Page 111 of You’re So Vein

His eyes flutter closed briefly, his lashes tangling in the moonlight. “It’s a lovely evening, now that the rain has cleared and no homicidal vampires are threatening you. Would you… like a walk?”

I’m even more surprised to hear myself say, “Yes.”

“Give me a moment to check the security vines.”

I wait on the front steps while he moves through the cottage, muttering an incantation in a language I don’t understand. He emerges a few minutes later holding two thermoses, and places one in my hands.

“Hot chai. It’s a cool evening.”

I unscrew the lid and take a long sniff. “I didn’t know vampires drank tea.”

“They don’t, usually.” He shows me his own thermos. “I enjoy the scent when you drink it, so I took up the habit. I mix mine with blood. Shall we?”

He leads me around the side of the cottage to another path I hadn’t noticed. Augustin takes my hand, sending a jolt through me. “The path gets uneven up here. Hannah and I have tried to level it, but whenever the rain comes, it washes out our efforts. It seems Mother Nature does not wish us to smooth over her bumps and bruises.”

“I guess it’s the bumps and bruises that define her, same as people. I can’t believe what we discovered tonight.” The words tumble out of me, the possibilities filling me with joy. “Dhampir were vampire hunters. That’s why vampires are so afraid of them.”

“Irene’s right. This might not help Hannah, if Upyr think she might grow up to hunt them.” A line forms between his eyes. “But I cannot help feeling my heart lighten with foolish hope. You have that effect on me. Do you recognise this plant?”

He points to a patch of bulbous lumps beneath a tree.

“That’s the ugly cactus you got me.”

“It’s not ugly. I gave it to you because it reminds me of you. Do you want to know a secret?” he asks suddenly, eyes flicking to me with surprising energy.

“I don’t want to take more from you than you’re willing to give.”

“You know about Hannah. What is one more secret between us?”

Augustin bites down on the edge of his palm, leaving two pinpricks from his fangs that quickly bead with blood.

I kneel down to get a closer look as Augustin flicks his hand over the ugly plants, spilling droplets of blood. Buds grow from between the spines and slowly unfurl, revealing deep red flowers.

I swallow hard. “You’re right. They’re beautiful.”

“It only flowers under the moonlight,” Augustin explains. “Everything in this garden comes to life at night.”

“Looks like they have a little help from your magic touch.” I grin. “I had no idea you were a plant daddy.”

“Plants and I have an understanding. I know what they need, and they know what I need.”

“And what is it that you need, Augustin?”

He swallows, looks away. He places his palm over a wilting, dying plant. Two crimson droplets fall on the dead leaves. Before my eyes, the leaves straighten, the dry, crinkled edges plumping out. A bright orange flower unfurls, the centre a dark, blood red.

Something dawns on me. “You’re him, aren’t you?”

“Who?”

“The Gorilla Gardener. It’s you.”

His smile could melt the ice caps. He glances back towards the cottage. “I have a little help.”

“You deliver flowers to the hospital every night. You make flowers grow in potholes and in unfilled ditches. You brought so much joy to the village and…” I swallow. It’s too much. “You planted all those red flowers for Papa.”

“Your father is a good man. He deserves joy. But mostly, I wanted to see you smile.” Augustin plucks the flower from the plant. As he turns his hand, the leaves wither and die once more. Cool fingers brush my cheek as he pushes my hair back to tuck the flower behind my ear.

“This kind of magic isn’t valued in Dusk Court,” he says. “It’s considered a little mundane, passive. It’s anything but. It is like pushing your hands into the earth and feeling the beating heart of the universe. I know you look at my life and think I am sad and lonely. You’ve mocked me for it so many times, but it’s impossible to feel alone when I can touch all this.”