Part 12 (1/2)

Gaius blinked, I must have shocked him, but then he began to laugh, very hard. ”Dear boy, you've no idea what you've gotten into.”

”I've a fair idea.”

”Proud and pa.s.sionate pa.s.sionate,” Gaius leaned forward, his hungry smile revealing fangs, a grinning Disney wolf. ”What will the Northman say?”

”The Northman? Ethan, you have some explaining explaining to do.” to do.”

”Mia, upstairs, now now!” Ethan commanded in a dangerously low tone. ”I do apologize for her rudeness.” I didn't budge. Ethan gave me a threatening look. ”We'll talk later later Mia, go.” Mia, go.”

Gaius raised his hand. ”I'm not offended. Indeed, I'm intrigued. In answer to your question little one, the Northman is elder elder of your of your house house. I'm surprised your lord lord hasn't spoken of him. Brovik is an old friend of mine- a very old friend. His domain lies to the North, from Britain and above. He'll no doubt want to make your acquaintance. Ethan, you know your duty. I won't interfere, but neither will I lie.” hasn't spoken of him. Brovik is an old friend of mine- a very old friend. His domain lies to the North, from Britain and above. He'll no doubt want to make your acquaintance. Ethan, you know your duty. I won't interfere, but neither will I lie.”

”Of course, he'll be informed we're here. I wouldn't dare offend your hospitality.”

”Good, when shall we expect you on Capri?”

”Soon, give my regards to your ladies.”

Rising from the chair, Gaius crossed the room and inclined his head slightly. Ethan bowed, and they shook hands warily, two dogs cautiously sniffing around each other.

”Until then, Ethan.” Gaius bowed to me and raised my hand to his lips. ”Cara mia, our world is much more dangerous with you in it.” He laughed and took the liberty of pinching my cheek.

Once Gaius was roaring back across the bay, Ethan checked the locks on the doors and windows and tested the electronic security system to see if it was functioning.

I threw myself in disgust into the chair Gaius had vacated. ”What a jerk!”

Ethan sputtered with anger as he turned to face me. ”Do you have any idea of what he is?”

I was definitely not in the mood to be scolded. ”An arrogant old pervert!”

Ethan paced agitatedly about the room. ”He's two thousand two thousand years old, a former Roman general, not someone to trifle with. He's called the years old, a former Roman general, not someone to trifle with. He's called the Wolf Wolf, what makes you think you could take him on?”

I affected a casual pose examining my perfectly painted fingernails. ”I'm not impressed.”

”You'd better be. He says if we stay or go. He's the closest thing this place has had to an emperor in a thousand years, and just as corrupt. Don't do anything else to encourage him. Meeting his eyes, taunting him, it's a challenge Mia.”

”For heaven's sake, it's nineteen fifty one!”

He closed the heavy draperies. ”I've told you how they are.”

”You've evaded my questions for a year now. Tell me about Brovik!”

”There's nothing to tell. He made me, period!”

”No, I won't accept that.”

”You'll have to.” He strode to the door. ”I'm going out. Lock the door behind me and stay inside.”

”You can't keep me locked up forever!”

”Can't I?” He laughed. ”What would you do with this freedom you so desperately desire? That old monster on Capri would s.n.a.t.c.h you up in his jaws in a heartbeat, and you'd be one of three three concubines. You wouldn't like their games much.” concubines. You wouldn't like their games much.”

”Games?”

Ethan's eyes turned to chips of blue ice. ”My poor innocent lamb, you can't imagine the things they get up to.”

And there I was stuck again, despite the new locale.

Two hours later, he still hadn't returned. I was agitated and restless. I wanted to be outside. What would be the harm of strolling along the beach?

I took the steep steps down to the narrow strip of sand and rock. Slipping off my sandals, I headed off blithely down the beach, the sand cool and moist under my bare feet. Balmy Mediterranean breezes ruffled my hair and over my face. Tentatively, I dipped a toe into the dark water, inviting as a warm bathtub. Wading deeper, the water lapped at my dress and dampened the hem. I lifted the skirt above my knees and continued to wander.

Moonlight cut a swath of silver across the bay's blackened surface. Far out on the horizon, tiny lights winked on the boats anch.o.r.ed there. The wind whipped my hair about my face.

Release! I stretched my arms out before me, not caring if my dress got wet, and closed my eyes, enjoying the sting of the salt spray against my face. Why had this vampire never communed with the night? I raised my eyes to the stars and moon, laughing out loud at my rebellion. I spun in circles, holding my arms stretched wide to embrace the darkness, faster and faster, a tiny cyclone. Delirious abandon! Blessed freedom, to fly alone in the night free of the falconer!

Fragrance hung heavy in the air. Male. I turned toward the scent. The hairs rose on the back of my neck as I got a better whiff. Danger. Danger. Something was wrong, it wasn't Ethan's scent and there was more than one. Something was wrong, it wasn't Ethan's scent and there was more than one.

I stood dead still, listening to the whisper of footsteps and heartbeats, the slightest s.h.i.+fting and crunching in the sand. One, two, no three- closing in quickly. Panicking, I ran toward the steps as fast as my legs could carry me. At full speed, I'd beat a gazelle, but they were cheetahs and easily overtook me in that short distance. Remembering Ethan always cautioned to show no fear, I froze as they surrounded, appalled and amazed by their appearance.

All three had the look of p.u.b.escent boys, thirteen or fourteen, but spared the awkwardness of early adolescence, graceful, their enchanting, unblemished faces polished marble. All were somewhat raggedly dressed in the manner of street kids. Glittering eyes watched me curiously as they speculated in Italian where I'd come from and who I belonged to. Their circle around me tightened. Laughter tinkled like crystal bells. I felt like Wendy in a very bizarre part of Neverland. Ethan said this ancient world wasn't the one I'd left behind. Nothing was sacred to these monsters, certainly not childhood. On each was a small mark behind the left ear, of the she-wolf suckling Romulus and Remus.

Their eyes were ancient and expressions hungry. I backed away slowly, preparing to flee. The leader inclined his head and the others moved in closer. Pack hunters. Pack hunters.

The leader sprang and clapped his hand over my mouth, dragging me away. In spite of his size he was much stronger. I struggled against him with all my power. His grip tightened nearly crus.h.i.+ng my chest. Gasping desperately for air, I clawed at his bare arms, leaving long, raw tracks streaming with blood. He yelped.

Something large ran toward us at full speed. The other two took flight, leaving the leader holding me at the water's edge. Ethan's enraged roar filled the air. ”Vermin!”

My captor dropped me abruptly. Salt water stung my nostrils and throat. I came up sputtering to see Ethan grasping him by his slender throat and holding him up to his icy gaze. The boy's eyes bulged out of his skull as Ethan's hand closed tighter over his windpipe.

”Ethan, for G.o.d's sake let him go!”

”Mia, stay out of this!” Ethan growled, as he began to twist the boy's head around the neck like a light bulb. The boy screamed, struggling vainly as his neck ripped open with a sickening crunch of bone and moist tearing of flesh. Tendons wriggled, b.l.o.o.d.y spaghetti, as the head came loose. Blood spurted everywhere splas.h.i.+ng us both. Terror stricken eyes glared from the lifeless boy's head, the once sweet mouth frozen in a grimace. Ethan grasped the head by the hair and held it over his open mouth, gulping down the rain of blood and then to my revulsion raised the body to his lips to suck the remaining blood from the raw stump.

He stood, a panting animal, licking thick crimson clots from his lips, covered in sweat and rusty red smears, his thick dark hair plastered to his skull. ”How dare you disobey!” He struck me hard across the mouth. I fell to the ground, sheltering my body with my hands. ”They'd have dragged you off and violated you again and again. They're the lowest of the low, sewer rats, castoffs!”

”Gaius did this! Little boys Little boys, for crissakes, Ethan!”

”They were never innocent.” He turned away and went about the business of burying the body, covering it with sand and rock.

”Did you have to kill him?”

He looked at me as shocked as if I'd suggested we go sunbathing the next day. ”It's customary, a matter of honor.”

”Honor is s.h.i.+t to me! You cling to these absurd notions as if they still meant something! It's bulls.h.i.+t, Ethan! Gaius is nothing but a disgusting pedophile! We should sleep in coffins and haunt graveyards because we are are ghouls. You think I can I develop a new conscience to suit? You make me sick! I'm no better off than them. Maybe I don't wear your mark, but I can't venture a foot from my doorstep without ghouls. You think I can I develop a new conscience to suit? You make me sick! I'm no better off than them. Maybe I don't wear your mark, but I can't venture a foot from my doorstep without someone someone preying on me. You never told me I'd be your slave when you swore undying love.” preying on me. You never told me I'd be your slave when you swore undying love.”

”You accepted me as your master.”

”I thought it was a G.o.dd.a.m.ned metaphor metaphor!”

”You were aching aching for it.” for it.”