Part 45 (1/2)
”I know my rep precedes me, but I've changed, Illy. Believe me, please.”
”Let's have a trial period, first.”
They moved in together. Beverly was happy for her and grudgingly began to soften towards Daedalus. Her brother was happy for her, too. Her father was a different story. Ilida stood her ground with him. It was her life and she wanted to live it the way that pleased her, not him, or anyone else.
Daedalus gave away most of his furniture to Goodwill. They shopped for furniture together and he taught her how to be a vampire.
Then one day she came across his little back book.
Epilogue
lida sat on the cement bench on the patio at Tania and Alec's penthouse apartment. They'd had dinner-sort of-a dinner without food. She was going to miss food, but she gained so much more so, she decided she would deal with it and not to gripe about what she couldn't change. I ”May I join you?”
Alec's voice startled her.
”I didn't mean to scare you.”
”You didn't.”
He gave her the ”yeah right” look. The male version of it.
”Okay, you did.”
”No one should be able to sneak up on you.”
”I have to work on that. You can sit here.” She gestured to the empty s.p.a.ce next to her. ”It's your bench, Alec.”
”You seemed like you wanted to be alone.”
”I was admiring the view you have from up here.”
”That's why I bought the penthouse.”
He had something to say to her, so she waited until he was ready to talk. She thought it was sweet, actually. The king apologizing to the acolyte. Daedalus and Alec are so much alike and neither one of them knows it.
Even sitting down Alec towered over her.
”I'm sorry I was an a.s.s earlier,” Alec said hurriedly.
”You were protecting your brother.”
”I could have found a better way than alienating the two of you.”
”You thought I was going to take him away from you.”
He looked down at her considering it, and then nodded his head. His green eyes sparkled like jade through the darkness.
”Daedalus said you are sharp.”
”I'm just empathic.”
”You are also modest.”
”You love Daedalus and you wanted to protect your relations.h.i.+p with him. You saw me as an interloper.”
”Again, I'm sorry.”
He truly loves his brother she was happy to know. They had something in common now.
”All is forgiven it, Alec.”
”Thank you, Ilida. Can we start over?”
”Sure.”
”I have a proposal for you,” he said.
”That sounds intriguing. I'm all ears.”
”Because of the drug problem there should be a substance abuse center for addicted vampires. What if you headed it?”
”You all do things big around here,” Ilida said.
”We love seeing mouths hang open like yours,” Tania said, as she came up behind her.
Ilida hadn't heard Tania come out onto the terrace. Daedalus and Gauge joined them. Daedalus leaned on the cement ledge then gave her a rea.s.suring smile.
”I'm flattered and thank you, but I love helping people. I prefer to be in the trenches.”
”No reason why you can't do both.”
”Thank you, but you two hardly know me.”
”I think Alec knows you, and I think you should consider the job,” Daedalus said. ”You've been restless since Tilly House was destroyed. I haven't been able to sleep during the day because you keep walking the floors.”
”Take the job, Illy, or they'll keep bugging you,” Gauge said.
”Thanks, Gauge,” Alec said.
”Take the job,” Daedalus urged her.