Hallowed Circle

Chapter 31

Turning to face the entryway, I waited only a moment before he entered the Covenstead and stepped down the foggy walkway. He was dressed as a king, in a copper velvet shirt with a black velvet cape and pants. The crown upon his head was adorned with topaz and onyx, and Goddess help me, it was like Arthur strode into the hall.

I couldn't breathe. My eyes felt dry and refused to blink. My body wouldn't move, not even to flee. The vibrant sensation had wended all through me and was now beginning to converge into the heat of desire. I began to crave his touch.

And then I realized our costumes matched.

I should have known he'd planned it this way.

Lydia followed my gaze and put it together. "He sent you this costume?"

"Most of it, yes." Denying it would have been childish.

She squeezed my arm. "I am so sorry! If I hadn't insisted you participate in the Eximium, he'd never have met you and you wouldn't have to bear his notice now."

"Lydia, it's all right. I just thought—"

"He's a vampire. A dangerous one!"

"I know. Trust me, it's under control." I moved away.

She didn't release my arm. "He'll let you think it is until it's too late."

"Thank you for caring about me, Lydia." I let her see the truth of that statement in my heartfelt smile. It made her grip weaken, disappear. She was surely putting it together, knowing that I had a protrepticus, a connection to Xerxadrea, and that Xerxadrea had a former connection to Menessos. It was the wrong assumption, but based on what she knew, it was a good one that should satisfy her. "I have some work to do while I'm here. I'm sure you understand…"

"Yes. I do now." She didn't seem to like it. "Take care with your work, Persephone."

"I will. Thank you."

When I left her and approached Menessos, Goliath, dressed as a knight in armor that I'd have bet was real and heavy, had joined him. Menessos offered his hand to me as I neared. "No skirt?" He sounded disappointed.

"I don't much care for them." I accepted his warm hand. It surprised me; I expected it to be cool or cold. "Thank you for the bodice and jewelry."

His eyes were locked on my cleavage. "You lend credibility to the theory of euhemerism."

It meant something about the belief that ancient heroes were deified mortals. "Bombastic as ever, Menessos. No mask for yourself?" I asked, reaching to take the mask from my own face. Few others were wearing them.

"Leave it," he said abruptly.

"Why?"

"Because I like it very much." He slipped my hand onto his arm and walked slowly away with me. "Grant me this one indulgence, please?"

"You're not wearing one. Goliath's not."

"True." He didn't elaborate.

"That's a small response. Monosyllabic, even."

"Concupiscence distracts me."

His fancy way of saying he lusted for me reminded me that he was the one with the stain, now. It was his libido that should be amped. Mine was more than libido, though. I felt… powerful in his presence. Like my ego was sexually aroused.

No wonder vampires were so egotistical. In a room full of their stained underlings, they'd feel a rush of invulnerability and confidence. I would have to keep this in mind and not let it rule me.

Time to see who knew what was actually going on. I halted the promenade and pulled away. "Goliath, would you get me a drink, please?"

He glared at me and made no move to do as I asked.

"Bottled water." I did not resign, but waited expectantly.

Menessos whispered, "Goliath."

The knight turned with a sneer. Goliath probably thought I was testing my favor with his master, and for him to have to fetch me a drink would gall him. He didn't realizeI was the master. But Menessos did. And now Menessos knew that I knew.

We spent a long moment, the vampire and I, standing in the Covenstead staring at each other, gauging each other. I kept my shoulders square and my head high as if to say that I would not be manipulated by him.

The protrepticus rang. Thankfully, it was the ringing sound of an old telephone again.

I was not about to answer it here, in front of Menessos—Samson D. Kline's murderer—and certainly not with the chance of Goliath returning.

"Aren't you going to answer?" Menessos asked.

"No."

Just then, I caught movement on the stage. Johnny was removing guitars from cases and putting them in stands. He hadn't passed us, so the band must have access through the south doors.

Hunter stood before the stage, chatting with him. When he finished placing his instruments, he sat on the stage left steps. I watched them talk and trade polite smiles. Hunter moved closer. She put her hand on his knee for an instant as she spoke, then removed it. Flirtatious prep-move.

"Interesting," Menessos said. "Someone's flirting with your wolf, and your pulse hasn't changed at all."

Still watching the stage, Hunter did it again, but this time her hand lingered.

Johnny reached toward her hand and her smile broadened. That is, until he carefully removed her hand and placed it on the stage beside him.

"Excuse me," I said to Menessos.

Hunter had taken the rejection well but found a reason to be on her way as I started crossing the Covenstead. Johnny walked to the front of the stage and turned to check the backdrop and the scene from an audience viewpoint. His arms were crossed over his chest.

Pausing beside him I said, "You patch things with Erik?"

"Theo checked on the contract. You were right."

"If it's what you guys want…"

"He's not sure now that he knows the vampire connection. Feral's not sure either."

"What do you want?"

He turned and took a good look at me as if he hadn't realized I was in costume until then. "Wow." His awareness lingered in my chest area too. "More of what I already had."

My cheeks flushed. "Would you settle for a dozen or so of your remaining kisses?"

"Wanna see my tour bus, little girl?"

After glancing at the front of his pants, I said, "Didn't I already take a ride on your bus?"

He laughed, low and hungrily. "Well, the one parked out back is almost as big."

"Almost?" I laughed.

He grabbed my hand and led me around the stage to the south doors and out. "I stopped at the Rock Hall and retrieved your blazer."

"You did?"

It wasn't a bus, but a box truck that sat with the back open like a black, gaping mouth. "That's what a good boyfriend would do, isn't it?"

"B-boyfriend?"

The Covenstead door clanged shut behind us, and he grabbed me into an embrace. "Yeah," he whispered. His hand was hot on the back of my neck as he held me and kissed me with an intense passion. I felt as if I were melting. When he finally broke away he said casually, "You know, ma'am, I'm eager for the position and I think I'm very qualified to do a satisfactory job."

"Yeah," I said. My semi-molten brain wasn't up to witty rejoinder.

The night was bright with the just-past-full moon to light it and the air was cool as it swirled around us, lifting the cedar and sage smell of him to my nostrils. My ears gave a little pop like a bubble bursting. It reminded me of Aquula's bubble in the grove—

The protrepticus rang again.

Johnny broke off. "You got a cell?" he asked, incredulous.

The ringtone wasn't antique phone this time; it was something else.

"And your ringtone is an old Black Sabbath tune?"

I heard lyrics about fairies wearing boots.

Fairies. Oh Goddess.