Page 66 of Norah

The sound of footsteps near the front door has me turning around, anticipating the building manager’s arrival to get the keys. I’d told him I would drop them off at reception, but he must have decided to save me the trip. As I see the man standing in the doorway, my body stiffens.

Norah gasps, then says in a tremulous voice, “Frederick…”

My arm tightens around Norah, drawing her closer to my side. I drop the box I’m holding to the floor, needing my arm free just in case. The last time we saw him, we left on decent terms, but I’m not entirely convinced that he’s a decent guy. “What are you doing here?”

Frederick is all in black, again, this time in jeans and a short-sleeved shirt. Both arms have full sleeve tattoos, a swirl of intricate patterns and words written in a language I don’t recognize. His expression looks different from the last time I saw him; a small smile and crinkled eyes, making him look almost… happy? The sharp planes of his face look softer, and he seems almost relaxed as he leans against the doorway.

“I came to speak with you. And to give my congratulations.” His smile broadens as he looks between Norah and me, white teeth flashing.

“Congratulations on what?” Norah sounds doubtful, and her eyebrows raise suspiciously. “You already knew we were engaged.”

Frederick steps inside and pulls the door shut behind him. When Norah stiffens, he puts his hands up in a conciliatory gesture. “Just closing the door so we can have some privacy. I don’t think passing neighbors should hear what we’re saying.”

His expression is still friendly, but there’s an undercurrent of danger lurking behind the relaxed features. “First, I mean to say congratulations on Ethan’s successful transition. I said it would be a good thing for both of you, did I not?”

A small snort of laughter bursts out as I say, “Not that you gave me a choice. But yes. It did.” Had I not been turned into a vampire, everything might have been very different. I look at Frederick and incline my head. “Honestly, I’m very glad things turned out as they did. Although I didn’t realize it then, it was for the best.”

He nods back at me in acceptance. “I also want to congratulate the two of you on your new…connection. I understand you have found some new power in the bond you share.”

Norah asks, “What do you mean by that?”

Frederick’s face grows serious, and he pauses a few seconds before responding. “I think it’s better to not go into specifics. It’s best to keep your new ability as quiet as possible, at least for now. I am only aware because of my alliance with a seer, and he has seen future evidence of what you can do.”

“Aseer?” My tone is skeptical as I ask, “What is it he is seeing?”

“He is a vampire who has visions of the future. Not all events, but he sees some. Based on what he sees, he and I will sometimes try to alter events for the better. It’s the reason I turned both of you, because of things he saw.”

Norah frowns. “Wait. So you changed me into a vampire because of some vision?Why?”

Frederick’s gaze focuses on Norah, eyes dark and intense. “Some visions tell us of things we need to do in order to move events forward. That is why I changed you and Ethan. Sometimes, visions show us things we need to stop from happening, and we do our best to intervene.”

“How do you know you are doing the right thing?” Norah leans forward. “How do you determine whatshouldhappen?”

“It’s not always easy,” Frederick says. “But there are some forces that only want to cause destruction and death. Those are the ones we try to stop.” Norah opens her mouth to speak, but Frederick waves his hand in a gesture to wait. “I can’t tell you more now, but Iwilltell you in the future.”

NORAH

What the heck?That’s pretty vague. And not informative atall.

“Why can’t you tell us now?” I ask with a frown. “If we are involved, we should know.”

Frederick’s face smooths out, features shifting back into an amiable smile. “Your time for involvement won’t be for a while. I’ll see you when the time grows closer. For now… the two of you have been through a lot recently, and are due for a break. You shouldn’t be called upon for some time yet.”

“What does that mean,sometimein the future?” Ethan sounds annoyed, and I’m right there with him.

“Yeah, if there’s some evil force that we’ll have to deal with, I’d kind of like to know when.”

“I’m sorry,” Frederick answers, sounding genuine. “I don’t knowwhen. The seer only knows what he’s been shown. There’s nothing to indicate that you’ll be needed yet.” There’s no sign of a lie in his words, so I look at Ethan and give a little nod. He knows what I mean, and his shoulders relax a bit.

“Norah,” Frederick looks at me solemnly, “I have to tell you. Ididn’t knowabout Simon. There was no sign…” He pauses, grits his teeth. “I did not know what he was going to do. I wouldneverhave sat by and allowed that to happen if I had known in advance. You know I’m telling the truth. I would have warned you or stopped it.Neverlet it just happen. I wanted you to know.”

Heistelling the truth. The sincerity in his eyes, along with the anguish in his voice, convince me of Frederick’s true nature. Not a monster, or an unfeeling vampire, but a man with feelings and flaws like everyone else.

Ethan speaks up. “What about future threats to Norah? You saw nothing before; how do we know it won’t happen again?”

“I’ll be keeping an eye out for any potential threats. We believe that the attack was intended to stop you from linking. Now that your connection is complete, the initial reason for the attempt on Norah’s life is gone. Also, the two of you are now much more of a threat to others who might think to harm you. Your power brings considerable protection.”

My stomach twists into a knot at the thought that there could still be someone out there coming for me, or Ethan. I want to believe what Frederick is saying, and it’s clear thathebelieves it. Do I? Can I afford to? But… I don’t want to let fear continue to rule my life. I look up at Ethan’s strong features, looking for some reassurance. His expression is serious, pensive, but not alarmed.

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