Chapter 19

Nomis sat across from Ralph, at a table laid for two, with candles, and soft music playing in the background. For someone claiming they weren't meant to be in a romantic relationship, Ralph was giving off mixed messages.

"I know you are pretending to be my husband, but surely we don't need to do this when it's just the two of us."

"We need to keep up a pretence." Ralph tapped the ring on Simon's finger. "A wedding ring, to show you have a husband, but it can't just be that."

Simon stared at the ring, he had wondered about it. "So…?"

Ralph poured him a glass of water. "I asked the kitchen to prepare dinner for me and my husband in my rooms, and I asked an orderly for candles, I did both to make sure it looked like we were rekindling our relationship after we had been apart. Or there could be further questions."

Everything raised questions, his life was like an endless riddle at the moment. "I don't understand."

"Before you arrived I made no mention of a husband. I have residents and staff who have been here several years, but all of a sudden my injured partner is brought in and I had to think fast to come up with an explanation. I told those who asked we had married young and through no malice on either side, we were separated although not divorced. Your illness has shown us not to waste the opportunity and we will be working to rebuild our marriage."

Nomis supposed it made sense after a fashion, but it seemed a little contrived. "So do most people think I had an illness… like the virus you said at first?"

"Yes, your medical records are confidential, and it is vital they remain so, and you do not talk about what I told you. The Flints have informants everywhere, they are beyond wealthy and we must keep you safe."

Nomis could understand the need to be careful, but a pragmatic voice in his head reminded him that he knew nothing about Ralph, only what he had told him, and now he was advocating that he didn't tell anyone about who he might be or why he was here. "But how will I find out who I am if I can't talk to anyone?"

"I am making discreet enquiries on your behalf. Now, we should eat."

Ralph stood, went over to a trolley and returned with two plates of unappetising food. Nomis had a sense that what he usually ate was better, and much nicer than this selection of leaves and cold meat, but he couldn't recall any specifics. Nomis prodded a piece of chicken with his fork. "I'm not very hungry."

"You must keep up your strength. But I have forgotten something." He collected a glass bottle from the trolley. "As you are part vampire, you will need blood."

Nomis took hold of the bottle, more questions came to mind. "Don't vampires have fangs? I have a couple of more pointy teeth but nothing that could piece skin."

"Full vampires do, but there are many examples of half-breeds that don't."

He bristled at the term, again he didn't know why but he knew it was not the correct way to address someone like him. Ralph was tucking into his salad, not bothered by its mundanity. Nomis read the label: ‘ English, 28: notes of grass – vegan' . It dawned on him that the details were about the blood donor as otherwise he wasn't sure how blood could be vegan. He took a sniff and the heady aroma made him salivate. He didn't bother with a glass but drank straight from the bottle.

Ralph chuckled. "It appears you do have an appetite. Just not for chicken salad."

"I guess the vampire side of me has particular needs." The blood energised him, his teeth tingled, and he felt the desire to be able to drink from a warm body, yet he was not equipped to do that. But he had an inkling there was a way he could but he couldn't remember. "Are there other vampires here? I should talk to them, to help me reconnect with that side of me."

"Yes, I am not at liberty to say who for now, and if someone wants to tell you then that's up to them. Vampires are feared, not trusted by most people. I would not like to see you ostracised for something you have no control over so we guard some information, such as species, closely. If you want to tell others that's up to you."

"They would not need to fear me, I don't have the fangs to drain someone." He probed one of his pointier teeth with his tongue and maybe it was the blood but it did feel sharper than before.

"I fear most people will not wait to confirm that. I don't want to have to move you from this facility—it is by far the safest place for you."

Before he could answer he felt a residual tingle around the cuffs. Perhaps it was his magic, but if he were to describe it, the sensation was distorted, as if not sitting as naturally as it should. The cuffs were meant to be healing him, but again he had no way of knowing if that was true.

Ralph must have noticed his distraction. "Is everything all right?"

"Yes, I am still enjoying the sensation of the blood. I must have gone without it for a while and the taste has perked me up somewhat."

"That is good news. We should celebrate any positive step. Now, will you try the salad? Your fae side might need other sustenance and we should not overlook it."

He wasn't keen but he would show willing. It was not so bad but his palate found it a little staid and lacking depth of flavour. He couldn't imagine his fae side settling for this, but again he didn't know why he would come to that conclusion. The frustration of his selective memory was getting worse, there were things he knew in general terms but when he tried to apply the thought to his own situation it wouldn't stick.

He put down his fork, over half his meal remaining. "I've had enough of the salad."

Ralph smiled ruefully. "Do you have room for dessert?"

"That depends on what it is."

"Chocolate cake. I managed to persuade the cook to put two slices aside for me. It is a popular treat for the residents and as you can imagine there are seldom leftovers."

"I daresay I could choke it down."

The cake was nothing special, a little on the dry side and Nomis was not impressed. "If this is a treat, how bad are the usual desserts?"

Ralph's fork clattered to his plate. "You sound ungrateful."

Nomis crossed his arms, a bubble of resentment rose through his chest. Why should he be grateful? Who was this Ralph Mettle to tell him what he should feel? Whoever Nomis was, he knew in his bones he was not someone who was easily cowed, he was not meek. He was important.

Important .

Why would he think that, unless it were true…

"You are my doctor. Why should I be grateful if you give me bad cake? I don't think you are telling me everything you know."

Ralph pulled a chain out from underneath his shirt, a blue jewel hung from it. "Time for you to sleep. Maybe you'll be of a better disposition in the morning."

"I'm not tired."

"I think you'll find you are. Sleep."

Nomis was hit by an unfathomable wave of tiredness, he blinked in an attempt to fight it off. He didn't know what Ralph had done but even the concern over this unknown wasn't enough for him to stay awake and with the worry about Ralph's real intentions on the edge of his waking thoughts, he succumbed.