The Force of Wind

  Chapter Seven

  Mount Penglai, China

  September 2010

  Giovanni gritted his teeth as she left. The fact that Baojia had been the one to comfort her in her distress had not escaped his notice, even as he stood watch over the hall. His need to claim her had been overruled by caution, but he wasn’t pleased.

  “Doctor Vecchio? Did you have any other questions?”

  He turned back to Zhang’s administrator. “None. As long as Zhang can spare the extra security to make sure Miss De Novo is fully protected through the daylight hours, I am comfortable remaining on the island.”

  The old wind vampire gave a respectful nod. “You honor us with your presence. And your support of Zhang’s interests will be remembered.”

  “Thank you, Quan. Your master’s offer of protection will be remembered, as well.”

  “Is there anything else?”

  “I will return to Tenzin’s quarters at this time. I have some phone calls to make. I understand there is a phone connection on the island now?”

  “Yes, a custom satellite system was installed last year. There are insulated phones that connect in each wing of the palace. I believe Tenzin does have one.” He leaned in a little closer. “The connections, of course, are shared. One must always keep that in mind.”

  In short, don’t say anything on the phone that you don’t want spread around the palace. Giovanni received the veiled message with a quick nod before he took his leave from Elder Zhang’s efficient administrator.

  He walked across the grounds, glancing toward the opposite side of the compound where Lorenzo was carefully sheltered within Zhongli’s entourage. He gritted his teeth and kept walking.

  What was the wind immortal’s purpose? Why would he invite the water vampire to Penglai? Had his jealousy and paranoia of Tenzin finally reached its limit?

  Elder Zhongli Quan may have been the second-ranking political leader of the Eight Immortals, but the old wind vampire had long been insecure of his position and suspicious of Tenzin. Zhang’s daughter dwarfed him in age and power, and it was only her disinterest in politics and her desire to avoid her sire, which kept her from attaining a position of leadership in the hall of the Elders. She could have had Zhongli’s throne with a flick of her small wrist, but had always been quite vocal that she had no desire for it.

  Had her recent activities on Giovanni’s behalf caused suspicion that Tenzin had taken an interest in political life? If it had, he regretted it. He’d had no quarrel with Zhongli in the past, but now, the wind vampire was an enemy.

  He was mentally running through the web of alliances within the council as he entered Tenzin’s quarters. He immediately turned down the hall to check on Beatrice. As he passed their room, he saw Baojia sitting on a bench, reading, nearby.

  He looked up briefly. “She’s sleeping. She was exhausted.”

  Giovanni came to a halt. He had nothing to criticize, even though an instinctive protest at the vampire’s presence wanted to leap to his mouth. The water vampire was doing the job his sire had assigned him, and as much as Giovanni may not have liked the interest Baojia showed his woman, he knew that Beatrice was safe under his care.

  He finally nodded. “I have some calls to make to Southern California. Do you know where the phone is located?”

  “It’s in the front library. You have to put it on speaker phone to use it, even with the insulation for the wiring, so be careful what you say.”

  “Has Ernesto been informed?”

  “I told her I wouldn’t leave the door until you returned, so no.”

  “I’ll make my calls and be back shortly.”

  Baojia shrugged. “It’s morning there anyway, so I can only talk to his secretary. Take your time.”

  Giovanni frowned. “I’ll be back shortly.” He turned and walked toward the small library just off the main sitting room. The walls in Tenzin’s rooms were all decorated simply, with pale paint, sparse wall hangings, and a few wood screens. It suited her while still being formal enough for her father’s tastes.

  He passed Nima in the hall, and the old woman nodded in his direction. Her face, as always, was set in a pleasant expression that concealed the calculating mind he knew she possessed. Nima had been in Tenzin’s company for so long, she was almost like another half of his friend, though Tenzin took care to not place the old woman in any position she feared could be dangerous.

  No, Nima had always been carefully protected. As the old woman continued down the hall, he turned to watch her slow gait. Giovanni had always assumed that Tenzin and Nima had been more than merely companions at one point, and he wondered what Nima thought of her mistress’s involvement with Stephen. Giovanni had to wonder himself.

  He walked into the library; there was a small man working; a servant of Zhang’s was dusting the books.

  Giovanni spoke quietly. “You may leave now. Shut the door.” The man bowed silently and left.

  He spotted the phone and walked over. It was a speaker unit, as Baojia had said, in some sort of bulky, protective case with a stylus sitting next to it for dialing.

  The fact that there was any phone on the island was a huge advance. For thousands of years, Mount Penglai had been cut off from the modern world, with electricity only coming in select locations fifteen years before, and most correspondence was still sent by courier. The human population of the island was just as isolated, though all stayed by their own desire, as far as he knew.

  He quickly dialed Matt Kirby’s number in Pasadena.

  “Hello?” The connection was slightly delayed.

  “Kirby, it’s me.”

  “Gio?” His tone was cautious. “How’s everything?”

  “Going well.” In a manner of speaking. “How are Caspar and Isadora?”

  “Enjoying the gardens here, which look amazing. They’re both enjoying the house and the weather. Dez and Isadora are thick as thieves and are spending a frightening amount of time shopping lately. They miss your girl, though. Give her our love.”

  “I will. And how is the puppy?”

  Though Lorenzo knew of Ben’s existence, the knowledge that Giovanni had adopted a human child was not widespread, so he and Matt had agreed that, if lines were not secure, Ben would only be referred to as Giovanni’s “puppy.”

  “Active as always. His obedience classes are going well, but he still has discipline problems occasionally.” They had enrolled Ben at an exclusive school used by many of the human families under Ernesto’s aegis and others involved in the immortal world. Some of the students boarded there, though Ben lived at home. Most importantly, it was private, and the security met Matt’s stringent requirements.

  “Any accidents in the house?” Any fights with Caspar or Isadora?

  “Nothing serious.”

  “Well, give him a scratch behind the ears from me.”

  “Will do,” Matt said. “Anything new there? Was everyone there that you expected?” Was Stephen there?

  “All the expected players. Beatrice was pleased. And then we had some unexpected company tonight.”

  “Oh?”

  “Yes.”

  “The one I thought?” Matt had been convinced that Lorenzo would make an appearance while they were in the East; Giovanni hadn’t been as sure. Luckily, “I told you so” wasn’t Matt Kirby’s style.

  “You may have mentioned him.”

  “Do we need to make adjustments?” Did Giovanni need Matt to fly out?

  “It’s not anything I’m not equipped to handle. Things seem secure on our end. I just wanted to let you know.”

  “Thanks. I’ll take appropriate precautions.” Realistically, if Lorenzo was in China, it was unlikely that he or his associates would target Giovanni’s family in Southern California. Still, it never hurt to be cautious.

  “Thank you, Kirby. Please give my regards to everyone.”

  Giovanni wanted to talk to both Ben and Caspar, but it wasn’t smart to advertise his human attachments. They were simply too
vulnerable. Sending greetings through Matt was the best he could do.

  “I will,” Matt said. “Take care, and say hi to B for me.”

  “I will.”

  He hung up and immediately called Carwyn in Ireland. The priest was staying with Deirdre and helping the widow cope with losing her mate. He was also looking through Ioan’s library in the hopes that it would reveal some sort of clue why he was targeted.

  Lorenzo’s child had confessed that his master had tortured Ioan while questioning him about vampire blood types, and Giovanni wondered whether Ioan had somehow stumbled into the mystery of the elixir, or whether there was some other reason Lorenzo had wanted the information from the doctor.

  “Carwyn?”

  The tricky delay caused him to talk over the priest when he answered, “Hello?”

  “Carwyn, it’s me.”

  “Gio, are you there?”

  He frowned. “Yes, it’s me.”

  “Are you calling from Penglai?”

  “Yes.”

  There was a crackling pause. “When did they get a phone? Also, the connection is horrid.”

  Giovanni chuckled. “I’ll let them know. It’s fairly recent.”

  “Have the finally put bathrooms in that crazy palace?”

  “Yes, even showers.”

  “Will wonders never cease?” He heard Carwyn laugh. “And how’s the ancient and drafty one? Has she killed anyone yet?”

  “Not yet, but we haven’t been here that long.”

  “She’s got time, then. Excellent. Is the food still awful?”

  “Even you would have trouble eating it.”

  Carwyn laughed again. “And has her dad been there?”

  “Stephen is here, Father.”

  There was a long silence on the line. Carwyn was one of the few people that knew how much finding her father had meant to Beatrice. His voice was slightly hoarse when he spoke again. Or, it might have just been the connection.

  “How is she?”

  “Well. She was shocked, of course, but they’re catching up. It’s… good.”

  “And he’s safe?”

  If Stephen had been exchanging blood with Tenzin for some time, it would explain the strange level of energy from the young vampire. Simply ingesting a little of Tenzin’s ancient blood would strengthen Stephen immeasurably. If the point of the blood exchange had been to make him stronger than Lorenzo, it was most likely already accomplished. The young vampire was no longer holding back, and the strength of his amnis had been evident from across the room that night.

  Giovanni had to laugh. “Oh, yes. I think Stephen is very safe.”

  “What do you mean ‘very?’”

  “He and Tenzin are mated.”

  There was nothing but silence on the other line.

  “Um…” Carwyn finally sputtered. “Well, that’s… what? Tenzin and…”

  “Stephen, yes. They’re mated.” It was probably common knowledge on the island within minutes of the revelation, so Giovanni had no qualms revealing it over the phone.

  “Has she… I mean, has Tenzin ever taken a mate?”

  “Not that I know of.”

  “That is very… interesting.”

  “I thought so, too.” Giovanni heard shouting in the background. What was his old friend up to?

  “Well, on that very interesting note, I should probably go. It’s nightfall here, and I have much to do tonight. Lots of news, but it can wait.”

  “Anything vital?”

  “No, it can wait. If you need to contact me, I might be in Scotland visiting the boys for a bit. So try there if I’m not here.”

  “Are you sure everything’s fine?” Giovanni heard a crash.

  “Oh, nothing I can’t handle. Give my best to B.”

  “I will. And hello to Deirdre and the boys, too.”

  “Goodbye, my friend.”

  Giovanni ended the call and hung his head. He took a deep breath. Something odd was going on with Carwyn. Stephen and Tenzin were essentially married by ancient tradition. His son had arrived with an unexpected and very powerful ally. It was too much. He thought he had escaped this life three hundred years before. He did not relish returning to the wily manipulations of politics or the constant danger and tension he found himself embroiled in.

  He just wanted Beatrice.

  So, he left the library and sped down the hall, waving at Baojia as he unlocked their room and entered. He heard the vampire slip away, and Giovanni locked the reinforced door behind him, leaning against it for a moment as he listened to her soft breathing while she slept.

  He smiled and crept silently into the room, gazing at her as her chest rose and fell. The tension had left her face, except for her eyebrows, which were slightly furrowed. He undressed and slid behind her, grateful that she hadn’t worn nightclothes so he could feel the warmth of her skin against his own. He wrapped his arms around her waist, cradling her against his body and taking comfort in her scent and the soft beat of her heart.

  “Beatrice,” he whispered against her shoulder. Giovanni knew he should let her sleep, but he needed her. He needed the comfort of her touch, and he needed to see himself in her eyes.

  “Tesoro,” he murmured, as his lips trailed down her back. His hands brushed along her sides, tracing over her hip under the red silk sheets. She shifted onto her back, and he was able to see her small form. Her pale skin was luminous in the soft lamplight. Her breasts peeked above the sheet, and her hand was thrown over her head in a plaintive gesture. He drew the sheet down and kissed along the ripples of her ribs as her brown eyes flickered open.

  “Gio?”

  “Hmm,” he hummed when she tangled her hands in his hair. He had cut it again, so she wasn’t able to grab the length of it as she liked, but her fingers played along his neck as he tasted the skin on her belly.

  “I missed you,” she said, her heart already racing. “Come here.”

  She tried to pull him up, but he slipped under the sheet, determined to continue his leisurely exploration. Her soft cries filled the silent room as he slowly brought her to climax, piercing her thigh with his fangs as she arched her back and whispered his name. He drank her sweet blood before he slid up her body and into her, finally meeting her mouth as they moved together. Beatrice’s hands gripped his shoulders, and she met his gaze, staring at him as he moved over her.

  She was worth it. Worth every worry, every pain. Her safety and security was everything to him. After five hundred years of existence, she had become the singular desire that animated his immortal life.

  He drove her harder when he felt her peaking again, and he chased her pleasure, burying his face in the crook of her neck as she stroked his back and he shuddered. They lay together in silent communion, his body and mind refreshed from her love.

  Giovanni finally rolled onto his side and pulled her under his arm, cradling her head on his chest as he played with the ends of her hair and ran gentle fingers up and down her back. He smiled to see the way the small hairs on her body reached for him.

  “I’d say I was sorry to wake you up, but I’m not.”

  He felt her shoulders shake. “You can wake me up that way anytime.”

  Giovanni laughed quietly and hummed a tune he knew she liked.

  “I love it when you hum.”

  “I know.”

  They lay in peace for a few more minutes.

  “Have you called Matt? Did you let him know? How’s Ben?”

  “Yes, I called Matt. Benjamin is fine. It sounds like school is going well. Caspar and your grandmother still love the house.”

  “Carwyn?”

  “Still in Ireland.”

  “How’s Deirdre?”

  Giovanni shrugged. “He didn’t say much.” He paused. “I’m sorry I couldn’t be with you in the hall.”

  “Shh,” she whispered, reaching a hand up to stroke along his cheek. “It’s fine. I was fine. After the initial surprise, I was fine.”

  “I should have expected it. M
att said he would make an appearance.”

  “But we had no way of knowing. Just like we had no way of knowing…”

  She trailed off, and he knew she was thinking of her father and Tenzin.

  “Beatrice? Do you want to talk about it?”

  “Did you have any idea?”

  “No. I sensed there was something we weren’t seeing, but with Tenzin, you never know.”

  “Why? Why would she—”

  “Your guess is as good as mine. It’s possible they simply have a connection. I’m not going to lie and say it’s not odd to me, but she certainly doesn’t have to ask my permission to have a relationship.”

  “With my dad.”

  “Is it that strange?”

  She screwed her face into an adorable frown. “You have to understand, he never dated when I was young. Not that I ever knew of. So to see him again, after so many years. And he looks exactly the same as when I was thirteen. We look like we’re almost the same age. And then Tenzin, who I know is way older than you or even Carwyn, but she looks like she’s a teenager…”

  “It’s strange to you.”

  “Yes!” She shook her head. “And I know it’s my own problem. But she’s my friend, and he’s my dad. And it just feels…”

  “What?”

  “Weird.” He began shaking in quiet laughter, and she hit his shoulder. “Shut up. I know I’m being ridiculous, but it’s weird. There’s no other word for it.”

  “What if they have found love together? As we have? Would you begrudge them that?”

  “No.” She propped herself up and lay a gentle kiss on his mouth. “No, everyone should be as lucky as we are.”

  “Lucky?” he smirked. “Kidnapped. Blackmailed. Chased around the globe. Targeted because of who we are and what we know. We’re lucky?”

  She smiled and laid her head on his chest, looking at him and trailing a finger along his lips. He opened his mouth and let a fang peek out. She flicked it with her fingertip, and he growled in pleasure.