I started to turn from the door but stopped when Kristoff said, "We?"
You didn't tell them we were coming, did you?
Why would I do that?
"Oh my god," I said, mortified to the tips of my toes. "He didn't tell you we were coming. I'm so sorry. I'll yell at him later on your behalf, all right?"
"He who?" Pia asked, stopping me when I would have marched away to give a certain vampire a very large piece of my mind.
You are in so much trouble, buster!
I'm well aware of that. The Moravian Council is not going to be happy.
Not with them, with me! I could die of embarrassment! These people think I'm a pushy interloper! And I am! "Alec."
"Alec is in the Akasha," she said slowly, as if I were a nutball.
Great, and now they think I'm crazy, too! "No, he's not. He's right there." I waved a hand toward the tree.
Pia moved out of the doorway to look, her hand shading her eyes against the sun before she gave a whoop of happiness and ran toward the tree.
"Er . . ." I looked from where Pia had flung herself on Alec, who was spinning her around in the shade, to the vampire standing very close behind me. Alec had told me a little of his history with Kristoff, including the fact that he was the one responsible for Kristoff being a vampire in the first place. "Your . . . um . . . Beloved seems to be happy to see him. I'm confused."
"No more so than am I," he said, his voice rich with an Italian accent. He pushed past me and strolled toward the tree, not running through the sunlight as I assumed he would. I stood in the doorway and watched as he and Alec sized each other up for a moment, then embraced in a bear hug that looked like it should have broken at least one rib.
OK, I guess I was wrong.
About many things, love, but I try not to point them out too frequently.
Stop being smug. I thought they were pissed! How come your friend isn't affected by sunshine?
He is, but Dark Ones who are Joined have more of a tolerance to the sun. I'm sure Kristoff still avoids it when possible.
"This is . . . oh, my. We never expected you to get yourself out. That's why we . . . oh, dear. Is Cora . . . um . . . Kristoff, maybe you could . . . ?"
Something was wrong with Pia. She looked uncomfortable, and slightly distressed, and she kept shooting little glances past me toward the house.
"Come into the house," Kristoff said with a dark look. "There is much we have to . . . explain."
What's up? I asked Alec as Pia bustled past me, her gaze curious as she sized me up.
I have no idea, but it can't be too bad. Despite your concerns, they are happy to see us.
I said nothing to that, but the uneasy feeling continued.
"Who was that man?" Alec asked Kristoff.
"Brother Ailwin? He's a lichmaster. We've been negotiating with him to steal Ulfur from whoever the Ilargi is who has him."
"Alphonse de Marco," Alec said, nodding.
Pia and Kristoff stopped and stared as Alec pulled me into the house after him.
The inside of the house was even more attractive than the outside, long, cool rooms with stone floors and arched entryways giving way to a columned loggia. Through a large set of French doors, I could see outside to where a small tiered garden rose into the hillside.
"You know who the Ilargi is? Alphonse de . . ." Pia sucked in a huge breath. "Al! Al from the tour! Oh my god, he is the Ilargi? Holy cow!"
"Interesting, but not, I think, of utmost importance at this moment," Kristoff said, his hand on Pia's back as they escorted us into the house proper. "Alec, we need to talk."