Crouching Vampire, Hidden Fang(19)

 

“Probably for the same reason I’m not surprised you would ask that,” I heard myself say, somewhat to my horror. “You didn’t like me back in Iceland, and it’s clear you’re still of the opinion that I’m the devil incarnate. Given that you obviously have your mind made up about me, I guess it’s clear that whatever this hearing is about, it will not be unbiased.”

 

“Brava, Pia,” Allie said, applauding.

 

Sebastian, who had sat down after speaking to me, leaped to his feet again.

 

“Outbursts will not be tolerated,” Christian said smoothly, shooting his friend a warning glance.

 

With a sharp look at me, Sebastian sat down again.

 

“That’s the pot calling the kettle black,” Allie said under her breath to me, a little chuckle following the observation.

 

“Nor will interruptions be allowed,” Christian continued with a pointed look at his wife.

 

To my surprise, she blew him a kiss and sat back with a smile.

 

Christian eyed me for a moment before saying, “You are concerned about the welfare of the prisoners. As my Beloved says, the woman Kristjana is detained in Iceland. Would you like to see the sacristan?”

 

“Yes, I would. I don’t believe you would deliberately harm either of them without cause, but at the same time, I can’t help but feel somewhat responsible for their welfare.”

 

Christian nodded to Rowan. “Have the prisoner brought in.”

 

Rowan slid him a questioning glance, but Christian sat with calm assurance, his gaze flickering from me to his wife.

 

No one spoke for the next few minutes. Despite that, I had an odd sense that Christian and Allie were holding a mental conversation, for every now and then a frown would flicker across his face, and once I heard her laugh to herself.

 

The door opened at last, and behind it marched a familiar man, tall and blond, with an open, friendly face, and a manner to go with it.

 

“Wife!” Mattias said, taking a step toward me as if he were going to rush me.

 

Sebastian leaped from his chair, causing Mattias to flinch backward, yelling, “The evil one will torture me!”

 

“We haven’t harmed you yet,” Sebastian said with obvious lack of patience as he pushed Mattias into a chair along the wall. Esme drifted over to sit next to him. “Tempting as it is to fulfill your opinion of us, you will notice that we have thus far refrained.”

 

“Hello, Mattias,” I said politely. “You look well.”

 

“You have come back for me,” Mattias said, nodding. He was as handsome as ever, an obvious throw-back to his Viking ancestors, but he left me feeling as cold as a dead flounder. “It is only right that you do so, wife.”

 

I grimaced at the last word, not wishing to be reminded that in the eyes of the Brotherhood, we were legally married.

 

“You will tell these vermin to release me,” Mattias continued, his incarceration obviously doing nothing to eliminate some of the hatred he felt for the vampires. “I have endured their company long enough.”

 

“Oh, my,” Esme said, her cheerful face suddenly turning dark as she glared at him. “You are a very rude young man to speak of dear Christian and the others in such a manner.”

 

Mattias’s expression of surprise as Esme chastised him was comical. “I . . . Who . . . You’re a spirit?”

 

“Yes, I am, and I am very fond of Christian and Josef. Very fond of them! If I weren’t a lady, I’d take you out back and give you the thrashing you deserve for referring to the Dark Ones as you have.” Her large grey curls bobbed angrily as she spoke.

 

Mattias’s eyes widened at the threat.

 

“That’s enough, Esme,” Allie said, pulling out a little yarn bobble, the kind found on the tips of winter hats. “Bobble time.”

 

“I have not yet finished giving this young man a piece of my mind,” the ghost answered.

 

“Yes, you have.” Allie held her other hand over the bobble and mumbled a few words. To my amazement, Esme dissolved into nothing.

 

“How did you do that?” I asked, profoundly curious.

 

“I’ll show you later, if you like. It’s the best thing I ever learned.” She smiled at her husband. “Well, almost the best.”

 

He looked distracted for a moment before he recalled himself and turned to me. “As you can see, the reaper has not been starved or tortured.”

 

“Yes, and I’m very gratef-”

 

The door opened again, and Rowan and Andreas appeared with another person slumped between them. They hauled the man in and let him fall to the floor.