Aris Returns (36 page)

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Perspiration dotted Sarah’s forehead as she and Maggie hurried down the street. A
hot wind was blowing, the humid air felt like a steam bath on their faces. “If I wasn’t
so hungry, I would have just skipped lunch.”

“Not a good idea, besides there isn’t anything going on this afternoon.”

They ducked into the deli and settled into a booth, both reaching for the menu. Soon
their orders were placed and tall glasses of iced tea were placed on the table before
them.

“When it’s this hot, iced tea sure hits the spot.”

Maggie grinned. “A nice frozen margarita would hit a higher spot.”

Sarah laughed. “In the middle of the day?”

“Hot is hot, doesn’t matter the time of day.” Maggie shook her head, reaching for
her straw. “Well, this will just have to do.” She sipped the cold amber liquid, smiling.
“Hey, it’s better than I thought it would be.”

The women chatted about the August weather and their predictions for an early autumn
until the waitress brought their lunches.

“This salad isn’t half bad. I guess you can get used to anything.” Maggie poured every
drop of the creamy dressing on the raw vegetables. She took a bite, added salt and
smiled. “Just what the
doctor ordered. And speaking of that, what have you done with Gorgeous? Have you stopped
seeing him? I haven’t asked you but I’ve wanted to for the last couple of weeks.”

“He’s just adjusting to his life. There have been so many changes for him in such
a short period of time. It would be difficult for anyone.”

“So did you tell him you didn’t want to see him anymore?” Maggie’s curiosity had the
better of her. “What’s going on? I hate being the last to know.”

“Nothing Maggie. He just took a break for a few weeks. He’ll be back on Friday.”

Her assistant’s eyes lit up. “I was afraid I would never get to look upon that face
again. A fate worse than death, I tell you.”

“Well, he’ll be in on Friday. Same time, same place as they say.” She spoke the words
with a great deal more confidence than she felt. She wasn’t sure of her position with
Carlos any more. And that fact wasn’t comfortable.

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He came through the door and sat quietly across from her. “Look Sarah, I’m sorry about
the sessions. I just needed some time away from everything to think.”

She leaned forward. “And so, what do you think?”

He stared out the window at the late afternoon sun reflecting on the tall buildings
for a few moments. He turned to look at her.

“I think I’ve become way too attached to you. You pretty much became the most important
person in my life. And the vamp? The vamp became who I wanted to become, not who I
am. I know I’ve acted like a kid sometimes, but I’m feeling things I’ve never felt
before, thinking about things I didn’t even know existed in my world. It’s just been
a little too much and a little too fast. That’s all.”

“If I’ve pushed you or misled you in any way, Carlos, I’m so sorry.
It’s been confusing for me as well. And I know that’s no excuse but it’s a reason.”
She rose and moved from behind the desk to stand just in front of him. “You are the
most unusual client I have ever had, it’s been fascinating and bewildering.” She sat
on the corner of her desk facing him, her red toenails peeking out from the cut out
at the front of her shoes. “I can’t deny how much you mean to me personally. I would
be lying and you would know it. I want only the best for you.”

“I really thought about it after you called me and I’ve made a final decision. No
more changing my mind. Sarah, we are so close to the end of this story, I just can’t
quit. I decided that I want to know what happened to Aris, why he is here now and
how he got here. I don’t want to be away from you anymore. I’ll take what I can get.”

He stood and took her hands in his. “So I’m back. And I’m staying until the end. Again.”
He smiled. He released her hands, stepping toward the recliner. “’I’m a better man
for knowing you’. Isn’t that what the leading man says to the heroine in movies?”
He laid down resting his head on the cushions of the chair. “Okay, let’s keep up the
good work. One step at a time.”

Sarah’s head was whirling. He was here one day, gone the next, then back again. She
was confused but refused to worry about it while he was in her office. As always,
she allowed herself to fall easily into their past pattern. She picked up the recorder
and moved to her chair. It was the most natural thing in the world to begin the familiar
induction, “Focus on your breathing.”

CARLOS HAVARRO, transcript, Session 23. September 3

After Anne lost the child, the King literally disappeared from the palace and her
life. Each day he would ride to the hunt with his gentlemen, the Seymours were always
among the first chosen, those who rode closest to him. George Boleyn lost his high
rank in the King’s company just as
Anne lost her position in his heart.

History has been unkind to Henry. Yes, he was selfish beyond redemption, however,
many of his darkest decisions were seeded from his desire for an heir. I do not make
excuses for the King, yet Anne promised him a son. She did not deliver. Henry, no
more than a spoiled child himself, saw her failure to produce an heir as betrayal.
He loved Anne as he had never before loved nor would ever again. But he loved England
more. And his vanity, his public display of virility more even than England, so he
was left with what he saw as no other choice. To rid himself of yet another Queen;
to find a new one who would give him a son. He presented Cromwell with the puzzle
of ridding him of Anne.

Cromwell hated her. It was with joy he received Henry’s request. And find a way, he
did.

The King knew he could not use the same excuse to marry a new Queen as he used with
Katharine so a new tactic must be found.

Cromwell trumped charges of the Queen’s adultery with members of her court and under
torture, her musician, Smeaton, admitted to the charges. He gave the judges names
of others the Queen supposedly used to betray the King, including her own brother.

As if knowing what was to come, her ladies and her gentlemen began to drift away from
her rooms to find their way into the apartments of Jane Seymour. It was with a light
heart they left her. Anne had never been an easy friend and her title made her even
more petulant and spoiled. She alienated any who would have stood for her with her
evil tongue. Her uncle was glad to have her lose her power and, in time, even her
sister left her side.

It was alone, without a friend she faced her judges, so eloquently defending herself.
Yet it was too late. The die had been cast. Anne was proclaimed guilty of treason.
She was sentenced to death along with the men who were also unjustly accused.

Her brother and his friends were held in the tower awaiting their execution. Anne
was placed in a room with a window looking down on
tower green. She watched as the scaffold was built where they would all die. The men
were executed in May. Two days later, Anne met the headsman. She proclaimed her loyalty
to the King and died well.

On the day she died, Henry proclaimed his love for Jane Seymour, his next wife.

I waited quietly to find my own fate. Richard visited me often in my rooms. He told
me the counsel knew of my action with Katharine. He stood for me, he said. Akira had
not made a final decision as to what would be my punishment. Khansu was determined
that I should be eliminated for my misdeed yet she still cared for me as a son. She
strove to bring her mate to her way of thinking.

Richard told of counsel meetings again and again debating my execution. Akira was
the only one who wanted to allow me to continue. All the elders saw my actions as
disobedience to the ancient law, disobedience performed not once but twice. It was
against their judgement that I was pardoned at my first indiscretion. Their fear was
for the coven, their own authority as leaders over the members. If I were allowed
to continue, what would stop others from doing the same thing, killing because they
desired to kill and nothing more? They spoke of the danger I brought to the coven
with my actions, my disregard for the kindness of the counsel after the Wolsey affair.
Akira’s determination to keep me began to lessen as the arguments for my destruction
were repeatedly spoken. Finally, even Sebastian was against me.

So I waited. There was no escape from their judgment. There was no place to go where
they would not find me, nothing I could do to prevent my execution if they chose that
as my end. The days were interminable, the nights, longer than the days.

It was with deep sorrow that he continued to speak.
“I waited much as you wait, Sarah, for the outcome of our story.”
There was silence and when he spoke again, his voice was once more powerful and in
command.

At last, the day came of my sentencing. I faced the dais on my knees.
The soft velvet cushions were no longer there for my comfort. The hard, cold marble
floor matched the look of ice in the eyes of the vampire King and Queen, sitting on
their thrones above me.

“Aris, you were forgiven when none before you has ever been forgiven.” Khansu leaned
forward, speaking softly, yet his words were full of anger and recrimination. “You
ignored your great fortune at being allowed to continue without punishment for your
first transgression.” He stood, facing his mate, “And you, Akira, were paramount in
his forgiveness.”

She rose from her seat, standing, motionless before him, unable to deny the accusation.

“This time there will be no forgiveness.” He turned back to lock eyes with me as he
spoke of my judgment. “This time, you will pay with your existence for your selfish
crime. You were manipulated once again by the vixen, Anne. Yet this second time, she
spoke false about her rival. You murdered an innocent, one without blood on her hands.
And so, for that and that alone, you will be eliminated.”

Akira caught my eyes for an instant, then turned her back to me. I saw compassion
in her glance yet I knew my fate was sealed.

“Sebastian, take this traitor to the law to the executioner.” It was finished, the
royal couple walked from the room leaving me to my fate.

I rose from my knees as Sebastian stepped beside me. “Come with me foolish one.” He
gripped my elbow, guiding me through the few members of the elite counsel invited
to my trial. They were silent, casting their eyes down as I passed by.

“Why did you do it?”

I did it to avenge my lost sweetheart. I did it because I could, nothing more and
nothing less. I did not answer him. My unbeating heart broke at my transgression.
I felt no sorrow when I thought she was the second hand that murdered my Elizabeth.
Now I knew the truth. She had been faultless. I ached for my crime, if I could have
wept, I would have.

The halls were dark, lit only by the candle held in Sebastian’s hand.
We walked slowly. After a time, he asked the question once again. Still I gave no
answer. We continued in strained silence until the light of the candle displayed a
huge, wooden door at the end of the passage. Sebastian slowed his steps; he spoke
softly.

“I cannot let them end you yet you must be punished.” He was torn between our close
fellowship and his loyalty to the coven. “ You have betrayed the law. You are a convicted
traitor yet you are still my friend.” We stood in silence for an eternity . He spoke
again. “You must face the executioner and end the life of this body, but I will not
burn you. I will not end your existence. I will carry your body to a deeper pit to
leave it there. No one will know you have not been fully destroyed. You must take
your essence from the Catacombs never to return. Go far from this place, disappear
forever from your kind. “

Gratitude filled me as I reached for his hand. “I will do so.”

“Do I have your word?”

I gave him my truest word. He embraced me quickly. We crossed the few remaining steps
to the entrance of the chamber of execution. We passed over the threshold.

A large stone slab rested in the center of the room; a vampire in a black cloak with
a heavy hood stood next to it. What little of his face that was visible was covered
in a black mask with slits for his eyes. Resting on a small stone table next to the
slab were a long polished wooden stake and a huge mallet, the tools of my destruction.

Resolutely I moved to the slab, standing silently, observing my final resting place
as this man that I was. I heard the door close as Sebastian stepped outside the room.
I was grateful that all vampire tradition called for privacy for any ritual be it
joining of mates or execution. Had there been other witnesses, I would not be here
with you in this moment.

I lay down, closing my eyes, waiting for the pain of the stake. Sarah, I will not
take you into that horror. Just know it was swift, the body was empty of my essence
from the first blow. From that moment, I seemed to be floating just above it all exactly
as it had been during the time
of Alexander yet very different. Now, I knew what I was. I knew a disembodied spirit
is free to move about unfettered. I still was conscious. I could once again inhabit
a human body.