Page 127 of Vampire's Choice
“Has the Trad arrived?” Ruth asked.
Garron’s jaw tightened, a less-than-subtle expression of his displeasure at having a Trad in his Mistress’s home. Ruth didn’t blame him.
“Stating a need for extra precautions, he has moved his arrival time to tomorrow at dusk. However, my lady thought it wise to have you here at the original time, in case he changes his plans again. She also thought it would be wise to discuss a coordinated strategy in handling his visit.”
Inside, the house was open and airy, with lots of windows to show off the impressive view of ocean and Monterey landscape. The lower part of the home was built into the cliff, and Garron pointed out a descending staircase.
“The quarters for vampire guests are that way. There’s a separate staircase to my lady’s quarters, to ensure privacy.”
Garron didn’t reveal the access point to Kaela’s quarters. A wise choice for a cautious overlord. Kaela’s promotion had come about due to a corrupt overlord removed by Council. She’d been a member of his territory, selected and charged by Lady Lyssa to clean house. Kaela had personally dispatched several vampires too loyal to the overlord, when they unwisely challenged the Council’s decision to make a change.
Vampires could be brutal in such matters, but the best overlords, like Florida’s Lord Marshall, or Lady Lyssa, knew how to follow it up with wise leadership. After swiftly handling the executions, Kaela had restored balance and brought prosperity to the previously subjugated vampires in the territory, earning their respect. They no longer lived in fear of unpredictable and sadistic leadership.
Meeting a more powerful vampire always made Ruth nervous, but this time it was tempered by a genuine interest in the vampire who’d done what most had thought would require a more imposing male vampire to do. Lady Lyssa’s decision had been questioned—quietly of course—but Kaela had quickly reinforced the queen’s judgment.
After all, our Council head is a female, and no one doubts her power. Those who’d doubted Kaela had sagely pointed that out afterward, as if they’d known all along it would turn out fine. Yeah, right.
Admittedly, Kaela was nowhere near as old and powerful as Lyssa, and she was a made vampire, not a born one. So gender aside, the question and concern had been valid. She’d proven it unfounded, regardless.
Kaela’s office had more of those windows, creating a vista of dark sky and darker ocean behind her desk, the demarcation flanked by sparkling stars above and white caps below.
Kaela had shimmering thick waves of red hair, held back from her face by bronze combs. Her golden-brown eyes, with a dark ring around the iris and fringed with reddish-gold lashes, focused on Ruth with the usual piercing vampire regard. Though the California overlord could pass as human, it was helpful she was in an area populated by Hollywood celebrities. Even for a vampire, Kaela had exceptional looks.
Ruth liked learning history from vampires who’d lived far longer than herself, and wondered if she’d get the opportunity with Kaela. Lady Yvette said she’d been a Confederate spy before she’d been turned.
One had to step carefully toward such memories, though. Kaela had lost a husband in the War Between the States, and years didn’t always dull the pain of such a loss.
When Ruth was a child, long before Lady Lyssa was blessed with Kane, Ruth had asked the queen if she had any children. Lyssa had been sitting at the kitchen table, Ruth on her knee as they played a puzzle game. Born vampire children were cherished, because births were rare. So during their growing up years, all vampire visitors, regardless of rank, showed them tender protectiveness and kindness. Even playfulness. But this had not been a playful moment.
Ruth still remembered the flash of anguish in Lyssa’s jade green gaze. “No,” she’d said, her tone suggesting that hadn’t always been the case.
Ruth had tentatively touched the queen’s hand. “I’m sorry.” She might not know much, but she knew sorry and a touch helped fix a hurt.
Ruth returned to the present. Kaela had risen from her desk and nodded her greeting to Ruth before turning her attention to Merc. After a brief assessment, she executed a short bow. “My lord.”
She would have heard Merc’s preference through Garron’s mind, but the overlord had made her own decision on it. Merc was measuring her just as circumspectly, so perhaps not correcting her was a tactical decision of his own.
When Kaela gestured Ruth into the guest chair, Garron moved behind his Mistress, crossing his arms. Though it was a standard position when the vampire wanted their servant in attendance, the bodyguard vibe to it was obvious. When Ruth tuned in to Merc, trying to determine if it was because of his usual incubus vibes, she realized he had re-channeled and reworked them, creating a comfortable hands-off buffer around Ruth herself.
His vigilance is not entirely because of that, Merc told her.
He can’t think I’m a threat.
I’m not certain what it is. But remain on guard.
Since that was her usual operating mode for vampire meet and greets, she didn’t disagree.
Kaela’s gaze was moving between her and Merc, the silence lengthening.
“Is there a problem, Lady Kaela?” Ruth asked. Courteous, but with an edge that asserted her own rights in this situation.
“No, Lady Ruth. I apologize. Your relationship with the…Truth Vessel, seems to be more than that of a vampire escort from Lady Yvette’s Circus. Would you care to satisfy my curiosity on its nature?”
Since she had no desire to hide her attraction to Merc, and vice versa, Ruth had been prepared for the question, somewhat. She’d run it by Merc before they arrived.
I’m fine with however you wish to define it, Ruth, he confirmed again. I know what lies between us.
His response could also be translated another way. I’m fine with however you wish to define it, because I’ll be carving my own definition, no matter how I scar up vampire protocols to do it.