Maybe I should have been embarrassed, but I was instead brewing with worry that Patrick would report back to John who he’d found breaking code number two of Immortality. With one Immortal lunge, I moved from behind William towards Patrick.
“Please, you can’t tell anyone.” My eyes pleaded in unison with my words. “I’ll do anything . . .”
William came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist. He didn’t seem the least bit worried or concerned that our secret was no longer ours.
Patrick continued to glow from his amusement, leaning ever so casually against the railing I’d just come so close to leaping from. His smirk was enflaming a different kind of fire within. I wondered if I was strong enough to kick him over the edge. Sure, he wouldn’t be injured permanently, but at least I’d know he suffered a couple minutes of grueling pain before he could announce to the world his discovery tonight.
“Easy, Bryn.” He raised his hands and smoothed his face out. “I’m not going to tell anyone. I just wanted to have a little fun with you two tonight. Besides, I couldn’t be happier that our William here is finally expressing an interest in the fairer sex.” He swaggered over to William and slapped his arm. “What did I tell you? Huh? One day you’d find someone to help you get over her—”
“Patrick!” William’s voice thundered despite the controlled volume.
Patrick feinted back from the fury. “Sorry man, enough teasing for one night. I’ll shut up.” He returned to the railing, and seated himself on the ledge.
My heart crushed under the prickles of pain and the vices of jealousy. I’d always expected there to have been someone else; he’d lived a Mortal life until the age of twenty-two, and as an Immortal for the past two centuries.
There were probably many others, but none-the-less, it stung when I heard it spoken openly. I liked it better when the faceless women of William’s past were nothing but maybes in my mind. Patrick’s comment had suddenly made them—made HER—very real, causing everything to ache from deep within.
William still had me locked in his arms, but dropped his head onto my shoulder and turned his head towards mine to examine my expression. I did my best to keep my face even, and turned my eyes away from him so they wouldn’t betray me.
“So, I didn’t just come here to tease you two tonight,” Patrick’s voice had a new seriousness in it I was unfamiliar with. “I was talking with John earlier this evening and he mentioned that the Council is assembling tomorrow . . . assembling here.” He shot William a perplexed look as he continued, “I asked him why, but he didn’t give me much—just said it was regarding some upcoming events.”
William’s arms tightened around my waist as he lifted his head from my shoulder. “They’re coming here tomorrow?” Worry was thick in his voice.
Patrick nodded his head.
William released me, and rubbed one hand over his lined forehead. “Alright. We’ll just leave here first thing in the morning instead of later in the afternoon.”
“What are you talking about?” I asked, spinning to face him.
William snapped out of his pensive trance. “I’m sorry . . . I haven’t had a chance to tell you yet—”
“I’ll say. It didn’t look like you were going to get around to the telling anytime soon.” Patrick burst in.
One quick, sharp kick; I was so close. I’d relish every moment of his free fall to the looming ground below.
William interrupted my calculating plans right before I took my first physical step towards carrying it out. “Shut up, Patrick. Do you want me to throw you off the balcony?”
It was like he was reading my mind.
“Sorry.” Patrick raised his hands, and his eyes glittered through his narrowed slits. “It wouldn’t be the first time though, would it?”
William smiled in acknowledgement. “Nor the last if you can’t manage to keep that trap of yours shut.”
“Okay, okay,” Patrick muttered, and then turned his head away from us.
William positioned his hands over the sides of my neck, and explained, “I spoke with John tonight about my plan for Paul, and I got him to agree to release the two of us for a couple of days.”
“What plan did you come up with?” I questioned, not bothering to hide the excitement rising in my voice. Two days alone with William outside the confines of Townsend Manor? Two days, and one precious night, all to ourselves . . .
William smiled wryly. “My plan’s still not fully formulated yet, but don’t worry, I’ll take care of everything.”
“How did you convince John to allow me to go with you?” I didn’t even pause to be concerned William still wasn’t sure how to take care of the situation with Paul. I was too elated.
“I informed him how far behind you’d get in your studies. He agreed to let you go so I could stay current with your teachings.” His eyes looked guilty. “I should have asked you first if you’d want to go before I petitioned John.”
“Of course I want to go!” I threw my arms around his neck. “Just you and me—”
Patrick cleared his throat, turning his attention back to us. “Actually,”—he held up a finger—“you and him, and . . .”—he grinned sheepishly, and pointed his finger at his chest—“me.”
William exhaled swiftly. “Let me guess . . .”
“Chaperone,” they said in unison.
“Chaperone?” I questioned with obvious annoyance, as my dreams of an amorous getaway with William vanished into the suffocating fog that was Patrick.
“What for?” I shot with accusation at Patrick.
“Easy Bryn. Geez.” Patrick hopped down from the ledge and walked over to the hammock. “It’s not like it was my idea. John requested that I accompany you two on your little mission.” He flopped down on the hammock and placed his hands behind his head. “Hmmm, this is rather comfy,” he said, nestling down deeper. “I see why you two are so fond of it.”
Before I had time to process another one of Patrick’s flippant remarks, William turned into a blur beside me, grabbing up a clay pot and sailing it towards Patrick’s face. In another flash, Patrick’s hands were wrapped around the vase, stopping it an inch from his nose. He slid his face to the side of the vase to look at William, a smile plastered it.
“Nice throw. Better luck next time?” His eyebrows danced like a vaudevillian actor, and in another blur, he threw it back to William, who caught it easily and set it down in its original resting place.
William snorted. “I wasn’t looking to hit you, just hoping to shut you up for a few seconds. I can give it another try if you’re disappointed,” William tempted with gleaming eyes.
“Not in front of the ladies.” Patrick motioned to me. “Besides, you wouldn’t want to wake up everyone in the house right now, would you?” He stared up and down at William and me—sporting our pajamas, and our faces still flushed from what we’d been wrapped up in before the annoyance arrived.
“Alright Patrick, you’ve delivered your messages for the night . . .” William’s inflection suggested more of a question than a comment.
Patrick nodded his head.
“All of them?” William pressed.
Patrick rolled his eyes. “Yes, all of them.”
“Good. We’ll see you first thing in the morning. We’re leaving at seven, before the Council arrives.” William’s brow furrowed. “I don’t want Bryn anywhere near the Manor when they’re here. This is most unusual.” He shot me an anxious glance.
“I could stay and visit for awhile,” Patrick cajoled, his eyes sparkling with humor. “Keep you two company if you don’t have anything better to do.”
“Get out of here.” Before William could grab something else to toss at him, Patrick disappeared from balcony.
“He is so annoying,” I said.
William rested his hand on my cheek, and the warmth of his skin flowed through every pore. “Don’t worry about him. He’s a good guy, but yes, quite annoying.” He took a step closer, pressing his body against mine. “Now, where were we?”
The butterflies exploded in my stomach. I tilted my head back, kissing him on the tip of his chin, and then glided my lips upwards until they were just below his. I felt his hands tremble on my back, and saw his eyes consumed by a familiar flame.
“Right about here,” I said quietly, before I rested my lips where they belonged—pressed against his. I would have sworn that our last kiss on the hammock was the best ever, just as I would’ve sworn to everyone preceding that, and this kiss was no different.
The best ever. The best yet . . . but there would be more, and I slept unnecessarily soundly that night after William tucked me into bed, looking forward to this.
Awakening the next morning, I found a rainbow of emotions awaiting me—excitement, anxiety, nervousness, anticipation—knowing I would be leaving with William for two whole days . . . with Patrick in tow. I grimaced when I imagined the torture surely to come. I wonder if there’s such a thing as extra-strength duct-tape or gags for Immortals; anything that could keep him quiet.
I felt just as refreshed and invigorated as I had before I’d gone to bed last night, but that would be the norm in my new life where sleep was unnecessary . . . a mere Indulgence. I’d been thankful for it last night though, just to give my mind a few hours of quiet from the chaos racing around up there.
I sprung out of bed and ran into the closet, eager to get on with the day. I threw several pieces of clothing into a bag monogrammed with gold letters. For all my fashion sense knew, it could have been straight off the shelves of some bargain store, but something about the way the fine leather felt led me to believe otherwise.
I completed my packing in less than two minutes. It wasn’t because of an Immortal speed thing, it was a Bryn thing—I’d never taken longer than five minutes to pack in my whole life because anything longer seemed a waste of time.
I slung the bag out of the closet and turned my attention to selecting an outfit for the day. My urge was to pull on a pair of jeans, but I stopped to survey the racks overflowing with silks, chenilles, and cashmeres in every hue I’d ever seen, as well as some I hadn’t.
I saw it about two rows down. My lips pursed into a semi-evil smile, remembering the distraction William had so casually tormented me with a couple days ago in the form of a strategically unbuttoned shirt. Time for payback . . . try to concentrate on anything else today, Mister.
I slipped into the secret weapon of retaliation, wondering if it was really worth it. I felt more uncomfortable than a turkey in November in anything that wasn’t comfortable and cotton. I sucked in a deep breath—and not just to collect my wits, but to get the zipper up.
Despite my dread, I couldn’t contain my smile when I reviewed my selection in the full length mirror. The vintage style, knee-length dress slithered down my body in ivory brocade and was finished by a patent leather skinny belt—setting the waist in obvious contrast to the fuller forms of what lay above and below it. Perfect.