Bond of Fire (39 page)

She’d already watched the cattle stampede onto the runway, destroying Georges’s ability to rescue her.

She’d heard the gunshots from within the house. Given the number of shots, her men were dead and Jean-Marie was now looking for Hélène.

How many minutes were left until Don Rafael arrived? Not many.

Raoul appeared from behind a tree, strong and elegant in his fine blue uniform.

“I would be glad to fry every
mesnadero
in Texas, spit on Don Rafael’s grave, and throw a party to celebrate his demise,” she remarked.

“But can you kill your sister, my angel?”

“But then—I find myself remembering when we were children,” she mused, her eyes on the bedraggled figure trudging toward her, “and Hélène was the one who covered my meetings with you. Who made excuses for my disappearances to our parents, and invited me to stay with her so you could see me, and bought me pretty dresses to enchant you. Silly little things, really.”

“She taught me how to dance so I could make you proud.” He stood beside her now, almost close enough that their sleeves brushed. “And gave me my first horse when I entered the academy, as well as later, when I was commissioned.”

Hélène was only a few steps away from the lethal machinery now.

“If I warned her the motorcycle was booby-trapped, would she believe me? Or would she think the ploy too obvious and an attempt to catch her as bait for her lover?”

Raoul was quiet, his silence saying more than words.

“I find myself longing for the clean purity of flames, to sweep the dross away before them and let a new life begin.” Celeste sighed, wondering where childhood’s simple games with her sister had gone. “I’m sorry I’ve sinned, Raoul. I never meant to make you ashamed of me.”

“You could never disappoint me, my angel.” His fingers brushed her cheek, and she shaped her lips in a kiss. The scent of cedar and pine teased her for a moment, reminding her of the coming spring. “We will walk through Purgatory’s fires and see God’s face revealed at last—together.”

“Yes.” She closed her eyes briefly, finally believing she’d be with him again. “I must go now. I wish there was another way to save her but there is not.”

“We will go together, my love,” he corrected her gently and held out his hand.

Their fingers met for the first time in far too long. Tears touched her eyes, of joy and agonizing relief.

She smiled at him and raced out of the woods toward the deadly Hayabusa, the Act of Contrition echoing behind her.
I firmly resolve…to do penance and to amend my life.

Hélène trudged toward Jean-Marie’s peregrine falcon, too tired to curse the humidity which choked her throat and dripped from the trees. Just a few steps more and she’d reach the rendezvous point, where she could wait for her
cónyuge
. The
conyugal
bond was lovely, but there was something infinitely more comforting about holding him in her arms.

A big body abruptly slammed into her, knocking her down into the road.
What the hell?

They rolled together over the asphalt, giving Hélène a bare instant to recognize her
cónyuge’s
scent and strong body. She relaxed, following his lead, and arrived in the grass at the roadside, locked in his arms.

Two figures sped past, hand in hand. One was Celeste, but the other was wearing—a Blues officer’s uniform?

They ripped something off the Hayabusa and ran, heading away from Hélène and Jean-Marie. A soft click sounded and fire leapt from the small packet in their joined hands. It burned, hot and bright—and Celeste and the man threw themselves on it, tumbling down the road, blocking destruction of anything else with their bodies.

Sacrificing themselves…

Hélène and Jean-Marie were only a few feet away from the motorcycle. If it blew up, too…

BOOM! The two people disappeared instantly, without a sound except for the fire’s savage crack and snap. Golden light flared to the sky in a dancing pillar. Heat reached for the sky, almost as hot as the sun’s surface, touched only briefly by smoke. The harsh, clean scent of burning gasoline ripped past, remarkably untainted.

But the bike didn’t explode, guarded by the distance the two had bought plus the pervasive damp.

“Celeste saved my life,” Hélène choked. “After everything is said and done—no matter where the bomb came from—we were still sisters.”

“Family,” Jean-Marie said with deep satisfaction and pulled her close. She burrowed against him and sobbed, the tears shaking her to her bones.

The fireball exploded into the sky, bright as the sun, hurling fire and smoke along the road and into the forest alongside. Sparks hissed and sizzled in pine trees, and the moon overhead disappeared.

The two people lying in the road vanished under a burst of black, black smoke, deeper and darker than hell itself. More ignoble than the guilt Rafael would carry if Jean-Marie died.

Jean-Marie, his
hijo
, and Hélène, Jean-Marie’s
cónyuge
. If they died because Rafael hadn’t fought for them…

He was out and running toward them before his big Mercedes had fully come to a stop, Grania at his side. He was barely conscious of his
mesnaderos
only a few steps behind; he’d protect his
cónyuge
himself.

Jean-Marie rose and tucked Hélène protectively against his side. He was bloodstained, his face nicked by glass, and his hip carried a bullet to Rafael’s experienced eye. She was exhausted, and both of them were filthy. Far worse was their evident caution around him.

An
hijo
to be frightened of his
creador
! No and no and no…

Rafael automatically moved to embrace his eldest friend, but Jean-Marie bowed formally, forcing them to stay apart.

Rafael came to a halt, and Grania slipped her hand into his, giving him strength.
Madre de Dios
, his throat was tight with tears, strong as when he’d felt Fernando and Inez and Beatriz die while he was in that foul prison thousands of miles away.

But he could face any trials with his
cónyuge
at his side, his beloved Grania, who was Blanche reborn. Without her, it would always be easier to simply retreat into his old shell and simply demand nobody ever hurt him again.

“Don Rafael,
Doña
Grania, may I present to you Hélène d’Agelet, my
cónyuge
and my fiancée?” Jean-Marie asked politely. Tension thrummed through him, and the dawning of despairing grief.

No. He would not lose Jean-Marie like this. Just this once, he would make an exception. After all, the lady was Jean-Marie’s
cónyuge
and therefore a part of Jean-Marie. She was also a firestarter and would be a very great asset to Texas.

Grania flickered a sideways glance at him but said nothing.

“Welcome to Texas, madame.” Rafael gallantly bowed over Hélène’s hand. “We look forward to forever enjoying your company here as my eldest
hijo
’s wife.”

Jean-Marie broke out into a broad grin. “Thank you,
mon père
.”

Thank you
, he added more privately,
for reaching out beyond past nightmares and welcoming another man’s
hija.
I swear to you, we will make Texas proud.

I know you two will, Jean-Marie. I trust you as I trust myself.
Rafael drew them into a hug, letting his body and instincts start learning the new addition to his family.

When they separated, Jean-Marie snatched his
cónyuge
up and whirled her around, both of them laughing like children.

Rafael’s eyes were suspiciously damp when he slipped his arm around his own
cónyuge
.
Thank you
, mi amor.

For what?
She leaned her head against his shoulder, her soft curls nuzzling his throat.

For helping me face a nightmare and thus giving me an
hija.
I have grown much tonight, thanks to you.
His voice was hoarse with tears of joy, even mind-to-mind.

She looked up at him, her eyes shining with all the light in his world.
Together we can face anything, my darling.

Terminology used in the Texas Vampire universe is taken whenever possible from medieval Spanish, supplemented by modern Spanish. The only exception is that
patrones
are given an honorific appropriate to their or their
esfera
’s ethnicity, for example,
don
in Texas, madame in New Orleans, lord in England, and so on.

Adieu.
Good-bye forever. (French)

Alcalde.
The
alcalde
, the most important official in the Spanish municipality, not only acts as the chief executive in a Spanish town, but also functions as a judge of minor cases and as the head of the
ayuntamiento
, or town council. The
alcalde
not only officially issues laws for a municipality but also holds the authority to arrest and punishes those who violate city ordinances.

Alferez mayor.
al-FEH-reth. Military commander-in-chief, overseeing all warriors in an
esfera
.

Ami/amie/amis/amies.
Friend. (French)

Amour.
Love. (French)

Ange.
Angel. (French)

Au revoir.
Good-bye. (French)

Bandolerismo.
Banditry.
Vampiros
owing allegiance to no
patrón
and living outside the
esfera
’s laws.

Benvido.
Welcome. (Gallego)

Bien.
Good. (French and Spanish)

Bodega.
A wine cellar or storehouse. Because of the distillation process, it’s the equivalent of the vintner for sherry.

Bon día.
Good day. (Gallego)

Bonjour.
Good morning. (Formal) (French)

Buenas noches.
Good evening. (Spanish)

Caballero.
Knight.

Cachorro/cachorra/cachorros/cachorras.
“Cub.” Immature
vampiro
, who is unable to shapeshift except to feed.

Certainement.
Certainly.

Cher/chère.
Dear. (French) However, “
cher
” is a common term of endearment in Cajun French, meaning “sweet,” and is pronounced “sha.”

Chéri/chérie.
Beloved, dearest. (French)

Chou.
Cabbage. (French)

Coeur.
Heart. (French)

Comitiva.
“Retinue.” Assemblage of
prosaicos
attached to a single
esfera
,
patrón,
or
vampiro.

Commandery/commanderies.
Garrison of
vampiro
warriors. A large, stable
esfera
has a commandery in every major city (e.g., Dallas, Houston, Austin, etc.) and also at every major strategic point, such as border crossings. They are rarely staffed by
mesnaderos
, since those are always concentrated near the
patrón.
Usage primarily taken from medieval Spanish military orders.

Compañero/compañera/compañeros.
“Companion.” Someone who drinks
vampiro
blood regularly but has not become a
vampiro
. A
compañero
always has greater strength, speed, senses, and healing powers than a
prosaico.
The anticipated life span is a century, while surviving two centuries is extremely rare.

¿Comprendes?
Do you understand? (The question, using the second personal, informal form of address.)

Concubino compañero.
A
compañero
who needs both blood and sexual congress with a specific
vampiro
in order to survive.

Connarde.
Idiot. (French)

Cónyuge.
CON-yuh-heh. “Spouse” or “partner.” Life mate, to whom a
vampiro
is linked by a psychic bond of total trust. The creation of this bond cannot be forced in any way.

Copita.
Small glass. Specifically, the tulip-shaped glass used to drink sherry from.

Creador.
“Creator.” Sire of a
vampiro
.

Dios mediante.
God willing.

Don/doña.
Sir/lady. (A formal title of respect.)

El Abrazo.
“The embrace.” The entire process of becoming a
vampiro
.

En clair.
Unscrambled, specifically for coded emissions. (From the French)

Enchanté.
Enchanted. (French)

Escudero.
“Shield-bearer.” Squire.

Esfera/esferas.
“Sphere,” as in “sphere of influence.” A
vampiro
territory, which does not necessarily exactly coincide with a present-day geophysical territory.
Esferas’
boundaries are fluid and frequently fought over. The basic concept is adapted from gangster territories during Prohibition Chicago and New York.

Frère.
Brother. (French)

Gallego.
A Romance language spoken in Galicia, an autonomous community in northwest Spain with the constitutional status of “historic community.” In medieval times, Galician-Portuguese was a language of culture, poetry, and religion, used throughout Galicia, Portugal, and Castile. The separation between Gallego and Portuguese didn’t occur until the fourteenth century.

Gracias.
Thanks.

Gran.
Big/great.

Grandpère/Grandmère.
Grandfather/grandmother. (French)

Hé.
Hey. (French)

Heraldo.
“Herald.” Herald, who is also a diplomat and a spy. Usage is taken from medieval and Renaissance Europe.

Hermano.
Brother. (Spanish)

Hijo/hija/hijos.
E-hoh. “Son/daughter/sons.” A
vampiro
sired by a specific
creador
.

Je t’adore.
I love you; I adore you. (French)

Je vous en prie.
Please say yes; I beseech of you. (French)

La Lujuria.
“Lechery.” The Rut. Upon awakening as a
vampiro
, every
cachorro
will undergo months of insanity, during which their only goal is to obtain blood and emotion.

Mademoiselle.
Miss. Traditionally, young (or little) lady. (French)

Madre.
Mother.

Merde.
Shit. (French)

Mesdames.
Ladies. (French)

Mesnadero/mesnaderos
. A vampiro warrior who’s a member of a
patrón
’s personal guard. Taken from medieval Spanish, for a member of the royal household guard.

Messieurs.
Gentlemen. (French)

Meu.
Mate, friend, buddy. (Gallego)

Mierda.
Shit.

Mozarabic.
The Romance languages spoken in Muslim-dominated areas during the Muslim conquest of the Iberian Peninsula. Written in Arabic script and containing many words of Andalusi-Arabic origin, Mozarabic greatly influenced Andalusi-Arabic and vice versa. In some aspects, it’s more archaic than the other Romance languages and greatly influenced Spanish and Portuguese.

It was spoken primarily by Mozarabs, Iberian Christians living under Muslim domination, who had adopted Arabic language and culture although they never converted to Islam.

Nom.
Name. (French)

Non.
No. (French)

Oui.
Yes. (French)

Parbleu.
By Jove. (French)

Patrón/patrona/patrones.
The ruler—who is an absolute monarch—of an
esfera.
He is also usually the
creador
of all the
esfera
’s
vampiros
.

Por favor.
Please.

Prosaico/prosaica/prosaicos.
“Prosaic” or “mundane,” similar to the Society for Creative Anachronism’s usage. A mortal human, neither
vampiro
nor
compañero
. If he has drunk
vampiro
blood, it has happened so rarely and in such small quantities that it has not affected his everyday life in any noticeable manner.

Puta.
Whore. (Spanish)

Quel canon.
What a knockout! (French)
Sabe Dios.
God knows.

Salopard.
Bastard or swine. (French)

Salut.
Hello. (Informal) (French)

Santísima.
Most holy.

Señorita.
Miss. Traditionally, young (or little) lady; the equivalent

“
señorito
”
means young lord. (Spanish)

S’il vous plait.
If you please, or please. (French)

Sí.
Yes.

Silencio.
Silence. (Instruction to do so, using an informal form of address.)

Siniscal.
Seneschal. Responsible for the
patrón
’s entire household and its accounts. The
siniscal
can also call out the
esfera
’s warriors. Taken from fourteenth-century Spanish usage, but rooted in ninth-century Visigothic customs.

Tío.
Uncle.

Valgame Dios.
God bless me.

Vampiro/vampira/vampiros.
Vampire. Someone who survives on emotional energy carried through human blood. Mature
vampiros
can shapeshift to at least one other form (if only mist) and are resistant to telepathic suggestions.

Vampiro mayor/vampira mayor/vampiros mayores.
“Elder vampire.” A
vampiro
who has lived for at least three hundred years, can walk in full daylight, and drinks less than a quarter cup of blood per day (except in times of great physical need). He also becomes more and more difficult to detect, even with the heightened senses of other
vampiros mayores
.

Vampiro primero/vampira primera.
“Primary vampire.” The
vampiro
that a
compañero
is principally interested in drinking blood from. The
compañero
becomes utterly loyal to that vampiro, when fed from him long enough. The amount of time needed to form this bond is extremely varied.

Verdaderamente.
Truly.

Virgen.
Virgin.

Vraiment.
Really; truly; veritably. (French)