Night Train Part 10

"Ah, she is inquisitive, this is good," Rafael's voice came again. Humor, hope, joy, love for Aramus, and for herself.

And you must go now...

The darkness of black feathers smothered her sight. She was falling. The feathers were icy and razor sharp as they brushed her skin. The sound of brushing feathers was deafening as they encased her in ice.

Liquid fire burned down her throat. She swallowed. Heat and warmth burned in her belly and spread.

Hunger bloomed for more warmth to battle the spreading, sharp-edged cold. She drank it down and sought more.

Hot water burned as it ran down her skin. Elaine gasped and shuddered. "Too hot!" She struggled against the hot arms that held her. "No, too hot!"

"Be at ease, Elaine, you need the heat."

"Aramus?" Elaine lifted her head and struggled to stand on her own. She was in a white-tiled, glass-walled shower suspended between Aramus and Rafael. Both of them held soapy cloths and suds rolled down her body. "What's going on?"

"I should think it would be obvious." Rafael smiled. Aramus rolled his eyes. "We're bathing you." She stared at Aramus - andknew him. Knew his rage for the pain Dimitri caused, knew his desperate love for Rafael, and knew his aching guilt for making her a vampire. She twisted free of them until she could wrap both her arms around his warm body. She pressed her cheek to his heart. She took a deep breath laden with the aroma of his body. "I can't go back, can I?"

Aramus closed his arms tight around her and pressed his cheek to the top of her head. "I hope you can forgive me." Elaine dug her fingers into his back. "You did it to save my life."

"So quickly I am forgotten." Rafael sighed at her back. "Should I be jealous?" Elaine turned and blinked through the water up at Rafael, and knew him. Knew his ancient pain, knew his grief for friends long lost, knew his protective love for Aramus, and knew intimately the aching loneliness caused by the sheer power of his incredible age. She snaked an arm around him and pressed her face against his heart. The tears exploded from nowhere along with the gasping sobs.

Rafael gently embraced her. "Perhaps she saw a little too deeply." "I did the same, if you remember." Aramus's voice was quiet. "Why so you did."

Elaine grabbed for Aramus to hold them both. He came into her arms and they leaned together in silence under the running water.

Eventually, the washing continued and then the water stopped.

Elaine felt dazed and wrung out as they led her from the white marble bathroom. She flinched back from the light in the black and scarlet master bedroom, her eyes aching.

Rafael chuckled. "Her change is going to be swift, it seems."

"Is this safe?" Aramus caught Elaine around the shoulders and knelt to peer into her face.

Rafael snorted as he strode, naked and glorious past the bed. "Aramus, if it was not, I would tell you."

Elaine stared at the deep bite on Aramus's throat. She raised her hand to her own aching throat.

Aramus caught her hand. "No, do not touch."

"It is time to attend to our guests." Rafael opened a mirrored door against the far wall and dug among the clothes hanging within. He drew a long length of black silk and another of white from the closet and then a length of deep scarlet velvet. He turned to face them. "Are you ready to be presented, my hearts?"

Elaine frowned. "In bathrobes?"

Rafael smiled. "In dressing gowns. It is traditional."

Elaine walked between Rafael and Aramus with their hands hot on either shoulder. Her long robe of crimson velvet was warm, but her hair, though combed back, was still wet from the shower and soaking the back of the robe. The two bite marks on her neck were still seeping, just a little. She felt empty and raw, as though her skin didn't quite fit properly.

Aramus's black mane was also combed back, and soaking the thick cream silk robe he wore. The marks on his throat were bright red and angry, but not bleeding. His left wrist bore a slender knife cut surrounded by a deep bruise.

Rafael's shower-damp curls dripped just a little on shoulders of the black silk of his robe. There was a raw bite on his throat and a knife cut on his bruised wrist as well. She hadn't seen when those had happened.

Together, they walked down a broad gold and white marble staircase with a polished oak handrail. The staircase curved until it overlooked a circular ballroom filled with an incredible collection of glittering costumes. Mirrors and massive flower arrangements lined the gold-flecked marble walls. A twenty-piece band played in an alcove one level up from the circular and column-lined dance floor. Tuxedo liveried men and women circulated through the throng carrying trays holding snacks and champagne-filled flutes. Small tables held seated guests all around the crowded dance floor. The masquerade was in full swing.

Elaine's stared in open-mouthed astonishment. "Wow, this is some house party."

Aramus grinned. "This is nothing compared to his celebrations."

Rafael stopped them at the landing; all three of them robed, barefoot, smelling strongly of soap, and slightly of sex with just a touch fresh blood. There was no mistaking where they had been, or what had happened.

A gong rang softly somewhere.

The band stopped in mid-note. People stopped dancing, voices stilled, and silk rustled as the crowd turned to look up toward them. A number of them gathered near the bottom of the stairs. Elaine was startled to recognize more than a few faces from Hollywood among the gathered throng. It made sense; every vampire there was painfully beautiful.

"My friends," Rafael called out. "May I present Aramus and Elaine, my family."

Polite applause flowed like an ocean.

Elaine's breath stopped. She was a vampire.

Tuxedoed staff carried a long Victorian red velvet couch into the ballroom and set it in an alcove a few steps up from the dance floor. The music played, the catering staff circulated and guests whispered in a hundred different languages.

Elaine sat curled between Aramus and Rafael, her bare feet tucked under her scarlet robe.

A plate of food was brought by a staff member and presented to Aramus. He thanked them politely and unfolded the napkin on his lap.

Elaine stared, rapt at the plate. God, it smelled good.

Aramus shook his head. "No Elaine, you are not ready for solid food yet."

Elaine jerked back. "What do you mean,not ready for solid food ?" She hoped to god that didn't mean what it sounded like.

Rafael turned and patted her knee. "You are an infant. Your body is still too new to digest anything but liquids."

Elaine shivered. "You mean, I can't eat anything but...blood?"

Aramus wiped his mouth with his napkin then leaned close to press his lips against her brow. "Correct."

She took a trembling breath. "How long will I be..." She swallowed hard. "On a liquid diet?"

Aramus looked up and shrugged. "A few months. No more."

"Months?" Elaine groaned. That sucked. That really, really sucked. She leaned back against the couch and crossed her arms. "God, I'll never make it without chocolate!"

Rafael smiled. "Relax, you may drink anything that is a liquid, such as coffee or cocoa, but your sustenance will come only from living blood."

"I can still have coffee and cocoa." Elaine sighed and gave Rafael a small smile. "Okay, the world isn't ending."

Rafael chuckled and signaled a staff member. "You will adjust. I promise." He spoke softly to the man in the tuxedo then settled back among the cushions while Aramus continued to eat. "Aramus tells me you are an artist?"

Elaine nodded and they spoke of the museums she had toured while in Rome and Venice.

A staff member entered the alcove with a silver tray and a steaming mug.

Rafael took the mug and a napkin then passed them to Elaine. "A mocha latte, coffee, cream, and chocolate."

Elaine took the mug with undying gratitude. "You are a god!"

Aramus choked.

Rafael nodded and smiled. "Of course."

Elaine sipped her heavenly drink while Aramus finished his plate. Eventually, a young man in a tux collected Aramus's empty plate and Elaine's empty mug.

Rafael nodded to the attending staff member. "You may let them begin."

And then the guests began to arrive in their alcove.

Elaine leaned back in Aramus's warm embrace watching each guest greet Rafael. They spoke to him about one thing or another in dozens of different languages. Some smiled and flirted, others knelt immediately and presented a petition, or a grievance, but all were very respectful.

Rafael responded to his guests with gravity or levity, but also with respect to each.

Each visit ended with the guest kneeling and presenting their upturned wrist.

Rafael took each wrist in gentle hands and he bit them. Some, he barely pierced the skin with his upper teeth and gently licked. With others, he held their gaze as he bit down hard, piercing their arm with all four teeth and taking a strong swallow.

Aramus was a warm, soothing heat against her back as she watched the proceedings. It was as fascinating, as it was frightening. Rafael was not the oldest among them, but he had an enormous amount of influence. He was not liked by everyone, in fact he terrified more than a few, but he was trusted by all of them.

Elaine found that comforting. She knew, just from the single peek she'd had from within Rafael's heart, that these guests were his personal court and his responsibility. And he took his responsibilities very seriously. He had been trained almost from birth to be a prince among men, a very, very long time ago.

Elaine was very near to dozing off against Aramus's shoulder when Dimitri walked up the steps to the alcove. He had changed into a formal tailed tux. He bowed respectfully when he entered. Anthony was a dirty trembling shadow kneeling hunched, at the foot of the stairs.

Elaine released a soft breath.

Dimitri's eyes flicked to Aramus and they widened just a hair, then he gazed down at Elaine. His gaze lowered, noting the marks on her throat. She could tell that he didn't quite recognize her, and then abruptly, he did. His nostrils flared and his jaw tightened, as did the rest of his entire body. He was plainly furious.

Elaine's temper flashed white hot and then arctic cold.He's pissed? Dimitri had kept his word and brought Anthony, but Anthony looked really awful. Her eyes narrowed at Dimitri and something welled in the base of her throat. She had the most overwhelming urge -to bite him.

Rafael leaned back and patted the seat at his side. "Elaine."

Elaine shifted those few inches to sit up against Rafael.

Rafael dropped his arm around her shoulder and pressed his lips to her temple. "Be calm," he whispered with barely a breath. He turned to Dimitri and smiled. "Dimitri, I hear you have a grievance with my children?"

Dimitri took a deeper breath and frowned, but only slightly. "Then she is yours?"

"Elaine? Oh, she is both of ours." Rafael reached out to catch Aramus's hand. "Aramus allowed me to participate in the making of his first."

Dimitri's eyes narrowed and he vibrated with anger. "Yes, I have a grievance." His voice was tightly controlled but there was a hint of a snarl at the base of his words. "She was supposed to be mine. She was coming to me when Aramustook her!"

Rafael turned to Aramus. "Aramus, did she carry the mark of Dimitri on her person?"

"Why, no." Aramus managed to look mildly surprised, as though Dimitri's accusation was unexpected. "There was no trace of his scent anywhere on her." He looked over at Dimitri and smiled. "Or in her. She was completely untouched."

Elaine almost smiled. She recognized this game. Rafael was fully aware of exactly what had happened, but they were provoking Dimitri, very slyly. The idea being that the more Dimitri lost his temper, the more innocent Aramus would look to the guests gathered at the bottom of the stairs.

Dimitri scowled and focused on Elaine. "She carried a letter stating that she was traveling under my name."

Rafael turned to Elaine. "Did you carry such a letter?"

Elaine pursed her lips. She wanted to help this little game of'let's piss off Dimitri' along. "I had a letter inviting me to an interview, but I didn't think it was something that would matter to Aramus, so I didn't show it to him." She looked over at Dimitri and did her best to look as innocent as possible. "I don't tell everybody my private business."

Dimitri glared at her.

Rafael leaned back to look at Aramus. "When did you discover that Dimitri had any connection to Elaine?" Aramus tilted his head and attempted to look dismayed. "Shortly after my third taking." Dimitri's neck flushed red. Aramus nodded at Elaine. "We were speaking of her drawing ability when she casually mentioned who she was visiting in Prague." He sighed. "But by then it was far too late." He shook his head sadly. "I'm afraid that Elaine is a very willing lover." Elaine seriously thought about mentioning something about persistence but held her tongue. The idea was to piss off Dimitri, and make Aramus look innocent. She was pretty sure Rafael already knew what kind of determined seducer Aramus actually was. Instead she leaned closer to Rafael. "I'm afraid I read a little too much erotica. It gives me ideas." She couldn't stop the warmth from blooming in her cheeks.

Rafael's brows shot up. "Indeed?" He looked over at Aramus.

Aramus grinned. "She's very...creative."

Dimitri loosed a low growl. "She was supposed to be mine."

Aramus smiled as he turned to Dimitri, but his eyes had become chips of black ice. "You obviously

cannot take proper care of your current thrall, why should you have another?" He waved a hand toward Anthony huddled at the foot of the stairs.

Anthony had his face buried in his arms, trying to look as small as possible. Rafael raised his chin. "Ah, yes, Aramus mentioned that you wanted another to take over the care of the boy." He leaned toward one of the waiting staff, but did not take his artic cold gaze off of Dimitri. "Would you please ask the Countess Sephonie to join me, and have someone bring Aquinas for our young guest?"

Dimitri froze. "You're going to take him?"

Rafael's smile broadened. "But of course, I thought that was what you wanted?"