Follow Me When the Sun Goes Down (10 page)

Deciding to be bold, I approached them, a faint smile pasted onto my face as I waited for my in to the conversation.  Felix rescued me as soon as he noticed me standing there and made an effort to include me into the circle.  “Oh, here she is.  Let me introduce the new bosslady, this is Anja Gudrun, Elder of the West.  Anja, you know Corley
.  And this is Jennike Vendal, Elder of the East,” he added unnecessarily. 

“I’m pleased to meet you, Your Grace,” I said formally, only to be given a brittle smile with just a hint of derision. 

“Oh, sweetie, we don’t stand on that kind of ceremony around here.  Do we Simon?  You can call me Jennike.”

I could tell that
Simon wanted to disagree in the worst way – he was all about formality, but he seemed committed to support the elegant brunette.  “That’s right.  We are all equals here,” he smiled benevolently.

“That’s nice of you, Jennike
.  And of course, you should call me Anja.”

“
Aren’t you a pretty little thing, let me get a look at you,” she said, her gaze raking over me with a critical eye.  “I can see why you’ve got the room buzzing, sweetie.  Careful though, being the flavor of the month tends to get a tad stale after a while.  It takes something special to endure.”

I really was starting to dislike her on a personal level that had nothing to do with politics. 
And if she called me sweetie one more time…
  “Yes, I know,” I replied, trying to remember that I was supposed to be older and wiser than her.  “I’ve also found it useful to know exactly who my friends are.”  Her, not being one of them.

“Well, I just know we’ll be great friends,” she gushed with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes.  “Oh, there’s someone important I have to say hi to.”  The implication being that I wasn’t important enough to hold her attention.  “Duty calls, you know.  We’ll talk more later.”

“Oh we’ll
definitely
have more to talk about later,” I agreed with a saccharine smile of my own.    

“Fabulous.  I’ll have my people call your people and set it up then.”  Jennike was already moving off, her dark eyes targeting
a new victim. 

“Can’t wait,” I murmured, refraining from saying anything less restrained with Corley still by my side.  “Great party, by the way,” I smiled at him.  “I’m looking forward to the festivities Felix was telling me about on the trip over.”

Corley’s brows rose a fraction.  “You find our entertainment lacking this evening?”

“Oh no, that’s not what I meant at all.  I’ve had a good time meeting people and stretching my legs after the long flight.  But he made some of the events sound really interesting.
”

“Perhaps you’re right about tonight though, we are lacking in any formal diversions.”  His voice rose loud enough to be heard over the din of conversation.  “Will the venerable Elder of the West honor us with a song?”

My mouth snapped shut almost the instant I noticed it gaping, completely taken aback by the request.  Though it didn’t fill me with the kind of dread I’d become accustomed to, thanks to Jakob’s compulsion, it made me wonder why he’d asked.  Was it a not so subtle dig behind the abundance of smiles?  

“Of course, I’d love to,” I smiled readily, in truth a little pumped at the idea of getting to perform in front of some of the oldest and wealthiest people on the planet.  For an instant I saw the cordial mask slip as a flicker of disappointment shot across his face at my ready acceptance, and I felt a petty stab of glee over the small victory.  The only thing that could
’ve made it better was a band to back me up, but the chances that the single pianist on duty knew the same songs I did was slim. 

Only what to sing?  I dug deep for a classic, intending on appealing to the crowd, settling on
Lo How a Rose E’er Blooming
, a sixteenth century German carol that seemed appropriate, given my age and background.  

Unaware that I had no trouble singing in public any longer, Rob gave my arm a reassuring squeeze as he guided me to the area in front of the piano.  “You got this,” he said gruffly, before backing off to stand beside Gunnar.  That small vote of confidence changed my frame of mind from trying to woo the respect of my peers to something completely different. 

When I drew in that first breath to sing, it wasn’t something ancient and traditional that came out, it was one of my favorites,
Is It A Crime
by Sade.  Slow and plaintive, I found myself singing about something I couldn’t have.  Someone I wanted to want me back. 

I couldn’t look at him.  

All eyes were on me, but I used a trick back from my nervous days and focused on a distant corner of the room.  Pouring my heart out into the lyrics, I felt my voice rise and fill the hall with deep regret and longing.  I felt him watching me, and even though I didn’t want to, even though I knew it wouldn’t be appropriate, the pull was so strong that I sang the last few bars to him and only him.  Was it a crime to want him?  The question hung heavy between us as the last few notes died in the air, and then Rob looked away, the spell broken. 

I lost sight of him for a moment as a few admirers closed ranks around me, Macallister among them. 

“Hey, that was right pretty.  Ya know anythin’ by Patsy Cline?” he asked. 

Rather than take a bunch of song requests, I diverted him into talking about his favorite performers.  Mac liked both kinds of music, country and western.  So did, it turned out by coincidence, the delegate from Salete
, who seemed to have a real cowboy fetish.  With the two of them happily gabbing away, I turned to make my escape, nearly running headlong into the waiting arms of a man who immediately pulled me into a tight embrace.  

“
If it isn’t my long lost sister,” he exclaimed.  “How nice to see you, Anja, luv.”

Sister?  It wasn’t Bishop, despite the clutch I could tell I’d never seen the man before, and whoever it was had a British accent.  It could only be one person, though I’d never seen a picture of him, and Bishop hadn’t been all that forthcoming on the details about him. 

“Aubrey?” I ventured, pressing my arms between us to get a better look at him.   

“In the flesh,” he replied with a saucy grin.  And what flesh it was.  Tall and well built with close cropped blonde hair, his blue eyes sparkled with good humor and charm.  His lips were surprisingly full and soft in the otherwise masculine face.  I could see what Carys found appealing about him right off the bat – the man was born for immortality.  His upper crust accent spoke of the best education and refinement money could buy, a sharp contrast to Rob’s street smart rasp. 

“Hands to yourself, mate,” Rob warned, coming up to physically separate me from the other man.  Aubrey let me go without complaint, but a hardness came into his eyes that hadn’t been there before.

“Is that any way to talk to family?” 

“Don’t care who you are, hands off.”  Rob gave him a tiny shove, which did nothing to move the powerful vampire.

Aubrey looked down at the hand on his chest with a smile, but his words were anything but friendly.  “Tell your pet to back off or he’ll be drawing back a stump.”

“Try it,” Rob bristled, positively spoiling for a fight.

“Boys…” I said urgently, not wanting to cause a scene.  “Rob, it’s fine.  I’d like to talk to Aubrey for a few minutes.  We’ll be out on the patio.”

Rob
backed down, but his expression remained stony.  “Stay in sight.”

“I will,” I promised.  “Just wait for me with Gunnar over there.  I’ll be fine.”

Aubrey offered me his arm with a triumphant flourish, all but parading me out onto the terrace.  He waited until we were well away from the house, but still within Rob’s line of sight, before he spoke again. 

“Well now, let me have a look at you,” he declared, spinning me around for effect.  “So, you’re the famous Anja.  I can see why Bishop kept you all to himself.”

He obviously knew a lot more about me than I knew of him.  “And you’re the infamous Aubrey.  So we haven’t met before then?  I thought maybe I might’ve forgotten you from that greeting back there.”

“Oh, just putting on a show for the locals.  It never hurts to claim relations with those in power, and you, my sweet, are definitely in power.  Mazeltov.”  He kissed my hand and then tucked it onto his arm again, walking me in a slow circle
beside the low terrace wall.

“Thanks.”

“Still, it’s odd our paths have never crossed before in all this time.”

I’d been anticipating something like this, and I had my answer ready.  “Do you spend much time in the West?”

“Can’t say that I do.”

“Well, there you go.  I’ve been there for ages.” 

“No matter.  We can get to know each other now, can’t we?”  He stopped our slow stroll, drawing me closer.

“As brother and sister?”  My gaze darted back to where Rob watched us like a hawk and I took a half step away from him, adding an extra cushion of space between us.

“If you like,” Aubrey replied easily enough, but I thought there might be a tinge of disappointment there.  “Do you always travel with them?”  His head jerked toward the pair of bodyguards.

“Wherever I go, they go.  It’s one of the perks of being Elder.”

“Even with family?”

“We just met.”

“But you already feel like you know me, don’t you?” His grin stretched wide again.  “Blood will tell.”

We did share a bloodline, just not like he thought we did.  “So, what brings you to the Gathering?  Do you work for Corley?”

“In a manner of speaking.  Not officially, I never was one to jump when given orders.  Unlike Ulrik of course, he’s been trained to follow since birth.  I prefer to decide my own fate.”

“And your fate brought you here for the Gathering?”

“Actually, I heard you’d be coming to this muddle and I confess, it’s partly why I came early.  Hoping to catch a glimpse of your beauty.”  He hit me with his best bedroom eyes, expecting me to eat it up, I suppose.  I probably would have a year ago, but somewhere along the way, I’d learned how to recognize a line when I heard it. 

“Wow.  So the politics had nothing to do with it?  You’re
only here for a glimpse of my charms, huh?  Why do I find that hard to believe?”

Instead of being angry that I’d called him out on it, he gave a little chuckle.  “Guilty.  I admit, I dabble a bit in world order.  It keeps things interesting, I find.”

“Yeah, me too.”

“Self deprecating, I like it,” he nodded in approval.  “No need to toot one’s own horn when the cream rises to the top.”

I wasn’t sure what he was going for mixing those two metaphors, but I started to get the idea he liked to talk just for the pleasure of hearing his own voice.  I was dying to hear how someone like him could dabble in such a thing without an official position, and of course there were a gazillion and two questions I had about his relationship with Bishop and Carys, but the vampire cop in question picked that moment to start talking to me again.

Okay, so not to me, entirely
.  It was Aubrey he addressed first as he strolled out onto the terrace.  “I might’ve known I’d find you out here,” he scowled, before turning to me.  “I see you’ve met Aubrey.”

The other vampire stiffened for half a second at the sight of his brother before his easy smile returned.  “Shame on you for not sharing our sister with me before, Ulrik.  Think of how much closer we could all be by now.”

I opened my mouth but snapped it shut again as I caught his meaning from the look in his eyes.  Had the two of them… with Carys?

It was clear the jab affected Bishop, his jaw clenched, voice tight when he replied.  “Have some respect when you talk about Anja
. She’s the Elder of the West.”

“Yes, and we all know what a dubious honor that is,” Aubrey drawled.  “You can’t really like it out there, do you?  Don’t you find you miss hanging out with your equals?”

So much for trying to charm me, or did he still think he was being charismatic?  “I’m thinking you believe that’s a short list,” I muttered, my eyes narrowing.   

“No one’s on the same rank as Aubrey, he’s a legend in his own mind,” Bishop smiled, easing somewhat as we found ourselves on the same side.  “Too bad he doesn’t live up to the hype.”

Aubrey tottered back a few steps, hand falling over his heart.  “You wound me, brother.”

“Not as much as I’d like to.”  Bishop’s green eyes positively snapped with malice.  “Whatever he tells you, you can pretty much count on believing the exact opposite.”

“It was you who always preferred to keep secrets.  Especially from…”

“Don’t even say her name,” Bishop growled.  “You know damn well what you drove her to with your pack of lies.”

Aubrey’s eyes widened.  “You can’t still blame me…”

“Guys…” I interrupted.  They were starting to draw some attention from inside the mansion.  As much as I wanted to find out more about their complicated past together, I was fairly sure they didn’t want to broadcast it to the rest of the guests.  “I don’t think this is the right place for this discussion.”

“He started it,” Aubrey pouted.  “All I wanted was a spot of private conversation.”

Bishop wouldn’t let him get any further.  “Enough.  This is a big house, I’m sure there’s an elsewhere you’d rather be.”

“Oh, no, I like it here fine.  Don’t you, sweets?” Aubrey replied glibly, not intimidated by Bishop’s brawn in the least.  Even though Aubrey lacked Bishop’s training, I reasoned the brothers were probably pretty equally matched for strength, only being a few years apart.  He didn’t seem to really need my validation though, he never took his eyes off of Bishop.   

“It wasn’t a request.  Move along or I’ll have to move you.”

“You can’t do anything here, brother dear.  Sanctuary, remember?”  His smile was beatific, but Bishop leaned in, lips curving into a dangerous smirk of his own.

“I make the rules here.  Some things might be worth a slap on the wrist.”

“Not that one.  It predates you by a millennia or so,” Aubrey declared loftily.  “I can see why your brains might have turned to jelly, off rotting in the hinterlands though, so I’ll let it slide this once.  He’s just jealous, you know,” he said, turning to me.  “But I expect you’d know all about that, wouldn’t you, sweets?”

“Piss off or I’ll remind you,” Bishop snarled, and this time Aubrey did take a step or two backwards, a hint of apprehension in his eyes before he regained his bravado.

“Delightful turn of phrase you’ve picked up from the colonies.  But as I’ve no desire to have my insides rearranged or ventilated, I’ll bid you goodnight.”  Aubrey clicked his heels together in a mocking bow to Bishop before leaning in to kiss my cheek.  “Lovely to have met you, sister dear.”

“Nice to have met you too,” I murmured, not sure what else to say after the crazy turn the conversation had taken once Bishop showed up. 

I thought Bishop might take off as well, but he lingered, waiting to speak until Aubrey was well away from the terrace.  “Are you alright?”

W
hat did he think Aubrey did to me?  “I’m a little bewildered, but of course I’m fine, we were only talking.  You know, one of these days you’re going to have to tell me more about the two of you and what happened to Carys.”

“Not today.”

“Fair enough,” I murmured, letting it go rather than risk having him blow his top.  We were almost having a real conversation for once and I didn’t want to jinx it.  “Maybe I should ask you if you’re alright?  You look like you’re wound tighter than a drum.  If I touch you you’ll fly apart.”  I reached out to touch him and his hand flicked out to catch my wrist.  “See?”  Bishop let go of my wrist, and I continued my motion, my fingers brushing lightly at the hair over his ear.  “Your hair is so short…”  It was soft, like a short hair cat’s fur. 

“It’s easier to take care of this way.”  His head ducked to the side to avoid my touch and I dropped my hand. 

“I like it, it’s different.  Of course, I liked it before.”  I didn’t think it was possible for there to be a bad look on him. 

“You look…”  His eyes skimmed over the dress and I gave a slow pivot, showing it off. 

“Do you like it?  It’s one of the perks of the job.”

Compliments forgotten, the furrow returned to his brow.  “How in the hell did you end up as Elder?”

“Beats the heck out of me,” I grumbled and the corner of his mouth twitched into an almost smile.

“You always did know how to step into the middle of things.”

“Hey, I only went down there to meet the candidates.  I knew Felix was on me to throw my hat into the ring, so I laid into them with a list of demands so nuts I was sure I’d be out of the race.  But… here I am.”  My hands flopped up and to my sides again. 

“
I can imagine.  That’s the sort of thing those politicos eat right up.”

“Oh sure, I know that
now
.  Too bad there was no one around to give me the heads up at the time.”  I gave him a pointed look.  There was a time when he’d been the one to give me the needed advice to steer me away from trouble. 

Bishop looked away, his gaze resting on the patio doors where Rob and Gunnar looked on.  “It seems like you’re surrounded by plenty of handlers.”

“There was always room for you in my life, Bishop.”  Not that I expected us to pick up where we left off before, but I didn’t like the uncomfortable estrangement between us either.  I have no idea what Bishop felt on the subject though, because he changed it.

“Look, I’m glad we have a few minutes alone, there’s something I wanted to talk to you about.”

“You are?  I mean, there is?”

“Yes.  I’ve heard some things about they way you’re running the West.”

Here we go…
“And it bothers you in some way?”

“You’re damned right it bothers me.”  His voice dropped, but felt no less urgent despite the intimacy.  “Providing phony documents to people?  Giving them Sanctuary in your own home?  Are you nuts?  Or do you just have a death wish?”

“Believe it or not, I was trying to avoid death.”

“Of all the stupid, misguided…”

“Hey, I don’t have to stand here and be insulted.”  I hadn’t expected him to understand, and it’s not like it had never occurred to me how risky it was.  But he’d given up the right to tell me what to do, not that I’d ever listened before anyway.  I turned to leave, more than happy to end the conversation.

“Look, I’m sorry…”
He caught my hand and I let him stop me, giving Rob a tiny shake of the head when I saw him start forward.  “It’s just… when I think about the risks you took...  What were you thinking?”

Turning back, I could see something behind the frustration in Bishop’s voice.  He really did care, no matter how much of an ass he chose to be about it.  “I was thinking that people deserve more of a chance than the Order gives, and I did what was needed to help them survive.  You and I both know how outdated the Order’s charter has become.  Times have completely changed since the
Ellri
set it up.”