Ben’s face fell a little before being replaced by a determined expression. “Because you’re going to leave again?”
Giovanni frowned and felt Beatrice squeeze his arm.
“It’s okay,” Ben said. “I get it. I know Lorenzo’s still out there. And you haven’t found B’s dad yet.”
Beatrice said, “We don’t want to leave you again, Ben.”
“But you have to.”
The boy met his eyes and Giovanni was both relieved and saddened by the understanding he saw there. If he could, Giovanni would wipe away the sad memories that colored the young man’s childhood, but he knew it wouldn’t be fair. Just as his own childhood had shaped him, so would Ben’s. He only hoped he and Beatrice could make life a little easier in the end.
“So,” Ben sighed and seemed to rally himself. “What are we gonna do? Am I gonna stay with Caspar and Isadora here? If we do that, can I get a basketball hoop before you go?”
He smiled at the boy and nodded. “Yes, Benjamin. I will make sure you have a basketball hoop.”
“Who’s getting a basketball hoop?” Caspar asked as he entered the library.
“Ben is. That way, when he stays here while we are traveling, he will not be deprived of his greatest love. The girls, however, he’ll have to see to himself,” he said as Ben did a small victory wiggle in the chair.
“Ben’s staying here?” Isadora came in behind Caspar. “But when will you leave for Asia, Beatrice?”
“We don’t know, Grandma. We’ll stay as long as we can, but we want to make sure you and Caspar and Ben are safe in case we need to leave quickly.”
“We’re still waiting for word from Tenzin. She should be able to smooth channels for us,” Giovanni said quietly. “As for security-”
“Caspar,” Isadora said. She gave him a look before linking her hand with her new husband’s. Caspar smiled down at her and nodded before he turned to Giovanni and Beatrice.
“Isadora and I have been talking about this. As much as we love this house, we feel like we need to move to Los Angeles with the rest of the family.”
Giovanni blinked when Caspar said, “family.” He looked from Ben’s sleepy face to Isadora’s warm smile. His eyes paused on Caspar for a long moment before he looked back to Beatrice, who was watching him with loving eyes. His arm tightened around her, and he felt his heart thump twice. Giovanni suddenly realized it was exactly what they were. For the first time in over five hundred years, he had a family.
A fierce wave of protectiveness swept over him, and Beatrice ran her hand over his jaw, soothing him as the heat rose to the surface.
“Yes,” he said hoarsely, “the family should stay together.”
“And if everyone’s in L.A., Matt can keep an eye on things if we have to leave,” Beatrice said quietly.
“Don’t forget Ernesto,” Giovanni added. “I’m sure he would be as pleased to meet your grandmother as he was to meet you,
“Are you kidding?” she snorted. “Grandma’s way more charming than me. Ernesto will love her.”
Caspar only nodded. “So, that’s settled then. Who wants a drink?”
Isadora chuckled and began a rapid-fire conversation with Beatrice in Spanish about the Alvarez clan while Caspar moved to the sideboard to pour drinks.
“So everyone’s moving to L.A. after all?” Ben piped up. “Sweet!”
A strange peace settled over him as he began to plan, strategizing to ensure the well-being of the four people who had become, quite unexpectedly, more important than anything else in the world.
He and Beatrice would go to China in search of her father and the manuscript, but Lorenzo was still a threat. Luckily, with the help of his contacts in Los Angeles, he would be able to ensure the best protection for Caspar, Isadora and Benjamin.
Beatrice would go with him, adding her keen intellect to his own as they worked toward solving the puzzle of Stephen De Novo, the missing manuscript, and what his son was trying to accomplish by taking them both.
Giovanni heard the phone in the back of the library start to ring. He frowned at Caspar, who went to answer it.
“Hello? Tenzin, my dear!” Caspar paused as Beatrice’s eyes swung toward his. They both rose from the couch and walked to the phone.
“They’re right here…yes, here you are.”
Giovanni picked up the phone, holding it away from his ear so Tenzin’s voice did not deafen him.
“Gio!” he heard her clearly. “Is B there?”
“Yes, did you get our e-mail?”
“E-mail? I never check that stuff.”
Giovanni frowned at Beatrice, who only shrugged.
“Gio?”
“Still here, bird girl.” Everyone was looking toward the back of the room as he spoke.
“Can you tell me why I’m getting a summons from my sire to meet him at Mount Penglai?”
Giovanni’s heart sank. It was happening much faster than he’d anticipated. He looked at Caspar and Isadora, then at Ben’s wide eyes from across the room. Finally, he looked to Beatrice, who reached out to grasp his hand. He took a deep breath.
“We’ll meet you there.”
Epilogue
Dear Mariposa,
I had to say goodbye to you tonight. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. Harder than controlling the bloodlust that still ambushes me from time to time. Harder than escaping the madman who killed me. Harder than ignoring my mother’s pleas to stay.
I doubt you’ll ever read this, but I feel stupid writing “Dear Diary” when I’m an immortal bloodsucking predator, so I’ll address it to you. On the off chance you do read this, then you know what I’ve become.
I thought I could be part of your life, at least for a little while, but the first time you saw me, I was reminded of what a monster I am now. I tried to erase the memory from you and try again, but it was no use. Hopefully, you remember me the way I was.
I want you to remember the good things.
I am going away now. Whatever happens to me, I just hope I haven’t made you a target. That’s the other reason I’m leaving. I couldn’t stand if you got pulled into this. I want you to have a good life. I want you to grow up strong and smart. I know Grandma and Grandpa will do their best. They’re amazing. I want you to find someone to love, who loves you back. I want you to live a full life and have a big family, with lots of people who love you and challenge you and bring you as much joy as you brought me just by being your dad.
I may live a thousand years. Hopefully, I’ll do something good with that time. Whatever purpose God has in all this, I hope I find it. But no matter what else I do in the endless time that’s been given to me, you will always be my greatest accomplishment.
I love you so much,
Dad
Dear Beatrice,
I finally met a vampire tonight who wasn’t out to get me. Funny, right? I’m sure I’ve met others, but this was the first one I found that gave me hope I might not have to be a lowly, manipulative bastard who only uses humans for the rest of my existence. I was doing some research at Trinity last night, and on the way back to my hotel, I
