Deep Deception (17 page)

Adin took one of the still-warm, eggy fritters. “These are delicious.”

“How’s Bran?” Boaz asked.

Edward grinned. “He’s brilliant. A terrific kid. He’s still asleep.”

Tuan folded the paper. “Edward is already scouting private tutors to get him up to speed for school, and I’m going to have to fabricate a number of documents for him. His current identity is already proving to be far too pedestrian for Edward. Utah? What were you thinking?”

“We just took what they gave us.” Adin studied Tuan. Had Tuan known Donte before Adin met him? Is that why he’d arrived at Santos’s place exactly in time to save him? “Is that going to be a problem? Will it conflict with your job?”

Tuan hesitated. “Actually, documentation of otherworldly immigrants seeking asylum is part of my job. There are restrictions on travel and special requirements for foreign entities. Someone like Bran will sail through the restrictions because he’s a minor, an orphan and he has a family here that will take him in.”

“Namely, us.” Edward grinned.

“Dear heavens.” Adin raised an eyebrow. “Really?”

“We talked about it last night,” Tuan said. “Well, I listened mostly.”

Edward cuffed Tuan lightly on the arm.

“Have you thought this through?” Adin asked.


Boaz coughed, and it sounded a lot like
look who’s talking
.

“As much as we could in such a brief time,” Edward answered.

“I can’t think of anyone better suited to care for someone like Bran, but have you really considered what it will mean to foster a teenage boy?”

“We don’t plan to foster him, we plan to adopt him,” Edward explained. “He needs a
family
.”

Adin couldn’t stop himself from asking, “Tuan? Is that what you want?”

“I like him,” Tuan said carefully. “I’ve always wanted a family, but I’m not as confident as Edward that we’re Bran’s best choice.”

“This doesn’t have to be settled right away,” said Boaz. “What’s important is that we keep him safe. Adin and Edward are both impulsive, and now isn’t the time to allow that to dictate our thinking.”

“Do you know something I don’t?” Tuan frowned.

“Not for a fact.” Boaz returned Tuan’s grim expression. “But from what little Adin has told me, I doubt Harwiche will go gently into that good night. Nor will the men who sold Bran, if they realize where Bran has gone.”

“Adin, when you saw him, what exactly did Harwiche say?”

Adin explained Harwiche’s reason for wanting a changeling whose process had been interrupted and whose contract went unfulfilled. How Harwiche believed the boy could somehow be a universal donor for bone marrow and organs that wouldn’t be rejected by a recipiant.

“I got the feeling he meant to keep him prisoner and harvest—”

“He’s a lunatic.” Edward blanched.

Tuan seemed puzzled. “How did he know where to look for someone like that? An orphan on both sides.”

“I believe Harwiche hired someone to…help that along.”

“
No.
” Bran’s voice cracked like a whip from the doorway where he stood, his sleep-rumpled visage frozen with shock. Everyone fell silent.

Chapter Eighteen

Bran swayed on his feet. “My
entire family
was killed so they could sell me to—”

“
Bran
.” Edward leaped up and caught Bran’s arm before he could fall. His chair skittled noisily over the wood floor.

“If it’s true that Harwiche has further plans, I need to find out exactly where he is if I can.” Tuan yanked his jacket off the back of the chair.

Adin agreed wholeheartedly. He watched as Tuan led Bran back to his chair. “He said he was done coming after Bran, but I don’t trust him. Then there are the men who sold him to me. They might come after me because Boaz took the money back.”

“I’m glad you got your money back, Adin.” Bran’s knees buckled and he sat hard. “I don’t want those people to have your money, even if that means they kill me.”

Tuan laid a hand on Bran’s shoulder. “It won’t come to that, I promise. Edward, I’m heading out. I’ll look into those men and get the paperwork started. Set the alarms, and use the damned panic room if you need to.”

“You have a panic room?” Adin asked. “How cool is that? Well. I guess you might need one, in your line of work.”

“We needed the security system because of Edward’s art collection.” Tuan nodded and smiled at Edward. “But I had the panic room added because when I’m working I need to know that Edward is safe.”

Edward offered Tuan one of his sweetest smiles. “Now we can keep Bran safe as well.”

“See to it.” Tuan leaned toward Edward for a passionate kiss. Everyone politely looked elsewhere until they were finished. “I’m going to learn what I can. Boaz, maybe you can stay in touch with Santos in case he hears something?”

“I planned to take Adin to the house Donte uses while he’s in this area,” said Boaz. “Unless you have a better idea?”

“That’s fine. Stay on your toes, Adin.”

“I’ll try.”

“I have some tricks up my sleeve, Tuan,” Boaz told him. “And I’m charged with Adin’s safety.”

Adin glanced at Boaz but his impersonal mask was firmly back in place.

Tuan left first, then Adin hugged Bran and Edward tightly. As he and Boaz left, Edward extolled the virtues of his safe room as though he and Bran were going to live in a tree house like the Swiss Family Robinson.

It sounded very enticing.

Adin doubted the reality would live up to the promise, and he hoped to hell they didn’t have to use it.

He and Boaz drove silently to Marin, and the Tuscan estate Adin had stayed at once before. Adin avoided any mental comparison between his current visit and the last time he’d been there. Then, he’d been injured, attacked in a bar by a group of vampires determined to pull on Donte’s figurative cape simply to piss him off.

When Boaz had driven him up the private tree-lined drive the villa had come into view and Donte had swept from it like the hero of a Bronte novel to carry him inside.

This time since it was spring, the trees were flowering optimistically, the air was redolent with the scent of newly mown grass, and there was no brooding master to be seen. It was simply a big house that looked as empty as Adin felt.

Boaz didn’t speak but helped him carry the things they’d retrieved from the hotel up the stairs to the room he’d shared previously with Donte.

“It’s nearly time for lunch, I’m going to see what’s in the pantry, but I’ll probably have to shop for provisions.”

“I didn’t sleep well,” Adin told him. “If it’s all right I’ll just lie down for a while.”

“I’ll leave you to it then.” Boaz started to back out of the door.

“Wait.”

“Sir?” Boaz waited politely.

“About that… You were right, and I’m sorry.” Adin held his good hand behind his back to keep from fidgeting while he made his apologies.

“I was overtired, Dr. Tredeger, and therefore my tongue ran faster than my brain.”

“Stop it,” Adin ordered. “Just stop pretending you care what I think. I heard you loud and clear.”

Boaz frowned thoughtfully and repeated, “I was exhausted last night and I said things in anger that I didn’t necessarily mean. I crossed a line and I regret it.”

“You have a right to your opinion. We’re stuck in this situation together. Feel free to share your thoughts with me anytime, even if they aren’t…even if it might not be something I want to hear.”

The tension seemed to leave Boaz’s small frame, but not so much that he wasn’t still entirely formal. “I do like you, Dr. Tredeger. That’s never been an issue.”

Adin’s spirits rose a little. “In that case, please—for heaven’s sake—no more eggs.”

“Yes, sir, Dr. Tredeger.” Boaz bowed out of the room. “I’ll give that all the consideration it deserves.”

Adin shook his head. He heard the sharp
snap
of the door when Boaz shut it and prepared himself for a quiche maybe, or another omelet at supper.

He rummaged through his bags for a while, hanging up his clothes, putting others aside for the cleaners. One thing about traveling light, it was easy to unpack and shove the pilot case under the bed, or into the back of a closet. He found a split of champagne from the airline in his carry-on and used it to wash down his pain reliever.

His sister the chemist seemed to sit on the shoulder of his good arm saying
no
, while the devil on the other shoulder said,
yes, yes
as soon as the pain began to diminish.

Within minutes, Adin was so tired he could barely hold his head up. He peeled off his clothes and dropped them at the foot of the bed, then slipped between the welcoming sheets. He was aware of Boaz asking him if he wanted lunch, but he answered that the thing he wanted most was sleep, which wasn’t entirely true.

What he wanted most was
Donte
.

Donte might be on the move again. That sounded so…ominous. As though Donte were a malevolent spirit or a marauding army. If he were
on the move
, Adin could only pray that at some point he’d look for Boaz, or call him to find out where they were now, and come to him.

Adin’s yearning was so powerful he could almost see Donte fidgeting on an airplane, looking at his watch and gauging the position of the sun when he arrived.

If he arrived after dawn, it would require that he wait in the airport for evening before he could go anywhere again, unless he went to the trouble of covering from head to toe, which was likely to garner a tremendous amount of unwanted attention in an airport since they’d heightened transportation security.

Donte had to plan his flights carefully and it could sometimes take days to get from place to place if he needed to layover in one city while the sun was out, in order to fly to his destination in darkness.

Adin dreamed that he and Donte stood together on the Golden Gate Bridge, hand in hand, to watch the sun set. The wind blew Donte’s dark, wavy hair every which way, and he turned his collar up against the chill.

Adin’s gloved hands adjusted a scarf around Donte’s neck—a rather dashing red scarf in a vibrant silk paisley—like the one he’d talked about with Bran. It did make Donte appear more approachable.

Adin pressed his forehead into Donte’s chest and said, “Where are you?”

When Donte whispered, “I’m right
here
,” Adin felt a warm, percussive burst of Donte’s breath against his temple. The sensation was so real he woke up with a startled cry.

He was still alone, though, and his heart hurt.

The light outside was gone, and he’d left the lamps unlit in his room. It was dark except for the glow from the landscape lighting. Somewhere downstairs he could hear Boaz moving around in the kitchen.

He told himself not to be an idiot. Donte would come when he could, and all the self-pity and star wishes in the world wouldn’t bring him one minute sooner.

He’d hardened his heart against getting his hopes up, so when he heard that voice again, throbbing through his body as if he heard it on his iPod earbuds,
“Caro, I’m right here,”
Adin wanted to believe it.

Something indefinable brushed his naked skin though, like a current of warm air, and finally Adin got up to look out the window, just in case.

There were headlights on the circular drive in front of the house. Doors opened and closed on what appeared to be a taxi as its occupants moved behind it to transact business.

The trunk opened. Then closed. The cab’s headlights silhouetted a man wearing an overcoat and pulling a pilot case as the car turned and sped away, leaving the driveway in near-total darkness.

Adin’s heart started to beat so hard against his ribs that he could hear it echoing through his head. He yanked the counterpane off the bed, wrapping it around him like a toga, and took off for the stairs, hurtling down them as fast as he could safely run, dragging the silken fabric with him.

“Shit,” he cursed as he stepped on it and had to hop to the front door on one leg, a difficult thing to do when he was well rested and sober, but with a soft cast on his arm and slightly wobbly from his medication, it was entirely too much.

He burst outside and ran down the steps across the driveway, barely concerned that on level ground, his makeshift garment flew out behind him and covered him not at all.

By the time he ran fifty feet, he could see Donte clearly. He looked tired and grim. When they were ten feet apart, Adin skidded to a halt on the pathway in front of him.

“Gods, you’re a welcome sight, caro.” Donte smiled warmly. “Why are you dressed like the Dalai Lama?”

Adin skittered the rest of the way forward and reached for the lapel of Donte’s coat. He wanted to welcome Donte home but was afraid he’d be unable to keep the emotion from his voice, uncertain whether he’d laugh his ass off or start sobbing.

When at last he tried to speak, it seemed he didn’t have to choose one or the other because both tears and laughter tumbled out at once.

Finally he pulled the quilt around them both and pressed his face into Donte’s chest. “Ah
shit
.
Donte
.”

Donte held Adin while he shook with emotion. “What’s all this, caro?”

For an answer Adin cupped the back of Donte’s head and brought him down for a kiss, teasing and tasting, breathing his lover in before Donte parted his lips and his tongue dived inside.

Donte slid his hands from Adin’s shoulders downward to span his waist just above the small of his back.

“I’ve missed you so much,” Adin gasped. “When they wouldn’t let me back in to see you, I thought… I couldn’t feel you. I thought…”

“I would have spared you that if I could.” Donte frowned deeply. “As it is, there was very nearly one less
Peter
in the world when I heard how he harmed you.”

“Whatever.” Adin clung to Donte with his good arm. “It doesn’t matter. You’re here now, and that’s all that counts.”

Donte pressed a kiss to Adin’s forehead. Adin reached out and caught Donte’s case handle, intending to pull it up to the house, but Donte stopped him, taking Adin’s good hand in his. “I will pull my case,” Donte said firmly, “and you will tell me what you and Boaz and your adolescent entity have been up to while I was ill.”

Adin leaned his head against Donte’s shoulder, basking in a resurgence of the powerful connection that bound them. Its warmth wrapped around him as they moved up the driveway together.

Still, Adin was alarmed to feel a weakness in Donte’s limbs, a heavier step, a slight quiver of muscle, as if his lover didn’t yet have his normal strength. He lifted his gaze and found Donte frowning in concentration. Adin pressed his lips together, leaving his questions unasked. It was enough for now to bring Donte inside, to their room and their bed where Adin could hold him and love him—

“I feel your desire, it’s very nice.”

“Nice?” Adin feigned outrage. “Tissues with lotion in them are
nice
. Girl scouts are
nice
. I plan to rock your world, my lover.”

When they got to the door, Boaz stood to one side and took Donte’s case from him. His expression was unreadable, but Adin knew how he must feel. Adin’s relief was giddy and palpable. Boaz didn’t acknowledge it but Adin knew he shared it.

“It’s good to see you, Boaz.” Donte sniffed the air. “Quiche Lorraine. Except for the pun, which he makes every single time you serve it, Adin hates quiche.”

“
Quiche me,
you fool,” Adin quipped, stupidly happy for the first time in days.

“Is that a fact?” There was a twinkle in Boaz’s eye that left no doubt he knew that.
The shit.
“Good to have you here, sir.”

“Good to be here. I think I’ll go up with Adin and get him to tell me whether he’s lost his clothes or taken holy orders.”

“That sounds like an excellent plan, sir.”

“I have a plan,” Adin offered. Donte and Boaz ignored him.

“Good night, Boaz. I’ll expect you to visit our room at around midnight with a tray of tea things and something to sustain Adin, since he hasn’t eaten.”

“Very good, sir.” As Boaz faded back through the unlit hallway into the kitchen, Adin and Donte started up the stairs. There was enough ambient light from the windows that Adin didn’t feel the need to turn on the overhead lights just yet. Something about the quiet, nearly empty house and the darkness, fit his mood perfectly.

“Don’t you want to hear my plan?” Adin asked.

“Not particularly, caro.” Donte shifted Adin’s blanket so he wouldn’t trip, and in so doing pulled him snug against a fully aroused vampire. “You’ll find I have a plan of my own.”

Again, Donte moved slower than normal, his step less certain. Once they reached the landing Adin slipped his arm around Donte’s waist to support him as they took the rest of the stairs. “What would that be?”

“I plan to allow you to twine yourself around me—as you always do—whereupon I shall do unspeakable things to you.”

“You must have spies; you’ve sussed out my plan exactly and made it your own.”

When they got to the top of the stairs, Adin drew Donte into the bedroom and pushed him back onto the bed. “You need me, don’t you? I can feel you trembling.”

“I didn’t feed after I left France.” Donte pulled his tie off, irritated. “The plane was delayed and the airport crowded. It was too brightly lit for me, and difficult to find a quiet space in which to rest, so I sat in a dark bar and drank a bad red wine. I didn’t think—”