Page 55 of Lucas
Minutes later, Bella joined them. She preferred a stately black suit, and her hair had been pulled back into a ponytail. For someone who was more comfortable in tactical gear, she knew how to dress for the occasion.
“Where’s Jacques?” Lucas asked.
Bella snorted. “He couldn’t stop talking about the golf course. One of the security detail invited him to play a round. Jacques said I could fill him in later, then he scurried off like a rat after cheese.”
“I’d say we should wait for Fiona,” Philipe said, “but last I saw of her earlier today, she was headed to the library next door. She’s on the trail of a family history that had been thought lost some two hundred years ago. And similar to Jacques, it could be some time before she reappears. I’ll be sure to have her gathered up in time for dinner.”
He settled back in his seat with a drink in hand and a clouded expression. After a minute, it cleared, and he began his story.
“I’m not sure how you first heard ofDe første dage, but I’d been pleasantly unaware of it until that fateful call from Guildford Trelane. I’d been lost in the stacks and had to rush back to my office when a custodian told me he was on the line. We’d built a friendship some years before. He was an avid reader and always stopped by when he was in the city. This was San Francisco that I’m talking about, of course.
“I’d been at what was, at the time, the only library on the West Coast for about forty years. When Guildford called, the Los Angeles library was under construction, and because it would be larger, the plan was to make the San Francisco location an annex when the other opened.”
He stopped when a server came in with a platter of appetizers and several plates to pass around. A tea and coffee service was placed next to the food. Philipe laughed when the servers exited. “While she might become lost to time while in the library, Fiona’s hostess skills are always present. This is her attempt to keep us sober before dinner.” He placed two appetizers on his plate and poured coffee for himself. “Please help yourself, and don’t feel obligated to drink the tea or coffee. I can’t tell you how many tipsy vampires we’ve fed over the years.
“Now, where was I? Ah, the coming move. Each of the libraries and annexes would be sending books to the Los Angeles branch, and I’d assigned Fiona to the task. She had books strewn about everywhere. Quite orderly, of course, but she was the onlyone besides me who understood her filing system. Perhaps that was one reason no one ever noticed the book. It hadn’t been earmarked for Los Angeles, but she happened to find several books that were physically in the inventory without a reference to their location in our files. Strange enough even then.
“When Guildford asked about it, Fiona was the one who located it in her stack of books. I was honestly shocked when Guildford said he wanted to drive down to look at it. If he was that interested in it, I thought I should read it before he arrived in case he wanted to discuss its contents.”
His hand shook, and he set the coffee cup on the table. “Even now, its mere existence scares me and the future of our race.” He shook his head. “When Guildford arrived, and after meeting his family and assistant, I settled him into a quiet room to read. Afterwards, we had a long discussion about it. I’d hoped it was some vampire’s foolish fiction or perhaps it had been written by an ancient who’d lost their senses. But Guildford considered it a true accounting. Something that had been hidden from the general populace in hopes it would never see the light of day.”
He pulled out a handkerchief and dabbed at his eyes. “He told me dreamwalkers were real. At the time, I nodded as if I believed him, though I began to question his sanity at such a statement. Then he invited me to dinner, and I spent more time around his assistant, Hamilton. I’ll never forget that young man. It wasn’t unusual for a vampire, even a House leader, to have a human assistant, but I could tell there was something different about him from the very beginning.
“I was going to ask Guildford about the man the following day, but he’d been called home. Perhaps he felt an urgency to be with his security team. I have no idea why he traveled without them. I heard about the accident the following day. Everyone gone except for his daughter. What a tragedy. But the timingwasn’t lost on me or Fiona, though we set our fear aside for a time.
“Shortly after, I was reassigned as curator for the Los Angeles branch, and I brought Fiona along. It was widely known, at least within the Family, that although we weren’t married, I wouldn’t go anywhere without her. I brought the book with me, but instead of putting it on the shelves, I showed it out for restoration. I didn’t feel safe leaving it where others could find it.
“I traveled to New Orleans and showed it to the old man. He didn’t question its validity or the danger it presented. He said vampire society wasn’t ready to hear the truth and that it was too dangerous to be left within the inventory. He assigned me to a special project to audit all the libraries in the States.”
“A cover story?” Lucas asked.
“Quite so. During the audit, Fiona placed the false book in the stacks and recorded it in the inventory as out for restoration. We wanted to create as much confusion as possible if anyone came looking.” His gaze twinkled when he glanced at Lucas, but he continued his story. “Once we were back in Los Angeles, Fiona and I packed our essentials, left our apartment, told my assistant we were going on holiday, and fled here on the old man’s orders. While we’d been performing the audits, he renovated the manor, vetted and relocated staff, and arranged for a special security team. It’s been quiet ever since—with one exception.
“About forty years ago, or maybe it was longer than that, Venizi came snooping about. When he received continual resistance to his inquiries about the book, he seemed content to let his request go.”
“He must have determined the book was safely underground.” Lucas poured a cup of coffee. If what he suspected to be in the book was correct, Lorenzo would never want it to see the light of day.
“That’s what Fiona said, and I couldn’t argue the sentiment.” He sat back and trained a curious gaze at Lucas. “So, tell me. What made House Trelane become so interested in the book after all this time?”
Lucas had expected the question but wasn’t sure how much to reveal. Now that they’d found Philipe, this mission had become real. He glanced first at Bella, then Ginger.
“He already knows what’s in the book,” Ginger encouraged. “Rom knows now. If Devon is going to ask for allies, they have to understand the risk. This is what we’ve staked our lives on. Cressa would agree to this.
He sat back and gave Philipe a long look. He had to know what was coming. Or maybe he didn’t. Either way, the only way forward was to lay it all out.
Lucas stood on a precipice. He knew what he had to do. This was what Devon and everyone had pinned their hopes on. He’d been adamant that he be given this assignment, but he never fully considered the full ramifications. Or maybe he just set them aside. How many lives would be impacted by this one act? How many lives damaged, and how many more improved? Hamilton had been the one to plant the seed all those years ago. He just hadn’t expected how long it would take to grow roots.
Hamilton was a dreamwalker. Their species had already lost so much, and Hamilton didn’t want to hide anymore. But was revealing the truth of their past just the first step to repeating history?
Ginger trusted him to do the right thing. Devon had as well. This was the moment he walked off the ledge. He stared at Philipe for a long time before finally asking, “What do you know about dreamwalkers?”
Chapter Twenty-Two
I pulledthe emerald-green gown from the hanger. Philipe had requested a formal dinner, though from what Bella told me, Fiona had been hoping for a quiet dinner in the salon. Who would have thought it was the male that wanted the fancy meal? I hugged the dress against me and studied my reflection. Maybe. I tossed the dress on the bed next to the navy-blue one and wandered back into the closet. If it was a solo dinner with Lucas, I’d already be decked out in the red, one-shouldered silk number with the fitted bodice and layered skirt.
I sighed. Maybe I’d put it on after we got back to our room. It would be worth it just to have Lucas strip it from me. I tugged down the copper-colored gown. It was a simple A-line sleeveless dress, but the material shimmered, and the back dipped low. It was sophisticated. It was perfect.
I laid the dress over the back of a chair and drew a bath. Lucas wouldn’t be back for at least an hour. He wanted to call Sergi and see if he could reach Devon. When he’d asked Philipe what he knew about dreamwalkers, I had no doubt Lucas would tell Philipe the truth. Then, maybe Philipe would show us the book.
