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“I…How was
rehearsal? I watched some of it. I honestly can’t really see why Evan’s so hard on you guys. Right now you’re already better than the production I have on DVD.”

“Evan is the kind of director we need. His complaints are valid everywhere except for against Leslie. We should be perfect
, even with the difficult little extras we add because we’re vampires—there’s no excuse for us to be human good. We’re not human, we should be better.” He started tracing circles on my shoulder. “So… what did you see?”

“Kendra is still pregnant and she’s in Florence somewhere. I saw her go into a huge black glass building by First National.”

“Fuck.” He sagged against my shoulder.

“What?”

“I’m going to feed. And then you’re going to call Elizabeta and tell her what you saw.”

“I thought we were talking about us?”

“We don’t have the luxury to talk about us right now. That building you saw Kendra go into was one of the volunteer blood banks in town. They’re run by The Sala
Corporatio—Elizabeta’s company. Kendra is supposed to be KOS… Kill on Sight in those buildings.” Aleksi growled and pulled me closer.

“I also saw Gregory, he was in a big glass
boardroom. But I couldn’t see out of the windows. It was like he was pitching something to a bunch of vampires, but no one seemed happy... It’s a coup isn’t it?”

“Probably. Tristan was respected as Elizabeta’s second, but none of the higher-ups
want him in power. They think he’s too weak to keep things in order, but I don’t think they realize who they’re dealing with. Everyone likes to forget that Tristan wasn’t always so nice.” He laughed and shook his head.

I offered my throat to him, and he fed from me brutally. As always angle made me a cry out a little, and half tears form in my eyes. But I loved every minute of it, even that quick moment of agony. It was a thrill to feel his body grow warm from my blood. Afterward, I leaned lazily back against him and basked in the afterglow playing in those loose dark waves.

“Do you know why I love you so much?” Aleksi whispered to me after we collapsed back on the bed together.

“I thought it was because I was so naturally inclined to
being controlled?”

“That’s part of it. I also think it’s part of why you’ve been so unsure of yourself lately. You don’t have anyone’s lead to follow here. I haven’t been as hands on as I’d like to be
, I’ve been too focused on trying to show you I can care. I should have never taken Tristan’s advice.” He purred happily and nuzzled against me. “But… I digress. You remind me of how I was when I was mortal. I wasn’t naturally inclined to submission as you are, but I was timid and quiet. And everyone thought and still thinks they know me and what I’m capable of. But no one had the slightest clue what strength lurked within me, and still does. I see that strength in you, Autumn. You’re the other half of my coin. We’re capable of so much more than we let on. Which is why you stay.”

Oh, how those words brought a huge smile to my lips, he was right. I was capable of more than I let on and no one really knew me, not even Leslie. I didn’t know if we were really two sides of the same coin, but I knew that we could survive this. I knew that with him I wouldn’t collapse under the pressures of whatever horrors were around the corner.

“Call Elizabeta,
” He ordered. I rolled out of bed without a second thought and wandered out into the living room to get my phone. I called the international number she gave me. She picked up on the second ring.

“Autumn, to what do I owe the pleasure?”

“I… I had a vision and Aleksi told me I had to call you right away.”

“Okay, give me a second.” There was rustling on her end and then the sound of high heels
clacking on marble. “What did you see?”

“Kendra’s in Florence still, in the vision I saw her go into the black glass building by First National, the one on Main and Euclid. She’s still pregnant.”

“
Well…that’s a surprise. Did you see anything else?” Her voice seemed tight, her rage was transparent.

“Gregory was in a
boardroom in front of a bunch of Vampires. I couldn’t see their faces or out of the windows, but I got the feeling that no one was happy about the meeting.”

“Is that everything?”

“Yes.”

“Good Girl, I’ll give you a little bonus
in
your next check. This… this is good,” The rage faded from her voice almost instantly. “Do you remember the color of the table?” Pacing the living room I tried to remember but I wasn’t sure. “Was it wood or glass?”

“Glass, it was glass.”

“Fantastic, tell Aleksi I’ll be in town for
opening night and to stay near his phone. Ta-ta.” She hung up immediately after and Aleksi walked out of the bedroom stretching. I put my phone on the coffee table and sighed collapsing back on my couch.

“She says to keep your phone near. Apparently I’m a getting a raise, and somehow knowing a boardroom table is made of glass is important.”

“Glass is Portland. Black Marble is Florence. Metal is Olympia. Seattle is….wood I think?” Aleksi shrugged. “Elizabeta is thorough if nothing else.”

“Should I try to narrow it down?”

“
No, you’ve done enough.” He slid onto the couch beside me.

“What are you going to do if Kendra gives birth and the baby lives?” I glanced up at him and he shrugged, that cool exterior back in place.
What did you expect? He’ll make a horrible father.
“How can you be so…calm about this?”

“Because Kendra will be beheaded long before she goes into labor.”

“But your baby?” As the words left my lips he huffed and I could practically hear him rolling his eyes.

“My baby? She bred me, Autumn. Literally, it was like when they wanted a certain trait in hunting dogs. They’d get a bitch and a stud together when the bitch was in heat. I felt nothing for her.
No, I take that back. I hated her and more than once I had to stop myself from strangling her, or ripping out her throat during sex.”

“But when I saw you two at the diner?”

“I’m a very good actor, Autumn. I don’t know why you’re so determined to feel pity for her. She’s never been like you or Leslie, she was raised around Vampires. Her connection was more direct than you probably realize
; Margot was her mother, and Gregory was her father. She was raised by Gregory’s Thralls.”

“So… Vampires can get their servants pregnant?”

“It happens.” He shifted uncomfortably. “The Master usually knows before the servant, and
it's not always consensual. Some have… bred with their servants… that is the textbook definition, of course. With nothing emotional behind it other than some twisted concept of dynasty.”

“Am…” I trailed off and my hand rested on my stomach—
that would certainly account for the new found snuggly Aleksi.

“No.” He offered me a small
, kind smile and kissed my cheek. “And if you were I’d care. Hell, I’d be happy. Unlike I am with whatever spawn my progeny has stewing inside of her.” He practically spat the word progeny as he draped an arm around me. “But I’m not going to lie and say the situation would be ideal. It’s already somewhat difficult to keep you safe… carrying my child would be like walking around with a massive bulls-eye on you at all times.”

He spent the night, and I slept the most restful sleep I had in a while. I actually let myself forget about Vampire problems, and wallowed in Aleksi’s scent and the warmth I gave him.

My dream, however, was disjointed, I couldn’t make sense of it. All I knew was that it ended with a Pas de Deux between Tristan and Leslie in full Alice makeup and a gunshot. I woke up with a scream and was immediately seized in Aleksi’s arms. He pulled me flush against his chest and placed delicate kisses in my hair as he soothed me.

“Shh, shh, shh, it’s just us and we’re alone.” He murmured in drowsy half slurred speech. For the first time ever I heard his thin Russian accent surface. “… just bad dream, shh.”

I couldn’t sleep anymore, I was wired. So I panted against his chest and shed silent tears, my mind racing restlessly. Was it a dream?
Do you really want to contemplate the possibility that it isn’t?

The bad dream stayed with me all day.
I sat in my apartment trying to reread
Sense and Sensibility
to see if I could remember any of my revelations, but all I could focus on was the sound of that gunshot. Setting the book down at noon I realized just how fucked I was, I’d never finish my dissertation. I’d never be able to make all of those brilliant nuanced assessments of the material again, those ones that made the University accept me into their program. But I wasn’t angry with myself or anyone, I was just disappointed. What was I going to do now? I did the one thing I had done my entire life when I got this stuck. I called my mother.

My mother and I had a strained relationship since I started the steps to pursue a career in academia. I loved her and she loved me, but she thought I had made a mistake by pursuing a career at all. She was old enough, and traditional enough, that she still believed that college was where you were supposed to meet your husband, nothing more. She still believed in women’s rights, though, but she was staunch traditionalist in her beliefs on marriage.

“Darling residence.” My mother’s calm, and
Stepford-ian happy voice rang in bell-like tones through the phone.

“
Hi, Mom.”

“Autumn? This is unexpected. How are you doing? It’s been a while since I last heard from you, Christmas I think.”

“I know, things have been…” I trailed off.

“Yes, well that is no excuse, Autumn. I told your father,
God rest his soul, we should have made you practice more and audition again. If you had just gone to Julliard, you wouldn’t be where you are now. You would have found a nice boy and settled down like your sister. They’re expecting.”

“Mom… I…” I sobbed.

“Oh, honey. Here I am bragging about your sister while you’re alone with your books.”

“It’s not that. I lost everything… everything. All of my work, it’s just gone.”

“Oh, beautiful girl.” She sighed. “I’m sorry you lost your work. Do you want me to come out for a few days? I am going to the opening night of Alice’s Adventures at the Westley, I can stay for an extra day if you need me to.”

“
No, that’s fine.”

“Autumn, I hate to hear that in your voice. The last time I heard you this sad was when you were forced to quit dance. But what did I say then? A door never closes without another one opening. You have a lot of skills if you are determined to be a
career girl. And if I remember correctly, if you are discharged from your program you will still have a Master’s degree, which is nothing to scoff at, Young Lady. But do assuage your mother’s fears and tell me that you at least have a man in your life to help balance all of this negativity.” As I listened to her, I stared out of the window at the Theater.

“I do.”

“Oh? Is it another danseur?”

“I’m dating a Principal from Danse du Nuit.”

“Aleksi, Sergei, Jean-
luc, Tristan or whatever that new fellow’s name is… Ethan, I think?” I blinked. That was not the response I was prepared for. “Did you forget that we used to take you and your sister to see du Nuit once a year before your father retired? We continued after, but we couldn’t get so many tickets—they’re very expensive you know.”

“I forgot…” I trailed off.

“The first live Ballet you ever saw was their Sleeping Beauty. You were four and had just started
dance classes. Aleksi danced The Prince and Colette danced Aurora. It was transcendent, and afterward you would not stop twirling about in the lobby.”
She laughed and sighed. I had a vague memory of it, I remembered the bright red lobby carpet beneath my feet. “My little artist.”

“It’s Aleksi, we’ve been dating for a few months now.”

“Well I fully expect to be introduced to the yo—” She cut herself off and laughed again. “I can’t call him a young man now can I? But I still expect to be introduced. Since your father isn’t around anymore, I need to
make sure my little girl is taken care of properly. You have a delicate artist’s soul, Autumn. It takes a special person to be able to nurture it.”

We hung up shortly after that, she seemed generally relieved to know that I had a man in my life. Part of me resented the relief in her voice, part of me understood it, and part of me agreed. But Aleksi was right about me from the beginning; I needed to be led, I was happiest being led. Some people were leaders and others were followers, I was a follower. My mother was also right about me, I was an artist and I had mostly repressed that part of myself in favor of academics. I couldn’t be a professional dancer—that ship had sailed years ago, I was after all twenty-seven.
You don’t have to do anything, you’re making eleven thousand dollars a month for just existing.
But that wasn’t true, I got the money from my clairvoyancy. Maybe I could devote my time to that and actually earn the salary I was being paid.

The next day at six Aleksi burst through the door, without stopping he grabbed one of my larger purses walked back into the bedroom and started stuffing clothes into it. I shadowed him through the apartment.

“What’s going on?” I asked, curiously observing the tension in his posture. Something was wrong.

“We have to go to Crimson Hill, tonight.” He reached into my underwear drawer and grabbed a lacy pair of bright red panties. “And possibly for the next few days.”