Part 2 (2/2)

The woman was extravagant. She exuded a kind of dangerous sensuality; if he was manicured, she was jagged. Her flaws a counterpoint to his own self-perfection.

Her first words to me were an excitement of thrills, like poisoned petals, opening to ensnare, I was to realize were the pursuit of her endless existence. Which is to say that she thrilled me.

There are people that you meet whom you know will give you beautiful experiences. Such a.s.sociations are never fated to last. But that was exactly what she was offering. The opportunity to come be with her. With them. I only had to choose.

The rusty iron gates opened inwardly. Something I thought was important. Like an invitation almost, I would be fool to refuse. I saw my past, and everything in it, vanish.

Lennox introduced us. He seemed to put no significance on greeting Dallace and Camille, himself. I thought I saw a sparkle of something in Dallace's eye; but then he turned to look at me.

Where Lennox's eyes were lavender, Dallace's were like emerald planets. I could see the clouds roll in and thunder. His mind opened up and delivered a truly astonis.h.i.+ng message: you truly have nothing to fear.

I grasped at it hungrily.

”You must be Halsey,” he said. I felt myself being sucked into his eyes. ”This is my wife, Camille,” said Dallace. He helped me from the landing; Lennox looked on, with a smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

”Halsey Rookmaakeryou have an exciting name,” said Camille. ”It's so full of odd things.”

I didn't know what to say to that. ”It's just what they gave me,” I said.

”Oh, they gave you more than that.”

She looked me over, if somewhat boldly. She and Lennox exchanged no pleasantries. But Dallace hugged him like a brother. ”Welcome home,” he said.

Lennox took my hand. ”We need to talk,” he said to Dallace. Somewhere in the mix, Dallace had his arm around Lennox, and they were whispering ahead.

Dallace's garments were simple; on him, exceedingly daring. I could not get over his age, and that he looked like he had seen so much. I reminded myself that he probably had. Just how old was he, anyway?

It was Camille I was with, and she was like fire. I heard the gates snap shut behind us. The outside sounds all went away; only a pleasant gurgling, I figured was thanks to the Eden they had constructed for themselves behind closed walls.

Luxuriant large leaves, and the fingers of supple trees, blocked the sky. There were footpaths in the garden, large round stones with gra.s.s growing wildly between them. Lennox and Dallace walked ahead. They would turn, and by a trick of the path, disappear, leaving Camille and I to become acquainted. I was suddenly a jumble of awkward feelings.

”It's late, and you are in a garden full of vampires,” she said.

Tell me about it. I could feel my heart beat.

”I know,” I said. ”Believe me.”

Her long hair was straight and sleek, like a curtain of Midnight, and just a swirl, or band, of red, accentuating it. Two round moist eyes led to a mind that was almost child-like. ”I will show you to your room,” she said. ”For sleep is a boon. Come along.”

I followed; the last thing I heard was Lennox's voice raised in agitation. ”Forget them,” said Camille. Her voice was wicked and singsong and had little bells in it. ”Come along with me.”

What else could I do? It was exceedingly late. Everything had a quasi-lucid glow. I felt myself moving, without really knowing how I got there. First up one set of stairs, then another, her voice telling me to follow her. ”Your room,” she said.

I fell into an enchanted slumber. All night long I heard the whispering moths' voices. They were in the garden; I was not. When I awoke, it was morning. It broke into my lighted room, from a balcony. I had a serious case of deja vu. For a second, I thought I was back in the Eternal City. The house was quiet. It was high up. I could see out over Venice from my bed covers.

It was a moment before I realized that I had not had any dreams. No snuffling, or dark eyes. Nothing. Only peaceful, unperturbed sleep.

My diary was on a small nightstand, watching over me. So far as I knew it had not been touched. If I was going to be so paranoid about it, I should just stop keeping the diary. Secrets are better left un-blabbed.

My guard had been up. Some of it fell away. But then I heard them.

”I won't let anyone hurt her. That includes all of you. I'm serious.” Lennox's voice.

”What do you take us for? Monsters?”

There was some general laughter.

”She is not one of us. It's dangerous,” said Camille.

”He needs a lady in his life, even one so fragile,” said Dallace. I took the opportunity to mentally memorize both of their voices. The unreality of last night was, by now, gone. I was in a house full of vampires, and they were arguing, about me. Why?

”But that's the thing, is she?” said Camille. ”In case you missed it, Lennoxlove, this gathering is taking place. It's time you came to certain inexorable truths. Among them that you cannot protect her forever and always. At some point, she will be indoctrinated into the larger world.”

”He knows that, Camille. And I want you two to stop arguing.”

”Why?”

”Because Halsey Rookmaaker is awake. And she is listening to every word we say.”

I felt the fluids in my heart gurgle through my veins. They had heard me. How? I didn't even move. Lennox explained. I came down sometime after, and entered the garden. Dallace and Camille had gone for a stroll.

”They like to walk in the garden,” said Lennox. ”It's bigger than it looks.”

That still didn't explain how they had known I was awake.

”For someone magical, you sure find it difficult to accept the supernatural,” he said.

I gave him that. ”I never said I was perfect,” I said.

”Just the one,” he said, getting that far-off look again. Was he in pain? Did it have something to do with the Agonies?

”Don't you see that I crave knowledge, and, well, everything?” I said, trying to get him to see reason, and open up to me.

”I fear,” said Lennox, ”that I will know nothing about you, and you will know everything there is to know about me.”

”What is there to tell?” I said. I would let him decide if I meant him or me, by that. Something sparkled. I saw a tray of lemonade. There was only one gla.s.s. It was like crystal. There were also sandwiches; bits of cuc.u.mber poked from them.

”It is for you,” he said.

I took one and ate it. I didn't realize how hungry I was. ”Mmm. Nom nom. I'm waiting,” I said. He poured the lemonade.

”You truly are incorrigible,” he said.

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