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〃Tell me of Robert。 The police said he was dead； but they know nothing。 You have seen the body。 Is he truly dead？〃
His voice was thick with concern； worry。 It caught me pletely off guard。 〃They took his heart。〃
〃If it is only a stake through the heart； he might survive if it was removed。〃
I shook my head。 〃The heart was taken out pletely。 We couldn't find it in the house or the yard。〃
Jean…Claude stopped。 He slumped suddenly into one of the chairs； staring at nothing； or nothing I could see。 〃Then he is truly gone。〃 His voice held sorrow the way it sometimes held laughter； so that I felt his words like a cold； grey rain。
〃You treated Robert like dirt。 Why all this weeping and wailing？〃
He looked at me。 〃I am not weeping。〃
〃But you treated him badly。〃
〃I was his master。 If I had treated him kindly； he would have seen it as a sign of weakness。 He would have challenged me and I would have killed him。 Do not criticize things that you do not understand。〃 There was anger in that last sentence； enough to brush heat along my skin。
Normally； it would have pissed me off； but tonight 。 。 。 〃I apologize。 You're right。 I don't understand。 I didn't think you gave a damn about Robert unless he could further your power。〃
〃Then you do not understand me at all； ma petite。 He was my panion for over a century。 After a century； I would mourn even an enemy's passing。 Robert was not my friend； but he was mine。 Mine to punish； mine to reward； mine to protect。 I have failed him。〃
He stared up at me； eyes gone blue and alien。 〃I am grateful to you for seeing to Monica。 The last thing I can do for Robert is to tend his wife and child。 They will want for nothing。〃
He stood suddenly in one smooth motion。 〃e； ma petite。 I will show you to our room。〃 I didn't like the our； but I didn't argue。 This new； improved； emotional Jean…Claude had me confused。
〃Who are the other two in the painting？〃
He glanced at it。 〃Julianna and Asher。 She was his human servant。 The three of us traveled together for nearly twenty years。〃
Good。 He couldn't give me some bullshit about the clothing being costumes now。 〃You're too young to have been a Musketeer。〃
He stared at me； face carefully blank； giving nothing away。 〃Whatever do you mean； ma petite？〃
〃Don't even try。 The clothing is from the 1600s； around the time of Dumas's The Three Musketeers。 When we first met； you told me you were two hundred and ten。 Eventually； I figured out you were lying； that you were closer to three hundred。〃
〃If Nikolaos had known my true age； she might have killed me； ma petite。〃
〃Yeah； the old Master of the City was a real bitch。 But she's dead。 Why still lie？〃
〃You mean why am I lying to you？〃 he said。
I nodded。 〃Yeah； that's what I mean。〃
He smiled。 〃You are a necromancer； ma petite。 I would have thought you could judge my age without my help。〃
I tried to read his face and couldn't。 〃You've always been hard to read； you know that。〃
〃So glad I can be a challenge in some area。〃
I let that go。 He knew exactly how much of a challenge he was； but for the first time in a long time； I was bothered。 Telling a vamp's age was one of my talents； not an exact science to be sure； but one I was good at。 I'd never been off by this much。 〃A century older； my； my。〃
〃Are you so sure that it is only a century？〃
I stared at him。 I let his power beat across my skin； rolled the feel of it around in my head。 〃Pretty sure。〃
He smiled。 〃Do not frown so； ma petite。 Being able to hide my age is one of my talents。 I pretended to be a hundred years older when Asher was my panion。 It allowed us freedom to wander through the lands of other masters。〃
〃What made you stop trying to pass for older？〃
〃Asher needed help； and I was not master enough to help him。〃 He looked up at the portrait。 〃I 。 。 。 humbled myself to gain him aid。〃
〃Why？〃
〃The Church had a theory that vampires could be cured by holy items。 They bound Asher with holy items and silver chains。 They used holy water on him； drop by drop； trying to save his soul。〃
I stared up at that handsome； smiling face。 I'd been bitten by a master vampire once upon a time and had the wound cleansed with holy water。 It had felt like a red…hot brand was being shoved into my skin； like all the blood in my body had turned to boiling oil。 I had vomited and screamed and thought myself very brave for not passing out altogether。 That had been one bite mark； one day。 Having what amounted to acid dripped on you until you died was in the top five ways not to go out。
〃What happened to the girl； Julianna？〃
〃She was burned as a witch。〃
〃Where were you？〃
〃I had taken a ship to see my mother。 She was dying。 I was on my way back when I heard Asher's call。 I could not get there in time。 I swear by all that is holy or unholy that I tried。 I rescued Asher； but he never forgave me。〃
〃He's not dead？〃 I asked。
〃No。〃
〃How hurt was he？〃
〃Until I met Sabin I thought Asher's scars the worst injury I'd ever known a vampire to survive。〃
〃Why did you hang the painting if it bothers you this much？〃
He sighed and looked at me。 〃Asher sent it as a present； to congratulate me for being Master of the City。 The three of us were panions； almost family。 Asher and I were true friends； both masters； both of near equal power； both in love with Julianna。 She was devoted to him； but I had her favor as well。〃
〃You mean a ménage à trois？〃
He nodded。
〃Asher doesn't hold a grudge？〃
〃Oh； no； he holds a grudge。 If the council would allow it； he would have e with the picture and had his revenge。〃
〃To kill you？〃
Jean…Claude smiled。 〃Asher always had a strong sense of irony； ma petite。 He petitioned the council for your life； not mine。〃
My eyes widened。 〃What did I ever do to him？〃
〃I killed his human servant； he kills mine。 Justice。〃
I stared back up at the handsome face。 〃The council said no？〃
〃Indeed。〃
〃You have any other old enemies running around？〃
Jean…Claude gave a weak smile。 〃Many； ma petite； but none in town at the moment。〃
I looked up at those smiling faces。 I didn't know quite how to phrase it； but said it anyway。 〃You all look so young。〃
〃I am physically the same； ma petite。〃
I shook my head。 〃Maybe young isn't the word I want。 Maybe naive。〃
He smiled。 〃By the time this painting was made； ma petite； naive was not a word that described me； either。〃
〃Fine； have it your way。〃 I looked at him； studying his face。 He was beautiful； but there was something in his eyes that wasn't in the painting； some level of sorrow or terror。 Something I had no word for； but it was there just the same。 A vampire may not wrinkle up； but living a couple of centuries leaves its mark。 Even if it's only a shadow in the eyes； a tightness around the mouth。
I turned to Jason； who was still slumped in the chair。 〃Does he give these little history lessons often？〃
〃Only to you；〃 Jason said。
〃You never ask questions？〃 I asked。
〃I'm just his pet。 You don't answer questions for your pet。〃
〃And that doesn't bother you？〃
Jason smiled。 〃Why should I care about the painting？ The woman's dead； so I can't have sex with her。 Why should I care？〃
I felt Jean…Claude move