The Story of the Vampire, L (Completed | Featured )

5. [Dasius] 2003 - Mr. Fix It

Before Christmas, I went away to Boston on Laurent's own orders, and as soon as I landed, he called me saying, "Why? Why?' inconsolably, but when I said, "I will come back to you, just wait, I will be there soon," he was cold again then, "So what? Do not want it at all."

Marcellus was away in Europe, that year. He wanted to be in Paris for Christmas. I had already balanced my accounts for the end of the quarter, and still I went through my desk looking for work to do. I swept some things into a valise and turned around to get back into another taxi, back to Logan to get on a plane west again. 

When I arrived back in California, it was to Laurent looking pouty and saying, "No, I told you not to come," and when I wouldn't grab him and shake him, he touched lightly the starched collar of my shirt. He drew his hand down the straight, pressed line of buttons and smiled at me with his eyes.

"I've cancelled an appointment with Daniel to be here," I told him. Assets manager. 

"Hm," he said, walking his fingers back up my buttons. Deliberate, slow.

"And with Alain Park, and Etienne Morel," I said. Lawyers.

He took me by the lapels, sliding his fingers down. "Not with mushroom, surely?" he asked. Morel.

"Yes, him and Alain."

"What about Deacon?" he asked. Trustee.

"Matthew? I have him after the new year. He's coming to my office."

"Can I come?" he asked.

He liked Deacon, because Deacon was married, but liked Laurent better than his wife.

"You can, if you can get away."

"You will pick at me, if I come. And Marcellus will be there?"

"He'll be in France until the 3rd, and he does not like to come directly home. He will be in his own place in Boston for some time."

If Marcellus had been away for some time, he and I would keep separate residences awhile, visit each other like young lovers a couvert, until he felt it natural to come home. Circle each other, like rival wolves. As he had grown older, he had at first grown passive. Then, he had overnight decided to capture fire again. It was if he had brought me a mandate from hell. I loved it. We so often played cat and mouse. He had acquired a taste for both blood and for pain, which thrilled me, though as often saddened me, thinking of the man he still called "father".

"Listen," Laurent said, taking me by the tie.

"I am," I said, though his taking me like that made me feel a little dizzy.

"I think that you must tell Marcellus to come here. I think if I ask him he won't come."

"I don't understand."

"Ne t'inquite pas, mais, mais, il est important qu'il  vient ici. Tu m'entends?" Don't worry but, it's important that he comes. You hear me?

"Oui, mais," I said, fumbling for words.

He said that he had called his twins, Marcel and Pascal, but had not heard from them. He had recalled a minor lover from Riem, checked in with others I had never heard the names of, had even ordered Leis to bring Ellis Q. down, but that Q had refused the offer.

"Explain yourself," I said softly.

"I have started to feel very anxious. Lately, Leechtin is talking madness. He says that an Etruscan lion is stalking prey. He says that the situation has changed, that there is no reasoning now. He says that it seemed it would come to this. I cannot make out much but it seems clear to me that your place is here," he said.