Her sudden cooperation was unnerving. "Why?"
"Because since I attained my full powers, no one has ever slipped my illusions twice in one night. No one living or dead."
She grabbed Ivy by one bloody arm and pulled her into her lap to bleed on the white dress. Ivy gasped. "Remember this, young master vampire: This mortal did what you could not. She stood against me and won." She tossed her suddenly away, sending her sprawling across the floor. "You are not worthy of my sight. Get out."
Serephina stood. The fresh blood stood out in scarlet relief against her white dress and gloves. "You have impressed us. Now go, all of you." She turned and walked back to her throne. She didn't sit down. She stood with her back to us, one hand on the chair arm. Perhaps it was my imagination, but she seemed tired. Her ghosts flowed down to meet her in a swirling white mist. There weren't as many individual shapes as before, as if the phantoms had lost some of their solidity.
"Go," she said without turning around.
The back door was open, but Jean-Claude walked to the doorway that led out the front. I wasn't going to argue. I just wanted out. I didn't give a damn which door we took.
We walked coolly, calmly towards the door. I wanted to run. Larry stood next to me, and I could see the pulse in his throat jumping with the effort not to bolt. Jason reached the door a little ahead of us, but he waited and turned and motioned us through like a doorman, or a butler.
I caught a glimpse of his eyes, too wide, scared, and knew what the gesture had cost him. We went through; he followed. Jean-Claude brought up the rear. The doors slammed behind us, and we walked out. Just like that.
But for the first time I knew that I'd been let go. I hadn't fought my way out, or bluffed my way out. She could be impressed all she wanted, but she had allowed us to go. Being allowed to leave was not the same thing as winning.
I would never go back into that house voluntarily. I would never be near her willingly. Because I'd been impressive tonight, but I couldn't keep it up. Even now I knew that she could have me. This vampire had my ticket. Had a lie almost worth my immortal soul.
Damn.
Chapter 28
Jason walked past me into the hotel room. He headed straight for the bathroom. "I'm taking a shower." It was pushy, but he did smell like a decayed corpse. We'd driven back with all the windows rolled down. Most of the time if you stink, you can't smell someone else. I had some of the rotted stuff on me, but I could still smell Jason. Some smells are too unique to ever really go away.
"Wait," Larry said.
Jason turned, but not like he was happy.
"Use my shower." He held up a hand before I could say anything. "It's an hour until dawn. If we want everybody tucked in before that, it makes sense to use both bathrooms."
"I thought we'd all sleep in this room tonight," I said.
"Why?" he asked.
Jean-Claude stood by the love seat looking lovely and unhelpful. Jason just looked impatient.
"Safety in numbers," I said.
Larry shook his head. "Alright, but I can take the werewolf next door and let him shower. Or don't you trust me to even do that?" He was getting angry again.
"I trust you, Larry. You did good tonight."
I expected a smile. I didn't get it. He looked very serious. "I killed that vampire Bruce."
I nodded. "I thought we were going to have to kill everything in the room."
"So did I." He sank into one of the chairs. "I've never killed anyone before."
"It was a vampire. It's not the same thing as killing a person."
"Yeah, right. And how many corpses have you given CPR to lately?"
I glanced at Jean-Claude smiling at me. I shrugged. "Just one. Can you give us some privacy here?" I asked.
"I will hear what you are saying no matter where I stand in this room," Jean-Claude said.
"Illusion is all; just back off," I said.
Jean-Claude bowed his head slightly and took Jason to one side of the room, near the windows. I knew he'd hear everything, but at least he wouldn't be standing over us.
"You don't really believe he's dead, do you?" Larry asked.
"You saw what happened to those two vampires," I said. "They are just rotting corpses; everything else is illusion."
"You think he ever looks like that?"
I looked at Jean-Claude's back for a minute. "I'm afraid I do."
"How can you date him after seeing that?"
I shook my head. "I don't know."
"Corpse or not, you tried to keep him alive." He reacted to the look on my face. "Alive, undead, whatever you want to call it, you tried to preserve it. You were scared he was really dead."
I just looked at him. "So?"
"So, I killed another living being, or undead being. Hell, Anita, Bruce was so newly dead he seemed human."
"Probably why one bullet to the chest finished him."
"How am I supposed to feel about that?"
"Killing him, you mean?"
"Yeah."
"They are monsters, Larry. Some of them are prettier than others, but they are monsters. Never doubt that."
"You can honestly tell me that you think Jean-Claude is a monster." It was more statement than question.
I almost looked at the monster in question, but I didn't. I'd looked at him enough for one night. "Yeah, I do."
"Now, ask her if she thinks she's a monster." Jean-Claude leaned on the back of the love seat, his arms crossed over his chest.
Larry looked a little startled, but he said, "Anita?"
I shrugged. "Sometimes."
Jean-Claude smiled. "See, Lawrence? Anita thinks we're all monsters."
"Larry's not," I said.
"Give him time."
That was a little too close to the truth. "I asked for privacy, or did you forget?"
"I forget nothing, ma petite, but time grows short. My wolf is not the only one that needs a bath. Only our young friend is still fresh."
I looked at Larry. There wasn't a drop of blood on him. He was the only one who hadn't wrestled with vampires tonight. He shrugged. "Sorry; I just couldn't get anybody to bleed on me tonight."
"Don't joke, Larry," I said. "With Serephina I think you'll get another chance."
"Sadly, true, ma petite."
"How long can you go without a coffin?" I asked.
He smiled. "Concern over my well-being. I am touched."
"Don't give me crap. I opened a freaking vein for you tonight."
"If I have not thanked you for saving my life tonight, ma petite, my apologies."
I looked at him. He looked pleasant, amused, but it was a mask. His expression when he didn't want you to know what he was thinking, but didn't want you to know that he didn't want you to know. "Don't mention it."
"I will remember that you saved me, ma petite. You could have been free of me. Thank you."
It sounded sincere enough. "You're welcome."
"I need to get this crud off me," Jason said. He sounded just a touch frantic. I was betting he'd be trying to scrub off more than just dirt. But memories don't wash that easily. More's the pity.
"Go on, both of you. Jason can scrub up in Larry's room. It's only practical."
Larry grinned at me. "Thanks."
"I meant it when I said you did good tonight."
I finally got the smile I'd expected. "Come on, Jason, hot water and fresh towels await." Larry held the door for Jason and gave me a little salute. Geez.
Alone again with Jean-Claude. Would this night never end? "You never answered my question about the coffin," I said.
"I will be alright for another night or two."
"How did Serephina go from being your equal in power to being what we saw tonight?"
He shook his head. "I truly do not know, ma petite. She surprised me badly. She did not have to let us go tonight. As long as she did not harm us, we could have been her guests for the day."
"Are you surprised she let us go?" I asked.
"Yes," he said.
Jean-Claude pushed away from the love seat. "Take your shower, ma petite. I will await the young men's return."
"I thought you could go next, wash the blood out of your hair."
He put a hand up to the back of his hair. He grimaced at the feel of it. "Distasteful, but I want a bath, ma petite. It takes longer than a shower, so you go first."