the curtains shut, plunging the room into dark shadows. I pulled off my shirt, fumbling toward him in the dark. The tension in his body eased as I put my hands on him and pulled him close. He threw himself into my kiss with wholehearted abandon, surrendering to the moment without one hint of reservation.

  I loved him so damn much I didn’t know how I could contain it, I ached so.

  Chapter 24

  “NOW, TELL me again why I’m doing this,” I muttered as Hugh tossed the rope and hook up over the crumbling stone wall.

  “Because you don’t listen to reason,” Kristair grumbled in my mind.

  “Why not?” Hugh grabbed the rope and tested its grip and security before clambering up, hand over hand, moving his bulk with incredible ease.

  “I think I prefer your explanation,” I said to Kristair as I hauled myself up behind him.

  As I crested the top, I saw the crumbling ruin of an abandoned school filling the courtyard. I crouched low on the top of the wall, peering through the shadows to figure out where the hell Hugh had gone.

  “Get down. You’re too
exposed up here,” Kristair snapped.

  I leapt down with a sigh. “I’m not as used to all this covert stuff like you are.” The dark, broken windows stared down at me like dead eyes. It was more than a little creepy. One of the shadows near the wall moved, making my heart jump until I realized it was Hugh. At least Ussier had taken Alette with him. I didn’t think I could take her freaky intensity at that moment.

  Tony dropped down behind me, followed quickly by Artemise. He unstrapped the cane off his back with a nostalgic smile on his lips. “Ah, raiding a Catholic girls’ school. Now this brings back memories. Have you ever done that before, youngling?”

  “Only in my dreams, though Jake and I did raid the girls’ dorm with water guns during our freshman year.”

  Those were the days. I shared a grin with Tony at the memory. “You mean Steve didn’t tag along for that one?” Kristair asked.

  “Nope. He was actually working the security desk in the lobby. He’s the one who let us in. He ended up losing his job over it and bitched about it for weeks.”

  “Where are Ussier and Madame Dupree?” Tony asked in a whisper as we moved deeper into the shadows.

  “Doing things,” Hugh grunted. I glanced at Tony and shrugged. That was all the info I’d been able to get out of Ussier before he’d taken off a couple hours earlier. “Jake and I are going to go ahead and get into position near the Council chamber and wait for Ussier,” the big man said as he pulled out a modified blueprint of the old school. He pointed toward the old dormitories. “You’re meeting your friends there, youngling. You sure they’re in with us?”

  “They were pretty excited about the idea even before I promised Artemise would speak to them.” He gave Artemise a tight grin. “The thought of an Ancient being on their side has got them riled up, and they’re sick of what the Council’s doing. They’re sure it’s going to lead to their destruction. They’ll go along with it.”

  “Okay. Get going then and good luck,” Hugh said.

  I caught Tony in a quick hug. “Be careful.”

  “You too,” he whispered back.

  I clasped Artemise’s hand and then they were gone. Hugh gestured to the blueprint again, capturing my attention. “We’ll go through the kitchens, kid. The Council chamber is on the second floor overlooking the inner courtyard.” A scowl deepened the crags in his face. “The youngling has a trick of drawing shadows around himself and I can move without being seen. Ghedi says you know some things. Got any tricks like that?”

  “I never worked on sneaking around,” Kristair said. “I think your best bet is to move quickly and silently. The sooner you’re in place, the lesser the likelihood that you’ll be spotted. Unless you feel like melding through the walls.”

  “I’d rather be shot in the face.” I shuddered. “Sorry, Kristair. That’s just freaky. Besides, the Ascended blocked anything new.”

  I shook my head at Hugh. “Sorry, man.”

  “That’s okay. This place has lots of hidey-holes and old servant passages. We’ll take our chances.”

  “What happens if we get seen?”

  “We’ll have to take steps to make sure that doesn’t happen, but if it does….” Hugh let the thought trail off ominously then pointed out the trail he wanted us to take.

  “He means to kill them, doesn’t he?” I asked Kristair.

  “You can’t be leaving possible enemies behind. This coup d’état of yours is going to be difficult to pull off if the Council gets advanced warning.”

  “But what if it’s somebody who’d be on our side?” I argued.

  “My suggestion is the same as Hugh’s. Don’t be seen. Then you won’t have to worry about these little moral dilemmas.”

  Grumbling, I followed the vampire, amazed at how quietly he moved for such a big man. Bits of broken glass and stone rubble littered the ground and he didn’t make a whisper of sound. The door to the kitchens was solid. I’d kind of expected it to be half hanging off the hinges and in as much disrepair as the rest of the place, but I guess the Syndicate wasn’t entirely lax in security.

  Their efforts didn’t matter because it only took Hugh moments to break through the lock. The creak seemed too loud to my ears and I cringed. Hugh paused a moment then gestured for me to follow.

  The lower-level windows were boarded up and the inside of the kitchens was pitch black. I had the impression of a cavernous space as my breathing seemed to echo in the room. After a few moments, my eyes adjusted to the gloom and I was able to make my way across a floor covered with trash and debris. From the scent of things, no one had been down here for a long time.

  It was eerily quiet as we made our way toward the Council chamber. There were only a few people wandering the hallways and those were avoided with an ease that made me suspicious. “I don’t like this. I mean, I know we got rid of a whole bunch of their dudes, but I thought this place would be crawling with vamps. The Syndicate is a big organization, right?”

  “They don’t all stay in one location. There are cells all over the world. The Syndicate is more of a network than a place for them all to congregate. The Council itself is here. That’s all that matters.”

  “And what if the Council isn’t here?”

  “Tony’s contacts indicated they’ve been meeting often as of late. Do you trust his information or not?”

  It’s not that I didn’t trust him. Nerves were making me second-guess everything. “I guess that makes sense. Their shenanigans back in Pittsburgh must be keeping their attention occupied. I just wish I knew what they really wanted, and I don’t like the idea of them causing all this mayhem on the say-so of a psychic.”

  “It’ll all be over soon.”

  Hugh gestured toward a well-lit corridor. According to the blueprint, the entrance to the Council chambers should be around the corner. I sensed Kristair leave my mind and started visibly when he appeared in front of me, sauntering naked to the corner.

  “Kristair! What the fuck do ya think yer doin’!”

  “They can’t see me. I just want a peek to see what we’re up to. Don’t worry. I can’t go far from you.”

  “Kristair! Get yer pretty ass back here. Dammit, Kristair, I mean it!”

  My lover gave me a cheeky smile then disappeared around the corner. Hugh was watching me with a skeptical expression on his face. “You okay, kid?”

  “Just peachy fucking keen.” I scowled in the direction Kristair had gone. “What now?”

  “Now we wait for the signal. Ghedi and Alette are taking care of what they need to do and your friend and Artemise should be arriving soon.” Hugh pressed his ear to a door then opened it before motioning me in ahead of him.

  “There are two guards outside the doors. Tony’s friends were right. The Council is in session. I couldn’t get close enough to peek inside, but the guards are talking between themselves.”

  “Fine,” I snapped. “Can ya come back now?”

  “If it’ll get you to stop swearing at me. I’m perfectly safe.”

  Relaxing some, I glanced around the room Hugh had stuck us in. It was an office and one of the few rooms I’d been in inside this heap that was actually in use. A computer hummed on a battered desk and books were scattered across every surface. It reminded me of Kristair’s old office, only less neat.

  Curious, I started picking through the books, which seemed to be journals for the most part. Kristair would be interested in that. I glanced up to see him walk through the door as Hugh finished his quick examination of the room and locked the door before turning toward me. “I should be back in time for the signal. I want to check a couple things out.”

  “Wait a minute,” I hissed in exasperation. Hugh’s body went filmy and indistinct before he turned into mist and slipped out under the door. I turned my glare on Kristair instead. “This is really beginning to piss me off.”

  “You could follow him, I suppose, but it would take time and concentration for you to turn into the mist. You don’t concentrate very well when you’re irritated. O
h wait, no, you can’t.” He grinned. “And even if you could, it freaks you out.”

  “I thought I was supposed to be the smartass in the relationship.” I ran my hand through my hair and fisted it, barely feeling the sting. It had been too easy; made me think of a trap. “Something’s off. I don’t like this.”

  “You’re not becoming psychic on me, are you?” Kristair’s voice was light, but his dark eyes were penetrating as he studied me. Disquiet stirred in his mind as well.

  “That’s not even remotely funny.” I cocked my head at the sound of a woman’s shout of outrage, muffled as it was through the doors and passages. There was something about that voice….

  “Kayla!” Kristair gasped and bolted through the door. “Stay inside.”

  “The fuck I will.” My heart pounding, I fought the lock, threw open the door, and chased after him, honing in on the sound of Kayla’s continued shouts. What the hell was that woman doing here? I swear, if she followed me….

  The two guards in front of the doors jumped when I burst around the corner. I felt Kristair pop into my head again and we were on them before they had a chance to shout for backup.

  “Jacob, I don’t think barging in there is such a good idea!” Kristair shouted in my head. But, by then, it was too late. I’d already knocked the guards aside and flung open the door.

  Several men and a single woman sat around a long oval conference table. Tied up, lying in the middle of that table, was a struggling Kayla, furiously cursing. What I wouldn’t give for fireballs now. I’d torch every motherfucker in the room.

  I bounded up onto the table while they were still half-turning, their mouths falling open with expressions ranging from shock to dismay to pleasure. There was a shout behind me from the guards as I began to yank at the bonds around Kayla’s wrists. She fought me off, shoving at me, trying to tug her hands free of the rope as her struggles redoubled.

  “Stop fighting me!” I roared.

  Kayla yanked the gun out of my waistband and half-sat up, leaning to the side, and unloaded the clip. I cursed as a wet spray hit the back of my neck and scrambled back off the table, dragging Kayla with me and shoving her behind my back. “There’s a knife in my pocket,” I said in an undertone. “Cut yourself free.”