Trust Me When the Sun Goes Down (18 page)

Carter digested that for a few minutes his expression clouding as he reached the inevitable conclusion.  “Have you ever compelled me before?”

“Well…”

“What did you compel me to do?”  His eyes narrowed.

I couldn’t blame him for being upset.  “That’s how I got you to leave England without a fight.”

“I left because it was time to move on,” he protested and I shook my head. 

“Only because I made you think so.  I’ve also kept you from killing anyone since that other night we met with Detective Mathis.”

“No, I agreed to hold off until I saw your plan.  I didn’t…”  A pucker of fear appeared on his brow.  “You can’t actually compel another vampire, can you?”

I could see a demonstration was in order.  Joey Pops had remained silent through the entire exchange, head pinging back and forth as he watched us.  “Joey, I want you to cluck like a chicken,” I said with another burst of compulsion.  It wasn’t even all that hard, his willpower was almost nil.  Right on cue, Joey went into his best impression of a chicken.  He didn’t get up and strut like one or anything, but a steady stream of bawks came out of him. 

Carter’s face remained skeptical, but I could tell I had him thinking about it. 

“Okay, stop clucking now and tell me your most embarrassing memory,” I asked, figuring that might be more impressive. 

“My brother once tickled me until I crapped my pants, right in the middle of Thanksgiving dinner,” Joey replied without missing a beat, his face coloring the moment he started to speak. 

“Do you believe me now, or should I ask you your most embarrassing memory next?”  I raised a brow at him, but Carter was too busy gaping in surprise.

“Holy shit!  Do you realize what this means?”

“It means we don’t have to kill anyone, like I said.”

“It means you can do anything you want to.  You can make vamps stop hurting humans altogether.”

“How would I go about doing that?  I can make the law pass, sure, but what good will that do if the people don’t obey it?  I’d have to march every vampire in the territory before me and compel them to follow it.  And it’ll only work on vampires that I’m strong enough to compel, anyone older than me and it’s hit and miss.  No, what we’re doing is better.  We’ll take out the few bad apples in the barrel and the rest will settle down.  We can’t send
all
the vampires in town hunting in the woods.”

“Why not?  Vampires can survive on animal blood.”

I looked at him sharply.  We’d never discussed his feeding habits, and I’d assumed he fed from people, just as humanely as possible.  “Is that what you do?”

“For the most part, yes.  I supplement with bagged blood from time to time to keep my strength up, but I never feed from people directly.  If I can do it, so can they.”

I wasn’t convinced that was the answer.  There was no reason to make such a drastic change if vamps could learn to exercise control, that’s all I was asking for.  “Most of them know how to feed responsibly and I’d rather not muck around with people’s minds more than I need to.”  Though I felt no remorse in rewiring Joey Pops’ brain.  I could tell there was more that he wanted to say on the subject, but Carter fell silent, lost to his own thoughts. 

“How long have you been able to do this?” he asked finally.

“Since I was first turned, though I didn’t find out about it until much later.”  And boy howdy, had it messed with my life.  Things might’ve turned out very differently between Bishop and me if the whole compulsion thing had never come between us.  Would I still be with him now?  Would we still be in Vetis while he worked for Angel?  Or would I be the Elder of the West?  That one thing had set my life on a completely different path.

At the same time it’d saved my bacon more than once, and overall, I liked where I’d ended up.  There were by far worse problems to have than being able to make others do your bidding, but every once in a while I wondered… what if? 

“I can’t believe I’ve never heard of the possibility before.”

“I’m guessing it’s not something most of us advertise, and it’s very rare these days.  It’s because my Sire was an
Ellri,
that makes me one of the
draugen
.  Sylvius was one, I’m not sure who else is left.”

“Then Jakob could make more of you with the ability, if he wanted to.”

“Jakob can pretty much do anything his heart desires as an
Ellri
,” I allowed.  “But I don’t think he’s keen to make an army of
draugen
anytime soon.  It’s not something I’ve talked to him about in great detail though.  Listen, are you okay with this?  I know most people don’t like to find out they can be compelled at any time.”

“No, I’m good.  I mean, I’m not crazy about the idea of you making me cluck like a chicken anytime you get bored, but I trust you to do what’s right.” 

“Thanks, that means a lot.”  If only everyone else felt the same way when they found out about it.  I still dreaded the day when I had to tell Rob his natural immunity to compulsion had worn off with his death.  “You can’t tell anyone about it though.”

“My social circle’s not exactly bursting with confidants these days,” he smirked.  “I think your secret’s pretty safe.”

“Still, you can’t tell anyone I can compel other vampires.”  I sent a burst of compulsion with it, needing to make it official.  Sometimes Carter’s sense of right and wrong led him to do things I considered riskier than necessary. I couldn’t take the possibility of him blurting it out at the wrong moment.   

“No, yeah, of course, I’ll take it to the grave or longer.”  His gaze turned to the vampire sitting in the chair, a glint of anticipation in his eyes.  “Now, how about we have a little fun?”

* * *

I could’ve easily stopped to change into my regular clothes before I went home, but I strode into the house dressed in my get up just to see how Rob would react.  Only he wasn’t there, as usual.  I considered texting him to see if he wanted to meet up, but in the end I decided it was probably for the best not to open up that can of worms.  While I had the right to work with Carter whether Rob approved of it or not, I didn’t want to add to his list of worries. 

Instead, I changed into a
Bazinga
t-shirt and a pair of shorts, adding a pair of warm fuzzy socks (a weird addition in the middle of summer, I know, but I found them soothing) as I curled up on my bed with Emma and Mr. Knightley to wait for him to come home.  Hours later I was awakened by Rob nuzzling me, his cheeks smooth and clean shaven against my neck. 

“That lipstick suits you,” he breathed against my ear. 

Realizing I’d forgotten to remove it, I hoped he didn’t scent the cigar smoke on me either, but he made no mention of it if he did.  “What time is it?” I yawned, unable to see the bedside clock, but I could feel that it was after sunrise. 

Rob pulled me closer, his hands dipping underneath my t-shirt to splay across my middle.  “Just after dawn.”

“Are you just getting home now?”

“I had a late meeting.   I’m right knackered, but I’ll make it up to you at sunset, yeah?”

“That sounds nice,” I smiled, snuggling deeper into his embrace as I relaxed again.  My fingers brushed against a band of string wrapped around his wrist, like a friendship bracelet.  “What’s this?” I asked, giving it a tug.  I felt the puff of air from his swear words more than I heard them, his body going rigid around me. 

“It’s nothing.  Get some sleep.”

Like I was really going to roll over and snooze after a reaction like that.  “No, seriously.  What is it?” I demanded, forcing his wrist up and out of the covers to get a look at it.  It was a thin golden braid, the ends knotted together and sealed with a lump of green wax.  I’d never seen anything like it before. 

“It’s something Leila gave me for luck.  I forgot I even had it on.” 

We hadn’t seen Leila for months, and he definitely hadn’t been wearing it this whole time or I would’ve noticed it before.  That meant he’d made the conscious decision to put it back on again at some point.  “What’s it made out of?”

“Hair,” he said shortly, his eyes falling shut as if that was the end of the conversation.

“Don’t you think that’s kind of a weird thing for her to give you?”

“Consider the source.”  Rob let out a tired groan.  “Get some rest.”

He went still then, and for the life of me, I couldn’t figure out if it was because he’d passed out and slept the sleep of the dead, or if he was faking it.  I watched him for long minutes before my own eyes slid shut, the sun above sapping my strength.  There were definitely more questions that came to mind as I slipped into oblivion, but there was plenty of time to ask him about it tomorrow. 

I’d intended to talk more to Rob when the sun went down, but any lingering questions I had about hair bracelets or any other weirdness fell right out of my head as he nuzzled me awake with raspy kisses and urgent touches.  There were no words exchanged between us beyond whispered endearments and the occasional husky swear against my skin when he got too close.  And then my shout of joy pierced the stillness, punctuated by his low roar of release, and we fell back against the rumpled sheets to drift back to oblivion entwined in each other’s arms.

The shrill ring of my phone woke me up next, far less pleasant than Rob’s method, and I frowned when I realized I was alone in the bedroom.  So I wasn’t in the greatest of moods when I saw who it was calling me, even less so when I realized from the start that he was drunk.

“You at least, I can still reach,” Jakob slurred, and I guessed from his tone that his search for Carys wasn’t going as well as expected. 

“Hey, Jakob, what’s up?”

“Nothing is up.  I wish there was something to be up about, but all is down.  Such a waste, I hate to see such beauty lost.”

Huh?
  “I have to tell you, Jakob, I’m the lost one.  You’re not making much sense.  Are you alright?”

“Do you care?  Far more likely you wonder how Ulrik fares.”

“Bishop is with you?”  That was news to me.  The last I’d heard he was back in Rome.  Then again, the last couple of responses from him had been quick notes sent via email instead of the usual letters.  I’d been so busy I hadn’t had time to think much about it.

“As if you didn’t already know,” he snorted.

“I really didn’t.”  So, Bishop had decided to find her after all, like everyone else had predicted.  I supposed I couldn’t blame him, but part of me couldn’t help but feel disappointed.  I’d sincerely hoped he’d found a way to move on from her hold over him.  “You guys aren’t having much luck then, huh?  I’m sorry to hear that.”  Was I sorry?  No, but I was sorry for the pain I heard in his voice. 

“There is no cause for apology.  I
will
find her,” he insisted, and I decided not to argue with him. 

“Of course you are.  If anyone can do it, my money’s on you guys.”  Even as I said the words I couldn’t help but think – Bishop and Jakob working together?  God, they must be ready to kill each other.  “Is there any particular reason you called?  Something I can help you with perhaps?”  Maybe they needed to come back to the West and he was worried about breaking his agreement with me?

“I am making preparations to leave New York tonight, and I wish to arrange for the deed of this property to transfer into your name.  I still have your banking information.”

“What property?”

“There is a sizeable house in Brooklyn, it seems only fair that it should go to you.  I can’t bear to be here another night.  I will send you the details.”

“I don’t need a place in New York, Jakob, I’m happy here.  You can keep your house.” 

“It’s not mine, it belonged to Lodinn.  There are other properties as well, and a sizable estate.  I should’ve told you when I first started tracing his holdings.  I’ve been neglecting my responsibilities, but I will set things to rights.  For you, at least, I can make reparations.”

He wanted to give me Lodinn’s money?  It took me a second for my mouth to catch up to my brain, the idea so distasteful, I couldn’t find the right words.  “Whoa, wait, I don’t want any of Lodinn’s estate.  I don’t want anything from that guy.  After what he did to my family, I’d rather forget he ever existed.”

“It has ever been our way – to the victor go the spoils.  Those that are strong enough to take it, do.  You are strong.  Stronger than I gave you credit for,” he added, his last words slurring together.  “He left no other progeny that I know of to challenge you for it.”

“You’re the one who killed him, you take his stuff then.  I don’t want any part of it.” 

“I took his heart only after you brought him down.  You were the one to deal the killing blow.  We all saw your magnificence.”  I imagined I heard the slosh of liquid as he took another drink.  “Anja, consider that you deserve this as reparation for all he took from you.  For how he wronged your sister, and for taking Rob’s life.”

I found it strange that he mentioned taking Rob’s life when Rob was still up and around, stronger than ever.  Sure, it’d been a horrific, scary night when Lodinn had attacked him, but odd that Jakob had thought to mention it since he hadn’t seemed to care one way or the other that I’d made Rob a vampire.  Or maybe he was regretting giving his blessing for the two of us now? 

“Money doesn’t make it all go away, he still did those things.”

“But I would feel better knowing you had this small thing to make it easier.”

And then I understood, Jakob wanted me to have the money to assuage his own guilt for letting Lodinn wreak such havoc on my life.  “Jakob, I don’t want your blood money.  It was a screwed up situation, and I wasn’t happy about the way you handled it, but it’s over and done with now.  No amount of money is going to make it better.”

“Still, you will accept this, it is my wish.”

“Sure, okay, fine.  Whatever.”  I didn’t have to keep it, after all.  “So, where are you guys going next?”

“We go to Calais.  Ulrik is convinced we should search there, but I admit, I am becoming much disheartened, petal.”

“Well, hang in there.  If she’s out there, I know you guys will find her.”  

“I surely hope so.  I don’t know how many more false starts my heart can take.”  His voice sounded thick with drink again, like he might pass out soon.

“Good luck, Jakob.  I really hope you find what you want.”

“Goodnight, petal.  Know that despite my search for Carys, she can never take your place in my heart.”

What was I supposed to say to that?  “Thanks,” I answered awkwardly, about to add a request for him to pass along my best wishes to Bishop too, but I decided to leave that for my next email.  “Bye, Jakob.”

* * *

I had office hours that night and a docket full of meetings scheduled, so I set my crime fighting cape aside and put my Elder hat back on for the night, riding into the office with Maggie, Gunnar and Lee.  Rob was still M.I.A.

Leander was already down there, doing his magistrate thing.  So far he seemed to be doing a passable job, though I did miss Marcus not only for his friendly smile, but for his experience.  There were several times a night that the Aussie poked his head in to
bend my ear for a tick one last time
.  I didn’t mind though.  He was a quick learner, and he never asked the same question twice.     

I was ready for a break though, when I got a call from Bridget. 

“Hey, An…” She came on the line, her voice pitched like she was about to ask me for a favor. 

“Hey, this is a nice surprise.  What’s up?”

“Whatcha doing?”

“Working, but I could use a break.  What are you up to?”

“Nothing, as usual.”

I waited for something more, some reason for her call, but that was it.  She was bored.  “Nothing good on TV, huh?”

“You’d think with six hundred and eighty fucking channels there’d be
something
good on, right?  But no,” she sighed. 

“Is that why you’re calling?  You don’t have anything to do?  Maybe you should pick up a hobby or get a job or something?”

“This
is
my job, I’m a kept woman.  I happen to work very hard at it.  Just not so much right now because Felix is always working.”  That last was delivered with a petulant whine and I tried not to laugh.

“It sounds rough.  Seriously though, how are things going down there?”

“Eh, they’re okay,” she replied with less than her usual enthusiasm.

“Uh oh, are things alright with you and Felix?”  Hopefully he hadn’t found a way to circumvent my compulsion and start carrying on with other women he fed from again. 

“I guess.”

I could practically hear the shrug in her voice.  “Are you anywhere near your computer?”

“I could be in a minute, why?”

“I’m going to call you back on Skype, okay?”  Something told me I needed to see her to find out how things really were down there.  It didn’t take long for me to get her address pulled up, but I gave her an extra minute or two before I sent the call.  “Hey, there you are,” I smiled when she came onto the screen.  The smile faded when I realized she wore a pair of shapeless overalls and a t-shirt.  Where were the slinky, stylish clothes?  Bridget’s fashion choices were all over the place, she didn’t give a frak what anyone else thought about her style, but it tended to ooze a certain sensuality.  I’d never seen her looking so schlumpy before.  Something had to be seriously wrong. 

“S’up,” she said with a reverse nod. 

“Wow, you’re looking… casual tonight.”  Not that there was anything wrong with that. I wasn’t the type of girl who thought a woman had to go around made up all the time, especially not in her own home, but I’d seen Bridget put on red lipstick to go check the mail before.  And she was right in a way, being a kept woman was sort of her job.  I’d never seen her looking less than put together with Felix around.  She looked more like a farmer than the girlfriend of an influential vampire. 

“Not like there’s anything to get dressed up for around here,” she snorted. 

“Is Felix out of town or something?”  That made sense. 

“No, he’s just working
again
.”  A roll of the eyes was given.  “I swear to God, Anja, if you give him one more project to work on, I’m gonna come up there and put my boot in your ass.”

“Whoa, I didn’t give him another project.”  It was true, I’d been relying on Felix more than ever, but he’d seemed eager to take on the job.  “I’m sorry if he’s feeling overextended.  I can talk to him though and we can work things out, don’t worry.”

“No, you can’t tell him I complained about it!” Her eyes bugged out in alarm.  “Shit, don’t say a thing about it or I’ll catch hell for it.  I don’t need you pressuring him to spend more time at home with me or he’ll kick me to the curb.”

That didn’t sound so good.  “So, things aren’t going so well between you guys?”   

“They’re not good or bad, they’re… I dunno.  He’s attentive as hell when he’s here, so I don’t think he’s dicking around on me.  I’m just bored.”

“I still think you need a hobby or something.” 

“I have one, bugging you.”

“No, I’m serious.  Who says you have to sit at home waiting for Felix every night?”

Her eyes lit up with excitement.  “Hey, you’re right.  Why should I stick around here day in and day out?  I should totally come up for a visit, then I could bug you in person.  How awesome would that be?  You can take me to all the glamorous Elder parties and I can totally be your date so I don’t have to worry about guys groping me and stuff.”  

I was beginning to understand that Felix’s habits involved a lot less glamour and a lot more work than Bridget was hoping for, and she was looking for some entertaining diversion.  I had to admit, there was an echo of my own problems in her story.  Rob was attentive as hell when he was there, but more often than not he wasn’t around.  Who said I had to sit at home and wait for him every night?

Maggie and Hanna too, they could both use some entertaining diversion.  All Maggie did these days was throw herself into her work and Hanna still wasn’t returning my calls except for the odd voicemail in the middle of the day when she knew I’d been asleep to say she was fine and I didn’t have to worry.

“Jeez, Anja, you don’t gotta get all crazy about the idea like that,” she deadpanned over my lack of response.  “It’s cool if you don’t want me to come visit, all you gotta do is say so.” 

“No!  Sorry, I was just thinking.  I’ll do you one better.  How about a girls’ weekend away instead of you coming here?”

Bridget bounced in her seat, gripping the edge of the desk in excitement.  “Just the two of us?”

“Well, I was thinking we could bring Maggie and Hanna too, they both need cheering up.  But we could do something just you and me if you’d rather.”

“No, that’s cool, they can come.  I just need a change of scenery.  But chicks only, I’ve had enough sausage for a while.”

I had to laugh at that.  “I’ll see what I can do, it might be harder to leave my entourage behind.”  Sure, it was easy enough to give them the slip for a few hours at night, but for a whole weekend away, Lee and Rob were bound to insist on coming.  Gunnar would probably stay away if I asked him to, but he’d pout the whole time we were gone for not including him.  Maybe I could send him on a vacation of his own to smooth things over?

“Are you the boss-lady or aren’t you?” Bridget scowled.  “I’d be all – this is my decree, so let it be written, so let it be done,” she said in a deep voice.

“Have you been watching
The Ten Commandments
?” I had to ask.

“How did you know?” Her eyes goggled wide before her snarky smile returned.  “Dude, Charlie Heston was a babe when he was younger.  When he was all stripped down to that skirt in the mud?  Rawr.”