We invade her territory, Beast thought at me, sleepily. We are Big Cat. She is we sa.
We sa. Little cat, or bobcat. Oh, crap. I am so stupid. I didn't let the expression reach my face, but I suddenly understood what Beast was thinking, and it made total sense in a predator/prey way. Christie had been the biggest, baddest thing around, with her chains and whips and studded collars, until I showed up. And though she had no idea why, now she was not quite so big and bad.
"But you?" I lied. "You scare me spitless."
Christie laughed, a startled bark of sound. The look she sent me was considering, measuring, maybe a hint hopeful. "Yeah?"
"Yeah. I'd love to watch you practice with that whip you carry sometimes." It was Beast's desire, not mine, but why not?
"Christie is amazing," Tia said, nodding, her full lips in a little bow. "She can whip a vamp until he almost bleeds. Only almost. She never breaks the skin. She's talented."
I didn't know how to handle that, but the image made Beast purr. "You each have a gift, you know," I said, trying to find a way to bring up Bliss's witch gift and her unknown parentage, "something special that sets you apart."
"You mean like Christie and her whip?" Tia asked, excited. When I nodded, her eyes widened in her coffee-and-milk-hued face. "What's mine?"
Okay, maybe I could have found a better way to broach the subject, but I was into it now, and I had to answer her. I floundered a moment and finally settled on the truth, even if it might not lead where I wanted it to lead. Slowly, feeling my way, I said, "You are gentle and kind and caring, and so forgiving. And ready to offer your clients not just your body, but your love and your affection. And they notice. They can tell you care."
Tia's hazel green eyes had widened as I spoke, her mouth forming an O of surprised pleasure. "Do you read palms too?" She stuck out her hand, palm up, face eager.
"No." I shook my head. "No palms."
"Do Christie," she said.
I slouched back in my chair and fiddled with the tea mug, taking a sip of the sweet lemony tea, not quite sure how I had gotten myself into this. "Christie . . . is bold and adventurous. And controlled. She has to be to keep from hurting the wounded people who come to her for . . . um . . ." For wild, domination-based, bloody sex? No. " . . . for help to meet their . . . special needs. And she's brave and smart. And I think she's observant and reads people real well." When I stole a glance at Christie, she seemed taken aback, but not displeased. Thoughtful, she bit into a pastry, red jelly squeezing out the end, and she nodded as she chewed.
"Do Najla," Tia said.
I looked at Najla, her skin so black it looked bluish in the dim light. "Najla is harder. She's a survivor. She keeps secrets close to her heart. But if I was looking for a friend, I'd pick her in a heartbeat, because I don't think she'd ever betray me if she finally gave her friendship."
Najla's eyes narrowed as if she were picking through my words for something to pounce on. Finding nothing, she canted her head and stared at me, hard. Tia clapped her hands, excited. "That's Najla. When the rogue vampire attacked Katie that time, she grabbed all the girls upstairs and barricaded the door to her room and broke up a chair and gave out stakes. She was gonna kill it if it got in. Do Bliss! Do Bliss!"
This was my chance in, but I knew I could screw it up big-time if I said the wrong words. I chose a Krispy Kreme donut and bit in. It was cream filled and chocolate iced, my very favorite, and was perfect with the lemon-drop tea. As I chewed and thought, I took in the room. This was the first time I'd been in it since the rogue attacked. The black-wood, antique dining room furniture he'd destroyed had been replaced with more modern pieces of burled pecan wood, with Spanish wrought-iron curlicues on the pedestal legs and chair backs. The walls had been repaired and repainted a warm milk chocolate, and the damaged paintings of Katie that had lined the walls and the heavy draperies had been cleaned and rehung. I swallowed the donut and licked my fingers. Drank my tea. And became aware that the four girls were watching me, silent. And they were never silent.
"Bliss," I said. They leaned in closer. "Bliss has gifts far beyond most people. She can smell things other people can't, hear things they can't. And I bet she can see things other people can't, or see things in a different way from most people."
"Like the old ladies. Remember?" Tia looked at the girls, one hand making a fast circle as if speeding them up. "Three times now. We all saw five old women, but Bliss said they were really younger, and had blue and black sequins all over." Tia shrugged as if to say, "See, like that."