“There,” she said. “That looks really pretty.” She strolled up to him and placed a peck on his lips. “Thank you. It’s been a long time since anyone gave me roses without my commanding them to.”
He grinned. “I know Anthony’s my friend and everything, but if you’ll forgive me for saying so, what an idiot.”
She laughed. “I’ll not only forgive you for saying it, but you can say it again if you like. I’m glad someone thinks I’m worthy…”
Her voice trailed off and she bit her lip. A second before she whirled around, he thought he saw some red liquid shimmering in her eyes.
“Oh, hey…” He said softly as he gently turned her around. She was hanging her head and a red tear trickled down one cheek. “Ruxandra…”
He pulled her into his embrace, but she pushed away. “No. I—I’m sorry. I have to pull myself together. I don’t do self-pity, and besides, I’ll get blood on your clothes.” She grabbed the red handkerchief from under the roses so quickly that they didn’t tip over.
Now, there’s a neat trick.
As soon as she’d finished drying her eyes, he tipped up her chin and searched her face. What he saw there was more than a woman with a wounded ego. He saw a woman who sincerely wanted to be better. What he thought of her mattered. What she thought of herself mattered. His heart softened and he stroked her cheek with his thumb.
“You’re beautiful,” he said.
“I know.” She chuckled, then shrugged. “Well, I’m not going to pretend I don’t know that. Contrary to popular myth, I can see myself in a mirror.”
He leaned back and laughed. “Ruxandra, I have to tell you, I was worried that you might not be honest with me.”
“Really? Why?”
“Well, you have a reputation of trying to manipulate people.”
Her face fell and he immediately felt like an idiot. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said—”
She placed a finger over his lips. “No. You’re absolutely right. And I want you to tell the truth too.”
He looked at her askance. “Even if I know you’re not going to like what I have to say?”
She bit her lip and hesitated. Then as if coming to a decision, she straightened her spine and said, “Yes. Even then.”
He couldn’t help admiring her for that. Still, he wished he had a voice recorder handy.
He offered her his arm. “Shall we go? It’s a lovely evening for a walk.”
She smiled and said, “Yes, it is.”
“What do you mean, she’s in the ocean?”
Morgaine pointed to the spot where the pendulum met the map. “I’m sorry, but look. There she is.”
Anthony wasn’t sure how much witches could see, so with trepidation he asked, “Is she all right?”
“I’m still getting the sense that she’s alive.”
“And in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.”
“Well, not in it. More like on it.”
“Whew. Is there an island there?”
Morgaine studied the map closely. “It doesn’t look like it.”
Anthony scratched his head. “So she must be on a ship. What would make her suddenly decide to go for a cruise if she wasn’t compelled?”
“Maybe she was.”
Anthony swore under his breath. “Who would compel her, if not my ex? My wizard friend assured me he protected her from all Ruxandra’s tricks. Hell, he even accidentally protected her from my abilities. I tried to mesmerize her and couldn’t do it…twice.”
“You couldn’t mesmerize her? Can you touch her?”
“Yes. Of course.”
“But you said Ruxandra couldn’t touch her, so the spell worked.”
“Yes… What are you getting at?”
Morgaine smiled. “Can you communicate with her telepathically?”
“Uh… It happened once when we were intimate. I’ve been reaching out to her with my mind, but she’s not answering me.”
“She’s probably too far away. Anthony, do you know what that means?”
“I’m not sure. What are you thinking?”
“Claudia is your beloved.”
Anthony had hoped but wasn’t sure. Vampires only had one beloved in their lifetimes. Many never found theirs. “How do you know? Does it have something to do with my not being able to compel her?”
“Yes. That’s another sign. That’s when Sly and I first suspected we were connected on a different level. I wanted him to compel me, and he couldn’t. I had hoped he could ease my agoraphobic symptoms, so I really, really wanted it to happen.”
Anthony didn’t know how to respond. If Claudia were with him, he’d be overjoyed. On a deep level, he’d suspected they were blessed in that way, but with the horrific news that she was somewhere unreachable and in who knows what shape… He almost hoped she had broken her sobriety and was able to comfort herself with… No. He wanted her health and happiness above all else. That meant not abusing a poison she couldn’t control.
He dropped his head in his hands.
A moment later the door opened, and he heard Sly ask, “You called me, darling?”
“Yes. I thought you might be able to commiserate with Anthony. Remember when I was kidnapped by your maker and held as bait?”
Anthony looked up and Sly came over to him. “Boy, do I ever. I was never so terrified.” He placed a hand on Anthony’s shoulder. “But my clever wife got away.”
Anthony sighed and leaned back. “I’m afraid this is a little different. My ex is the only person I can think of who’d want to harm my beloved, and Ruxandra isn’t holding her as bait. She’s still in Boston, but Claudia is somewhere in or on the Atlantic Ocean. And she has no knowledge of magic to get away.”
“Shit,” Sly said. Then he looked at Morgaine and she squirmed uncomfortably.
Anthony watched and waited, realizing the couple must be communicating telepathically.
At last, Morgaine sighed. “I can’t. I’m sorry, but the ocean is one of those wide-open spaces I’m afraid of. Jeez, it doesn’t get any wider and more open than that.”
“But with astral projection, you wouldn’t really be there,” Sly protested.
“I know, but it doesn’t work that way, honey. My mind has to be convinced I am there for astral projection to work. I’d still see what’s there and what’s not there. No land. Nothing familiar. Nothing safe—”
“Are you saying that a person who knows how to astral-project might be able to find her?”
Morgaine’s gaze dropped to the floor. “Yes, but I can’t. Maybe my cousin could help. If you have a picture of Claudia…”
“No need. I have Sadie. My niece can astral-project.” Anthony rose and strode over to Morgaine. He took out his wallet and handed her all his cash. “Thank you. I have a way to look for her now.”
“I’m glad I could help, but this is too much.”
“How about another bottle of Vampire Vintage? Is there enough to cover that?”
“More than enough.” Morgaine rushed off to the kitchen.
“Please let us know when you find her,” Sly said. “And if there’s anything else we can do…”
“I won’t hesitate.”
Morgaine hurried back with a shopping bag and added his two bottles to whatever she’d put in the bag. It had some heft to it, so she must have given him four or five bottles of the stuff.
“Drink a glass of it now and before you go into the sun.”
“Don’t overdo it, though,” Sly added. “It’ll still get you tipsy.” He smiled at Morgaine as if he had firsthand experience.
Anthony thanked the couple profusely and hurried down the stairs.