Amazon is a feral female Immortyl, masculine in demeanor.”
Dirk snickered and put his feet up on another chair. His master glared at him and he promptly removed them. Gaius picked up the latest scientific journal Ethan had assigned me from the marble console and flipped through the pages. “Hardly the romantic nonsense one would expect of a lady of leisure.”
“Ethan is distressed by my lack of higher education— fascinating stuff actually, all about the building blocks of life. Ethan’s sure the clues to our mystery lie within.”
“A most intriguing theory. Perhaps you’ve heard of a certain heretical Immortyl called Kaspar?” I shook my head. “Your Lord has never bothered to teach our history as part of your education? Thirty years ago, this amateur biologist made a study of our blood under the microscope, looking for some clue to our unique gifts. He experimented on mortals, to see how much blood it actually takes before the transformation is complete, and transfused them again with the blood of other mortals to see if the change could be reversed. Of course he failed and was killed by those he’d inadvertently created. Kaspar’s alphas complained to Kalidasa of the misbegotten Immortyls. They were destroyed and the GC decreed it heresy for Immortyls to dabble in science. Ethan has sorely neglected your education in our customs. Do you even pay tribute to Kali Maa, who endowed us with immortality?’
“Isn’t she some Hindu goddess?”
He chuckled. “She descended from the heavens, in a blaze of light to give her servant Kalidasa her immortal kiss— so he says.”
“You don’t buy into it?”
“Heresy will never escape my lips.”
Me and my big mouth. “Ethan won’t get into trouble?”
“I don’t make it my business to make petty accusations to the Chief Elder concerning the forbidden science.”
Dirk shifted in his seat, obviously bored and craving attention, disagreeable child that he was. “I say we do her.”
Gaius growled, “Be silent!”
Dirk leaned forward. “He lusts after your innocence.”
“Another word and I won’t bring you again. Her master isn’t a trifling sort.”
Dirk snorted. “For heaven’s sake, she’s his whore. Her function is to please. We both find her pleasing, what’s to stop us? You could have her just by saying the word. He’d give her to you to prevent a breach between our houses.”
“Shut up.”
Dirk yawned. “He’s trying to charm you away. It gets him up.”
“Lord Gaius understands a woman is won with subtlety and finesse which you’re as sorely lacking as you are in intellect.”
Gaius laughed out loud as Dirk seethed silently in his chair. “You shut him up. What a neat trick. Tell me your secret?”
“Use words he can’t understand.”
“Bitch,” Dirk muttered.
“That’s one he does.”
“He’ll regret his rudeness. This little blossom is worth two of you, Dirk. Her mind is sharp as her tongue yet she gives respect where it is due. You would be wise to follow her example. You lack subtlety. One day it will get you into trouble and I will not be there to bail you out.”
“She’d better show respect. She’s nothing, a man’s toy.”
“If you truly believe so then you are a fool.”
“She’s the fool letting us in here like this. We could drag her out to the car and he’d never know what became of her. Say you aren’t tempted.”
“He’d know exactly where to look. Such an act would invoke bloodshed. If rape has its charms for you practice it on mortals not on one of the blood.”
Dirk laughed. “I’ll make her squirm someday.”
“Dirk is utterly without common sense. A little persuasion however works wonders with him.”
Dirk cringed. Just what did Gaius do that frightened him so? Personally, I didn’t care how severely he’d suffer. As far as Dirk was concerned, death was too good for him.
Gaius spied a piece of Etruscan pottery Ethan had picked up cheap from an impoverished aristocrat he met playing cards. He picked it up and rolled it back and forth in his hands with an expert’s air. “Exquisite.”
“You must have fascinating tales to tell Lord Gaius, of Rome… ”
Gaius raised an eyebrow at my forwardness, but laughed and replied, “It was long ago. What I remember I may have read in books, or seen in the pictures. I could tell about battles and life in camp. I spent most of my mortal existence a soldier. I’m not sure if you’d find it interesting.”
“How did people think then? That’s what I’d really like to know.”
“I’d rather talk about how you think. Now there’s a riddle.”