Page 12 of Blood Stone

“Better,” Sebastian replied, licking the spoon. “‘tis no wonder they have high cholesterol and weight issues, these days. Food is nothing like it was in our times. It’s addictive.”

Garrett shook his head as Sebastian took another enormous mouthful, and looked at the man sitting to Sebastian’s left. Nathanial’s appearance had changed since Garrett had met up with him in Poland, just over a year ago. The long hair was now short and business-like. There were streaks of very pale blond through it that might be mistaken for grey in the right light. He wore glasses that seemed to go along with the short hair and the very sincere-looking business suit he had on. But the glasses did nothing to hide Nathanial’s eyes, which had always drawn one’s gaze. Now, with his hair cut short and the glasses drawing attention to them, Nial’s eyes seemed to blaze with light and brightness. They were the blue of the Pacific ocean, and as deep.

With a shock, Garrett realized that they were almost the same colouring as Roman’s eyes, except that the shaping was different and Roman had the olive skin of his Greco Roman heritage to go with it.

Was that part of the reason Garrett had given his fealty so easily, last year?

“You should have done something about your eyes while you were changing identities,” Garrett murmured.

Nial’s mouth lifted at the corner. “I wasn’t allowed to.”

Sebastian snorted, and took another spoonful of ice-cream. “Neither was I,” he said around his mouthful.

Garrett suppressed his first reaction. That either of them would let a human dictate how they arrange something as basic, as important, as their current identities, seemed outrageous.

Nial shrugged. “I intend to make it unnecessary for any of us to have to worry about this sort of trivia in the future, Garrett. If my wife wants me to keep my eyes the same, it is a small matter, now. It is not the life or death thing it once was.”

Garrett drew in a deep breath. Then another. “Yes,” he said slowly. “Yes, I keep forgetting.” He felt the tension leave him, and smiled. “Old habits,” he confessed.

Nial nodded. “How did the meeting go?”

“About how I predicted,” Garrett replied. “She’s as defensive as a shield wall. And now she has me pegged as a star-struck sycophant. I don’t think a direct assault is going to work.”

“We don’t have time for anything sneaky,” Nial said flatly. “And you’re supposed to be visible, anyway.”

“Well, I’m certainly that,” Garrett said dryly.

“It’s interesting you should call her a shield wall,” Sebastian said, chasing the last of his ice-cream around the bottom of the tub with his spoon. He licked the spoon and glanced at Garrett. “Constantinople had a shield wall that withstood frontal assault for nearly ten centuries. The only thing that broke the wall, in the end, was the invention of gunpowder. They had to blow the wall up to breach it.”

Garrett could feel his gut tightening, his heart racing. His heart hadn’t squeezed like that for years. He fought hard to keep his face and body still and unrevealing. “Why do you speak of Constantinople?” he demanded. “What do you know?”

Sebastian put down the empty tub, his eyes narrowing. “Is there something I should know?” he asked quietly.

Damn. Garrett gritted his teeth. He had made the mistake with Sebastian that he always did. He had underestimated his intuitive logic. His ability to read even vampires, and leap to correct guesses. Sebastian was young, but far from stupid.

“What do you have to tell us, Garrett?” Nial asked.

Garrett grimaced. “Roman Xerus is with Kate.”

Nial straightened up slowly, and Garrett could see by the inward focus of his gaze that Nial’s mind was racing. “How is he with her?” he asked.

“I don’t know the precise relationship. It’s personal, though.”

Nial’s gaze refocused on Garrett. Then it slid sideways to take in Sebastian, then came back to settle on Garrett again. “That...complicates matters, doesn’t it?” he said mildly.

He knew. Garrett drew in another steadying breath. He had never spoken about Roman to another living or undead soul, but somehow, Nial knew.

“Roman could be with the Pro Libertatis,” Sebastian said.

“You think?” Garrett said dryly.

Sebastian sat back, not at all offended. “Then, if you’ve already thought of that possibility, what is the complication you’re both suddenly obsessing about?”

“Fuck,” Garrett breathed.

Nial just smiled a little. “You walked into that one, Garrett. Better come clean.” He rested his hand on Sebastian’s shoulder — the one with the heavy titanium ring on it. Sebastian wore the same ring on his left hand. “Sebastian, of all people, will understand.”

Sebastian blew out a breath. “Jesus, Garrett. You and Roman? How long ago?”