The Kingmakers(54)

“Do we have time to read one?” He guided her to a chair.

They didn't really. The empress had a late conference with the prime minister, but that could wait.

“Of course,” she replied, taking a seat. Greyfriar perched on the arm of the leather chair and stared eagerly as she opened the book. Inside was a glorious painting of two beautiful young girls, one with raven hair and one blonde, standing face-to-face with a horrifying bear.

Adele began to spin the tale of Snow-White and Rose-Red. These two sisters helped everyone, even a miserly evil dwarf who would just as soon have sacrificed them to a terrifying bear to save his own hide.

“The evil creature pled, ‘Sir Bear, I beg you, do not kill me. Rather here are two young girls, easy to catch and delicious! You should make them your meal!’ The bear was not moved by the dwarf's hateful claims, and used his mighty paw to clout the evil creature on the head. The miserable little man fell to the ground dead.

“Snow-White and Rose-Red ran away through the forest, afraid that the bear would eat them. The bear chased after the two girls, but he offered them no danger. He called out: ‘Snow-White and Rose-Red, please do not run from me. I would never do you harm. Listen to my words and know the truth.’ The two sisters listened to him and stopped in their flight. When the bear came near, his coat of fur dropped away to reveal a beautiful young man in golden armor. ‘I am the prince of this land. The evil dwarf took from me my treasure and then cursed me to walk the land as a ferocious bear. Now he is dead and the curse is lifted.’

“Snow-White fell in love with the prince and they were married. Her sister Rose-Red was wed to his brother. The vast treasure they split between them, and they brought their old mother to live with them. She dug holes for the two rose vines outside her window so that she could see the beautiful white roses and red roses when they bloomed each and every year.”

“The frightening bear was really a prince,” Greyfriar observed.

Adele nodded with a broad smile. “Yes.”

He stared at the elaborate illustration of the bear shedding his animal skin to become a prince. “The story could be about me.”

“Would that make Cesare the wicked dwarf?” They both laughed at that comical image.

Greyfriar played with an auburn curl. “It seems you read a great deal about monsters. No wonder you weren't frightened of me in Edinburgh.”

“Oh I was frightened, though maybe more angry. When I found out Greyfriar was really a vampire, it was…devastating. Of course, I didn't truly know Gareth then. If you shed your Greyfriar guise, I would marry you, bear or not.”

Greyfriar's finger froze on her forearm, and he looked down at her quickly. She swallowed the lump in her throat, but didn't regret her words. They were the truth.

He leaned in to kiss her, leaving the scarf in place, pressing against her with a layer of rough cloth between their lips. “For that alone, I love you. The skin of a bear or man makes no difference to you.”

Adele deepened the kiss. “I will never stop believing there is a future for us.”

“I love that too about you.”

“Something you won't love is that I have to return to the real world. I'm sorry.”

“Don't be. Some things cannot be denied.”

Adele moved away with a lingering touch and was collecting the books to place neatly on the front desk. When she saw Sir Godfrey's anatomy book, she turned to Greyfriar, who was examining the librarian's desk. “May I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

“Something personal.”

His blue eyes regarded her. “Ask.”

Her hand on the vampire book, she said, “What would happen if we…made love? Is it dangerous?”

“Dangerous? I would never hurt you.”

She held up her hands, red-faced. “Oh I know. That's not what I meant at all. I'm talking about the potential for…pregnancy. Can vampires and humans…” Adele gave an embarrassed sigh.

“Ah. There have been instances of humans and vampires…copulating.”

“Really?”

“Not out of affection, I assure you. The less said the better, but it has occurred. No children have ever been conceived to my knowledge.” Greyfriar pointed at Randolph's Treatise. “In here, as you must know, Dr. Randolph says vampires are a different species. We could never bear children together.”

“Never?” Adele frowned.

“Is that what you are afraid of? I have never asked about your hesitation with our relationship because your reasons are your own. But is that the reason?”

“Yes, partly. I remember the stories you told me about vampire babies killing their mothers by feeding off them. Like Cesare killed his mother.”