They Come by Night

by Tinnean

  Her nostrils flared, and she narrowed her gaze at me. “So you’re the sabor who’s caused all this uproar.”

  “I don’t know about an uproar, but I’m Tyrell Small. And I wasn’t the one who tried to kidnap me.” I was miffed. She’d caused all this trouble, and she didn’t even know I was the sabor she wanted?

  She ignored that. “You’re American.”

  “Yes.”

  “You should belong to American vampyrs.”

  “I don’t want to be rude, ma’am, but I belong to myself.”

  “You’re a sabor.” She curled her lip, revealing her fangs. “You belong to all of us.” She suddenly frowned. “And why aren’t you in love with one of us?”

  “I am.” I sat next to my vampyr and smiled at him.

  “Did you sleep well?” Adam asked as he took my hand.

  “I was beside you, wasn’t I?”

  “Yes, you were.” He brought my hand to his lips.

  Silvio cleared his throat. “M’lord, shall I bring you some breakfast?”

  “No, thanks. I’ve already eaten.”

  “Very good, m’lord.”

  Adam grinned into his goblet.

  “What?” I demanded. “I keep telling them I’m not a m’lord, but they call me that anyway.”

  “I’m so very fortunate.” He seemed pleased—why, I had no clue—but that pleased me. I bumped my shoulder against his and smiled at him.

  “I don’t understand this!” Ms. Diamond was really unhappy. She stared at us as if she wasn’t sure what she was seeing.

  The rege cleared his throat and shook his head. “I believe I’ve mentioned before that Tyrell is unique.”

  How could I respond to that? I was just me. Mina finished her exploration and came to me, giving a small yip. I reached down for her, placed her on my lap, and fondled her ears.

  The rege raised his goblet and sipped, but he kept his gaze on Ms. Diamond.

  She sat back and brought her goblet to her lips. “Tolerable, for European blood.”

  “I’m so pleased you approve.”

  She ignored his sardonic tone and took another sip, then glanced at me. “Since the night you were brought to your home, you’ve fed three vampyrs… all European.” How did she know that? She turned to the rege. “When are his people going to get a taste of him?”

  “All vampyrs are his people.” Before she could snap at him, he continued. “But I know what you’re saying. From what I understand, one of them already has.”

  “What?”

  “You’ve got the numbers wrong. He’s fed four.”

  “Why wasn’t I informed?”

  “I’m informing you now.”

  She gritted her teeth. “Who? When?” Didn’t she believe him?

  “Daniel Crist. Last night.” It almost sounded like something from Clue. Was he going to add, “In the bedroom?”

  “Indeed? I’m unfamiliar with this vampyr.” Ms. Diamond set down her goblet and carefully blotted her mouth with a pristine white napkin, leaving a perfect image of her lips.

  “That’s because until a number of weeks ago, he was saborese.”

  She muttered something that sounded like a serious swearword. “I’m sick and tired of you toying with me, Mondragon. I’m leaving.”

  “Not until His Grace says you can go,” Raymond informed her.

  She pushed her chair back and rose slowly to her feet. God, she was tall! “I. Am. Leaving.”

  Mina came to her feet on my lap. She wasn’t growling, but I could tell from the way her body vibrated it was just a matter of time.

  “That wouldn’t be wise.” Adam ran an idle finger under Mina’s chin.

  “Why wouldn’t it?” she snarled.

  “What time is it here?”

  She glanced at her watch, impatience in every line of her body. “It’s 9:37. So what?”

  “And what time does that make it in America?”

  “Two….” She closed her fingers around the edge of the table, and there was a crack as she broke it off. “Son of a bitch!”

  “Yes. You’d be going home to broad daylight.”

  “Goddamn Europe!”

  “Adam will be taking Tyrell home in a few hours. You’re welcome to join them, if you’d like,” the rege murmured.

  She was silent for a moment, then picked up her goblet, drained it, and slammed it down on the table. “It seems I have no choice.”

  “Are you going to try to kidnap me again?”

  “That depends on His Grace.” She snarled the title. “Are you going to give us a sabor of our own?”

  “This is a new millennium, and we should move with the times.” The rege drummed his fingers on the table and gazed into space. “There is a set of twins….”

  She straightened abruptly. “I’ve never heard of twin sabors before.”

  “They’re not pureblood. And it will be ten years before they’re mature enough to feed a vampyr.”

  She waved that away. Ten years was nothing more than the blink of an eye in the life span of vampyrs. “They would be for us alone?”

  “Yes.” He glanced toward me, then said, “There are two conditions. Tyrell is to be left alone.”

  “If we get the twins, that won’t be a problem. What’s the second condition?”

  “You will treat them well. I believe you Americans have a phrase… kid gloves? That is how you’ll handle them. If you, as their… president?… can’t guarantee that, then I see no reason to continue this conversation.”

  “Going on the assumption we agree with your conditions, what do we do in the intervening ten years?”

  He smiled at her, and I hoped he’d never smile at me that way. “You’ll do as you’ve done.”

  “I’ll need to speak to my people. America is a democracy,” she mocked lightly.

  While she and the rege continued to taunt each other, I leaned toward Adam. “Kind of a coincidence, isn’t it?”

  “What?”

  “Those twins the rege was talking about? They wouldn’t be my brothers, would they?” He nodded, and I toyed with the seam on his shoulder. “Does their mother know?”

  He stared at me thoughtfully but didn’t challenge the pronoun. She’d basically abandoned me, so I didn’t see a reason to acknowledge her as my mother. “She has no idea. Because they aren’t pureblooded, they weren’t born with the birthmark.”

  “What’s she going to do when she finds out?”

  “If she finds out. Our scientists are uncertain if their birthmarks will ever manifest themselves.”

  “Okay, so if she does…?”

  “We have day watchers keeping watch over them.”

  “Would she really hurt them?”

  “We won’t take that chance.”

  “Will… will you go to them?” I looked away so he wouldn’t see how that tore at my heart.

  “No.” He cupped my chin and turned my face toward him. “Dragul meu,” he said softly.

  Relieved, I rubbed my cheek against his hand. “Will the day watchers tell the boys what’s going to happen when they turn eighteen?”

  “No. That isn’t their responsibility. And it’s not yours either, Ty.”

  “Well, I don’t even know where they live.” I didn’t say I was pretty sure I could find their address online. But Adam first came to me when I was sixteen, so there was plenty of time for my brothers to learn their destiny. I turned to the rege. “Excuse me, sir. Could I talk to you when you have a free minute?”

  “Of course, Tyrell. What is it?”

  “Um….” I glanced at Adam and then toward the door. “In private?”

  “Tyrell.” Adam looked concerned, and I kissed his cheek.

  “It’s okay. I’ll tell you about it later.” I put Mina down and got to my feet.

  He worried his lower lip, but I squeezed his shoulder and walked out of the dining hall. The rege followed me.

  “What is it, Tyrell?” he asked.

  “I was thinking of changing my major f
rom Mortuary Science to Genetics.”

  “And you felt you needed to speak to me privately about this? All right, although I fail to see the necessity. This is your choice.”

  “Y’see, I want to learn how to manipulate Adam’s semen and mine to make a baby.”

  “How does Adam feel about this?”

  “I don’t know. I haven’t brought it up to him, because I wanted to make sure you were okay with it first.”

  “Why wouldn’t I be? Adam is my favorite nephew—and if you repeat that, I’ll deny it!”

  “Well, I can understand that. He’s my favorite vampyr, and I don’t mind if you repeat that.” I grinned at him.

  “However, didn’t you hear Adam mention ‘our scientists’?”

  “Yes?”

  “They’ve been manipulating our genes for millennia. What you do with your education is your choice.”

  “Decisions, decisions.”

  “Tyrell!” Adam came out of the dining hall, and he looked steamed.

  “Yes?”

  “What’s going on?”

  “Go ahead and tell him, Tyrell. As I said, I have no objection.”

  “Thank you!”

  He held out his arms. “May I?”

  “Uh… okay.” I let him hug me, but I kept it short.

  “You’re very lucky, nephew.” The rege touched his shoulder and returned to the dining hall, leaving me and Adam alone.

  “Adam!” I threw myself into his arms. “It’s okay if I change my major!”

  He closed his hands on my shoulders and put me away from him. “That’s all?”

  “That’s part of it.” I bit my lip. Suppose Adam didn’t want this? “I thought if I became a geneticist, I could find a way to combine our semen, and we could have children.”

  “We already have—You want a baby with me?”

  “Yes, please.” I wasn’t going to tell him it was so he’d always have a part of me with him. Thinking about the time I would be gone was too morbid, especially since I wasn’t even nineteen yet.

  I suddenly realized Adam hadn’t responded to that, and I felt cold.

  “Don’t you… I thought you’d… I’m sorry, I assumed….”

  “Don’t I call you dragul meu? I’d like nothing better.”

  “But?”

  “Excuse me?”

  “There’s a ‘but’ there, I can hear it.”

  “There is no ‘but.’”

  “Are you sure?” I leaned back to look into his eyes. “Okay, you’re sure. I… uh… I asked the rege about it first, because I didn’t want you to be disappointed in case he said no. You… you would have been disappointed, wouldn’t you?”

  He pulled me back against him, holding me tight. “More than I can say.”

  Yeah, his dick was hard. Maybe we’d never be able to make love, but I knew beyond a doubt he loved me.

  “Now, I have work to do, getting this imbroglio with the American resolved. Later, I’ll take you home.”

  “Would it be all right if I explore the citadel in the meanwhile?”

  “Of course. But since Raymond needs to remain here, I would appreciate it if you’d keep Áedán with you.”

  “I thought he was looking for de Vivar.”

  “He’ll resume that in a few hours. He came to the citadel to court a vampyr he’s interested in.”

  The last thing I wanted to think about was the courting practices of vampyrs, especially considering Adam seemed to feel I needed a bodyguard here in the citadel. I swallowed. “Am I in danger?”

  “I’d like to think not, but it’s been centuries since a sabor has been in the citadel, and they might get a little… overenthusiastic.”

  “Okay. Where will I find him?”

  “I’m right here.”

  I jumped. “Geez, Áedán!”

  “It’s good to see you again, Tyrell. My lord?”

  “Stay with him, please?”

  “As you wish.”

  Adam squeezed my shoulder and returned to the dining hall.

  “What did you want to see?” Áedán asked.

  “Well, I’ve already seen the kitchen, the dining hall, Adam’s bedroom, and Daniel’s….” I waited a few seconds to see if he was going to challenge me about feeding Daniel, but when he didn’t, I continued. “…and the orchard. So anywhere else?”

  “I have an idea. If you’ll come this way?” He led me to the other side of the citadel and opened a door with a flourish. “His Grace’s library.”

  I entered and came to a standstill. This was another huge room. There were couches and love seats and numerous chairs, side tables to place books or drinks, and on the tables were about a half-dozen computers. Shelves lined the walls up to the ceiling. A staircase led to a walkway about twelve feet up. Ladders were placed at intervals on the walkway to give access to the higher shelves, which were stacked with so many books I couldn’t begin to count them all.

  Áedán gave a sweeping gesture, and I began to explore the room. “Would you care for any refreshments?”

  “No thanks, I’m good.” I started at the far wall, and Mina made herself comfortable under a chair.

  “Good. Duke Adam would have my talisman if I offered you… wine.” He went to a shelf, took down a book, and brought it to me.

  “Oh, ha-ha.” It was Dracula.

  He put the book on a side table and ran his fingertips over the binding of a very old manuscript. “His Grace has an amazing selection.”

  I climbed to the walkway and began strolling along it, examining the books. “You can say that again!” Some were in English, but most were in various European languages. One book stood out. On the cover was the scariest wolf I’d ever seen. “Áedán, does the rege have a French dictionary?”

  He grinned. “You have to ask? What did you want it for?” I held up the book. “The Beast of Gévaudan?” He gestured for me to come down. “I read French.”

  “You’ll read it to me? Cool!”

  We sat on a love seat with Mina between us, and I listened as he translated the words, idly stroking her fur.

  I was so fascinated I lost track of time.

  I had started to ask if I could take this book home with me—there were translation programs on my laptop—when the door to the library swung open and Valeriu sauntered in. “There you are.”

  I looked around. Me? “Uh… yes?”

  Áedán closed the book, rose and bowed, and stood to the side. Valeriu ignored him.

  “I want to talk to you.” He came to stand before me, the toes of his shoes touching my sock-covered toes.

  Even that minor contact bothered me, but I couldn’t draw my feet out of the way.

  Mina had no problem, though. She came to her feet, her muzzle drawn back to reveal teeth that suddenly looked deadly.

  Valeriu laughed, until she lunged at him and latched on to his thigh. He tried to get free, and when he froze, I wondered if she’d let him feel those deadly teeth.

  “Call your mongrel off, or I’ll snap her neck!” He looked to be in a rage. Well, she’d been pretty close to the family jewels.

  “Mina!” I snapped my fingers and pointed to the end of the love seat. She let go of him, but her reluctance was obvious. Once she was out of his reach, I shot to my feet and shoved him away from both of us, ignoring the discomfort in my hands. “You even look like you’re gonna touch my dog, and I’ll douse you with holy water so fast you won’t know what hit you!”

  “You wouldn’t dare!”

  “Wouldn’t I?” I reached into my collar and pulled out the vial.

  He shied back. “Do you know who I am?”

  “You’re Adam’s son.”

  He curled his lip. “I’m Maria-Luise’s son!”

  “Like that’s supposed to mean anything to me?”

  “You insult my mother!” He took a step toward me, and I held up the vial, ready to twist off the top.

  “Are you out of your mind?” Áedán sounded furious, and Valeriu grinned smugly. I wasn�
��t going to put the vial away just yet. And then Áedán continued, “You threaten a sabor, and especially this one, who’s so highly regarded?”

  Valeriu scowled, but the door to the library opened before he could say anything.

  “Hey, here you are, cousin!” Ioan came in, followed by Daniel. “Oh, Valeriu. You’re here.” His enthusiasm fizzled.

  Valeriu bared his fangs and stalked out of the room, muttering about half bloods and turned vampyrs.

  How rude!

  Ioan stared after him. “He dropped his fangs!”

  “What’s wrong with that?” Daniel asked.

  “That’s not done in polite company. It’s like… like walking around naked in front of girls!”

  “Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.”

  “I’d rather it was you.” He smiled at Daniel from under his lashes.

  “Jesus, I told you I’m not—” He shook his head. “Tyrell’s your cousin?”

  “In a roundabout, honorary kind of way.”

  “Did you know we’re first cousins, Daniel?”

  “How the hell…?”

  “My mother and your father are siblings.”

  “This is too twisted.”

  “I’m taking Daniel to visit the Romi,” Ioan said. “Come with us, Ty. The old Roma grandmother will tell our fortunes.”

  “I really don’t think this is a good idea,” I muttered. If the fortune-teller was on the level, she’d break his heart by telling him he didn’t have a chance with Daniel. And if she was a fake, she’d break his heart by telling him he did.

  “No, you’ll see! It will be amazing!”

  “If you say so.” But I doubted it. “But what’s to tell?”

  “Excuse me?”

  I shrugged. “I know my future. I’ll feed drag—”

  Áedán tilted his head and gave me a puzzled look, and I returned it blankly. Why had I started to say…? That was weird.

  “Vampyrs,” I corrected, “and I’ll love Adam.” And I’d become a geneticist.

  Daniel shook his head. “Ioan told me some of this, but how can you accept it so easily?”

  I shrugged again. What choice did I have? Not that it mattered, as long as I had Adam. “Áedán, is it all right if I go?”

  “Of course. I’m coming with you.”

  “Okay.” I wasn’t going to argue with him. I stared down at the socks on my feet. Well, I’d already been out to the orchard in them. What was a visit to the Romi?