Chapter 19 #2
I recalled the bare, empty structure of the second railway carriage and understood. In Trace’s shoes, I too would have wanted to install some basic comforts. “I get that,” I said. “Isher can magic you a new home?”
“Not entirely, but he can advance the situation to where I could move in and be more comfortable than I would be if I tried as it is now.” He smiled at me and held out a glass of murky-coloured liquid. “I thought this might benefit you. You seemed a little the worse for wear last night.”
Oh God. Embarrassment slicked my skin with cold sweat as I struggled to remember what I might have said or done. My mind was a blank. In a panic, I took the glass with a mumbled thank you, peering at it with a frown. “Erm…”
“I promise you, you’ll feel a lot better with the contents inside you. Remember, I’m a witch. I’m good with herbs and potions. Here,” he motioned for it back, “do you want me to try it? To show you it’s not poisoned.”
I gave him my best defiant glare. “You wouldn’t fucking dare. Edwin would have your bollocks if you harmed a hair on my head.” I tipped the glass up and took a huge draught of the gloopy liquid. My eyes widened. “It tastes of sunlight.”
Trace looked startled, but he quickly covered it with another smile, this one as bland as a Rich Tea biscuit.
“That’s one way of putting it,” he agreed smoothly.
“I thought you were going to say ‘grass’ or ‘lawnmower clippings’. People usually do.” He eyed me warily.
“But I don’t think you’re ‘most people’, James Wilson.
” He pulled a chain from his trouser pocket.
I was gobsmacked to see it had an old-fashioned fob watch on the end.
“I’d better go. Don’t want to keep Isher waiting. Tell Edwin I’ll be in touch very soon?”
I watched him pull the door closed behind him without making a sound. I drained the glass of weird liquid and amazingly, moments later I felt like I could scale Everest.
Now wide awake, I showered, dressed, and made my way downstairs while Edwin slept on.
Luc and Charley were in the kitchen with Dalziel and Pavel.
Charley was practically naked in a pair of satin shorts that rode up as he danced around behind his boyfriend who was frying an assortment of breakfast items. Pavel was hovering on the edge of his seat, evidently twitching about Luc doing the cooking when it was usually his job.
Everyone immediately shuffled up to make space for me, offering me tea, coffee, juice, and God knows what else in a cacophony of goodwill that had me slapping my hands over my ears to drown out the well-meaning onslaught of noise.
Dalziel made a slashing gesture and the room fell silent.
Pavel got to his feet and waved a packet of teabags at me from next to the kettle.
I nodded. He smiled easily, and went into chef mode, darting around to bring milk, sugar, and a teaspoon to the table.
I relaxed my death grip on my ears, shook out my hair, and willed my blush to recede.
With a mug of tea in front of me, I took a deep breath, doctored it to my standards, then raised my eyes.
“I get over-sensitive to noise at times. Sorry.”
“We are the sorry ones,” Dalziel countered. “You do not need to apologise for our lack of thought, James.”
“Really sorry,” Charley added. “It’s just so nice to occasionally have breakfast with someone who’s actually going to, y’know, eat.
” His smirk was unrepentant as Dalziel gave his son an exaggerated eye roll.
“Pops, don’t be like that. It’s just nice not to be surrounded by vamps all the time.
” He gave me another of what seemed to be his trademark sunny grins. “So, seeing as Luc’s already cooking…”
“Young Mr Lucien should be sitting to enjoy his breakfast while it is hot,” Pavel murmured to me. Then, louder, to Dalziel, “Master, I would be happy to take over and prepare breakfast for Mr James.” He waited, immobile, until Dalziel gave him a tiny smile, then got eagerly to his feet.
Luc began piling two plates with food, one with twice the amount than the other. He gave the smaller plate to Charley, then hesitated. “Do you want some of my eggs, James?”
Before I could reply, Pavel was urging Luc to sit and eat. He tutted and set the pan aside. “This will not do, Mr Lucien. You cannot cook food for a vegetarian in the fat from your meat products. I do not know how young master puts up with your propensity to throw everything in together.”
“He’s my mate,” Charley sighed dreamily. “He’s providing for me by feeding me. It’s so romantic.”
“You wouldn’t say that if he padded into the bedroom in fur and dropped a fresh rabbit on the rug.” It was out before I registered I was speaking. “Errr…” What the fuck is wrong with you, dude?
Everyone howled with laughter, Luc most of all. When he got a hold of himself, he wiped his eyes. “I would pay next year’s company bonus to my parents to see the look on his face if I did. James, you’re fucking priceless. Edwin should bring you up to Scotland. We’d have so much fun.”
“Let the boy catch his breath,” Dalziel interjected over Charley’s enthusiastic agreement to this idea.
“He’s finding his feet in London, and Dempsey is moving close by.
” His expression was neutral but I wondered exactly how much Edwin had said about Trace.
Did I care if people knew I was sort of involved with Edwin, and Edwin with Trace?
I decided I didn’t, because these people around the table drank blood or turned into animals, or in Pavel’s and my case, offered the contents of our veins as sustenance.
So really, a bit of bed-hopping was pretty tame in comparison.
Pavel cooked me a breakfast of such perfection, I was glad I was engaged in devouring it or I might have taken Luc up on his suggestion and promptly run home to pack for the far north or wherever it was they all lived.
This was exquisite food. I managed to stammer my thanks, then was politely ignored while I cleared my plate.
Baxter appeared when I was on my third cuppa, as stunning as ever, but instead of her usual glamour, she was clad neck to toes in a baggy, tiger-striped onesie.
She looked much more approachable like this, and very human, although just looking at her made me feel sweaty.
It was still hard sometimes to remember vampires weren’t affected by temperature, and it was a warm day.
She waved a hand in greeting at everyone but didn’t speak until she’d downed the contents of a blood bag in what looked like one long gulp. I mentally lol’d — not so human at all.
“Evening, all.” She flashed me a wink. “All right, treacle? Sleep okay?” She spun a chair around and straddled it. “Good party, wasn’t it?”
“It was. Thank you for inviting me.”
“Oh, doll, you’re one of us now. Invited is your permanent status.” Her gaze flickered upwards. “Where’s my lazy little brother? Still dead to the world?” She didn’t wait for me to answer before adding, “Course he is, or he’d’ve been down here guarding his new treasure.”
“Nice tiger,” Luc said, motioning with his knife across the table.
Baxter chuckled. “No doubt one of my dubious ancestors had their portrait painted standing on the eviscerated corpse of the real thing, but I prefer my skins made of fleece.”
“Liar liar, pants on fire,” Dalziel challenged her with a grin. “Your well-known penchant for leather trews rather contradicts your cruelty-free stance on fashion.”
“Oh yeah.” She shrugged. “Sue me, I spent too many years stuffed into corsets to not enjoy the full sensory range of options nowadays.” She grinned at me. “I was turned in 1879, James. I was a proper Victorian lady.”
There was a scoff from the doorway. “You’ve never been proper, or a lady.” Edwin dropped into the chair next to mine and took my hand. “Did Trace leave?”
Pavel, evidently unable to help himself, begged Dalziel to allow him to clear up. We all drifted to different parts of the house as the Scottish lot made noises about packing to leave as soon as it got dark. Edwin directed me to the offices in the basement before he enquired why Trace had left.
I explained. He understood, but although he tried hard to hide it, I think he was disappointed he hadn’t got to say goodbye.
He was definitely into Trace, and I was pretty sure for more than just his cock.
I felt conflicted about this once again.
I didn’t really know Trace, plus I was positive he’d been hiding something about him or his magic from us both, but I didn’t not trust him, even with his possible secrets.
Something about him told me he was kind — as a core feature.
The fact he coaxed plants from the soil, didn’t eat animals, and had gifted me a hangover cure second to none probably went a long way to my inclination to see him in a positive light.
I distracted Edwin from a potential gloomy fit by asking why he’d lured me to the basement.
He smirked. “I simply wanted a quiet word with you without everyone listening in. Why, do you want me to do something vampy and nefarious to you?” His eyes glinted.
“Do you want to feed? Trace gave me a drink that cured my hangover, so I’m more than good to go.” I licked my lips at the idea of his mouth on my skin.
He backed me into an alcove and mirrored my gesture, except he palmed his crotch at the same time.
“I hear your heartbeat speed up at the thought, James,” he murmured, his breath a cool promise against my neck.
“Tell me again how much you like it when I bite you.” His voice had morphed into what I thought of as his seduction one, his Cockney vowels softened like they’d been dipped in honey.
I turned my head to see his eyes had done their weird shit again, the blue almost indiscernible from the pupil.
His thrall was so obvious to me, but I still found it sexy even while I mentally derided him for being a ridiculous stereotype.