Eden

by Eden (lit)

  He reached for her and as Catrina took his hands he asked, “What’s going on? I let you out of my sight for a few minutes and you end up alone with Bernard.”

  “I’m sorry. I just wanted to have a drink alone.” She shrugged. “He found me.”

  “Did he hurt you?” Viktor asked, rubbing the mascara from underneath her eyes.

  “No. I’ll tell you all about it later, but he just wanted to talk.”

  Viktor raised both eyebrows as he looked down at her skeptically.

  “I don’t think Bernard has ever just talked to a woman in his life. Are you sure you’re alright?”

  “Fine,” she answered quickly. Catrina looked around Viktor, letting him know Draco was approaching.

  “Are you alright, my dear?” Draco asked. “Bernard can be a little tough to take, especially for women. I hope he hasn’t permanently offended you.”

  Her smile was a genuine and involuntary response when she looked at Draco.

  “I think he has some redeemable qualities,” she answered softly.

  “Really?” Draco asked. “That’s a first.”

  “I just wanted to let you know everything was alright,” she said, turning back to Viktor. “And I’ll be upstairs having a drink with Bernard if you need me.”

  He seemed surprised to say the least, but he nodded his acceptance of what she’d said.

  “You’ve got a lot of explaining to do,” he said inside her mind. “I don’t know how you’ve managed it, but I think Bernard likes you.”

  When Catrina walked back onto the balcony she found Bernard with his back turned. He was propped against the railing, listening to the sounds of the night. Catrina walked up beside him and took another good look at him. His eyes were closed and his head was tilted back to feel the breeze. He had let his long hair loose from the tight braid and it made him look older, but he’d only pass for early twenties if he was lucky. Even though he still had the appearance of being too young for her, Bernard wasn’t entirely unattractive. If she put aside his attitude and just looked at him, he resembled a charming prince more than the foppish elf she had first envisioned when he walked through the door.

  He had also opened the first few buttons on his white shirt and removed the lacey cravat he’d been wearing before. Now it hung loosely from one of the pockets on his coat. The entire image he presented now was one of a man and not a child.

  Chapter Twenty Seven

  As Catrina watched the way the wind caught his hair she said, “I can’t believe you’re almost nine hundred years old.”

  “I can’t believe you came back,” he said. He opened his eyes and turned toward her as he added, “But I’m glad you did.”

  “I don’t know what to say to you,” she admitted. “I’ve never lost control like that before. No one has ever made me hate them in such a short time and then …” Her words trailed off.

  “And then what?” he prompted.

  “And then feel sorry for them,” she replied.

  His eyes glowed at her words, but he didn’t otherwise respond with anger. Still, the gesture was enough to give her chills.

  “So, am I still invited to speak freely or should I keep thoughts like that to myself?” she asked.

  “I invited you to come back for conversation,” he said. “If I wanted someone who was always going to agree with me I’d have asked for one of Draco’s men to join me. Besides, I couldn’t shut you up if I wanted to.”

  “Sure you could,” she said. “You could just kill me.”

  He laughed. “Even in death your words would haunt me. Have I been this transparent for all these years?”

  “To anyone who was willing to look, maybe.”

  He turned around and leaned back onto the railing, casually propping on his elbows as he studied Catrina for a moment.

  “Why were you willing to look?”

  She shrugged and propped on her elbows facing the opposite direction.

  “I wasn’t. I just couldn’t figure out what could make someone such a miserable bastard. So, I looked harder but not on purpose.”

  “Fair enough,” he said. “If it’s of any consolation, I’ve been cruel to everyone, not just women. I just happened to treat them worse.”

  “Why did you hate them so much?” she asked, almost afraid to hear the answer.

  “You may find this hard to believe, but I didn’t really hate them.” Catrina looked at him skeptically and he insisted, “It’s true. I hated what they represented.”

  “You mean her?”

  “Yes. Everything I did to them, I did it to her.”

  “So, what about me?” she asked. “What difference did I make? Why would one woman who can’t keep her mouth shut change your mind about a belief you’ve held onto for so many years? It just doesn’t make sense.”

  Bernard turned toward her as he answered, “I thought I hated her until I saw you tonight. For just a moment, before I realized my mind was playing tricks on me, before I realized it wasn’t her …” His words trailed off and it took him another minute to admit, “I remembered what it felt like to love someone. I had no idea I still loved her, but I do. Fucking bitch.”

  He turned back to look out on the night again and their elbows touched. “What you said about me not remembering what it was like to be human cut me to the bone. I knew it even before you spoke, but I needed to hear it. And no one else had the balls to say it to me. I want to remember what it’s like to feel something besides hate.” Bernard took her hand and she let him. “I haven’t had a friend in almost nine hundred years. But if my best friend were alive he’d have said to me a long time ago what you did tonight.”

  Catrina leaned against his shoulder and fought the urge to hug him again.

  “How do you do that?” she asked. “About thirty minutes ago I was beating myself up for not turning you into a piñata full of wooden stakes, and now I keep fighting the urge to hug you. Hell, I’m not even sure I like you.”

  “I like you,” he said with a smile. “To be honest with you, Catrina I’m not sure what exactly made the difference tonight. But when I saw you, something clicked. I realized I still loved the woman I thought she was and if that woman could see me now, she would hate what I’d become.”

  They were both quiet for a minute or so and Catrina walked back over to collect the drink she’d left on the table. She sat down, crossed her legs and leaned back against the chair, studying the vampire in front of her.

  “You know, you could easily pass for twenty two if you wanted to,” she commented.

  “So could you,” he said, smiling. “But what would make you say that?”

  “I don’t know. I guess I was just wondering why you went to such lengths tonight to look as young as possible. Especially when you’re sore about being turned at such an early age.”

  “Because I wanted to offend you if at all possible,” he admitted. “Most people are not only very afraid, but they are very offended at the thought of a child vampire.”

  “You really are a miserable bastard,” she said, taking another sip of scotch.

  He shrugged. “So you’ve said.”

  “The question remains, do you really want to change? And if you do, how do you plan on accomplishing such a feat?”

  “Council members are fickle,” he said, opening his arms wide as he spoke. “We’re known for it. I can still be frightening and have a change of heart.”

  “You mean have a heart, not a change of one. From what I understand that will be quite a change.”

  “It will be,” he agreed. “But who will question me? I can tell you who, no one. As a matter of fact, you are only the second person to ever question me in all these years.”

  “What happened to the first?” she asked.

  “I killed him and took his seat on the council.”

  It was two hours later before Bernard was finished talking and another hour before Catrina finished telling Viktor everything that had happened. She sat Indian style in the chair by the f
ire and finished her leftovers from dinner while he thought over what she’d said.

  “Wow,” he said finally.

  “Wow?” she asked around a mouthful of pasta. “That’s all you can think to say?” She paused to take a sip of wine. “After almost nine hundred years he decides to change because I look like the woman who bit him and all you can say is wow?”

  “You don’t understand,” Viktor said. “There is a very strong connection between a vampire and the one who turns them. For a vampire to be abandoned by their master is sort of like growing up without any parents.” All of the sudden the most wicked smile passed over Viktor’s features. “This is very good,” he said. “If you’ve helped to heal some of Bernard’s emotional scars that means he likes you. And that means the council won’t be poking its nose in any of our business.” He shrugged. “At least for a while.”

  “Good,” she said and turned her attention back to the pasta.

  “By the way, we had an offer to join Draco in his room this evening.”

  Catrina nearly choked. “You’re kidding, right?”

  “Nope. He was quite impressed with you.” He snickered. “And he’s always been impressed with me. He likes my feet.”

  “Is this a common thing? The council sends a few members over for a visit and they invite you back to a gang bang in their room?” she joked.

  “As a matter of fact, it is.”

  Catrina’s smile vanished and Viktor burst out laughing.

  “What did you tell him?” she asked.

  “I told him you weren’t feeling up to it.”

  “He wasn’t insulted was he?”

  “Oh, no,” Viktor said, waving off her concern. “I gave him Dick instead.”

  Catrina put her plate and glass aside as she stared at him in amazement.

  “You gave him the limo driver?”

  “He was agreeable to it,” he assured her.

  “Oh. I had no idea Dick liked men.”

  He laughed. “Dick likes everybody.”

  Catrina moved to the floor and scooted closer to Viktor.

  “Are you and Dick, um …?”

  “No,” he said, laughing. “He’s my employee, not my whipping boy.”

  Catrina spent the rest of the night wondering how she and Viktor would ever manage to fake a breakup like they had planned. They were entirely too compatible.

  * * * *

  Three months later, she still hadn’t worked that part out and neither had he. Things had quieted down for the most part. There hadn’t been any new vampire or werewolf killings and Catrina and Viktor both were losing sight of their original plan. Father Marion had continued his training with Viktor and was beginning to hone some of his vampire skills. He’d also fashioned a new piece of artillery for her sister as an early birthday present. It was a .38 caliber handgun which fired experimental, explosive tip, UV rounds. He’d said it was just in case she ran into any trouble that a regular gun couldn’t handle.

  Business was good and having a partner had freed up a lot of her time. The only thing on Catrina’s mind at the moment was what she would wear when she went out with Alexander that night. In the meantime, she was supposed to spend the day with Antonio. She had been promising to visit and he had been promising to help her go through some more of her uncle’s things.

  There was obviously a lot she didn’t know about Uncle Harry and Catrina didn’t intend to be left in the dark.

  “You’re starting to have a famous face,” Antonio teased. “I saw you in the paper again the other day.”

  Catrina’s smile was sarcastic as she asked, “Are you ready to take a break?”

  They had been going through some of her uncle’s old papers for most of the morning and she was exhausted.

  “I’ve got a date tonight and I’m already tired,” Catrina joked.

  “With the vampire?”

  “With the werewolf,” she corrected.

  “I thought he was just your friend,” Antonio teased.

  But Catrina didn’t respond to his good-natured joke. She had accidentally flipped open a book and while Antonio spoke a few words caught her attention.

  “Look at this,” she said, pointing to the page. “He was looking for the necromancer,” she said breathlessly.

  Antonio looked thoughtful. “I do recall him mentioning something about a necromancer. It was one of the projects he had going when he died. What does it say?”

  “It describes him as ‘a big creepy fellow with a hood and a mask.’ Oh, my God.”

  Catrina slammed the book shut, picked it up and started toward the door.

  “I don’t understand,” the butler called.

  “I’m sorry, Antonio. I’ll have to explain later. This is important.” On her way out she yelled over her shoulder, “Thank you!”

  It was just after lunch when she returned to the apartment and Jacob was already up. He was sitting at the kitchen table using her laptop to do some research. Catrina tried to act casual and walked into the room still holding the journal.

  “How’s your research coming?” she asked breathlessly. “Any luck finding the necromancer? You know, the one they sent to kill you?”

  The harshness in her tone gave him pause and Jacob turned to look at her. Catrina slammed the book onto the table and turned to the page she’d read earlier.

  “When were you planning to tell me about this?” she asked with tears welling up in her eyes. “Uncle Harry describes him as wearing a hood and a mask.”

  He knew where she was going with this. “Catrina, that doesn’t mean anything.”

  “Doesn’t it? A man wearing a hood and mask raped my sister twenty years ago and nearly beat her to death! Twenty years ago he came here looking for you! How many people go around wearing a fucking mask and a hood, Jacob?! You tell me.”

  “He does it to conceal his identity,” he said. “No one’s ever actually seen his face. He could be anywhere, he could be anyone. That’s why it’s taken me so long to find him.”

  Catrina shook with the emotion of her words as she said, “He raped my sister and you know it. Why didn’t you say something?”

  “Catrina, I--”

  “He raped my sister,” she yelled.

  Jacob took her by the shoulders and shook her gently. “I know this,” he said. “I know this.” Something about the way he said those words made Catrina look up at him. “I don’t have any way to prove it,” he said. “We can’t go to the police with a theory.” Catrina snorted at the mention of law enforcement. “And I can’t take justice into my hands unless I know I’ve got the right man.”

  “Shit,” she said, wiping her eyes. Catrina pushed past him and took his seat at the table. “How close are you to finding him? Do you have any real leads?”

  “I think I’ve located his hiding place. But I was waiting to run it by Viktor before I went barging in. It’s fairly well guarded.” The priest reached over and took her hand as he said softly, “I only recently found out about his appearance. I didn’t want to upset you without proof.”

  “I’m sorry,” she said. “I shouldn’t have yelled at you.”

  “We’ll get him,” he promised.

  Catrina’s head was spinning with this new knowledge. She got dressed in a daze and decided to take in some fresh air before Alexander arrived.

  “I’ll meet him downstairs,” she said to Jacob. “So, I guess I’ll see you later tonight or tomorrow.”

  “Are you sure you feel up to going out?” he asked. “After what you learned today, maybe you should rest.”

  “Resting would only give me more time to dwell on it,” she said. “I’ll see you later.”

  She was standing on the first step, propped against the building when Alexander drove into the alley. The first thing he noticed was her legs. She was wearing a simple, but elegant black dress and her matching wrap looked like silk. Her long hair was swept back into a French twist and she was wearing a stunning diamond necklace. Alexander growled when he thought Vikto
r had probably given her the necklace.

  The past three months had not been easy on him. Though he and Catrina had grown closer, he was still considered her friend. He stopped the car and stepped outside, still trying to control his not-so-friendly thoughts.

  Catrina took one good look at him and much of her worries faded away. She had never seen the wolfman in a tux before and it was well worth the wait. His shoulder length blond hair was pulled back neatly and his pale blue eyes sparkled when he smiled at her. Catrina didn’t know how much longer she could keep her hands off of him. But she hadn’t worked up the nerve to present Viktor’s ideas just yet.

  “You look wonderful,” he said as he reached for her.

  “So do you,” she said, smiling.

  Chapter Twenty Eight

  They were on their way to see Othello, just like he’d promised a few months ago. Even though she smiled and tried to maintain polite conversation, Alexander knew something was bothering her.

  “What’s on your mind?” he asked.

  Catrina sighed. “You remember me telling you about my sister being attacked years ago?”

  “Yes.”

  “Well, there may be some new … evidence.”

  “You mean the police have re-opened the case?”

  “Not the police,” she said grimly.

  During the rest of their drive Catrina shared with him what she had learned earlier in the day. She also told him about the necromancer’s connection to Jacob.

  “Let me know when you find out something more,” Alex said as he opened her door. “Catrina.” He waited for her to look him in the eye. “You don’t go after this man alone, alright?”

  “Alright.”

  She stood on tiptoe to kiss his cheek and was nearly blinded by a camera flash.

  “Shit,” Alex said, ushering her toward the door. “You’re starting to get as much press attention as Viktor. And more than me,” he teased.

  After a few more minutes of the werewolf’s pleasant company, Catrina was able to put aside everything else and enjoy the evening. The play was wonderful and several hours later she and Alexander were sitting on her living room floor still discussing theatre.