Zen and the Art of Vampires - By Katie MacAlister Page 0,71

I be a Zorya?"

"Love? Is something the matter?" Alec asked, his smile slipping a smidgen.

"I have just been informed that the Zorya has wed the sacristan." Kristoff finally spoke. His voice was flinty and remote.

"She has?" Alec frowned at me, then glanced around. "Who informed you?"

"One of the spirits," Kristoff said, waving toward Dagrun.

The little wretch had the nerve to grin at him.

"One who may just not find herself going to Ostri after all," I said in an undertone with a particularly potent look her way.

She stuck out her tongue at me.

"Child!" Ingveldur smacked Dagrun on the shoulder. "You do not behave such to the Zorya."

"Spirits? What spirits?" Alec asked. His frown deepened as he eyed me.

"You don't see them?" Kristoff asked.

"No."

Both men frowned at me now. The ghosts all stood around watching expectantly, obviously enjoying the strange soap opera my life had become.

"Why don't we go somewhere a little less public to discuss things," I suggested wearily. I couldn't look Alec in the eye - it was too unnerving with Kristoff standing right there pretending nothing had happened the night before, particularly when both men stood discussing my marriage to a third. I shook my head at my own thoughts and waved a hand at the ghosts. "I saw a restaurant a couple of blocks from here where we can have some breakfast and talk."

"All of us?" asked Ulfur, giving Kristoff a doubtful look.

"No, you guys stay here, where you're safe. I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Take care of yourself, child," Agda said, her eyes alight with mischief. "And get some food into your belly. By the look your man is giving you, you're going to be needing it."

I know Kristoff heard her because his expression grew blacker as I passed. I tried not to burst into hysterics as I left.

"Ragnar!" Ulfur cried as Alec, Kristoff, and I left the library. "You've come back!"

"Which one is her man?" Hallur's voice asked, drifting out after us. "And are any of them her husbands?"

Alec found us a quiet, nearly empty pub that served food, with a dark interior where the two vampires could sit without being in direct sunlight.

"I've missed you, love," Alec said as he escorted me back to a semicircular booth in the back. He pulled me close, as if he was going to kiss me.

I squirmed out of his hold, casting a quick glance at the still stony-faced Kristoff.

Alec laughed, gently tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. "Don't tell me you're shy all of a sudden?"

"No, it's..." I glanced toward Kristoff. "There's something I need to tell you."

"Tell away," Alec said cheerfully, pulling out the table so I could scoot around into the seat.

He sat close to me on my right, his leg pressed against mine in a casually intimate gesture. It was both thrilling and disconcerting. Mostly the latter.

Kristoff took a seat just about as far from me as he could on the left. I gave my order to the waitress, absently noticing that while Kristoff waved away the idea of a meal, Alec duplicated my order.

"I thought you guys didn't eat food very often," I said in a low voice to Alec as the waitress toddled off.

He looked surprised for a moment, then sent Kristoff a rueful smile. "You told her who we are?"

"It seemed best," was the curt reply.

Kristoff avoided my eye just as much as I tried to avoid his. I felt incredibly uncomfortable. There I was, fat, frumpy, and almost forty, a woman so desperate to find a man, she had to take a singles' tour, sitting between two of the most gorgeous men I'd ever in my life seen, men I'd engaged in sex with, and I was so uncomfortable, I seriously thought about just walking away from it all.

Only I couldn't. It wasn't just about me now. There were others involved, others I had to consider.

Alec took my hand. "I see. I'm sorry, Pia. I would have told you, but most women don't take well to the idea of Dark Ones, and I didn't want you to slip away from me."

My level of discomfort rose significantly. I squirmed.

"You're all right with it?" he asked, kissing my fingers again, gazing at me over them with pleading eyes.

I defy any woman not to melt in that situation.

"Well... I was a little taken aback, but I knew you couldn't be evil," I told him, guilt interfering with my pleasure.

"I should have known you'd understand." He kissed my knuckles again. "So