"I feel better about driving around, now," I said. "I had to take Franklin to the hospital three weeks ago and probably scared the bejeezus out of both of us getting him there. What about you? Clap anybody in irons, lately?" I was still pissed that he'd chained me up in the Council's jet while holding the harshest compulsion on me. I wasn't even able to blink without his permission. And scared? If I'd still been able, I would have wet myself.
"You're not going to forget that, are you?" he winced a little.
"Not anytime soon," I said.
"Did you have anything planned for tonight?" he asked.
"I was thinking about getting in the hot tub, but that's something I can do another time. Why?"
Franklin was sitting at the island in the kitchen, having a cup of tea and listening to our conversation. Merrill was in his study, taking care of business. Anyway, that's what he'd told Gavin.
"I just want to see you. Talk to you," Gavin said.
"I want to talk to you, too, and it has to be in private," I said.
"Why don't you take him into the spa room; it's nice and soothing in there," Franklin suggested. "I'm going to bed." It was around midnight and Franklin was tired, I knew.
"Goodnight, then," I kissed Franklin on the cheek. He hugged me and went off toward the stairs.
"What did you wish to talk about?" Gavin asked as we walked toward the room Merrill had added onto the back of his manor house. It held a wide, heated pool and a hot tub, with a beautiful slate floor surrounding both and glass windows all around. Patio furniture was scattered in the corners, along with potted palms and other tropical plants. The pool itself had a waterfall that emptied into it and the sound it made really was soothing, whether you were human or vampire.
We sat down at a tiny table in one of the corners. I studied Gavin for a few moments before saying anything. He had the slightest beginnings of fuzz on his head; his hair would be slow to grow out. He'd lost his hair when a rogue vampire aimed a flamethrower at him, burning not only the hair from his head but the entire front of his body as well. I was frightened that he might not live over it at the time. Without Radomir's help, he wouldn't have. Gavin was lucky to be among the living. As much as vampires can be living, I suppose.
"Merrill asked somebody to come and teach me how to bite," I said, looking Gavin straight in the eye. "He practiced on me so I'd know how it was done. I fainted, Gavin. Now, I only know of one other time when that happened. Would you care to explain that to me?"
"Who bit you?" he demanded. Trust Gavin to skirt the issue and go straight to the one that was triggering his jealousy.
"Somebody named Brock," I snapped. "And he told me he was g*y. Now, answer my question."
"I know Brock; he's an Enforcer now," Gavin said, sighing a little. "Lissa, I did bite you. I couldn't help myself. I just couldn't handle your scent any longer. It was a moment of weakness and I told you afterward that it wouldn't happen again. Not while you were rogue and I was watching you."
"And there I thought I disappointed you somehow or messed the date up by fainting on you," I turned my head away.
"No, Lissa. I knew if I did it again, I wouldn't be able to stop myself. I almost didn't that night. I wanted to couple with you and that would have been unethical. Disappoint me?" he snorted.
"What was I supposed to think?" I tossed up a hand in confusion. "You placed compulsion; I know that, now. Jerk."
"Lissa, you may call me anything you like over that." Gavin reached out and gently turned my face toward his with a finger. "I know you were miserable. You retaliated by going out immediately with the man you met at the bookstore. I was so eaten up with jealousy I wanted to track him and place compulsion for him to leave you alone." Gavin's brows were drawn together in a severe frown. And compulsion? Who was Gavin kidding? He probably wanted to beat Tony into pulp. It was probably a good thing Gavin didn't know who Tony was, other than a potential rival.
"You have such faith in me," I retorted. "Even I knew that relationship was doomed from the start. It was just somebody who didn't know who or what I was that made me laugh, Gavin. Is it wrong to want to forget that the werewolves are blackmailing you and the Council wants you dead?"
"I know you didn't go to bed with him," Gavin was the one to turn his head, now. "I would have smelled it if you had."
That was such a comforting thought. He'd checked. Great. "So, are you telling me that I can't ever date anyone else again? Is that what you're saying?"
"Lissa, I have no hold over you now. You are free to do as you please. I am terrified that you will accept advances from this one or that; I have a feeling that offers are coming in already, both to Wlodek and your sire. And these are vampires who have yet to see you. All of them wish to meet with you."
"Oh, good grief," I muttered in alarm. Wlodek and Merrill were getting requests? What did that mean? And what did they want, these nameless, faceless vampires? The thought of it made me shiver. "I don't want to meet them, Gavin. Not that way. Good grief."
"This frightens you." He made it a statement.
"Of course it does." I wanted to pull my knees to my chest. I forced myself to leave them where they were.
"Will you sit with me?" He patted his knee. Sit with him? I wanted to crawl into his lap and huddle against him. Ask him to fend off this horde of vampires that had appeared from nowhere, asking to meet with me. Gavin ended up coming to me instead. "If I had known this information would frighten you, I wouldn't have told you," he whispered against my hair.
"Gavin, I don't have many pleasant memories of being around vampires," I mumbled, my head buried against his shoulder. "So far, they've either wanted to kill me or place compulsion. And they can all do it. I have no way of defending myself if they decide they want to toss the law aside and just tell me whatever they want me to do."
"You should not be this frightened," he said, rubbing the back of my neck with his fingers. "Not all vampires are that way. You were rogue so you were treated differently than you would normally be treated."
"Yeah. How about that?" I said.
"There wasn't any justice in it for you, my little angel. None at all."
"So, now vampires may come knocking who may be no different from Edward and Sergio. What do you suggest I do about that? If I tell them to take a hike, are they going to get all pissy about it and try to retaliate? Get me into trouble, somehow, so Wlodek will be sure and not hold you back next time? I don't know this race of yours, Gavin. I don't know how to react to this."