Seer: Thrall (27 page)

"Good morning."

I turned around. I'd only met Cadence a few times. She was standing in the library doorway.

"Love!" said Amanda, popping to her feet. She ran around the sofa and threw herself into Cadence's arms. The vampire, who had always seemed so rough and stern to me, softened as she wrapped her arms around her lover. She inhaled deeply and smiled. It was perhaps the most serene smile I had ever seen.

"Solange," I said quietly, "Invite them to brunch. And ask them if they want to join our card club."

She nodded. "Cadence, Amanda. Sidney has offered to cook brunch in a few hours. Would you care to join us? And I believe she has a card game she wishes to teach you."

Amanda whispered to Cadence, and then Cadence said, "We would love to."

"You may take her home, or there's a guest room," Solange said. "Your choice."

"I'll take her home. She'll sleep better in her own bed. Is eleven too late to return?"

Solange looked at me. "Eleven is perfect," I said. "What are your favorites?"

Amanda unpeeled from Cadence and turned to me.

"Beignets?" I asked. "Belgian waffles? Do you prefer hash browns or fried potatoes?"

"Ooh, with onion and red bell peppers?"

"Exactly," I said. "And garlic. Lots of garlic."

Amanda laughed. Solange growled a little, but she knew I was teasing.

"Let me make sure the computer is scrubbed, and you can take it with you," I said. I turned back to the computer. Everything was on the removable drive. I disconnected it and handed it back to Solange. Then I used the list of recently updated files and made sure everything was gone that needed to be gone. I even cleared the "Recently Opened" lists from the programs Amanda had used. Finally, I shut the computer down. Aubree helped me pack it up, and it was Aubree and Solange who carried everything to Cadence's car.

Amanda and I hugged. "Thank you for your help," I whispered to her.

"You have the hard part." She paused. "Solange said she can give you specific dreams."

"She seems to be able to."

"When this is over, I was hoping she could give you a dream."

"What?"

"When I was young, my grandmother set me down and gave me some advice. I remember thinking it was very wise at the time, but I don't remember all of it. Do you think you could dream about it?"

"I don't know, Amanda, but I'll try. It sounds like a very happy time."

"It was. She was an amazing woman." She tightened her arms one more time, then Cadence led her away and handed her into the car. We watched them drive off. I moved next to Solange, and she slipped an arm around me.

I shivered.

"You're cold. Come on. Aubree, will you take care of the photos? And I hope you're coming to brunch."

"I'll be here."

Solange led me back to my room, peeled the robe from me, and handed me into bed. She was going to tuck me in, but I asked her, "Do you have anything you need to do right now?"

"Yes. I have to take care of you."

"Then please hold me." I held the covers open. "Take some of that off."

I didn't have to invite twice. She stripped down to her underthings and climbed into the bed. I folded against her, and she held me tightly.

"This is not me forgiving you," I whispered.

"I know."

"This is me being scared and feeling very vulnerable."

"I know."

"This is also me telling you that I feel safe with you."

She paused. "Oh, Darling."

I cuddled tightly against her. She felt good. I had missed this. I had missed this terribly.

"You need to help me forgive you."

"I'm trying."

"Do you hate me?"

"No," she said. "I was angry, but I haven't been for a long time."

"Do I disgust you? I'm a weak human."

"You do not disgust me, Sidney. You entice me."

"Even when I'm stupid from your blood?"

"You have no clue what it does to me to let you drink from me. Yes, Sidney. Even when you're a tiny bit stupid from drinking my blood."

"Have you been tempted to stray? Have you been drinking from other necks?"

She chuckled. "Only yours."

"What do you normally drink? I know you prefer fresh."

"Wrists. And bottled." She made a face. "It's life. That's the best I can say."

I settled in a little more. "Can you give me good dreams? Not real dreams, and not sexy dreams. Just something happy?"

"Yes, Sidney. I can. When do you want me to wake you?"

"Nine. We have to go to the grocery store."

"And the Apple store."

"Tomorrow, if you have time. There's no rush."

"I have time," she said.

"Can you hold me even when I sleep? I suppose you'll be bored."

"I would love to hold you," she replied. "And I'll sleep with you."

"You don't sleep."

"I do something very similar, but I remain awake at the same time. It is very pleasant." She shifted so we were both on our sides, facing each other, our noses inches apart. "I'll roll you over and spoon you once you're sleeping. You won't wake."

"Thank you, Solange." She didn't have to prompt me. I stared into her eyes, and after a few seconds, I knew nothing more.

They were very, very nice dreams.

Solange caressed my cheek. "Wake up, Sidney."

I opened my eyes. I was draped half over her, my head on her chest. The covers were pulled back, and I had a good look at her breasts, barely covered in the bra.

"Hello," I said to them. "Aren't you two a sight?"

Solange chuckled. "Are you talking to my breasts?"

"They're a lovely pair," I said. I paused. I was feeling awfully good and more playful than I would have expected. "Did you give me more of your blood?"

"No."

I looked up at her, stretching, then settled back in, my face against her neck now. "What time is it?"

"A few minutes to nine. I can go to the store if you want to sleep longer."

"I want to go," I said. "Do you mind?"

"No, Darling."

I thought about her words. "I don't want you calling me that all day."

"Hmm," she said. "So I can mix it in with other terms?"

"I prefer 'Her Royal Highness'."

She chuckled.

"How about 'Great and Glorious One'?"

"I'm pretty sure that's my title."

"You might have to share."

"You know I don't share."

"You share with me."

She paused. "Yes, Sidney. I share with you."

I sighed happily. "This is not me forgiving you."

"I didn't think it was. But this is me enjoying the knowledge you're going to."

"We'll see. I think there are a few more fights inside me."

"I have no doubt, but hopefully not today."

"Not today. What are we going to do with the drawings?"

"Send them to her."

"What?" I struggled to sit up, but Solange held me tightly.

"Shh," she said. "Relax, Sidney. She's not going to know who sent them. That's the hardest part, making sure she can't trace them. I think we'll include a little note, something like, 'I know who you did last summer'."

"What will that accomplish?"

"It will make her nervous. She'll either stop, or she'll make mistakes. I am betting on mistakes."

"What good does that do us?"

"We're also going to send copies to all the vampires who most fiercely protect the secret. I think the note we'll include should say, 'Someone is getting careless'."

"If you mail them from here, someone will figure it out."

"That's why we won't mail them from here. Honey, if you want the details, I can share them. Or you can trust me."

I thought about it. "I have enough to worry about," I said. I let myself relax and curled against her. "Thank you for staying. It means a lot to me."

"It meant a lot to me to be invited, Sidney."

We lay together for a few minutes, not talking. It felt nice.

"You're not a monster, Solange," I said. It just came out of the blue. "I don't know if I told you that."

"Thank you," she said. "I guess." But when I looked up, she was smiling.

"Is it difficult to be so gentle? I must seem amazingly fragile to you."

"It is sometimes difficult to hide my full abilities," she said.

"Like bike riding?"

"Or water skiing. Yes. Or tickle fights."

I laughed lightly.

"But it is not difficult to be gentle. It can be difficult to be not gentle, but not rough, either."

"When you... um."

"Held you by your arms."

"Yes. You didn't hurt me, even as angry as you were, you didn't hurt me."

"That's a good example," she said. "Yes, that is difficult, in a way. I bruised you, but in the scheme of things, perhaps you can forgive that."

I nodded. "Yes."

"So those times when strength is called for, but not too much strength -- those can be difficult."

I thought about it. "If I ever start a tickle fight, if I get a few bruises, I will consider them my fault."

"I won't," she said quietly.

"I'll consider them your fault if you start it," I told her with a smile. I looked up at her then settled in again. "This is nice."

"I think so, too."

"But unfortunately it has to end. We have grocery shopping to do."

"There's time."

"And one of us has, um, more pressing needs."

She chuckled, and then she chuckled more as I climbed over her to get out of bed. "You could have gone the other direction."

"Where's the fun in that?"

A few minutes later found me in the shower. I thought about my behavior. I was being awfully flirty with her. I realized I missed that. But I also knew I hadn't fully forgiven her for what she'd done to me.

I wondered if I were being fair. I decided that until she actually acknowledged she understood what she'd done to me, I was going to have a hard time letting go of my anger.

I wasn't sure if I should let that stop me from flirting with her. I wondered if it tortured her a little to know she couldn't escalate or risk setting me off.

That thought put a smile on my face. Yes, it was petty, but I couldn't help it.

Solange, also freshly showered, was waiting for me by the time I made it to the kitchen. She had a cup of coffee already waiting, and a travel mug ready beside it. Alongside the coffee was a toasted and buttered bagel.

"Is that for me?"

"It is," she said.

I grabbed a pen and paper from the supply then sat at the island and absentmindedly made my shopping list while eating the bagel. "Are we inviting them to stay for dinner?"

"If you like. They may decline."

"We'll buy sufficient supplies then. If we don't use them tonight, I can use them later this week."

Soon I had a list. Solange took my coffee from me, poured it into the travel mug, topped it off from the pot, and we headed to the store.

* * * *

The kitchen was filled with people, or so it seemed. I hugged Amanda when she arrived, and we held onto each other for a minute.

"It's nice having another human around," she said into my ear. "Normally it's either all vampires or my artist friends, but I have to be so careful with them."

"I'd like us to be friends," I said back.

"I would, too."

We separated, but I held onto her hands. "How do you explain not aging?"

"To my human friends? I am very careful in the relationships I form. I keep humans at a certain distance. I am probably at the limit of how long I can keep my current friends, unless I stop drinking Cadence's blood."

"Vampires move around a lot," Solange added. "I am going to have to let my appearance age for a while but eventually reinvent myself as a young cousin." She paused. "This is one reason why some of us believe it is inevitable that we will come out of the closet. It gets harder and harder to hide from human record keeping."

"Amanda," said Cadence. "Please tell me you aren't considering no longer drinking my blood."

Amanda turned to her partner. "I'm not, Love." She looked over at me and clasped my hand. "I have a new friend now. It will help."

I turned to Solange. "How many of your other vampires have this problem?"

"None others," she said. "Of my brood, Aubree and Cadence are my most trusted, and I don't allow the others to form such close relationships."

I stared at her. "Excuse me?"

"Don't get your back up," Aubree said. "They are young. They don't have the control to hide what they are, so they would have to tell their humans, if they had anyone who was steady. And it is no small thing to tell a human about us."

I paused. "If you are so old, Solange, but Aubree and Cadence are your oldest, um. Children?"

She smiled. "Perhaps not a bad word, but they may not appreciate it."

"Semantics," I muttered. "How is that?"

"The others didn't make it out of a burning mansion, Sidney."

I stared. "Oh my god. She killed everyone?"

Solange nodded. "I've had to destroy a few over the centuries as well."

"You killed your own children? That's horrible."

"Not as horrible as what they were becoming," she said. "Bad topic, Sidney. Another time, perhaps."

"Sorry. I didn't know I was opening a can of worms."

Amanda leaned over to me. "Everything around vampires is a little surreal. Your view of the world is going to shift in ways you can't even imagine."

"I think I want my naïveté back."

There were several chuckles.

"All right," I said. "Everyone over on that side of the island." I pointed. "This is my space." I gestured. "That is your space. The line from the island to the fridge is the demilitarized zone, and you are allowed to travel to the fridge if needed. Otherwise, stay out or you'll find yourself washing dishes."

Amanda smiled and then scampered to the safe zone. Solange saw to beverage needs, and I got serious about cooking.

I mixed up batter for the beignets then set everything out for the fried potatoes. It was going to be a decadent brunch. I sent the fruit across the island along with a paring knife and a cutting board. "Someone take care of this."

"What is that?" Solange asked, pointing.

"Bell pepper?" I replied innocently.

"That is not a bell pepper."

I picked up the red bell pepper. "Sure it is. They come in colors."

"That is not what I am pointing at, and you know it, Sidney." She glared at me.

"I'm not sure what has you worked up."

She moved closer and pointed directly to the head of garlic I had sitting amongst the potatoes. "That."

"Oh. How did that get there?" I asked with a grin. Amanda was smiling at me, too.

"Not funny," said Solange.

"It's just a little garlic. I'm going to make pizza sometime this week. It's not pizza without garlic."

"You are not!" she said. "Get rid of that. I can't believe you brought garlic into this house."

"I thought you told me to ignore everything Hollywood taught me about vampires."

"Except that. Get rid of it."

"I'll just cut it up and put it down the disposal then."

"You will not!" she squeaked. "The stench will go everywhere. Wrap it up in a baggy and toss it in the garbage."

"It's a perfectly good garlic," I said. "There are starving children in Italy who would skip a soccer match for this head of garlic."

All three vampires were looking a little ill. I think Amanda was trying to decide if I was serious.

"Relax. I'm just teasing," I said. "I really am making pizza sometime this week, with Dolores at her house." I wrapped up the garlic in a Zip lock and tossed it in the pantry with the other supplies I would be taking to her house.

"Not funny," Solange said. "Sidney, I'm serious. I don't want garlic in this house."

"Is it really that bad?"

"It won't kill us," she said. "But yes. It's vile. And if you really are making pizza with Dolores, when you get home, head straight to the pool, and please brush thoroughly about a dozen times besides. And don't do it if you expect me to drink from you later."

"I'm sorry, Solange," I said. "I was just teasing, or thought I was."

"It's all right," she said. She came around the island, and I stood very still. She pulled me into her arms, and I let her, but now I felt really bad.

"I'm sorry," I whispered.

"It's all right," she repeated. I let her hold me, and I didn't know if it was for her comfort or mine.

"Well," I said after a moment. "I wonder how else I can make everyone feel uncomfortable."

"I don't feel uncomfortable," Amanda said. "I was looking forward to some garlic. I haven't had any in years."

"Next time Cadence is going on a business trip, we'll go garlic crazy," I suggested. "Or we could go to that garlic festival out in California some year."

"Your human is getting uppity, Solange," Cadence said.

"Getting?" Solange asked as she released me and moved back to the safe zone in the kitchen.

"Unfortunately, Sidney, Cadence tells me garlic lingers in my system for days. I love it, but for her, I don't eat it."

"For me, hell," said Cadence. "You don't like being ignored for three days afterwards."

"Well, that, too," Amanda added with a chuckle.

I started cutting up vegetables. A moment later, Amanda excused herself with an, "I'll be right back." No one was cleaning the fruit, so I pointed, and Aubree started in on the strawberries.

Amanda came back a few minutes later toting a large artist's pad and a small, plastic toolbox. She set the toolbox down on the island, opened it, and I saw it was filled with pencils.

"I thought you said you use a computer."

"Not for this," she said with a smile. "You cook. I draw." Then she angled herself on the stool so no one could easily watch.