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"It's nota death that man should fear, but he should fear not ever beginning tolive."
MarcusAurelius.
I hide the manuscript under a pile of dishtowels in my linen closet, determined not to read on until I know how Michel responds. I think of ways to make a copy and keep it so I can continue reading in case he comes for it, but am at a loss. He can always just touch me and discover where I hide any copy I might make. I can't deceive him as long as I have no ability to put up mental walls against histelepathy.
I could send a copy to someone I know and get them to put it somewhere safe, but he'd be able to compel anyone and force them to tell him where itwas…
There's just no way out of this except to give him thecopy.
I've been home for less than an hour and have just had a warm bath and am in my nightgown and fuzzy socks when I hear a knock at my door. I've been searching my mother's work trying to find something on how to block others from reading my mind, but so far, no luck. I put down one of her files and tiptoe to the door and peer through thepeephole.
Of course, it's Michel, staring straight at me, his beautiful blue eyes just inches from thedoor.
I panic, my heart starting to speed up at the thought he's here to take the translation from me to prevent me reading any further. He was so upset back at the SCU. I tiptoe back to my bedroom. I'm not sure if Michel can enter my apartment in some strange vampire way or whether he has to enter the normal human way but whatever the case, I want to hide. I suspect he left the conference room earlier because he was angry. I've been waiting for him to come and demand the translation. I don't want to give it tohim.
I take one of the swords off my wall and hide in the corner of my armoire, pulling the door shut behind me, holding the sword straight up in front of my face. Maybe he'll get sick of waiting outside and leave. I'm determined to wait here all night if I have to. Unless he can resolve into a fog and creep in under the door, he'll have to break it down to get in and then at least I'll hear himcoming.
Besides, he'll have to go beforedawn…
Then I hear a key in the lock and the latch clicks open. Damn. Where'd he get akey?
"Thank you," I hear Michel say in a soft voice. "Now, give me the duplicate and forget that you gave this one to me. Tomorrow, you'll go and make another one. Do youunderstand?"
I hear the building Super reply, kindly old Mr. Williams, his voicemonotone.
"Iunderstand."
Oh, hell. Now Michel has a duplicate key to my apartment? At least that tells me he can't actually become a fog and vaporize into my place through an openwindow…
The door closes, and I sit in the darkness of my closet, the sword grasped between my hands, anxiety building inside me. He'll find me by smell alone. Vampires are like bloodhounds, able to track humans long distances by scent – especially one whose blood they've tasted. Which just happens to apply to me andMichel.
I grip the sword more tightly. Can I attack him? If he threatens me, I will. I know I can kill him if I get achance.
I hear his boots on my hardwood floor as he paces around my apartment, hear the rustling of papers, the opening and closing ofdrawers.
"Where's the translation?" he says, and his voice is soangered.
I don't say anything, my heart thumping in my chest. I can't help it – fear engulfs me and my throat chokes up. Tears bite at the corners of myeyes.
Then he enters the bedroom and stands across from the armoire. I can see him through the gap between the two doors and he's wearing his cassock coat and his hair is mussed, and he's breathing fast, his jawclenched.
A long moment of silencepasses.
Finally, I hear a heavy sigh from him – it sounds of exasperation. It's not the sound a vampire hell-bent on torturing and killing me would make. I wipe my nose, which is running due to mytears.
Stupid stupid… I should never have read thatmanuscript.
"Are you that afraid of me?" he says in a voice edged withfrustration.
Finally, he sits on the bed across from me and watches the armoire, his elbows resting on his knees. It's as if he's staring right at me. He can't see me, canhe?
"I'll wait all night, Eve. I'm a very patientman."
"Wait for what?" I say and I think how stupid it must sound for me to be speaking to him through the closed doors of thearmoire.
Oh, damn… this is anightmare.
"For you to bring me thetranslation."
