Chapter 9
1573 Words
9
Eric kept a firm hold of my hand as he led me back to my shared room. The sun had nearly set, and the twilight cast the last of its dying rays on us as we stopped in front of the door.
“For what it’s worth, I’m sorry all of this happened.”
I shrugged. “I can’t say stranger things have happened to me, but it’s not all bad. All’s well that ends well, right?”
There was that sad smile again. “I hope so.”
“Cheer up!” I encouraged him as I patted his shoulder. “We’ve still got a few more days together. Maybe we could take a walk later?”
Eric opened his mouth, but he froze, and he lifted his eyes up to the moonlit sky. “I may not have the time. My… job keeps me busy.”
My smile faltered a little. “You act as if this is goodbye.”
He half-turned away. “Perhaps it is.”
A lump formed in my throat, but still I held out my hand to him. “If that’s the case then it was nice meeting you.”
At that Eric turned his back to me. “I wish that was true.” He strode forward and soon rounded a corner out of sight.
My heart fell at the empty passage. I slipped inside the apartment and shut the door behind me where I leaned my back against the entrance. A heavy heart burdened me as a loose tear slid down my throat. I bowed my head and clenched my teeth. How could I feel like this? I’d only just met the guy!
Still, there was something about him…
“Whatever is the matter with you?”
My head shot up and I found myself staring at Leilah who stood in the doorway to her bedroom. She had a frown on her lips that was remarkably filled with concern for someone other than herself. The ancient vampire practically flew across the room and grasped my shaking arms in her cold but gentle hands.
“There, there,” she soothed as she guided me toward the living room part of the spacious apartment. “Let’s get you over to the couch and you tell me what happened.”
I sat down and shook my head. “It’s nothing.”
She plopped herself down beside me and her frown deepened. “Miss Connor, I have never in all our time together seen you so much as sniffle at anything, and here I find at my awakening that you’re ready to cry like a baby. What happened?”
I managed a shaky smile as I wiped one eye with the back of my hand. “It’s just Eric-”
“Eric!” she exclaimed as her eyes filled with surprise and fury. “What has that scum done to you?” The question was both so true and yet so false that I burst into laughter at the absurdity. Leilah watched me with a mixture of concern and confusion. “Perhaps you should lay down, my dear. I don’t think you’re quite well.”
I gave her a true smile and set one of my hands atop hers. “No, I’m fine, really. I appreciate your kindness, but I just need a distraction.”
There was the magic word. A smile spread across Leilah’s lips as she leapt to her feet and stood over me trembling with joy. “If a distraction you need then it’s a distraction you’ll get!” She grabbed my hand and tugged me toward the door.
“Wait a sec!” I yelped as she flung open the entrance and pulled me outside. “Where are we going?”
She swung me leftward so quickly that I nearly flew into the wall. “To drown your sorrows in fun!”
Oh boy.
The treats of the island of Basileus were a smorgasbord of the expensive and the macabre. The lower decks of the villa held billiard and pool rooms, and there was even a small private theater. The ancient guests, however, were creatures of habit, and the ballroom proved to be the place for lively fun with the undead crowd. Music played in the background, courtesy of a live band, as the guests milled about discussing the good old days where carriages ruled the streets and some of them ruled countries.
I stood beside my patron, a fresh face among the pallid ones. There were a few familiar mugs among the upper crust of the crusty paranormal folk, people whom I had met on other austere occasions.
“I can’t tell you how surprised I was to hear you were coming, Leilah.”
The backhanded compliment caught my attention and caught the ire of my employer. Leilah cast a sharp look at her acquaintance, an older gentleman of some forty, but with a century’s worth of years behind his eyes. “Whatever do you mean, Geoffrey?”
He shrugged. “Only that I had no idea Basileus had you on his list.”
Leilah looked like a ruffled hen. “And why should he not? The only mistake he made was to not have me on it sooner!”
The man smiled as he held up his hands in front of him. “I meant no offense, Leilah, but how very sudden of you to be placed on the list. Perhaps your lovely companion here” He gestured to me, “had some influence on the decision?”
I shook my head. “I didn’t even know he existed until a week ago.”
“I did not need anyone’s help to have my name placed on the list,” Leilah snapped.
One of the women laughed and patted Leilah’s shoulder. “I believe he’s just trying to rile you, Leilah. After all, no one knows the workings of Basileus’ list except the great man himself.”
At his name Basileus entered the room with his customary cane in hand and a smile on his face. He greeted each group he came to until he arrived at ours and inclined his head to us. “I hope you are all enjoying yourselves this fine night.”
One of the women rubbed her elbow and pursed her lips. “I fear this good weather won’t last.”
One of her companions swatted her arm. “Oh, not that again, Mildred! Your elbow does not predict the weather!”
Mildred glared back at her. “Of course, it does, or don’t you remember that thunderstorm ten years back?”
“Even a stopped clock is right twice a day.”
Basileus held up one hand to silence the bickering. “I’m afraid Mildred’s elbow may be right. The tides are turning, and the forecast shows a high chance of rain.”
Mildred gave her elbow an extra-hard squeeze and winced. “And some thunderstorms.”
“Could it tell me what the weather’s going to be like next week?” one of the men spoke up as he passed by with a wily grin. “I don’t want rain to interrupt my golf tournament.”
An uproarious laughter filled the room as Mildred gave the funny man a friendly whack on the arm. I stood in the midst of such good humor with a question on my mind as I scanned the room. Eric was nowhere to be found. Worry gnawed at the back of my mind as I wondered if he was out there again, fighting against that strange lizard creature.
I noticed, too, that Basileus had left our company. A quick look around and I found him, or rather, his retreating back. He was walking toward one of the side entrances where a servant waited for him. The tense look on the servant’s face and the quick stride of our host told me something was amiss.
My mind oscillated between staying put and minding my own business or giving in to my worry and following Basileus. My heart joined in with its opinion and common sense was outvoted.
I patted Leilah’s arm as I slipped away from the group. “If you’ll excuse me.”
Miss Leilah frowned at me. “Where are you going?”
Basileus disappeared down the hall. I gave Leilah a smile and a wave. “I need to, um, go to the bathroom. I’ll be right back.”
I broke free from the vampires and wormed my way through the other guests. By the time I reached the passage Basileus was gone, but that didn’t deter me. He had to be somewhere in that maze of hallways. I strode quickly down the hall and the rowdy noise of the party sank into silence. There was only the sound of my soft tread as I balanced between speed and quietness.
I passed several other turns but didn’t see a sign of Basileus until I approached a corner in the far depths of the villa. Voices came to my ears, and I slowed my pace as I approached the turn. One sounded like Basileus, and the other I assumed was the servant I had seen with him. I pressed my back against the wall with my arms stretched out on either side of me and inched closer to the corner for a peek.
This is a fool’s errand.
- Writer
