by Ally Shields
“I will be in and out before anyone, other than locals, knows I am there. My people will not betray me.”
She’d never been to Italy, so she couldn’t speak for the Tuscany region, but she knew small towns. Gossip spread. Andreas might trust his own people, but what about all the others who lived near there? She sighed softly and kept her misgivings to herself. Andreas had made up his mind.
They covered almost a half block in silence, and he glanced at her. “Are you satisfied?”
“Sure, I’m good.” She shrugged to cover the lie. “I’ll just spend extra hours at the office. My bosses will be happy about that. As long as you’re safe…”
“I will call every day. Considering the time difference, it will be interesting to talk with you during your day.”
“And really odd.” That sparked her interest. “How many hours difference?”
“Italy is seven hours ahead.”
Ari frowned in concentration. “So you’ll be awake between 8:00 and 9:00 a.m.?” She grinned at him. “We can talk over morning coffee.”
“If you wish.” He stopped and turned toward her, reaching out to tuck a loose strand of her long, blonde hair behind her ear. “I will miss you. These weeks will be long, but they are necessary. With our magical link, you will never be that far away.”
“For once the telepathic link could be really helpful. Knowing you’re OK because I can feel your magic will make the waiting easier. But some day I’d love to visit Italy. You’ve made it sound so spectacular.”
“It is, and we will go together. You cannot imagine the beauty of a Tuscan sky at sundown.” He tucked her body against his, she slipped an arm around his waist, and they walked toward home, content to be together for now.
* * *
The jet departed from Riverdale at 9:00 p.m. on Thursday evening. It was expected to arrive in Italy in about ten hours, early afternoon in Italy. How would his body adjust to the time change, since the sun would go up and down at different times than he was used to? Did vampires suffer from jet lag? She’d have to remember to ask him.
After she watched the plane lift off, Ari called Gabriel to take her to the vampire caverns to check on Zylla and Mangi. The vampires really wouldn’t object to her going alone, but this was vampire territory, and she was still an outsider. She didn’t want to take advantage of her relationship with Andreas. Of course, there was the small problem of navigating the cavern maze without getting lost, something she wasn’t sure she could do. Besides, Gabriel was good company.
And prompt. He met her at Club Dintero, stepping outside as she arrived. Even in casual jeans and a blue shirt, the blond Adonis looked right at home in front of the elegant supper club with its stark white walls and burgundy awnings. He strolled forward, his eyes sparkling, and he leaned down to give her a kiss on the cheek.
Ari drew back and regarded him in surprise. “Since when do we greet each other with a kiss?”
“Since Andreas got on a plane for Italy.”
“He’s coming back you know.” Her tone was dry.
“Yes, but that is weeks away. I’ll worry about it later.” He looped his arm through hers. “For a while I can pretend.”
“Uh-huh. I’ll be talking with him tomorrow, and it’s only a ten hour flight back.” She darted him a look. “But you should be more worried about what I might do.”
Gabriel dropped her arm and assumed an expression of mock horror. “Duly noted. For a moment I forgot you carry guns and knives…and possibly stakes. I beg your pardon, my lady.”
She laughed. There—Gabriel had lifted her mood already.
* * *
Zylla and the javey were sitting well away from each other when Ari and Gabriel received permission to enter the vampiress’s chambers. The fire was going; the usual pots were steaming. Mangi hunched in a corner and didn’t look their way. Ari assumed the twisted expression on his face was the javey-form of a pout, or it could be serious pain. It didn’t bode well either way. If Zylla made her take him away tonight, what would she do with him?
Zylla, however, greeted them as if nothing was wrong. She and Gabriel chatted for quite a while, she asked about Andreas’s departure, and finally turned to her young charge. “Mangi, would you pour our guests some tea?”
To Ari’s surprise, the javey stood, grabbed three cups and filled them, only spilling a little from the first before his grip became more steady. He started to give the first one to Zylla, but she corrected him. “Guests first.” He handed it to Ari. The next one he gave to Gabriel, and the last to the vampiress.
“Would you like to join us in some tea?” Zylla asked him. He shook his head, and she waited.
“No, ma’am,” he mumbled, then he returned to his corner.
Ari nodded in surprise at his compliant behavior, and Zylla smiled. “Mangi and I have reached our own understanding.”
Gabriel chuckled. “I bet you have. What did you do? Hang him from the ceiling?”
“Nothing so uncivilized. We talked.”
“She put fire in the door,” Mangi blurted, clearly aggrieved. “Burned my hands.”
“I merely electrified the cave entrance while I was sleeping. If you had not tried to leave, you would never have known. And I healed them, didn’t I?”
The javey hung his head. “Yes, ma’am.”
Well, now. Mangi had learned a whole lot of respect from just one incident. His good behavior might be due to fear, but it wasn’t a bad start. It proved he could act civil if he had no other choice. With this kind of progress in twenty-four hours, what would Zylla accomplish in the next weeks or months?
The vampiress caught Ari’s gaze again. “He will do.”
Gabriel stood immediately. “I’m sorry to break this up so soon. Ari wanted to see how the two of you were doing, but I need to get back. Filling in for Andreas is a full-time job. Do you need anything I can have brought to you?”
“We are not in need, but Mangi tells me he has a particular fondness for oranges.”
“Then oranges he shall have.” Gabriel grinned. “Your wish is my command, wise woman. I’ll have someone visit a human market and deliver them.”
Zylla swung her head toward Mangi. “What do you say to him?”
“Good. I like oranges.”
“No,” she corrected. “Tell him, thank you.”
“Oh, yeah, thank you.”
“You are most welcome.” Gabriel turned back to Zylla. “I regret I didn’t meet Mangi yesterday, but I believe you are a miracle worker.”
“Mangi is doing all the work. I only encourage.”
Ari set down her tea cup and rose. She met Zylla’s mild gaze. “Thank you.” She wasn’t referring to the tea.
“It is proving to be an interesting diversion, my dear. But before you go, I would like a private word with you.”
Ari looked at Gabriel, and he nodded. “I can wait. You two chat, and I’ll hang out with Mangi.” He crossed the room to watch the javey rewiring a battery lantern. They talked quietly, allowing the women some semblance of privacy.
Ari sat down again and scooted closer to the old woman.
“My witch’s eye does not see what it once did,” Zylla began. “There was a time I could predict the weather, the crops, the hunt. Now I see only glimpses of things.” Her face darkened. “I have seen you in a vision. There were tears, suspicion and doubt. Someone close to you is in grave danger. And I see death.”
No! Ari jerked to attention, her heart racing at the unexpected words. “Who? Not Andreas.”
The wise woman’s eyes reflected her uncertainly. “It is unclear. But be forewarned. There is terrible trouble ahead, and it will happen soon.”
Someone close to her. Dread clutched at her stomach. Did that mean Andreas? Or her partner, Ryan, or maybe her best friend, Claris? Steffan, Lilith, Russell, her sister witches? Oh, Goddess, not her grandparents. Could it be Gabriel? Several others came to mind. A surprisingly long list of people she couldn’t bear to lose. Her circle of friend
s had grown in the last two years. But what could she do to protect them with this kind of vague warning?
“I’ll watch for trouble, but I need to know more.”
“I have no more.”
Ari got to her feet. A heaviness weighed down her shoulders. “If you see something else…”
“Of course.” Zylla raised a hand as if to bestow a blessing. “Be careful, Arianna. The danger and the death do not necessarily refer to the same person. The warnings are so imprecise that the person in danger could even be you.”
* * *
Sleep was impossible. Ari tossed and turned. It would have been better if she could have talked with Andreas, but he was beyond reach at the moment—somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean. He might even be asleep depending on what time zone the plane was in. She punched the pillow in frustration. Bella jumped off the bed to join her daughter Dona in their window seat. Now she’d even driven her cat away.
In some ways she wished she’d never gone to the caverns tonight. What was she supposed to do with Zylla’s warning? There’s danger. Hell, there was always danger.
She was tired of losing people in her life. Her parents, Great-Gran, her mentor Yana. They’d all died before she was ready. Ari rolled over again, staring at the window, seeing nothing but darkness outside. She wasn’t going to let it happen again. But how could she stop it? How could she fight an invisible danger—and protect an unknown victim?
She got up and went to the kitchen to get a drink. Bella and Dona woke and padded along beside her; Ari fixed them a saucer of warm milk. Afterward, Dona ran ahead while Ari carried the gray mother cat back to cuddle in bed, pulling softly on the black-tipped ears. Bella’s rhythmic purring began to ease her tension. Dona jumped on the bed, gave her a knowing smirk so much like her mother’s, and curled up beside them.
It was more than an hour before Ari drifted into an exhausted sleep. She dreamed of coffins and graveyards—and sat up in a sweat. The cats blinked their green eyes, and Bella bumped her head against Ari’s arm. She fell back against the pillow and dozed off again.
* * *
A steady, cold rain beat against her see-through poncho, and Ari hurried through the tourist district of Olde Town the following morning. The forest-green door to Basil & Sage was a welcome sight, and the bell over the shop door rang a cheery welcome. Claris, her best friend since second grade, added a bright smile to the greeting. She’d been in a good mood for months, since she and Brando, a wizard friend of theirs since elementary school, had become engaged last spring. The wedding date was now less than six weeks away, November 2. Instead of being stressed over the details, Claris blossomed more every day. If Ari felt a smidgen of envy, she never let anyone know.
“Wow, it is nasty out there.” Ari yanked off the dripping poncho and hung it on the old-fashioned coat stand near the front door. She kept her leather jacket on. “I’m chilled to the bone.” She headed for the beaded curtain at the back of the store, which concealed Claris’s living quarters. Most importantly, it led to her kitchen and the coffee pot that was always filled. Ari reappeared seconds later with a steaming cup in hand.
“Hmm. It smells particularly good in here today. Lavender and vanilla.”
“I’m soaking new sachets. I’m doing cinnamon and pine later. They’re always in demand over the holidays, and I need to be thinking ahead. There won’t be much time for things at the store with the wedding and the honeymoon.” Claris exaggerated a shiver, showing her delight at the prospect. “I’m so excited about the Bahamas! Five days of soaking up sun on the beach.”
“Not to mention the five nights.” Ari grinned when Claris blushed.
“Well, that, too. Having Brando all to myself will be incredible. But he’s been so much better with his time since last spring.”
“I’d say he’s been terrific. I’ve seen more of him lately than I have in the last two years. He’s really sticking to his promise to spend less time at conferences.”
Since Brando had succeeded in blending wizardry with modern science to produce life-saving advances in medicine, he was in high demand for public speaking. A shocking fight with Claris last spring had made him realize he needed to put her and their relationship first.
“It’ll be so great after the kids come.” Claris stopped with a giggle. “I want my children to have their father around every day. Mine was away on business so much that he hardly remembered how old I was. He missed a lot of important events, including holidays and my high school graduation. I don’t think my mom thought the money was worth it. I know I didn’t. Now she’s dead, and he’s still jetting around the world.” She cocked her head at Ari. “I guess that’s why I was so sensitive when Brando was gone all the time.”
“So, is everything ready for the big day?”
“I think so. Your bridesmaid dress should be ready next week.”
Ari paused in sipping her coffee. “It’s not pink, is it?” For some reason, unknown and unfathomable to Ari, her friend had wanted to coordinate their dresses and keep it a secret. She wasn’t looking forward to the unveiling, but was determined to wear whatever would make Claris happy.
“You’ll just have to wait another week. I wasn’t going to let you see it before the rehearsal, except we need to do a final fitting. Don’t worry, you’re going to love it.”
Ari resigned herself. It was pink. “OK. Anything else I need to do?”
“I think most of it’s done.” Claris ticked off the list. “Church is reserved, you and I finished addressing the invitations last weekend, flowers are ordered, dresses are almost done, Brando has rented tuxes for himself and his best man.”
“Did Steffan say yes?” Steffan was the leader of the local werewolf clan. He and Brando had become close friends over the past year.
“He did. You know Steffan was away a lot too, working with the new werewolf coalition, but I heard the current girlfriend, Jena, is keeping him close to home, at least when she’s visiting from Minnesota.” Claris clapped a hand over her mouth and stared at Ari in horror. “OMG, speaking of visiting, how could I forget? Andreas left last night! Are you OK? Have you heard from him?”
“I doubt if he’s landed yet.” Ari checked the large moon clock on the wall. “Could be another hour. With the time change, he might still be asleep.”
“He’ll call. I’m betting sooner rather than later,” Claris predicted. “He’s so good about that.” She leaned on the counter, propping her chin with one hand. “Do you ever wonder what he was like before he became a vampire? The gentleman aristocrat. I bet he was something.” Claris sighed.
“He still is. I haven’t thought too much about his human past, but I wish I was with him now to see him at his ancestral home. He’s really proud of it.”
“Gosh, Ari, I didn’t mean to imply he wasn’t a sweetie. He’s wonderful, but I can’t help wondering what he was like before. Does that bother you?”
“That you’re curious? Of course not. I guess it’s natural for you to think about his human years, but I don’t, because I’ve never been fully human.” She wrinkled her nose. “It’s fun to picture what his kids would have been like.”
“Ooh, think what your kids would be like. The two of you,” Claris said. “His dark wavy hair and long lashes. Your big green eyes. And all kinds of super powers. They’d be something, all right.”
“And drive us crazy. Good thing we’ll never have them.” Ari’s face brightened with sudden mischief. “So, while you guys have been busy planning your lives, did you pick the sex and birth date of the first child?”
“Of course not!” Claris threw a dried sachet at her, which bounced off Ari’s arm and landed on the counter. “But we don’t intend to wait very long.”
Ari picked it up and tossed it in a basket. “I’d better mix you up a vitex potion. It takes two or three months to build up enough in your system, but it often works to increase fertility.”
“Way ahead of you.” Claris blushed again. “I’ve been putting some in my evenin
g tea for the last month.”
“You’re really serious about this baby thing.” Ari gaped at her. She had known Claris wanted to be a mother, but was really surprised she was jumping into motherhood so soon.
“You bet. I want a dozen.”
“You should have been a rabbit.” Ari chuckled at her friend’s eagerness.
Claris wiggled her nose and sucked on her lower lip in a classic rabbit face. Both women burst out laughing. The peeling of the shop bell broke up their heart-to-heart.
“I gotta go.” Ari headed for the coat rack. Still grinning, she pulled on the poncho, nodded at the young customer hanging up her wet umbrella, and stepped into the street. The pouring rain had eased, but a cold breeze whipped up and down the street. A horse hitched to a tourist carriage in front of the French pastry store had his head lowered in an effort to block the wind with his body. She wrapped her poncho tighter. Miserable weather.
Five minutes later she raced up the steps of the police station. An officer exiting the door held it open so she could get out of the cold and rain. She smiled her thanks and ducked inside. The tile floor of the station was wet. A mop and bucket sat next to the door where someone had attempted to clean the mess, but finally gave up. The small doormat was soaked and water squished under her heels. She stopped next to the bucket and used a rag hanging on the rim to wipe off her boots, frowning at their glossy surface. Perhaps this hadn’t been the day for designer boots. But she was missing Andreas, and bad weather equaled bad hair… All things considered, why not have an extra strut in her step?
Ryan wasn’t in his office when she arrived on the third floor. She wandered down the hallway, waving at officers she knew, poking her head into conference rooms. When she still didn’t find him, she returned to the information desk on the first floor.