Nero was looking at Grayson with dismay.He said, “If you don’t want her with us–”
“Her?”Grayson’s voice was bleak.
He already knew who it was going to be though he did not have his vampiric senses yet.
Rachel.
She knocked again.
“I’ll send her away,” Nero said quickly, knowing that Grayson had been emotionally compromised for two weeks, in part, because of her and their emotional conversation.
It was really my desire to avoid that conversation.I’ve been hiding in Weryn Palace for two weeks.I can hide no longer.I need to face this.Not that we’ll have much time to talk anyways.
“No, it’s okay. I’m sure it will be interesting for her to follow you guys,” Grayson said with a smile that felt a little plastered on.
“Are you certain, Grayson?”Eiji asked carefully.“It would be no bother to send her away.”
The respect in his voice was unmistakeable.Mairead frowned a little at it.Amana acted as if she couldn’t quite understand what was going on either.
“I know her,” Grayson said to the women to explain some of the weirdness in the room. “If it’s who I think it is.I hadn’t seen her for some time and we met up… here.”
“And you don’t like her?”Mairead blinked.“If that’s the case then we definitely don’t need her along, clogging up the works.”
“No, she’s nice.Really.It’s cool.Let her in,” Grayson said, not certain he was really ready for this.
I cannot continue to hide either.
Nero and Eiji looked up at him briefly before Nero went to the door and opened it.Sure enough, it was Rachel.He put on his own mask as she walked in.He knew he was holding himself too still and his very stillness was causing Eiji and Nero distress.
“That skirt is so not practical for cat burglaring,” Mairead remarked, nodding towards Rachel’s taupe pencil skirt and her ubiquitous notebook and pen clutched in front of her blouse.“You did pair it with some sneakers so I guess you’re not totally insane.”
But Rachel just smiled.“Grayson can assure you that I’ve never let fashion get in the way of anything!Besides, I’m to observe, not actually help you with the task at hand though…” Here she brightened, “it does sound like a lot of fun!My name’s Rachel.Rachel Willis.I don't know if Grayson told you about me.”
“Not much,” Amana said quietly.
“Well, I promise I’m here to report fairly and be part of the fun,” Rachel assured them all.
“Speaking of fun, guys, we should be headed over to the fountain,” Grayson said, checking his watch.“That’s our starting point.”
That had Mairead squawking.She grabbed her coat and was tossing coats at the others as well.She grabbed Amana’s arm and was dragging the other woman out of the door.Eiji and Nero continued after them at a more sedate pace.Nero looked back at him, but Grayson made a slight shake of his head to indicate they should go on without him.That left just him and Rachel alone together.
“Shall we?”He asked, gesturing towards the door.
She nodded and they both left the room together.They didn’t speak until they were in the street.
“Grayson?”she said his name tentatively.“I wanted to apologize–”
“It’s all right, Rachel.You didn’t know how what you said would affect me,” Grayson interrupted her.
She grasped his hand, turning him towards her, and said, “But I should have!That night–and all the nights after it–were horrible for you.You ran away.You underwent who knows what on the streets and–”
“Nothing I want to remember,” Grayson grimaced.He felt his chest tightening again.“And nothing you could imagine.”
That was true.
“I was just so intent on letting you know your mother’s feelings that I failed to consider your own,” she said and shook her head.“I’ve thought about it day after day, but I couldn’t see you.They didn’t want me to see you until I begged Lord Balthazar–”
“Balthazar,” Grayson groaned and tipped his head back.
