Editing Cold Light Of Day
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| − | <span style="color:#800000">''''' | + | <span style="color:#800000">'''''After a fast and furious opening game, I was almost too wiped out to write this. But I managed. Just.--Maer'''''</span><br> |
| − | + | <br> | |
| − | + | Monday, 01 Aug 2011<br> | |
| − | + | Magnolia Grill, Natchez Under The Hill<br> | |
| − | + | 1030hrs, local time<br><br> | |
| − | |||
Irina parked her rental up the slope of Silver Street and walked the remaining three blocks downhill despite the heat. She wanted to think. She and Caroline were the two lone humans tangled in the web of deceit called the Masquerade and given what Renny had told her, maybe discussing it in a public venue was a bad idea. If she and Caroline were ghouls, it just stood to reason that they weren’t the only ones. If they weren’t the only ones, then that meant anyone walking in the daylight could be a ghoul. If anyone could be a ghoul, then anyone could be a spy for a vampire inimical to their agenda. And that, as Irina had good reason to know, could be deadly. For her and for Caroline. She wondered if the other woman realized it yet.<br><br> | Irina parked her rental up the slope of Silver Street and walked the remaining three blocks downhill despite the heat. She wanted to think. She and Caroline were the two lone humans tangled in the web of deceit called the Masquerade and given what Renny had told her, maybe discussing it in a public venue was a bad idea. If she and Caroline were ghouls, it just stood to reason that they weren’t the only ones. If they weren’t the only ones, then that meant anyone walking in the daylight could be a ghoul. If anyone could be a ghoul, then anyone could be a spy for a vampire inimical to their agenda. And that, as Irina had good reason to know, could be deadly. For her and for Caroline. She wondered if the other woman realized it yet.<br><br> | ||
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"Then I'll order the beignets and a fruit plate,” Irina said to their waitress. “Thank you."<br><br> | "Then I'll order the beignets and a fruit plate,” Irina said to their waitress. “Thank you."<br><br> | ||
| − | Irina waited until they were alone again before continuing. "Romantic suspense. Like Nora Roberts? I managed to read a few of her titles some months ago." She didn't mention it was during a week when the migraines came and went so frequently she couldn't truly work. "'' | + | Irina waited until they were alone again before continuing. "Romantic suspense. Like Nora Roberts? I managed to read a few of her titles some months ago." She didn't mention it was during a week when the migraines came and went so frequently she couldn't truly work. "''Angels Fall, Blue Smoke''—found that one amusing—and ''Northern Lights''. Of the three, I think I liked the last best." The main character had been a Lower 48 Sheriff transplanted in a quirky Alaskan town, battling his inner demons even as he tackled a cold murder case that had suddenly gone hot. She took a sip of her Coke and looked at Caroline with a grin. "I recall you saying you write under a nom de plume so your momma won't find out."<br><br> |
Caroline laughed. She waited for the young woman taking the orders to go on about her business and then leaned forward. "More like... Suzanne Brockmann and Tara Janzen," she admitted. "Mercenary men. I do love an ex-soldier still fighting the good fight. And I suspect that Mama knows exactly what I do but we're both too polite to discuss the fact that I write," Caroline lowered her voice and whispered, "scandalously detailed sex on the page." She leaned back and grinned wickedly. "I write under Jeanne Hardy." It's a name that does mean something to anyone who pays the slightest bit of attention to the New York Times Best Sellers list. She was number six on it last week for the release of her most recent hardcover.<br><br> | Caroline laughed. She waited for the young woman taking the orders to go on about her business and then leaned forward. "More like... Suzanne Brockmann and Tara Janzen," she admitted. "Mercenary men. I do love an ex-soldier still fighting the good fight. And I suspect that Mama knows exactly what I do but we're both too polite to discuss the fact that I write," Caroline lowered her voice and whispered, "scandalously detailed sex on the page." She leaned back and grinned wickedly. "I write under Jeanne Hardy." It's a name that does mean something to anyone who pays the slightest bit of attention to the New York Times Best Sellers list. She was number six on it last week for the release of her most recent hardcover.<br><br> | ||
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Irina speared a cantaloupe chunk on her fork and nibbled on it, thinking. At base, Caroline would have to bear a child for the vampires. Apparently her consent or even wedlock weren’t required, only her compliance. ''It may be the 21st century, but the shame of having a baby under those conditions is just killing her''. Irina’s years as a cop had exposed her to the opposite sentiment as often as not and she frowned, wondering at what point her empathy had eroded so far that she actually had to remind herself that this was mortifying for Caroline. When had she gotten so hard? ''You need to get your head out of your ass, DiSanti. The game has changed and right now, you’ve got a shit-ton of damage control in front of you. So deal with it. Whine about your feelings later''.<br><br> | Irina speared a cantaloupe chunk on her fork and nibbled on it, thinking. At base, Caroline would have to bear a child for the vampires. Apparently her consent or even wedlock weren’t required, only her compliance. ''It may be the 21st century, but the shame of having a baby under those conditions is just killing her''. Irina’s years as a cop had exposed her to the opposite sentiment as often as not and she frowned, wondering at what point her empathy had eroded so far that she actually had to remind herself that this was mortifying for Caroline. When had she gotten so hard? ''You need to get your head out of your ass, DiSanti. The game has changed and right now, you’ve got a shit-ton of damage control in front of you. So deal with it. Whine about your feelings later''.<br><br> | ||
| − | “Addressing the last first, if you’re worried about your cousin telling your family you’re consorting with vampires, I think it’s highly unlikely. After all, he didn’t tell them about ''his'' membership in this little secret club, so that part of your secret is safe. As to the first … Caroline, I hate to say this but do you have a man, preferably one that’s tall and handsome and wearing a uniform, who you can marry?” | + | “Addressing the last first, if you’re worried about your cousin telling your family you’re consorting with vampires, I think it’s highly unlikely. After all, he didn’t tell them about ''his'' membership in this little secret club, so that part of your secret is safe. As to the first … Caroline, I hate to say this but do you have a man, preferably one that’s tall and handsome and wearing a uniform, who you can marry?” One who wouldn’t mind handing over his child to a bunch of bloodsucking vampires, she thought but didn’t say. She was sure Caroline had already considered that eventuality and Irina herself thought it hideous in the extreme. Her career might have inured her to a lot of things, but children still had the power to move her. She swallowed hard, the fruit going down like lead. ''One thing at a time. We’ll have nine months, minimum, to figure a way out of this''. “Have you discussed this with … your patron?” <br><br> |
"Dear God, no. I only just found out last night that I even have a patron," Caroline hissed. "And I don't even remember the night that happened, thankyouverymuch." Which annoyed her to no end. "I dislike being treated like property. And I shall have to be ever so careful how to raise this with Evangeline, according to Zadie."<br><br> | "Dear God, no. I only just found out last night that I even have a patron," Caroline hissed. "And I don't even remember the night that happened, thankyouverymuch." Which annoyed her to no end. "I dislike being treated like property. And I shall have to be ever so careful how to raise this with Evangeline, according to Zadie."<br><br> | ||
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It occurred to Irina that Caroline had a distinct advantage over her if the other woman could but see it: whereas Irina was now property of a vampire who steadfastly refused to acknowledge his state and the strictures it imposed on him and his, Caroline's patron had no such handicap and would know how to take care of Caroline and keep her safe, guide her through the minefield of the Masquerade. It was cold comfort and Irina wasn't entirely certain that Caroline would welcome it.<br><br> | It occurred to Irina that Caroline had a distinct advantage over her if the other woman could but see it: whereas Irina was now property of a vampire who steadfastly refused to acknowledge his state and the strictures it imposed on him and his, Caroline's patron had no such handicap and would know how to take care of Caroline and keep her safe, guide her through the minefield of the Masquerade. It was cold comfort and Irina wasn't entirely certain that Caroline would welcome it.<br><br> | ||
| − | "I think," Irina said slowly and pushed the food around on her plate. "I think we should arrange to get everyone together and discuss what we're going to do, short- and long term. We must all hang together, for if we do not, we | + | "I think," Irina said slowly and pushed the food around on her plate. "I think we should arrange to get everyone together and discuss what we're going to do, short- and long term. We must all hang together, for if we do not, we shall assuredly all hang separately."<br><br> |
The rueful twist to Caroline's lips was her only answer to that. ''We've all already hung, haven't you noticed, dear?''<br><br> | The rueful twist to Caroline's lips was her only answer to that. ''We've all already hung, haven't you noticed, dear?''<br><br> | ||
