Enemy Mine

Chapter 9

Vincent and I woke up wearing matching post-coital grins, and while he sauntered off to the kitchen to make coffee, I excused myself to the bathroom, where I pampered my sore bottom with a warm washcloth. How much sex was too much? When I returned, Vincent had tossed bagels on a couple plates with a large helping of cream cheese, a treat I used to feel guilty about, but now that I needed the carbs for flight, I told my guilty conscience to take a flying leap.

"It will be dawn soon," Vincent said as he set the plates between us. "Consider this a breakfast warm-up. I'm making scrambled eggs with spinach and onion later."

"You've been holding out on me. Apart from the lasagna, I have never seen you cook."

"All the Valentinos know how to cook. I've been taking a break while I give Griffin an opportunity to hone her culinary skills." Vincent spoke as he leaned back with his breakfast, looking uncharacteristically relaxed. Probably from all the sex.

"That sounds like the perfect excuse not to cook."

As I prepared to eat my bagel, a hush fell over the room, and it remained there while we enjoyed our pre-breakfast, but I think we were also avoiding Cecile's letters. At least I was.

"I knew you were somehow tied up with the demons when we found you." Vincent said, bringing up the thing I wanted to avoid. "I even suspected you might not be full gollum, but that never influenced my feelings for you."

"I'm glad to hear that," I said, just in case he was worried about my feelings.

"A connection like ours is rare. I never thought I would find it with another gollum, and I have dated a lot of gollums."

"But what good is a rare connection if it only produces little abominations? I haven't forgotten our conversation about demon and gollum offspring. I now have firsthand experience with prejudice against hybrids, and I wouldn't wish that burden on anyone."

Vincent listened attentively to my argument, although the point seemed moot. We already made the choice to bring little abominations into the world.

"I didn't say demons and gollums produced abominations. That conversation had to do with humans, but I won't deny that hybrids are shamed. To be honest, I have been deliberately avoiding the subject. All I know is that I love you, and I will love our offspring should we be blessed with them." Vincent offered his version of a reassuring smile before motioning to the unopened letters on the table. "Let's end the torture."

With a resigned sigh, I pushed away my breakfast plate and opened the first letter. As I suspected, it read like a list, and I named off all the cities and locations Cecile thought I might find the amulet. But, the most likely place was with my grandmother who lived in Chicago in a convent. Other churches and temples were mentioned, but the tone of the letter rang clear. Cecile believed Petula had the amulet or a gollum domus nearby. And she offered something else...

"She gives the location of my birth father," I said as I quickly read ahead. "His name is Marco Bourdain. He lives in Chicago, but apparently he has never admitted to my paternity. Interesting. Cecile thinks the amulet might be with him if Petula doesn't have it."

I lifted my gaze to gauge Vincent's reaction. To say his face looked pale would not do it justice, but his skin resembled the pallor of the ornamental statues of his home.

"You know this family, don't you? Your mom's domus is in Chicago. I remember you telling me that."

"Yes. You met one of the Bourdain's at the All Hallows Eve party. Omar. He is the elder of his domus. My Uncle Caleb was trying to set him up with my mother."

"I thought he looked a little old for her."

"He is twenty-two years her senior. They have known each other since she was a child."