Carpathian 03 - Dark Gold

to her." Ivan attempted to put himself back on firm footing. "When would be a good time to call again?"
    
    "Perhaps in a day or two. Marie will supply you with my number. Alexandria and her brother Joshua are residing here now, but we have not yet had time to install Alexandria's private phone.
    Her sudden illness, you see, advanced the move before we were quite ready with her apartments. You will, of course, turn over Alexandria's personal property to me immediately. She is under my protection, Mr. Ivan, and I always take care of my own."

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    
    The golden eyes caught Ivan's gaze and held him captive. Thomas found himself meekly handing over the briefcase. Then the eyes released him from their mesmerizing stare. At once Ivan was appalled at what he had done. What had gotten into him? He had never intended to give up the portfolio, not to anyone but Alexandria. His gaze found Savage's hand, the thumb caressing the imitation leather as if it were Alexandria's skin. At once he felt jealous. Just what was Aidan Savage to Alexandria? A man like Savage would eat an innocent like Alexandria alive. Thomas completely forgot, in his surge of chivalry, that that had been his own intention until he had discovered her exceptional artistic talent.
    
    "Thank you for coming by, Mr. Ivan. I regret I cannot ask you to stay longer, but I have several appointments. I will see to it that Alexandria phones you in a couple of days, or that you are otherwise informed of her progress. Good evening, sir."
    
    Ivan soon found himself outside the closed door, unable to place Savage's European accent or to stomach the housekeeper's rather smug smile as she reopened the door briefly to hand him Savage's unlisted phone number. He had made no friends in this house, a big mistake. If Alexandria needed his assistance, and he was more certain than ever that she did, he had no allies in this fortress Savage called home.
    
    Aidan turned to Marie and touched her hair lightly, a brief, affectionate gesture. "Did that imbecile upset you?"
    
    She laughed lightly. "Not nearly as much as he upset you. You didn't know you had a rival for the lady's affections. A famous millionaire, no less."
    
    "He makes up drivel."
    
    "Still, from what I gleaned from his conversation, Alexandria wants to work with him." She was openly teasing him. "And his vampire games have made the news. I've seen him on the covers of magazines. He's quite taken with Alexandria, isn't he?"
    
    "He does not have a chance. And he is much too old for her."
    
    Marie and Stefan both laughed. They were fully aware that Aidan had lived for centuries. Aidan suddenly grinned himself, surprising them both. They had never seen a genuine smile light his golden eyes.
    
    "How is the child, this night?" he asked them.
    
    Marie and Stefan sobered. "He is very quiet, that one," Stefan answered. A few inches taller than Marie, wide and muscular, he was a force to be reckoned with. "I think he needs to see his sister before he can be a little boy once again. He has lost too much in his short life."
    
    "He is a sweet child, Aidan. He already has Stefan wrapped around his little finger," Marie pointed out.
    
    "Ha!" Stefan protested emphatically. "It is you who weeps for him and fills him full of food at every turn."
    
    "I will speak to him," Aidan reassured the couple, "and tell him that his sister will see him later Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
    this evening after she rises from the underground chamber."
    
    "After she wakes up," Marie corrected with a frown. She wanted no allusions made to the otherworldly life in front of the innocent boy. "Do you think it wise to promise such a thing? What if she…" She hesitated.
    
    Stefan filled in. "Has problems accepting what she has become? Or worse, what if she is not the true one you seek and is now completely deranged?"
    
    "She is the true one. Can you not see her presence, her light, in me already? She has given me life, light, emotion. I see colors once more, and they are radiant. I feel things, everything from anger to a melting warmth. She has returned the world to me. She will wake as one of my people, and yes, I expect considerable resistance from her, but not in front of the child. She loves him very much, and she will try to appear as normal as possible for him. He has been her prime