any one of a number of reasons. But it is generally wise to assume that a creature is at least as dangerous as the worst report in the book, and proceed from there.”
“Point,” said Cody, and continued to peruse the volume. Then his eyes got big. “Sweet Jesus!” he said, pointing at a page. “Y’all say them things is real?”
Both Rosamund and Giselle got up and stood on either side of him to see what he was pointing at. It was the page that Giselle had marked on the vampir. “Oh yes,” Rosamund said, matter-of-factly. “I killed one last year in Hungary.”
“Sweet Baby Jesus. I hope they never get to America,” Cody said fervently. “Read that thing ’bout Varney the Vampire as a kid an’ I didn’t sleep fer a week. . . .”
Rosamund reached across the distance between them and put her hand on the top of the book. “Are you sure you want a copy of this now?” she said, warningly. “It is definitely nightmare fodder.”
“I druther not be able t’sleep an’ at least know what’s out there,” Cody replied.
Rosamund allowed a tiny little smile to cross her lips. “Very well, then. I’ll copy the book tonight, and you’ll have your own version in the morning.”
“I think that’s ’bout all I wanta look at tonight, thenkee,” Cody said, giving the book to her. “An’ I’m thinkin’ a strong drink afore bed’s in order.” He stood up, and so did they.
“In that case, think about another successful pair of shows tomorrow, because that should chase away the shivers and the nightmares,” Rosamund said cheerfully. “And we’ll be on our way.”
She strolled off, heading for the vardos, and Giselle caught up with her. “Why do you plague him?” she asked, quietly.
Rosamund did not pretend that she didn’t understand. “I’m testing him,” Rosamund replied. “I want to know what he is made of. You, I know. I know who you are, I know who your blood parents are, I know all about your Mother. I know nothing about Captain Cody.”
Giselle started to say something, then paused. “It is true that all I know of him directly is that my Elementals told me to trust him, and that he promised me, and pays me, a very handsome wage. Kellermann gives it to me in full at the end of every week. Everything else I know is what he told me.”
Rosamund paused at the door to her vardo. “I am not saying not to trust him. Our Elementals are very good at reading people. But I am saying that he might not be as simple as he appears, and that is why I am testing him. I am a Hunt Master of the Brotherhood, and he is in my house. I would be foolish not to test him.”
“Yes,” Giselle agreed. “So you would. And he would be very wise to admit what he does not know, and to understand that he cannot take command of situations in which he is ignorant, no matter what his sex or what he used to do back in his homeland. But . . .”
“But?” Rosamund prompted.
“But if you were . . . if you had any notion of . . . a romantical attachment . . .” Giselle felt herself blushing. “This is not . . .”
Rosamund threw back her head and laughed aloud. “With Cody Lee? Oh, that’s absurd! He suffers from that ridiculous masculine notion that as the man he is always to be deferred to, in all things. That he is the toughest, strongest creature in any battle. That it is his place to defend us, and our place to defer to that. He dares not attempt that attitude openly with you because he is in too much need of your skills and talent. And he is too much the businessman to take the risk that extending things outside of the show—such as a romance—might ruin things altogether. I have a suspicion that he might have done so with your predecessor, and the need to put some distance between them prompted her departure.”
“That, and the precarious financial state of the show when she left,” Giselle mused.
“Taken together, a shrewd woman would have left before her would-be paramour tried to persuade her to do without a salary, ‘for his sake,’ especially if she was not too attached and she had far better prospects elsewhere,” Rosamund replied with a nod. “But no. I have no interest in that direction. Once the show is gone from the