a
number of different cultures—as many as one can get—will give
a better idea of what one is dealing with.”
“Look at you getting all research-y. Sexy.” Donte turned and
Adin tilted his head to taste him, slanting his mouth over Donte’s,
teasing it open. Donte yielded and they stroked each other with
lips and tongue, until between them they could taste the pleasure
of homecoming and imminent sex. Donte broke away first.
“So, Emere,” Donte hinted, clearing his throat, but Adin
56 Z.A. Maxfield
could tell he was pleased to be back to teasing and kisses. “This is
a child who can move between heaven and earth at will. They’re
seen as not quite nice, really, as they are greedy for heaven, even
while they experience the joys of earth.”
Adin considered this. “I have to wonder if Bran is special
somehow even among his kind. The fact that he has powers, but
not the first clue what it all means, indicates to me… I don’t know
what, it’s playing hide-and-seek somewhere in my imagination.
Boaz said the changeling process turns a supernatural child into a
human. What if it isn’t the original nature of Bran that’s at issue,
for example, he isn’t valuable because he’s a specific otherworldly
entity or a changeling human, but maybe…”
“His value lies in the fact that he’s neither.” Donte frowned.
“You realize you said otherworldly entity with no hesitation at
all?”
“He isn’t human.” Adin turned to find Donte gazing at him
thoughtfully. “Oh, you mean it’s odd that I don’t question it
anymore?”
Donte rubbed his hand across Adin’s back. “That saddens me
somewhat. As if I’ve taken something innocent and—”
Adin ignored him. “I wish I knew why he was so valuable.
What do you suppose Harwiche believed Bran could do for
him?”
“I don’t know. What does he do?” Donte asked. “Have you
seen anything out of the ordinary?”
Adin chuckled. “Little prick was in my head all the time, but
I hardly think anyone would pay for that. Vampires can do that.
He could see my dreams, comment in my thoughts. At the time I
thought it was as if he…” Adin frowned.
Donte skimmed a hand over Adin’s shoulder and down his
chest. “What?”
“This morning I had the rather fanciful notion that maybe he
could search my memories and play them for me. As if I were a
jukebox. Like he could figure out my greatest hits.”
Vigil 57
“Yes?”
“Yes, and he could screen them with intense clarity. It was
almost as if I could relive them. He seemed to be searching my
‘face file’ this morning when I woke up. They were all flashing
past like—”
Donte’s hand stopped moving. “Is there a reason anything
you know— anyone you know—could be harmful to you?”
“You’re kidding, right?” Adin switched off the computer and
stood, enfolding Donte in his arms. “There is nothing in my past
that Ned Harwiche would pay to find out, if that’s what you’re
thinking. Certainly anyone who wanted to hurt me could find
an addict to do it for a few hundred bucks, if that much. I think
Bran just wanted to get to know me. Whatever it was, he’s gone
now, and he’s Santos’s headache, or Harwiche’s or yours, but I
refuse to tell you about that until later...” Adin fished around his
case for his toiletry kit and tossed it between the pillows on the
bed.
“About that? About what?”
“About the fact that after today you will probably, in Boaz’s
words, want to have me flogged. As if that was anything new.”
Adin crawled onto the bed.
“You said my headache, Adin.” Donte followed him. “What
headache?”
“Later.” Adin helped slide the jacket off Donte’s shoulders
and unbuttoned his crisp cotton shirt. “No tie today, how very
informal. Were you heading out for a swim?”
“Very funny, I was relaxing at home.”
“Ah. And you didn’t pack the dressing gowns. Didn’t want to
sit around in your
number of different cultures—as many as one can get—will give
a better idea of what one is dealing with.”
“Look at you getting all research-y. Sexy.” Donte turned and
Adin tilted his head to taste him, slanting his mouth over Donte’s,
teasing it open. Donte yielded and they stroked each other with
lips and tongue, until between them they could taste the pleasure
of homecoming and imminent sex. Donte broke away first.
“So, Emere,” Donte hinted, clearing his throat, but Adin
56 Z.A. Maxfield
could tell he was pleased to be back to teasing and kisses. “This is
a child who can move between heaven and earth at will. They’re
seen as not quite nice, really, as they are greedy for heaven, even
while they experience the joys of earth.”
Adin considered this. “I have to wonder if Bran is special
somehow even among his kind. The fact that he has powers, but
not the first clue what it all means, indicates to me… I don’t know
what, it’s playing hide-and-seek somewhere in my imagination.
Boaz said the changeling process turns a supernatural child into a
human. What if it isn’t the original nature of Bran that’s at issue,
for example, he isn’t valuable because he’s a specific otherworldly
entity or a changeling human, but maybe…”
“His value lies in the fact that he’s neither.” Donte frowned.
“You realize you said otherworldly entity with no hesitation at
all?”
“He isn’t human.” Adin turned to find Donte gazing at him
thoughtfully. “Oh, you mean it’s odd that I don’t question it
anymore?”
Donte rubbed his hand across Adin’s back. “That saddens me
somewhat. As if I’ve taken something innocent and—”
Adin ignored him. “I wish I knew why he was so valuable.
What do you suppose Harwiche believed Bran could do for
him?”
“I don’t know. What does he do?” Donte asked. “Have you
seen anything out of the ordinary?”
Adin chuckled. “Little prick was in my head all the time, but
I hardly think anyone would pay for that. Vampires can do that.
He could see my dreams, comment in my thoughts. At the time I
thought it was as if he…” Adin frowned.
Donte skimmed a hand over Adin’s shoulder and down his
chest. “What?”
“This morning I had the rather fanciful notion that maybe he
could search my memories and play them for me. As if I were a
jukebox. Like he could figure out my greatest hits.”
Vigil 57
“Yes?”
“Yes, and he could screen them with intense clarity. It was
almost as if I could relive them. He seemed to be searching my
‘face file’ this morning when I woke up. They were all flashing
past like—”
Donte’s hand stopped moving. “Is there a reason anything
you know— anyone you know—could be harmful to you?”
“You’re kidding, right?” Adin switched off the computer and
stood, enfolding Donte in his arms. “There is nothing in my past
that Ned Harwiche would pay to find out, if that’s what you’re
thinking. Certainly anyone who wanted to hurt me could find
an addict to do it for a few hundred bucks, if that much. I think
Bran just wanted to get to know me. Whatever it was, he’s gone
now, and he’s Santos’s headache, or Harwiche’s or yours, but I
refuse to tell you about that until later...” Adin fished around his
case for his toiletry kit and tossed it between the pillows on the
bed.
“About that? About what?”
“About the fact that after today you will probably, in Boaz’s
words, want to have me flogged. As if that was anything new.”
Adin crawled onto the bed.
“You said my headache, Adin.” Donte followed him. “What
headache?”
“Later.” Adin helped slide the jacket off Donte’s shoulders
and unbuttoned his crisp cotton shirt. “No tie today, how very
informal. Were you heading out for a swim?”
“Very funny, I was relaxing at home.”
“Ah. And you didn’t pack the dressing gowns. Didn’t want to
sit around in your
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