"So why not take a swim."

Like most patients in rehab, Mike felt trapped as if he had nowhere to go, no options, nothing. "I don't want to swim and I can't stop drugging."

Ilida pulled out an ordinary aluminum can and Mike stared at the can and hunched his narrow shoulders. She knew he was focused on his need to score; that he didn't notice anything around him. The can had been on her desk in her office for days.

"So? It's a Red Bull can."

She turned the can around for him.

"I? I can?"

"Yeah, you can do this. One minute at a time, one hour at a time and one day at a time. What are the alternatives if you don't?"

"It's hard, Ilida."

"I see that and I'm here for you. It's going to be hard, Mike. You might fall off the wagon, but we're going to come up with an activity you like doing that will distract you."

Mike jumped into the water and swam seven laps. From the smile on his face after getting out of the water, she could tell he liked it. It was progress. Mike had the unfortunate label of aggressive patient. That was two months ago and four near misses of his fist later.

As he toweled off, Ilida considered her next move to help Mike. He had so many options all he needed was to feel free to try them out. "Hey, Mike how about cooking?"

He hunched his shoulders. "I don't know. My mom and I used to..."

He shielded his eyes away from her, his shoulders jerked. Her heart went out to him. She didn't lose her mother. Her mother left to begin a singing career but it hurt all the same. Mike's mother died in an automobile accident, which turned his life upside down. Drugs and alcohol became his lifeline. Loss was loss.

"I know, Mike. From our first session together, you told me you liked baking. What if you joined the cooking group at Tilly's?"

"I'm physical."

"Like? Karate, Jujitsu."

"I always wanted to take Akido."

"I take self defense cla.s.ses every Thursday at the Y. Let me see if I can wrangle s.p.a.ce for you in the Akido cla.s.s. "Forget it. I get into fights a lot. You know. Know one trusts me."

"I can talk to the Director. We'll work out something."

"I don't know."

"Look, it's up to you. When you're ready, let me know."

It would be good for him. A way to relieve his stress and anger. She'd work on him, as always. "Try it out. I think your mom would be proud."

After dropping Mike off, Ilida decided to stay at the Center. It was early Friday morning and driving back to Brooklyn would have been useless. She curled up on the leather couch in the office.

Ilida pulled the covered elastic band off her tight curls, covered herself with her quilted coat, and closed her eyes. All she needed was fifteen minutes of sleep.

I watched the last section of the Tyrian Guard Headquarters go up brick by brick. I paid the men well to work twenty fours a day and not to ask questions about what was being built. Nothing could keep my thoughts from wandering to Ilida.

I gave up and cued into Ilida's thoughts. Images of our limbs sweaty and entwined on her living room floor appeared. As if on cue, I tasted salty fluid on my tongue.

Navy blue sky gave way to swirls of yellows and baby blues. It wouldn't do me well to be outside after 8:00 a.m., but since when did I ever do what was right for me? That included smoking. With a mental command, heat gathered around the end of the cigarette. Flame sparked and I took my first puff. I promised this would be my last cigarette for the week. Funny, I could burn from the sun's rays but lighting a cigarette... Bog standard! Blessed with immunity to sun when on Santorini Island, but when I left the immunity faded. I couldn't complain. Now I can brandish fire.

I puffed my cheeks blowing smoke rings in the cool air.

"Another thing that surprises me about you."

"I didn't sense your presence, Alec."

"You weren't supposed too, little brother. What If I were Hermes? Or some other villain wanting to get rid of you."

I'm wrapped up in Ilida. Another lecture or grilling I wasn't in the mood for. "Are you here to watch the progress or annoy me?"

"Both."

"About what, Alec?"

The wind swept the hem of Alec's long coat. He could get the dramatic right. He leaned one arm on the oak tree. "Smoking is a disgusting habit."

I adopted the same posture and smirked, "It won't kill me."

"I'm worried about you."

That made two of us. "Nothing for you to worry about."

Total silence, but I knew Alec had more to say. He was measuring my temperament, evaluating everything about me the way most vampires check one another. I took another drag. The noise of the construction continued.

"The woman at Juliana's funeral."

Ah! Now we get to the real issue. I crossed my arms. She's dangerous to my heart. "Does none of your business mean anything to you anymore?" Talking with Alec was like wiping an open wound with sandpaper.

"You smell like s.e.x."

"I should hope so."

"What happened to Brittany?" Alec pressed.

"We broke up."

Alec smiled but the light didn't meet his eyes. My brother could be creepy at times. Since when did being Radu Wulf's sons guarantee lightheartedness.

"You moved on quickly."

"We had an open relationship." I didn't want to date a drug addict.

"Your new woman is human," Alec said.

"And telepath, no less."

"Be careful, Daedalus. Wait?" He stopped then whirled around. "Who Am I talking with? Don't let her find out about us."

I pulled the cigarette out of my mouth and pressed the b.u.t.t on the inside of my palm. I wrinkled my nose at the acrid smell of my flesh burning. The searing pain of my flesh burning hardly fazed me. Calmed and myself again, I stood toe to toe with Alec. "And what if I tell her everything?"

"Either you change her or..."

"Are you threatening me?"

"What if I am?"

"King means control freak for you." I took out another cigarette and lit it. Both of his eyebrows lifted. "When you see me you think you see a whimpering sap."

"You don't know who she is."

"I know exactly who she is. I've glimpsed inside her soul." As I took her mercifully. I'm a certified piece of s.h.i.t.

I caught Alec's cool, knowing stare. He wasn't bothering to hide his perusal of my thoughts.

Evenly I said to him, "Don't give me a reason to forget you're the King of Vampires."

"So you do care about her?"

"I've dated human women in the past. What is so special about this one that you have to warn me?"

"I watched the two of you standing under your umbrella after the funeral. You seemed...involved."

"That night, when we were preparing to find Juliana, Ilida's thoughts called out to me."

"How? You're one of the strongest psychics I know. How did she break through your defenses?"

"She's a stronger telepath than I. Maybe stronger than you."

"You don't think this was a trap?"

"For some cosmic reason my thoughts broke through her mental defenses. Ilida suffers from psychic leaks now-for a long time probably. We haven't been able to shake each other since."

"Sounds like you have a psychic connection to her."

It wasn't a question. Alec knew well the torture of psychically linking to someone. Except, Alec wanted it and has it with Tania. I didn't want this link with Ilida, ever.

"She should be watched," Alec demanded.

"For what? She's harmless."

"Your judgment is clouded."

"My judgment is never clouded. You know that."

"s.e.x and clear thinking never mix," Alec said.

I smiled wryly at him, "I'm inclined to disagree. I've always been able to think clearly after a good f.u.c.k."

"Too much information," Tania said as her cheeks darkened. She walked to Alec and wrapped her arm around his waist.

At times, I envy Alec. He's so happy and I'm not. There is something wrong with my picture.

"I think she's so sweet," Tania said.

"Where one is the other isn't too far behind."

"You're taking this too lightly."

"Ease up, Alec. I'm not the little brother you pretend to think I am."

"Either change her or..."

"I don't give two s.h.i.ts that you're the King of Vampires, Alec. Threaten someone I care about again and I'll shove my foot so far up your a.s.s..."

"Whoa! What is with you two? She's just a woman."

"There really is only one way to find out isn't there?"

Before I could probe Alec, my cell phone rang. "Daedalus! It was Weesal calling with the information I asked for. "Well?"

"I know where the Jacquerie is nesting."

"Meet me at the Swollen t.i.t in two hours."

"I... risked my considerable a.s.s for you." His voice high and cracking. "Would you um, um up the price?

They didn't call him the Weesal for nothing. "You get what we agreed on." I flipped the phone closed, placed it in my pocket.

"Who was that?"

"My source," I said smiling to myself.

"You found the Jacquerie's hide out?" Tania asked, hopeful. Her smile lit up her face.

"I'm going to the Swollen t.i.t to get the info."

"The Swollen t.i.t? Oh that's so gross, Daedalus," Tania said.

"I'm going with you," Alec said.