Warded? The property was warded? What had Merrill done for Griffin, that he merited such preferential treatment? And Merrill had a basement? That was a surprise, though it shouldn't have been. I misted off the roof; Gavin floated down. Not only were there three vehicles now parking on the wide drive in front of Merrill's manor, but each van was towing a trailer. Wlodek had been busy, looked like. Tons of records had to be moved, with all of Charles's computer equipment. It made me wonder what Wlodek had done with all his priceless antiques, in case Xenides and his remaining horde showed up again.
Merrill came out, as did Deryn and Paul, and we pitched in to unload trailers. Charles grinned at me; I realized he was looking forward to this. Russell and Radomir were there, too, helping.
Merrill had six bedrooms in his basement, complete with private baths. Color me stunned. A locked door was hidden inside the butler's pantry, and that's why I'd never seen it before. I hadn't gone in there very often and the doorway was located behind the last shelf of canned goods. That shelf was shoved aside, revealing the wide entrance downstairs.
Everything in the basement was clean; Franklin must have kept it that way. Charles and Wlodek were moved in and set up first, Rolfe was set up last. Rolfe was just as happy as Charles was with their change of venue. Wlodek had the usual, unreadable expression on his face, so I couldn't tell how he felt about the move.
"We have a Council meeting tomorrow evening," Charles informed me later as we were getting the last of his things put away and his computers connected. "Wlodek wants you there; we have two vampires you need to check."
"Are we giving baseball signals so he'll know what I find?" I was doing my best impression of a third base coach. Charles stared at me for a minute before bursting into laughter.
"If we bring Brock, he'll know exactly what you're doing," Charles snickered. "He's a huge baseball fan."
"You will touch your hair when each prisoner is led before me, to let me know if they are Saxom's," Wlodek appeared from nowhere, I think. I had to keep myself from jumping at his sudden appearance.
"All right," I nodded. I was about to get the hell out of the basement. Things just weren't that comfortable between Wlodek and me at the moment, and in all honesty, he still scared the bejeezus out of me.
"Charles, do you have all the paperwork copied?" Wlodek asked. One of the things carried into the basement earlier was a portable copy machine.
"All done, Honored One," Charles nodded. I turned to go; they had work to do.
Chapter 2
When I woke the following evening, I found Roff and Giff in bed with me. Roff was curled up at my back; Giff snuggled against my chest. Both of them were about five-five or so, with honey brown eyes and thin builds. Both were still dressed, but they'd taken their shoes off to climb into bed with me.
"Were you here when Gavin woke?" I asked as Roff placed his arms around me, snuggling closer.
"No, my Queen. We waited until he left and then climbed in with you." Giff was talking now and nuzzling my chin.
"Is this what I think it is?" I asked.
"Oh, yes," Giff was doing his best to press against me.
"Lissa, you must rise soon, we have a Council meeting," Charles burst into the room, receiving a shock at finding Roff and Giff in my bed.
"Charles, have you eaten tonight?" I sat up in bed and smiled at Wlodek's assistant.
"Yes, earlier," he nodded, a puzzled look in his hazel eyes.
"Might you be peckish in the least?" I went on.
"Well," he shrugged.
"Which one of you would like to go to Charles?" I asked my two sleeping buddies.
"Is he kind?" Giff asked.
"I would imagine so," I nodded. "If he isn't, you should tell me." I smiled at Giff.
"Then I will go to him," Giff slid off the bed, going to Charles and leaning his head over, exposing his neck. Charles was shocked, I think, at so blatant an invitation.
"This is the only way they can have sex," I informed Charles. Charles pulled Giff against him, held his neck in his hands, breathed on Giff's skin and then sank his fangs into the comesula's throat to drink. Giff received a nice climax and hugged Charles before it was over.
"That's the best blood I've ever had," Charles complimented Giff when he let the comesula go.
"We can only drink from them every two weeks," I said. "Even if they beg." I handed Giff a stern look. He smiled at me.
"My turn," Roff was scooting under me on the bed.
"I'm not going to hurt you, okay?" I gave Roff a kiss.
"I like it very much when you kiss me," he said.
"That's good, honey," I said, kissing him again before leaning over his throat and taking my dinner. He was quite pleased with the result, moaning in my arms while his body writhed beneath mine.
"Now, both of you go drink some juice or find something to eat," I shooed them out of my bedroom. Charles was still standing there, a look of shocked wonder on his face.
"There was an entire planet of them?" he sighed happily.
"That's what Kifirin says," I nodded. "Give me two minutes to get dressed and brush my teeth. I'll be right down." Charles left me alone so I hurried through my dressing, then brushed my teeth and did my hair before misting downstairs.
* * *
"We are driving across my property and going out through a hidden side entrance," Merrill informed me when we were ready to leave for the Council meeting. "Lissa, will you ride with Radomir and the Honored One in case an attack comes anyway?" Merrill was worried we'd be seen if we exited the property at the gates.
"Of course I will," I said. I just needed to be prepared to go to mist and take the occupants of the car with me as mist if anything happened. I ended up in the back seat of an SUV with Wlodek; Radomir was driving and Gavin sat up front with him.
Wlodek spoke after a bit, surprising me. "Lissa, I hear you were involved in quite a fight when you were offworld." Uh-oh. Merrill must have spilled the beans. Wlodek was waiting as I hesitated before answering.
"I was," I admitted. "But there wasn't anything else I could do unless we wanted to hand the entire planet over to the Ra'Ak. Do you know what they are?" I watched Wlodek's face; he was attractive without a doubt; his olive skin was flawless, his nose straight and his dark eyes concealed centuries of secrets. He didn't seem to care that he was handsome and always dressed as if he were going to be photographed for a men's fashion magazine. He had impeccable taste—I don't think anyone else made his clothing choices for him.