In return, I got a severe look from Phoenix, who must not understand why I was introducing myself under a false name when I’d not protested at all against the fact that Talanus and Ysis knew my true identity.
Karl directed his predatory smile at me before clapping Phoenix on the back.
“Congratulations, Little Brother. You are quite resourceful. I should maybe find myself a pretty assistant too, though I do not think I will be able to find one as attractive and with a name that hints at hidden talents . . . I have always dreamed of having a woman who could fulfill all my desires, professional and sexual. That is what’s going on between you two, right? If not . . .”
He didn’t finish his sentence and he didn’t need to. What he was hinting at was perfectly clear: if Phoenix wasn’t “tapping that” (me), he wanted to try. Rage unfurled in me like a tsunami, and I stepped toward him, forgetting all prudence as I bridged the gap between me and the two vampires.
“Who do you think you are? You show up here unannounced, you act like a perverted baby vampire, you talk to me like I’m nothing more than a sexual object, and what’s more, you dare insult us both with your insinuations! You may be like a brother to Phoenix, but compared to him, you’re just an uneducated barbarian! And—aaaahhh! Put me down! Put me down, for God’s sake!”
Phoenix stopped my verbal outburst by suddenly grabbing me and tossing me over his shoulder. I had just enough time to see the anger blazing on Karl’s face when I’d compared him negatively to his best friend.
“Forgive her, Karl. I think she is just getting emotional,” Phoenix said apologetically, loudly enough to hear over my shouts of “put me down!”
While I was still struggling against him, Phoenix marched upstairs, kicked my bedroom door open, and, without the least bit of gentleness, threw me squarely onto my bed.
“Are you completely nuts? What’s gotten into you?” I shrieked at him as I landed, my blood boiling at being treated like this.
Instead of leaving, my boss took a step back and slammed my door so hard that it almost splintered into a thousand pieces.
“I should ask you the same question! Your attitude toward Karl is shameful! Even if he surprised and scared you, you have no reason to treat him like that!” he shouted.
“He disrespected me! How did you not notice?” I yelled back.
“You do not know anything. Instead of being prejudiced against someone, you would do well to learn to get to know them.”
“Are you sure that you know the guy in the parlor all that well?”
Phoenix immediately fixed me with a glare, his eyes full of a hardly contained cold anger. When he spoke again, it was with a contemptuous tone.
“Who are you to tell me to judge Karl, whom I have known for five hundred years, when you have only spent a few minutes with him!”
Touché.
Who was I, indeed? I was only his friend of a few months who’d decided to hate his friend of several centuries based only on a few vague first impressions. I wasn’t proud of myself, and I looked down in shame.
“I will not need your services this evening. You should stay in here where you can be ignored.”
With that curt order, he left. Lesson learned. I’d been deposited in my room like a little girl who had gotten into serious trouble.
However, I understood his reaction. I’d been really rude and aggressive toward Karl even if I’d only been reacting to his gross insinuations. Phoenix must not have heard them.
On the other hand, Karl maybe hadn’t meant to be disrespectful and was actually just behaving like a vampire whose sense of honor and formality had evaporated at the same time as his humanity. I was used to how civilized my boss always was, so his friend’s words had shocked me more than necessary . . .
No. He hadn’t been so crude in front of Phoenix. He had paid attention . . . his predatory smile had only been addressed to me.
I decided it was best to keep my opinion about Karl secret, to keep a low profile until my boss forgave this evening’s sudden outburst. I would take advantage of the time to study his friend more closely. After all, that’s what my boss wanted, right? For me to get to know Karl?
With that solid resolution, I wanted to have a DVD marathon, but—what a wasted evening—I’d forgotten that I hadn’t yet replaced the broken one.
Now in a murderous mood, I got into bed and grabbed my favorite book, Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, which I’d started to read again for at least the eight hundredth time. And to think that she described Darcy as too proud! Humph.
I desperately needed fresh air when I woke up. Once ready, I called for a taxi to take me to Scarborough, where I’d decided to spend the day.
I went to see a movie before going to eat at Danny’s. I’d also thought of going to the used-car dealership to invest in a simple means of transportation that would belong to me and me alone. I wasn’t really car savvy, and Matthew had offered to help me choose.
The film was nothing extraordinary, but I enjoyed it. I wasn’t much of a romantic, but I liked romantic comedies. When I got to the restaurant, I discussed the movie with Danny, who was a walking manual of seduction. He confessed that every time he brought a woman to see a romantic comedy, she would, without fail, fall into his arms, believing that he had just revealed the secret feminine side women swore was hidden in every man.
“Oh, women,” he said, laughing, forgetting apparently that I was also in that category and that it was not a given that I would appreciate his methods of manipulating women through our so-called romantic stupidity.
“You know, Danny, if a man brought me to see a horror film, I wouldn’t throw myself at him. I wait, to know a bit more.”
Danny looked at me like I was crazy. “And miss out on a chance to have a good time?”
“Oh, men,” I sighed.
We spent the rest of the meal squabbling over masculine and feminine characteristics. When Matthew came downstairs from the office, he found us in full debate mode.
“No matter what, we all live on the same planet and belong to the same species, but men and women have such radically different ways of thinking. You men, you don’t understand anything about women.”
I’d finally shut Danny up, to the sounds of applause from all the women in the restaurant.
Matthew said, “Well, I certainly hope to understand you one day. I see it’s just mission impossible.”
Matthew was joking, but he wasn’t wrong. He didn’t know the truth about me, so he could never understand. Of course, he didn’t know that.
“OK, Matthew, enough of this. Ready to be my guide in all things automobile?”
“At your service, my lady.”
I paid Danny, promising to return soon with more muffins, and led the march to the exit. The dealership wasn’t far, so we decided to walk.
“It’s just as well since I don’t have a car today. I came by taxi.”
“What happened to your grandfather’s Audi?”
Hm . . . How was I supposed to answer that? We had to leave it in the warehouse district, where vampires adept at exsanguinations were hiding en masse, so we could escape by flying like Superman, and my ‘grandfather’ had found it burned up some time later. No, it was better to not say any of that.
“Uh, I had a little accident . . . it’s scrap metal now.”
I gave Matthew a sheepish look, and he took the bait.
“Women and big cars like that don’t mix well, generally. I suppose your grandfather must be delighted,” he said, laughing.
“Thanks for the sexist remark about women drivers. Basically, he was beside himself, and I thought he was going to go into cardiac arrest. He threatened to take it out of the small salary he pays me for the help I give him.”
“He doesn’t have another car?”
I sighed. “A Camaro, but I hate driving it. It’s too conspicuous.”
“If your grandfather doesn’t use it anymore, why does he keep it? He should invest in something more practica
l.”
“He’s a collector. Even though he can’t take them out for a ride, he likes looking at them. Well, looking at it, now, since I’ve smashed up the other one. You understand now why I must have my own car, at all costs.”
“Of course I understand. Well, here we are. Gary Show is the best car dealer around, and he won’t cheat you. He’ll help us out.”
Indeed, Gary welcomed us warmly and put us at ease. He was very patient while we inspected the cars he proposed, and as a car connoisseur and mechanic, he was able to answer all our questions.
I ended up buying a 1995 gray Buick Skylark with low mileage and comfortable seats. The price was right, and Matthew assured me that it was a good deal. I paid in cash, and Gary said he’d take care of the paperwork. He handed me the keys, and Matthew and I drove over to Angela’s bookstore.
Matthew ran inside to tell Angela that there was a surprise outside. When she came out, I shouted, “Ta-da! What do you think?”
“I don’t know anything about cars, but if Matthew said you could buy this one, it must be fine. Anyway, from the outside, it looks pretty good.”
“Thanks. At least I won’t be terrified that I’ll scratch the rims and have to replace them.”
“Is your grandfather still mad about the Audi?”
“He hasn’t spoken to me in two days. He’s really got a bad temper.”
“Do you ever think about doing another job than the one you’re doing now?” Matthew asked. “If you look for work here, you’ll be able to find something easily. And Cory Gillis is a home health assistant, so he could take over with your grandfather.”
Matthew’s idea wouldn’t have been bad if I really was taking care of my grandfather. “Thanks, but my grandfather won’t deal with strangers, which is at least part of why I’m here now. And despite his bad temper, I actually like looking after him.” I smiled, hoping to successfully convince Matthew and Angela that my current life suited me just fine.
That was the truth, my life did suit me fine, even when I had to deal with danger and Phoenix’s moods. Karl’s arrival didn’t please me at all, but apart from that, I was doing well. If only . . .
“Oh! I have to go buy a DVD player.”
I tend to think out loud, but changing the subject that abruptly startled my friends a bit. “Uh . . . sorry,” I apologized.
“We’re getting used to it, don’t worry,” Angela said. “Do you think that your grandfather would ever let us visit his manor, Matthew and me? I went there once when I was little, but I would love to go back. And when it comes to you, we’re not strangers anymore.”
Oh dear, what I’d been dreading was happening. It was impossible to satisfy their curiosity without compromising my cover story.
“I’m sorry, Angela . . . but my grandfather was very clear when I came to live with him. No one else is allowed in the manor. His phobia is too intense.”
“Can he be treated?” Angela’s compassionate tone couldn’t mask her disappointment.
“He’s seen a lot of doctors, but he only began to feel at peace once he’d cut himself off from the outside world. That’s why he came here. He feels good here.”
Matthew leaned against the Buick and put his hands in his pockets.
“Angela, we’ve learned more about Peter Stratford in this discussion than we have in the last five years.”
“That’s true. Well, too bad about the manor. I’ll just have to be happy reading books about it,” Angela said.
None of this made me happy, but I didn’t have a choice. I had to lie to my friends to keep them safe. Phoenix protected me, but I doubted that Talanus and Ysis would allow Matthew and Angela to be spared if they ever discovered the existence of vampires. To protect the Secret, they would have to be killed, and it would fall to my boss to carry out that task.
The three of us chatted a bit more, but before long Angela had to run her shop and Matthew had to return to his bookkeeping. I still had a few hours to kill before having to confront the glacial stare of my boss and the foul presence of his perverted friend. Shoot. I couldn’t be so unequivocal about Karl; I needed to give him a chance. It was what I normally did, but in this case it was really challenging.
After buying a new DVD player, I went to wander around the movie rental shop. The owner, Mike Newell, was starting to get to know me, especially since I’d begun to chat with him about one film or another. Since I didn’t want to return to the manor any earlier than necessary, I stalled at Mike’s until dusk, though I didn’t end up renting anything.
Before going back to the manor, I wanted to restock my supply of candy and chocolates at Ginger’s. She welcomed me with open arms and the latest gossip. I usually didn’t pay much attention, but according to Ginger, rumors were flying about my supposed romance with Matthew. Everyone wanted to know if we were going to end up together.
“You can tell me, my little Samantha. It’ll stay between us.”
Did I really seem that naive? I had to put a stop to this.
“You can tell your friends that when a man and a woman spend time together, it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re a couple. You’ll have to find something else to gossip about. Sorry,” I said coolly.
I genuinely liked Ginger, but her meddling ways were more than irritating. Every time we saw each other, she pestered me with questions about Phoenix . . . well, about Peter Stratford. I always managed to politely deflect that conversation, but this prodding about Matthew was getting unbearable.
“Oh, come on. Everyone sees how Matthew looks at you. Don’t you lie to me.”
Accusing me of lying was the last straw. Suddenly I couldn’t be polite anymore. I put my money on the counter to pay for my candy and took a deep breath.
“You want the truth? The truth is that you really should mind your own business and learn how to hold your tongue if you don’t want all this to bite you in the butt. The whole town knows that your daughter is miserable because she has no desire to take over this shop, but she’s terrified of disappointing you. So take a good look in the mirror before you meddle in the private lives of others.”
From the shocked expression on Ginger’s pale face, I knew that I’d crossed a line, but I also knew that I was right. I’d met Valerie briefly once, and it grieved me to see her make so much effort to share her mother’s passion. Ginger was the only one blind to the issue. Unfortunately for her, the one who’d brought things to light was an insensitive stranger who was on edge about the evening that lay ahead of her . . . My temper was just begging to blow. And . . . too bad. I’d said the truth. I felt no remorse. Ginger would get over it.
The sun had been set for an hour already when I returned to the manor. I was late.
I switched off the engine, stepped out of my Buick, and grabbed my purchases from the trunk. I didn’t know if Phoenix would allow me to use his garage for what he would see as an old clunker, so I’d parked along the gravel driveway.
As I was leaning down to grab the DVD player box, which had slid to the back of the trunk, I heard a voice. “I thought you’d left again.”
I jumped and banged my head hard.
“Owwww!” I screamed, massaging the crown of my head and turning toward Phoenix with my eyes narrowed.
Phoenix didn’t seem at all angry with me, unlike like what I’d been fearing, as though what happened the night before was a distant memory.
“Why would you think that?” I asked, surprised.
“I . . . mistreated you yesterday. Even if I still think that you behaved badly toward my guest, I should not have acted toward you as I did. So . . . I thought that . . .”
“Even if I basically only reacted to a provocation, I do admit that my attitude was immature and idiotic. You’re right, I have to get to know people before judging them, so I’ll make an effort with Karl.” I held out my hand to shake his. “Friends?”
He smiled. “Friends.” He shook my hand before leaning to one side to admire my car. “What do we have here?”
I
shut the trunk after handing him my DVD player. After all, he might as well help.
“It’s a Buick,” I declared enthusiastically.
Unlike my human friends, he made no effort whatsoever to hide his revulsion that my new car inspired.
“You could at least pretend to like it.”
“Sorry. But this? I just can’t,” he said apologetically.
“You’re hopeless. Not everyone likes those Hollywood hot rods. Come on, let’s go in, nothing to see here.”
Phoenix followed me inside, but he didn’t get a chance to update me on what was happening in the parlor before I got there.
Another vampire was conversing with Karl. His long black hair was in a ponytail, and his very loose shirt, black jeans, and boots recalled the musketeer he used to be. With a little imagination, you could almost see the sword and baldric attached to his belt.
My mentor stood by my side and tried to make the introductions.
“Samantha, here . . .”
“François,” I blurted out with a big smile, thrilled at the idea of speaking with this tall man with a marble face but gentle green eyes.
You could almost believe that this wasn’t a vampire at all, he inspired that much confidence. The man in question stared at me in amazement before giving me a formal and traditional salutation—that is, a deep, elegant bow.
“Mademoiselle.”
I returned his gesture less formally but just as respectfully, and took a step closer.
“Phoenix told me about you. I’m so happy to meet you. After all, you don’t meet a former royal musketeer every day.”
I felt a hand on my shoulder.
“Samantha . . .” Phoenix was shaking his head in exasperation, and then he turned to his friend. “Please excuse her. She is a French history buff, particularly Louis XIV. She also finds it very difficult to stop herself from saying everything that crosses her mind.”
He was still reprimanding me like a child. He could be so irritating.
“Only since I met you. Who else taught me to be confident?”
“Being confident does not necessarily mean rushing headlong into things.”
Chronicles of an Extraordinary Ordinary Life Page 21