Temper and Temperature

7:40 p.m.

The older vampire spoke with a French accent, and Ezekiel recalled the centuries-long hostility between their respective countries. The intermittent conflicts between England and France officially ended in 1904 with the Entente Cordiale—“Cordial Agreements.” Ezekiel tried to not let his old biases affect his judgment, but he couldn’t help the grim pleasure he took at the prospect of dispatching a Frenchman.

Ezekiel had held back from reading the unwelcome vampire’s mind. If he was telepathic as well, he might sense if Ezekiel tried to invade his thoughts, and Ezekiel couldn’t risk antagonizing this creature until he determined his opponent’s capabilities. Ezekiel projected a psychic aura around his own mind that would sense if his intended prey tried to read his thoughts. Sure enough, he felt the force of another mind.

Except it wasn’t the older vampire who tried to read him. The pressure came from the woman’s direction, which surprised Ezekiel enough that his concentration broke, allowing her investigative power to flow into him unencumbered.

“Why are you angry?” the woman asked.

Ezekiel blinked in alarm, but he tried to hide his dismay by feigning a smile. “Do I appear angry?” Did she just read his thoughts? If she had, she should know the reason for his anger. If she hadn’t, what was that psychic intrusion he felt?

Her eyes narrowed. “It just feels like …” She shook her head. “Never mind.”

“I am Corin Lacroix,” the Frenchman stated, “and this is my niece, Angela Thorne.”

Ezekiel’s false smile vanished. “Niece? But the Anointed have no ties to mortal kin.”

Corin squared his shoulders. “I’m aware that other vampires forsake their human families, but I would never abandon mine.”

“Is that so?” Ezekiel’s curiosity got the better of him, and he chanced a peek into Corin’s mind, his brow furrowing in concentration. It took him a couple of seconds to glean what he needed—the woman and the older man were indeed family, and from Corin’s viewpoint, Ezekiel was the one who posed a threat to Angela.

Their eyes! Ezekiel now realized their eyes were the same ebony color.

Corin flicked Ezekiel in the shin with his cane, breaking his focus. “I know that look, you impertinent blaireau.”

Ezekiel flinched at the poke but kept his composure. “Blaireau?”

Angela glanced between the two men in confusion. “Did I miss something?”

“Now you listen here,” Corin growled, tapping Ezekiel’s chest with the handle of his cane. “Our minds are not public galleries for you to peruse at your leisure. Never read our thoughts without our consent again. Do I make myself clear?”

“Begging your pardon, but I’m still processing ‘blaireau,’” Ezekiel said. “That means ‘badger,’ does it not?” Ezekiel had learned French during his travels despite his prior—though evidently lingering—bias against the French.

“Um, yes,” Angela confirmed, giving Ezekiel a critical look, “but it’s also a euphemism for ‘idiot.’”

Ezekiel raised an eyebrow at her. “Duly noted.” He reassessed how Corin was holding Angela and now recognized it as a protective gesture, not a predatory one. “Mr. Lacroix, you have my most sincere apology. I misread the situation and thought you wished to harm Ms. Thorne.”

“You thought what?” Angela blurted. “Uncle Corin would never hurt me.”

Ezekiel lamented what a terrible first impression he was making. “I realize that now, Ms. Thorne, but when he claimed to be your uncle, I found it hard to believe. I’ve never heard of an Anointed One preserving relationships with unanointed family members. So I read his mind to be sure he was telling the truth.” Ezekiel again looked at how Corin held his niece, and he was struck by the gravity of what he’d planned to do to the older vampire. “Truly, Mr. Lacroix, I was only thinking of your niece’s welfare.”

Corin scowled at Ezekiel. “Angela, we’re leaving.”

Angela huddled against her uncle. “Yeah, okay.”

“There you are, Edgar,” Prudence called, strolling over to Ezekiel. She smiled at Corin and Angela. “Did you find who you were looking for?”

Ezekiel gave Prudence a sidelong glance, then stepped forward and threw his arm around Corin. “I certainly did. Prudence, allow me to introduce Corin Lacroix, an old acquaintance of mine.”

Corin glared daggers at Ezekiel. “What?”

“And this is his lovely niece, Angela Thorne.” Ezekiel stepped around Corin and placed himself between Angela and her fuming uncle, his hand never leaving Corin’s shoulder. “Corin, Angela, this is Prudence Hughes, my dearest friend.”

“And here I thought I was Edgar’s only friend,” Prudence laughed. She shook hands with Corin and Angela. “Pleasure to meet you both.”

Corin brushed Ezekiel’s hand off his shoulder. “Pleasure.”

“What are you doing?” Angela whispered to Ezekiel.

“Just play along.” Ezekiel adjusted his lapels and gave Angela a wink.

Angela faced Prudence and forced a smile. “Nice to meet you.”

Ezekiel gave Corin a hearty pat on the back. “Corin and Angela came to surprise me. Isn’t that right, Corin?”

“That’s Mr. Lacroix to you,” Corin muttered, earning a confused look from Prudence.

Ezekiel again worked his telepathic magic, this time projecting his own thoughts into Corin’s mind so they could converse in private. Buck up, my friend. Prudence is always worrying over my lack of a social life. You’d be doing me a favor.

I have no interest in doing you any favors, Corin retorted. He eyed Prudence, and Ezekiel sensed he was trying to formulate a polite way to extricate himself from the situation. It seemed that nothing came to him. Fine, I’ll play along if you get out of my head!

Ezekiel patted Corin on the back again. “Prudence, would you be so kind as to keep Angela company? I don’t think she’s seen the rest of the exhibition. Corin and I have so much to catch up on, and I’m sure it would bore Angela to tears listening to us drone on and on.”

“It wouldn’t bo—” Angela started.

“Sure, I’d be happy to keep her company,” Prudence interjected. “Try not to hog Edgar for too long, Mr. Lacroix. There are visitors still waiting for a chance to speak with him.”

“That won’t be a problem,” Corin grumbled.

Prudence tilted her head at Corin. “Is something wrong? You seem irritated.”

“Uh, no,” Corin replied with an apprehensive smile. “I’m just distracted. I’ve been dealing with a pest problem.”

Ezekiel leaned in closer to Angela while Corin chatted with Prudence. “I hope I wasn’t too presumptuous in assigning you to be Prudence’s distraction,” he whispered. “I wish to make amends with your uncle, and Prudence doesn’t know about people like us. She’s a lovely woman, and I think you’ll get along swimmingly.”

Angela nodded. “You’re not angry anymore.”

“I would love to know how you divined my true feelings a moment ago. I could sense you reading me. And yes, I was angry.”

“You really thought Uncle Corin wanted to hurt me?”

“Not just you. I thought your uncle was a threat to all my guests.” Ezekiel bowed his head in penitence. “I am sorry for jumping to that conclusion.”

Angela regarded the other visitors. “So you wanted to protect everyone.”

“Oh, there’s one other exterminator you might call,” Prudence said. She had been suggesting possible remedies for Corin’s pest problem.

“Thank you,” Corin cut in, “but I have my own methods for dealing with vermin.” He glanced at Ezekiel.

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