by Lynne Stevie
“What’s all the fuss about? Did we win something?” Alan was looking over my shoulder at the new shoes. I hid the card against the bottom of the box and showed him the shoes.
“Just some shoes that I ordered to replace the ones I lost the other night, no big deal.”
“Fancy.” Then he turned to get some more coffee. I was never more thankful that, like most men, he’d never really cared about clothes or shoes.
While his back was turned, I slipped the note into the box and closed the lid. He filled his mug and leaned against the counter, smiling at me.
“That’s all it takes to make you happy? I should have bought them for you days ago. If I didn’t know you better, I’d say you were giddy. What’s up?” He sipped his coffee, appraising me. I felt as though he could look right through my lies.
“The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, and I guess a woman’s is through her feet.” Smiling, I walked over with the shoes under my arm and gave him a peck on the cheek. I felt guilty lying to him, as if I was having an affair. “I’m heading up to grab a quick shower. If Dennis gets here before I get back, just tell him to get started, he knows what to do. Love you.” And I took off for the stairs without looking back.
Looking down at the shoes, I knew that I’d have to end this involvement with Ellasar somehow. Keeping secrets from Alan was just shitty, and I couldn’t keep lying to him.
Chapter 17
Re-Building Alliances
As soon as I turned the water off in the shower, I heard Dennis yelling and sledge hammers pounding. It’s ironic that Big Daddy Seraiah built the original sunroom, and now his great-grandson is rebuilding it. I wondered if that’s where Dennis got his carpentry talent. He’s probably already thinking of ways to make the room larger or grander. I dried off fast and got dressed in a hurry to get downstairs and contain his “creative genius.”
“Hey, Sis, how you holdin’ up? Man, has it been a couple of shitty days for you or what?” He gave me a big hug.
“You have no idea, Dennis.” He looked down at me and his face wrinkled up as if he were working a puzzle.
“What?” I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. “Do I have tooth paste on my face?”
“No,” he said, laughing. “Are you doing something different to your hair? I can’t figure it out. You look different.”
“Really?” What should I say to that? He never notices how I look unless I have a booger sticking out of my nose.
“Yeah, I’d look like shit after the last few days you’ve had, but you look...great.”
“Just a good night’s sleep,” I answered lightly punching his ribs. I would have tickled him, but he doesn’t like it when I mess with him around the guys. “So what do you think? Is anything salvageable?” I wanted to change the subject.
“Not really. I’m sorry. I know how much you liked this room.”
“At least no one got burnt.” I swallowed hard as I remembered Zeke dragging off the decapitated body. “Everything else can be fixed. Right?”
“Right.” He nodded.
“Can you put it back the way it was? I really loved all the glass and looking out at the stars.”
“Sure, Sis, but—”
“Ah-ah-ah!” Shaking my head and my finger at him, I tried to jump in before he could detail his big renovation ideas.
“Let me finish! You don’t even know what I was going to say.”
“No way! We are not making it bigger or more tricked out. I don’t want retractable ceiling panels or granite floors. Just put it back the way it was—please. I’m begging you, Dennis.”
“She’s got your number, ‘Mr. Tool Man’! Ha-ha-ha!” One of the guys couldn’t resist a jab at Dennis.
“Yeah, yeah, get back to work, Dale.” Dennis wasn’t laughing, but I knew he wasn’t mad.
“Listen, Lex. I could raise it to the same level as the main house. Extend it by a couple of feet in each direction. You’ve got the space on the lot, and if you ever sell, it would help. You could call it a family room. I was thinking about slate for the floors. No one uses granite for floors. It’s too slippery.”
I shook my head, but he didn’t stop.
“Let me draw it up, see what you think. It would be a great project for me to put on the web. Either way, Sis, you won’t have to pay for any of this. I’ll work with the insurance adjuster. They’re a pain in the ass, you know. They won’t want to pay enough even to put it back the way it was. Just think about it.”
I was still shaking my head, but he continued anyway. “The dumpster should be here in about an hour. I’ll be doing demo for the rest of today and tomorrow. So you don’t have to decide anything right now. Okay.” Then he turned and jumped down into the…what was my sun porch. So much for containing him.
Oh, well. I would like to have the room on the same level as the rest of the house. I’d try to keep an open mind.
“Hey Dennis, I’ve got to get to the office. I’ll look at drawings, but I’m not saying yes, got me?”
“Got it, Sis. I’ll talk to you later tonight.”
“Okay. Hey, do you know where Alan went?”
“Nah, he just said he had a meeting to get to and that you’d be down in a sec.”
“Okay. Thanks for making time for me, Dennis. I know you’re busy.”
“Don’t thank me till you see the finished product. You’ll love it!” He waved at me and went back to work, giving orders and talking on the phone. That thing was forever in his hand, sending texts, emails, or calling someone. Most of the time, he was doing all three things at once.
Looking at Dennis, the only bright spot in the mess that used to be a room, I suddenly felt worried. What if someone came looking for me and found him? Would—whoever it was—know that Dennis is one of us, whatever we are? Is he one of us? Dennis doesn’t have the same birth mark as I do. Does that mean he’d be safe? I turned and headed for the front door pulling my phone from my back pocket on the way. I needed to talk to B anyway; I might as well ask her about Dennis, too.
Zeke met me on the porch.
“Hey, buddy, want to come along for the ride? We can stop at the pet store on the way. Bet you’re hungry.” I patted his head and he barked his affirmation. “Come on, then.”
We got in my Jeep; Bonnie Raitt blasted from the speakers as we started down the drive. I hit the off button and Zeke settled into the back seat. As I turned onto Main Street, I dialed B. William answered, of course. Did that woman ever answer her own phone?
“Ms. Alexandria, it is good to hear your voice. Please wait and I will tell your grandmother that you’re on the line.”
I waited, turning onto the old beach road. I felt like taking the long way today. The big beach houses and small restaurants left just enough room for me to sneak a peek at the crystal-clear water as I waited for B.
“Alexandria, how can I help you today?” She sounded as if I might be calling to borrow a cup of sugar.
“Hey, B, I mean Beatrix. Sorry, old habits are hard to break. I need to ask a favor.”
“Yes, dear.” She sounded curious and a little apprehensive.
“Is Ben still my shadow?”
“Yes.” Still with a curious tone. I have to admit I enjoyed having her wonder where this line of questioning was going.
“Can you have him watch Dennis instead?” She didn’t immediately say no, so I barreled ahead. “I just left my house and Dennis is there doing the demo on the porch. He just looked like a sitting duck. Will they know what he is? Is he one of us? I mean he had the same parents. He might be in danger, too.”
“Our Angel’s Kiss is more than a birthmark. It’s a sign of our power. Dennis is a simple human and not of interest to them. As long as he’s not a threat, he’ll be fine.” She sounded sure of herself.
“Well, here’s the thing. Normally, I’d trust your judgment. But none of this seems ordinary. You didn’t know about the Janecks or that Ellasar could control me outside of my dreams. I’d feel better if som
eone were watching him. As a matter of fact, I’d like to have someone watch Alan, too.”
“Alexandria, how many people do you think I have? I’ve given you my best in Ben, and now you want two more to watch Dennis and Alan. Dennis I can see, but Alan?”
Her tone was so condescending that my hackles went up.
“What’s your problem with Alan? You’ve never even had a conversation with him. Why the attitude?” I turned into the Winn Dixie. They should have a pet section, I thought.
“My attitude toward your husband is not important at this juncture. What’s important is your safety. It is true, Alexandria, that I have a lot of armed people around me. But very few know what they are supposed to protect me from. They are my soldiers, my front line of defense, and they are—expendable.”
She heard my shocked intake of breath.
“I won’t apologize for protecting myself. You are naive about the world we live in. Your father persuaded me to keep you in the dark, and now that naiveté is coming back to haunt you. This is a war, and no good general would say they’re sorry for having a front line. My team is paid well and knows they may see some combat.”
“What do you mean by war?” The shock was still evident in my voice.
“That’s not for you to worry about now. However, you need to know that I am always fighting to stay free of the immortals who want to use us to build their strength and power. Our life force is an elixir to them. Kings can be made with the power that they take from us. And we can be used in other ways; I can’t explain all of this over the phone.”
I remembered the question that Ellasar told me to ask.
“Beatrix, tell me about granddad.”
“Why would you ask me such a question now?” Her voice had taken on a venomous quality.
“My new friend Ellasar told me to ask. He said it might help me understand why he wanted me and why I would be so...attracted to him.” What an understatement. I was drawn to him like a diabetic to a Snickers ice cream bar. Knowing he could kill me didn’t stop me from wanting him. “So, what’s up, B?”
“I will not have this conversation over the phone. And I’ll remind you for the last time that my name is Beatrix.”
Ooh, this must be bad. I’d have to thank Ellasar later for telling me what to ask. Damn, he’s good. Where did he get his info? Shit, now I was feeling grateful to him, after I’d been ready to kill him for using me and dragging me through those visions.
“Beatrix, I’m not making a trip out there just to ask you a question you can answer over the phone. What’s so important about granddad? Is there another angel in the closet?” I laughed to myself. What a difference a few days can make in your perceptions of the world!
“My husband Harold was not your biological grandfather.”
Now, that was a bomb. I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. I’m glad the car was already in park or I might have hit something.
“You speak of the incredible draw that this Ellasar has for you. I can fully understand that draw. You must not act on this attraction. You need to use all your strength to stay away from him. He will use that attraction, and you will lose your will to say no.”
“Oh, how could you have...never mind. I get it, the attraction is...overpowering.” Then I remembered what Ellasar had said last night. I laid my head on the steering wheel.
“Beatrix, Ellasar said that a prophecy foretold I would bear his sons. The only thing that kept me sane was that Zeke was with me.” I felt tired and desperate. “Ellasar controlled Zeke, too. He said he wouldn't hurt him if he behaved. Zeke couldn't get close enough to attack. He was chained or just blocked every time he tried. Ellasar said he’d been waiting for me for a long time. The dreams last night were incredible. He took me through places in my life and then into his. I was sailing on the Nile while I held Alan’s hand back in our bed. Beatrix, how the hell do I fight that?”
“Did you have sex with him?”
“No!”
“It sounds as though you did just fine last night. I’m not sure about this Zeke, but he seems to have your interests at heart. He must be powerful if he was able to come into a dream that Ellasar conjured. I wonder—is he with you now?”
“Yeah, he’s going to the office with me. Alan’s not real happy about having a dog, especially one as big as a bear, but I just feel better when he’s with me.”
I looked into the back seat. As I turned, I came nose to nose with Zeke, and he licked me. “Aw, yuck!”
“Alexandria?”
“I’m fine. Zeke’s just telling me he wants to stay with me, too.” I wiped my face with my sleeve, and when I patted his head, he jumped up into the front seat. “Hey—what did you mean ‘I wonder’? What were you going to say?”
“Nothing.” Silence.
Oookaaay, that subject’s dead. “Will I ever meet my...” I floundered, “biological grandfather?”
“No! Not if I can help it.”
So far I’m batting two for two. “Do you have any more information you can give me today? Have you heard anything about the Janeck case?”
I suddenly had another thought.
“Hey, B, why wasn’t there any blood at the scene of the crime? The bodies were drained.” I remembered the man who attacked me and my blood on his face. “Were they killed by immortals?”
“They were immortals. And their bodies are missing from the morgue.”
“What do you mean missing?”
“I mean gone. Immortals clean up after themselves. They don’t want humans to become aware of their existence. I’m sure they disposed of the bodies. Whoever killed them had to be very powerful. The female was more than 1,000 years old, to have lived that long, she would have been very smart and strong. What I don’t understand is why they were left there to be found. I wonder if the reason was so that you could witness it.”
“Why would anyone do that?” I wasn’t enjoying finding out about these things. I’ve lived for twenty-seven years without drama, and now I’m drowning in it.
“For one thing, it forced me to tell you everything about your heritage and bring you into the fold, so to speak. Also, I’ve verified that it was the Janecks who hired that assassin. The murderer most likely saved your life.”
“But if they wanted to protect me, why leave the bodies for me to see?”
“I am still working on that. Perhaps a chance meeting brought you to someone’s attention, which I doubt. Or perhaps someone very close has betrayed us.” She hissed that last part and she sounded so mean that the hair on the back of my neck stood up and a shiver ran down my spine.
“We’ll come by later so you can meet Zeke.” I rubbed my forehead, which reminded me how little I really knew about what was happening to me. “Beatrix, you never explained why the bodies were drained. Can immortals feed from one another?” I was sick of feeling like I was watching a foreign film without subtitles. Shouldn’t there be some sort of guide?
“It’s complicated.”
“It can’t be that complicated. Why wasn’t there any blood?”
“All right. You’re ready for the truth, then.” Beatrix paused for effect. She loved to be dramatic. “The blood and the energy are released when the immortal is beheaded or burnt or, better yet, both.”
I leaned back in the driver’s seat and closed my eyes. She couldn’t be serious.
“You…are you…shit. You’re serious. What do you mean, released?” And when did I wake up in the Twilight Zone?
“Do you believe in ghosts, Alexandria?”
“I don’t know what I believe anymore. I’ve never seen a ghost, but I’d never seen a vampire, immortal, or whatever until a few days ago, either.”
“I’ll take that as a no, dear. I do believe in ghosts. When immortals attack humans, they take the human life force, the energy that animates us with the blood, leaving the victim’s spirit or soul trapped. The victims become ghosts. Their spirits are released when the immortal is finally ended. As for the blood, the immortals actual
ly take very little from their victims and it is simply absorbed into the immortals’ flesh. It does not run in their veins. They are not alive as we are.”
“O...kay, but I need to understand what I’m up against. Immortals aren’t like vampires in the movies. So I’m a little lost. How can I protect myself?”
“You are correct. Immortals are not like the fictional creatures that are so romanticized today. They are after your very life essence. Transdifferentiation is the process I believe they use to rejuvenate themselves. They can appear to be 80 years old one day and a teenager the next. Most choose an age that suits their needs and strive to keep their bodies at that age through regular feedings. Ellasar’s heritage is one of the things that worry me the most; he is most certainly very old and powerful.”
“Still not getting to the protection part.”
“My grandfather was one of many charged with exterminating these immortals. We know that Seraiah and the other Dark Angels were unable to kill all of them. For now, keep Zeke by your side. The mark of Seraiah, your Angel’s Kiss, will help you fight Ellasar’s power.”
“And that’s it? Take Zeke with me and hope for the best? Not promising, B.” This was bad. Much worse than I’d feared. And I was the lucky one.
“What about Dennis and Alan? Can you provide someone to shadow them? They’re innocent, and they can be used against me.” If I had to make a choice, I’d sacrifice myself to save them. But I didn’t want to have to make that choice.
“I’ll see what I can do. However, I have only a few guardians who know the truth. Very few are up to the task. Most people are happy living in their own worlds. It is a great burden to open someone’s eyes to this reality.” She sounded tired.
“Thanks, Beatrix. I’ll see you tonight.” I pulled myself back from the pit I felt like falling into and looked at Zeke, who sat on the passenger seat drooling.
“I’m going in to get you some kibble, buddy. I’ll be right back. Any requests?” He just rolled his big head, hopped to the back seat, and lay down.
Talking to a dog might be nuts, but I guess talking to a dog was the least of my worries. I put down the windows a crack and locked the doors before rushing through the light drizzle that had started while I spoke to B.