by Prince, DD
He gave her a weird look, then said, “I set the fire.”
“You set the fire? Why? And where are Joe and Sam?”
“They are out dealing with Julia. Then Sam is dealing with Joe.”
Kyla gulped.
“I set the fire so I could move the location for tomorrow’s party.”
“You what?” she was shocked.
His gaze was steely, his mouth twisted with a look of disgust, “Two reasons. One, it gets Andre and that little BITCH out of my face.” He took a deep breath and seemed to regain composure, “Two, it gets the party out of the house. After what’s happened today I’m not taking any chances. Today gave me a glimpse into what tomorrow night might be like for you. Not worth the risk. I’ll move the event to a hotel. Public is much safer for you than here. They’ll all be on their best behaviour there,” he reached over and took her hand into his.
They sat in silence, watching the fire roar bigger and bigger out that front window. The other windows at the front of the house were surprisingly dark, and looking normal. A few minutes later two fire engines and an ambulance pulled in.
He got out and spoke to a firefighter and then got back in and they watched the firefighters work on the fire for a moment and then a paramedic knocked on Tristan’s window. He stepped out and spoke to the man for a few minutes while Kyla watched the crew work on the fire. She huddled into the seat, feeling numb.
Tristan got into the car after a few minutes and then pulled in reverse and then they left the property.
Kyla stared into the side view mirror as they pulled away, watching the firefighters charge into the house.
“You set your house on fire for me,” she said softly. She couldn’t come to grips with how Tristan was turning his life upside down because of meeting her.
“It’s just bricks and mortar, baby. And stuff. It can be fixed or replaced. You can’t be,” he stared straight ahead at the road and rubbed his thumb rhythmically over the back of her hand.
She touched his cheek with her free hand, admiring his profile. He looked so intense, staring ahead. His jaw was tight. He was white-knuckled. But he was so beautiful.
“It feels so weird to be out, in a moving car,” she muttered, kind of caught up in wonder at her surroundings.
He flashed a smile at her, “Does it?” His smile faded fast and he gripped the steering wheel tighter, “I had to get you out of there. If we’d been downstairs at dinner I have no doubt it would’ve been you instead of Julia.”
“Me?”
“Absolutely.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re mine.”
Goosebumps and shivers.
“She hates you.”
“You could say that.”
Why?”
He didn’t answer. She could see a muscle twitching in his jaw.
After a few moments of Kyla waiting for him to answer, it was clear he wasn’t going to. It was confirmation for her that the comment in the courtyard had been about Tristan. What was the deal between Tristan and Rebecca? She was about to ask but the intensity emanating from him was almost palpable so she decided to wait.
“So, we’re going to your apartment?”
“Yeah, it’s just a thirty minute drive.”
“What about Joe? Is he…”
His jaw tightened, “He has bad intentions.”
“What do you mean? I mean, I’m not surprised --- he creeps me out --- but how do you know?”
“I think your blood is giving me telepathy,” he said.
She furrowed her brow.
“Not just with you. I’ve been picking things up from people. I wasn’t sure at first but then today it started becoming clearer. I don’t feel it as strongly with others as I feel it with you but I feel flashes of their mindset, their intentions. When I stood behind him in the hall tonight I felt it, what he wanted to do. He feels some warped sense of entitlement with you.”
“Entitlement because he said he spotted me,” she said. Tristan was bang on.
“Did he? Anyway, I’ve met vampires who are telepathic, mostly elders in high positions of power but your blood keeps making me stronger. I can feel that he can’t stop wondering about your blood, ever since the thorn prick. He’s obsessing about it. And I think he suspects it’s enchanted. I know it’s a question mark for him. I think he’s got something to do with the missing lab specimens, too. I think he’s working with someone; I just haven’t figured out who yet. Although I have my suspicions,” he shook his head, “Not taking that chance.”
“So Sam’s going to kill Joe?” her voice felt small. They pulled off the country road and were pulling onto the highway, heading toward downtown. It was strange being in traffic, seeing people, cars, streetlights. She’d felt so sheltered the past week or so that she’d been at Tristan’s house. Everything around her seemed like it was moving so fast.
Tristan shook his head, “No. He’s being detained. For now. I’ll be questioning him soon,” his jaw tightened.
“Burning your house down is a lot of trouble to go to in order to avoid having a party, Tristan.”
“It was the only way. This way, too, it’ll be expected that I’ll be suspicious and anyone without bad intentions will understand why my demeanour is off, why I’m on edge. Joe’s missing and someone set my house on fire and it looks very much like an attack on you.”
“Me?”
“Yeah. Obviously I can get out of there but you? The fire escape was broken. The only other accessible room to you upstairs room was on fire.”
Kyla nodded.
“It gives me an opportunity to move the party, keep you safe, and poke around for answers without arousing suspicion about me, my mindset. Everyone will think I’m reacting to the fire and it’ll come out that it was set just outside my suite and that another upstairs entrance was blocked because the hall outside the office was on fire, too. Going after someone’s pet is a direct attack, not something taken lightly. And if anyone is up to anything they’ll know that things are askew and maybe they’ll tip their hand.”
“Who do you think is after you?”
“I have a few ideas but I’m not 100% sure. Some voiced concerns it was too early for this promotion but the overwhelming majority said I’d more than demonstrated how ready I am.”
The silence stretched between them.
“If attacking a pet isn’t looked on lightly is Sam freaking out on Rebecca about Julia?”
“Julia isn’t Sam’s pet. There’s a difference. She’s just a hook-up. It matters, believe me, but Rebecca is an anomaly.”
She digested that for a minute, wishing Rebecca would be hauled in front of some vampire court. When he didn’t offer further explanation, she asked, “What’s the bug-out bag for?”
“If things go wrong tomorrow night then we’re taking off. That bag has money, passports, clothes, things we need to get out of the country.”
“For both of us?”
“Yep. You don’t think I’d leave without you?”
I’m already part of his bug out bag plan?
“How did you get a passport for me?”
“As soon as the blood went missing from the lab I took some precautions. Sent your ID off to my guy. I have connections.”
“So that’s why you didn’t give me back my purse,” she said softly. He didn’t answer.
“What’s the story with Rebecca? There’s some serious animosity between you.” He shook his head and gritted his teeth. For a few minutes they were silent. He looked like he was brooding. She sure was. She was astounded that he’d be prepared to take off with her if things went awry. Finally, a burning question rolled off her tongue, “Okay, since you’re not going to tell me about Rebecca, yet, and I say ‘yet’ because I’m not giving up but how ‘bout for now you tell me what a functional trance is”
Tristan shifted in his seat a little uncomfortably. Clearly she wasn’t the only one with a personal bubble of steel.
“Esther. You said she was in
a functional trance. What does that mean?”
“It means that she’s basically brainwashed, for lack of a better term. If we have use for someone who’s entranced, it doesn’t do well to leave them barely functional so we give them their faculties back but they remain loyal, follow directions, and don’t reveal anything about us. An elder with certain talents can program them.”
“So, there are degrees of entrancing.”
“Yeah.”
“Esther was my grandfather’s pet. She…” He trailed off and looked lost for words.
“Got old?”
“No. My grandfather died. Can you give the 20 questions game a breather, please? My head is just ---- ” He held his hand up over his ear for a second, clenched it into a fist and then grabbed the steering wheel.
A few minutes later he grabbed her hand again and let out a sigh.
“Your fingers? They’re not blistered anymore.” Kyla was shocked looking down at them.
“No.” He let go of her to look at his hand, “Fast healer. Even faster than usual, actually.”
Kyla wanted to ask again about how his grandfather had died and wanted to push to find out about the Rebecca issue and she had other questions about what would happen next but the 800 pound elephant in the SUV with them after the statement about Esther was something she couldn’t stumble over.
She stared out the window, feeling like she was in a trance. If there were degrees of entrancing then maybe Kyla was in just a different level, one where she was now linked to him but still had some of her own faculties. She decided to push that off for now and push away thoughts of being an old housekeeper serving pitchers of blood to vampires in a semi-catatonic haze while Tristan stayed youthful and beautiful or while Tristan was dead. Then again it wouldn’t be the way it’d go, would it? The minute another vampire tasted Kyla’s blood she’d likely be drained bone dry and there’d be no need for any sort of trance.
-11-
They arrived at a skyscraper of a fin-shaped glass building right downtown in an uber-trendy neighbourhood. Tristan’s place was beautiful. It had a great view of the city’s skyline. It was large and modern with a lot of glass and stainless steel. Very different from the Tuscan-style villa. The apartment was on the 57th floor with two storeys but just one large master suite that took up the entire second storey which overlooked the rest of the apartment and had a great view.
“I chose here so that we wouldn’t have to bring anyone. No room for houseguests or staff. It’s my oasis, when I need time alone. You can have more space to move around and I won’t have to stress about it.” He kissed her when putting the duffle bag down on the tan granite island in the kitchen.
It was a spacious apartment even if there was just one bedroom. She wandered around looking at it and admiring the view of the city.
“I have to make some calls, baby. You go on up to bed. I’ll be up in a bit. If you need anything, there isn’t a lot in the fridge, I haven’t been here in weeks, but there should be some water or juice or something to drink. I’ll get some supplies delivered.” He kissed her and folded her into his arms, “I’m going to keep you safe; I promise.”
She looked up at his face and the look in his eyes told her he meant it. She felt flutters in her belly and nuzzled into his chest. He smelled like warm oatmeal cookies. Then she yawned. It was 2:45 am and she was exhausted.
She guzzled a bottle of water, found a t-shirt of his as well as a pair of silky boxers and changed into them. He had a fairly well-stocked closet here so he’d be fine. She got into bed and turned out the lamp but she could hear Tristan’s phone calls.
First he called the hotel and asked them to have an event planner call him at 7:00 am. He said he’d need an urgent masquerade ball slash charity event held the following night beginning at 7:00 pm for about 100-120 guests with a dinner and a band as well as security. He told them, “Make it happen. Cost is not an issue.”
Then she heard him on the phone again.
“What’s the status on everything…
Okay, so there was a fire set at the house…
No, I don’t know yet…
I’m staying at the condo for a few days …
Booked the Four Seasons for tomorrow…
Yeah that’s where Tsakos is…
Right, well, make sure of it…
Fine, I know, it will be…
Okay, I’ll call you in the morning around nine.
Can you get texts sent to notify everyone we will firm up the event details and update everyone by tomorrow by noon?
Okay, bye.”
Then she heard his phone ring the familiar Marimba tune. He answered:
“Dawn.
His tone sounded strained.
It’s late. What do you want?
No, I’ve been a bit busy. My house was set on fire tonight.
Don’t know yet…
Won’t how bad know until tomorrow…
At my other place.
Yeah.
Moving it to a hotel…
Wait, hold on. Don’t come over.
Because I said don’t. I’m crashing in a few and I have to get up early.
Yeah, that’s true. You heard right.
She is.
His voice went from exasperated sounding to softer but angrier,
No, not necessary. I’m good.
What part of ‘we’re done’ don’t you understand?
That’s right.
Because I have too much shit to deal with right now and this is working for me.
I’m sure. Don’t show up tomorrow night. I’m serious.
Yeah, I’m bringing her.
Don’t show up, Dawn.
Bye.”
Kyla pulled the covers tighter. Dawn, huh?
She heard him make another call to, she assumed, a concierge as he quoted his suite number. He asked for a toothbrush, some coffee, milk, sugar, and a continental breakfast for two for 6:am. Then she couldn’t make out the rest of the conversation.
A few minutes later she heard Tristan trot up the stairs. In the dimness of the room she saw him shed his clothes. He climbed into bed with her and pulled her toward him. He was warm and made her tingle all over.
“Hey. You’re not sleeping yet,” he whispered in her ear, “Shaken up, baby?”
“Hey you. I’m okay. Who’s Dawn?” she pushed him back with her palms and looked to his face.
He let out a groan. “Great. Do we have to have an ex conversation right after my house burns down? I gotta be up in 3 hours, babe.”
“An ex? Dawn? Interesting vampire name,” Kyla muttered.
“Yeah,” he scoffed, “interesting.”
“When did you split up?”
“We weren’t ever exclusive.”
“Oh? Sounded from this end like she doesn’t want to be ex.”
“There’s that green-eyed monster again,” he teased, “She doesn’t matter. No one matters but you. C’mere. It feels so good to get you out of that house.” He pulled her closer, “Close those beautiful green eyes so we can both sleep. Big day tomorrow.”
“Understatement of the century,” Kyla muttered, then added, “You need to tell me the deal between you and Rebecca, too. I know there’s a story there and I’d like to know what it is. It’s obvious you aren’t going to tell me tonight but you need to. If you want me to trust you, you have to trust me, too.”
He said nothing but gave her a little squeeze. She snuggled in close.
“Joe said he brought someone to you the other day.”
She felt him stiffen.
“Why?”
“That’s Joe’s job. He’s one of my scouts.”
“Huh?”
“He scouted females for me, to keep me fed.”
Kyla shivered.
“I didn’t, princess. I haven’t since you. I think Joe was testing me.”
She nuzzled in. It did feel good to be out of that house. Odd. But good. The bed was comfortable and everything was quiet. All she coul
d hear was Tristan breathing steadily. He had spooned her close and she could feel his warm breath against the back of her head, his hand cupped her hip. She dozed off to sleep feeling safe and protected.
More sleep. It probably didn’t matter that she’d just get a few hours before having to get up and face this big and ominous day. She’d been sleeping enough in the past week to last a month.
~~~
Kyla woke up feeling something scratchy and rough on her inner leg. She scratched her leg and swatted it away.
“Hey…” it was Tristan, all indignant. He was rubbing his stubbly face up and down her inner thigh.
The sun was barely up but Tristan sure was up.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m waking you up,” he grazed her inner thigh with his teeth. She gasped as his teeth punctured her skin.
It felt so good to be out of that house. She felt like things were different this morning. Waking up with him here outside of the house where she’d been a prisoner just felt… different. She knew things were probably more dangerous than ever and now she was worried about Tristan rather than just worrying about how to escape but she felt like she could deal with her one vampire, rather than worry about other vampires being under the same roof. 100 vampires? He booked the party for about 100-120 people so most of them would likely be vampires and from what he’d said, some of them dangerous, lewd, maybe with ulterior motives. She swallowed hard.
“Don’t do that,” he whispered, his hot breath making her inner thigh tingle, “it’s only you and me here. Forget about everyone else.” She fisted the silky sheets and enjoyed his very amorous wake up call.
~~~
They ate breakfast together and Kyla admired the view of the city as she devoured what was probably the most divine croissant she’d ever eaten while Tristan took a shower, dressed in a suit, and looked more like a dashing Prince Charming than ever. She was in a large white t-shirt, tied in a knot at her lower back and Tristan’s black and silver checked silky boxer shorts and felt like she looked like an orphan or something the cat dragged in.
“You are so out of my league,” she mumbled, twisting her unruly mop of curls up into a knot on top of her head.
He winked at her, his gemstone eyes twinkling, “It’s the exact opposite, believe me. You are so gorgeous in my underwear!” He smacked a loud kiss on her forehead and gave her bum a playful slap, then took her by the hips with hot firm hands, “Okay, I’m off to get the party sorted out and to run back to the house to pick up a few things and assess the damage. Please stay here and don’t answer the door. No matter what. Follow me.”