by Lisa Olsen
“I go where you go.” There was no inflection in his voice to tell me it met with his approval or not. He’d gone back to cool indifference.
“Then I say we’re going to LA.”
*
Felix owned a Spanish style house in Malibu with private access to his own strip of beach. Not that vampires had much use for the beach, but they liked to go for the impressive, and the estate definitely did impress. There were easily enough rooms for Rob, Gunnar, Maggie, and me in the sprawling home, but the nicest thing about it was we had the place to ourselves. I’d expected the Warden to have a full complement of servants at his beck and call, the way Corley operated in Vetis, but Felix said he liked his privacy too much to keep people around all the time. Bridget informed me that he did have a staff who came in to clean the place and keep the grounds once a week, but they only stayed an hour or two at a time.
My room had a private terrace overlooking the pool, and the first thing I did was open the French doors wide to let in the ocean breeze, despite the temperature outside. Rob had insisted on the room next to mine, and I could hear him moving around in there, settling in.
Bridget had become truly nocturnal, like the rest of us, and she knocked on my door not five minutes later to gossip. As she helped me hang up my things, she more than once held them up to herself, looking in the mirror. “Damn girl, you’re coming up in the world.” She said, fingering the diamond choker Jakob had given me with pure envy.
“I could say the same to you. I like this look, Bridge.”
“It is pretty dope, isn’t it?” she grinned widely, smoothing her hands over her hips.
“I was going to go with sophisticated, but dope works too,” I grinned. “I’m so glad you guys came to see me. I’ve really missed you.”
“I missed you too, An.” She hugged me impulsively, blinking fast against a rush of emotion as she pulled away. “Shit, I’m turning into an old lady,” she laughed, grabbing a tissue to blot at her eyes. “Hey, you want to go for a walk on the beach? There’s nobody out there this time of night. We can see into all the houses and they’ll never know we’re there.”
“Um, sure. Won’t you be cold though?”
“Nah, I’m used to it. Besides, I have these great boots, they keep all the sand out and the heat in. We’ll just tell Felix where we’re going on the way.” She leaned out onto the terrace and waggled her fingers to Felix, who sat on a pool lounger in his swim trunks as if it was the middle of summer, a computer on his lap.
Deciding a stroll on the beach might be a nice idea, I kicked off my shoes, knowing the cold wouldn’t bother me any. We met Rob in the hallway, and he and I both froze, staring at each other in the arched passageway.
“What’s this?” he asked, gesturing to my bare feet and Bridget’s booted ones. “You going somewhere?”
“We’re going down to the beach. Want to come?” I injected a note of hope behind my voice. The only way to get past the current awkwardness was to spend more time together and work our way through it. Unfortunately, he was still playing it aloof and uncaring.
“Nah, just stay where I can see you from the house.”
“Suit yourself,” I muttered, shouldering past him, leaving Bridget to keep up.
“What’s the deal with Rob?” she asked once we got out onto the back patio. “Why’s he got such a big stick up his butt?”
“He’s…” I paused, not sure how to even begin to explain the dynamic between us at present, but Bridget’s mind filled in the blanks.
“Shut the fuck up… you and him?” she exclaimed, and I did my best to shush her.
“No… not the way you think.”
“What happened to Jake?”
“He’s not the right guy for me.”
“And Bishop?”
He’d had weeks to contact me and I hadn’t heard a peep. It was time to call it. “He doesn’t want me,” I said simply.
“So you’re shacking up with Rob then, huh? I gotta say, he’ll definitely ring your bell,” she grinned, and I remembered what she’d said about his hands. Now I had my own set of memories to add to that mental picture, and when I closed my eyes, I could still feel the flare of heat between us. That slow, sensual kiss…
I swallowed, shoving those memories away for private Anja time. “We’re not…” I shook my head. “I would’ve, but he’s not interested in taking things to a physical level between us.”
Her brow crumpled in confusion. “What did you do, neuter him?”
“No, it’s just complicated.”
“Whatever.” A roll of the eyes was given. “You always bring too much drama into these things, An. But lucky for you, I’m here to fix you up. You should see some of the hotties around here. I’m talking smoking hot.” She waved her hand in the air to fan herself off.
“Aren’t you worried Felix will hear you?” My gaze darted to where he sat by the pool. Chances were he could hear every word we said from that distance.
“Naw, he knows he’s my guy,” she shrugged, unconcerned, and I smiled to see her so committed for once.
“I’m happy for you, Bridge.”
“Me too.” Her eyes rested on him lovingly for a few seconds before she looped her arm through mine and tugged me towards the path down to the beach. “Now, don’t worry, I can help you get him if that’s what you want. But first… spill, I want to know everything.”
*
It was nice having Bridget’s ear, I really had missed having her around. Felix had softened her a little too, at least she didn’t seem as uncomfortable with displays of emotion. It was funny to listen to her colorful commentary as I shared my story. For the most part she was all about Jakob, I think his big gestures impressed her, and she couldn’t understand why I’d broken it off with him.
She was equally impressed with my tales of circumventing the Order, though I didn’t tell her about Jenessa’s involvement in it on the off chance she might mention something to Felix and inadvertently get her into trouble. As much as Felix proclaimed to support my viewpoints, he didn’t know how far I’d gone to make them a reality. His tune might change if he found out he was publicly backing a criminal.
When it came time to talk about Rob, I found I couldn’t get into much detail about our time together. Somehow it felt wrong to share the intimate glimpses I had of his life, like his past with his sister, or how almost poetic he was with me sometimes. I did tell her he had feelings for me, but didn’t want to risk angering Jakob by pursuing them. I also told her he’d killed Ellie and why.
“Damn, you’re right, that is complicated,” she agreed after a few moments’ thought.
“Told you,” I sighed, turning back towards the house which was still in sight, but starting to get kind of far.
“Dude, you should try dating outside your immediate circle for while, have some fun,” she encouraged. “I told you, there are some grade A hotties down here, I could hook you up, easy.”
“I don’t want to hook up, Bridge…” Did she not know me at all?
“Sure you do. There’s nothing like a night of guilt-free sheet sweat to take the edge off a broken heart.”
“Who says I have a broken heart? I’m over Bishop.” At least, that’s what I kept telling myself.
“Who’s talking about Bishop? I meant Rob.”
“I never said Rob broke my heart.” I never once mentioned we’d even kissed.
“It’s what you didn’t say, kid.” She put her arm around my shoulders in an uncharacteristically comforting gesture. “Take it from me, An, that’s one nut you’ll never crack. Guys like Rob keep too much shit bottled up, he’ll never let you in.”
I opened my mouth to tell her he had let me in, but I stopped myself. “You’re right. But I don’t want a hook up. I don’t need a man to make me happy anyway.” All they seemed to bring me was one form of misery or another, and who needed that?
“Atta girl, that’s what power tools are for,” she grinned, letting go of my shoulder. “Now, there are some slick shops on
Melrose that can stock your bedside table…”
Chapter Thirty-One
“Get ready, girls. It’s showtime.” Felix was in high spirits the next night as he shepherded us all into a stretch limo for the hour plus drive to LA. “Now don’t be nervous,” he said for the hundredth time. “This is just an informal meet and greet with the council.”
“Right, who’s worried?” I smiled back tightly, smoothing out invisible wrinkles in my simple black dress. At the last minute I added a wide red belt and matching lips as a spot of color when Bridget said I looked like I was in mourning. I was, in a way, but I didn’t want to look like it; I certainly didn’t want to field any questions on Ellie’s sudden disappearance.
Bridget looked out of sight in her gun-moll finest, a perfect complement to Felix’s pinstriped flair. Maggie sat beside me in a demure dress of watered silk that brought out the green in her hazel eyes, and Gunnar looked suitably imposing in his dark suit and sunglasses. Rob wore his suit, though I resisted the urge to compliment him on it this time.
Felix’s security detail occupied the front seats and the car following us. I’d only seen a couple of them, and they didn’t introduce themselves or even really acknowledge me when I tried to engage them in conversation. Bridget cautioned me to, “Just ignore them, they like it.” So I did my best to. There was plenty enough to worry about anyway.
On the way there, Felix gave me a quick rundown on the people we’d likely meet. The cocktail party would be smallish, just the local bigwigs including the few candidates for Elder and the five member council. I was more interested in hearing about the council themselves, but Felix assumed I already knew who they were and glossed over any reference to them.
The gathering itself was held in the private home of one of the council members, a Mr. Durand, who happened to be one of the richest businessmen in LA. As we pulled up to the front gate, I spotted no less than three security cameras mounted on the wall, and two uniformed guards inspected the limousine before they let us through. The house itself reminded me of a plantation manor from the south with soaring white columns and wrap-around porches on both levels, the extensive grounds and high walls keeping it completely hidden from human eyes. He could have had naked blood orgies under the moon right in the heart of the city and no one would’ve been the wiser.
The soiree inside was much more civilized than that though, and we were shown through the grand entryway and into the ballroom. Not what I would have called a small, intimate gathering. Despite the grandeur of the ornate hall, there were only twenty or so people fanned out in the room, most of them vampires with a few human companions. Soft, classical music played from unseen speakers, and there were liveried servants passing around trays with champagne and some finger foods for the humans.
Felix introduced me around as we circulated through the room, Maggie and Bridget gravitating towards the corner of the room with the other humans, while Gunnar and Rob took up positions at the edge of the ballroom. I smiled and nodded, thankful for my extensive practice in playing Anja Gudrun in my own court. I didn’t even feel all that uncomfortable making idle chitchat about the flight down and the weather.
It surprised me how many people had heard of me though, because I’d never heard of any of them. Did that make me particularly infamous, or just the flavor of the day? I almost lost my cool when I turned around to find Byrne smiling at me, his beady little eyes snapping with amusement, like he knew something I didn’t.
“Hello, Anja, I didn’t expect to see you here tonight,” he smirked.
“Really? I didn’t give you a single thought either way, so…” I turned, ready to make my escape, but he caught hold of my elbow.
“Oh, come on, there’s no need for that. We’re playing on the same team here. What do you say, should we let bygones be bygones?”
“Get lost, creep,” I scowled, tugging my arm free, not even having the slightest interest in playing nice with the lousy scumbag.
Rob materialized by my side, his manner calm and circumspect. “Is there a problem here?” he asked in his low, gravelly voice.
Byrne took a full step backwards when he caught sight of Rob. “No, no problem whatsoever, just having a few words with the lady. I don’t want any trouble.”
“Shove off then, Terry. There’s a good boy.” Rob ticked his head to one side, pure menace hooding his eyes until the magistrate beat a hasty retreat. “You alright?”
“Of course, he barely touched me.”
“You sure?” His fingers ghosted across my arm as if he needed to check for himself.
“You don’t have to worry about me, it’s not part of the job description,” I said to hurt him, and from the tightening around his eyes, I’d say it worked well enough to make me feel lower than dirt. “Rob…” I started to apologize, but he’d already edged away, replaced not a moment later by an attractive vampire with a thousand watt smile. Impeccably dressed in a crisp Navy blue suit with a silvery tie that reminded me of a Rorschach test, he extended his hand to me, leaning close enough for his aftershave to tempt my nose.
“You must be Anja.”
“I hope so, I’m wearing her underwear.” I stole a line from one of my favorite movies, but his blank smile told me he didn’t get the reference. His ash brown hair was artfully coiffed in a way that smacked of a team of experts devoted to its care, and his blue eyes sparkled with an eager light as he shook my hand.
“Of course,” he replied, quickly recovering from my inappropriate remark. “I’ve been meaning to meet you for some time now. I’m Marcus.”
“Nice to meet you, Marcus,” I said, shaking his hand as I wondered if I should pretend like I knew who he was. I decided to play it right down the middle. “It’s nice to put the face with the name.”
“And such a lovely face it is.” His grin stretched wider before he released my hand. “Everyone’s talking about your no-nonsense stance on politics. I have to say it’s very refreshing.”
“Oh, it’s not so much a stance as I just don’t have the patience to play games. I like to say what I mean as much as possible.”
“An admirable trait,” he assured me. “I like to lay my cards out on the table as well. I find it’s served me well in business, and I can’t see why it wouldn’t prove the same in this arena.”
He went on to solicit my opinion on a range of subjects from taxation to inheritance law. I did my best to keep up with him, answering from the heart whenever possible, and I found him to be well informed on a number of topics. Marcus was a touchy feely kind of guy, frequently reaching out to pat my arm or rest his hand on my shoulder the entire time he spoke to me. It was closer than I liked to get with a total stranger, but not too awful either, considering he smelled as good as I imagined James Bond did.
“I hope we’ll get the chance to work together once this is all over, no matter how it shakes down.” He bowed over my hand when the five council members gathered at the front of the hall, signaling for quiet.
“I hope so too.” Once you got past the cheesy smile, I found I liked Marcus. He gave me a bit of a song and a dance, but he did it with a wink and a smile. The overall effect was charming, despite knowing that half of the words out of his mouth were little more than lines. He would’ve been a fantastic actor.
I was gratified to see one woman on the council, and it was she that addressed the group. “This is an informal gathering,” she announced with a gentle smile, her voice easily filling the hall. It was anyone’s guess how old she actually was, but she’d been turned somewhere in her mid to late twenties. Her figure was what people today called voluptuous, but I considered healthy. Her auburn hair curled around her shoulders in soft waves, glinting with burnished coppery highlights under the soft glow of the chandeliers.
“At this stage of the process, the council is acquainted with who you are on paper, but we want to get a feel for each of you as a person. Think of it less as a political rally and more of a sharing of ideas,” she smiled. “Having said that, we�
�re very interested in hearing your vision for the future of the Western lands. Each of you will have a chance to speak your piece, and there is no order of preference in who will be called to speak first.” As she finished, the servants brought in padded chairs on silent feet, enough for everyone to sit comfortably.
“Mr. Byrne, if you please?” She gestured for the man to take the floor as she and the other council members took their seats in the front row. Felix gravitated to my side, taking a seat next to me. It was hard not to roll my eyes as the magistrate addressed the crowd. The guy came on hard and strong, like he was trying to pitch himself to the council the way an oily salesman would sell a used car. He didn’t mention a single thing about the direction he wanted to take the West in, it was all about why he was the best candidate (in his own mind) for the job.
There was a polite smattering of applause when he finished speaking, and the councilwoman thanked him blandly, calling Marcus to the forefront next. I was much more interested in what he had to say, and I found him to be very polished and elegant as he addressed the crowd. He exuded confidence and charm, speaking eloquently about how he’d built his business from the ground up. He vowed to build up the region the same way, by cementing our unions with the other Houses and embracing technology, firmly bringing the West into the future.
I leaned close to Felix, my voice pitched low for his ears only. “How come you don’t want him to be the Elder? He’d be great. Or is there some deep dark secret I don’t know about?”
“No, I think he’d be fine,” he whispered back. “I just think you’d be better.”
“But he has so much more experience in this sort of thing than I do.”
“Nah, you’re a natural, doll. Just you wait and see,” he winked, but as far as I was concerned, I decided we could do a lot worse than to make Marcus the next Elder of the West.
All of a sudden it was my turn to speak and my stomach twisted into a hard ball as I stepped forward, appreciating the brief commiserating smile I caught from Marcus on his way back. I stared out over the crowd, the familiar performance anxiety gripping me. If I’d been about to sing, I probably would’ve been fine, but Jakob’s compulsion hadn’t said anything about feeling fine while public speaking.