Part 24 (1/2)

Gian looked exasperated.Kate wanted to distract him from the fact that she would be such a drag on his purpose. ”Will you two a.s.semble another caravan and cany on your expedition? You might as well.”

Rufford laughed. ”I was not included. Beth was going to explore lost civilizations on her own. Deserting me in fact. Alas, I am chained to Algiers at the moment. We are still cleaning up after our little war.”

”He means they are arming the populace with knowledge of how to kill any left of the poor creatures Asharti made vampire for her army.” Beth sighed.

Realization struck Kate. ”That terrible plague that hit this area two years ago... Is that plague what you call the North African Vampire Wars?”

”That's the story we put about. And it was a plague of sorts,” Rufford agreed. But then he looked at Gian. ”It wasn't easy, what we did. And it wasn't clean. Innocents were hurt on both sides. But it had to be done, Urbano. You know that.”

Gian, still at the sideboard, downed his gla.s.s of brandy at one gulp and poured himself another. He was upset by this ”war” that the world had thought a plague. ”It may have been duty, but we sullied our souls,” he said. ”There was no honor in it.”

”That's the price for keeping the balance between vampire and human.”

”The only reason you two weren't killed along with all the others who aren't bom to the blood was that you destroyed Asharti,”

Gian said, and downed the second gla.s.s. ”According to the Elders, making a vampire is an abomination. If the Elders had sentenced you and Mrs. Rufford to death too, would you still think it had to be done?”

”I would have taken Beth and run for the hills. She's my first concern. But they didn't condemn us. So I fought, as you did. Beth fought in Tripoli with Khalenberg. It's a rough world. But we play the hand we're dealt. Then we live with what we've done.”

Beth smiled. ”You are too hard on yourself, Gian. Yet you are so courageous. Both of you.” She glanced to Kate.

”For our part, we'll deal with Elyta if she comes through Algiers.”

She rose. ”I'll write you out contacts for supplies and animals along your route. Use my name. You'll be treated well.”

”You'll find these much more comfortable for desert travel.” Beth bustled into the room with an armload of clothes, followed by two maidservants carrying boots and coats and belts and all manner of things, along with two very large carpetbags bound by complicated straps. She held up an example. Breeches. ”One really can't ride a camel except in breeches or a burnoose. You seem comfortable with trousers. These will be much better than the ones you have.”

Kate had been feeling lost, with everyone out making who knew what arrangements. She was going across the desert on a camel into mysterious mountains where temples were buried carrying deadly jewels the size of apricots with vampires on her trail. Not to mention that she was going with a vampire to do it. And speaking of that vampire, with all the preparations, he had been nowhere in evidence. He had been studying maps, and making notes, and... and he didn't seem to have time for her. But that was good. She didn't want to get more involved with him. Not when they might be killed.

And if they weren't killed, then what? She had no idea. In fact, there was so much puzzling about Gian, and what she wanted, and what she was afraid to want, that she couldn't even think about him.

So she welcomed the life that entered the room with Beth. The women dumped their load of clothing on the bed and the maids retreated murmuring to each other. One made the sign against the evil eye. Kate sighed.

”I'm sorry about their reaction,” Beth said.

”Don't be. I'm used to it.” Kate shrugged as though she didn't care.”You are a strong person. Gian has told me all about you.” Beth sorted clothes into piles.

Kate was appalled. ”I don't know what he could tell you. He knows nothing about me.”

Beth glanced up, smiling. ”Only how you came to be involved with the stones.”

”You mean that I picked the pocket of one of Elyta's vampire friends and stole the emerald?” There, that would shock her.

”He quite admires how intrepid you are. Your skills saved him from Elyta.”

”He just knows my tricks. That isn't me.” Kate fingered a fine pair of loose wool trousers dyed red. Dressing like this would be... different at least. She could put her reticule, with her tarot cards and money in the capacious pockets.

”And what do you know of him?”

The question was innocent, but Kate felt as though Beth was challenging her. ”That he is arrogant. That he's used to having whatever women he wants. That he can be incredibly stubborn.”

Beth sighed and smiled. ”In short, a strong and attractive man. Aren't such men all like that?”

Was she dismissing those observations? Very well. ”I know he values his honor and his duty to these Elders, whoever they are, more than his life.” She let her tone tell Beth how stupid she thought that was. ”I know he cares for his mother.” She paused.

”He's generous to his servants.” She shrugged. ”He has courage.” She wouldn't say that he was also an extremely generous lover.

Or that he made a thrill inside her loins even when she thought about that. That was just a measure of her weakness, not of him.

”He is all of those,” Beth agreed. ”They are part of what I value about him. With what he went through during the wars, I worried for him. Ian and I both did. He seemed so... lost afterward. Ian thought this mission to find the stone would help him find his way back.”

Gian lost? That didn't seem right. ”I know he hates what he did in the war, somehow.”

”Yet he wants to find purpose in fulfilling a duty at incredible personal cost. That is a courageous man.” She held up a sheepskin jacket. ”It is cold at night in the mountains.”

”He's just arrogant enough to think there's a purpose to life.” Kate was thinking out loud. ”And that he is the one to find it.”

”And isn't there?” Beth folded clothes and put them into a valise.

”No.” Kate found herself at the arched window surrounded by blue tiles, looking out over a courtyard with olive trees in it. ”The only purpose is survival, and to grab what comfort or happiness you can for as long as you can hold it.” She could smell the jasmine on the night air. ”And that's usually short enough.”

”I agree with you.”

What did that mean for a woman who was vampire? What comfort and happiness could there be? But how could she ask someone about that? Desire warred with discretion in her breast. Discretion lost. ”Are... are you sorry you're a vampire?”

”No.” Beth's gaze was frank. ”I find the night a comfort now. And the blood? I once worried about that. But you've no idea how sweet it is to feel the thrill of life along your veins when your Companion tastes the first copper richness of blood. In fact, the feeling of being alive and... more because you are two beings together is something I can't imagine being without. The senses...”

She closed her eyes, a look of bliss pa.s.sing over her face. ”You can't imagine the heightened smell, the sight-even at night- and touch... Oh, I love the sense of touch.”

Kate blinked. She knew what or whom Beth was thinking of touching.Beth opened her eyes. ”I'd wager Gian doesn't feel how special it is. He was bom to it. But it's like opening a window and seeing a whole other world outside.”

”Mr. Rufford made you vampire?”

”He had no choice. I'd been infected by Asharti. He had to give me his blood. Without immunity from a vampire's blood, reaction to the parasite kills you.”

”So it was an accident.” Beth was just making the best of a bad lot.

Beth stalked over and looked Kate right in the eyes. ”Make no mistake. I would have cut his veins and infected myself if he hadn't.” Her tone was fierce. ”I love him. I knew he loved me. He was going to live forever. Can you imagine growing old while the one you loved did not? What kind of life would that be? Wouldn't it tear your heart out each day? No, I'm glad he made me.

I'd do it for him if the situation were reversed.”

Kate bit her lip. ”You say that now, but... Forever? What guarantee is there that things won't change, and you won't end up regretting this?”

”No guarantees in life, ever. We all must live with it.” Then she smiled. Her face softened. ”Living without guarantees is what takes true courage.” She turned to the valise and snapped it shut. ”Don't worry about Elyta. My Ian can take care of her if she comes through Algiers. I'm only sorry I can't go with you. But when you come back, if you want to know more, come to me. I'll stand as your friend. And if ever Gian's attentions should be... distasteful to you. Just tell him. You said yourself he has honor.”

She grinned. ”And don't let him bully you. Men will, you know, if you let them.”