"I'm so sorry, Lilith," he whispered. "I would never have hurt you. I can only imagine what you must be thinking, but I never had any intention of following through with those orders. I took the assignment so on one else could. I was afraid someone would take those orders and follow through with them. No matter what you think, I was trying to protect you."
"Alfred, you signed the paper," I said quietly. "You agreed that if I started to turn into more of a monster you would kill me."
"But I would never have done it," he insisted.
I listened quietly while Alfred whispered many soft apologies in Italian before saying, "Don't shut me away completely, Lilith. Please, speak to me."
I didn't know how to not speak to Alfred. After sixteen years one conversation seemed like a small request. I had missed him so much.
"What do you want to talk about?" I asked.
It was nearly an hour later, once my heart had calmed down that I realized we were talking just like we used to. Things weren't the same, but it felt good to be able to talk to Alfred. The knot that had been inside of me seemed to loosen and I let myself enjoy the sound of his voice.
"Your buddy has been here lately too," he said.
"My buddy?"
If Alfred, or my professor friend Richard, ever referred to someone as "my buddy" that meant it was someone they hated.
"Bradley."
Bradley and I had dated for three and a half years before I found out he was a liar, a married liar. Alfred hated him with a passion. As much as I despised his behavior, I couldn't bring myself to hate him. I pitied Bradley. Particularly when Alfred had knocked him out cold on the steps outside of headquarters last January.
"Bradley! Why the hell would I want to talk about him?"
"Oh this is good," Alfred laughed. "He's been having panic attacks."
"What's that chicken-shit afraid of now?" I asked sarcastically.
"Me," he said with more than a trace of pride in his voice.
Alfred is six foot five and fairly well built, I could see being afraid of someone his size. Especially if that someone had hit me as hard as he'd hit Bradley.
"He almost hyperventilates every time I pass him in the hall," he laughed. "Bastard's afraid I'll deck him again."
I started laughing too. "That's great. Serves him right, lying prick. How did he ever get into hunting werewolves in the first place? He's afraid of everything."
"Well, between you and me," Alfred said, "he doesn't do a hell of a lot."
Alfred got really quiet before asking, "So, where are you?"
"Do you really want to know?"
"Yes," he said carefully.
"I'm with Dracula."
Alfred had gone ballistic when he found out I had brought Dracula home the first time. He'd called him a monster and demanded that I make him leave. Turns out it was Alfred who left, and it hadn't been pretty.
"Is he as protective of you as Marco?" he asked.
"Yes."
"Then I guess you're safe," he said, sounding defeated. "Take care, Lil."
"It was good to hear your voice," I said softly.
"You too."
When he hung up I didn't cry. I just sat there staring at the phone until Dracula walked in.
"Everything alright?" he asked, taking a seat beside me.
"Fine."
"Who was that?"
"Alfred."
He raised one eyebrow but didn't otherwise comment while I told him about the conversation.
"It was really good to hear his voice again," I admitted. "I know that sounds stupid, but it made me feel better."
"It is not stupid, my angel, to enjoy talking to someone you have loved," he said softly. He smiled as he took my hand in his.
Dracula looked better every time I let him take my blood, and I returned his smile while I admired the returned glow to his skin. He had yet to ask why I had offered myself to him again. Nor did he ask nosy questions about mine and Marco's relationship. I had expected questions this week, especially while we were alone. But all I had been shown was kindness and an insight into the man he used to be. I found myself loving him more for not pushing the issue.
"Are you hungry?" he asked.
"But you promised you would show me some of your weapons," I said and was ashamed at how whiny my voice sounded.
"Can you eat and walk?" he teased.
"Yeah, I can."
I carried around a bowl full of cherries while Dracula led me to one of the rooms where he had some very old weapons stored. There were weapons throughout the entire castle, but most were in the armory or in a large room I called "the museum."
After I indulged my fascination for mostly medieval weaponry, we went into the library. The tour was pretty much over for the day and he was just looking for a specific book, but I couldn't stop staring.
"What are these scrolls here?" I asked pointing to some manuscripts preserved behind glass. "That's not … is it?"
As I looked more closely at the writing he answered, "From the library in Alexandria."
I was too stunned to comment. Instead I walked toward the back of the room. In the corner was the biggest sword I had ever seen. It stood almost as tall as me and was also encased in glass. It was fairly well preserved but there was a stain near the bottom.
I put down my cherries and knelt to get a closer look.
"Is that …?"
"Blood," he answered. "AB negative to be exact."
I gave him a skeptical look and he informed me, "A vampire does not forget rare blood."
"Where did you get it? It's huge," I said, straightening up and retrieving my cherries.
"It was made by giants," he said, but offered no further explanation.
* * * *
We spent most of the next day rehearsing. After this week we would rehearse every night in preparation for next month's opening. After talking with Alek in the office they shared at the back of the theatre, we locked up behind him and escaped through the trap door. We had been working on a scene where The Phantom first appears to Christine and takes her beneath the opera house to his lair. Neither one of us had changed. Since I was the one wearing a see-thru white gown and a corset, I'd say he'd gotten the better deal.
As we moved quickly down the long staircase he stopped, unfurling his cape dramatically before securing it around my shoulders.
"I sometimes forget how cold it is down here." He smiled as he added, "My apologies."
?
Chapter Eleven
While I wondered if he had been reading my mind I took a few minutes to appreciate how good he looked. Once we were in the boat I sat facing him rather than take in the view of the approaching castle. He was absolutely gorgeous. He wore a deep wine-colored vest with intricate embroidery and a dress coat you'd expect of The Phantom, but he did so with far more style than I'd seen before. His long hair was pulled back tightly with a ribbon and there was a silk scarf tucked into his collar. He wore gloves also. The only part of his flesh that was visible at all was the left side of his face and his lips. I stared at him, allowing my mind to drink him in. Here he was at last, my romantic ideal and the man of my dreams all rolled up in one. So, why couldn't I take advantage of that? Because I didn't want to hurt him.
Once we were inside I sat down on the bed and began to remove my thigh high white panty hose. I couldn't get our opening song off my mind. Alek had positively harped on it tonight and we'd gone over it at least five times.
As I hummed the music, I heard the band begin to play. Even though we'd just been practicing with a live orchestra upstairs, I knew they hadn't followed us. I turned to find Dracula still in half of his costume and smiling at me. I had an instrumental copy of the music and he'd packed it along with my clothes for practice. Alek knew how much I loved to sing in the shower and had recorded it just for me. He gave it to me with a note attached to the top which read, "Practice."
"Shall we try it again?" Dracula asked as he removed the scarf and began to unbutton his vest.
As it turns out, his bedroom has great acoustics and we sang for a few minutes before we reached the part of the story where Raoul and Christine proclaim their love. I froze, unsure of how to continue.
"I have always wanted to give this one a try," he whispered during the opening cords of the song.
It seemed a bit strange, to have him sing a love song meant for Raoul. He reached for me and I stepped toward him. As he began to sing I felt something stir within me, something that I had not felt when I'd sang this song with Luther. I wanted to cry out and fall into his arms.
When Raoul sang the song, it was filled with joy, and hope. It was a request for love. But when The Phantom sang, it was not a request, but a fervent plea, a desperate longing to be loved. His voice was filled with a passion, a fire so consuming that I could not deny him. As I sang my part I meant every word in a way I never had. I couldn't help but feel that this was how it was meant to be sung. He begged me to love him. He did not ask to merely be with me always, but to become a part of me … and I accepted.
When the music stopped, he switched off the CD player. Silence hung between us. We both knew what we had just revealed. I let him hold me against him while both of us pretended we didn't want to cry.
* * * *
The next morning I was supposed to meet Bade at Original Sin. Luther had underestimated how much I could eat in a week and Dracula felt Bade would be sufficient protection for a quick trip into town. Luther and Johnny had been taking turns driving my car around town and leaving it parked at various places. Just so people wouldn't think I was in hiding.
I finished getting dressed and looked back to where Dracula lay sleeping. It was still too early for him to be up. He looked like a fallen angel with his dark hair spilling over the reddish pink satin of the pillows. The left side of his face was turned up and from where I stood he still looked perfect. As was usually the case when I looked at Dracula, I felt like I should fall to my knees. Not to worship him, but to thank God that I had eyes.
I kissed his face and slipped my cell phone underneath his hand. He had Bade's number if he needed to find me. Since I knew he would worry, even though he knew where I was going, I put a note beside him on the pillow that said, "I'll hurry."
He should be up in time to let me back in. Navigating a narrow boat across the lake was harder than I expected. Dracula had made it look so easy. But he had a way of making things seem easier when he was around.
When I finally made it to Original Sin I was already tired. I found Bade waiting in a booth near the front door. He was wearing a pair of torn designer jeans and a tight t-shirt which read: "Save a cow, eat a vegan."
I laughed when I saw him. "Love the shirt."
Bade rose to his full height as I stepped up to the booth and our bodies brushed together as he said, "Love the smile."
While he opened the door of his red convertible for me he said that Mason had been in touch. As it turns out, The Dungeon was more than a favorite hangout for vamps and shifters who were into S & M. It was also a safe house for visiting vampires who had no other daytime refuge. Some of the vampires after Dracula were actually staying below ground there. Mason was currently trying to gain their trust enough to set a trap. This was good news.
"Does Dracula know?" I asked.
"I told him late last night. You were already asleep."
We took our time in town. Despite my promise to hurry I was enjoying being out, and I was enjoying Bade's company. It was a beautiful day. We even stopped to check on Kat's shop and make sure the "on vacation" sign was still hanging out front. We picked up lunch while we were out and took it over to the theatre.
After lunch, Bade offered to help me with some of the final touches on some props for the upcoming performance. While we cracked jokes and fixed loose ropes and wiring I completely lost track of time. We had a rehearsal scheduled that night, so I figured Dracula would find me there and know everything was alright. Besides, if he was really worried, he would have already called Bade.
It was dusk, and I expected some of the other actors to be arriving soon. The vamps wouldn't come out until full dark, but most of the cast were werewolves, so we could go on without them. Since werewolves needed to eat regularly and we would most likely practice well into the night, Bade and I had the bright idea of getting some doughnuts.
We had just walked back on stage when the front door banged open. I was startled to see Mason storming up the aisle. Mason ran The Dungeon, and its décor matched his style. He was wearing tight leather pants and a silk dress shirt. Mason is over six feet tall, and normally wears platform boots, making his slender rock star frame appear even thinner. His pale makeup made him look more frightening as well as the dark liner around his eyes and the cherry red of his lips.
"He said you weren't here!" he yelled at me.
"Who said, Mason? What's going on?"
I came down from the stage, dread growing inside of me as Mason approached.
"Dracula got a phone call from Marco," he said.
My heart stopped. "Has something happened to Marco?"
"No. But they think something has happened to you," he explained. "Marco got a phone call informing him that if he wanted to see the redhead alive again he would send them Dracula."
"What? But I've been with Bade the whole time. Why didn't he call us?"
Bade reached for his back pocket nervously. "Shit, I forgot my phone!"
Mason gestured toward Bade as if to say, "That's why."
"He came up here to look for you and you were gone. He had no other way of getting in touch with you."
I didn't like the tone of his voice. "Mason, where is he?"
"He's gone to find you," he said helplessly.
I grabbed him by the wrist as I started toward the door. "Come on!"
"Where are we going?" Bade asked, following closely on my heels.
"You know where they are, right?" I asked Mason.
"Yes."
"We're going to get my vampire back."