takes a while to sift through all the memories.”
I snickered and waited quietly as he thought.
Finally, he stated, “You know, you remind me of a woman I knew when I was growing up in Paris,” he began.
I was surprised to learn that he grew up in France since he didn’t have much of an accent. I didn’t want to interrupt the story by pointing it out, so I pulled the blankets up to my chin and asked, “Really? How so?”
He smiled but didn’t look over at me.
“She was blonde and petite, like you.” I suppressed a snort because I may have been short, but I was too curvaceous to be considered petite. “She worked in our house when I was a child. She used to slip me treats from the kitchen when my parents weren’t around. She was one of the few people in our home who paid me any attention. I think she knew that and made an extra effort.”
I studied his profile and my heart ached for the lonely little boy he must have been.
“What was her name?” I asked.
“Marie.”
“How long did she work for your family?
“Until I was ten.”
We lay in silence for a few moments.
When he didn’t continue, I asked, “What happened?”
“My father told me she died from influenza.”
It sounded like there was a story there. “Your father told you?”
Asher rolled to face me again, his blue eyes gleaming faintly in the darkness. “I found out later that he killed her. She was like Donna, she could resist his powers of persuasion. When he tried to bed and drink from her, she resisted.”
I laid a hand on his forearm. “I’m sorry.”
Jesus, what kind of fucked up childhood had he had? Parents who ignored him, a father that killed a woman for refusing him. If that was the sort of life he’d led, it didn’t surprise me that he closed himself off when he felt threatened or out of control.
“It was a long time ago,” he murmured.
“That doesn’t mean it should be forgotten, that Marie should be forgotten.”
He laid his free hand over mine, lacing our fingers together.
We lay in silence for a long time, staring at each other, until I couldn’t keep my eyes open any longer. When I fell asleep, our hands were still twined together.
Now, with my eyes still half shut, I noticed that I was alone in the bed. The pillow next to mine still bore the imprint of his head, but the blankets were cold. True to his word, Asher waited until I fell asleep before he left the room.
His cell phone chimed again and I realized that was what woke me. I sat up on the mattress when I heard the murmur of his voice. The walls were thin, but he must have moved away because I couldn’t hear his words clearly.
Before I could get out of bed, I heard the padlock on my door being opened, then a knock.
“Come in,” I called.
Asher opened the door and stepped inside. “I just got off the phone with Frederick.”
“Who’s Frederick?”
“He’s Cornelius’ warlock.”
“Oh, wow.” It seemed that our efforts to get Cornelius’ attention were effective.
“Cornelius won’t be returning to Dallas for several weeks.”
At Asher’s words, my heart sank. I’d hoped that we could get things moving along.
“But Cornelius wants us to come to New Orleans.”
“New Orleans?” I repeated.
Asher nodded. “I have a feeling that he wants to get you away from Dallas as quickly as possible. They want us there this evening.”
My eyes widened. “Today?”
My nerves began to jangle in an all-too-familiar way. It was the same adrenaline rush I got every time I was about to go out into the field on an assignment. Other than yesterday, I hadn’t felt this sensation for a long while. Too long.
“I guess I’d better get showered and packed,” I muttered.
Asher nodded. “We’ll pick up a few more things for you on the way. I’m not sure how long we’ll be staying.” He paused. “Also, don’t be…offended by the clothing I choose.”
My eyes narrowed. “Perhaps you should explain that.”
“Since I’ve told
I snickered and waited quietly as he thought.
Finally, he stated, “You know, you remind me of a woman I knew when I was growing up in Paris,” he began.
I was surprised to learn that he grew up in France since he didn’t have much of an accent. I didn’t want to interrupt the story by pointing it out, so I pulled the blankets up to my chin and asked, “Really? How so?”
He smiled but didn’t look over at me.
“She was blonde and petite, like you.” I suppressed a snort because I may have been short, but I was too curvaceous to be considered petite. “She worked in our house when I was a child. She used to slip me treats from the kitchen when my parents weren’t around. She was one of the few people in our home who paid me any attention. I think she knew that and made an extra effort.”
I studied his profile and my heart ached for the lonely little boy he must have been.
“What was her name?” I asked.
“Marie.”
“How long did she work for your family?
“Until I was ten.”
We lay in silence for a few moments.
When he didn’t continue, I asked, “What happened?”
“My father told me she died from influenza.”
It sounded like there was a story there. “Your father told you?”
Asher rolled to face me again, his blue eyes gleaming faintly in the darkness. “I found out later that he killed her. She was like Donna, she could resist his powers of persuasion. When he tried to bed and drink from her, she resisted.”
I laid a hand on his forearm. “I’m sorry.”
Jesus, what kind of fucked up childhood had he had? Parents who ignored him, a father that killed a woman for refusing him. If that was the sort of life he’d led, it didn’t surprise me that he closed himself off when he felt threatened or out of control.
“It was a long time ago,” he murmured.
“That doesn’t mean it should be forgotten, that Marie should be forgotten.”
He laid his free hand over mine, lacing our fingers together.
We lay in silence for a long time, staring at each other, until I couldn’t keep my eyes open any longer. When I fell asleep, our hands were still twined together.
Now, with my eyes still half shut, I noticed that I was alone in the bed. The pillow next to mine still bore the imprint of his head, but the blankets were cold. True to his word, Asher waited until I fell asleep before he left the room.
His cell phone chimed again and I realized that was what woke me. I sat up on the mattress when I heard the murmur of his voice. The walls were thin, but he must have moved away because I couldn’t hear his words clearly.
Before I could get out of bed, I heard the padlock on my door being opened, then a knock.
“Come in,” I called.
Asher opened the door and stepped inside. “I just got off the phone with Frederick.”
“Who’s Frederick?”
“He’s Cornelius’ warlock.”
“Oh, wow.” It seemed that our efforts to get Cornelius’ attention were effective.
“Cornelius won’t be returning to Dallas for several weeks.”
At Asher’s words, my heart sank. I’d hoped that we could get things moving along.
“But Cornelius wants us to come to New Orleans.”
“New Orleans?” I repeated.
Asher nodded. “I have a feeling that he wants to get you away from Dallas as quickly as possible. They want us there this evening.”
My eyes widened. “Today?”
My nerves began to jangle in an all-too-familiar way. It was the same adrenaline rush I got every time I was about to go out into the field on an assignment. Other than yesterday, I hadn’t felt this sensation for a long while. Too long.
“I guess I’d better get showered and packed,” I muttered.
Asher nodded. “We’ll pick up a few more things for you on the way. I’m not sure how long we’ll be staying.” He paused. “Also, don’t be…offended by the clothing I choose.”
My eyes narrowed. “Perhaps you should explain that.”
“Since I’ve told
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