by Evette Davis
At 8 pm we all assembled and indulged in a light dinner and plenty of wine as the first results arrived. Each update revealed a slight lead, until finally at 10 pm, with most of the precincts reporting, Levi had jumped twelve points ahead. It was astonishing, a better win than we could have hoped for.
As we were regarding the computer screen, watching the Department of Elections update the results, my phone vibrated in my pocket. I pulled it out to glance at the caller ID, curious since most members of the press and campaign team were already standing within a few feet of me. The number was blocked, but I answered anyway, putting the phone to my ear to say hello.
“Are you going to claim the seat?” said a voice that was familiar for its unique salty brusqueness. Paul Levant, head of the California Democratic Party, went straight to the question, skipping any greeting, as usual.
“I’m thinking about it,” I said. Claiming the seat meant having us declare ourselves the winner…before Lacy had conceded losing. It was a bold statement.
“Christ Almighty, you’ve got it in the bag, kid,” Levant said. “Our own number-crunchers are calling you the winner, with fifteen points to spare.”
“Shit, really?” I was dumfounded. Fifteen points was a hugely comfortable margin. It afforded a candidate the kind of maneuvering room that freed him from having to glance over his shoulder at the opposition too often. Candidates who win by two points can never say their ideas have a mandate. But win by fifteen points, and the world is yours.
“There are still a few precincts outstanding,” I told Levant, unable to overcome my superstitious nature.
“Suit yourself, kid,” he said. “But I am telling you Levi Barnes will shortly be Congressman Barnes. I’ll expect a sizable donation from him to the party toot sweet!” The line went dead, his words ringing in my ears, my pulse in my throat.
“Who was that?” Levi asked.
“It was Levant,” I said. “He says the seat is ours by a margin of fifteen points, and we should call the race.” Silence followed as everyone looked up at the television above the bar, which was now, in fact, posting election results confirming our fifteen-point lead, with two precincts left to report.
Victory chants cropped up around the restaurant. “Levi! Levi! Levi!”
“OK, let’s call it,” I yelled over the din. I hugged Levi, “Congratulations, Congressman Barnes, I think you should address your supporters.”
Levi smiled and embraced me tightly. “Amazing. Amazing work, Olivia,” he said. “The way you took control and stayed calm. I’ve never seen anyone with better instincts and courage. Thank you.”
“My pleasure,” I said, smiling. “It’s easy to run a race for someone like you. Promise me you’ll call when it’s time for re-election.”
“Aren’t you coming back to Washington with me?” Levi looked puzzled.
“No, not this time. I hope you’ll take Maggie and Peter with you; they will make great legislative aides.”
Levi squeezed my hand. “You’re not the same person anymore,” he said. “There is something, a certainty in you that didn’t exist before.”
“I suppose I know more about what I want now. Perhaps with not so much certainty, but confidence in my own decisions,” I said, “which is really about growing older and knowing oneself.”
“Ah, but they are all cousins,” said Gabriel, who had come up behind us while we were talking. “You cannot be certain without confidence.”
Richard Lyon was with him. They both urged Levi toward the front of the room to give his victory speech. I nodded in agreement and promised to follow in a moment. As they departed, I stopped and exhaled deeply, releasing much of the pent up stress and anxiety I had been harboring for weeks. It was over. We’d won. A weight that had been pressing on my chest lifted and a feeling of lightness returned to my body. I was about to turn and make my way to the front when an arm wrapped around my waist holding me in place. It was William.
“Well done, darlin,” he said, pulling me to his side. “Now that you’re officially unemployed, can we kiss in public?”
“Yes, definitely,” I said.
We did, quickly, and then walked forward to the main area of the bistro’s dining room in time to watch Levi climbing onto a chair to speak to the crowd. I glanced over at Patrick, giving him a nod to grab a glass and a piece of silverware to signal to the crowd to quiet down. After a few whistles and clinks on a beer mug, everyone fell silent and looked toward Levi as he stood above them. Flush and happy, his blue oxford shirt rolled up at his sleeves, here was the newest member of Congress from the great state of California, alone, with no entourage, no driver, not even a microphone. Remember this moment, I silently urged Levi; as a consultant I knew it was fleeting, irreplaceable.
“We did it,” he said to a sea of cheers. “Can you believe it? We won by fifteen points! I’m not prepared to say much more except that I want to thank all of you, my supporters, for believing in me. I want to thank the voters who made me their choice; I promise to work hard on your behalf. Finally, I want to tip my hat to Lacy…”
A chorus of boos rang out from the crowd.
“Now, now,” Levi admonished his supporters, but with a smile. “I do want to thank Lacy Smith. I may not agree with her on just about anything, but I respect her for raising the issues.”
More applause. More cheers.
I smiled, squeezing William’s hand. When you’re a winner on election night, anything seems possible. Fly to the moon? Sure. Balance the budget? Immediately! It’s like getting into your new car at the dealership and driving off into a brilliant orange sunset. Tonight, at this moment, these people were ready to follow Levi on a great journey. Would they feel the same way in sixty or one hundred days? Who knew? And that is the essence of politics. I really hoped Levi would enjoy the evening, because tomorrow the real work would begin.
After speaking, Levi stepped off the chair and disappeared into a crowd of well-wishers. Champagne corks were popping, the volume on the music rose and the group prepared to party into the night. It was, after all, officially a victory party and in politics, there is no better place to be.
My thoughts drifted to Lacy and whether she would concede. I wondered too, if Halbert would have the courage to dial my number. My answer came across a television screen, as a tearful Lacy climbed the stage at her campaign party and spoke into a microphone to say she “had called Levi Barnes to congratulate him.”
“This was not our moment,” she said, tears streaming down her cheeks, her mascara following in streaks. “God works in mysterious ways and I’m sure he has a purpose for us beyond tonight’s defeat. This is not the end. We will continue to fight for the things we believe in.”
I closed my eyes for a moment, savoring her words. I had no doubt she would live to fight another day, but for now, she was no longer my concern, nor were her advisers. Still, I wondered where Halbert was, knowing he would be furious at his loss. When I opened I eyes, I noticed reporters entering the restaurant. My job was to lead each one of them to Levi for an interview. I made sure he gave them each a quote, but I wouldn’t let him speculate about what he would do next. For now, it was enough to declare victory and thank his supporters.
I sent word through William to ask Richard Lyon to stay in the back of the room while the press was around. I couldn’t ask the man who’d raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for the campaign to leave, but I felt no compunction at asking him to make himself scarce for a few moments.
Levi seemed about finished with his interviews when I realized there was one major player missing from the room. JP had not been in the building all night. It didn’t seem possible that the valley’s biggest online journalist would skip the party, but I knew better than to assume anything. His relationship with Halbert had been a revelation, one that had taught me to assume nothing.
Finally, about a half hour after most of his colleagues had departed, JP appeared in the doorway. He looked timid, as if he expected to be stoned by the
crowd. If anyone had been sober enough to care, there might have been trouble. In general, drunken winners are a magnanimous group, and JP was able to walk inside unscathed. I stood still, waiting for him to notice me. When he caught my eye, I waved him over.
I began by giving him my most professional greeting, a gracious winner’s smile. “Would you like some time with the congressman?” He nodded, a notebook and pen clasped in his hands. “Will you be videotaping this?” I added, unable to resist.
“Yes” he said tersely. “But…”
“This is on the record?”
“Yes,” he said. “Exactly.”
“That’s certainly a much better way to do things,” I said, my heart not really much into scolding him further.
I caught sight of Patrick from across the room and signaled that he should join us. Since the two men knew each other, I didn’t make introductions. Instead, I simply asked him to find a quiet place where Levi and JP could do an interview. As they were leaving, I pulled Patrick aside and whispered in his ear to keep the interview short and not to allow any questions about the fundraiser that was the scene of the controversial recording.
“If he dredges up the past even for a second,” I said, “stop the interview.”
Patrick nodded and escorted JP out of the main dining room.
“That was very magnanimous of you,” William said, coming to stand beside me again. “You could have been much harder on him.”
“I haven’t any energy left to be that petty. I could sense his shame the minute he walked in, and besides, he doesn’t know it, but I already promised an exclusive interview to a rival publication when Levi arrives in Washington. JP will be furious, but it will make us even as far as I’m concerned.”
I closed my eyes again, this time feeling weary as I thought back to JP’s video and the damage it had caused.
“Let me take you home, love,” William said, pulling me close. “You look exhausted.”
I was completely spent, and serious fatigue was creeping into the corners of my body now that the adrenaline had finally receded.
“Let me say goodbye and then we can leave,” I agreed, making my way through the crowd. On my way out, I promised to meet Gabriel and our small inner circle for dinner the following evening. I scanned the room, waving to a few acquaintances and noted with pleasure that Josef and Lily were out on the dance floor, dancing cheek to cheek.
“Does he know she is a fairy?” I asked William as we were leaving.
“Yes,” he said. “Everything is always more complicated when you mix species, but they’ll be fine. They both live very openly in the human world, so it probably gives them something in common.”
“Is he giving her a lift home?”
“Don’t worry, darlin,” William said. “All of your baby chicks will get back to the nest safely.”
“I’m a worrier, I know,” I said, smiling. “I’ll stand down for the evening.”
As we departed, I turned back, savoring the image of celebration. Victory was finally mine again. I had overcome my demons, helped a good man win a seat in the United States Congress, and I had recovered my sense of identity along the way. I leaned into William, as I peered through the glass, enjoying the sensation of a partner at my side.
“Not a bad day’s work, darlin,” William said. “What’s next? The Senate? Maybe the presidency?”
“For now…Paris,” I said, feeling content. “I’ve been thinking about places we should visit,” I continued. “Maybe we can take a trip to Normandy, see the coastline. I’d like to visit the memorials and maybe visit your father’s grave.”
I continued rattling off potential destinations, blissfully unaware that Stoner Halbert was approaching. It was only when William gave my hand a painful squeeze and I looked up to chide him, that I noticed the teetering figure coming toward us. Halbert was drunk, almost to the point of incapacitation. Fifteen points is a bitter loss to swallow, especially when you’re supposed to have the advantage. William made a noise next to me that sounded almost like a growl.
“Halbert,” I said. “What brings you here? Did you come to congratulate me?”
“You would like that, wouldn’t you,” he slurred. “Shall I get down on my knees and tell you how magnificent you are? You’re all the same—not happy until the man has been ruined and humiliated.”
“I think you have the wrong person,” William said. “Olivia has never done a thing to you.”
“She’s never done a thing for me,” he said, almost incoherently.
“Halbert, what is this about? First you steal my clients, then you try to ruin my reputation as a consultant, and now you’re here to what…hurl insults at me? You need to call a cab and go home. It’s one election, sleep it off and get a life.”
“You made an ass out of me,” he said, coming to stand directly in front of me. “Lacy threw me out of her campaign office.”
“No,” I said, shaking my head. “You did that all by yourself. Now go home.”
Halbert swayed back and forth, clearly trying to formulate a response, but no words escaped his lips.
Finally, after a few awkward seconds, I turned my back on Halbert, grabbed William’s hand and walked away.
For a moment, I felt sorry for him. The pain and disappointment of his life hung about him like a cloak. It permeated the air, giving him a rank and bitter scent. This, I mused, was an example of human betrayal left festering, and I felt some compassion for the man whose life had been so disturbed by his wife’s ambitions and dishonesty.
And yet, everything that transpired from that moment on had been his choice. He chose to align himself with the darkest of paths, but had no better angel to come to his aide. Now, he was left with nothing but his own reproach, a reprobate saddled with a growing paranoia that all women were out to humiliate him. Even if he won his next campaign, or the next, I doubted he’d ever find happiness again. Halbert seemed either incapable or unwilling to move, so we left him standing alone on the sidewalk, backlit by the halogen glow of a streetlight.
“I doubt you’ll ever see him again,” William said, as he unlocked my car door.
“You never know,” I said earnestly. “Fate is a funny thing, and the world of political consultants is so small.”
****
CHAPTER 34
William heard the front door open and listened as Josef climbed the stairs to the second floor. It was early evening and they were both expected at the post-election dinner at The Moss Room in one hour. Gabriel had arranged for a celebration, a private meal for the Council and associates. He’d extended an invitation to Josef as a courtesy for his work with Olivia. But William would have recognized his brother’s presence on the stairs regardless of the time, or a pending social obligation. Thanks to their father, whose blood coursed through their veins, he could feel Josef’s proximity deep in his bones.
“You built her a bed?” Josef asked, as he strolled into the room. “By God, you are besotted. Are you sure it’s worth it? She is human, after all.”
William stayed seated in his chair, a guitar in his hands, his fingers slowly picking a tune as he regarded his brother.
“Don’t be so provocative. You had a human lover for years, Josef,” he remarked. “Why so dismissive now? Unless of course, you would like Olivia for yourself?”
Josef laughed, picking up another guitar from a stand nearby. “I prefer fairies, it turns out,” he said. “They’re delicious. By the way, your work is flawless. This guitar is magnificent.”
“Thank you,” William said. “Can we get back to Olivia?”
“You know, for a vampire, you worry too much,” Josef said, pulling the soundtrack to the movie Cabaret, off the shelf. “Mind if I put this on?” Josef asked. “I’m in the mood.”
William nodded as Josef set the vinyl album on the turntable.
“I’ll admit she has a certain allure,” Josef continued, “but I have not laid a finger on her, except to train. For a woman, she has incredible enduranc
e, far more than I would expect from a human. I will admit there is something about that, that is alluring.”
William set his guitar down against the chair and stood up to face his brother. “You don’t have to tell me,” he said. “I remember the first moment I sensed her. She is captivating in a way that escapes her notice. But I brought her to you because I wanted someone to teach her to fight for her life, if it comes down to it. Can I trust you?”
Josef bared his teeth and hissed. “You must truly be in love if you would question my loyalty after all that we have been through.”
“I intend to make her my wife, Josef. I’m counting on you to help me protect her.”
Josef carefully positioned the tone arm of the turntable onto the record and “Mein Herr” began to play. “Why are you so certain she is in danger? I mean no disrespect, but she’s a human female, after all, why would an ancient vampire like Nikola care about her?”
William walked over to a small side table where a bottle of Jack Daniel’s and two tumblers rested on a tray. He grabbed the bottle, poured two fingers’ worth in the glasses and handed one to his brother.
“Several reasons,” he said. “One, she is an agent of the Council aligned with Gabriel Laurent. That alone makes her vulnerable, since Nikola has little love for the Westerners and their zeal to help humans. He could harm her just to strike at Gabriel. Laurent’s term is ending. Nikola is deputy to Zoran Mikić, a Croatian central banker who is too much of a bureaucrat to really sense what is going on around him. Aidan told me the two of them are to be installed as directors next year.
“Reason No. 2, and more importantly, I don’t think she is human, or at least I don’t think she is one hundred percent human.”
Josef raised his eyebrows as he took a sip of the whisky.
“Come on, I know you sense it too,” William said. “She’s mildly telepathic, a skill few humans possess. And she can read vampires, something a normal empath woman shouldn’t be able to do.”
Josef downed what was left in his glass and poured another.