Part 5 (2/2)
”Perhaps in a day or two. Marie will supply you with my number. Alexandria and her brother Joshua are residing here now, but we have not yet had time to install Alexandria's private phone.
Her sudden illness, you see, advanced the move before we were quite ready with her apartments.
You will, of course, turn over Alexandria's personal property to me immediately. She is under my protection, Mr. Ivan, and I always take care of my own.”
The golden eyes caught Ivan's gaze and held him captive. Thomas found himself meekly handing over the briefcase. Then the eyes released him from their mesmerizing stare. At once Ivan was appalled at what he had done. What had gotten into him? He had never intended to give up the portfolio, not to anyone but Alexandria. His gaze found Savage's hand, the thumb caressing the imitation leather as if it were Alexandria's skin. At once he felt jealous. Just what was Aidan Savage to Alexandria? A man like Savage would eat an innocent like Alexandria alive. Thomas completely forgot, in his surge of chivalry, that that had been his own intention until he had discovered her exceptional artistic talent.
”Thank you for coming by, Mr. Ivan. I regret I cannot ask you to stay longer, but I have several appointments. I will see to it that Alexandria phones you in a couple of days, or that you are otherwise informed of her progress. Good evening, sir.”
Ivan soon found himself outside the closed door, unable to place Savage's European accent or to stomach the housekeeper's rather smug smile as she reopened the door briefly to hand him Savage's unlisted phone number. He had made no friends in this house, a big mistake. If Alexandria needed his a.s.sistance, and he was more certain than ever that she did, he had no allies in this fortress Savage called home.
Aidan turned to Marie and touched her hair lightly, a brief, affectionate gesture. ”Did that imbecile upset you?”
She laughed lightly. ”Not nearly as much as he upset you. You didn't know you had a rival for the lady's affections. A famous millionaire, no less.”
”He makes up drivel.”
”Still, from what I gleaned from his conversation, Alexandria wants to work with him.” She was openly teasing him. ”And his vampire games have made the news. I've seen him on the covers of magazines. He's quite taken with Alexandria, isn't he?”
”He does not have a chance. And he is much too old for her.”
Marie and Stefan both laughed. They were fully aware that Aidan had lived for centuries. Aidan suddenly grinned himself, surprising them both. They had never seen a genuine smile light his golden eyes.
”How is the child, this night?” he asked them.
Marie and Stefan sobered. ”He is very quiet, that one,” Stefan answered. A few inches taller than Marie, wide and muscular, he was a force to be reckoned with. ”I think he needs to see his sister before he can be a little boy once again. He has lost too much in his short life.”
”He is a sweet child, Aidan. He already has Stefan wrapped around his little finger,” Marie pointed out.
”Ha!” Stefan protested emphatically. ”It is you who weeps for him and fills him full of food at every turn.”
”I will speak to him,” Aidan rea.s.sured the couple, ”and tell him that his sister will see him later this evening after she rises from the underground chamber.”
”After she wakes up,” Marie corrected with a frown. She wanted no allusions made to the otherworldly life in front of the innocent boy. ”Do you think it wise to promise such a thing? What if she...” She hesitated.
Stefan filled in. ”Has problems accepting what she has become? Or worse, what if she is not the true one you seek and is now completely deranged?”
”She is the true one. Can you not see her presence, her light, in me already? She has given me life, light, emotion. I see colors once more, and they are radiant. I feel things, everything from anger to a melting warmth. She has returned the world to me. She will wake as one of my people, and yes, I expect considerable resistance from her, but not in front of the child. She loves him very much, and she will try to appear as normal as possible for him. He has been her prime motivation for years, and he will continue to be so. It will be as important for her to see him as for the child to see her. I suspect that if Joshua can accept me into his life, that will be half the battle.”
”Aidan!” Joshua ran into the room and flung his arms around Aidan's legs. ”I've been looking everywhere for you. Marie told me where your bedroom is on the third floor, but you weren't there.”
”I told you to stay out of Mr. Savage's rooms,” Marie said with her best scolding tone, but there was no way to conceal the warmth in her expression.Joshua looked a bit ashamed but answered her with spirit. ”I'm sorry, Marie, but I have to find Alexandria. You know where she is, don't you, Aidan?” he asked.
The Carpathian male rested his hands gently on the boy's silky curls. His heart twisted, a funny, melting sensation. There was so much trust and faith in those blue eyes looking up at him. ”Yes, Josh. She is still asleep. I want you to give her another hour or so to rest, and then I'll bring her to you. How is that?”
”Is she all better? I've been afraid she wouldn't come back-you know, like Henry and my mom and dad.” The young voice trembled with fear.
”Alexandria is not going to leave you, Josh,” Aidan a.s.sured him quietly. ”She will always be here, and we will look after her together so that nothing will ever take her from either of us. You know I will always protect her, and I am not easily defeated. No one will take her from the two of us. Is that a deal?”
Joshua grinned up at him trustingly. ”We're best friends, aren't we, Aidan? You, me, and Alexandria.”
”We are more than best friends, Joshua,” Aidan replied soberly. ”All of us who live in this house are a family.”
”Marie says you want me to go to a new school.”
Aidan nodded. ”I think it would be best. The one you were attending is far from here, and the school we have in mind for you is very good. You will have friends and good teachers there.”
”What does Alexandria say? She usually takes me to school. She thinks it's dangerous for me to go by myself.”
”Not this school. In any case, Stefan and Marie will go with you if you like. They will escort you there every day until you feel comfortable with the arrangement.”
”I want you to go with me if Alex can't take me.” Joshua managed a decent pout.
Aidan laughed softly. ”You little devil. I can see you are used to getting your way. Alexandria is a soft touch where you are concerned, is she not?”
Joshua shrugged, then laughed, too. ”Yeah, she lets me have just about anything I want, and she never gets mad when I don't do what I'm supposed to do. Sometimes she tries to yell at me, but she always ends up hugging me instead.”
”I think you need the firm hand of a man in your life, young Joshua,” Aidan said, reaching down to lift the boy up to his broad shoulders. ”A great big strong man who will not take all your nonsense.”
Joshua's arms circled Aidan's neck. ”You don't ever yell either.”
”No, but I mean what I say when I say it, right?”
”Yeah,” Josh admitted. ”But I still think you should take me to school when I have to go.”
”I have to stay here to make certain your sister does everything she is supposed to do to get well.
Her illness was very dangerous, and we have to be very careful for a few days. She can be quite stubborn, as you know.” Aidan said the last with a conspiratorial wink.
Joshua nodded with a small smile. ”I know if you're with her, nothing bad can happen to her. I'll go to school with Marie and Stefan. Of course, if you took me, all the other kids would think I have a big daddy, and they wouldn't try to pick on me.” He shrugged. ”But Stefan's big. Maybe he'll work.””I am certain Stefan will scare off any bullies. But this is a nice school, Joshua, with nice children.
No one carries weapons, and no one is going to try to hurt you there. If something like that were to happen, you would come to me right away and tell me.” The golden eyes stared directly into the blue ones.
Joshua nodded. ”I would tell you, Aidan.” He blinked and squirmed until Aidan put him down.
”Marie said dinner was ready. She's a good cook, better than Alex, but don't tell Alex, 'cuz it'll hurt her feelings. Are you going to eat with us tonight?”
Aidan found himself grinning for no reason at all. He suddenly felt as if he had a family for the first time. People had cared for him for centuries, been loyal to him, and that had helped keep him a part of the world of sanity. Now, though, he had more than mere loyalty, fine as that was. He had emotions choking him, tearing at him, warming him. He loved it, even as he found it somewhat overwhelming. ”We will never tell Alexandria that one,” he agreed solemnly.
Marie took Joshua's hand. ”He just compliments me so he can stay in my good graces. He likes to lick the frosting bowl.”
Joshua was shaking his head so hard, his blond curls bounced. His voice was solemn, his eyes earnest. ”No, Marie, it's really true. Alexandria is a terrible cook. She burns everything.”
Chapter Five
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