by Robin Roseau
But she wasn't listening. She turned and was about to run.
"Please, Aspen!" I said. "She'll make me come back."
"Leave me alone!"
"Aspen," I said, "Please. It is very dangerous for me here. Please, talk to me."
She had taken several steps, but she stopped and finally turned. "Begs? She never begs."
"This time, she begs," I said. "Please, come closer. I am so afraid we'll be heard."
She approached slowly, halving the distance between us.
"What is she paying you? It must be a great deal to serve as her messenger. And I can smell the thrall. You let her enthrall you? What did she offer you?"
"Friendship."
She watched me for a minute then glanced at the house.
"You have two minutes, then I must go," she said.
"She begs your forgiveness. She begs you to return home."
"I am home now. This is my new home."
"Her enemies search for you. And if your new master here knew you were once hers, you would be in grave danger."
"He won't know."
"Her enemies search, Aspen. I know little about vampires, but I imagine when they search, they are dogged and very, very patient."
She said nothing. I waited for a moment, then went on.
"She begs forgiveness. She begs your return. If you accept, I am to assist you."
"If I wish to remain here?"
"She only begs; she does not order." I paused. "She mentioned the necklace. Do you know the significance?"
"This?" she put her hand to her neck. "She gave it to me."
"Yes. Did she explain the significance?"
"It is very old, but it is simple."
"It was once her daughter's."
"She... she wants it back."
"She wants you back," I replied. "But if you refuse her, then yes, she wishes the necklace back. She would rather have you."
"I was nothing to her. You may take the necklace."
"I do not believe you were nothing," I replied. "She risked war with my pack to send me here."
"She forced you?"
"Someone named Kristian interpreted orders to invite me to New Orleans in a someone more forceful fashion than she intended, or so she said." I paused. "Did she lie to me?"
"I have never heard her lie," Deirdre responded. "If she said Kristian misunderstood, then he misunderstood, but she may have issued the orders in a fashion he would misunderstand."
"She apologized profusely and graciously."
Deirdre nodded.
"My point is this: she did not go through that for a necklace, even one belonging to her daughter. She did it for you. I am risking my life for you, Aspen. If I die, my mate's rage will be boundless. It will destroy my pack and undoubtedly result in the deaths of many people very dear to me. I did not do this for a necklace."
She turned away as if she were listening. "He calls. I must go. Come back tomorrow and I will have an answer."
"It is not safe for you, Aspen. Her enemies search."
"I know. He said he would keep me safe."
"He is not sufficiently powerful, and you know it. Enemies of the Queen of New Orleans are far more powerful than this vampire."
But then she was running, and I shifted back to fox and watched her leave.
* * * *
The wolves weren't at our first meeting point. I couldn't hear them, either. I thought very hard about Carissa, and two minutes later, far off, I heard Serena's howl. Serena's howl meant the third rendezvous point. It was a long run on fox feet.
Three times I had to hide from cars. Twice more I heard Serena howl for me, and when I knew I was close enough for them to hear, I yipped twice. My yips didn't carry anywhere near as far as a wolf howl, but it would have to do.
I came around a bend in the road, and there they were, watching for me. I yipped twice more. Lara was waiting for me, but I ran straight at the car. Serena got the door open just as I leapt, and I flew into the car. The wolves piled in after me, and I dived into the back seat, then lay there panting. Seconds later, we were moving.
Lara turned around. "Trouble?"
I yawned briefly then slowly caught my breath before shifting back to human.
"We talked," I said, pulling on my clothes. "She is considering things. She asked me to return tomorrow."
"Good," Lara said, smiling. "Maybe we can leave on Wednesday."
"The easiest for us is if she gives you the necklace tomorrow night and decides to stay," added Elisabeth.
"Maybe," I said, "But I do not believe she is safe here. And if she reports me to the vampire, it could be very dangerous for me tomorrow."
I finished dressing, no one saying anything. When I looked up, Lara was smiling. Given my last comment, I found that puzzling.
"Did you know that the lipstick lasts through a shift?" she asked.
I was out risking my life, and Lara was thinking about lipstick? Still, I didn't complain when she lifted me across the intervening seat and deposited me in her lap, my feet in Elisabeth's lap.
She kissed me until I moaned.
* * * *
Ten minutes later, Lara handed me her phone.
"Carissa," I said.
"Well done, Michaela," she purred. "Thank you. Do you believe she will come home?"
"I wanted more time to talk to her," I said, pleased I hadn't turned into a simpering fool at the sound of her voice. I clutched Lara's hand and continued. "I was forced to brevity and do not believe I was as eloquent as either of us would have preferred."
"You told her I forgave her?"
"No, Mistress," I replied. "I told her you begged her forgiveness."
Her laughter shut my mind down for a moment, and I sat dully for a moment before I shook myself.
"Have I overstated your position?"
"Perhaps," she said, "But if it brings Deirdre home to me, then I will swallow my pride, and indeed, greet her from my knees."
I had a difficult time envisioning that. I admitted it.
"I would not send you as emissary and then deny you," she said. "Do not offer too much more in my name, however."
I relayed the rest of the conversation the best I could. "I do not believe she understood the significance of the necklace."
"It pleasured me to see it about her neck," Carissa said. "While you may not have had time for a lengthy entreaty, perhaps only three words were necessary."
"Beg, forgiveness, and daughter?"
"Quite so," she replied. "And you stressed she was not safe?"
"Yes."
"Well then, I thank you. You have served as a fine emissary, and I do not hold you responsible for Deirdre's decisions. You will return one more time?"
"And if she chooses to return to you, we will seek to assist her, but I fear the five of us are insufficient in a battle with vampires."
"This is based upon your experiences with Kristian?"
"Yes. I have never seen someone so fast."
"Do not base your expectations as lofty as that. Kristian is a thousand years old. Zane Morton is a mere two hundred. With my blood in you, you are faster than he is."
"If he is so weak, why did you not come on this errand yourself?"
"Because Mr. Morton's maker lives, and so does his maker. I would not wish war with the Master of Atlanta."
"And so the Madison weres risk war with him instead?"
"I would not recommend you invade Mr. Morton's home and kill him in his sleep, but otherwise, I will intercede if it becomes necessary. Gideon will not turn his eye on Wisconsin."
"If I kill him in self-defense, while taking something he believes belongs to him?"
"You are simply returning to me something that belongs to me," she replied. She paused a moment. "The answer might be different if you took her forcefully, but if she accompanies you willingly, you are safe from vampiric retribution."
"You indicated Mr. Morton was one of your enemies, but if he is so young, is he not beneath you?"
<
br /> "He is an annoying wasp I would prefer to crush," she said, "but I need a better excuse than he has given me, or I risk Gideon's anger. Michaela, you and your alpha should not be the aggressors, but defend yourselves if necessary. If Deirdre chooses to go with you, she is not entirely defenseless, either. She will not kill, but she has power."
"Mistress, my preferred weapons are silver knives. Should I be carrying wooden stakes instead?"
She laughed, and again my mind shut down for a moment. She spoke, but it took me a moment.
"I'm sorry," I said eventually. I leaned against Lara. "Can you repeat that?"
"My laughter turns your brain to mush?"
"Yes."
"I believe you will find it very difficult to drive a stake through a vampire's chest, although the wolves may find that an effective technique. Werewolf claws are also effective, although vampires heal quickly, and it takes a great deal of damage delivered in a very short amount of time to kill one of us. Stick to your knives and fight as if you are fighting a werewolf. Silver is poison to a vampire, although all but the youngest vampire will be able to heal, but they will need to retreat to do so."
"If I pierce the heart?"
"Through the rib cage? A difficult task."
"No, under and up."
"You will need to do more than pierce the heart. You would need to drive the knife deep into the heart and leave it there until the vampire is dust."
"I have used silvered stakes with werewolves in the past."
"A wooden stake through the heart will kill nearly every supernatural creature I know, if the creature has a heart to begin with," she said. "Beheading works with most, as well, including vampires, and that was the most common way we died in times when swords were common. You do not need to silver your stakes."
"Anything else?"
"We heal from a broken neck, but it takes time. We regrow limbs, but it takes time."
"You are telling me how to kill you."
"Oh, my pet, I am telling you how to kill the vampires you might face. A master is not so easily killed."
At the, "my pet," Lara bristled.
"Please do not call me that, Carissa," I requested quietly. "It disturbs my mate."
"My apologies, Lara," she replied. "I forget myself, and I truly am sorry."
Lara calmed down marginally and nodded to me. "Anything else I need to know?" I asked.
"You are immune to all vampires other than me," she said, "but your wolves are not. Your alpha will have some resistance, but all of them could be captured if they gaze too long into a vampire's eyes, even a vampire as young as Mr. Morton."
"Let us hope we don't need to know any of this," I replied. "Thank you, Carissa."
"I only give you the information you may require to complete my errand, Michaela. Do your wolves have further questions?"
Lara shook her head. I turned to Elisabeth.
"I'm only hearing about half of what she's telling you," Elisabeth said. "If Lara is satisfied, we'll go over it all."
"If you need anything further, you are welcome to call me, Michaela, but you may wish to do so in the mundane fashion. It becomes more difficult to hear you the other way. I would need to reinforce the thrall to notice you when I am not specifically listening for you."
"How would you do that?"
"By calling you," she replied, "As I did on Saturday. Every time I do so strengthens the thrall, slightly at first, but then the effect grows exponentially. If you feel me call you again, you will know it is for only the most dire reasons. If I had intended to keep you, I would have called you repeatedly over the course of a few weeks."
"I guess we're done, Carissa," I said. "Until tomorrow."
"Until tomorrow, Michaela."
* * * *
Before dinner, I had told Lara, "You ordered me to talk Angel into makeup."
"Nope." She grinned. "Did you have a backup guess?"
"Why would you give me a backup guess?"
"Because my sister had a minute alone with you, Michaela."
I began laughing. I had a backup guess, but I didn't want to share it with her.
And so, when we were alone in the hotel before bed, Lara pulled me into her arms. "You have one more guess."
"I am disappointed, Lara."
She frowned. "Why?"
"The agreement was you would order me to do something that I would find embarrassing and everyone else would find funny. At no point today did I feel embarrassed."
"Did you really want me to embarrass you?"
"Well, no." I paused. "Did you really give me an order?"
"I am not answering any questions like that unless you are conceding the wager."
"If you didn't do anything, then the wager is void."
"I will accept 'nothing' as your guess, Little Fox. I do not concede the wager is void."
"If you ordered me not to be embarrassed by whatever you ordered, the wager is void."
"No," she replied. "I do not concede that, either. Honey, the wager was your idea. Do not be angry with me."
"I'm not angry," I said. "If you win, I don't want to feel cheated, that is all."
"If you do, we'll negotiate."
"All right," I said. "You ordered me to wear the makeup. Or Elisabeth did."
"Elisabeth ordered you to do your best to talk Angel into doing something girlish. It was a prank on Angel more than you. She wasn't going to tell me, but I told her about our wager and insisted on knowing, in case you guessed what she told you to do. I didn't think it was fair to you, which is why I gave you a second guess before dinner."
I laughed. "How far away did you go before she'd tell you?"
"Out in the parking lot while you were still in the shower."
"Did Serena get in on the fun?"
"If so, I don't know about it, and she doesn't know Elisabeth and I were playing with you. Serena is not given to pranks."
"So, did I win?"
Lara pursed her lips. "I did give you an order, and at no point did I mention anything to do with your appearance."
"Did I follow your order?"
She smiled. "Very much so."
"Am I aware I did whatever you ordered?"
"Very much so."
"I notice you haven't told me you won."
"Honey, I ordered you to do something you felt was out of character simply because you thought it would please me. How you chose to do so was entirely your doing."
I pulled out of her arms and stepped away from her, turning to the side. She didn't pursue me. I looked down at how I was dressed. I was still in the dress and heels. Other than during my run, I hadn't taken them off. My toes were pink; my fingernails were pink. And while it was largely smudged off, I knew my lips were still a little pink.
"Did I guess right?" I asked in a small voice.
"Yes, honey."
I turned to face her. "Did you win?"
"Yes," she said. "But I'm not talking about the wager."
The corners of my mouth curled for a moment. "The wager. Did you win the wager?"
"You tell me."
"Out of character doesn't have to mean embarrassing," I said. "It was supposed to be embarrassing."
"Honey, you dressed in pink for me."
"Should I be embarrassed about that?"
"I don't think so, but everyone would have expected you to be."
"But you didn't order me to do something embarrassing," I said. "There was no way I was going to guess that."
"I didn't make the wager, honey. You did. And now you have to judge."
"I did the makeup in response to your order," I said. "I identified the event, but didn't guess the order itself at all properly."
"You wore the shoes, too, and you wore them all day when you didn't have to. You're still wearing them when anyone else would have had them off the moment we were inside the room."
"Do you hate how I normally dress?"
"No, honey. Have I ever pressured you about your appearance, other than you
r wedding dress? Which I will point out is the dress you wanted, anyway."
"No, you haven't," I said.
I was torn, deeply torn, but probably because I couldn't believe I had picked the makeup to fulfill her order.
She stepped closer. "Do you want me to judge?"
I looked up at her and nodded.
"Then I declare your first two guesses incorrect and your third to be sufficiently close as to have won."
"Are you sure?"
"I think I came out ahead, Michaela," she said. "Yes, I'm sure." She grinned. "Are you going to wager with me tomorrow, too?"
I smiled. "Maybe for smaller stakes. I stated backrubs, but I wonder if you would allow a more generic interpretation of our wager."
"Oh?"
"Rub my feet for five minutes, then you may do anything else to me that you want."
She laughed, and did.
* * * *
In the morning, we saw Angel, Scarlett and June to the airport. They were flying home commercially. Angel's nails were still pink, and it amused me to see them. I was back in jeans and a simple blouse and a clean face. Lara hid her disappointment poorly.
That left me a great deal to think about. When we dropped them off, I pulled Scarlett to the side.
"Scarlett, I think Lara liked how I looked yesterday."
"I know she did, Michaela. I couldn't believe you let me do it."
"Did I look foolish?"
"No."
"If I tried to do that to myself, it would turn out poorly."
"I can teach you."
"Like I can teach you how to hear a mouse at a hundred yards?"
She cocked her head. "I don't understand."
"I think you can teach me artistry about as well as I can teach you to hear more sharply."
"Oh. Well. Then I'll do it for you whenever you want."
I hugged her and Angel and was sad to see them leave, but they both had classes, and I couldn't possibly have suggested they stay. Lara stepped up to me as we watched them disappear into the airport.
"They grow up so fast," she said.
I leaned against my mate, and she put her arm around me.
"What are we doing today?" I asked. "More shopping?"
She laughed. "No. We're going hiking."
"Two feet or four?"
"Two."
"Scouting?"
"Just a hike, but it's going to be strenuous. Elisabeth let Karen pick the section of trail, and she picked the hardest fifteen-mile section we could find."