Chapter 13
“SO, WAS THAT information worth your oath of secrecy?” Essie just had to get the last word in.
I nodded, still saying nothing. I was trying to process everything that I had learned. After a moment, I asked, “Two questions. First, how did he sleep for so long if he needs to feed regularly?”
“Good question,” Essie said. “I’m impressed. When a vampire lowers himself into stasis, that need fades as well, until they wake again. All vampires will be weak when they first wake after hibernation, but with Dracula, the need for blood will be extremely strong.”
“You have an exceptionally good source of information, it seems,” Aegis said.
“You had better believe it.” Essie snorted. “You know my past, I’m sure. Philippe had an interesting stash of information and when I staked him, I stole every document I could find. He was responsible for turning me. He was damned well going to fork over the information I needed to survive in the vampire nation. If it took staking him to procure what I needed, so be it.”
I grinned. Essie could be downright scary, but she was also good for a laugh at times. “Fair enough. Second question: do you have any idea of where Dracula is? Or where he might hang out? He can walk in the daylight, but will anybody recognize him? Would he dare to go out in public in the daytime?”
“I sincerely doubt that Dracula is going to be walking around the streets of downtown Bedlam, or going to Chicken Chicken. As to where he might be hiding, there are so many niches and nooks on this island. Caves, abandoned houses, even deep in the forest. He could be anywhere, Maddy. But you can be sure that he’s watching you, so he’s probably not far from your house. Especially if he drank from Ralph’s brother. And if Ralph’s brother turns, he’s going to be an amazingly tough vampire. A vampiric satyr? Sired by Dracula himself? Consider that a very dangerous combination. I’m afraid if George does turn, you’re going to have to employ your old talents. Unless Ralph has the balls to do it.”
Could Ralph actually kill his brother? Even if George did turn into a vampire, I wasn’t sure that Ralph had the courage or heart to dust him. Which meant if Jordan thought that George was dying, we were going to have to keep Ralph away from him. And that would be a problem, given the funeral rites among satyrs.
“I’m afraid you’re right. Do you mind if I give Jordan a call? I want to ask him what George’s condition is.”
“Be my guest.”
Just then, Ruby brought in a tray with the tea on it, and scones, and delicate watercress sandwiches. Aegis flashed me a sideways smile, not letting Essie see him. The British delicacies seemed totally out of place, especially now that she had redecorated into the New England cottage by the sea decor. I punched in Jordan’s number, stepping aside to talk in private.
Jordan answered on the second ring. “Maddy, are you all right?”
I was getting tired of him asking that every time I called, but given the reasons I called, I couldn’t blame him. “I’m fine. I was wondering how George is doing.”
“He’s in crisis mode right now. Ralph is with him right now. I think I might be able to stabilize him, but George was so low on blood that it’s amazing he was even walking around. If it wasn’t for the fact that he was a satyr, he would have been dead. And, I think, turned. We were able to get enough information out of him to confirm that he drank the vampire’s blood.”
My heart began to pound. I let out a sharp breath. “If it looks like he’s going to die, get Ralph out of the room. And call me immediately. There are aspects to this case that make it absolutely necessary that we do not allow him to turn.”
“Because he’s a satyr, right?”
I paused, trying to remember if Jordan had overheard us talking about Dracula. I didn’t want to ask him, in case he hadn’t. “Right. Please, keep the knowledge that he was bitten to yourself for now. It’s vital we don’t stir up panic on the island.”
“All right. If George makes it through the night, I think he’ll survive. But it’s going to be touch and go. Keep your phone turned on.”
“Will do.” I disconnected.
“How is George doing?” Aegis had picked up one of the watercress sandwiches and was eating it. He politely shook his head when Essie offered him another.
“Not good. Jordan says that if he survives the night, he’ll be all right, but the chances of that aren’t spectacular. And George was forced to drink from Dracula. So if he dies, we’ll have a vampiric satyr on our hands. I suppose we should get home.”
“Yeah, we have a lot to do.”
I turned to Essie. “Thanks, Essie. I’ll keep my word. If you think of anything that can help us find out where Dracula’s hiding, call me. I’ll keep my phone on all night.” I paused, then said, “Why are you helping us? Dracula is one of your kind. I know why Aegis is helping me—but he lives a different lifestyle than you.”
Essie gave me a frozen smile. “Because the thought of the Arcānus Nocturni taking over this world scares me spitless. I like my title, and I like my place in the vampire nation. I don’t want anything or anybody upsetting the apple cart. I have my eye on a higher prize, and I’ll do whatever I must to get there.”
It occurred to me as we left that it was a good thing Essie was on our side. Well, as much she could ever be.
JORDAN DIDN’T CALL during the night, and the first thing I did when I woke up was to contact him. “Did George survive the night?”
“I can’t believe it, but he did. I think he’ll be okay. Which means if he survives for sixty days, the disease will vacate his blood and he won’t be in danger of turning when he dies.”
Although I was relieved to hear the news, it occurred to me that we didn’t know if that particular rule played through for the members of the Arcānus Nocturni. Could their blood be more potent? Could the disease stay in the body longer? It was something I needed to ask Aegis, but I wasn’t going to be able to until he woke up.
“I’ll stop by Ralph’s this morning and talk to him. Do what you can to keep George alive, because you do not want to meet the vampire who tried to sire him.”
“Will do. Thanks for calling, Maddy.”
I turned around to see Bubba and Luna waiting for me. I hadn’t had much time the past few days to pay attention to them, given all the crap that had been going on, so I sat back on the bed and patted the comforter.
“Come on up, you two.” As they leapt on the bed, both of them purring loudly, I felt a stab of guilt. “I’m afraid I haven’t been a very good mom, have I?” I leaned back against the pillows as Bubba crawled on my chest and Luna snuggled by my arm. With one hand I petted Bubba, and with the other I pulled Luna toward me in the crook of my elbow.
“Bubba, I have a problem. I’m not asking you for anything, and I’m not wishing anything, but I need to talk.”
He blinked at me with those deep beautiful eyes. The cowlick on the top of his head poked up as usual, giving him a slightly silly look. I scratched him behind the ears, then under the chin.
“M-row?” He blinked at me.
“I’m okay, but no, everything isn’t all right. Fata scares the hell out of me, and Dracula’s after me. I’m not sure which of them scares me most.”
Bubba rubbed his head under my chin and then sprawled out on my chest, his feet and tail stretching down my thigh. He was huge, fifteen pounds. And he was so fluffy that he looked almost twice that size. I gave myself ten minutes of just petting them before forcing myself to get up and take a shower.
Dressing, I pulled on a long tiered skirt, hunter green with burnished leaves embroidered all around the hem. Choosing a wine-colored V-neck sweater and a pair of knee-high leather boots with stacked heels, I finished dressing, put on my makeup, and then remembered to look for Aegis’s note. I almost always checked when I woke up, but I had slept so deeply that I wasn’t fully clearheaded yet.
Aegis had left a note telling me he would keep watch during the night, and that he was going to contact some old friends to see what they could find out about the situation.
As I clattered down the stairs, Kelson met me at the bottom.
“Delia’s waiting for you in the kitchen. I can tell you right now she’s in a nasty mood. I’m not sure why, though I tried to pry it out of her. How many shots do you want in your latte?”
“Better make a quint for me. With a whole lot of chocolate and peppermint.”
“So, a five-shot mocha?”
“Ten points to the winner.”
She laughed and nodded toward the kitchen. “You better go see what teacher wants.”
I followed her into the kitchen. Delia was sitting at the table, stewing about something. Her eyes were flashing dark, and as I entered the room, she straightened.
“How late do you sleep, anyway?”
“Well, that’s a cheery greeting. And how are you today, Delia?”
She let out an exasperated sigh. “I’m sorry. How are you doing, Maddy?”
“Just fine, thank you. I would be better if I didn’t have Dracula on my ass. What’s going on? You look fit to be tied.”
“Your friend is raising havoc in town and I need you to do something about it. Fata Morgana flooded the town square this morning. She got so excited about that stupid fountain that she made it pour until it was like a geyser. The city’s going to have one hell of a water bill, I can tell you that. It was like there was a broken water main. The water was ankle-deep in some lower parts of the town square. I don’t know what the hell she was doing, but when I told her to stop, she threatened me.”
Well, that wasn’t the best news of the morning. “What did she say?”
“She told me that werewolves weren’t her favorite type of dog, and that I should mind my own business.” Her voice grated over the words, and by the tone of her voice, I knew that Fata had pushed it well over the line.
“I can talk to her, but I’m not sure if I can control her.” I paused to accept my mocha from Kelson.
“Well, if you can’t control her, you need to find somebody who can. Because if she stays in Bedlam much longer, she’s going to hurt somebody.”
I nodded, swallowing the desire to say, “If you can find a way to get rid of her, I’d be happy to help.”
Delia picked up her hat. “I know she’s an old friend of yours, but Maddy, I don’t think she’s who you think she is.”
“Fata’s changed—she’s part water elemental now, and that changes her entire nature. And you know how hard it is to control an elemental creature. She might as well be part goddess.”
As she headed toward the front door, Delia glanced over her shoulder. “If she’s a goddess, then heaven help us all.”
I DECIDED TO go over and talk to Ralph. I wasn’t sure if he’d be at the hospital, but with George out of danger, he might be taking a break. It was storming again, pouring down rain, so I grabbed my keys to my CR-V. The vertigo was gone, and I was tired of waiting around for other people to help me.
Kelson glanced up as I headed toward the kitchen door. “Are you going out?”
“Yeah, I’m going over to Ralph’s for a little bit. I am not about to walk in the rain, and I’m perfectly fine now. So I’m driving. No discussion.” I gave her a look that brooked no argument.
She held up her hands, shaking her head. “You seem fine to me.”
“I’ll be back in a little while. If I have to go somewhere else, I’ll give you a call. I need to find Fata Morgana as soon as I can, but I’m not exactly jumping for joy over the prospect.”
Kelson gave me a sad look. “I’m sorry, Maddy. I know how close you were at one time. It’s always hard to walk away from friends. I’ve had to do it myself in the past.”
I paused, my hand on the door handle. “There was always part of me terrified that she would return. Somewhere deep in my heart, I knew that she had changed enough so that we wouldn’t be living in the same world. And I was right. For the sake of the gods, I wish I was wrong. The Fata Morgana I loved and knew is long gone. Oh, she’s in there, there’s a flicker of recognition, but she’s buried under the weight of two hundred years of living in the Ocean Mother’s realm. Once the ocean takes you, there’s no going back.”
And with that, I headed out to my car.
RALPH’S CAR WAS in the driveway, and the tree that had been downed was now a massive pile of kindling and firewood. I cautiously edged around it, not wanting to puncture any of my tires on stray splinters. I glanced up at the roof, hoping that Ralph had managed to have it fixed already and that we could deposit his twins back with him, but the tarp was still stretched across the shingles. I let out a long sigh, realizing it would be a few more days before we could escort our guests back to where they belonged.
As I dashed through the rain, up the porch steps and to the door, a gust of wind rattled past, almost tipping me off my feet. I held onto the railing and, for the first time in a long time, found myself longing for calmer days. I usually loved autumn and winter best, but with Fata back, my enthusiasm had waned for the time being.
I opened the door and slipped inside. There was no one at the receptionist desk, but I heard laughter coming from the next room. Since Ralph’s guests frequented the living and dining rooms, I had no qualms about wandering in to see if he was there. As I did, I got the shock of my life. There, sprawled on the sofa, sat Ralph. And on his lap, laughing, was Fata.
“I see I’ve come at the wrong time.” My shock didn’t keep my mouth from working, that was for sure. My first reaction was to turn and hightail it out of there, but I forced myself to stay put. What the hell was Fata doing with Ralph? Granted, we had partied hearty with the satyrs a long, long time ago, but really, Ralph?
Fata, who was dressed in a short black dress that left very little to the imagination, glanced over at me. The smile on her face was cunning and a little crazed.
“Maddy, come over here.” She motioned for me to join them on the sofa.
I took a few steps closer, but stayed standing. “Ralph, I hear your brother’s going to make it after all. I just came to tell you I’m happy that George will be all right.” My voice fell flat, and I wasn’t exactly sure of what to say next.
Ralph nodded. “I’m cele…cel…celebrating. Hey, Fata tells me you two were an item, and that you partied with my kind for years. She was just tellin’ me ‘bout some of your exploits.” The look on his face was lascivious and he sounded stoned.
“So you’re spilling my secrets, Fata? Don’t you think you should ask me about that?” I didn’t want to start an argument, but the fact that she had been telling my history to Ralph without my permission pissed me off.
Fata’s eyes flashed dangerously. “I thought you weren’t ashamed of your past?”
“I’m not, but my secrets are mine to tell. Not yours.”
I felt like I was dealing with an incredibly powerful and spoiled teenager. Fata had been reborn a daughter of the Ocean Mother, who had given her everything she needed. Now Fata expected to get anything she wanted from us.
Fata pushed herself off Ralph’s lap. He looked dazed. He also had an immense hard-on, which was extremely visible since his pants were open. His knobby red cock stood erect, slick. I realized just exactly what Fata had been sitting on.
“What have you done to Ralph?” While I had no interest in Ralph sexually, neither did I want to see him become a pawn in whatever game she was playing.
“Only what you and I used to do to the boys. Remember, Maddy? Remember the parties we had? You, and me, and Cassandra. And those five beautiful satyrs that we stayed with for almost a decade? They were in us, in every combination you could think of. And you and I made love for hours, day after day.” She held out her hand, crooking a finger at me. “Come, give me a kiss. We could have all of that again. Right now, right here. Sure, Cassandra isn’t here, and we have only one satyr, but we can share him. And we have each other. That’s enough, don’t you think?”
The next moment she reached out and grabbed me by the hand, dragging me to her. She was immensely strong and I realized I was absolutely terrified.
She pressed close to me. “Kiss me, Maddy. Remember what it was like? Your lips against mine? It can be that way again. I’ll forget that you drove me away, that you broke my heart. Your vampire can’t kiss like I can. And I’ll bet he can’t fuck like me, either.”
With that, she planted her lips on mine, kissing me deep. My body responded before my mind. I wrapped my arms around her, kissing her back, and then I realized what was going on. She had me in thrall with her emotions. Water elementals were incredibly seductive by their very nature. I pushed her away, shaking my head.
“No, Fata. Stop. I’m not ever going to be with you again. And I’m not sleeping with Ralph.”
Fata laughed. “Who said anything about sleeping?”
“You know what I mean. Let Ralph out of your thrall right now. He doesn’t deserve this. If you give a damn about me, even one little iota, stop using him as a pawn.” I was angry now, my fire rising in my belly.
“If I let him out of my control, will you love me?” Her red hair crackled with energy, the static electricity rising around the room.
“I will always love you, as my friend. Do you know why I told you I couldn’t return your love back then?”
Her eyes narrowed as she threw herself into a chair and crossed her legs, staring at me intently. “Does it matter? All I know is that you rejected me. I’ve torn ships apart on the ocean because of my anger at you. Do you realize how many deaths you’re to blame for?”
“It’s not my fault that you killed other people out of your anger. Don’t you dare try to put that blame on me. Fata, I rejected you because I knew that you and I would end up at each other’s throats. I was still in love with Tom. I loved you because you were my friend, and I cared about you. But I wasn’t in love with you. We had a wonderful time, carousing with Ralph’s kind. But I burned out on it. I needed something more.”
“You could have had something more with me.”
“How could that have ever worked? You and I are so different. We’re literally fire and water, and fire and water don’t mix. You were always the wild one, Fata. They called me Mad Maudlin, but that was only because they didn’t know who you really were. And there’s nothing wrong with that. But I needed a break. I needed something else. You aren’t the type to settle down. You’ll never be the type. I’m not being mean. I’m just being honest. You know you’re part water elemental. The Ocean Mother has changed you, she’s taken you in as a daughter, and that is a blessed thing.”
I wasn’t sure if I was getting through to her. Finally, I decided to end the staredown.
“Leave Ralph alone. And stop messing with the town. Make me happy to see you. Please, don’t make me regret that you’ve come back.” I strode out, praying she wouldn’t take her anger out on Ralph.
I was almost to my car when I heard her calling behind me.
“Maddy! Maddy? Please, Maddy, stop and talk to me.”
I turned around to see her running down the steps, hair askew. She was crying.
“What do you want? What can we possibly have to talk about?”
“I’m sorry,” she said, dropping to her knees. “I’m sorry that I angered you. Please, don’t walk away from me. It’s been so lonely in the ocean. At times I thought I’d go crazy. The Ocean Mother kept me locked up in her embrace. Oh, she talks to me, but she’ll never understand how lonely it can get.”
I wanted to break away, but the heartbreak in her voice was too much. I looked down at her, kneeling in the mud, and I began to cry, too.
“Maddy, I miss you so much. And I miss Sandy. I don’t know what comes over me. The anger wells up and then she—the Ocean Mother—encourages me to let it out. Then, I rage and riot, and break ships and send waves over islands. When I see what I’ve done, I can’t face myself, so I go back to sleep. I don’t want to hurt people but I don’t know how to stop. I don’t know how to be the person I’m becoming. Help me?”
My stomach lurched, my heart thudding in my chest. What the hell was I going to do? How could I help Fata Morgana learn how to control herself? I knelt and gathered her in my arms, kneeling in the mud as she pressed against me, weeping as though her life was ending.
I brushed her hair back out of her face and kissed her forehead. What I had said was true. I had never been in love with her, even though she had fallen for me. But I did love her. And when she had left, it had broken my heart that I had driven her away. I had carried the weight of that knowledge inside me, never wanting to face it, because it was something that I couldn’t fix. Sometimes, you can’t fix what you break.
“I don’t know how to help you, but we can try to figure it out. You have to control yourself, though. You have to stop messing with the town, and you have to stop manipulating people.” I pushed her back, staring into her eyes. “Will you promise me that? Will you promise to be on your best behavior while we try to figure out how to help you learn how to deal with this?”
“Yes,” she said, dipping her head. “I promise, on my oath. I promise on my blood. Just please, do what you can to help me. I don’t think I can live with myself if I have to go back into the ocean and stay there. And yet, she calls me and my blood responds.”
I gathered her to her feet. We were both covered with mud and soaked through to the skin.
“Wait here. I need to check on Ralph. I’ll be back in a moment, so don’t you go anywhere.”
She nodded, her eyes wide. I ran back inside to find Ralph looking confused, staring down at his open fly.
“Maddy, what happened? I can’t remember.”
“Zip your fly up, and go make yourself some coffee. Then, you probably want to go check on your brother at the hospital. I just dropped by to tell you I’m glad he’s going to make it. Keep a close watch on him, though, all right?”
Still looking dazed, he nodded and zipped up his pants, carefully tucking his penis back inside. “All right. Do you know why I was…” His gaze flickered to my face, and he blushed.
“You are probably just worried and trying to relieve some stress,” I said. “I’ll see you later.” I turned and dashed back outside. Fata was waiting right where I had left her, and I bundled her in my car and drove back home, wondering what the hell I was going to do to help her.