Dark Ones - Last Of The Red-Hot Vampires Part 13

"Beloved. That's what Christian called me. You think I'm your soul mate?"

"Yes. I don't know. Possibly." Theo jumped up and resumed pacing. "The relations.h.i.+p between a Beloved and a Dark One is a complicated thing. He can take blood only from her. Their lives are linked together-if for some reason she is destroyed, he dies as well."

"That seems a bit extreme," I said slowly, watching him as I thought about the ramifications of what he was saying. "There's a flaw in that reasoning. Christian called me a Beloved, but you don't have your soul back."

"No, there are seven steps we would have to go through before you would be considered a bona fide Beloved." He walked to the window, pulling the curtain back to look out. Sunlight spilled into the room, causing him to yelp when it splashed across his bare wrist. "I gather Christian referred to you in that manner as a courtesy, rather than as a description."

"Seven steps, seven trials...is that the only number you people know?"

"It's a good number," he said, stalking past me. "It's a prime number. Those are always good."

I was unable to keep from smiling. "Words to warm the heart of anyone who's spent the time I did in math cla.s.ses. What are the seven steps?" "Christian gave me a list." He stopped in front of me, pulling out a small card. "First is marking."

"Marking? Like a cat marking its territory?" My nose scrunched at the thought.

"No. Evidently the fact that we can communicate without speaking is a form of marking."

"Ah." I mentally cleared my throat.It is pretty different, I'll give you that.

"Yes. Second is protection from afar."

I thought. "Well, you did save Sarah and me from those whatever-they-weres."

"Hashmallim."

"Yeah. Is that considered from afar?"

Theo shrugged. "Third is an exchange of body fluids."

"Body...oh. Well, we've done that."

To my secret delight, Theo smiled. I felt a warm little glow at the sight of it. "Actually, Christian said a French kiss would qualify in that situation."

"I see. Well, I'm happy to revisit that step as often as you like."

His eyes darkened to charcoal. "The fourth step requires me to entrust my life to you by giving you the means to destroy me."

I looked away. "Well, I've failed that one already. I've destroyed your soul-I don't know what can ever wipe clear that sin."

His hands were warm on my knees as he knelt before me. "I've told you that you are not to blame for what happened. If you continue to be obstinate, I will be forced to take action."

"What sort of action?"

His smile grew wicked. "Trust me, you will find my grat.i.tude far more to your liking."

Images grew in my mind, erotic images that I knew were Theo's fantasies. My nipples tightened. My breath grew short. And I had the most overwhelming urge to push him backward and do all the things to him that he wanted to do to me. "All right. I'm willing to concede that your good humor is by far a better att.i.tude to cultivate. Is it hot in here?"

"I'm always hot when you're near me," he said, his voice rich with innuendo.

I s.h.i.+vered at the blatantly carnal thoughts he was sharing. "I won't say I'm not interested in the things you'd like to do, especially that one with the pillows, although I'm not sure I'm limber enough to pull it off, but I do think that we should concentrate on getting your soul back first."

Reluctantly, Theo ceased thinking of ways he'd like to make love to me, and consulted the list again. "The fifth step is the second exchange of body fluids, and yes, last night would count for that."

I grinned.

"The sixth requires you to a.s.sist me in overcoming my darker self."

"Darker self," I repeated, wondering what that meant. "I suppose getting you back your soul might qualify for that, but if it doesn't, there's always getting you pardoned with the Court." His jaw tightened. "a.s.suming we can make that happen."

I brushed an errant curl off his forehead. "We will. I'm not going to go through all this just to make it rain at my command. If I'm going to do this whole virtue thing, then I'm going to get you what you need for a pardon."

"I'm beginning to think I will not be able to get along without you," he said, kissing my knuckles.

My heart melted at his words. I looked down at his head as he nibbled on my fingers, wondering how I could fall so fast and so hard for a man who I was convinced was a lunatic felon a few days ago. "So far this seems very doable. What's the last step?"

"A blood exchange, followed by a sacrifice where you offer something in recompense for my soul."

"What sort of a something?"

He stood up, pulling me to my feet and into his arms. "Christian didn't say. I gather it's something unique to each couple. Kiss me."

"Oh, I don't think so," I said, squirming out of his arms. "If I do that, we'll end up spending the whole day in bed, and much as I'd like that, we have a soul to find."

A frown creased his brow, as if he was going to argue with me, but after a moment's thought, he nodded. "It saddens me to agree, but you are correct, although there is a more pressing concern than conducting the seven steps of Joining."

"The trials," I said, changing my shoes from sandals to tennis shoes. "Yes, I was thinking about that. I'm getting a little tired of having these trials sprung on us when we least expect them."

A slow smile spread across his face as I stood up. "I think one of the things I admire most about you is the way you face life head- on. It's refres.h.i.+ng to find a woman who doesn't play games."

"Hey now." I poked him in the chest, then smoothed over the spot with the palm of my hand. "Men play just as many games as women do."

"True, but we aren't the masters of manipulation that you women are."

I gave a faux sigh, opening the door as I did so. "Spoken like a man raised in the dark ages. Can you take me to the Court of Divine Blood?"

The retort that perched on the edge of Theo's mind faded away in his surprise. "You want to go to the Court?"

"I do." I took his hand as we walked down the hall toward the stairs, a secret part of me thrilling to the sensation of his thumb brus.h.i.+ng the top of my hand. "It's time we take charge of this situation, Theo, and I mean to do just that. I'm going to see whoever is in charge, and have a little discussion about this whole trial thing. And while we're there, we can find out what it will take to get you a pardon."

"You think it will be just that easy?" he asked, amus.e.m.e.nt rich in his voice and face.

"Of course it won't be easy. But we can at least approach the problem in a logical manner, and that means learning enough to have a sound understanding of what sorts of solutions are reasonable. Thus, to Court we go."

Theo's lips twitched.

"We are smart people, Theo," I said as we marched down the stairs, pausing so he could don a long overcoat and a hat he'd bought off the pub owner. "We both have perfectly good brains, you have knowledge of the Court, and I have...well, I know physics, which I'm not quite certain how it will benefit us, but I am confident that we'll figure it all out." Theo's laughter trailed behind him as we dashed out to his car.

It failed to rea.s.sure me.

Chapter 12.

"You've got to be kidding."

"You're not impressed?"

I made a face and considered the white stone building. "On the contrary, I'm always impressed by castles. This one is particularly nice. It has a nice view of the ocean, and it's not falling down like lots of the castles Sarah has dragged me to see."

"But?"

"Portland Castle isn't really my idea of heaven," I said, waving a hand that I hoped would express all the emotions I was having difficulty verbalizing. "I know, I know, the Court isn't heaven, but it's similar, and well, this just isn't my idea of what heaven should look like!"

Theo laughed and took my hand, leading me in through the entrance, on the tail end of a group of tourists. "Would it help if I told you that the Court itself isn't in the castle?"

"Then why-"

"One of the portals is contained here. This way."

Heedless of the tour group, which was heading for the Tudor kitchens, Theo turned left and walked down a short hallway to a thick wooden door bearing a sign that readPRIVATE .

"You'll have to forgive my curiosity, but what was life like when this castle was new?" I asked as we entered a small, dark room, no doubt an administrative office. I s.h.i.+vered a little at a draft that seemed to be centered at the doorway.

"Dirty. Everyone had lice and diseases. And it smelled. Here we are. See this?" Theo pointed at a small niche in the outer wall of the room. It was probably intended to hold a candle or lamp. "Press the far left side, and the entrance to the portal should be revealed."

A dull rumbling noise had me turning around in surprise. The wall on the far side slid back about three feet, leaving an opening through which it was possible to enter. "Good gravy, don't tell me this castle has a secret pa.s.sageway?"

"No doubt several. It was built by Henry VIII. He had a partiality to secret pa.s.sageways. Left at the fork, then straight on."

The pa.s.sageway was lit with soft lights, for which I was grateful considering the uneven floor. I proceeded down the narrow pa.s.sage, obediently taking the left branch when the pa.s.sage split into two. "What happens if you come here when someone is in the office?"

"Doesn't happen. That room is unoccupied, just made to look like an office in case someone stumbles upon it."

"Haven't the castle people noticed it?"

"I'm sure they have, but the room is warded so that they think nothing of it. All portals are created in such a way. They are visible to mortals, but made so that unless you know what the portal is, no memory of it will remain."

"That's a handy trick," I said, pus.h.i.+ng back the skeptical thought that such a thing was impossible. "Is there anything else I should know other than what you told me on the drive here?" "Through that misty blue doorway," Theo directed.

I stopped before the twirly bluish lights that evidently served as a portal to the Court. Despite several mental lectures, my stomach continued to churn unpleasantly.

"I told you-I've only been to the Court once, for a pet.i.tion that failed. Non-members are seldom allowed in, and then only on Court business. I can't imagine they'd deny you and your champion entrance since you're undergoing the trials, but politeness will count heavily on your side."

"I'm always polite. Except to Sarah, but she's my oldest friend, so plain speaking is allowed," I said, taking a deep breath to calm my stomach. Theo must have felt my nerves, because he put his hands on my shoulders, giving them a supportive squeeze.

If you prefer, you can leave the talking to me. I might not be a member of the Court, but I'm more comfortable with the members than you are.

No, it's OK. I can do this. You're sure they won't separate us?

I won't let them.

I was comforted both by the warmth of his hands on my shoulders and by the smile that brushed my mind. With another deep breath, I pushed through the bluish haze, and entered the Court of the Divine Blood.

"OK, now I'm impressed. I can't even begin to imagine the equations it would take to explain the time and s.p.a.ce of the Court." I stopped on the cobblestoned corner of what appeared to be a pleasant European village circa the early eighteenth century. Ahead of us was a town square complete with well. Several people in modern dress were sitting on the broad wooden lip of the well, chatting. More people strolled through the square, some carrying briefcases, others walking in small groups, a few popping in and out of the half-timbered, Tudor-style buildings that lined the square. Someone whizzed past us on a bicycle, the rider chiming happily on a bike bell that warned of his approach. An orange cat sat in a pool of sunlight, licking her paws. Three dogs chased a small, laughing child. Overhead, birds sang elaborate songs in the trees that lined the square. Above it all, tall spires of various buildings could be seen over the blue-tile roofs capping the stone and wood structures that surrounded the square. It was idyllic, pleasant, and completely mind-boggling when you considered that it was all located in a small English castle.

"As with most elements of the Court, it's best if you just accept it and not try to figure it out," Theo said, consulting a signpost with several narrow arrows on it.

"I've never been one for blind faith," I reminded him, smiling as a hummingbird flitted toward me, pausing in front of my face to give me a thorough look before flying off. "Don't get me wrong, this is really lovely, but it's not very heavenly, is it?"

Theo looked amused. "What were you expecting? Fluffy white clouds and choirs of angels playing the harp?"

A young woman walked by carrying a tray of pies. They smelled...well, heavenly. I sniffed the air appreciably. "Maybe nothing quite so trite. So the Court is made up of a town?"

"Yes. Or a palazzo, or cathedral, or forest. The one time I was here, it resembled a desert, complete with snakes and scorpions. It all depends on the whim of the sovereign."

I turned from admiring the clothing displayed in a shop at the edge of the square, and looked warily at Theo. "Sovereign? You mean...er..."

"No. I told you, this is not heaven. The Christian concept of G.o.d is based on the Sovereign, just as are the deities of other religions, but they are not the same thing."

"But there is one...er...deity in charge?"

"The sovereign isn't one ent.i.ty." "So it's multiple beings?" I asked, thinking of the Greek and Roman G.o.ds.

"No. The sovereign is the sovereign. Neither one, nor many. It just is."

"You refer to the head of the Court as an 'it'?" I asked, more confused than ever.

Theo shrugged. "The sovereign has no gender. It is simply the sovereign. It presides over the Court and enforces the canon. All else is done by the mare."

"Mare? Mare like the dark area on the moon?"

He smiled, and my heart turned over. "No, in this case it's an old term that is more or less equivalent to princess. The mare are the sovereign's right hand, so to speak. It will be one of them who grants you members.h.i.+p to the Court once you pa.s.s the last trial."

"How many mare are there?"

"Three."

"So the mare are female, but the leader of the Court is gender neutral?" My mind balked at accepting so many impossible ideas at once, but I was firm with it. My new att.i.tude was going to be one of "go with the flow" that held off judgment until I had sufficient information to make an intelligent conclusion.

"That's right. Ah. That looked like a messenger. Stay here. I'll be right back." Theo dashed off down one of the narrow alleys that snaked off of the square. I forced a pleasant expression on my face, and tried to look as if I frequently found myself in pseudo- European, out-of-time town squares.

Two young men in a small horse cart drove past me, the horse's hooves clip-clopping pleasantly on the cobblestone. Behind them, a young woman in a short black skirt and long pink scarf, perched on a bright yellow motorbike, whipped around the horse cart with a wave at the driver.

This place was definitely going to take some getting used to.