Present Tense (Out of the Fire #3) - Candace Blevins Page 0,109

told them, “I apologize for pulling you away from the festivities.”

“It’s fine,” Collosa told them. “We’ll be leaving soon, so we can get back to Kelsey.”

“We wanted to personally speak with you about why we think Kelsey needs to spend a few days a month in the coterie house.”

Fabio nearly jumped when Etta spoke from another sofa. He hadn’t seen her, but she was right there.

“I feel an affinity towards Kelsey,” Etta said. “I look forward to helping her grow and learn. Overall, I think it’s good she isn’t living at the coterie house. She’s learning so fast, growing her powers so quickly, her peers will be jealous. It might not be a healthy environment for her to live with us full time. However, there is much she needs to learn, while her powers grow. Things we can’t teach her until she has the tools to work with them.”

“She’ll be able to bring someone with her. One person,” Marco said.

“It doesn’t have to be the same person each trip,” said Etta. “It might be good if it is, so he will have the history of what went before and can be a better advisor and protector, perhaps.”

“Are you saying she’ll need a guard in order to spend time at the coterie house?” Collosa asked.

“Vampire society still works on the principal of survival of the fittest,” Etta replied. “We have rules that preclude killing each other, but there are plenty of other options available to thwart a growing rival. The vampire and his or her servant fight together as a unit.”

“Etta has recently come from Europe,” Marco said. “Servant is an old term. One we’re trying to move away from.”

“Or at least one you try not to use around the shapeshifters you consider your servants,” Eunice pointed out.

“Fabio understands vampires the most. Eunice is the most tightly bound to her due to her animal being the mongoose. Collosa’s raw size and power are a bonus point for him.” Marco said, choosing not to address Eunice’s comment. “I don’t sense a formal ceremony has happened between any of you. This is why we restricted it to one. If she formally binds your foursome, she can bring as many of you as we can house with her.”

“And that, in large part,” Etta said, “will depend upon how many beds are needed.”

“A king-sized bed and a long sofa will do for the four of us,” Fabio told her.

“Then we can house all four of you, though you’ll need to bring your own food.”

“Thanks for that,” Fabio told them. He’d elected to stand behind a sofa, rather than walk around it and sit. Eunice stayed near the door, leaned against the wall, and Collosa had taken a seat on the sofa. “I’ll have a conversation with her about formally binding me, if that means she can bring one of the other guys plus me.”

“No,” said Marco. “One person with her blood in them, but no binding, is fine. In order to bring more than one person, all will need to be bound in a formal ceremony.”

“Kelsey is aware of this,” said Etta, “but I knew when I reminded her of the rules that she had no intention of telling the three of you what would have to happen for more of you to attend with her.”

Eunice waited until they were far from the mountain and on their side of the river before he brought up what they’d learned from the vampires.

“Kelsey didn’t tell us because she didn’t want us to think she was pressuring us into it.”

“That’s my take,” said Collosa.

“I’ve never been formally bound,” Fabio said. “But it’s more than trusting Kelsey. It’s also about trusting her Master. If we’re bound to her, we’re bound to him.”

“I don’t believe it’s something I can do,” Eunice told them. “Even if I could, we’d have to talk to Aaron about it before making a decision. Our contracts specifically forbid us from joining with a supernatural through a binding ceremony without permission from the company.” He looked out at the barges on the Tennessee River, noting how some rode lower in the water than others. The sun was setting, and the sky was a riot of colors reflected in the water. “My blood will be in her. I don’t think I can offer more, and yet, if I don’t, and something happens to her because of it, I’m not sure I’d ever forgive myself.”

“I never thought you’d let her feed from you,” Fabio said from behind him.