Chapter 11

Ben wiped the blood away and let the body drop to the floor with a dull thud, she was unconscious but not dead, just.

Robin raised an eyebrow. “What’s wrong with you? You’re not usually one to mangle your food.”

“My houseguests are more annoying than the batch of zombie mice we found last winter.”

Robin waved down a waiter and had them drag the woman away before answering. “I didn’t think you’d be so bothered by it. Since when do you care about an outside influence even if it is squatting in your house? Surely all you need to do is wait them out, they won’t find anything incriminating and then they’ll bugger off. Then off you pop to the castle and you take your seat.”

“I hadn’t expected to be treated with such contempt. First he tries some ridiculous story that we’d fucked years ago and I didn’t remember, then he’s been dismissive around anything I’ve tried to suggest, and the final straw was him insulting my intelligence and that I’d not be able to brew the bloody potions I created.”

Robin picked up his brandy and sat back in his chair, crossed his legs and pulled a face Ben had seen directed at many of Robin’s Hollywood clients or hangers-on. He didn’t need to be patronised. “Ben, which of those is really bothering you? If any of them.”

“What’s that meant to mean?”

“You’ve deliberately cultivated an image to come across as a vampire living up to everything that gives you. I didn’t know you before you were turned, but from what you’ve said your persona now is very different. So why would Ashley think you’d be capable of complex potion-brewing?”

“It’s the assumption that stings.”

“But why do you care what he thinks of you? You just want him to do what he has to and get out of your way. Then you can be the Dark Earl and go back to your research and potions in your spare time. Everyone has to have a hobby, it’s just some of us prefer to avoid toad guts to do theirs.”

Ben opened his mouth to answer but was caught short for a response. “I… it’s a matter of respect.”

“As if.” Robin cocked his head to one side. “What’s going on here? Come on, Ben. Spill!”

“What is going on is I have a rude, inconsiderate wand-waver in my home. Pissing me off. He might have pretty eyes and pouty lips, but he can’t swan around and insult people as he deems fit.”

“My word, I never thought I’d see the day.”

Ben frowned. “What are you on about?”

“Pretty eyes and pouty lips. You have a thing for him. And the reason you’re so annoyed is that he’s not interested, and when you’ve tried to show off using something he should be impressed by, he’s knocked you back.”

“No, rubbish. Yes, he’s attractive but if it were just that I’d have just fucked him and be done with it.”

“Uh huh,” Robin said, smirking. “Maybe you should just do that. Or are you after something more long-term?”

This conversation was not going in the direction he had expected. “I’m not the one with the dragon shifter lover on speed dial. If either of us are looking for longevity it’s you.”

Robin’s expression hardened. “Dorian is not my lover, he is merely a convenient repeat offender who has reason to be very grateful to me.”

“Didn’t he send you an egg a couple of months ago?” Ben thought his best defence was attack and turning the tables on Robin could be fun.

“Yes, but he wasn’t looking for it to be fertilized. It was meant to remind me of him.” Robin wrinkled his nose. “I told him it wasn’t appropriate and if he didn’t take it back I’d send it to a friend of mine for potion ingredients.”

“Right. I take it you returned it because, if not, dragon eggs are bloody useful.”

“Ben, I’m not the subject of this conversation. And given my future agreement with the MacLoves, even if I was remotely interested in more with the scaly-tailed beast, then we’d all be disappointed.”

Ben had wondered if Robin had wanted something deeper with Dorian, he had, on occasion when he’d overdone it on an aged blood vintage, got a bit soppy about having someone for himself but, if it were true, then it didn’t seem to be Dorian. The MacLove arranged marriage had been agreed more than seventy years ago and, as far as he knew, no one had made a move to trigger it yet. “Perhaps you could keep him as a regular fling.”

“We’ll see. As you know, Dorian is a great fuck, but he doesn’t tick enough boxes to be more. When it comes to the MacLove issue, if I have my way, then everything will be open to negotiation so I intend to leave the door open for future opportunities.”

Ben wondered if that would be the case. From what Charles had told him, all the houses had been desperate to be the one the Dark Earl of MacLove would choose for his heir, and those types of agreements had the sorts of complications that couldn’t be negotiated away.

Robin tutted. “But that’s not solving your problem. So if you don’t want to fuck Ashley, I don’t understand why you’re bothered.”

“It’s not really Ashley Niven’s fault. I’m annoyed that I brought this all on myself.” He trusted Robin, him and Marchent had been there for him through many things. He would still be taking a chance to confide in him but he felt he needed to speak to someone. “He’s going through things too fast, so I tried to distract him with laying unopenable spell boxes and giving him a copy of one of Evelyn’s books as he’s a keen brewer.”

“Hang on, what do you mean you brought this on yourself? And why are you trying to slow him down? The sooner he’s out the better.”

“You swear this will go no further than between us?”

Robin pursed his lips. “Yes, but what the fuck have you got yourself into?”

“This cannot get back to Charles, understand?”

“I’ve plenty of things I don’t want Claude to find out about, so what in Hades has you all worked up?”

“Charles told me without warning that he wanted to step down as earl, he’d been mentioning it for years but I expected a proper run-in. I’ve things I want to finish, a few potions that need final testing before I can finalise the manuscript for my publisher.”

Robin’s jaw dropped. “You reported yourself to the Invigilators so you can mess about with your potions books!”

Put that way, it made him sound a bit of a numpty. “Yes, it’s supposed to buy me a few months. I didn’t expect the gruesome twosome to turn up and be so efficient.”

“Efficient?”

“Yes, they’re poring over documents faster than we can keep up. I need to slow them down, but ultimately come to the right conclusion.” He leant forwards. “I do want to be the next Dark Earl, I’m not shirking my responsibility just slowing down the onset. Imagine if Claude had insisted you had to be the next Viscount Whetford without allowing you time to deal with your life in LA.”

“Claude wouldn’t do that. My influence in Hollywood is too great an asset to lose without proper planning.”

Robin had a fair point. “But if he were to, you’d try to put him off.”

“Yes, I would. And I’d need more than three months to roll back my activities, and adapt to a different way of influencing society.”

There probably wasn’t a successful actor in Hollywood today who hadn’t had some sort of brush with Robin, some knew who and what he was, and had been drawn to him because of it. Dorian was a case in point, an A-lister in both the paranormal and the human worlds, his fame could be tracked back to Robin.

“I want to have the political clout too, but I don’t want to give up everything for the Council.”

“I don’t think it will be an issue, the Council doesn’t do the work, they just make decisions… you’ll have time to do other things. Does Charles even know about your potion dabbling?”

“Not about the books, I don’t think he’d approve me publishing under a pen name, but then again he’d be happy enough about the money.”

“Then where does he think the money comes from?”

“I have a couple of contracts that I fulfil between me and Alex. As for the books, I’m not making millions from them, but they fund my research so they are something that are truly mine, not the earldom’s.” Ben didn’t know if he could explain it properly. He’d welcomed becoming a Redbourn, and being made the viscount, but his research was a link to his old self. The academic who pored over papers and old books to find hints, he’d always want some sort of outlet of that fashion.

“Okay, so you unleashed a protocol to try to buy you some time and instead managed to get two representatives of the Invigilators in your home. One of which is driving you crazy. I think you need to accept that you buggered this up and get them out as soon as you can.”

Robin might be right, but he didn’t have that option. “I think it’s too late for that. My intent was to slow down the investigation as they hadn’t found anything, because there is nothing to find. After our last clash, I’ve now pissed him off so much he’s going to stay as long as it takes, including to get into a blood-locked spell box.”

“You fucking idiot. That’ll take ages on its own.”

“I know, and he’s convinced the answer’s in there.”

Robin narrowed his eyes. “What is in there?”

“Evelyn Howes’ best seller. Potions of the Gods: A Step-by-Step Guide for Mortals.”

“He’ll be so angry when he gets it open, and he will find a way.” Robin tapped his lip with his fingers. “Could you get Harry to help? I know he’s a vicious little shit but he would be a perfect scapegoat.”

“If I told him what I’ve done he’d be straight to Charles and the next thing I know, I’d be headless with a stake through my heart.”

Robin sipped his brandy. “Harry wouldn’t be given the earldom even if you were removed.”

“True, but I bet he could find a way to influence who Charles would turn in order to be the earl and he’d try to manipulate them, which he can’t do with me. “

Robin wrinkled his nose. “If it were Claude, I’d fess up, but I wouldn’t suggest telling Charles, although maybe it’s an option because if he were to get rid of you it defeats the idea of him retiring.”

“I’d rather not test it. I don’t want him siring someone new.”

“What about Catlin? Wouldn’t she be in the running?”

Technically, but Catlin wasn’t that interested, and was happy enough with the support she gave without having to be beholden to anyone. “She could but she doesn’t want to.”

“You have got yourself into a bit of a pickle. Let’s see if we can create a scapegoat. With our contacts we just need to set up a persona and have someone pose as the one who sent the request.”

“Is that possible?” He was glad he’d confided in Robin, they had helped each other over the years and he should have come to him first.

“I’ve ensured the success and continuation of Hollywood, I can do this. I’ve a list of folk who are waiting to be turned, actors mostly, so they would be able to play the part.”

“I don’t believe there would be any repercussions against them, but best for it not to have sounded too frivolous.”

Robin shrugged. “Who cares if there’s repercussions? But we could kill another bird with the same stone. The accusation could be based on mistaken identity, and we cast some shade on Harry.”

Ben liked that idea. “That would be good. I’ve not forgiven him fully for sending a ghoul after me in the seventies. Little shit.”

“He makes me glad for my sired sisters. They might be over the top sometimes but I’ve never thought them a threat to me.”

“Your sisters are unique and you should be very grateful they are on your side. I’d hate to be on the receiving end of their venom.”

“Indeed.” Robin chuckled. “It appears we have a potential path forward. Don’t change how you’ve been acting until we have the plan in place as you don’t want this getting even more complicated than it is.”

“Aloof it is, and I’ll keep being evasive with the spell box. I can swap out the book with something else later.”

Robin nodded in the direction behind him. “There’s nothing more to be done tonight, so why don’t you take your mind off things. There’s a pretty thing over at the bar who’s been staring in your direction. He’s just your type.”

“O-negative?”

“That’s what you find out after.”

Ben turned to see an exquisite young man at the bar, dressed in a tad too much leather but he’d fulfil a need for the night. Once back at the hall he’d deal with his Niven problem, but for now he’d relax and forget about his troubles at home.