Woman King

Chapter 18

When I awoke the next morning, my first thought was that I would be seeing William that evening. We had been texting each other every day, but tonight would be our first opportunity to be alone since I tracked him down at the nightclub. The days had passed quickly, the campaign occupying an ever-greater portion of my attention. Now that Lacy was entering the race, I knew the pace of the campaign would accelerate, since we would be forced to respond to any criticisms she might level against Levi in the press.

    In anticipation of the deluge, my day was booked solid with meetings with our opposition research team to comb through her records and our own. Clients are often shocked that I ask them to pay for the privilege to dig up their own dirty laundry, but it is always better to know what your opponent will find before they find it.

     I pondered these details for a few more moments as I got dressed and walked downstairs. When I reached the foot of the stairs, I caught a glimpse of Elsa in the living room in the middle of her usual morning yoga-and-stretching ritual.

    "Good morning," I said softly as I padded into the kitchen for an espresso. I made her a cup of tea before walking back to the living room. "Do you want to come into the office today to listen in on these briefings?" I asked. "There may be something that turns up that interests you about Halbert and his demon."

    Elsa was bent in a sun salutation and did not respond immediately. I set her mug of tea on the coffee table and waited patiently. There was no rushing a time-walker. Finally, she came out of her pose and looked at me, grabbing the tea.

    "I would like to get a good look at the demon if he comes around again," she said.

    I nodded. "You are welcome to come with me wherever I go," I said, and then paused. I was about to say Except when I'm with William, but I decided we were having too cordial a conversation to muddy the waters. "I mean, you can come with me whenever it interests you."

    "You were going to mention him," she said, not bothering to use his name.

    I smirked.

    "Look, I wouldn't ask to come on a date with you either," I said, trying to make light of the situation.

     Elsa made a quick sound of exasperation. "As if that is ever going to happen," she said. "Besides, I often think I prefer the company of women to men," she said.

    "Are you saying that you're a lesbian?" I asked, not caring one way or another about her answer.

    Elsa shook her head. "No, I bed men. What I'm saying is that after I'm finished, I prefer the company of women."

    I laughed. "Elsa, that's a very common sentiment among women, regardless of the century."

    We both finished getting ready and left the house together for the day. Elsa stayed with me for the majority of the briefings but then left after receiving a call from Aidan. The two of them were spending an ever-increasing amount of time with each other. I began to wonder whether he was interested in Elsa for more than her experience with weapons. Given her lack of ability to read the bigger picture, I was certain she would never have a date in this century without some serious intervention on my part. I resolved to ask her more about it when I saw her next.

    As I had predicted, the day flew by and I was able to make it back to my house to shower and change before the doorbell rang. I stood upstairs listening to the chimes. There was a vampire ringing my doorbell, something I could not have imagined a few short months ago. I quickly ran downstairs to open the door, delighted by the sight waiting for me. William was wearing faded jeans, a navy T-shirt, and a brown cord jacket with a lamb's-wool lining. A brown wool ski hat sat on top of his head, pulling his red hair close to his face. I didn't imagine for a moment he was cold. I assumed he did it to fit in, since the night air was growing increasingly chilled as we approached winter.