Chapter 17
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Beckett
Once I was certain Abi was out of hearing range—thank goodness for humanity’s terrible senses—I turned back to the Paragon. “When Killian asked you to come up here, I don’t suppose he mentioned if the Curia Cloisters had decided to investigate the probable vampire attacks in this area, did he?”
“You know, he did!” The Paragon carefully adjusted the straps of his backpack, likely not wanting to jostle his precious cat. “He wanted to know why you won’t… how did he put it? I believe it was, Why won’t you clean up the mess in your own backyard, you boorish sardine?”
Boorish sardine? That was a downright mild insult for Killian Drake.
“I take it that means there are no plans to send an investigation team?” I asked.
“He didn’t say. I’d take that as a no, but you should ask him yourself.”
So the Curia Cloisters is recording all of these incidents, but they probably won’t act until it’s too late and a human is more deeply wounded…
or worse. It’s not unexpected, but it’s inconvenient.
It means the area will continue to be dangerous for Abi, and if the vampire doesn’t move on and things do blow up, it will make life as a supernatural in this area unpleasant.
The Paragon, oblivious to my thoughts, continued.
“I wouldn’t give up on your request just yet.
Killian Drake is weak to persistence. If you annoy him enough with this vampire issue, eventually he’ll give in out of sheer frustration.
Particularly since you can make it personal as you believe it really is a vampire doing this, so it’s not just a Curia Cloisters issue. ”
“That is a good point,” I agreed. “But it sounds like you’ve learned this through experience?”
“Yes,” the Paragon scratched his chin, accidentally tangling his fingers in his mustache and yanking painfully on the hairs.
“Now that I think of it, he’s much like you.
I don’t know that anything could intimidate or incite fear within him.
If the local fae rumor mill is to be believed, however, you have a great deal more patience than Killian Drake. ”
“You are referring to the gnomes?”
“Indeed.” The Paragon gave me a calculating look, belatedly reminding me that as harmless and kind as his elderly appearance may be, he still was a fae. “They speak highly of you, despite the race difference.”
I shrugged. “I’m not much of a threat, given that I don’t have a Family.”
“Pshaw,” the Paragon scoffed. “Nice try, but you can’t hide how powerful you are. Not even from the likes of gnomes. They recognize the danger of their position as a small band of fae, and know how much safer it would be for them to hide in your shadow, so to speak.”
I need to get him out of my house and off my property. He’s too uncomfortably cunning to let him stay here any longer.
I smiled politely. “It is good to know you are in contact with the local fae despite your high position. Enjoy the favor Killian owes you.”
The Paragon eyed me. “Oh-ho-ho, a not so subtle now get out, will you, is it? Fine, fine. I’m obviously not wanted here.”
I opened the front door and nodded in respect as the Paragon stepped outside, his overweight cat curled up in her carrier.
She lazily yawned at me, then abruptly whisked out of sight as the Paragon spun around.
“You know, there are an awful lot of drawbacks that come with power: political pettiness, endless red tape that makes it a pain to get anything accomplished, not to mention that it generally feels like a great deal of supernaturals don’t deserve to be helped, protected, or what have you.
However… there are some powerfully strong advantages. Benefits, if you will.”
I slowly blinked, even more convinced that this aged leather jerky of a fae was in cahoots with those chatty and grubby gnomes. “Really.”
“Yes,” the Paragon said. “Including the power to protect others. Perhaps, for example, the first human to find out the truth about you in decades?”
I went still, every muscle in my body tensing as I eyed the Paragon and wondered just what danger Killian had sent to my doorstep.
The Paragon smiled, looking perfectly harmless and cheerful. “I’m just saying! No need to look all broody and grim. For crying out loud, your face is going to stay that way one day if you keep on looking that sour.”
Although his chuckle might have physically broken the moment, internally I was still on edge.
Is he saying this merely because of what he observed between Abi and me right now? If so, what exactly made him say that? The other vampires in my texting group might suspect something or Killian wouldn’t have bargained with the Paragon for a picture. But for the Paragon to say it so bluntly…
“By the by, Beckett Kinge,” the Paragon said. “Has it ever occurred to you that it’s precisely because you don’t wish to lead the area, that that is why all these local supernaturals keep on asking you to? Because they recognize that in your disdain for power, it means you won’t abuse it.”
Recognizing anything I said was potentially too dangerous depending how the Paragon chose to interpret it, I simply closed the door, locked it, then brought up the video doorbell’s app to watch the Paragon waddle off to his car.
He spent a little while strapping his cat into a child’s car seat, then hopped in his vehicle and drove off.
“The tea is safely put away,” Abi announced as she marched down the hallway in that no-nonsense stride of hers. “You don’t happen to have any books about supernaturals in that splendid library of yours, do you?”
I slipped my phone into my pocket. “No. Supernaturals haven’t been public for very long, and I’d never keep anything out in the open that could—”
“Hint at what you are, yes, that’s what I figured.” She pressed her lips together and tilted her head—two very tiny signs that gave away her disappointment.
“I have some in the basement,” I said, the words leaving my mouth before I was even aware of it.
Abi brightened. “Really? Sometime in the future, then, could I take a look?”
“Sure.” I fought a smile that threatened to twitch on my lips. “You could even look during work hours if you wanted to spend some time cleaning down there.”
Abi narrowed her eyes and adjusted her glasses. “You’re so generous.”
I laughed as she spun around and stalked off, likely heading for the library. “You sound aggravated,” I said, following her.
“It’s nothing.” Abi briskly said. “I just have to remind myself of the many benefits of this position, and then your teasing isn’t so bad.”
“Benefits such as being able to pay off your student loans?” I asked.
“Yes!” She peered back at me, her chin rising with determination.
“And the free housing, flexible hours, friendly co-workers.” She paused to open the library door.
“My boss’s dazzling good looks can, of course, be both a benefit and a detractor at times, but over all it adds to the positive experience. ”
“My appearance is considered dazzling?” I wasn’t exactly surprised by the comment as vampires did tend to be attractive as part of our predator package to lure humans in. But Abi hadn’t done much to show that she personally appreciated my appearance.
Abi gave me a withering look. “Don’t try to be humble. You can’t pull it off with that face.”
“Ouch,” I said as we entered the library together.
Abi immediately started perusing the shelves, while I settled in to watch her.
There was some truth that I didn’t like in what the Paragon had said to me.
Coming forward as a vampire and being able to openly use my power would make it much easier to protect Abi.
True, there was nothing really threatening her, except for the vague menace of the Unclaimed vampire running around.
But she had become so important to me that even the idea of being forced to respond to a threat—not being able to act until it had already surfaced—didn’t sit right with me.
Life has become much more complicated since she arrived. And yet, I don’t regret her presence.