Kindling Flames: Stolen Fire (The Ancient Fire Series Book 4) (3 page)

Vicky nodded her head and filed this information away for later thought. She was definitely going to have to have a long talk with Darien. There was too much she still didn’t know about dealing with vampires. For the moment, she relaxed, knowing Elliot would see her through the rest of the night.

Vicky paused as the door from the foyer swung shut. She shook her head at the sight that was becoming more common. The first rays of the morning sun were slipping through the windows of the breakfast nook to dance on the white marble of the shotgun kitchen. Darien sat at the iron scrollwork table, picking over Vicky’s breakfast.

“Maybe Odette should start making you a plate, too,” Vicky teased as she went over to see how much of her food was still there. He had eaten her toast and most of the eggs.

Darien gave her a guilty grin as he vacated the chair so she could sit down. “It just looked so good this morning.”

Vicky took her seat and looked at her breakfast. There was still plenty left. Darien’s fay housekeeper and cook had been slowly increasing the amount of food she prepared in the morning. Apparently, she has taken into account Zak’s begging and Darien’s increased appetite for solid food. “At least I know I won’t get fat with you two around,” Vicky teased, and she pulled out Zak’s sausage and bacon to drop to the little horror wiggling on the floor by her feet.

Darien snickered at her as he pulled down the blue tumbler for his normal breakfast of blood from the crisper drawer.

Vicky glanced back at him moving through the kitchen. “Isn’t it odd that you’re craving solid food?”

Darien paused in his task to think about it. “Maybe a little,” he admitted, “but it could be the new menagerie. They draw more energy than I’m used to.”

Vicky gave him a dubious look. “But shouldn’t you be craving more blood? I didn’t think you got energy from food.”

Darien shrugged at this thought and changed the subject. “Did Vanessa agree to plan our wedding?”

Vicky gave him a pointed look but switched to the new topic. “She was thrilled.” She turned her attention to her breakfast as she spoke. “Vanessa will be over after work today to get started on the plans. I talked with Elliot last night, and he’ll be stopping by as well. I want to get those two working together as soon as possible.” Vicky shook her head softly. She had told Darien all of this last night when she had gotten home from the club. He was becoming even more of a scatterbrain as things piled up in his life. A strange thought popped into her head as she watched Darien finish his blood and rinse the cup out. “Do you think it’ll be all right for Elliot to work with Vanessa?”

Darien gave her a surprised look.

“He
is
a vampire.”

“I think Elliot’s old enough to control his bloodlust,” Darien said, slightly offended. “He’s not going to attack her.”

Vicky snickered at the misunderstanding. “That’s not what I meant. Vanessa is sharp. Won’t she notice something’s off about Elliot?”

Darien came over and raised his hand to Vicky’s face. “You didn’t notice anything off about me.” He caressed her cheek.

Vicky smiled and leaned into his soft touch. “Point.” She conceded to his logic.

“Besides, Elliot’s better at memory manipulation than I am. If something happens, he can handle it.” Darien leaned over and kissed her softly. “Stop worrying about it, and finish your breakfast so we can go.”

Vicky chuckled and turned back to her food as Darien left to finish getting ready for work.

***

Vicky looked up from her desk as the door to the office swung open. A large bouquet of flowers struggled its way into the room.

“Delivery for Miss Victoria Westernly,” the voice of the deliveryman called from behind the foliage.

Vicky stood up from her desk to give the man a hand.

Handing her a clipboard to sign, he set two dozen red roses on the middle of her desk.

There was only one person Vicky could think of that would send such a present. “They’re beautiful.” Vicky smiled as she went into Darien’s office. “Thank you.”

Darien looked up from his computer, confused. “What’s beautiful?”

Vicky’s smiled slipped slightly. “The flowers.”

“What flowers?”

Vicky pointed towards her office. “The ones you sent me.”

Darien stood up to go see what Vicky had gotten. “I didn’t send you flowers.”

Confused, Vicky followed him from the room. “If you didn’t send them, who did?”

Darien shook his head at the question. He looked over the gift and found a small card among the blooms. ‘Congratulations’ was written across it in block letters. The card was otherwise unsigned. “I’m not sure.” He showed the card to Vicky. “Maybe someone’s heard about our engagement.”

Vicky smiled as she turned the vase around to get a better view of the roses. “Well, whoever they are, I like their style.”

Darien chuckled at her and patted her back gently. “Since you’re already interrupted, could you go get me some coffee?” He turned to go back into his office.

Vicky looked up at the clock, it was almost five, and they would be leaving soon. “This late in the day?”

“Please. We’ve had such a long day that I’m having trouble concentrating on these files,” Darien explained.

Vicky grinned as she picked up her bag. They’d spent the morning running around and had missed their normal coffee break. “All right,” she agreed and moved the flowers from her desk to a little end table between the chairs in her office. Darien thanked her and disappeared back into his office. Vicky couldn’t help but laugh at Darien and his passion for his coffees. Any other vampire would be sick on the stuff, but he had to have at least one cup in the afternoon to get through the rest of the day.

Pondering over who could have sent the flowers, Vicky rode the elevator down to the fifth floor café. Her mind was still turning the question over when she stepped up to the counter and was met by a face she didn’t know.

“How can I help you?” the young man asked.

“Where’s Sue?” Vicky asked, shocked that the spunky werewolf wasn’t there.

“She took the day off, My Lady,” Sue’s replacement answered.

With the addition of the ‘My Lady’, Vicky knew that this had to be one of Rupert’s wolves. She considered what looked to be a teenage boy with floppy, brown hair. “Do you know what Mr. Ritter’s usual is?” Vicky asked.

“Carmel macchiato,” the boy answered, and turned to get the coffee. “By the way, I’m Derrick.”

Vicky smiled at him. “Is Sue okay?” She had never known the woman to take time off.

“As far as I know.” Derrick set the finished drink on the counter. “Will there be anything else?”

“No, thank you.” Vicky took the drink and stepped away from the counter. It felt weird not having Sue there.

“Have a nice day, My Lady.” Derrick waved and went to clean the machines.

Vicky’s mind spun on this new development. She didn’t like having someone else in the café. It just felt wrong. She thought about it all the way back to her office.

“Here’s your coffee,” Vicky said, setting the coffee on Darien’s desk.

He nodded his head in acknowledgement.

She started to go out but stopped. Having Derrick in the coffee shop bugged her. “Did you know that Sue wasn’t in the café today?”

Darien looked up from his work. He could hear the concerned note in Vicky’s voice.

“There was a guy named Derrick there.”

“Derrick fills in when Rupert needs Sue for something,” Darien explained. “That’s not a problem.”

Nodding, Vicky went back out to her desk. It still didn’t feel right, but she let it go. Now, if she could just find her place again, she could get these numbers entered before the end of the day, and Darien wouldn’t have to worry about his small business status reports again until next month.

***

Vicky looked up from her files when she heard Darien come out of his office. She had been trying to get back into the groove to finish the project, but it just wasn’t working. Stretching in her chair, she slipped the folders into her desk drawer for tomorrow.

“You okay?” Darien asked as he waited for Vicky to get moving. Usually she was fairly quick about getting out of work.

“Yeah.” Vicky pulled her bag up and slipped it over her shoulder. “I don’t think I got enough sleep last night,” she admitted sheepishly. A sluggish feeling had plagued her all day. A case of the flu was going around in the office, and she hoped she hadn’t caught it.

Darien chuckled at her. “Come on.” He pulled her into his side. “We still have to plan our wedding tonight.”

Vicky smiled and started to let him pull her towards the door, but she stopped when the roses caught her eye. “Can I take the flowers home?”

Darien considered the enormous bouquet. It was much too large to fit into the XKR-5 Jaguar he had been driving since someone helped to total his Aston Martin DB9. “Sure.” He kissed the side of Vicky’s head and turned her loose to pick up the flowers. “It’s starting to get a little too cold to drive a convertible, anyway.”

Vicky grinned and went to hold the door for him. She had complained about the temperature every morning since the start of December. Hopefully, Charlie could find something with a nice heater for the rest of winter.

“Do you think Elliot will know who sent the flowers?” Vicky asked as Darien maneuvered the arrangement into the elevator. Slipping in behind him, she hit the button for the basement garage, where Darien kept his car collection.

“Perhaps,” Darien answered from behind the flowers.

Vicky grinned, trying not to laugh at the sight. She helped Darien off the elevator and led the way to the small shack where the keeper of Darien’s cars could always be found.

“Good evening, Mr. Ritter. Lovely flowers,” the sweet old man said as he opened the door to greet his boss. “Good evening, My Lady.”

“Good evening, Charlie,” Vicky greeted him. She hadn’t figured out exactly what Charlie was, but she was sure he wasn’t human.

“I need transportation.” Darien set the heavy vase down. “Something I can haul this in.”

Charlie looked over the vase and smiled. “I have just the thing.” Slipping into his shack, he came out with a little, black box and handed it over to Darien. “It’s in forty-five.”

Darien pushed a button on the box, and a key popped out.

“It’s new, so be careful with her.”

Darien smiled at the warning. “Thank you.” He picked up the flowers and turned towards the parking places containing his cars. Darien loved old cars and kept a vast collection of them squirreled away in numbered bays lining the walls of the expansive, underground garage. Vicky had seen quite a few of them in her time as his personal assistant. He liked to take them out and show them off from time to time.

Vicky couldn’t help but wonder what Charlie had chosen for them this time. Her eyes scanned up and down the rows of cars as they walked. Most of the ones sitting out were new. There was everything from small, sporty cars to large vans. There was even one unmarked box truck. She paused as her eyes caught a flash of gold between two cars. “Darien,” Vicky called to get his attention.

He paused and looked back to where Vicky had stopped a few steps behind him. “Yes?”

“There’s something there,” Vicky whispered to him. Her mind flashed to the headlines of the morning paper. A woman and been killed not far from here two nights ago. Her throat had been ripped out, and her blood drained.