Page 35
“I already promised I wouldn’t,” he reasoned, sitting down like a child on time out.
“Good,” Aerin said, hesitating.
“Fine,” he said, opening a book about nautical navigation.
He’s a grown man. I can leave him alone for a few hours, she thought, walking away. She rubbed her chest; all this tension was giving her heartburn.
Inside The Crow’s Nest, Aerin made it past the cafe’s namesake, crows waiting for the scraps outside the door. With Miranda’s sister being the owner and baker, it made sense that she wanted to meet here during her lunch break.
“Afternoon, Miranda, sorry I’m late,” Aerin said, finding her with her nose in a book as a spoon magically stirred her coffee.
“Never apologize for giving me time to catch up on my reading,” Miranda said, catching her off guard with a hug. They had always been friendly, but recently she felt like they were becoming real friends. Luna, the barista, came over to the table and placed an iced salted caramel latte in front of her.
“I ordered for you, I hope you don’t mind. You tend to have one with you when you drop off your antiques for appraisal, but I don’t mean to assume,” Miranda said.
“This is perfect, thank you,” Aerin said, taking a giant gulp after the morning she’d had.
“The vampire staying with you keeping you busy?” Miranda asked.
Aerin choked on her coffee. “How did you know?” she rasped.
“Sandy and Shelby wanted to leave some posters on the shop window for the festival, and told me all about your vampire boyfriend.” Miranda chuckled.
“Remind me to drown those girls.”
“They love you, really. You know firsthand how cold the sirens can be. I think they like you because you’re different.”
“You can say that again, too different.”
“No such thing.” Miranda winked.
“I take it since you wanted to meet that you’ve found something out about the crest I gave you?” Aerin asked, taking another salty sip.
“Patience, please.” Miranda removed the plaque and the ring from a velvet-lined pouch. Relieved to see his belongings were safe and sound, Aerin zipped her lips and watched Miranda close the leather-bound book she’d been reading, revealing the same crest embossed on the cover. “The dragon wrapped around a sword is the family sigil for an ancient vampiric household of royal lineage, St. Draqial, the name engraved on the ring band. Put another way, very old and very powerful. They’re currently using the name Blackwater. I’ve sent out enquiries, but from what I’ve gathered, they don’t have any nests locally, so I don’t know how the plaque came to find its way into our waters. I sent a few letters to nests in the UK and Ireland, but I’m still waiting for a response.”
“Does the name Gideon make an appearance in your book?” Aerin asked, not wanting to mention the coffin she had found at the bottom of the sea in case she wanted to inspect it. She didn’t want to intrude on Gideon’s privacy any more than they already had.
“So these do belong to the vampire you’re stashing in that big house of yours?” Miranda teased.
“Not you too. I’m not stashing or dating him. I found him at sea, and he’s struggling with his memory, so that’s why I need your help,” Aerin explained.
“Sorry, but you’re always so secretive. It’s nice to have something to gossip about,” Miranda said.
“We can gossip as much as you like, after you tell me if his name popped up.”
“Nothing in the recent histories, for obvious reasons.” Miranda flipped to the end of the book, running her fingers down the tree stencilled on the aged pages. “There’s a vampiric Prince, Gideon Aracus St. Draqial, who was next in line to the English royal vampiric bloodline. He went missing in the 1870s; the exact date isn’t known, and his line ends with him. He does have a brother and a sister, but I’m still waiting for more updated information on them. Gideon is currently believed to be deceased. He has no documented spouse or children, born or bitten. This book is probably long outdated, but it’s all I have so far,” Miranda said, offering her the book on his lineage. “Give this to him. It might help him with his memory.”
“It’s more than I was expecting. Thank you for helping me,” Aerin said, putting the crest back in the pouch. “Could we keep this between us?”
“Not a problem. My lips are sealed, but I do have a rather bold idea,” Miranda started, fidgeting with her saucer.
“What is it? If it will help him find his family, I’m all ears.”
“If your Gideon—” Miranda started.
“He isn’t my Gideon,” Aerin grumbled.
“Right, sorry,” Miranda said. “If Gideon is some lost vampire king, then the plague and the ring would spark a lot of interest at auction. If I list them on the market, it might tip off his family, his clan and help you get answers faster.” Miranda had a point. The auction database for magical artefacts spread worldwide instantly. “On top of getting the vampire out of your house, I’m sure his family would be willing to pay a handsome finder’s fee for bringing home their king.”
