Veronique, and they ran for three blocks through the dirty and crowded London streets.
"Go," Thierry said. "You're safe."
Veronique threw her arms around him and pressed her half-dressed body tightly against his. "You are as remarkable a man as I have heard."
He didn't quite know how to answer that. He didn't feel so remarkable.
She drew his mouth to hers and kissed him, before leaning back and touching her fingers to her lips.
She must recognize me now, he thought.
She smiled wickedly. "A kiss from the devil himself. It is something I could get very used to."
"You must leave."
"I want to know who you are beneath the mask." She slid her elegant hand down his chest. "And I will show you how grateful I am for your rescue."
He leaned closer. "You don't know who I am?"
She looked confused. "No. Please tell me. I want you. I want to be with you. We should be lovers."
He ignored that and pulled her along with him until they were clear of the worst of the seedy neighborhood.
"Good night, Veronique," he said, and turned away from her.
"No, wait! Please! How do you know my name?"
But he was gone and he didn't look back. After he slipped behind the next building he removed his red mask.
"Sir?" an old gnarled woman croaked at him. "A fortune for you? A glimpse at the future?"
"I am not interested in fortunes."
He attempted to brush past her but she grasped his hand in her dry one.
"Ah." A smile fanned dozens of wrinkles out from her faded eyes. "A vampire."
"How… ?" He frowned. "How did you know that?"
"Shh. I will tell you your fortune for free." She stared down into his palm. He watched her cautiously. "I see a very long life, but since you are a vampire I suppose that is to be expected." Her finger traced a line on his skin. "Much danger."
He eyed her warily.
"Ah, and I see romance. A deep and abiding love that shall change your life forever."
He laughed out loud at that. He'd given the old woman the benefit of the doubt after she'd guessed him a vampire, but now she was simply wasting his time. "I have never been in love. And I never will be."
"No," she agreed. "Not now. Not for a very long time. But there will be someone, someday, who shall enter your life and wipe away the cobwebs that have grown over your soul. She shall be the light to your darkness. Despite your many differences, she shall be the one for you and you will fight for her."
"I don't fight for love. It isn't worth it."
She smiled at him and patted his hand. "You will fight. She shall find you when you least expect it, she will see who you truly are behind all the masks you hide behind, and she will change everything for you."
He raised an eyebrow, slightly bemused with the old witch. He reached into his coat pocket and drew out a few coins that he pressed into her hand. "I don't believe in fairy tales, old woman, but thank you for your amusing fortune."
He started to walk away, to disappear into the crowd, into the night.
"You don't have to believe," she called after him. "Perhaps the fairy tales shall believe in you."
Rubbish, he thought. Then he promptly put her words out of his mind, despite the ache in his chest that made him wish he could believe.
The small snow-covered park across the street from the alleyway Haven was located in seemed at first glance to be deserted. But then I saw her. Standing in dead center, with her arms crossed and a less-than-friendly expression on her face. Her bleached-blond hair contrasted with her blood-red winter coat.
She was all alone. I scanned the immediate area. As far as I could see it was only the three of us.
"Sarah," she said sternly. "I thought I said no bodyguards."
"He's not a bodyguard." I shrugged. "George is just here for moral support."
Her smile widened. "I didn't think he looked all that tough."
"Hey," George protested. "You said she was mean and nasty. You didn't say anything about her being rude."
Stacy walked toward us. "Beautiful night, isn't it?"
"Divine. Let's cut the small talk, though."
She studied me for a moment. "You're ready to apologize?"
"Yes."
She smiled. "Then make it a good one."
I took a deep breath and swallowed my ill feelings. Okay. She deserved this. She did.
"Upon reflection of certain days at high school," I began, "I do remember why you might not like me so much."
"Not like you?" she said. "That's a bit of an understatement, isn't it?"
I forced a smile and glanced over at George. He'd lit up another cigarette. "Right. Well, I know that I treated you with disrespect. Everyone can't be flowers and sunshine every day of their lives. There are things like PMS and/or fights with boyfriends, etcetera, that might contribute to someone acting uncharacteristically unpleasant."
"Oh, that was uncharacteristic?"
"It was ten years ago."
"So?"