The Chariot: Brothers at Arms

by Desiree Lee

  Julio busied himself in his studio until twilight. He went back in the house and heard the shower running. Good, she's up. Once Michelle got out of the shower, he met her at the door. At the sight of her wearing nothing but a towel, he almost forgot what he was doing.

  "What?"

  "I, um, I needed to tell you something."

  "Tell me what?"

  "You're so beautiful."

  Michelle gave a playful grin. “Thank you. You ran all the way over here to tell me that?"

  "No, that was just what I was thinking as I looked at you. What I wanted to tell you is that I got some new information in the mail today from the old Keeper. You're going to want to see this. Hurry up and dress. This is important."

  "Alright,” she nodded, heading in to the bedroom. Even though she had moved back to François’ House, she had left a spare change of clothes behind here. She was glad for that foresight now. After a few minutes, she emerged from the bedroom dressed, toweling her hair dry. “What information?"

  "Read this.” Julio handed the papers to her.

  She scanned the words quickly. Her eyes widened. The towel dropped to the floor as she brought her other hand down so she could hold the papers with both hands, as if they were fragile. “Is this real?"

  "It is the same writing on the envelope that the card came in. It has the same postmark too, Sacramento."

  "Do you know what this means?"

  "Yeah, I do. Everything that François and Pierre have been fighting over for 250 years is a lie."

  "They'll be devastated."

  "You think so? I thought it would finally exonerate them. It would give them a reason to settle their differences."

  "Perhaps you're right. How are you going to present this?"

  "I'll call Pierre. I know François won't agree to see me. He will doubt the authenticity of this, I'm sure. I was going to talk to Pierre today anyway about offering you haven, or at least some sort of truce with his House. If he does say he will, it doesn't mean you have to live there. You, um, you can stay here with me if you want."

  "You'd do that for me? You'd offer me refuge in your own house?"

  "Of course I would. In fact, I'd rather have you here. I would be afraid for your safety if you weren't with me."

  "Ever the chivalrous one, aren't you? My knight in shining, um, blue jeans,” she giggled.

  "With a big sword too,” he smirked mischievously, thrusting his hips toward her.

  "Oh you're a cad!"

  "A chivalrous cad,” he laughed. “OK, I'm going to call Pierre and arrange this meeting. Knock on wood."

  Michelle picked up the towel and went back in the bathroom to finish drying and brushing her hair. Julio picked up the phone and dialed Pierre's number. A woman answered.

  "Rebecca? Is that you?” Julio asked.

  "Who is this?"

  "This is Julio. I need to speak with Pierre please. It's important."

  "He's not yet risen. The sun is barely down."

  "I know but this is something I really need to meet with him about. Will you ask him to call me as soon as he is up?"

  "Is there a message that I can relay as to what it is regarding? Or do you want to speak to Luke? He's awake already."

  "No, I will speak only with Pierre on this. Just tell him that I have information for him that is extremely important. I must meet with him as soon as possible. Please, Rebecca. I wouldn't be so insistent if it weren't necessary."

  "I will tell him as soon as he is awake."

  "Thanks. Bye.” Julio hung up the phone, even more antsy than before.

  Michelle joined him a few minutes later, her damp hair braided neatly. “Are you ok today?"

  "Yeah, I'm just itching to tell Pierre about this."

  "I meant are you hung over? Or having any other ill effects from your first bite?"

  Julio paused, thinking on it a moment. “No. I didn't realize how good it was until you did it. You were right. It was the most pleasure I'd ever had during sex. Now I see why the people who feed vampires do so. I could get used to having ecstasy like that all the time,” he chuckled.

  "So are you saying you want to be my donor?"

  "Maybe. I'm not sure yet. It's a hard thing to say from only one bite."

  "Only if you are ready and you choose to be. You have a good flavor though, despite the alcohol."

  Julio's curiosity was piqued. “What do I taste like?"

  "Spicy! Latin food is always a treat."

  "Ha, ha, ha,” he grinned wryly. “Funny, I really don't identify with that part of my heritage at all. I know I look like my father, but since he died when I was so young, the Puerto Rican influence was never there in my life. I'm a white man with a permanent tan."

  "Have you ever been to Puerto Rico?"

  "No, I was never able to bring myself to go down there. It was too much of a reminder of him."

  "That's understandable. I haven't been back to Georgia in over 100 years. I know it is totally different now.

  "You have more bad memories there."

  "Yeah, but I've learned to put those things in the past and go on. I thought I had done that with Luke, but you see how that turned out.” She slipped her arms around him. “You're like a breath of fresh air to me Julio."

  He returned the gentle hug. “You are too. You met Evelia. You've seen what a psycho she is."

  "Hmm, you went from psycho to vampire. You must be a glutton for punishment."

  "I must be. Somehow I think you'll be a lot easier to get along with than she was. If nothing else, you're a cheaper date. I don't have to buy you dinner."

  "You brat!"

  "Yeah, maybe just a little bit,” he grinned. When he had first met Michelle, he'd thought she was an uptight, stuffy bitch. In the time they'd spent together, learning more about each other, he'd come to realize she had a much different persona underneath. He loved how he could tease and joke around with her. She wouldn't take offense because she knew he was only playing. She had accepted his reasoning for choosing Pierre's side and stood by him in his decision. She could have left with François, gone to her death as dictated by the vampire rules, but she didn't. She stayed with him.

  His quiet train of thought was interrupted by the phone ringing. He let go of Michelle and picked up the handset, clicking the button. “Hello?"

  "Pierre will meet with you,” Rebecca's voice came from the other end of the line.

  "I need to ask a favor of him before I come over. May I speak with him please?"

  "One moment,” she replied. Julio could hear her cover the phone.

  "Yes, Julio?” Pierre's voice spoke a minute later.

  "François flipped out last night when he learned I chose your side."

  "I rather expected that of him."

  "He wants to kill Michelle."

  "I expected that too. It is his nature to be vengeful."

  "I don't want her dead. I love her. I am asking you, please, grant her sanctuary?"

  Pierre was silent for several moments. “Please put Michelle on the line."

  Michelle took the phone when Julio handed it over to her. “Hello. Yes. That is correct. Yes. No. Yes.” Julio wondered what Pierre was asking her, but held his tongue. “Thank you. I appreciate this.” She handed the phone back to Julio. “I am safe from the members of his House. They will not attack me."

  Julio sighed in relief. “Thank you,” he said to Pierre. “I still must meet with you. I received some very important information today. You need to see this. I don't want to discuss it over the phone."

  "You may come over here. I will be feeding as soon as we are off the phone but you are welcome to wait here until I am done, if I do not finish before you arrive."

  "Thanks. I'll see you soon. Bye.” Julio hung up the phone. “OK, let's go. I want to get the hell out of here before François decides to come back for round two. In fact, I think I'll take my gun with me just in case."

  "You can do that?"

  "I have a concealed weapon
s permit. I'm legal to carry it."

  "Wow. We vampires don't usually rely on guns. It's something new to me, to be around someone who owns guns that is."

  "Well we mortals aren't blessed enough to have super strength like you so when our lives are in danger, we have to rely on other methods.” He walked in to the bedroom and came back out a few minutes later.

  "Where is it?” Michelle looked him over.

  Julio turned around and patted the small of his back. “It has to be fully concealed. Can't have any bulges showing.” He wore a shirt baggy enough to cover the weapon. “Ready?"

  "Yes. Let's get this information to Pierre. Hopefully he can think of a way to use it to bring François to his senses.” Her tone had an air of consternation.

  "What's wrong?” Julio noted her apprehension.

  "It's just weird. Pierre has been the enemy as long as I've been a vampire. It's not an easy thing to jump ship. I know now it is for the best, but it still goes against everything that has been ingrained in me for the past 130-something years."

  "It bothers you that François came here to kill you,” Julio surmised.

  "No. I understood that from the beginning. That was part of the rules of being a Seeker. Failure is not an option. It bothers me that he wrote me off so callously."

  "Well he caught us in bed together. Who knows how long he was standing there watching us."

  "Yeah that is rather creepy."

  "He got a live action porn show. Oh well. We can't change the past. He saw us having sex and that is that. I am not embarrassed by you Michelle. I am not ashamed of being with you."

  Michelle gazed up in to his dark eyes with an expression of pure, unadulterated joy. If her heart still beat, it would be pounding right now.

  "Let's get a move on though. We're killing time by waiting here.” He kissed her quickly, then took the papers, heading toward the door.

  The drive over to Pierre's took longer than Julio had wanted it to. Every stoplight they came to was red. He twirled his fingers in his hair, agitated. When they arrived, Rebecca showed them in to the living room to wait. Several members of the House peeked in, trying to get a glimpse of the exiled Seeker from François’ House.

  Michelle sat next to Julio on the plush divan, holding his hand the entire time. Their wait wasn't long. Pierre descended the stairs, walking toward them. “Welcome. I hope I have not kept you long."

  "No, not at all,” Julio answered both politely and truthfully.

  "I offer you food and drink, if you will have some?” He glanced at Michelle. “Both of you,” he added.

  "I'm good, thanks,” Julio answered. He looked at Michelle to see if she'd take Pierre up on his offer. He saw her nose twitch, her nervous habit.

  "You look peaked,” Pierre stated. “Please, enjoy my hospitality."

  Michelle looked at Julio. “If you need it...” he answered. He wasn't sure he wanted to watch her feed from another person, but he had business to discuss with Pierre and couldn't feed her right now. He was still unsure if he wanted to become a donor or not.

  She nodded quickly. “Thank you."

  "Roland!” Pierre called loudly. “He is the most robust of the donors here,” he explained to Michelle. The stocky man with a close-cropped goatee walked in to the room quickly. “Permit my guest to feed from you,” Pierre stated. It was not a request.

  Roland nodded and gestured for Michelle to follow him. “This way please."

  Michelle gave Julio a quick kiss. “I won't be long."

  "Alright,” he answered, watching her disappear through the doorway with the man. Julio's stomach churned, but he tamped down his emotion. She was just feeding. It wasn't as if she was going to fuck the guy.

  "Now what business was so urgent?” Pierre asked. “Come to the study. We can discuss it there."

  "Yes, I think you ought to be sitting for this,” Julio replied, following the vampire to the study. It was decorated in rich cherry wood. The furniture looked antique. Many books lined the shelves, all very aged from the appearance. Pierre motioned toward a chair and Julio sat in it, waiting for the vampire to seat himself across the desk. He then pushed the envelope toward him. “This arrived in the mail today. It is from the Keeper in Sacramento."

  Pierre took the envelope and looked it over. “You are certain it is from him?"

  "It is the same writing as was on the envelope the card arrived in. It bears the same postmark. It also contained the information to be known only by the Keepers. I have that safely tucked away. Read that though. You need to see this."

  Pierre opened the envelope, pulling the pages out and read them. His jaw dropped agape as he went back to the first page and re-read each of them a second time. “No, this cannot be."

  "I don't see how it is a lie,” Julio said in a low tone.

  "I am just—” Pierre stopped, dropping the papers on to the desk. “I am stunned. I did not know this. I thought...” He trailed off.

  "You always thought that François seduced your wife and took her from you."

  "Yes."

  "I'm sorry Pierre but as you can see, that's not how it happened. She seduced your brother. She is the one who muddled his mind and made him hers. She cheated on you. It's harsh, man. Really harsh, but as you can see, your fight with François all this time wasn't his fault."

  "How could we not have known this before? How could this have been kept from us?” Pierre's voice went ragged as his ire rose.

  "I don't know. I think the former Keepers were idiots for not telling you and François about it. This could have been over with so long ago if the truth had only been revealed. I think maybe they got so comfortable with the thought that they'd be set for life if they kept the card for you that they let their greed get in the way of what was right. I don't give a shit about your money or François’ money. I'll go get my old job back if I need to. I just want the fighting to end. I don't want anybody else to die, not from your House or from François'."

  "This is difficult information for me to receive."

  "I knew it would be. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but it had to be brought forth. I knew you had to see it for yourself. That's why I did not want to say it on the phone."

  "I appreciate your candor, Julio,” Pierre said softly. “You are an honest, straightforward man. Does François know this yet?"

  "No. He has said that neither I, nor Michelle, are safe in his House. I came to you first."

  "I hope he will listen to reason and see this for himself, too. I do not want to have to end this war by force. I have the power to do that now. This city is very conducive for it. I hope he will see that we have both been in folly for far too long."

  "I told him that you want to end the war but he didn't seem to believe me. Then again, he showed up at my house unannounced and sort of caught Michelle and me in a very private moment. I think he wasn't going to accept anything I said, no matter what.” Julio blushed at the memory.

  "I will make contact with him. I will ask you to keep these papers though so that he does not think I fabricated them.” Pierre returned the papers containing the confession about François’ relationship with Pierre's wife to the envelope, then pushed it back across the desk to Julio. “I politely ask you to leave me now. I must think on this."

  Julio stood and nodded. “You know how to reach me.” He left the study, making his way back out to the living room. Michelle was nowhere to be found so he sat down, waiting patiently for her. Rebecca came by and offered him a drink but he politely declined.

  Michelle emerged from the hallway soon after, looking much better than she had earlier. Julio hated to admit that Pierre had been right. Michelle had looked peaked. He was glad she was fully fed now.

  "You're finished already?” She looked surprised.

  "Yes. The ball is in Pierre's court now. He asked us to leave him to think it over. He'll make contact with François about it. Are you ready?"

  "Yes.” She followed him out to the truck. “Pierre keeps his donor
s well. He wasn't lying. Roland was very ... robust.” Julio just raised an eyebrow as he put the truck in gear and started to drive off. Michelle giggled. “I only fed. You don't have to worry."

  "I know. I trust you.” He was amazed by how easily that trust came to him.

  "I like your flavor better,” she whispered.

  "I did some thinking this morning after you went to sleep,” he changed the subject.

  "About what?"

  "Us."

  "That doesn't sound good."

  "No, not like that. I was just wondering where we can go from here Michelle. What if the war doesn't end like we want it to? What if Pierre can't pull it out of his ass and overthrow François? That's what I was thinking about. Then today, there was another wrench thrown in to the works when this envelope arrived. Still, it doesn't change the fact that you and I have some choices to make if we are going to stay together."

  "What are you getting at?"

  "You'll stay young and beautiful for all time and I'll grow old and ugly."

  "I hardly think you'll ever be ugly.” She knew now where this was leading to. It was a common problem to all vampire/mortal relationships.

  "Still, I'll grow old and die someday."

  "Yes, that is the biggest problem with mortals and vampires falling in love. It's always a hard thing to lose a person that way."

  "You're all I have left, Michelle. I don't want to be without you. I want you to turn me."

  "Julio, that decision requires a lot more thought than one morning before sleep. I am not saying it is not a possibility, but only that you must be absolutely sure that is the path you want to go down. There is no coming back from this. I've seen many mortals ask to be turned, only to change their minds. I have seen some that have been turned regret their decision. You're still young and you have a full life ahead of you. You could have...” she paused, her nose twitching again.

  "Could have what?"