Kindling Flames: Smoke Rising (The Ancient Fire Series Book 3) (23 page)

Jack actually swallowed before he responded. “Good evening.”

Vicky had to give the guy credit. Even though he was intimidated, the rich English accent didn’t waver. “Mom.” Vicky stepped in to give a proper introduction. “I would like you to meet Darien.”

Darien stepped up and looked over Ann. It was easy to see that the middle-aged woman was Vicky’s mother. They had the same bone structure in their faces and the same dark blonde hair, but Ann’s locks were shorter. She had the same, rather plain look Vicky had worn when he first met her, but Darien was sure her face would light up in the same way Vicky’s did when she smiled. Standing just shorter than her daughter, Ann was fuller in the body. Not really fat, but a healthy weight that comes from a comfortable lifestyle and age.

He took Ann’s hand in the same way Jack had taken Vicky’s, bowed over it, and kissed it softly. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Westernly.” Darien looked up at Vicky’s mom with dazzling green eyes.

Vicky couldn’t help but notice the contrast in the greetings. They were virtually identical in poise and posture, but the motions were very different. Jack’s bow had the air of something practice for long hours—too perfect and forced. Darien’s felt like something hard-learned over a long time of use—looser, but more natural. Vicky could see Jack physically bristle.

“Oh my,” Ann said breathlessly as a blush rose up her face. “Hello.” She regained some of her senses as Darien released her and turned his attention to Jack.

“Welcome to Brenton.” Darien held out his hand for the young man.

Jack took it politely. “Thank you for having us,” he said a little stiffly.

Darien nodded his head and released the man’s hand. Yipping by his ankle drew his attention down to the small dog wanting an introduction. “All right,” Darien acquiesced to the fay’s demands and scooped him up so that the new people could see him. “This is Zak.”

“He’s so adorable,” Ann cooed over the little dog.

Zak wiggled happily as she reached out and scrunched her fingers into his fur.

“May I?” She held her hands out, and Darien handed the little dog over to the woman.

Zak went willingly, and Ann giggled as he licked at her face. She settled him into her arms and petted his head.

“Why don’t we get your stuff and head inside?” Vicky reached out and scratched Zak’s head as she talked. “Dinner is almost ready.”

Ann agreed and set the fay down so she could open the trunk to get the bags.

“Allow me.” Darien reached for a suitcase and a cooler out of the back.

“That’s heavy,” Jack warned as Darien lifted the cooler with ease. He raised an eyebrow, shocked that Darien hadn’t struggled with the box.

“I’ve got it.” Darien stepped back so Jack could pull a duffle bag out and shut the lid.

“This way.” Vicky grabbed her mom’s arm and pulled her towards the stone building on the corner.

Ann pressed the button on her key, making the car chirp as the alarm set.

“Darien spent the evening making manicotti.”

Ann glance back over her shoulder, surprised that the man carrying her bag had cooked.

“Here we are.” Vicky pulled Ann’s attention back to the front.

Ann stepped through the door Vicky was holding and gasped as soon as she saw the huge chandelier that dominated the white marble lobby. “Oh my!” Ann’s eyes followed the sweeping staircase around the lobby to the open railing of the second floor.

Ethan stood up and tugged on the front of his uniform so he looked good. “Good evening, Mr. Ritter,” he said from his place behind the mahogany and marble counter.

“Good evening, Ethan,” Darien answered and led his guests past the concierge to the elevators.

Ann stared at the man in shock as Vicky took hold of her mother’s arm and propelled her behind Darien. “You shouldn’t be surprised, Mom,” Vicky said softly as they walked. “You know who he is.”

Ann nodded, but she still couldn’t find her voice as they stepped into the elevator.

Jack followed along behind them, trying to maintain an air of mystery. It was obvious he was out of his league against Darien, but he was working hard at playing the part of a vampire.

Darien let Vicky punch in the code and stood quietly in the back of the elevator, considering Jack’s act and how the man was going to handle the threshold.

“How far up are we going?” Ann asked as the numbers on the elevator climbed.

“Fourteen,” Vicky answered.

Zak bounced over and nuzzled Ann’s leg until the older woman picked him up.

“He’s just so cute.” Ann scratched Zak’s head again.

Vicky shook her head and waited for the door to open. “Come on, Mom.” She led the way through the foyer and into the living room.

Ann stepped off the elevator and looked around for a moment before following her daughter.

Darien stepped off and looked back at Jack. He considered leaving the man there, pretending, but he decided to be a good host for a little longer. “You are welcome in my home as long as Mrs. Westernly wants you here.” Darien shot Jack a warning look before following the girls off the elevator.

Jack stared at the back of the three people walking away from him for a moment before following them. His eyes stopped on Zak, who had worked his way up to Ann’s shoulder. He was sure the little dog was glaring at him as the girls disappeared through the doorway.

“This is amazing.” Ann looked around at the large living room dressed in various shades of blue. The lamps next to the seating gave the room a dark-but-cozy quality, and the fire set in the angel stone fireplace cast a warm glow that reflected off the wood. Ann bumped into her daughter’s side. “If I knew you were being kept so well, I wouldn’t have worried about you losing your apartment.”

“Mom!” Vicky was exasperated that her mother would say such a thing in front of Darien.

Darien just smiled and set Ann’s bag down. He turned his attention to Jack, raising the cooler up. “Does this need to go in the refrigerator?”

“That’s my dinner.” Jack held out his hand for the cooler. “I’m sure you don’t want it in your refrigerator.”

Darien waved the protest away. “That’s no problem.” Taking the cooler, he pushed the sliding panel back to expose the dining room. He walked past the oak table already set for four and into the kitchen.

Jack dropped his bag on the floor next to Ann’s and followed Darien. He paused as Darien set the cooler down and opened the refrigerator door. “It is really okay to leave it in the cooler.” Jack stepped in to stop Darien from unloading the icebox. “It’s a Yeti, so it will keep.”

“Nonsense.” Darien pulled the tabs and opened the top of the cooler.

Jack almost freaked out when Darien lifted the bottle of red liquid out of the ice. “When Victoria said that you were a vampire, I took your dietary needs into consideration.” Darien set the bottle onto the lowest shelf and pulled a medical pouch out of the crisper drawer. He tossed it over to Jack.

The man caught it and flipped it over to look at the label.

“Fresh drawn this afternoon,” Darien explained as he fished out the second bottle and placed it next to the first.

“Where did you get fresh blood?” Ann asked as she stepped into the kitchen.

“One of Darien’s companies is into medical research,” Vicky explained.

“That is so kind of you.” Ann smiled.

Jack held the bag out for Darien to take back.

The corners of Darien’s mouth twitched up just slightly as he relieved his guest of the offered blood and placed it back into the drawer. Jack had been quick about it, but Darien had caught the look of revulsion that passed over his eyes when he realized what he was holding.

“That is too kind of you.” Jack stepped back from Darien.

“Not at all.” Darien closed the refrigerator and latched the cooler shut. “I wouldn’t be a good host if I didn’t see to my guests’ needs.” Darien picked up the cooler and carried it to the door in the corner of the kitchen. He set it just inside the storage room so that it was out of the way.

“Thank you for your consideration.” Jack bowed his head slightly. “As it is, I’ve already eaten tonight.”

“Jack thought it would be better if he ate before we left,” Ann explained. “So his diet wouldn’t upset you.”

“I do hope you will still join us for dinner and conversation.” Darien gave Jack a somewhat expectant look.

“But of course,” Jack answered.

“Excellent.” Darien smiled. “Victoria, if you wouldn’t mind showing them around, I’ll have dinner ready in a few minutes.”

“Come on, Mom.” Vicky turned to lead her mother back through the dining room.

Jack nodded his head to Darien and followed behind the girls.

Darien chuckled to himself as he checked the food cooking on the stove. Messing with Jack was going to be a lot more fun than he had first thought.

“This is magnificent.” Ann cut up another piece of the chicken and cheese-stuffed noodles. “Where did you ever get the recipe?” Ann took another bite.

“Catalonia,” Darien answered.

Ann looked at him thoughtfully. “Isn’t that in Spain?” she asked, looking down at the food on her plate. “I thought manicotti was Italian.”

“Yes it is, but technically, these are cannelloni.” Darien shrugged. “They are often confused because they both come from the same general region.” Darien stirred his sauce around. “The marinara is a traditional Italian recipe. It goes very well with calamari.” Darien licked some of the sauce from his fork.

“I would like to try that,” Ann said happily.

“I might be able to arrange that.” Darien’s eyes flashed over to Zak curled up on the couch, watching them. He was still upset with the horror for not protecting Vicky from the fay.

Zak growled, and Vicky kicked Darien softly under the table.

Darien accepted the punishment for his tease without protest. He looked over to the young man sitting next to Ann and changed the subject. “So, how are you enjoying the wine, Jack?”

“It’s very good,” Jack answered as he swirled it around in his glass.

Darien had offered Jack a plate of the savory chicken dish, but the young man had refused on the grounds that vampires couldn’t eat solid food. He had, however, accepted the Italian Chianti Darien had paired with the food. Darien had chosen this wine because he knew it was strong and went well with the tomato-based sauce. The food would help to tone down the alcohol in Vicky and Ann, but he’d had a feeling that Jack would accept the drink but not the food. If his assumptions were correct, Jack had not had any solid food for a while and would feel the effects of the wine long before the girls did. “Thank you.” Darien picked up his glass for a sip of the wine. “It’s a Chianti Riserva, made with mostly Sangiovese and just a hint of Cabernet Sauvignon,” he said, showing off his knowledge of wines. The look that crossed Jack’s face showed that this information was lost on him, so Darien changed where he was going with the thought. “A decent wine, but I never thought it went well with fava beans or liver.”

Vicky nearly choked on her food as she tried to laugh around the mouthful.

Darien patted her gently on the back as she coughed into her napkin.

Ann chuckled quietly as Jack gave Darien and Vicky a distraught look. He wasn’t sure why Vicky had thought the comment was funny.

“Are you all right, Victoria?” Jack asked, concerned.

Vicky took a small drink of the wine to clear her throat. “Yes,” she said hoarsely, clearing her throat again. “I think I will survive.” She shot Darien a dirty look that made her mother giggle.

A smug, little grin crossed his face. “Good,” he teased. “I’m sure Zak would have tried to eat me if you died from a bad joke.” Darien looked down at the fay trying to climb into Vicky’s lap to make sure she was okay.

“I’m fine.” Vicky moved back and let Zak into her lap.

“I thought he was your dog, Darien.” Ann watched the way Zak sniffed Vicky several times before settling down.

“Oh, no,” Darien denied. “He is very much his own dog.” Reaching over, he scratched Zak’s head. “Although he
has
claimed Victoria and is somewhat protective of her.”

Zak growled at Darien and snapped his teeth near the vampire’s hand.

“Be good.” Vicky popped Zak on the bottom. “Both of you.” She shot Darien a sidelong glance that made him raise his hands in surrender before he returned to his meal. Vicky rolled her eyes at them and shook her head. “They do this all the time.” She sighed and fished a chunk of chicken out of her plate, holding it down for the fay.

“It’s not good to feed a dog human food,” Ann reprimanded her daughter.

“It’s okay.” Vicky wiped her hand on her napkin before going back to her dinner. “Zak has a cast-iron stomach and can eat about anything.”

“I have a few pairs of pants that can attest to that,” Darien said softly into his wineglass.

Zak gurgled at him happily.

Vicky just shook her head and ignored the boys. “So,” she looked over at Jack, “how long have you been a vampire?”

This time, Darien nearly snorted his wine. He and Vicky had a long talk about what questions were inappropriate to ask unknown vampires, and this one had been on the very top of the list.

“I was bitten in 1873.” Jack smiled mysteriously.

“So, around 150 years,” Vicky quickly calculated. “That’s a long time.”

Darien schooled the grin from his face before anyone could see it. “How did it happen?” he said, asking the second question you weren’t supposed to ask vampires.

Jack went into an elaborate tale set in Victorian London of a sudden attack that left him changed forever. Darien egged him on, and Jack spun a story of misery, fear, and blood that almost made
An Interview with a Vampire
sound like a walk in the park. Jack stopped several times in his story to make sure that Ann was okay with his description, but Darien urged him on while refilling the man’s glass.

It was obvious to Darien that Jack had put some real thought into his cover story. He had several important dates and events woven in that Darien was familiar with but had only read about. He had been in America during much of the time Jack was claiming to have been in England. Jack’s tale went on to end in a general discontent with his status as a vampire and his desire to make amends for the wrongs he had committed.

“So, you’re not happy being a vampire anymore?” Darien asked, processing the young man’s story.

“No.” Jack shook his head and took another sip of the wine. “The world is not as hard as it used to be, and I have seen too much death in my time.”

Darien nodded his head in agreement, knowing exactly what Jack was pretending to feel. He had seen the world soften over the time he had walked its surface. “Forgive me for asking, but if life has become so difficult for you, why do you continue?” Darien tilted his head as he considered the young man.

“I was ready to put an end to it all,” Jack smiled and looked over at Ann, “but I found something worth living for.” He took up her hand and kissed the back lovingly, making Ann blush and giggle.

Vicky had to bite her tongue to keep from snapping. Standing up from her chair, she picked up the empty plates to take them to the kitchen. She needed to get out of there for a moment before she smacked the boy. “I got this.” She rested her hand on Darien’s shoulder as he started to rise. “It’ll just take me a moment to come back with dessert.

Darien nodded his agreement and settled back into his chair to question Jack more about life as a vampire.

Ann gave her daughter a concerned look as Vicky took her plate, but Vicky only smiled softly, reassuring her mother that she was fine. Ann nodded and turned her attention back to Jack and Darien’s conversation.

Vicky drew in a calming breath as soon as she stepped into the kitchen and shut the conversation out. She knew that every word Jack spoke was a lie, and it was starting to piss her off. It didn’t help that her mother was eating it up as fast as he could dish it out. Vicky set the used plates on the counter and opened the refrigerator door to pull out the tiramisu that Darien had made for dessert. She paused when her eyes landed on the bottles of ‘blood’ that Jack had brought. Curiosity pushed her, and she picked one of the jars up.

The bottle looked like an old-school glass transfusion bottle that she had seen on shows like
MASH
. She rolled the container around and watched as the red liquid inside coated the glass. She had spent enough time around Darien to recognize blood, and whatever was in the bottle looked the part. Vicky glanced over at the door to the dining room to verify she was alone before pulling the top off the bottle. She sniffed it carefully but was not rewarded with the sharp, metallic tang of blood. Vicky looked at the door one more time before sticking her finger into the bottle and coating the tip with the thick contents. Carefully, she rubbed the fluid between her fingers before tentatively touching it to her tongue. She chuckled as the sweetness of corn syrup filled her mouth. Recapping the bottle of fake blood, she put it back before pulling their dessert from the refrigerator. It would be entertaining to see if Jack really did drink any of that during his stay. Drinking straight Karo couldn’t be good for anyone’s system, especially someone that was fasting.

Cutting three pieces of the cake, Vicky placed them on plates to take back to the dining room. She had just stretched the plastic back over the tiramisu when a thought struck her. Pulling out another plate, she cut a fourth piece before returning the dessert to the refrigerator. Vicky took this plate and a fork into the breakfast nook.

“Here, Odette.” Vicky set the treat on one of the placemats on the glass table. “Thank you for everything.” Turning back, she started to collect the rest of the desserts to take out to Darien and her mother. She had just picked up the first one when a soft touch tingled across the sensitive spot on her back. Something popped inside her, and her world spun in a sudden wave of dizziness that ended with her in a pile on the floor amidst a broken plate of tiramisu.

“Victoria!” Darien burst through the kitchen door and was by Vicky’s side before she could sit all the way up. “Are you all right?”

Vicky felt the warm touch of his power as he pulled her into his arms.

Ann and Jack both stopped in the doorway, watching the touching scene.

“Yes.” She nodded her head slowly. “I just got a little dizzy.”

Darien’s eyes flickered up to the breakfast nook, and he nodded his head slightly. “Probably too much wine.” He looked over Vicky to make sure she hadn’t hurt herself in the fall.

Vicky caught the tone on his voice and nodded her agreement as she sat all the way up. “Probably,” she agreed. “I’m fine now.”

Darien helped her to her feet.

She leaned against the counter. The sudden height made her head spin a bit more.

“Why don’t you go sit down, and I’ll take care of this.” Darien moved Vicky so her mother could take her back to the dining room.

Vicky looked back at him to protest, but he waved her worries away. “Go on out to the living room, and I’ll bring this along in a few minutes.”

Ann agreed and took Vicky out as Darien went to get the broom for the broken plate.

“He is such a sweetheart.” Ann settled Vicky on the couch closest to the family room. “You should have seen him move when we heard the plate break.” Ann’s face reflected the amazement she felt. “I’m so glad he’s taking such good care of you.” She sat on the couch next to her daughter.

Jack stood and watched them for a moment before settling on the opposite couch.

“I was always worried about you living on your own in such a big city.”

“Oh, Mom.” Vicky patted her mother on the arm. “I’m doing fine here.”

Ann grinned at her daughter.

Vicky rolled her eyes. “I have a very rewarding job and great friends. I couldn’t be happier.”

“What do you do?” Jack asked, heading off Ann’s reply.

“She’s my personal assistant,” Darien said as he came into the living room with four plates of dessert carefully balanced. Setting them down on the glass table, he moved them around so that his guests could reach them. He gave a Jack a mysterious look. “She keeps my life running smoothly.”

“Is that how you started going out?” Jack asked.

Darien headed into the dining room and retrieved the wineglasses from the table. He passed them out and went back to get the bottle. “No,” Darien explained, once the drinks were in hand. “We started dating after she moved in with me.” He sat on the couch with Jack.

Jack’s mind spun on this information. “If you weren’t dating, why did she move in with you?”

“Someone set fire to her apartment,” Ann answered.

Jack’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“The police never determined what caused the fire.” Darien leaned back and cut into his cake. “They think it might have been faulty wiring.” He knew exactly how the fire had started, but it would be too much of a stretch for Ann to believe in a fire jinni under the control of a power-hungry mage.

“Still think it was a psycho.” Ann shook her head and picked up her cake. “I can’t see faulty wiring causing that much damage.” She cut into it and took a bite, making an appreciative noise as she swallowed. “This is marvelous. Where did you learn to cook like this?”