Jenks clattered his wings in warning, and the tension went up. "I'll get the AMA whether you help me or not-" I started, and he cut me off.
"I promised you your form, and you will have it," he said, sounding insulted. "That's short-term survival, and I'm talking progress. Moving forward. Establishing yourself in a safe, long-term situation." He took his glass and sipped from it. "You have been seen consorting with demons. You were refused traditional treatment on the witch floors because of your demon scars. What do you think that means?"
"It means they're idiots." My chin rose, and I set the plate of sushi down. "Human medicine worked fine."
"Humans don't like demons any more than anyone else," he said. "Less. If you continue dealing with them openly, you will be silenced. Probably by witches."
I laughed at that. "Whoa, whoa, whoa," I said, waving my sticks about. "I don't know where you're getting your info, but witches don't do that to each other. They never have."
"And you know that how?" he asked. "Even so, you're acting out of character, and that will force them to do the same."
I made a scoffing sound, and returned to eating. Why do they make these rolls so darn big? I look like a freaking squirrel.
"Be cautious, Rachel," Cormel said, and I ignored him, continuing to try to chew a wad of rice and seaweed too big for my mouth. "Humans are vicious when cornered. That's why they survive and we don't. They came first, and they will probably persist long after we're gone. Rats, cockroaches, and humans."
Ivy rolled her eyes and ate a glob of the green stuff. Seeing her disbelief, Cormel smiled. "Ivy disagrees," he said, "but I've had to speak favorably for you more than once."
My motion to dip my last cucumber roll hesitated. "I never asked you to do that."
"It wasn't your place to give me permission," he said. "I'm not telling you this so you feel you owe me a debt, but to let you know your situation. If the witches don't react to you openly trafficking with demons, then the vampires will be pressed into it for another reason."
I set my sticks down, feeling sick. I had no choice but to traffic with demons, having bought Trent's freedom from them with a promise to be Al's student. "If you're not upset about the demons, then what's bothering you?" I asked, feeling trapped and angry.
"What you're doing to help the elves, of course."
Ivy exhaled, and I suddenly got it. "Oh." I took a steadying breath and pushed my plate away. I wasn't hungry anymore. Piscary had killed my dad and Trent's father for simply trying to help the elves. I had gone past trying and had actually saved them. Well, I'd gotten the sample that Trent used to do it.
"There have been three elf conceptions in the last three months," Cormel said, and my thoughts flew to Ceri. "All healthy from what I understand. Their population is going to slowly rise. The Weres, too, are poised to explode under the right circumstances. You can understand why the vampires are slightly concerned."
"David doesn't want a pack," I said, my jaw starting to clench.
Cormel crossed his knees and a grimace colored his expression. "Humans breed like flaming rabbits from hell, but we've been dealing with that for centuries. You, however, are responsible for the elves and Weres. Population wise," he amended before I could protest. "From what I understand, the elves would just as soon see you dead for some reason I haven't fathomed yet, which leaves the Weres to back you, and if they do, it will be with the power of the focus." He paused. "Which will increase their numbers," he finished.
I slumped back into the couch and sighed. No good deed and all...
Rynn Cormel mimicked my position, doing so with slow grace instead of dejected suddenness. "What can you do for us, Rachel?" he said, glancing at a very quiet Ivy. "We need something so that we may think more kindly of you."
I knew what he was asking. He wanted me to find a way for vampires to keep their souls after death, and he thought I'd do it to save Ivy. "I'm working on it," I muttered, arms crossed over my chest and staring at the fire.
"I don't see any progress."
My brow furrowed, and I gave him a look. "Ivy-"
"Ivy likes things the way they are," he interrupted, as if she wasn't sitting between us. "You need to be more aggressive."
"Hey!" I exclaimed. "That is none of your business."
Jenks took flight, hovering a careful three feet from him. "You need to keep your stick in your own flowers," he said, hands on his hips.
"Rynn," Ivy pleaded. "Please."
But the man proved who he was-what he was-when his eyes flashed black and his aura slammed into me. "Tell me you don't like this...," he whispered.
I gasped, shoving away from him when his eyes touched my demon scar. I was against the back and arm of the couch, and I could go no farther. My exhalation turned into a moan as feeling shivered over my skin, delving deep where my clothes touched me. I couldn't think-there had never been anything so shockingly intimate-and my blood pounded, telling me to submit, to give in, to take what he offered and revel in it.
"Stop!" Jenks shrilled. "Stop now, or I'll jam this stick so far up your nose, you'll be able to do calculus with it!"
"Please," I panted, my knees at my chin as I nearly writhed on the couch, the leather feeling like skin against me. The sensation had come from nowhere...and God, it felt so good. How could I ignore this? He had flung it in my face, showing me what Ivy and I had shunned.
"Rynn, please," Ivy whispered, and the sensation cut off with the suddenness of a slap.
My gasp was harsh, and I felt the dampness of tears. I realized my face was against the couch, and I was curled up, hiding from the passion, from the ecstasy. Panting, I slowly unkinked my arms and legs. I couldn't focus well, but I found him easily enough, sitting comfortably on his chair. Jenks hovered between us with a chopstick. God, the vampire looked as unruffled as stone, and about as compassionate. He wore a superb mask, but he was an animal.
"If you touch my scar again...," I threatened, but what could I do? He protected Ivy, protected me. Slowly my pulse eased, but the shaking of my legs didn't. He knew my threats were nothing, and he ignored me.
I followed his gaze to Ivy, and I felt the blood drain from my face.
"Ivy," I whispered in heartache. Her eyes were black and desperate. She was fighting every instinct she had. Her master had gone for me in front of her, then had drawn back, practically saying, "You finish." We struggled with this, and for him to callously break everything we had worked for pissed me off. "You have no right," I said, my voice shaking.
"I like you, Rachel," he said, surprising me. "I have since I first heard Ivy's impassioned description of you and then found it accurate. You're inventive, intelligent, and dangerous. I can't keep you alive if you continue to ignore the fact that your actions reach farther than next week."
"Don't do this to me and Ivy again," I seethed. "Do you hear me?"
"Why?" he said, and his confusion was too real to be faked. "I did nothing you didn't enjoy. Ivy's good for you. You're good for Ivy. I don't understand why both of you are ignoring this...perfect match."
I couldn't edge away from Ivy. She was balanced. Ignoring her was the only armor I could give her. "Ivy knows there can't be blood shared without dominance given. I won't, and she can't."
He seemed to think about that. "Then one of you needs to learn to bend." As if that was all there was to it. "To become second."
I thought of his scion, sent away because it was easier to do this without her here. "Neither of us will," I said. "That's why we can live together. Leave. Ivy. Alone."
A small noise came from him. "I was talking about Ivy bending, not you."
I shook my head, disgusted. "That's what I love about her," I said. "If she bends, I walk away. If I bend, she gets nothing but a shell."
His brow furrowed and the fire snapped as he thought. "Are you sure?" he asked, and I nodded, not sure if it would save or damn us. "Then maybe this won't work," he said distantly.
Jenks, silent until now, dropped the chopstick. "It will!" he protested as it clattered. "I mean, Rachel has found out so much already. She's working with a wise demon. She'll find a way for Ivy to keep her soul!"
"Jenks, don't," I said, but Cormel was thinking, even as I could see his unease that the wisdom to further his species would come from demons.
"Al might know a way for souls to be retained after death," Jenks pleaded, his angular features scrunched up in fear for me.
"Shut up!" I shouted.
Ivy was breathing easier, and I risked a look at her. Her hands were unfisted, but she was still looking at the floor and breathing shallowly.
"Ask your demon," Cormel said as Jeff cautiously came in with a fax. The man glanced at Ivy in alarm, then handed it to Cormel. Without even looking at it, the undead vampire coolly handed it past Ivy to me. "Your AMA."
I shoved it in my pocket. "Thank you."
"What good timing," Cormel said lightly, but I could see everything now. All the pretty talk and clever smiles wouldn't snare me again. "Now we can eat with relaxed stomachs."
Yeah. Right.
I turned to Ivy, and when she met my eyes with a growing band of brown around her pupils, I stood. "Thank you, Rynn, but we're leaving."
Jenks dropped to the arm of the chair and hurriedly wound fabric around himself, his wings drooping and rising as he worked.
"Ivy...," Rynn Cormel said, as if confused, and she backed away from him, closer to me.
"I'm happy," she said softly as she handed me my coat. "Please leave me alone."
We started for the kitchen, Jenks flying heavily behind us as a vanguard, trailing the last of his wrap along instead of sparkles. "There's more here to think about than two people's happiness," Cormel said loudly, and Ivy stopped, her hand on the swinging doors.
"Rachel won't be pushed," she said.
"Then pull her, before someone else does."
As one, we turned and left. Behind us was the sharp clatter of chopsticks and little ceramic dishes hitting the stone fireplace. The kitchen was empty, and I imagined everyone had gone somewhere else and out of Cormel's angry path. Jenks dove for my scarf as I wrapped it about my neck, and I sighed as I recalled how erotic a covered neck was to a vampire. God, I was stupid.
Ivy hesitated at the door to the loading dock. "I'll be right back," she said, a dangerous slant to her eyes.
"Are you sure?" I asked, and she strode away. Uncomfortable, I hustled into the cold garage. We weren't going to get home in the Hummer, so I got my bag out from the backseat, and with a grunt, shoved the door up, panting as the silent night met me. We'd be taking Ivy's bike, and it was going to be a very slow, very cold ride.
But I had to get home. We had to. We both needed to get back to the church and the patterns of behavior that kept us apart and together-sane. I had to call Al before the sun came up and beg for the time off. And now I had to ask him if he knew of a way to save a vampire's soul, because if I didn't, I might find myself dead.
The sound of Ivy's boots brought my attention up, and she strode down the stairs with her arms crossed. "You okay?" I asked as I pulled the tarp from Ivy's bike, and she nodded.
From my scarf came Jenks's snotty "I'm okay, you're okay, Ivy's freaking okay. We're all okay. Can we get the hell out of here?"
Ivy stashed my bag, got on the bike, and turned to look at me, waiting. "Are you going to pull me?" I asked, heart pounding as I stood on the hard cement with my feet going cold in my boots.
Her eyes were like liquid brown in the dim light, and I could see her misery. "No."
I had to trust her. Swinging my leg over, I got on the bike behind her and held on tight as Ivy idled the bike out of the sheltered warmth and into the cold snow of the last of the year.