Christmas Consort

Unexpected Stakes

Silas opted to drop Kylie off at work rather than stay and bear witness to Tannenbom's advances or any other flirting that would no doubt come her way. The professional-casual dress she wore clung to her body, the body he felt overly proprietary about. No need to tempt fate, he thought knowing his blood lust from a room full of humans combined with jealousy would be the real tempter.

No problem with Kylie running away any time soon. She had made it clear she wasn't leaving her house. Was the way she invaded his room and rest part of owning the place? Was moving him revenge? An exercise in power? Or was it possible...he barely let himself contemplate it...was it possible she cared about his comfort despite what he had done? Maybe the time apart tonight would clear his muddied thinking. Talking to Jackson would help. The elder vampire spoke with refined wisdom, the kind that only came with time, experience, and even prolonged suffering.

Lara's waking at sunset loomed large for him in addition to gift purchases. The change in the status of their relationship had been a long time coming. Silas knew it. Lara knew it. For some unfathomable reason her fix was to try to kill him. Was she really that controlling? With Kylie out, they could exchange gifts alone as always and then he could broach the subject of going their separate ways.

He thought it strange how even after so much had changed they kept their old routines and habits from another life. Who would have imagined that vampires celebrated Christmas or exchanged gifts, but Silas knew that most vampires clung to at least some aspects of their old lives.

His thoughts tumbled about for the next hour as he visited the jewelry store and the automobile dealer. The car salesperson arranged delivery that evening at closing. Choosing a dependable prior lease among the options was a simple matter. With a used car he could downplay the expense of the gift and ensure Kylie accepted. His interaction with the jeweler was altogether different.

Lara appreciated fine things, highly stylized modern designs. The woman behind the counter expected Silas, knew his preference for platinum set earrings, bracelets and rings. What gem was for remembrance? Silas wished he'd ordered it ahead. This year's gift to Lara meant more if it was to be the last. Could it sooth whatever emotion was driving her murderous intent?

He stared over the shiny selections laid on black velvet before him. The chain of cold white precious metal grew symbolic, the ties that bind, the links that needed to be broken. The longer he stared at the choices, the more concerned the shopkeeper became. She rearranged the sets, showed how they could be coordinated differently. Worry turned to inward delight when he chose a double set that could mix and match, the sale twice as large as usual. She turned to the wrapping as he wandered.

A young man who had been in and out of the shop for several weeks raked his hand through his hair in obvious distress as he examined the cases of rings.

"Could you help me?" he spoke to Silas who glanced around for someone else. The shopkeeper shrugged apologetically and went to the back for ribbon.

With a nod the vampire approached and raised his eyebrows in question.

"So it's that time, you know? I've got this grand plan for how to propose, and it's perfect. She'll love it. I know she will. But this ring thing! She wants me to pick something and obviously there's what I can afford and what looks," he whispered the word, "cheap. But look at all these. Why have so many that look the same to me--they're all starting to look alike. This section here, that's...that's in my price range. What do you think?"

Silas felt trapped. An odd experience for him in a place like the shop in present company. It was the rings, the engagement rings. They sung to him of the hopes and dreams resurrected from the pits of his usually still heart. He could not tear his eyes away from the display, so he started talking.