in conversation with you, if you would permit it.”
Part of her wanted to say that she hoped beyond hope never to set eyes on any vampire ever again, once this was over. If she lived through it. But the rest of her was in awe at having a real time conversation with a legendary historical figure she’d studied all her life. And she heard herself saying, “I truly hope we have the chance to do that.”
He lowered his head in a semi-bow to her. “Thank you for helping us.”
“I wasn’t given a choice. But in your case, you’re welcome.”
He reached for her hand, brought it to his lips, kissed the back of it gently. And when he straightened, he smiled and without turning said, “I fear you’ve been treating this gem with less than the tenderness and reverence she deserves, James. It’s a situation I would strongly advise you to remedy.”
“Fuck you, Damien.”
She gasped and clapped a hand to her mouth, but the great king only grinned, gave her a wink and then spun around and vanished right before her eyes, leaving only a sand-whirlwind to mark the spot where he’d been standing.
She stared at James, still stunned. “Do you have any idea who he is?” she asked.
He made a face, as if to say, duh.
“Of course you do. Well, that was just stupid. And rude. And uncalled for. And—”
“Several of my relatives have just finished reading me the riot act. Rhiannon, of all people, reported our entire conversation in the cave, and then Brigit took it upon herself to fill me in on the parts of your background that I didn’t yet know.”
She blinked twice, then averted her face. “You know about my family?”
“That they were murdered in the desert. That you were the only survivor. Yes. I know, and I can’t tell you how sorry I am, nor how much I regret what I said to you. You’re not a coward. You’ve been very brave, and I keep forgetting just how frightening this must be for you and—”
“Oh, please shut up.” She turned away, shaking her head.
“I mean it.”
“No, you don’t. You thought I was a coward a few hours ago, and nothing has changed, other than that you’ve found out where I learned to be so good at running away from danger, hiding while the people I love die, doing absolutely nothing to try to help them. I learned my lessons very well. And I’m alive today because of them.”
“You were a child. There was nothing you could have done.”
“I’ll never know, since I didn’t try. But the last thing I want or need is absolution from you, a man with no moral compass whatsoever.”
“I have a moral compass, it’s just not pointing to the same true north as yours does. That doesn’t make it wrong.”
“Interfering with life and death is wrong. I don’t care who you are or what your reasons.”
“Right. Tell me now that if you could go back, hold your hands over some corpse and, by doing so, prevent your parents being shot down in that desert, you wouldn’t do it.”
“I already told you, I did nothing to try to help them. What part of that do you not get?”
He was speechless, staring at her. “Where is he?” he asked. “Where is Ziasudra? Utanapishtim?”
“He was Ziasudra all his life, and Utanapishtim in death. It was how the Babylonians referred to him, and now I know where they got it. The tablet called it his secret name, and said it was carved into the statue that is his urn. It’s one of three similar figures of priest-kings, male, nude, about nine and a half inches tall. Look for engravings of water, waves, the flood or a boat on it. If there aren’t any, you’ll just have to take all three.”
“From where?”
“Normally they’re in the Louvre. But you’re in luck. The Sumerian exhibit is currently on tour. Last I knew it was spending a month at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, in New York.”
“How the hell am I going to get it out of there?”
She shrugged. “I’m sure you’ll think of some thing.”
He pressed his lips together.
“I’m going home now.”
“You can’t.”
“Oh, yes, I can. I kept my word, and now I’m holding you to yours. And if necessary, I think I could get King Gilgamesh to back me up on this.”
He sighed, clearly angry and getting angrier. “He has a wife, you know.”
“Who?”
“The great king.”
She frowned at his retreating back and wondered if there was any