Night Train Part 7

Elaine winced.His thrall - his food.Her following thoughts were lost as they drove through the ancient stone passageway tunneling through the castle wall. It was freaking huge. It was more than comfortably wide enough for the Jaguar, and tall enough to let a semi pass. There was a soft s-curve in the middle of it. She blinked.Thick walls...

The tunnel opened up on a snowy garden with huge bare-limbed trees within the hollow center enclosed by the monstrous castle walls. The Jaguar rolled through the snowy garden and onto the broad gravel drive of an honest to god, four-story Roman palazzo built entirely of sculpted white marble. Two floodlit curved wings arced outward framing the broad steps of the Corinthian colonnaded front entrance.

Elaine looked at Aramus. "It's Roman all right, but this is no little villa."

Aramus stopped the car and gave her a wry grin. "Nor is it his palace."

Elaine's breath stopped.This guy has a real palace? She looked over at Aramus but he was already out of the car. Her door was tugged open by uniformed guard.

Elaine stared at the open door.I guess I should get out. She climbed out and they closed the door for her. She turned and watched two men in formal black tuxedo livery pull their suitcases from the Jaguar's trunk.

Aramus came around the Jaguar's nose to take her arm. "Stay on my left."

The steps were swept clean of snow and a gray carpet was laid before the glass double doors. Both doors were opened and held by more liveried men.

Elaine felt heat wash over her face from the open doors. She followed Aramus into the palazzo's main entry. Just within, two massive wooden doors stood open. Sculptures stood in wall niches under spills of golden light. Black lacquer art deco chairs sat by gilded art deco tables. A crystal chandelier chimed on the distant and sculpted ceiling. Tall flower arrangements were scattered everywhere. Directly ahead of her, a large broad staircase rose upward and curved to the left.

Elaine nibbled on her bottom lip. This was a private residence? Somebody actually lived here? It looked more like a really, really expensive gallery than a home.

A man in gloves and a tux bowed and gestured for their coats.

Aramus let his long coat slide from his shoulders showing his charcoal gray wool sweater and black angora trousers.

Elaine felt distinctly shabby in her less than authentic cream sweater and her black jeans. Bereft of her coat, fingers of warmth climbed up her legs from the floor. She looked down at the snowy marble.He must be heating the building the old fashioned Roman way, with a holocaust furnace and hollow stones in the floor.

A tall statuesque woman in an expensively tailored white suit with an amazingly short skirt stepped from the galleried archway on the right. Her sleek black hair was upswept in a smooth French twist and pinned with glittering diamond stars. A matching diamond choker blazed around her throat. Ocean blue eyes focused briefly on Elaine then she bowed gracefully to Aramus. "Welcome Aramus." She turned and nodded to Elaine. "Welcome guest of Aramus to the Palazzo of Rafael. I am Sephonie."

And she was a vampire.

Elaine bit back a nervous smile. She could feel the pressure of the woman's nature against her heart. Okay, formal manners time... She inclined her head. "I thank you for your gracious welcome, Lady Sephonie, I am Elaine."

Sephonie smiled brilliantly. "My pleasure, Elaine." She raised a slender brow at Aramus. "Oh, I like this one."

Aramus grinned and shook his head. "Be cautious in your appraisal. Elaine has been known to surprise."

Elaine frowned up at Aramus. "What is that supposed to mean?"

Sephonie laughed. "I see what you mean." She turned toward the archway she had just come from. "Rafael is waiting for you in the small salon." She raised her hand. "This way please."

Elaine marched at Aramus's left elbow as they followed Sephonie into the white marble hall. Striding carelessly on brilliant carpets, they passed incredible art objects and ornate flower arrangements displayed on intimately lit tables within tiny alcoves set into the walls. Broad doorways on the left and right revealed the occasional person in formal livery arranging exotic flowers or moving exquisite furniture.

Elaine's heart began to pound for no reason that she could think of. The farther she walked down the hall, the more she felt like she was seriously out of her depth. By the time they stopped at a pair of gleaming bronze doors, her heart was beating in her mouth and sweat was trickling down her spine.

Aramus looked down at her. "Is something wrong?"

Elaine licked her dry lips. "I'm fine." She took a deep breath and tried to calm her hammering heart. Unfortunately her heart was not in the mood to listen.

"I'll have your suite readied." Sephonie pushed the bronze doors open and stepped back.

The room was high and immense. The entire far wall was nothing but floor to ceiling windows framed in dark gold silk, showing the late afternoon falling snow. A humongous and ornately carved fireplace took up the left wall and massive bookshelves crammed with books, papers, scrolls and odd statuary took up all the other wall space. The center of the marble floor held a circular carpet in scarlet and gold. A low glass table balanced on the outstretched wings of two angels was framed by four red velvet wing-back chairs. A silver coffee service was parked carelessly on the glass table with three plain white mugs. One mug sat haphazardly near the table's edge on a small paper napkin.

Elaine stared into the room. There was absolutely nothing alarming about the room, in fact it was rather warm and friendly, in a big expensive kind of way. But she did not want to be in here, and wished to God she had asked to stay behind. Something in the room was making her heart pound in her ears, her body sweat cold and her stomach distinctly unhappy.

The closing doors gave a hollow boom behind her. She nearly jumped out of her skin.

Aramus frowned down at Elaine and caught her clammy hand, drawing her into the room. "Elaine, you're safe. No one will harm you here."

Elaine nodded, too breathless to speak.

"Is something wrong?" A slender young man with a tumble of shoulder-length black curls stepped from the far corner of the room. He wore a cream Irish knit sweater and fawn slacks. His steps were utterly silent as he crossed the room toward them.

Aramus lifted his head and smiled. "Rafael."

"Aramus!" His stride lengthened and he smiled with exquisite sweetness. "Pleased, I am that you could be here."

Red highlights gleamed in dark curls worn loose and tumbling at his brow and across his shoulders. His rounded cheekbones and pointed chin set off the full the cupid's bow of his mouth perfectly, defining the delicately youthful face of a renaissance angel.

Aramus released Elaine's hand to take Rafael's hand with a broad smile. "It is very good to be here."

Rafael looked down at Elaine. Eyes as blue as a summer sky framed by sooty lashes peered at her from under the fine arch of black brows. "And you have brought a guest!" His smile turned sly and he glanced at Aramus. "How novel."

Elaine's breath caught. Her eyes told her quite firmly that Rafael was perfectly human and young, barely twenty, but her body knew a predator when it felt one. He was the reason her heart was thundering in her chest. This small and beautiful boyish figure could eat her in one gulp.

Aramus set his hand on Elaine's shoulder and his smile softened. "This is Elaine."

Elaine couldn't make a sound come out of her mouth, so she smiled and nodded. And desperately wished Rafael would look elsewhere.

Rafael's head tilted as he watched Elaine. "Very new I gather?"

Aramus looked down at the floor and then up from under his brows. "Last night."

"Last night?" Rafael raised his brow at Aramus then focused on Elaine. "And so sensitive already?"

Elaine smiled and tried not to appear as terrified as she felt.Could you please stop looking at me?

Aramus peered at Elaine, his gaze flicking from her eyes to the hands she held tightly clasped to hide the shaking. He sighed. "Ah..."

"You had not noticed?" Rafael shook his head. "For shame Aramus, your first visit was not all that long

ago."

Aramus smiled. "I have since had time to get accustomed to your...presence." He squeezed Elaine's shoulder. "Be at ease, you are safe here," he said softly.

Elaine simply could not make herself believe him, but she kept smiling.

Rafael lifted his chin and smiled at Aramus. "Coffee?" He turned to Elaine. "Colombian, fresh brewed,

less than five minutes old?"

Elaine stared longingly at the silver coffee pot. She would dearly love a cup of coffee. She glanced up at Rafael - and still couldn't get a word out of her mouth, so she nodded.

Rafael led them over to the glass table with a smile and patted one of the chairs absently. "Aramus,

perhaps you should pour, and let your guest be seated?"

Aramus nodded at the chair Rafael had indicated and bent to pick up the pot.

Elaine perched on the edge of the chair, too nervous to sit back.

Rafael collected the mug at the end of the table, chose a chair on the opposite side and flopped into it,

tossing one leg over the arm. He smiled briefly at Elaine then focused on Aramus. "Your call said it was somewhat urgent?"

"Yes." Aramus handed Elaine a white mug of coffee loaded with cream and sugar.

Elaine took it with both hands. Her hands were shaking so bad, she was terrified that she would drop it.

Aramus poured coffee into the last mug and sat in the chair between Elaine and Rafael. "It's Dimitri."

Elaine felt oddly comforted to have Aramus sitting between her and Rafael. She was able to sit back and actually sip her coffee. It had more cream and sugar than she would have used, but at this point in time, she really didn't care. It was coffee.

"Dimitri?" Rafael rolled his eyes and curled his lip. "What does he want now?"

Aramus closed both hands on his mug and looked over at Rafael. "He wants Elaine."

Rafael's gaze sharpened and his smile tightened. "Explain."

Aramus proceeded to outline the situation with Dimitri, Anthony and Elaine as though it were a military

report, completely without embellishment.

Rafael listened and sipped his coffee. His gaze drifted to Elaine. "How talented is she?"

Elaine froze in mid-sip. She simply could not swallow until his gaze moved away.

Aramus set his cup on the glass table then sat back in the chair. "Better than I."

Embarrassed warmth filled Elaine's cheeks.

Rafael's brows lifted and his lips parted just a tiny bit. "I see..." He leaned forward to set his cup on the

table. "I will make arrangements for the boy's care." He sat back and folded one knee over the other,

focusing tightly on Aramus. "However, this will not resolve the situation." Aramus looked over at Rafael. "I was hoping to leave Elaine under your protection while I made arrangements to send her back."

Send her back.Elaine jolted, just a hair. She took a firm breath. She had to go back. It wasn't so much that she was needed at home, it was more that she obviously did not belong here. Her gaze flicked to Rafael. He was watching her again. She lowered her gaze.Nope, I definitely don't belong here.

Rafael's smile completely disappeared. "That will not stop Dimitri's pursuit. This is the second, and if you count the boy, the third time you have taken what he feels is his. He will not rest until he has what revenge he can collect. You know this."

Aramus shook his head. "I cannot allow..." Rafael leaned forward. "I know this, and I agree, but there are only two ways to prevent his eventual success. You must remove temptation, or even the battlefield. And if she is as talented as you say, only one choice is completely beyond Dimitri's reach. He has time on his side." Aramus stared at his hands. "I am not ready." "No one is ever ready." Rafael smiled. "But this decision comes to us all. I've had to make these choices myself, if you remember." He shrugged and pursed his lips. "I do have a few regrets, but these are things we must all face in time." Elaine was well aware that they were discussing her, but she wasn't quite surewhat they were discussing. At the same time, she was desperately glad that she was not included in the conversation. Her already pounding heart simply couldn't handle the attention.

Aramus scowled at his clenched hands. "I do not have your sound judgment."

Rafael glanced at Elaine. "I think you underestimate yourself." He tilted his head. "Have you asked?"

Aramus sighed. "No."

"Ask." Rafael leaned back in his chair. "Then, whatever choice is made, my suggestion is not to delay.

Dimitri knows that either possibility exists. He has a long military history,therefore he is more likely to act very swiftly rather than wait. Tonight would be best for all."

Aramus's head came up. "Tonight?"

Rafael smiled at Elaine. "Tonight you will have resources that you may not have at another time."

Aramus smiled tightly. "Are you perhaps volunteering?"

"Absolutely!" Rafael smiled. "The will is there I assume?" "Very much so." Aramus chuckled. "I barely have a grasp on it." "Excellent!" Rafael grinned. "Can you imagine such a pairing of talent and power with such a will?" "No one of the court would stand a chance." Aramus sighed and sat back. "The education will be challenging to say the least."

Rafael's brow shot up. "I have not enjoyed the challenge of strong potential in quite a while." He smiled warmly. "Not since your youth." Aramus released a long breath. "You would truly be willing to do this, with me?" Rafael snorted. "I would be grievously insulted to be left out!" Aramus nodded. "I will ask." Rafael arose from his chair. "Do not delay, Aramus. It is possible Dimitri will act on arrival."

"I will ask as soon as I have a private moment." Aramus stood and held his hand out to Elaine.