To Curse the Darkness (2 page)

Chapter Two

San Francisco

Present Day

“My dears, we need to talk,” Conrad began, then he paused to gaze at the faces staring back at him. Armand and Julie. Both so serious, so frightened, so confused. How did he tell them?

He'd hoped never to have this conversation with Armand, so perhaps he could be excused somewhat for being at a loss there. But Julie? He'd had years to rehearse for this moment, to practice what to say to her, and yet now, when the time had come…

“What is it?” Julie asked, her voice but a whisper. “You said I'm not sick, so whatever it is, it can't be that bad, can it?”

“No, not bad, precisely.” Certainly it was nothing tragic, not at all in the same category as, for example, being stricken with an incurable disease, thank the heavens. At least she'd been spared that. “But it is a very grave matter all the same.”

“
Querido.
” Damian's hand tightened on his. “Don't scare the girl. Just
tell
her.”

As if it were that easy!
Conrad focused his gaze on Julie once again. “My dear, I know that you and your brother have always believed that you were turned at a very young age—”

“
Bon sang
!”

Conrad paused once again, distracted by Armand's muffled curse, by the gleam of outrage in his eyes. Not an auspicious beginning. “At so young an age, in fact,” he continued, determined to forge on, “that you could never even recall a time when you were not Vampire. And so you were, in a manner of speaking. But the truth is somewhat more complicated than we may have led you to believe. The fact of the matter is that you—”

“We were born this way,” Julie finished for him. “That's what you're saying. It's true, isn't it?”

Conrad's lips tightened. “You already know. I see.”

“What?” Armand's startled gaze tracked back and forth between them. “
Non.
C'est impossible!
That cannot be.”

“I suppose Marc told you?”

“No, of course he didn't. I figured it out on my own.” Now it was Julie who paused, eyes narrowing in suspicion. “Wait a minute. You're saying Marc knows? Since when? How come no one ever told
me
?”

“Calmly,
chica
,” Damian said soothingly. “Your brother hasn't known for very long either. If it makes you feel better, he figured it out on his own just as you did. And of course we didn't tell you. We've been trying to protect you.”

“Protect me?” Julie huffed out an angry breath. “That's just great. How's that working out? 'Cause, after tonight
not so good
is what I'm thinking.” Armand reached over and pulled her into his embrace. Julie curled in to him, resting her head on his shoulder. “Damn it, we're not children anymore. You can't just keep things from us. We have a right to know about this stuff.”

“I think we're beginning to see that,” Conrad replied, casting a fleeting smile at Damian.

“I don't understand,” Armand protested. “Born Vampires? I always thought…
Mon Dieu
. How is that even possible?”

“It's
not
possible.” The denial was automatic. Conrad quickly corrected himself. “That is to say, I have no idea how it occurred. To the best of my knowledge, such a thing has never happened before. There have always been stories, of course, legends and rumors and myths. But the truth is, we don't really know how such a thing could have happened; we can only conjecture.”

Julie frowned. “How could you not know? My mother knew. Didn't she tell you?”

“No, my dear.” Conrad shook his head. “I'm sorry, but in truth it was a very chaotic time. I only found out about…about her pregnancy…after you and your brother were born. I was in shock, your mother was dying—I could hardly interrogate her under such conditions. Beyond making a brief, unsuccessful attempt to discover who was responsible for her condition, I chose to spend what little time I had left with her saying goodbye. Whatever she knew, or thought she knew—for I very much doubt she could have had much
real
information—died with her.”

“Their mother,” Armand repeated cautiously. “
Who
was their mother?”

Conrad winced at the wary note in his voice, that hint of dread. Had he begun to guess what the answer must be? “
Mon ami
, you should prepare yourself for a shock.”

“I think you probably knew her as Desert Rose.” It was Julie who answered, favoring Armand with a sympathetic smile. “Or Wind-Chime Girl, as I like to call her.”

“Wh-what?” Armand drew in another startled breath. His gaze met Conrad's, demanding confirmation. “No.”

Conrad glared at Julie. “Where did you hear that name?”

“What, Wind-Chime Girl?”

“No. The other one.”

“Oh.” Julie hesitated. She gazed thoughtfully at Conrad for a moment, then shrugged and answered, “From a friend of hers.”

“What friend is this?” Damian demanded. “Where is all this information coming from?
Honestly,
chica
, I don't know how you can complain about our keeping secrets from you when it seems the shoe is firmly on the other foot. Why have you said nothing about any of this until now? You and your brother are not the only ones who have a right to be kept informed, you know.”

Julie scowled. “Really, D? You two have been keeping secrets from me
my whole life
. Now all of a sudden this is
my
fault?”

Conrad reined in his temper. “There's no need to get so excited. No one's blaming you, child. But it
is
important you tell us these things.”

“I just found out, all right? I haven't had time to tell you. In case it's escaped everyone's notice, I've been a little busy tonight!”

Armand had buried his head in his hands. “
C'est pas vrai,
” he whispered weakly. “
C'est pas vrai!
”

Julie shot him a pitying glance. “It's true, all right. I guess maybe now you understand why I wanted her things, huh? Why I kept asking questions? Why it was so important to me?”

“Oh,
merde
,” he groaned. He lifted his head and stared blankly at for her a moment, then started to laugh. “Yes, of course. It all makes perfect sense!”

Julie's lips tightened. “Well, it does. Why is that funny?”

Armand shook his head. “It's not funny—not at all. But it's suddenly become abundantly clear to me that I returned to San Francisco far too soon. I should have stayed away much longer than I did.”

In the startled silence that met his remark, Julie's gasp of hurt and dismay was all too audible. Damian howled in fury. He surged forward. Conrad had to clamp a hand on his arm to stop him from leaping at Armand's throat. “Let me go,” Damian growled, struggling against Conrad's hold. “Now. I'm going to kill him!”

“Stop it,” Conrad snapped impatiently. “You'll do no such thing. Armand, explain yourself. Immediately.”

“What's to explain?” Damian demanded. “You heard him. He's just said he's sorry he was here to intervene when Julie was attacked. Now that he knows the truth, he'd rather Georgia had killed her!”

“I…I what?” Armand stared at Damian in horror. “
Non
! That's not it at all!” He turned to Julie. “You're not listening to this nonsense, are you?”

Julie gazed back at him doubtfully. “I don't know. That's kind of how it sounded to me too.”

“Ah,
chérie
,” Armand murmured reproachfully as he reached for her hand. “Don't you know me better than that? Listen to me now. I am
not
sorry I returned in time to save you—never! Understand that first of all. I would have given my life for you tonight, and I would make the same choice again right now. This changes
nothing
in that respect. Nothing at all. Do you hear me?”

Julie shrugged. “Yeah, sure. If you say so. But…?”

“But nothing. When I left town, it was in hopes of clearing my head, of coming to terms with my own emotions and putting things into perspective. But things became complicated rather quickly and I still need those things. I need space and time. Now more than ever.”

Julie's chin rose. “So who's stopping you? Go get them.”

Armand met her gaze for a moment. Then he turned to Conrad. “May I be allowed to leave?”

“Conrad,” Damian murmured warningly. “You can't! Think of the repercussions.”

But that ship had definitely sailed. “It's all right, Damian,” Conrad snapped. He fixed Armand with a stern gaze. “You realize the seriousness of the situation, I assume? You understand you're to say
nothing
of this to anyone?”

Armand nodded. “
Oui, je comprends
.” He paused for a moment, as though gathering his courage. Then, in a surprisingly forceful tone, he added, “And I would have understood it just as well forty years ago. You might have trusted me.”

The beast did not miss the accusation, no matter how carefully it was veiled. Conrad felt it rise within him and tightened his hold on his temper. He inclined his head. “I know. You will not go far?”

Armand glanced away. “No. No, of course not. Not far at all. I-I do not even mean to leave town, just…” His gaze went again to Julie, who steadfastly refused to look at him. He shrugged. “This room? Perhaps the house? This has been a shock. I need time to think.”

“Very well.” Conrad hesitated before adding, “If it helps at all, it was never a question of trust.”

“Thank you,” Armand replied as he rose from the couch. He turned to Julie and said, “This isn't over.”

She glanced up at that, her gaze skeptical. “It seems to me I've heard that before.”

“Yes? Well, it's still true.”

Her jaw clenched. “I guess we'll see, won't we?”

Armand shook his head sadly. “I wish
you
would think about trusting me too, at least occasionally.” Then he turned and headed for the door.

“All this talk of trust,” Damian grumbled, pushing out of Conrad's grip the moment the door closed behind Armand. “The word is sadly overused. I only hope, in this case, it's not entirely misplaced as well.”

Conrad sighed. “I'm sure it's not.”

“That remains to be seen,” Damian murmured. He crossed to the couch where Julie was seated and then pulled her into a tight embrace. “My poor, poor girl. Dry your tears,
chica
, and do not waste another thought on that
payoso
. He's never been worthy of you.”

“I don't know, D,” Julie protested sadly. “He might be. I mean, he
did
save my life. That has to count for something.”

Damian snorted. “Yes, well, as to that, I suppose even a blind pig may contrive to find a truffle every now and again.”

Julie wiped her eyes and smiled reluctantly. “So who am I in this story, the pig or the truffle?”

“Silly girl,” Damian chided as he stroked her hair and pressed a kiss to her head. “Neither one, of course. You are the beautiful princess, and he's the worthless
cerdo
who was lucky to ever have been allowed to hunt truffles on your behalf in the first place.”

Conrad couldn't help but roll his eyes as he settled into the armchair across from the couch. “That's all very poetic, but, if you've done likening my people to livestock, Damian, I'd like to return to an earlier subject.” He turned to Julie and said, “About this ‘friend' of your mother's with whom you spoke…?”

Julie frowned. “Did you see the photograph? The one in the suitcase?”

Conrad nodded. The photo of her mother as he had never seen her—hugely and contentedly pregnant, surrounded by friends. “I did.”

“And? I'm right, aren't I? That's her? That's my mother?”

“Yes. Yes, it is.”

“I knew it.” Julie sighed, relaxing against the couch. “As soon as I saw it, I just knew.”

“Yes, yes, that's all very well, but
how
did you know?” Damian asked. “And
where
did you see it? Who have you been talking to?”

Julie shrugged. “I don't
know
how I knew. I can't explain it. It was a feeling, that's all. And…why do you need to know where? It was somewhere down the coast, all right? Where is not important.”

“Don't be so foolish. Of course it's important! If your safety has been compromised—”

“That's enough,” Conrad said, stopping Damian before he said too much. It went without saying that they would do whatever was necessary to ensure Julie's and Marc's safety. But as they'd agreed long ago, the twins didn't need to be burdened with the details.

“Nothing's been compromised!” Julie snapped. “I'm not stupid, you know. I didn't tell anyone who I was.”

“No one thinks you're stupid,
niña
,” Damian corrected gently. “But you are somewhat…incautious at times. And you have no idea the amount of danger you'd be facing were this secret to get out. Which is why,” he added, shooting Conrad a mutinous look, “I
still
cannot believe you let Armand just walk out of here. You should have let me handle things.”

Conrad's hands tightened into fists. Killing anyone who threatened the twins definitely fell into the category of things he and Damian were prepared to do. But only when necessary. Surely that was not the case here? “I saw how you wanted to ‘handle' things. Should I have allowed bloodshed? In my own home?”

Damian favored him with one of his most irritatingly aristocratic sneers. “You pick an odd time to grow fastidious,
señor.
It would certainly not be the first time such a thing has occurred. Shall I refresh your memory regarding some of those earlier occasions?”