I appealed to Philip. "Tell me the truth. Was all this all a ploy?"

"Not on my part. I believe Kurt had no part, either."

"The boy had no part," Brovik said, not looking up from the figures on the paper. "He genuinely cares for her."

Ethan was furious. "Isn't this all so touching? The fact remains that she's mine and I have no intention of giving her up. She just made me a cool fifty thousand, between my compensation and the painting."

"It's my desire she remain with you," Brovik replied. "I discussed this with her outside."

Philip was perturbed. "Do you even love the girl, Ethan?"

Ethan's face gave no clue as he replied to Philip's question, "Ask Brovik, he knows the answer."

Brovik looked bored. "This work is important to us all. You two will work out your difficulties. Philip and I have business in Rome. I can't stay here and argue over hurt feelings."

"You wreak your havoc and move on, just to get what you want."

"Remember that Ethan and you'll have an easier time of it. I didn't survive a thousand years by worrying about sensibility. I get results anyway I can. We have bigger things to worry about than Mia fancying Kurt."

I trembled from head to foot with anger. "You used me. You're as bad as Gaius!"

Brovik grew horrifyingly still. "I won't have either of you getting in the way of our progress. I don't care if you despise each other. You'll do as you are ordered. Philip, let's go." He abruptly left the room.

Philip kissed my cheek and whispered into my ear. "Courage, little one- the boy is true."

I pulled away from him. "You told me never to trust anyone. I guess you were right."

"Philip, come," Brovik called from the door.

Philip shook his head, taking one last look at us before he left with Brovik. "Ruthven, old chap, we've made a sad mess of things."

Ethan looked as if I were an insect he sc.r.a.ped off of the sole of his shoe. "Here I thought it was Brovik, but all along he was pandering his paramour to you."

"Well, that should work for you. Brovik's bed is a bit crowded. Go on, hit me again, leave bruises. They will fade. I found that out with Dirk."

"You endured that animal because Brovik promised you an opportunity to rut rut with Kurt?" with Kurt?"

"No, to be free of you and all your misery!"

"Misery, madam? I've endured your haranguing for over a decade. Perhaps, I long to be free of you!"

"Go on, throw me out, and lose the best investment you ever made."

Ethan grabbed my throat. "Don't tempt me. I can always make a new and improved version of you. Brovik could care less as long as she does as she's told. What would become of you then? Maybe little Amor would spirit you away, or maybe he'd just let you lie there until the sun rots the flesh from your bones. You are nothing nothing without me. I took you from that wretched theatre and made you a G.o.ddess." without me. I took you from that wretched theatre and made you a G.o.ddess."

"I never asked to be a G.o.ddess. I only wanted you to love me. You should have left me to die. h.e.l.l, couldn't be any worse than this!"

He released me and looked on in grim satisfaction. "Well, well, all grown up at last. Welcome to eternal perdition my dear, with all its empty promises and unending torment. Now you know... "

Mia trailed off into silence. Joe observed her pained expression, and thought it best to call it quits. "That's enough. I still have to go play chess with Kurt."

She nodded, saying nothing more, still and depressed.

"All right?"

"Just missing him."

"I understand. Good night."

"Good night."

He took a last inquiring look, but she didn't move a muscle. What had gotten into her lately?

Joe carried the beautifully carved chess set his father had left him into the other cell. Kurt delighted in the carving of the onyx pieces as Joe unpacked them, turning the slightly transparent stone in his slender fingers. "Exquisite... "

"Been in my family for generations- played a lot when I was a kid."

"My father taught me when I was very young. We played backstage during my concert tours in the early thirties."

Weird. Kurt was older than Joe's father was when he died, yet he looked so young and smooth. That image made Joe uncomfortable. Kurt was older than Joe's father was when he died, yet he looked so young and smooth. That image made Joe uncomfortable.

Kurt chuckled. "Doctor, you needn't be so tense. I only only want a game of chess." want a game of chess."

"Sorry?"

"Set up the board. You move first."

Joe made his first tentative move. Kurt astonished him by beating him in four. They played again and again. Each time Kurt swiftly took him down.

"You're murdering me."

Kurt sat, arms folded across his chest, face relaxed. "Take time to consider your moves."

"You just look where I move and pounce."

"I can see exactly what you're doing. You make it much too easy. See the board in your mind. Antic.i.p.ate my next move. Set up again."

This time Joe was able to hold him off awhile. Kurt was very pleased. "You see- you can do it when you think." Kurt looked over the board before he moved. "You talked with Mia earlier?"

"She's really upset about something."

Kurt slid his bishop forward. "You shouldn't have advanced that knight. Check."

Joe made a defensive move, but Kurt boxed him in. "Checkmate. Mia knows every ploy man has used on woman. To maintain her trust you must be completely honest."

"Do you trust me?"

Kurt's face curved into a smile. "You haven't tried to manipulate me yet."

"You scare the s.h.i.t out of me." scare the s.h.i.t out of me."

Kurt chuckled, looking the most human in aspect Joe had seen. Was it just because usually Kurt sat in near darkness, cast in long shadows, eyes glittering in his pale face like two blue Christmas lights?

Joe finally got an inkling of just what attracted Mia to him. Kurt was calm, logical and even serene in manner.

The vampire sank into the chair opposite, thick lashes drooping over his intense eyes. "You've been very decent to us."

The vampire's close proximity and s.e.xual ambiguity made Joe very uneasy. Joe found himself blushing, not able to meet Kurt's gaze as he packed up the pieces. "It's just the right thing to do. By the way, Lee Brooks is coming at the end of the month. Lydia believes she'll want to speak with you then."

"Without you we have no lifeline between us. The only thing we have to bargain with is information. Can we play again sometime soon?"

"Sure, I'll leave the board here. Goodnight... " Joe hesitated a moment.

Kurt's eyebrows rose slightly. "Doctor?"

"I saw rune symbols while Mia was reading your first letter."

The vampire sighed. "I devised this system of communication just in case we were ever separated." Kurt's troubled gaze met Joe's full on. "One must always antic.i.p.ate the opponent's next move."

Joe understood. They wouldn't sacrifice their most valuable piece until they were a.s.sured of winning. Little Kurt was very shrewd; he had coached Mia all the way.

FOURTEEN.

Joe lay in Jean's bed, tossing and turning. Stress and fatigue had rendered him impotent. He lay empty and aching, staring at the pattern of swirls in the plaster ceiling of the bedroom. Jean was fast asleep beside him, her breathing even. Finally, his swollen eyes grew heavier and heavier, until he couldn't pry them open.

He awoke with a start. A heartbeat echoed in the room, fast like a kid's. A light wind blew through the open window. Seductive musky scent filled the air, the pheromone. He bolted upright, horrified. Mia? Mia? How on earth did she escape and find him here? She appeared at the window, suspended on a current of air, a fallen angel, the moon back-lighting the diaphanous white robe she wore, revealing the lush curves of her body. Dark hair blew away from her face by the warm breeze. He rubbed his eyes in disbelief. It was like some horror flick. Could he really hear music? Chopin maybe, played in a maddening throbbing rhythm. Where was Jean? Why did she leave him in the middle of the night? How on earth did she escape and find him here? She appeared at the window, suspended on a current of air, a fallen angel, the moon back-lighting the diaphanous white robe she wore, revealing the lush curves of her body. Dark hair blew away from her face by the warm breeze. He rubbed his eyes in disbelief. It was like some horror flick. Could he really hear music? Chopin maybe, played in a maddening throbbing rhythm. Where was Jean? Why did she leave him in the middle of the night?

"Youssef, come away..."

She beckoned to him. He rose from the bed, the maddening scent urging him forward. She held out her arms, murmuring words of love. He embraced her and looked down into her eyes to see his own minute image mirrored ad infinitem ad infinitem in the glittering shards. He screamed. in the glittering shards. He screamed.

Someone had him by the shoulder, shaking him. "Joe, wake up, for G.o.d's sake, you're all in a sweat, are you all right?"

His eyes opened on Jean, already dressed for work. s.h.i.t, he should have gone home hours ago. Another lie he'd have to tell Rima. The pounding started up in his head. He gathered Jean to him and clung tightly.

"I had a nightmare."

Her body stiffened. She pulled away. "I'm not sure I want to hear. You called out Mia's name in your sleep. It's not the first time you've done it. I can't take this anymore. I know you'll never leave your wife. I came to grips with that a long time ago, but this project has changed you. I don't know you anymore. Look at you- you're a mess. They're sucking the life out of you, even if they never touched a drop. There's coffee in the kitchen. Just put your key on the table when you go."

"What?"

"Goodbye, Joe, I'm going to work now. I'll see you there."

Later, Joe threw himself down on the chair in his office, head pounding. He glanced at his watch. He had a meeting with Lydia in a few minutes. He'd give himself a shot for the migraine first. His eyes lighted on the drawing of a vampire child Mia had given him. It was exquisitely detailed, if somber.

He reached into the desk and got out the syringe, reeling from all that had transpired. Tearing open the alcohol wipe, he swabbed his arm. Jean was gone. There was nowhere to retreat to now. He stuck the needle into the vial, filling it with the proper dosage, pushing the air out. A drop of clear liquid glistened on the tip. Cursing, he jabbed his arm, welcoming the keen sudden pain, hoping it would bring him to his senses.

He looked at the pictures of his wife and children before him on the desk, tears jabbing his eyes. He lowered his pounding head to the desk, nothing seemed right anymore. For the first time he questioned all that he'd ever done, his place in the world. All of his life he'd worked toward this, some discovery that would bring him world acclaim. Was it all worth it in the end? So what if mankind could live forever? Did they deserve it? So far the track record wasn't great.

He made his weary way to Lydia's office. The shot had taken the edge of the migraine, but it didn't make her insistent grilling any easier.

"This Gaius was Brovik's rival- maybe he's the one who is after them. In any case, these guys are seriously bad... "

Lydia frowned as she doodled on a tablet. "Lee is adding more security inside and outside the building. They're safe down here."

"d.a.m.n it, Lydia! It's never never going to be safe for them. Or us, for that matter." going to be safe for them. Or us, for that matter."

"Did Kurt tell you anything else? About the discs or his computer?"

That was it. He'd had enough. "My job is to study them, not to spy on them!" Joe stood and stalked out, slamming the door behind him.

When Joe reached Mia's cell he found her strangely despondent again, sitting on the bed with her knees hugged up to her chest. "What's wrong?"

"Get us the h.e.l.l out of here."

"Lee Brooks will be here in a week. When she comes, I'll convince her."

She laughed bitterly. "Do the words, when h.e.l.l freezes over, have any meaning for you?"

He stared at her for a long time. She was too still, too deadpan. "Something has been eating the s.h.i.t out of you."

"Last week they went in and took inventory of the female plumbing. I was awake the whole time. They were afraid to use any drugs. The butcher who did it patted me on the f.a.n.n.y afterward, and told me I'd be better in no time. I put a lock on his b.a.l.l.s, and he promptly apologized for the little familiarity- can't seem to behave myself." Suddenly she looked very weary. "They took eggs."

Joe sat next to her. "This is why you're so upset?"

She snarled at him, "If they jerked you off without your permission how would you feel?"

"I see your point."

"What will they do with them?"

"Check for viability and mutation, I suppose."

"They won't try to clone me or something?"

"They can't do that yet, besides cloning humans is an ethical minefield."

"But I'm not human!"

"You're a person. You have rights."