Flicker

by Arreyn Grey

  And then the maître d' headed toward a small, L-shaped booth against the far wall, directly beside one of the large banks of windows, and Elise knew exactly what Rashid had said. Clenching her fists, she steeled herself, and when Rashid gestured grandly for her to precede him, she managed to summon up a passable imitation of her usual grace and cross the room behind their host. Now all that remained was to avoid looking out the window right in front of her for the entire duration of their stay. Elise tried to be discreet as she wiped her palms on her skirt again, and heard Rashid smother another chuckle as he pointedly occupied the seat that put the window to his left. She cast him a withering glare as she swept into the remaining seat, facing directly out.

  Elise couldn't decide, in the moments after the maître d' left them, whether she wanted to look out the window or at Rashid-- both choices were equally appalling just now. Finally, she settled on studying the grain in the polished wooden table and hoping it wasn't too obvious that she was gripping the edge of her seat. Thirty-seven floors was a dizzying concept in the abstract-- she didn't even want to think about the effect seeing the reality would have on her composure.

  This time, the silence dragged, but with Rashid up to a new kind of tricks, Elise refused to break it. Before it could get too uncomfortable, however, a serene waitress appeared at their table with a pair of sleek, leather-bound menus. “May I take your drink orders?” She asked calmly. Elise suppressed the urge to grab her, shake her, and demand to know if she was aware that they were more than three hundred feet above the ground. She took a deep, steadying breath. This was ridiculous, she knew-- just a few weeks ago, she had flown to Pittsburgh and back with no problem. But even as the thought occurred to her, her mind started listing all the ways in which this was different. Rather than focus on such things, she paid attention to what Rashid was ordering for himself, and cut in smoothly before he could order a glass of wine for her as well. She'd learned her lesson last time.

  “Just water for me, please,” she said firmly, looking the waitress in the eye and smiling warmly. The young woman looked slightly dazed, and smiled in return before retreating. Rashid raised an eyebrow at Elise once she was gone.

  “One of the finest wine selections in the city, and you ask for water?” He said, sounding amused and just a tad exasperated.

  Elise stopped herself from sticking her tongue out at him by reminding herself forcefully that he was not Alex. Instead, she pointedly ignored him in favor of her menu. She was surprised to find that it was a dinner menu, not upscale bar food. Before she could stop herself, she blurted out, “It's after eleven-- how are they still serving dinner? I'd have thought the kitchen would be long closed by now.”

  Rashid smiled, looking for all the world like the cat that ate the canary, but his eyes were intense as they bored into her. “They serve me regardless of when I come. That's what power looks like, kitten.”

  Elise swallowed hard, taking in all the intricacies of the evening. He'd made his point.

  Have I? His smooth voice whispered seductively through her mind once more.

  “Stop that, you,” she snapped repressively. “A gentleman ought not to invade a lady's privacy.”

  Rashid chuckled. “You are right, of course-- forgive me. The temptation to put you off balance while I still can has simply been too great.”

  Elise frowned at him. “While you still can? What, are you going somewhere?”

  “I would have thought that idea would make you happy,” he quipped. Before Elise could decide how to respond to that, he leaned back comfortably in his seat and went on. “No, I'm not-- I was simply referring to how well your training is progressing. Before long, I won't be able to put you off like this. Of course,” he mused with seeming idleness; Elise didn't trust his absent tone for a second. “I personally wouldn't have conducted it this way, but I suppose Alexander has his reasons.”

  Elise snorted. “We're back to that, are we? Look, you're not fooling anyone-- you want to drive a wedge between Alex and me. Well, if you can't do any better than he does, don't waste my time.” She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back comfortably herself, keeping her eyes locked challengingly on his. If he couldn't figure out what she meant, when she'd take a damn bus home rather than sit here and let him manipulate her any longer.

  Rashid looked away with a sigh, settling his chin on his fisted hands as he gazed out the window instead. “You want blatant honesty, kitten? You may not enjoy it-- but I suppose you're old enough to decide that for yourself.” Elise had to grip tight to her emotions to keep from giving an outward sign of her stunned pleasure. Unless he'd cheated and picked the information from her mind, which she supposed was entirely possible, he had actually hit on one of the things that bothered her most about Alex.

  Rashid turned his intense gaze back to her as he went on, his voice less musically seductive and more flat, almost harsh. “Alexander should have warned you what would happen if you went into the city without properly shielding. Frankly, he should have brought you here to teach you that weeks ago-- it's one of the first things you would need to know to be out in the world on your own. The fact that he has not done so says to me that he wants you dependent on him-- which in itself is deplorable.

  “But furthermore, to achieve that same end, he had only to tell you that you needed him to shield you like I did; it's a lie, of course, but it would have kept you thinking that you need him. That he has not warned you at all is dangerous for you, and to be blunt, for this entire city. If you, not aware of any problem, came over the bridge with your parents without telling Alexander beforehand, you could all three have been killed, along with many other innocent people.” Elise was taken aback by how vehemently and venomously he spoke. She recalled Alex telling her that Rashid didn't care who got hurt as long as he got his way-- but then, she also remembered Alex saying something similar about himself. He had wanted her to be his good deed, to balance out the guilt he felt for the bad; it wasn't a far stretch to imagine that Rashid might be after something similar. Somewhat against her will, she felt herself softening toward him just a bit.

  “So what else hasn't Alex told me?” She asked, hoping she sounded more casual than she felt. “I mean, if there are other things I should know about living as an active vampire, so far your track record of honesty is a bit better than his.”

  Rashid smirked slightly, his eyes letting her know he'd seen through her attempt at flattery. Still, he answered her bluntly. “One of our most strict rules, enforced by the Court, is that of secrecy. The actual letter of the law is somewhat complex, but it is written in Russian, and even the translation is rather dry. For the most part, we simply abide by the mandate to clean up after ourselves."

  "Clean up after ourselves?" Elise repeated skeptically, eyebrows raised. "So what does that entail-- if you screw up, you have to kill everyone who's learned the big secret?"

  "Nothing so dramatic," Rashid scoffed.

  "So what, then?"

  He sighed, preparing to answer, but then his gaze shifted beyond her and further into the lounge. Elise turned to see the waitress approaching with their drinks; with a flush of embarrassment, Elise realized she had barely even glanced at the menu.

  “Thank you, Sierra,” Rashid murmured as the young woman placed their drinks on the table. Elise wondered when the woman had mentioned her name, and then realized that she hadn't. Elise glanced over to Rashid, and saw an amused gleam in his eyes. “This is how it works, kitten,” he said, his voice suddenly rich with power as it glided over her skin. “Sierra, dear,” he looked up into the young waitress's eyes. “I am a vampire, and there is nothing on this menu I care to eat.”

  Elise sensed him diverting energy into something, though she couldn't tell what-- until he opened his mouth wide to display an impressive set of massive snake-like fangs. Elise couldn't tear her gaze away from Sierra as the waitress's brown eyes bulged in terror, she opened her mouth to scream-- and then just as suddenly, the motion turned into a yawn, whic
h she quickly covered with her hand. Elise whirled in her seat, staring at Rashid as he casually sat back into the plush upholstery of the booth.

  "Oh," was all she could think to say. Turning back to check on the waitress once more, she met Sierra's expectant eyes and realized that waitress was waiting for her to order as if nothing had happened.

  Elise blinked helplessly at the menu, which she swore was now written in a foreign language, as she blushed furiously. Then Rashid spoke, and Elise jumped, but couldn't suppress a rush of gratitude. “We'll have the grilled truffle flatbread to start,” he said smoothly. “Then I would like the smoked ribeye, and the roasted tuna loin for the lady.”

  “Of course, sir,” Sierra the waitress said just a tad breathlessly, and she took their menus and was gone. Elise found suddenly that she couldn't bear to look up from a studied contemplation of her napkin.

  “I hope that was not too presumptuous.” Elise didn't dignify his gloating with an answer. After a silent moment during which Elise suspected Rashid was mastering his urge to laugh, he continued more soberly. “I didn't frighten you with that little demonstration, did I?”

  Elise started to answer with her typical bravado, but recalling that that sort of behavior may have been what sparked his snide, miserable demeanor before, she opted for more sincerity. “A little,” she said, her gaze level. “But I've seen worse, don't worry.” His tiny smile made her vulnerability worth it, and reminded her of an earlier conversation. “So,” she continued more gently. “You told me that once we got here, you'd explain more about this drastic personality change you seem to have undergone. Care to elaborate?”

  His teeth flashed in a sudden grin. “I tried to sway you with my power,” he said as if it was the most simple thing in the world. Perhaps, for him, it was. “In older, less civilized times, two men vying for a woman would impress her with demonstrations of their abilities-- needless to say, she would choose the one of them who was the better hunter and the stronger warrior, so that he could keep her safe and provide for their family. I'm sorry to say that old habits die hard.”

  Elise cocked an eyebrow. “And it took you this long to figure out what a terrible plan that was?”

  “Terrible when it comes to you, perhaps,” Rashid chuckled. “But it isn't illogical, even in these modern times, for a woman to prefer a man who is more charismatic, more clever, more powerfully driven than his competition.” Elise wasn't sure what to say to that, but was spared having to think of something when Rashid changed the subject. “When we last sat down together, I spoke to you of the natural balance between man and woman, and the notable lack thereof in our ruling Court.”

  Elise nodded, though she wasn't quite willing to admit that she had given the matter considerable thought since they'd spoken about it. Fortunately, just now he seemed content to elaborate without input on her part. “Now, when Alexander spoke to you of the Court, did he tell you how much influence it has over the world?” Elise shook her head, so fascinated by where he was going with this that she looked up to meet his eyes. “We suspect that the whole Court, but in particular the Queen and her three heirs, have a great deal to do with the overall tenor of the world. The power, the energy, that the entire Court generates resonates with our kind all over the globe, whether we know it or not, and we influence the humans in our vicinity. But they have been sending the wrong signal for millennia.”

  Elise frowned. He made it sound like they were radio transmitters-- but she supposed, thinking of Gregory's insistence that there were scientific explanations for their abilities, that perhaps he wasn't too far off. “Sending the wrong signal?” She repeated. “How so?”

  “As I said, the Queen rules alone-- neither we nor the humans are intended to exist that way, and I believe very strongly that it is the reason behind the majority of the conflict in the world.” Elise raised her eyebrows, inviting him to continue. “You see, although they are not consciously aware of it, the people of this world know in their hearts that something is wrong. The males, in particular, feel oppressed-- as well they should: there is a single female ruling over them, and they have no representation. So, in their oppression, they strike out at those who represent their overlord.”

  “Women.” Elise spoke sharply, reaching the conclusion he was drawing her toward. “You think this worldwide insistence on patriarchy, the violence toward and systematic oppression of women, is because we― vampires-- have a queen?”

  “Rest assured, kitten, it is not because she is female. If we had a king, I rather think this world would have evolved into a rule of matriarchies, with women striking against men at every turn. It is simply the nature of both our species to lash out against that which oppresses us-- only the humans, in particular, have no idea what is going on. Even at points when they have taken everything from their female counterparts, they still did not feel free-- hence the violence.”

  It was just as well that Sierra came back with their appetizer at that moment, because Elise needed time to consider this. She nodded her thanks to the young woman, and actually looked out over the vista of the city as she thought hard about what Rashid had said. In the root of her soul, the same part of herself that had echoed with truth when Alex told her about vampires, she knew Rashid was right. Well, isn't that something, she thought ruefully.

  After the waitress left, Elise rested her chin in her hand and looked hard at Rashid for a long moment; he sat still, meeting her eyes calmly. She was starting, she thought, to put together where he was going with this; she just wasn't sure it was something she could deal with. Finally, she sighed.

  “Lower your shield to me,” she said, her voice soft but firm.

  Rashid raised his eyebrows, surprised and a bit incredulous. “I beg your pardon, kitten?”

  “You heard me.” Elise kept her tone even, but her steely gaze left him no room to turn away. She allowed her power to stir in her chest, lending force to her words. “The Queen has ruled alone for thousands of years; there is no reason she would change that for you. If you're here talking to me, it means that neither she, nor any of the other omnivores in her court, will let you be king, or will raise a hand against her. You want me to rule by your side, and I want you to show me why.”

  A smile crept across Rashid's face. “Why kitten, you do have claws, don't you?”

  Elise's answering smile was sweet, and her tone was sugary when she replied. “Don't change the subject, dear.” She wiped her expression blank once more. “If you cannot trust me with your mind, how will you trust me by your side?”

  Rashid's face was as stern as hers. “Now is not the time for such things. However, I will arrange to bring you somewhere private tomorrow, if this is what it will take to convince you.”

  Elise broke their staring contest first. Looking down, she picked listlessly at the appetizer sitting between them, fighting off the hysterical urge to giggle. He waited, and finally she was able to meet his eyes once more. “This is just too much, too quickly. I need time to think about it all.” She fought the urge to fidget as he made her wait now; she wasn't as patient as he was.

  After an interminable minute or two, Rashid nodded once, and she felt a surge of relief that he seemed calm. “I quite understand that this is a lot to take in,” he said gently. “As you have previously reminded me, we have quite a long time on this planet-- I can wait a few days. Will you give my offer due consideration?”

  “Yes,” Elise breathed, the tight fear in her chest easing as she realized that he wasn't pretending his calm-- he really wasn't angry. “Yes, I'll definitely think about it. Now, I'm sorry, but can you take me home?” She couldn't help fiddling with her napkin and avoiding his eyes, nervous once more that he wouldn't react well.

  A sudden spark of feeling shot through her, not power but a more primal physical reaction, as Rashid slid his large, warm hand over hers, stilling her fidgeting. “Of course, kitten.” He raised his other hand and beckoned, and within a moment Elise saw Sierra the waitress walking toward them. “It i
s late; forgive me. Let's get you home.”

  “Detention?” Alex asked incredulously for the third time.

  Elise's sigh was exasperated. “Yes, detention.”

  Alex laughed, his eyebrows nearing his hairline. “Miss Academically Perfect has a detention? Is it your first one? I must be having a terrible effect on you!”

  Actually, Elise reflected, given that it had been Rashid keeping her out until one in the morning that made her fall asleep in sociology class, technically it was Rashid's fault-- but she could hardly tell Alex that. Instead, she shrugged. “I was tired, and simply pointed out to Mr. Matthews that his class was boring; apparently, he took exception to my methods.”

  He snorted. “I'll say!”

  Elise huffed, in no mood to be teased about her lapse in scholarly discipline just now. It was her first detention ever, not that she'd give Alex the satisfaction of knowing that, and now that Latin class was over she really needed to get down to Matthews' classroom and get it out of the way. Without another word, she swung her bag onto her shoulder and swept from the room.

  Alex kept pace. “Hey,” he called in a more sensitive tone. “Wait up. I'll come help you.”

  “Really?” Elise raised her eyebrows at him, slowing her pace marginally. “You'd come wash chalkboards and scrub gum off desks with me?”

  Alex's chuckle was warm. “Of course-- what are unofficial boyfriends for?” Elise's answering laugh was less strained than it would have been a minute ago.