The Last Keeper (9 page)

“Some would, but we aren’t some.”

“And what of your gifts? Are they the same as those of the vampires?”

“Some are. We used to have so many gifts. There were those who could read your mind without having to enter it and those who could look at any item and tell you how it worked. An aunt of mine had great precognitive abilities, and one of my cousins could form a physical barrier around anything. Our race has seen gifts ranging from the simple ability to move things with their mind to being able to create fire in the palm of the hand.” It was a shame those times were gone.

“What’s yours?”
 

“None of consequence.”

“I thought you said you all had gifts?”
 

We did all have gifts. Mine was just . . . complicated.

“Long ago, my sister told me that my gift was
life.
Being my twin, hers was the opposite:
death.
Nothing in our records mentions them, and I have no idea where she found the information. As far as I’m concerned, whatever gift I do have, it’s irrelevant.” Most of what she knew of our gifts was the superstition surrounding the birth of the first twins in the race.
 

“Will you tell me of her? Your sister?”

“Not today. Talking with you has left me in an exceptionally good mood, and I’d rather leave that story for another day, if you don’t mind.”
 

“Anything you wish to share, any time you wish to share it.” He smiled and reached for my hand, but quickly had to grab hold of the reins again.
 

In that single gesture I learned so much about him. His hand was warm in mine, and his hold was firm. He would be with me until the end, no matter how difficult things got. Still, perhaps he hadn’t quite understood everything.
 

“I’m not entirely sure you quite grasp the gravity of how difficult life can be with me,” I told him as we reached the house. “There are only two of us. The work that once took an entire race is now left to William and myself.”

“Serenity Cardea,” he said with a sternness that shocked me. “You seem determined to drive me away, and I won’t have it. No matter how hard life will be, it is nothing compared to being able to spend it with you.”

He continued while I stayed wide-eyed and silent. “If you will still have me, then I’d like nothing more than to call you my own. Regardless of what others may think, and regardless of how difficult the future may be.”
 

He managed to dismount without any help.
 

“Ray,” I whispered, afraid my voice would break.

He’d stripped me of my words. Nothing could come close to explaining how I felt or how much I truly wanted him at that moment. So I did the only thing I could think of.
 

I jumped from my horse, stood as tall as possible, and gave him a lingering kiss on his cheek.
 

“I’ll always be yours,” I told him, my hands still resting on his shoulders.

The new light in his grey eyes was enough to make me forget everything else. For once I let my mind wander into fantasies of our life together, of how we would raise our children and how I would read them our stories. For that moment, as I stared deep into those mesmerising eyes, everything was perfect.

Then I realised I was staring and was standing barely an inch from him, surely too close.

“Forgive me.” I stepped back quickly, ducking my head to hide my blush. “I forget myself with you. It won’t help that I have no idea what the rules of etiquette are in this time . . .”

“Rules were made for breaking,” he said, smirking.
 

He pulled me back towards him, not a breath of air between us, and placed my hands back on his shoulders. “Feel free to forget where you are with me anytime you wish.”

“I may have to take you up on that.”

“Ah, I did hear the horses.” Helen’s quiet voice broke our happy little moment a couple of seconds before she appeared in the doorway. “Oh! I’m sorry. I came to see if Ray was going to stay for dinner.”

I looked up at him. “Would you?”

“If we let my mother know, I don’t see why not.” He was flustered but smiled widely as he spoke.

“How about I go and ask Sam to fetch her and we can all have dinner together?” Helen was looking for an excuse to leave, and her offer was the perfect one.

“Thank you, Helen.”

“Perhaps we should head into the house, as well?” Ray suggested, nervously shifting.

“She knows better than to say anything. If she does, I shall bring up some
very
embarrassing childhood memories of her.”

He laughed long and loud at that. It came in handy, being older than everyone else. Things like childhood stories were something I tried to remember. I never knew when I would need them, or when they could be used as playful blackmail.
 

“I was wondering about something. Why do you eat if you don’t need to?” he asked as we walked hand in hand back to the house.

“Appearances and habit. If food is scarce, then I’ll forgo eating in favour of my family. If not, or the situation demands it, then I’ll eat. It’s also nice to sit down to a meal with my family on occasion.”
 

“Sam is on his way over to Mrs. Synclair’s house and Jayne is in the dining room setting the table,” Helen informed me when we walked into the house after stabling the horses.

“Jayne?” I called. “Would you entertain Ray whilst I help your mother with dinner? He isn’t safe to be allowed anywhere near the kitchen.”

“Can I talk to him properly now?” Jayne giggled, rocking back and forth on her heels as she spoke.
 

“Yes, but don’t scare him.” She would do her best to remember any scary story she could. Though I doubted they would affect Ray, I pleaded with her not to delve too deep into the stories she knew.
 

“I’ll try.”
 

Reluctantly, I let Jayne drag him away.

She was an intelligent child, and she understood when to keep quiet about what I was. It was something that was instilled into all of our children—the need to keep our secret. It was as important to us as it was to the vampires. Only our reasons were different.

Once we were alone, Helen took one look at me and said, “It went exceptionally well.”
 

She stood by the sink, leaning against the stone and wood, arms crossed and a knowing smile on her face. She’d known the answer long before I’d been willing to accept it.
 

“It did.”

“No running. No screaming. Not even the smallest trace of fear. Am I correct?”
 

“Yes.”

“You forget how well I can read people, Serenity.”

“I know, but I still expected him to run for the hills, screaming all the way.” It surprised me how quiet my voice was when I spoke.

“You deserve this, never forget that.”

“I’ll try.”

It wasn’t long before Sam returned. I heard the car coming up the street. The distinct sound of her engine telling me that it was ours.
 

“Jayne, dear, that’s enough for tonight. Ray’s mother is coming for dinner,” I told her, carrying in the first of the plates.

“Can I tell him some more later?”
 

“Not tonight.”

“Would I be correct in assuming that I cannot tell my mother?” Ray said, half asking, half stating.

“I’m sorry. If it was safe for her to know, then I would tell her in a heartbeat. It’s best she knows as little as possible beyond the obvious.” My smile was a sad one

“I understand. It wasn’t something that should be discussed over dinner.”
 

Briefly, I kissed his cheek. “Are you ready to play human for the evening?”

“Serenity, it is good to see you again,” Liz greeted me. “Thank you for the invitation.”

   
“It’s a pleasure. I couldn’t very well steal your son for the evening and not invite you.”
 

“Between you and me, you can steal him anytime.” She leaned in close as she spoke, whispering the words and casting a brief glance deeper into the house, perhaps checking to make sure Ray wasn’t about.
 

“I may have to take you up on that offer.”

Playing human was something I was good at, in more mature company at least. I struggled at making small talk with people of “my own age,” but talking with those “older” than me came more easily.
 

I commented on Liz’s dress and the style of her hair. We talked for a moment about how things were in the world. Anyone looking on would have thought we were simply two humans having a quiet chat. Even Ray was surprised at how easily I managed it.
 

“Serenity?” Helen called. “Dinner is ready.”

“Shall we?”
 

I led Liz to the dining room where Jayne was finishing setting the table. She was struggling to reach the glasses she wanted. I grabbed them for her and set them down.
 

“Jayne, would you keep Ray and Mrs. Synclair company whilst I help your mother?” I asked her.
 

“I’ll be good,” she promised. Code for
I know I can’t talk to them about certain things.

I passed Sam on my way to the kitchen. He offered to help with taking the food through, but Helen had already told him to sit down, so I did the same. He’d done enough for one day.
 

“You need a towel for that,” Helen reminded me when I went to pick up the casserole dish.
 

“Thank you,” I whispered.
 

As good as I was at playing human in social situations, providing romance wasn’t part of the setting, I was very forgetful at home.
 

I may not have had to hide from Ray anymore, but I would do everything I could to prevent his mother from being dragged into my world, as well.
 

“Oh, that smells scrumptious,” Liz said when I put the casserole down on the table.

I offered her a plate. “Helen is an excellent cook.”
 

“Is that where you learned?”
 

“Partly. Mostly I was taught how to cook by my mother.” The smell of freshly cooked beef wafted around the table. I hadn’t been eating much lately, only when we had company, so Helen had plenty to make a nice, thick casserole.
 

No one spoke as we ate, and it wasn’t until the plates were being cleared away—Sam insisted on doing that himself—that the conversation began again.

“My son tells me you took him riding today,” Liz said, glancing at Ray.

“I did. He knows how to handle a horse. Did you teach him?” There was still so much I didn’t know about him, about his family.

“No. I cannot ride to save my life. The poor things despise me. The closest I get to a horse is when it’s pulling the carriage.” She laughed, a rich sound. “Our neighbour taught him. Wonderful man. Lovely wife, too.”

“Have you known them long?”

“Oh yes. They moved in when Ray was only ten. Ray still couldn’t walk well at the time but insisted he could ride a horse.” There was a mischievous twinkle in her eye.

“I would’ve liked to have seen that.”

“There are many stories I could tell you of his exploits. However, I don’t think my son would appreciate it.”

“Mrs. Walters, are there any stories you could tell us about Serenity?” Ray asked
 

“I’m afraid you’ll have to ask her. Serenity is very good at keeping her embarrassing moments to herself.” Helen paused for a moment. “Although, perhaps you should ask her how she broke some poor man’s toe. . .”

“Helen!” I cried.

“I think I’d like to hear this.” A mischievous smile accompanied Ray’s words.

“No. Absolutely not. I refuse to embarrass myself with
that
story.”

“You won’t mind if I embarrass you, then?” Helen didn’t give me a chance to answer. “When Serenity was younger, she hated dancing, despite being a beautiful dancer. She was forced to attend one particular event and had to dance with this awful man. He was a fine dancer, but he was rather pungent.”

I groaned and hid my head in my hands as Helen continued her tale.
 

“To try to get out of dancing, she would pretend she was the worst dancer in the world, stepping on toes, missing steps. Well, when she
accidentally
stomped on the poor man’s foot, he howled in pain. It turned out she’d broken his toe.”

Ray and Liz burst into laughter.
 

“Thank you, Helen. Perhaps I should bring up some of your
finer
moments.”

“How about we change the subject before we have a war between the two of you?” Sam offered.

“Excellent plan,” Helen said.
 

“I agree. Would you mind if I asked how you met Ray’s father?”
 

“Not at all.” Liz smiled, a wistful look in her eye. “We were very young, not even as old as you two are now. I was playing the piano at an event hosted by my mother. Despite my reluctance, my parents insisted on introducing me to everyone there. When I saw Raymond, there was no going back. By the end of the next week, he had asked for my hand in marriage. We were married two weeks later. The time I had with him was short, just three years, but I will never forget him.”