(10) Two vampires, a ghoul and a shifter.

Linden knew Piers well enough to know that he sometimes got very morose for the first couple of nights after Roderick took off for parts unknown. So early the next evening, after waking him, Linden asked, "How are you feeling?"

"I miss him already but I'll be fine. We just have to find something exciting to do."

Linden cocked an eyebrow and grinned, even though he knew that what he was thinking wasn't what Piers had in mind at all. They'd had a very brief affair thirty years ago, after hooking up at a club. Then, during a moment of intense lovemaking, Linden had bitten Piers and tasted his blood.

The effect had been electrifying, like the strongest drug imaginable. Totally unprepared for that, but wanting more, he'd tried to bite him again the next time they'd made love. Piers had stopped him and then, after what seemed like hours to Linden, although he knew it had only been minutes, Piers slowly, haltingly explained what had happened. By the time he'd finished Linden was both horrified, and yet fascinated by the idea of becoming Piers ghoul.

It took a week, and many long talks with Piers, before Linden decided that was what he wanted. The only down side to their new relationship was that Piers had ended their sexual relationship, never explaining why. All he said was, "I just have to." However, Linden never gave up hope that someday that would change.

Now, Piers rolled his eyes as he sat up in bed. "You want that, go bag Helmut," he suggested with a wink.

Linden shuddered. "That man scared me," he admitted. "One meeting was more than enough."

"And probably all that you'll get, at least in his human form. The shifters are very stand-offish, to say the least." Pulling on his robe, he got up, heading to the bathroom. "Did you eat dinner already?" he asked over his shoulder.

"Oh yes. Too much of it to be honest. Mrs. Pope is a fantastic cook. I'm going to gain a ton while we're here."

"Well, tonight you'll lose some of it because we're going hiking. I want to show you a special place, now that Rod's not around."

Before Linden could ask what it was, the bathroom door closed.

"Why do I have a feeling it might be somewhere we're not supposed to go," he muttered to himself. "Because I know Piers," he answered himself with a chuckle.

Guardian Angels – Ambivalent - 7

Mr. Jones was in his office. He greeted Paddy enthusiastically, especially after finding out Paddy wanted to be a volunteer. There were forms to be filled out, which Paddy did while saying, "I hope the fact I'm new here and haven't held my present job very long won't be a problem."

Mr. Jones looked at the finished form, saying with a bit of surprise, "You're a private investigator?"

"Yes." And I'd better let Vic know I'm working for him, in case they check.

Paddy noticed Mike looked warily at him with that revelation. He knew why, and he planned on using that fact as soon as they left Mr. Jones office.

Mike beat him to it. The moment they were back in the hallway Mike rounded on him. "Okay, why are you really here?" he asked tautly.

Paddy feigned surprise. "To volunteer."

"I don't believe you."

"Hold on a minute," Paddy said, following Mike as he walked swiftly away. "Why not?"

Instead of answering the question, Mike asked, "Do you work for Mr. Keefe?"

"Who? Never heard of him. I work for Vic Kingston. If you don't believe me, call him."

Mike took out his phone. "What's the… Never mind, I'll find it on my own so I know this isn't a set-up." He obviously didn't find what he wanted when he asked Paddy, "What's the name of his firm?"

"Case Closed Investigations."

"You're kidding."

"Nope."

Mike found the number and made the call. Paddy kept his fingers crossed that Vic would back him up, or better yet that he wouldn't answer. It was, after all, late evening so he shouldn't even be in his office.

Apparently either Vic was still there, or he had calls forwarded to his cell phone because he did answer. The first thing Mike asked was, "Have you hired a new employee in the last few days?" Obviously Vic asked why he wanted to know because Mike said, "I'm standing here with a man who says he works for you."

Paddy held his breath. Please say it's me, Vic.

"Yes," Mike nodded. "Paddy O'Brian. That's what he said when he introduced himself to my boss. Thank you."

Mike turned his phone off, pocketing it. "Looks like you were telling the truth. I'm sorry I doubted you but, well…"

Paddy nodded. "It's okay. Let me ask something. This Keefe guy you mentioned? Did he give you trouble or some such that you were worried I might be working for him?"

"Not trouble so much as…" Mike glanced around. "Can we go somewhere else to talk, if you're willing?"

"Sure. Where?"

"There's a restaurant a couple of blocks from here." Mike smiled slightly. "Of course by the time we get there we'll look like a couple of drowned rats unless you've got a car."

"Not yet. That's one of the things on my agenda, now that I have a job, so I guess we weather the storm." 

"If we go out the side door we'll be half a block closer," Mike told him, walking in that direction. When they got there and he opened the door, he said, "I guess someone's looking out for us. It's only drizzling right now."

Paddy glanced skyward. Thanks. Chuckling, he said, "Then let's move it before it changes its mind."

(9) Two vampires, a ghoul and a shifter.

Roderick departed the following evening, with the firm admonishment that the 'boys' were to behave and not give the servants gray hairs. Before he left however, he took them out to the East Lodge to introduce them to the vampires that guarded the estate. Both young men were suitably impressed when they realized they were all Old, although none came close to Roderick's four thousand plus years.

"You really don't want anyone getting onto the property at night, but what about during the day? Who guards it then?"

"You'll meet them soon," Roderick replied as they watched the guardians head out on patrol.

Ten minutes later Piers heard the soft patter of footsteps and then the door swung open. Four huge wolves came into view.

"Shit," Linden said, moving quickly behind Roderick.

There was a low, rumbling chuckle and someone told him, "We only bite the enemy."

When he peeked around Roderick, he saw four tall, muscular men standing where the wolves had been moments ago. "Shifters," he whispered as he stared in awe and admiration.

"At your service," the one who had spoken replied with a slight bow.

"Promise?" Linden asked, recovering now to his usual flippant self.

The shifter looked him over with a knowing grin. "Perhaps. But for now we need to report in and get dressed."

Linden couldn't seem to take his eyes off the shifter as he said, "Hell, don't do that on my account."

"Excuse my young friend," Roderick told the shifter. "We're still in the process of housebreaking him."

The shifter snorted a laugh, holding out his hand. "I'm Helmut, and I would be happy to take over your training."

Linden backed up rapidly, waving his hands in front of him. "Umm, thanks but no thanks. I umm, belong to him." He pointed to Piers, praying he'd agree and not make a joke of it.

Piers stepped up beside Linden, wrapping an arm around his shoulder. "He's mine, and—" he grinned, "—actually very well trained, Roderick to the contrary."

"My loss," Helmut said with a smile before he and his companions headed upstairs.

"Oh my god he's gorgeous," Linden murmured.

"And apparently available," Piers patted his shoulder. "So if at some point you get bored…"

"Enough of that for now," Roderick said, nodding to the door. "It's time for me to leave." He sighed softly when Piers looked at him like a puppy that was being deserted. "I'll be back soon enough, if only for a night or two," he told him, drawing him into a tight hug. "So—behave."

"I will," Piers replied softly. "I promise."

(8) Two vampires, a ghoul and a shifter.

Two days later Linden knew where the kitchen was, as well as most of the other important rooms in the manor house. While Piers slept, the cute kitchen maid had spent a few hours each day giving Linden the grand tour. As Piers had predicted she flirted outrageously until Linden finally told her that women were not his thing. She'd pouted but accepted that with reasonably good grace.

In the evenings, Piers gave him the grand tour of the rest of the estate, which was not a small undertaking. Roderick joined them the second night, relating some of the history of the estate, which had been in existence since the early 1500s.

"I took it over when I ostensibly wed the duke's only daughter in, humm, 1549 I believe."

"Did she know—what you were?" Linden asked.

"She knew everything about me, yes. She was a charming female, but totally uninterested in males, so her father was ecstatic when she accepted my proposal of marriage. As his only child she inherited the estate and at her death it passed to me."

"Is it presumptive to think that the 'you' we know today is the supposed descendant of the 'you' who originally inherited the estate?" Linden asked, chuckling.

"Not in the least. My various manifestations have all had reputations as roués. It's quite amazing how many of them died in foreign countries, only to have their bastard sons appear soon after to claim their inheritance."

"Funny, that," Linden commented with a laugh.

"I've learned though time that doing that sometimes raises eyebrows. So now I'm the very reclusive owner, rarely seen except in passing. People are a bit smarter these days, what with the preponderance of books, movies and television shows about our kind. They believe in vampires even as they call us myth or fairytales. Something it would behoove you both to remember."

"For when we go out on the town?" Piers asked innocently.

"Not happening, Piers. I was very serious when I told you that the boundaries of the estate are also your boundaries."

"Yes, oh great and wise Master," Piers grumbled, earning him a frown from Roderick and a smirk from Linden.

(7) Two vampires, a ghoul and a shifter.

"Holy smoke," Linden exclaimed as he looked around the bedroom that had been assigned to him.

Piers grinned. "It is a bit much, isn't it? They're all like this. Roderick spares no expense. Wait until you see the rest of the mansion."

"Roderick has some pretty impressive places, but—whew. This room alone could house a small family back in the day."

A huge four-poster bed stood against one wall with a matching dressers on either side. A bay window overlooked the grounds of the estate at one end of the room, a plush sofa sitting within its confines. There were chairs to go with the sofa, placed at the foot of the bed with a small table between them. The fourth wall held a large fireplace and the door to, as Linden soon discovered, a bathroom with all the mod cons.

"I've died and gone to heaven."

"God you're easy to please."

"Piers, come on, I know you're used to such luxury now, but I grew up like a regular teen. The closest I ever came to seeing a place like this was at the movies. Well," he admitted, "and that one house of Roderick's in Atlanta, but it's tiny compared to this."

"Tell you what, I'll find someone to show you around while I'm sleeping. And that," he glanced at the window, seeing the first rays of the false dawn beyond the trees, "will be soon. Come on, I know just the tour guide for you. Of course you'll have to wait until she finishes helping Mrs. Pope."

"She?"

"Yes," Piers said with a grin. "Very cute, very flirty, I'm sure you'll have fun fending her off."

"Piers, you're evil."

"Vampire here, of course I am." Piers wrapped an arm around Linden's shoulders. "But a nice evil you have to admit."

"Except when you pull something like this. Okay, lead the way. I'm not certain I could find the kitchen on my own just yet."