fangednconfused (fangednconfused) wrote in birthrightrpg, @ 2020-10-08 16:55:00 |
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Entry tags: | brianna winters, derek mitchell, radek jeppersen |
Dinner and Daggers
Who: Radek/Derek/Brianna
What: Dinner and discussion
Where: Brasserie Le Breeze
When: Present
Ratings/Warnings: Low, references to past violence and injury
Radek had been concerned when he hadn’t heard from Derek after the blade had been removed. The liquid that had been delivered was beyond this realm, and he couldn’t begin to imagine what it was capable of doing to the young vampire. Needless to say when he’d heard the rather ebullient answer to the call Radek made it was more than a little surprising. He had been nervous that his patient had succumbed to whatever it was the knife had delivered.
Amongst the apologies offered when Radek expressed his surprise, Derek had again offered to help Radek in any way he could, no matter what it was, and Radek thought for a moment before asking Derek to join him for dinner at le Breeze.
“Perhaps there is something you can help me with,” he’d told Derek. When he’d called Brianna to book his table the young manageress had as usual enquired about the preferred menu, and Radek had chuckled. “I’m not sure, to be honest,” he’d told her, musing himself to the answer of that question. “We will have to just choose on the night.”
As he sat at the table Brianna approached and greeted her friend. “And I guess I shouldn’t tell you that Chef has featured the ‘Tomahawk’ on the menu this evening, as that would be just cruel, wouldn’t it?” she teased. Radek groaned and nodded. “Well, tell him to save me one for tomorrow evening, and I will come back!” he told her, confirming the time so the steak could be prepared.
Derek entered the Brasserie, taking in the combination of smells, music, and conversation as he strolled up to the host’s stand as usual. He had agreed to meet with Radek and was glad that he could uphold his offer to assist the doctor with a future task. The vampire had dressed up a little, switching up his standard casual fare.
He took out his phone to text Radek that he had arrived at the establishment. Derek also sent a text to Penny letting her know where he was, since she had been worried lately about his whereabouts.
Radek’s phone vibrated on the table and he looked down at the screen, then across at the entrance. “Ah, Derek is here,” he said as Brianna also spotted the familiar height and face of the young vampire.
“Derek is your guest tonight?” she said, looking back at Radek.
“Yes, you know him?” the immortal asked, his eyebrows lifting as he looked up at Brianna.
“I do,” she smiled, “let me bring him through,” she said, and made her way out to the foyer. “Derek, how lovely to see you again!” she said to him as she reached him. “I believe you’re here to meet with Radek?”
His face lit up when he spotted Brianna walking toward him. “Hey,” he answered. “I was kind of hoping you would be working tonight.” Derek slid his phone back into his pocket and sidled up to her.
“Yeah, I’m meeting Radek. I’m guessing he got here before me.” The vampire offered a chagrined smile. “I was running kinda late.” He swept his gaze around the brasserie, taking in the sights that were now becoming quite familiar. Derek wondered if the doctor would object to her popping in for a chat, after they had discussed the dagger business.
“Never mind, he’s through here, at his usual table,” she told Derek, indicating for him to follow her through where Radek was seated. “So I'm guessing you're not needing any patching up from Radek tonight?” she teased as they made their way inside.
“Nope,” he replied easily, his smile turning relaxed as they walked in step next to each other. “All my trauma is on the inside, where it should be.” Derek raised a hand in greeting when he spotted Radek.
Brianna hid her surprise with ease at the admission from Derek, eyes darting up to his face for a brief moment as they approached the immortal's table. Radek stood, holding his hand out to greet his guest, doing a far poorer job of disguising his surprise at the appearance of the young vampire.
"Derek, thank you for joining me, it's good to see you, especially looking so well. You're looking decidedly better than even I expected." Radek stated as he ran his eyes over the vampire's face and hands.
The vampire grinned as he shook the doctor’s hand. “Thanks,” he replied, taking a seat after the greetings were exchanged. “I know, I looked like hot garbage before.” Derek glanced up at Brianna.
“That isn’t an exaggeration,” he told her.
Radek chuckled as he returned to his seat, and gave Brianna a nod. "That is probably accurate description of how Derek has presented the last few times we have met," he concurred.
"Well I consider myself fortunate that on the occasions he has visited le Breeze he has been most definitely presentable, even more so this evening," she returned, giving Derek a wink.
Derek was lucky that vampires didn’t blush. “Thanks,” he murmured to Brianna, his smile wideninging subtly. “And for hosting this meeting for us.”
He pulled a menu toward him and flipped it open so his hands would have something to do. “Something coming from that kitchen smells amazing,” Derek remarked.
“Always!” Brianna replied with a laugh. “So I shall send you gentlemen your drinks while you check what you would like to order,” she told them and departed, giving the nearest waiter the drinks order before stopping at another table to greet the diners there.
Radek turned from watching her go and looked at Derek. “You really do look amazingly well, given your condition last time I saw you. Vampiric constitutions have healing abilities of which I’m not aware?” he asked, curious as to how Derek’s constitution had dealt with the mysterious liquid that had been inside the dagger.
“Um, no, not quite.” Derek launched into an explanation of the spell that Celeste had performed, without mentioning her name directly. He didn’t know if she wanted her magical activities known, and didn’t want to assume. “I think the vampire healing helped the physical wound, though,” he added.
Fingers tapped briefly against the table as he debated how much else to tell Radek, but he also felt like he owed the doctor. “I ended up killing the vampire who stabbed me. The one who made me, Veronica.”
Radek sat back in his chair, taking in the story about Derek being healed by magic. It had him think of a young woman who'd been more interested in a 'quick fix' solution and wondered briefly how she was doing. "This magic only treated the poison?" he asked, "because that poison, it is not any substance familiar to me. It is very unusual." He paused as he leaned forward, lowering his voice before adding, "It is not something any human could concoct without special help. Did you find out where she found the dagger she used to stab you?"
“I think so. It seemed like a pretty complex spell. If it hadn’t been for her, I wouldn’t have been able to heal and fight this particular vampire. In a way, she helped save a lot of people, too.” Derek sat back in the chair, sweeping his gaze around the quaint eatery.
“It came from someone named Elfleda. I would say the most direct way would be to go to the source, if that’s what you really wanted,” the vampire admitted quietly.
Elfleda. There was that name again, the one mentioned at the diner, that he had asked James about and been told nothing but she was dangerous. Perhaps he should ask James again,and find out how dangerous. If his centuries of living had taught him anything it was that knowledge was indeed more powerful than ignorance and dashing around without it usually led to dire consequences. His nature had always been to research and investigate and learn, and he wasn't about to go seeking the source of something that supplied that dagger without knowing a whole lot more first.
"I think a more prudent step would be to learn more about the dagger from the weapon itself," he suggested, "but unfortunately I have not been able to deduce a way to see the missing piece, the handle, as it's securely locked away in the police evidence lockup. I have a friend in FBI who is looking to help me, but it is slow process," he mused. "And all I can hope for there is some photographs of it. I would like to examine it, see if it is a one-use construction, or was designed so at least the handle could potentially be reused. That would give indications of the intentions of the maker…" He stopped mid-thought, realising he was probably boring Derek with the details. He waved his hand apologetically as if brushing those thoughts away. "So my next step for the moment is the handle." He looked up as their drinks were delivered to the table.
Derek thanked the server and took his drink. “So you want to learn about the source without having to actually meet the source? And you think the handle is the missing key?” The vampire was far from a scholar, but it was slightly confusing. He would have thought the integral part was the business end of the weapon, which Radek had in his possession.
“Well, like I said, I can help however I can. Especially if it calls for physical strength. I’m your guy.” He took a sip of his drink.
Radek eyed the young vampire over the rim of his glass, a little puzzled at what Derek had said. “You think meeting this Elfleda is important?” he asked, studying the ice in the drink for a brief moment before looking up again. “Have you met her?”
“Mm.” Derek swallowed the liquid that was in his mouth when Radek asked his question, setting down his glass. “Yeah. Twice. She’s...She has this way of finding out exactly what you want and promising to give it to you. I fell for it, at first. All I could think about was her.” His voice and his gaze became slightly distant.
“Her approval. Her presence. She’s like an infection that you think you want. And then she got to Penny, and I realized how dangerous Elfleda really was.”
Radek’s eyebrows rose, his eyes staring at Derek. “And you think I should meet this… Elfleda?” He shook his head. “Sorry Derek, I’ve lived too long to intentionally meddle with her type.” He gave a half-hearted smile. “I might be ready to battle to save a life from the grim reaper, but I’m not going face to face with something like what you’re describing.” He shook his head again.
Derek broke out of his reverie. “No,” he replied seriously. “I’m saying that if you continue looking for answers about this, you might not have a choice in the matter. She kind of just...appears. Sometimes in your house.”
The vampire examined his glass contemplatively. “I think I might have one idea on how to get our hands on the handle,” he added hesitantly. “But I would need to ask a friend about it.”
Radek swallowed his sip of his drink at the suggestion this Elfleda might show up at his house, and decided he needed to check and reinforce the wards and protection he’d had set up before moving in some years ago. He would have to look up the name of the man who’d helped him out as all he could remember was the name of the store he operated from, Curiosities.
“You do?” Radek replied, sitting forward a little again. “I would like to see it, but even if they could get some photos of it, from all angles, that could give me some clues, or at least a clearer idea. You see if the hilt was containing an area to attach and detach and reattach, this could …” He paused again, realising he was starting to go on about daggers again. “This would be very good if your friend could help,” he concluded, looking up as the waiter arrived to take their order. “And I haven’t even given you a chance to see what you would like,” he said, quickly indicating the menu and giving his own order to the waiter.
Derek nodded solemnly. “I’ll ask if they can, but...well, she’s a little distractible.” He looked up as the waiter materialized by their table. He picked up the menu and began reading it in earnest.
“Do you think I could get away with ordering from the kids’ menu?” the vampire joked to Radek before looking up at the patient server. “I’ll have the fettucine with seasonal vegetables,” Derek continued.
At first Radek chuckled at the thought that a child's meal would be adequate for his tall dinner companion but then he instantly remembered Derek's 'constitution' and converted it into a gentle clearing of his throat. He nodded his thanks to the waiter as the menus were collected and the waiter departed before returning to the topic of conversation.
"is it someone you can trust to be safe, given this?" he queried, unsure that the quality Derek had described was suitable for securing the information about the handle he was seeking. "I mean I do not want anyone to jeopardise themselves for this, and if the mere interest in the object could cause a visit from this Elfleda I wouldn't wish that on your friend."
“I think she can handle herself,” Derek assured his companion. “Let’s just say, I don’t think she’s the type of...person that Elfleda would try to visit.” He shrugged. From what Shimmer had described of herself, a glowing ball of light from some heavenly-sounding place didn’t jibe with the Emissary’s usual clique.
“But let’s just call that Plan B. FBI friend is Plan A.”
Radek nodded, his fingers slowly turning the lo-ball tumbler in his fingers. "So this Elfleda, when you… fell for her… it… those times, did you realise? Did you know what she was?" he asked, his curiosity piqued, but his desire to remain at arm's length very strong. Learning from others' experiences was all a part of his research.
“She came for me once,” Derek admitted. “And I didn’t know what she was, but I also didn’t care. Here was someone making me feel special. Not worthless. Not...a walking punchline.” He cleared his throat, embarrassed, the ice rattling in his drink as he picked up the glass.
A walking punchline. Radek was a little puzzled at what Derek meant and studied the face sitting opposite him for a moment as he tried to understand. A gunshot wound and a stab wound. As he recalled their two previous interactions he felt it was more like a walking punching bag, and could not see reason for the embarrassment.
"How was it she made you feel this way? Made you feel special when others have not?"
Derek thought about that, how to put the experience into words that would do it justice. He wasn’t sure he could, in his own limited vocabulary. “I think that’s the key to her talent,” the vampire answered finally. “Finding what will make you sit up and pay attention. I know what I felt when I was around her, and I know that I didn’t want her to go. It was like sinking into a warm bath of total approval, total acceptance. Believe it or not, Radek, I wasn’t exactly a model citizen, even before becoming a vampire.” He chuckled slightly.
“My parents could tell you all about it. And my old friends. I disappointed people. Didn’t live up to potential. The usual. I don’t expect a doctor to understand.”
“I haven’t been a doctor all my life,” Radek responded quietly. He leaned back in his chair taking in all of what Derek had said. “So she helped you feel good about yourself, and accepted you? How is this a bad thing? Why is it so dangerous?” he asked, genuinely wondering how this could be something to reject.
“Because she does it so that you’ll do what she wants,” Derek explained seriously, leaning forward and putting down his drink. “She told me to ‘butcher the farm’. She wasn’t referring to animals.”
The vampire had a feeling Radek wasn’t fully understanding. He had a way to make him see, but...it meant possibly throwing Penny under the bus, which Derek didn’t want to do. He opted to leave names out of it. “I knew someone who spent a prolonged amount of time with Elfleda. They ended up going on a small…” He lowered his voice. “Murder spree. So, yes, she is so dangerous.”
“Oh!” Radek’s eyes widened at this revelation. This was a detail Derek had omitted to this point. There had been nothing about this, only that she had helped him feel accepted, and approved of, things he hadn’t felt before.
“This… is rather important information,” he added, his eyes darting from Derek’s face to the doors into the kitchen and back again. “This makes difference.”
“Anyway,” Derek said, clearly uncomfortable with discussing the topic of Elfleda at extended length. He craned his neck to see if their food might be arriving to rescue the conversation. “Like I said, if you think getting this handle is the most, um, prudent first step, then I’ll help you in whatever way I can.” The vampire fiddled with his knife and fork.
It was a little confusing the sudden change in his dinner companion, from espousing how great Elfleda made him feel, to now being visibly uncomfortable and looking like he couldn’t wait for the conversation to be over.
“Derek, is something bothering you?” he asked. He liked the openness Derek displayed, the honesty and from what he could tell, the complete lack of deception. Whatever Derek was thinking was what Derek would say, and that, he’d found, was becoming a rare commodity in these times. “I mean, other than what you just said, about the ‘butchering of the farm’,” Radek added, understanding an admission like that could be uncomfortable. “And why do you think that because I am a doctor I won’t understand?”
He took a moment to compose his answer. “When I think of someone like you, I think of, you know, successful people. People who knew what they wanted to do, and made it happen. That’s not me, at all.” Derek flashed back to what Annie had called him, when she discovered that he was a vampire. ‘College never-was. All around screw-up.’ It had been...brutally accurate.
“Am I the Derek who killed people after becoming a vampire, or the Derek that couldn’t get his sh-- couldn’t get his life together? Or both? I don’t know. I thought maybe Elfleda could show me. I was stupid.”
It was very tempting to tell Derek of the wanderings Radek had done, the times he’d felt rudderless on an ocean of self-doubt, as that sounded like the type of thing Derek was feeling. The Derek that could not get his shit together.
“There is nothing stupid about the seeking of knowledge,, of the desire for learning, especially about ourselves,” he said gently. “We have different paths we may take to find that … truth, and that can sometimes lead us into … events, places, actions that don’t turn out the best for us, or maybe for those around us. But it is in those times we have learnt something too, both about ourselves, and our choices, it’s just something different to what we had originally set out to discover.”
He leaned forward a little, hands on the table in front of him. “Derek, the one thing you know, especially now, being who you are, is not everyone is who they first appear to be. If nothing else, keep that at the forefront of your mind, always.”
He leaned back into his chair again as the waiter arrived with their entrees.
He looked down at his food, the tangle of pasta elegantly presented. Derek was surprised to hear Radek talk so openly about himself, though he supposed this was a different venue than the makeshift operating table in the doctor’s pool house. Easier to hold a conversation when the vampire wasn’t bleeding all over the place.
“I appreciate that,” Derek replied finally. “And I’ll try to keep that in mind.”
Radek nodded, and started eating, the conversation pausing as they both ate. Wine arrived, and was poured, to accompany the dish and a few mouthfuls later Brianna appeared at the table. “How is your food?” she asked the two of them.
“Excellent, as usual,” Radek nodded, raising the wine glass before adding, “please give my compliments to Jean-Luc, the sauce is lovely.”
He looked up at Brianna, the somber expression occupying his face turning back into a smile. “It’s great,” he told her sincerely. Derek glanced between her and Radek. “Maybe you can join us in a bit,” he added, a hopeful note to his voice. Then, to the doctor, “If you don’t mind.”
“I would never object to being in the company of our lovely hostess,” Radek replied, smiling widely.
Brianna laughed softly, and looked briefly around the establishment before replying. “I may actually join you for dessert, we have a new pastry chef and I am still to try all her creations. They are so lovely I am afraid they will cause me to need a new wardrobe!” she joked. Her form-fitting attire clearly left no room for expansion. “Have you ordered dessert?” she asked, looking from one to the other.
“No, not yet,” Derek answered for them. He looked down at his still relatively full plate of fettuccine. Radek has definitely eaten more than he had, but then again, this wasn’t the kind of food the vampire usually subsisted on. “But I’ll order whatever you recommend,” he told Brianna.
"I will go and arrange for the desserts now," she replied brightly, turning and finding a waiter asking him to arrange for an additional placing to be set at the table before heading for the kitchen.
"She is a very special young lady," Radek mused as Brianna talked with the waiter. "How did you two meet?"
“She is,” Derek agreed readily, taking a sip of the wine next to his plate. “I came here looking for some information on someone who was a guest here,” he explained, opting to leave Veronica out of it. He was duly tired of talking about her. “And Brianna was incredibly helpful and nice, which meant a lot to me.”
Then he grinned, leaning back against his seat. “Plus, I’m sort of fascinated by her special, um, talents. She knows what I am, and she doesn’t judge me for it. That goes a long way with me.”
Radek paused, his glass halfway to his lips, and looked at Derek. "Special talents?" he repeated, glancing at the door through which Brianna had now passed, heading into the kitchen. "Which ones are those?" he asked before taking a sip of his wine.
He might have said too much. Derek sort of assumed Radek would already know. “Oh, you know,” the vampire hedged, grabbing his fork and pushing his food around the plate before taking a large bite to kill time and think of a proper answer. Once he was finished chewing, he continued.
“How she can tell if you’re lying, reading body language, that kind of thing. Brianna would probably make a killing at the casinos,” Derek deflected jokingly.
Radek had worked with Brianna to help her learn to control her visions, using his own past and many deaths and experiences to help her build up and strengthen the shields she kept in place to protect herself. Both he and Jake had, at first carefully and a little unwillingly, recalled events that she could not know of without her powers. When it became clear to them just how powerful her psychic abilities were they agreed to help her develop the ability to shield herself from them. He knew only too well how good they were, right down to her feeling the pain and suffering the afflictions of someone if she touched someone, or what an object had inflicted if she touched it. That was discovered when she had picked up one of his daggers and had almost instantly fallen to the floor, clutching her left side, gasping for breath. It had been how that dagger had last been used - to momentarily kill another immortal who had been intent on relieving Radek of his head. It had taken none of their involvement for her to ‘feel’ it.
It had been much harder for her to manage that aspect, and was why the young woman usually carried herself with her hands clasped together, to avoid random accidental touches. It had been agreed between the immortals to keep her safe, and maintain a close watch on her to ensure no-one else learned of her abilities, as there were many in the world who would use her for their own ends, with no regard for the woman herself. Sadly it had also meant her sister, Juliet, had decided to cut all ties with her twin, also to protect Brianna, so as not to accidentally lead anyone to her.
Radek smiled at Derek and nodded. “She would indeed,” he agreed,
“I have a feeling she’s too honest for that, though,” Derek amended. “Which is good. It’s rare.” He smiled to himself, but the look faded as he surreptitiously checked his phone for any texts from Penny. None. She was probably busy working, or...He didn’t want to think of the or.
“Can’t wait to see the work of this new pastry chef,” the vampire remarked idly, looking back up at Radek.
One of the skills he had learned from the young psychic was how to assess when someone was telling the truth or hiding something, and the simple darting of eyes and fidgeting gave Radek some cause to believe Derek perhaps knew more than he was revealing. This alone was comforting to the immortal as it showed that Derek was not looking to boast of knowing more, but was judging it prudent to keep the abilities, whatever they were that he knew of, to himself. Radek hoped that continued to be true. It also gave him pause, wondering just how much Brianna had revealed to the young vampire, and whether there was anyone else she had opened herself up to. He made a mental note to ask her later. They had not told her how close an eye was being kept on her, nor of just how powerful or how useful her abilities could be, in particular to the wrong individuals. She had been much younger then, and maybe it was time to discuss this with the others.
“Yes, I have sampled a couple of her desserts,” Radek replied, sheepishly admitting, “I tend to dine here regularly, and while the creme brulee is my favourite, I have tried one or two of the pastries, and not been disappointed!”
“Well, it’s a nice place,” Derek commented. “And not that far from where you live, I think, so that’s a bonus. Knowing the beautiful manager probably helps, too.” He set his knife and fork down next to his plate, pushing the entree away slightly.
“There’s something I wanted to ask you,” the vampire admitted somewhat sheepishly. “And you don’t have to answer, if you don’t want to. But...I kind of get this feeling that you’ve been around a long time. Am I right?”
Again Radek’s eyebrows rose for a moment and he finished the mouthful of food before answering. “I would have to ask what your definition of ‘long time’ is,” Radek asked with a soft smile. “To the youth of the day if you’ve seen more than 30 cycles of the sun you are old beyond belief!” he chuckled. “And for some the age of sixty is the new forty.” He carefully placed his knife and fork together on the plate, in the traditional position to indicate the meal was done with. “I have been here, in Nevada, a few times, this most recent I’ve been here probably five years, maybe longer?”
Derek nodded, an eyebrow raised at Radek’s apparent caginess. “Let’s put it this way,” he said, “are you older or younger than...100?” Penny was 100, so that was a good barometer, the vampire figured. “Don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone.”
Radek’s mind flashed back to when he’d seen his 100th year, in the 15th century, and he smiled at Derek. “It’s been a while since I saw that time,” he answered quietly, leaning forward, his arms folded and on the edge of the table, looking at Derek over the rim of his glasses. “But for all intents and purposes I go with forty two, supposedly the answer to life, the universe and everything,” he chuckled and pushed his glasses back up his nose.
“So, you’ll always look 42, then?” Derek could relate to that. He would always look 21. Forever stuck where he had been when he was turned. He could only hope that he would change internally, to grow up somehow. The vampire wanted to stop making the hair trigger, impulsive decisions that seemed to always be his downfall.
“What happens when people start to notice that you’re not getting any older?” Derek asked curiously. He had heard a few different things from the ageless in his own circle. Penny, for instance, changed her look, her name, and moved somewhere else. He thought of the day that they would have to leave Vegas. The vampire realized then that the idea saddened him, somewhat. The city had become his home in the past 10 years.
Radek nodded, and shrugged lightly. “I move on,” he replied simply. He glanced down at Derek’s ring finger of his left hand, noting the wedding band there. “What about you? You have married? What does your partner know of you?”
Derek looked down at his hand, at the ring, as if seeing it for the first time. “She knows everything,” he answered automatically, and it was true. There wasn’t anything that he didn’t tell Penny, and she accepted all of it at face value. He thought of the deal he made to save her from Elfleda’s influence, the one struck with Phanuel. In a way, the vampire felt like he wouldn’t be the same person had he not met and fell in love with the siren.
That didn’t take away the troubling sensation that nagged him when he thought too long about her dietary preferences. “She’s in the same boat. Soon she’ll have to make a new identity for herself, or there will be questions. I never really had to deal with that, not knowing many people and not really having a career, per se.”
“She is same as you?” Radek asked, curious.
He smiled. “No, not a vampire but...I don’t know if it’s right for me to reveal what she is. She doesn’t know you, and it could be dangerous for her. Let’s just say that she is...special. In more ways than one.” Derek felt like that was a fair, suitable explanation without giving too much away. He would leave it up to Penny if she wanted her status revealed to Radek, especially if the doctor and vampire would be collaborating in the future.
With a light shrug Radek nodded, acknowledging Derek's response, recognising the need for privacy, the same as he kept his immortality under wraps in most instances. It benefited no-one else to know it, unlike his medical skills, but could potentially put him in danger of the wrong individuals knew. "I understand."
"But she have similar longevity?" he asked, which was more his purpose of asking. His own life had seen him married, and having to say goodbye to the ones he loved and he knew the pain of it.
Derek nodded. “Yeah, she’s a lot older than I am. But she looks young.” He hesitated, wanting to ask Radek his thoughts on something regarding Brianna, but decided not to, swallowing the words along with another drink from his wine glass.
“To being forever young,” the vampire grinned ironically, lifting the glass slightly.
Lifting his glass he lightly tapped the edge of it with Derek’s and returned the toast. “It certainly has its benefits!” he added after taking a sip of his wine.
A waiter appeared at the table, requesting permission to set the place for Brianna, and soon the setting and chair was in place, just as the young manageress reappeared, carrying two plates and another waiter following with another plate and glass. The sommelier came around the bar carrying a small bottle of dessert wine.
“And so gentlemen, dessert is served!” she declared quietly once all was in place. “Let’s see what young Ro has created, it’s a chocolate hazelnut mille feuille with hazelnut cream and an espresso ganache,” she told them, “which of course sounds so good I hope it lives up to the expectations!” The chair was tucked in for her as she sat and looked at the two dinner companions.
Derek smiled at Brianna warmly. “It looks great,” he enthused. “I don’t think I’ve ever had a mille feuille.” In life, he had been more of a snack cake kind of guy, but he definitely kept an open mind when it came to trying new things, sometimes to his detriment.
He picked up his dessert spoon and dug it into the delicate pastry, the ganache and flaky layers giving way before bringing it to his mouth. It was only when his mouth was full that the name of the chef pinged in recognition. Swallowing thickly, he added, “I know a Ro. Short hair, tattoos, mischievous sparkle in her eye?”
Radek’s eyes lifted from his dessert and he looked from Derek to Brianna.
“Yes, that’s Ro,” Brianna replied, looking at Derek with some small surprise. “How do you know her?”
“Well,” Derek began, looking back down at the dessert. “My wife is friends with her.” He scooped up another spoonful and began eating again, glancing at Radek briefly. The vampire nodded in appreciation as he chewed.
“Such a small world!” Radek contributed after swallowing his first mouthful. “And possibly one of the best mille feuille I’ve had in longer than I can remember,” he added, glancing down at the dessert in front of him. “She has elevated this far and above the original, of which I have enjoyed a number. Custard has always been a favourite of mine, whether it is the delicacy of the creme brulee, or the traditional vanilla slice, or a bowl of it, with maple syrup instead of sugar, on a cold night!” He lifted another forkful and studied it. “The pastry is delicious,” he commented and looked at Brianna and Derek. “You would be well served to keep this young lady as your pastry chef, and you as your friend!” he laughed before filling his mouth with the delicious forkful.
Brianna laughed and looked at Derek. “Small world indeed!” she repeated.
“Getting smaller every day, it seems,” he commented, gaze meeting Brianna’s before raising the glass of dessert wine and taking a long drink. It tasted even better after trying the mille feuille. It felt almost normal, this dinner, and caused a warm, familiar sensation inside Derek that made him think he was closer to human than vampire. It was a little shred of hope to hang onto. He would never be able to turn back time and undo what had happened to him, but at least he could have moments like this.
“Thank you for having me, again,” he told both the manager and Radek. “I really enjoyed it.”
“And thank you for joining me,” Radek replied, “I look forward to getting some results on that project regarding the dagger.”
“You are on another dagger hunt?” Brianna asked Radek, looking at him with both fondness and amusement. She looked at Derek and gave him a wink. “I warn you now, when Radek is on a mission to research anything, and in particular anything to do with daggers or swords, you can rest assured that he will not rest until he has the answers to whatever questions are asked. They are of particular interest to him!” she added.
“So I’ve noticed,” Derek grinned. “But that’s cool. I’m glad to help, after everything Radek has done for me,” he said earnestly. “Although I hope the last time was, you know, the last time.” He wasn’t planning to get into another fight to the death, but knowing the vampire, it was inevitable before it happened again. Luckily, the mutant bison-dog hadn’t caused more severe physical damage.
“And I’m still waiting to play Vegas tour guide,” he told Brianna pointedly.
Radek raised his eyebrow at this, eyeing Brianna. “You are looking to take a tour of the bright lights?” he asked. He knew only too well how Brianna usually reacted to going anywhere she didn’t know, with people she hadn’t met. He was intrigued that there had apparently been some discussion on her doing this, and wondered if perhaps they needed to do some more work with the young psychic to get her past this state. It was still fresh in his mind how reluctant she had been to attend the meeting they had been invited to, right up until they had been in the diner for some time and others had started talking about themselves.
“Yes, Derek has very kindly offered to show me some of the less touristy places, where ‘real’ people go,” she explained to Radek. “I haven’t decided if, let alone when I will go,” she told him reassuringly. She knew he worried about her, having seen her in her worst state, and nursed her back from edges she didn’t want to visit again.
Turning to Derek she smiled. “I hope you’ll have patience with me, it could take a little while before I’m able to take you up on your offer.”
“Of course,” he told her. “I’m not going to push you to do anything you’re not ready to. But if you do decide to, just know that I’m more than capable of protection. One perk of my, um, status.” Derek returned her smile. “You’ll be totally safe.”
The vampire noted Radek’s support of Brianna with interest. He obviously looked out for her, and he wanted the doctor to know that Derek would never let any harm come to her.
If there was one thing Radek knew about Derek it was that he wasn’t adverse to getting in the way of lethal weaponry, the two visits to Radek’s personal ‘emergency clinic’ attesting to that. The fact that Brianna was comfortable even considering going out of le Breeze was a sign he took great heed of. Even Jake had met with resistance when suggesting they take in a show or meal at one of the venues he frequented. Radek did wonder if it was more due to the two men being well over 600 years old, and their lives no secret to her, having been exposed to many parts of them during the work they had done with her to develop her protective shield. They were seen by her in more ‘protector’ role than companions.
“I’m sure you will be in very good hands,” Radek nodded, reaching over and giving Brianna’s hand a gentle squeeze, the young woman returning the affectionate gesture.