After helping with securing the humans and unloading the spoils, I left the throng of people and showered and made my way to my room. It had not escaped my notice that Vienne had not spoken to me since my return, but I was so tired I really did not much care about her unexpected disinterest.
Climbing into bed, I fell asleep almost as soon as my head hit the pillow. My dreams wandered that night, through the past and the possibilities, and memories of fights returned to remind me of where I had been and how my world was so completely changed.
I woke up with a sense of hope for the future that so often escaped me. Our attack had gone shockingly well and while there was no way that things would continue to be so easy, maybe the fact that we had surprise on our side would be enough to win the day.
I was not going to return to New Haven just yet, since Connor had set me to working with Tiberius now. I did not know what my day would bring here, but there would be much to do. We were planning another attack, and we were working out of Vienne's home because it was the location that would be at the center of the council members focus once they finally realized just what Vienne had been up to.
I made my way to the dining hall, seeing many familiar faces as I passed. I no longer received the suspicious watchfulness I once did from her guards; I was apparently just another person who was not a threat, now. It was strange that they had become so accepting considering that I had staked her, but it was likely her influence that I had to thank for the easy acceptance. I could barely believe that she had so easily forgiven me considering everything.
It was like Marcel had said, if I had staked any other leech and they had survive to know about it, I would have been dead.
I sat down with my food before I was interrupted, but not in a way that upset me. It was as if thinking about her had conjured her before me.
"Good morning, Jamie," she said with her usual smirk.
"Morning," I said, smiling back at her. I had not been about to worry myself about whatever it was between us, but I could maybe have if I had let myself. It should not bother me, since her fixation had at first infuriated me, but now I could not ignore that I liked whatever it was between us.
I told myself it was because she was beautiful and I wanted her physically, because anything more than that seemed an abomination. I thought of the cranky old man's disbelief that I could say anything decent about a leech, if only he knew how deep my sentiments now ran for this particular bloodsucker.
I resolved not to think about it again. There were much more important matters at hand.
"I tried to find you last night, but by the time I was able to you were already asleep. I was most disappointed."
"Ah," I said. I was not going to apologize for sleeping like a normal human even if it had almost been my first impulse.
"I'm glad to see that you've returned safely," she said, those soft brown eyes fixed on me. Damn, she was pretty.
"It went smoothly," I said, ignoring the thought. "There was really nothing to worry about."
"Of course, but it's going to get harder and more dangerous as we go. The council might have their suspicions right now, but no one expected this attack. They're fools, but not so foolish that they will be able to ignore us forever. If there's anything the council loves enough to act for besides blood, it's their own hides."
"Makes sense," I agreed.
"Are you going along for the next attack tomorrow?" she asked.
"Yes. I'm not missing the chance to help take out another."
She smiled a bit. "Just be careful. It's dangerous."
"I'm not afraid of a little danger."
She scoffed.
"You aren't either, so I don't think you have a lot of room to criticize," I pointed out. "What was it you said? Fearing death was most bloodsuckers' weakness, but not yours?"
She grinned at that. "Ooh, I daresay you really did listen to me, even when you were furious?"
"Of course I did. I was looking for weaknesses."
She smiled and cocked her head to the side a bit. "Do you still want to destroy me, Jamie?"
I really did not want to talk about that. "No."
She considered my words. "What if I were the last vampire on the planet? What if burning me to ash would rid humanity of this plague forever?"
"I don't know what you're getting at." I was acutely aware that there were humans all around us and any number of them could be listening. "Isn't it enough that I said I didn't want to kill you?"
"Well, I of course appreciate the sentiment. But I am curious."
I frowned. "You're messing with me again."
"Perhaps a little. But I really would like to know."
I shrugged at her. If she was expecting some sort of declaration of undying affection from me she was going to be waiting a long time. Wasn't it enough that we had reached a truce? That we were...whatever we were? There was no time for other things right now.
Studying her face, I wondered if I was seeing disappointment across her features. I ignored something that was uncomfortably like guilt or worry. She didn't need that from me, she was strong and self-possessed.
Although she had shown me a surprisingly vulnerable side—
"Jamie, there're humans here who said they know you," Carter said, walking towards me. He looked tired; he had probably been a part of the early shift. "Thought you'd want to know."
"Oh? Who?" I asked.
"Uh, two men and three women. Didn't catch their names."
"Thanks." It was Braydon's family, surely. I was glad they had all come. What if my family had been given the chance to come somewhere safe? Things could have turned out very differently. Carter left without further comment.
I shook off the thoughts. At that time Vienne had been already plotting with her humans and messing with the council from the inside, but everything had been in secret. She would not have been willing to risk calling in all the free humans at that time, since it might have tipped the council off.
I did not resent her for not moving more quickly. People like my family were unfortunate casualties of the cautious strategy, not her fault. I had no reason to become resentful with her when she had done so much.
Shovelling all the rest of my food into my mouth, I shoved back from my seat. "I'd better go and see them," I said.
"I'm glad some of the humans you care about are here." I believed that she meant it. Had I really thought her without feeling? The way she tried to hide her softer side was increasingly obvious. "If you have time, come find me after," she added with a sultry look that told me exactly what she was thinking about.
"I will," I agreed. She smiled at the promise and I made my way outside.
It did not take me long to spot Braydon and his family. They had a wagon along with them. Nelson was working with the horses, and it was Kira's eyes that first made their way to me.
She waved excitedly, but then her hands faltered, probably as she remembered how we last parted. Guilt rose inside me at the memory of her disappointment, along with sympathy, and vague affection, but nothing like the swirling emotion Vienne could engender in me. She drove me crazy, but I kind of enjoyed the constant battle that seemed to be between us.
"Jamie, good to see you again," Braydon said in his booming voice. Nelson slapped me on the back and Braydon's three daughters repeated their father's greeting. "So, we're really doing this?"
"Looks like it," I agreed.
"What is this place?" Mia asked, her wide eyes sweeping the wide expanse surrounded by walls, the fortress in the centre.
"This is a rebellious bloodsucker's lair."
"You're really working with a leech?" Mia asked, the incredulity in her voice obvious. My attitude towards the bloodsuckers had not changed in all the years when they knew me.
"It's the most efficient way to deal a blow against the ones running everything. And I've found they're not all completely evil," I said, a bit defensively. For some reason, I wanted to defend her. Vienne was no angel, but she also was not the monster that free humans thought all vampires were either. She was not intentionally cruel, and she had self-control, at least when she chose to use it. And this thing she had built, for whatever reason, was a good thing.
Braydon interrupted and I was glad for the change of subject. "We're taking this chance, since you said it was going to get more dangerous out there, Jamie."
"I really believe this is our best chance. Like I said, it's risky, but what do we humans have to lose?"
Lisa smiled. "Quite a lot, actually." She put a hand on her stomach in a very deliberate way.
"Congratulations," I said, once I clued in to her meaning. I was filled with the same rush of nervous pleasure I usually got whenever I was confronted with the risks of reproduction. "The care for pregnant women is better here than you'll find anywhere else."
Lisa looked amused. "You've put a lot of thought into it? Is there something you should be telling us?" she teased.
"No. Absolutely not," I said, taken aback at the implication. "I have a friend who just had his first and he talks about stuff like that constantly." Even if I only half listened, Lucas's words had a way of finding their way in over time.
"Aw, too bad," Lisa said. Quick relief flashed across Kira's face and I realized that she had not entirely given up on me. I did not want to have to hurt her because she was a sweet girl and I cared for her family. If I had to I would speak with her again I would, but hopefully a lack of interest would suffice in the mean time.
They secured their animals, and I took Braydon and the rest to the office where Leif's assistants quickly dealt with their information and explained the expectations in more detail than I had gone into. They were assured that they would soon know where they would be sent, and I took them to the large dining hall to get them fed.
Plates piled high, they settled down to eat and I just drank a cup of coffee while I talked with them. I would have to speak to Tiberius soon and see what needed to be done for the day, but I still had a few more minutes to help them settle in.
"Someone will come and get you settled in until they move you elsewhere."
Mia looked nervous at the thought. "I don't want to be separated."
"I'm sure they take that into account. Although, the ultimate goal is to win and hopefully you'll help work towards that."
It was Nelson's turn to look unsure. "And you really believe they can take down the council?"
I ignored my own misgivings. "Well, if you listen to Vienne speak, they're mostly fools. A lot has been built here, a lot of people gathered towards the same goal. Maybe we can do it."
Nelson nodded, not entirely convinced, but he was at least willing to be persuaded.
"I have to go now," I said, draining the end of my coffee. I wanted to reassure them more, but there wasn't really much I could say that was absolutely true about the future. Things were as likely to go as terribly wrong as they were to go right, and some of us could surely end up dead.
And that was not what they needed to hear.
I left the room, and made my way to Vienne. I only had a few minutes, but I didn't know when I would see her again, and I just wanted to. She was in her chambers and the guards let me in without question, which was slightly awkward.
Apparently staking her was an all access pass to her life, I thought grimly. I wondered what she would do for someone who tried to drag her out into the midday sun. The female had no sense of self-preservation.
"Ooh, you found time to come and see me after all?" she said, smiling widely.
"I've only got a few minutes," I warned her.
"That's fine. I'm just glad to see you."
"Why?" I asked. I still did not understand her.
She laughed a bit at my question. "You know as well as I that I've been fixated on you for some time, Jamie." She paused. "I've tried to figure it out myself, but I'm like a planet orbiting your star, caught in the gravity."
It might have been the other way around, because I had not been able to really get away from her since she first held me, but I didn't argue with her.
"So, were our new visitors who you thought they were?" she asked, abruptly changing the subject as she so often did.
"Yes. Braydon is someone who helped me out after...when I was first on my own. He came along with his three daughters and his oldest daughter's husband. I just found out she's pregnant."
"Another human. How delightful. I much prefer babies to fledglings. Although I must say, my fledglings are certainly superior to other fledglings I've encountered."
"And you hate leeches that much?"
She smiled. "No, but they are rather set in stone, as it were. Humans change more. I like seeing how immature humans turn out. And since there's so many more of you, there's much higher chance of finding some that are extraordinary. Like so many of my favourites, or like you yourself, Jamie."
I shrugged off the observation. "I am what my circumstances made me."
"So modest. At least I think that's what I think it's called. I have very little familiarity with the state."
"Oh. I wouldn't have guessed that."
She laughed and I couldn't help but join her.