Cameo and the Highwayman (Trilogy of Shadows Book 2) (8 page)

“You’re good with a sword.”

Opal turned and faced him with a look of amusement on his face. “Thank you, Kyrian, you really are a very sweet young man.”

“I’m not sweet,” he grumbled.

“Hmm....” The highwayman caught a glimpse of his profile in the mirror, much to his delight.

Kyrian hurriedly pulled on his trousers. “Where is that tub? They are taking forever with the bath.”

Opal chuckled to himself.

“What?”

“Nothing, nothing at all. Now then, wait until you see the mount I’ve found to carry me to the palace.”

“Is that what kept you?”

“Beautiful white gelding. The stable boy said they used him for parades.”

Kyrian shot Opal a look of exasperation.

“Don’t look so put off. He’s lovely.”

The lad removed the chain from his neck and handed it to Opal, “Put it on.”

Black Opal glanced down at the symbol of the sun as if it were in poor taste. “I’m really not much of a believer....”

“Just put it on.”

“I’m planning on wearing that charming purple jacket. Do you really think it will go?”

There was a sudden knock at the door, followed by a large cast-iron tub that was carried in by several servants. They set it down before the fireplace, much to Opal’s delight.

Kyrian pulled on his tattered coat and moved out the open door.

Chapter Five

C
AMEO EXITED HER BEDROOM
. It opened into the sitting room, which for some reason seemed warm and inviting tonight. Edel sat in a corner, at a window seat, his profile caught in the golden glow of the firelight.

“There’s the most interesting thing outside.”

“What do you mean?” she asked warily.

He motioned for her to come to him.

Cameo reached Edel hesitantly, almost afraid to look outside, afraid Edel had done something as terrible as Haffef might do to her.

Edel didn’t move.

She looked out the glass, and her jaw nearly dropped.

There, on a beautiful white steed, milling about in front of their end of the palace, was Black Opal!

He was wearing one of the most audacious costumes she’d ever seen. He was astonishing.

“That’s quite a hat.”

“Yes....” she muttered, unable to take her eyes off of him.

“Do you think he’s come to rescue you?”

“Yes.”

Edel turned to look at her, “Why don’t you invite him in?”

“What?”

“Invite him in.” This time it didn’t sound like a request.

“Edel ....” she took a step back, uncertain, wondering when he was going to force her to look into his eyes and hypnotize her, but to her surprise, the idea of inviting Opal inside sounded like a good idea. Too good. She resisted. “Stop that.” Apparently he had to try that on her only once and now she was more easily suggestible.

He glanced back out the window, a bit put off. “I simply want to meet him.”

The idea of bringing Opal inside struck her as a terribly bad idea. He would be completely defenseless to a vampire who wished to kill him and toss him away. However, she could not deny that she wanted to see the highwayman again, and because of that the suggestion that Edel had just put in her mind was pushing any remaining logic from her head.

Edel could feel her mood shift but sat quietly, anticipating the moment that she would voice her opinion change.

“Let’s clap hands in a deal shall we?”

The vampire turned toward her. “What deal?”

“If I invite him in, he’ll be free to go anytime he wants, and you won’t injure him.”

“I won’t.”

She extended her hand, “You promise.”

“I promise,” he said, shaking her hand gently.

“And if you do break this deal, I’ll kill Chester.”

His grasp on her fingers tightened a bit. “Don’t kill him.”

“Please don’t make me.”

He pulled away from her in distaste. “No harm will befall him while he’s my guest.”

She took several steps away from him in triumph, and then she realized that she had no idea how to get to Opal. She had never seen the stairs.

Edel looked at her, somewhat amused by her previous threat and the current predicament she found herself in. “Need help?”

* * * * *

A tall, dark figure approached Opal, and at first he wasn’t quite certain who it was, so he pulled his pistol.

The silhouette moved nearer; it had a graceful gait.

The horse’s eyes widened, and it began to paw the ground anxiously. Then the form moved into the moonlight, revealing itself to be Cameo. She was just strolling over to him as if she didn’t have a care in the world, and she looked so lovely with the snow falling into her hair.

Opal stashed his pistol in his belt and leapt to the ground.

She was amazed by how magnificent he looked. He was wearing some of the silk clothing from Derbec’s suitcase, which was fit for the royal family. The shirt sparkled with crystals adoring the cream-colored collar, and the jacket of purple velvet peeked out of his black duster. He was caught in the cool light of the moon and the gently falling snow.

The gelding was spooking because she had come out to greet him. Animals never felt comfortable around her, or at least not since Haffef had infected her with his bite.

The dandy hurriedly tied the horse and moved toward her. “My dearest.”

His voice was full of worry, and she wanted to cry, and to smile and to have him hold her. It was just so good to see him again. She settled for a little smile.

“Are you alright?” He touched her shoulders lightly. “Kyrian said you were here, and I hardly believed.... He said there was another undead here.”

Cameo saw the golden sun pendant reflect the moon’s light. “There is. It’s the other vampire I told you about. He’s taken Ivy’s bones, and I guess he decided to take me as well.”

Opal was trying to guide her toward the horse.

“Horses fear me.”

“Well, we will simply walk back to the Port of Villoise,” he said, holding his head high in defiance.

“I can’t leave.”

“What do you mean? I don’t see anyone around. We should go now.” He took a step forward, but realized she had not.

“He has me hypnotized. I cannot leave.”

Opal took a step toward her.

“You look nice.”

He carefully moved her hair from her shoulders, examining her neck. “He didn’t hurt you, did he?”

Cameo touched her throat absently, not quite certain. “No. Didn’t you hear what I just said?”

“There are more pressing matters, don’t you think?”

She smiled at him thoughtfully.

“I will take you out of this place. He hasn’t placed any restrictions on me.”

“You can’t.”

“And why not?” Snow fell from the brim of his rather outlandish hat.

“Because I can’t leave, and there’s no way you can force me to do something I won’t allow you to do. So you see, I can never leave this place.”

For a moment the dandy was speechless. She was right. She was stronger than him, she was supernatural in nature, and he was only a human; there was nothing he could do to save her. She wouldn’t allow herself to be saved.

“Never? But what about your master? Won’t he free you?”

She sighed sadly, then met his gaze. “Do you want to come inside for a little while?”

Opal looked up at the snow speckled windows. “Inside with the vampire?”

“He gave me his word that he wouldn’t harm you.”

“Inside the palace.”

She thought he seemed a bit paler than usual, although it might’ve been the snow or the makeup.

Opal was wishing he had taken Kyrian’s advice and come during the daylight. “Is this something you two planned?”

Cameo took a step back. “I must go.”

“Wait! What?” He grabbed her arm. “You haven’t said that to me in so long. I thought you had gotten used to the idea that I was your partner.”

She took a look at him, memorizing each detail. “Goodbye.”

He watched her turn and go; her form turning back into that silhouette and disappearing from sight. “Cameo, wait!”

* * * * *

Edel watched from the windows. He saw as Cameo reentered the apartment from its downstairs door with Black Opal on her heels.

Chester set more liquor on the bar that he had stocked for Cameo.

The vampire realized he was still clasping a novel and set it aside slowly, all the while listening to the conversation the two of them were having on the steps. He could hear Opal’s heart pounding through the doorway… it was maddening.

The door swung open and they entered. Cameo gave Edel a hard look as she moved toward the whiskey.

Opal waltzed into the sitting room, and the tall, white feathers on his hat dusted the doorway on his way in. He was oblivious. Snow tumbled from his duster and onto the carpet. The room was cream and gold gilt, warmed by a crackling fire and a massive amount of cakes on a golden tray before him.

At first the dandy just looked around the room, uncertain, gazing at the exquisite antiques and enjoying the wealth of the room, and then he realized they weren’t alone in the room at all. There was a pair of eyes staring at him from the darkest corner, and they were silver… quicksilver.

The dandy startled. It was the vampire.

His eyes turned from silver to a more human shade of brown as he moved into the candlelight. He was a little taller than Opal, with dark hair pulled back neatly into a ponytail, and he was impeccably dressed in a simple but elegant black suit.

Opal was astounded by his beauty.

As Edel drew nearer, he could see the glint of a chain around the fop’s neck. It was an amulet of the sun, and whoever had worn it before had a powerful aura. There was still a brilliant residue left behind on the pendant.

“Could you take that off?” The vampire glanced down at the fine carpet.

“This?” Opal suddenly touched the necklace Kyrian had given him, a bit surprised that a holy symbol could really turn an undead as it had never bothered Cameo.

“She hasn’t fallen quite as far as I have.”

“What?”

Cameo took a step toward them, “He’s reading your mind.”

“Who is Kyrian?”

She attempted to silence Opal with a look.

“Just a silly boy.”

“A boy?” Edel tried to face him but the amulet made him too uncomfortable. “A powerful boy. Could you, would you please remove that thing so we can have a reasonable conversation?”

“Really, I don’t know why it’s bothering you so much.” Opal smiled, “I’m hardly a believer myself.”

“Yes… but Kyrian is.”

“Is that all it takes?” Cameo inquired.

Annoyed, Edel turned to look into Opal’s eye, “Remove the amulet.”

Opal slid the necklace over his head as if he had meant to do so all along.

“Now put it in that vase to your left.”

He did so.

“That’s enough, Edel,” Cameo’s voice was stern.

He could still see the glow of the aura through the vase where the amulet had landed.

“Come inside, and sit down.”

“I prefer to stand,” the highwayman smiled, then sat down on the sofa Edel had directed him to, away from the vase.

“Then why are you sitting?”

“Stop it, Edel!”

The vampire sulked as he moved away from him.

Opal found himself on a settee facing the fireplace, a little unsure how he had gotten there.

“I may not have a pistol anymore, but Black Opal had the sense to bring one with him,” she hissed, hoping to remind him of the deal they had made.

“I didn’t hurt him.”

“Haffef likes to toy with his victims, too.”

“Don’t say that. We are nothing alike.” He spun around to face her. “I only meant to bring your friend inside to visit. I intended no harm.”

Opal was enchanted by the sound of the vampire’s voice. It was so melodic, and he found it difficult to take his attention from him.

Edel glanced at him. Opal was on the settee facing the hearth but had one arm over the back of the sofa and was staring directly at him.

Cameo followed Edel’s gaze.

“It’s a lovely residence you have here,” Opal said, toying with one of the plumes on his hat. “Are you… one of the royal family?”

Edel felt Opal’s heart jump for a moment. Just that idea. The royal family. At least he was being more civil than Cameo was. He strode over toward his new guest.

“No, no relation at all.”

“Just business partners then?”

Edel tilted his head to the side a bit, interested. Opal smelled of strong cologne and melted snow. “They don’t know I’m here.”

“What?” Cameo asked before Opal had the opportunity.

“They can’t see me, and this is a separate house connected to the palace. There is no door between them. Didn’t you notice that?”

“I didn’t think I’d seen the entire apartment.”

“Well, it’s true that you haven’t, but there’s no door.”

“I could see it. It seems quite a silly notion that no one else can.” Opal said dismissively.

Edel sat down beside him, much to the dandy’s discomfort. “That’s because I wanted to you to see it.”

Opal’s mouth opened slightly, a bit shaken by this newest piece of information. “How did you know I was there?”

The vampire was so close to him. He remembered his most recent encounter with Haffef, when he had been nearly killed by an undead… and he looked so much like this being, same pale skin, same strange smell....

Edel soaked in everything Opal was thinking. “I could feel you outside of the veil, and I wanted you to come in. So I let you see.”

“That doesn’t make any sense.”

Edel smiled at him thoughtfully. “It’s all right that you don’t understand yet, Opal. You are very young.”

“So you’re living in the palace without the Belfours ever knowing? Where is all of this food coming from then?”

“We’re close to the palace kitchens.” Edel turned to look at Cameo, saying, “I’m surprised you didn’t notice that. Didn’t you used to work—”

“I don’t want to discuss that.”

“You worked at the palace?” Opal perked up. “I don’t remember you mentioning that.”

She looked darkly from Edel to Opal. “It was an unhappy chapter of my life that I’d like to forget about.”