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You didn’t have to ask for me to have access. I appreciate that you did, but please don’t push the issue. It’s fine to wait until Marco is comfortable with it.
I shook my head. I need to be able to invite you into my personal space.
It’ll take some time for me to become comfortable enough with your friends to be able to sleep in your space. I sensed him looking around. We can talk more about that at a later date. We’re a ten-minute drive to the airstrip, so we have a little time before we need to leave. My bag is ready to go, and I believe you only need to put your toiletries back into your suitcase and you’ll be ready.
I telepathed Largo to make sure his bag was ready to go and then to stand on the front porch and act as guard for everyone out in the street, and I made my way back to Ryan.
“Your eagle has a security background?” Gideon asked me as I stepped off the porch.
“He does. When I’m down for the day, he usually has strict instructions about when and how he can use violence to protect me. Here, however, he’s been told not to do anything, because I worry the whole slayer thing will make him see an enemy when that isn’t the case. When he comes out and stands on the porch in a few moments, he’ll be in watchguard mode, with instructions to notify me via telepathy of anything that concerns him from a security standpoint, but I haven’t authorized him to act.”
I could sense Gideon’s unease, so I added, “We left quickly and I needed to bring my own sustenance. I’d have much preferred, politically, to bring a sweet little deer shifter, but it wouldn’t have been fair to bring her into a situation where people might attack us. Largo can take care of himself better than anyone else I had handy.”
His unease melted away. “Ah. Thank you for explaining. Bringing someone you’ve enslaved seemed so in-your-face to me, as if you wanted us to remember what you’re capable of, but your reasoning explains it.”
I held our direct-eye contact and refused to look away. Vampires should never apologize for being vampires. “I’m not going to hide who I am. The people of this town understand exactly what I am and what I’m capable of. You act as judge, jury, and executioner for my kind, but I’ve survived slayer scrutiny before, and you have to know I was extensively screened after the Big Battle was over, and I was taken over by a new Master.”
“The Concilio has factions on both sides, good and evil, and we do not know who in the Concilio blood oathed you once you became property of that organization.”
“And I’m not at liberty to even give you a hint, which probably tells you something.” A sharp pain went through me, and I know he scented it on me so I didn’t bother denying it. “Saying even that was too much.”
“You are truly silenced, then.”
I just looked at him. A nod would’ve set up the pain feedback protocol my former master had woven through my psyche.
Gideon walked me back through the mass of slayers, still circled around the bodies lying in the street, and I stopped five feet away from Ryan, who was speaking with Ruth in hushed tones I couldn’t make out. If he didn’t want me hearing them, I wasn’t going to intrude.
As soon as I came to a stop, Ryan opened up his telepathy so I could hear it in my mind as he talked to her.
“…extensive pictures, and I suppose video of us trying to move mom and her blowing off in the wind, if that’s what’s going to happen. Also, a full autopsy of my dad before cremation, and of whatever is left of mom, so no one can say we tried to hide anything. I’m not interested in a funeral or memorial service; they’ve been my parents in name only for decades. If you feel it’s important I attend something, I will, and I hope Etta will attend with me. I’ll trust your judgment in whether my presence is absolutely necessary.”
I could also hear Ruth’s response through his mind, which made this more than straight telepathy. “I love you like a grandson, dear. I’ll make sure all the t’s are crossed and i’s are dotted, but we have plenty of eyewitnesses of both kills. I only wish I’d sent half the town to search and the other half to make certain you were safe.”
“We’re alive. All’s well that ends well.”
Using a normal voice, Ruth told Ryan, “Quoting my own truism back to me seems rude, but thank you anyway.” She looked to me. “I apologize for speaking in hushed tones, in a frequency your kind can’t hear. In retrospect, I realize it was rude to do so, but Ryan is both highest ranking relative and the person who killed them, which could create issues if the situation isn’t properly handled.”
“Thank you for explaining. I regret having to leave so soon, but I’m also relieved Ryan is coming with me. I detest traveling after the sun has taken me. My Master knows this, which means things must be critical at home, for him to need me so quickly. I still owe you time with your students, and on my honor, I will return and follow through on the promise.”
Ruth looked between the two of us, then to Pat, then to Gideon, and back to Ryan. “Blade has been given dispensation allowing her to be selective in the information she shares in her official reports. Details about the coterie’s inner sanctum, for instance, since she wasn’t able to enter until she was invited in as the Master’s girlfriend. Also, details about vampires she’s only privy to as a result of her relationship with Augustus. It’s expected she’ll use this knowledge to keep another Slayer alive, should they be in danger, but she isn’t obliged to report the information. I’m giving the same to you tentatively until we can bring it to a vote and make it official.”
“I’ll vote to make it official,” Gideon said. “Blade had to make a trip to Europe to convince enough council members so she had a two-thirds majority, but I voted against it, back then. I’ve spent time with her and Augustus since then, and I’m still conflicted, but Etta has won me over, so I’ll vote for it.”
I had no idea how many people were on the Slayer council, and whether having the ones who lived here would be even close to enough to give it to him.
Seventeen members. Ryan told me. I need eleven of them to vote on my side. We’ll worry about that later, though. I’m surprised Ruth and Gideon let you know their status. It’s supposed to be a big secret, so… he sighed.
You’d like this to be something Marco doesn’t know. Let’s sit down with him once we’re back and try to negotiate for me to have a similar latitude the slayers will give you.
I’d heard a helicopter in the distance, and now it was clear it was headed towards us. I turned to look in the general direction I heard it, and Ryan asked, “What is it?”
“Helicopter.”
The townspeople went into action, and it occurred to me I’d heard it and they hadn’t, but I allowed Ruth to push me towards her house, but when I saw she was putting me into a slightly larger gunroom in the center of her house, I resisted.
“It’ll be a gunship full of Slayers, and they’ll want your blood, and your eagle’s, too. Get in the damned room and let us deal with it!”
I glared at her, and she said, “It will mean something to them, that I’m protecting you, rather than Ryan being the one to defend you. Please, Etta. Ryan loves you, and that means you’re one of mine now. Please get in the room.”
