This Same Earth

Chapter Five

Los Angeles, California

November 2009

Two weeks.

Giovanni’s immortal life was measured in two-week intervals.

After her find at the library, Beatrice had given him two weeks to prove they could be friends again. While he knew he wouldn’t be satisfied with only that, he realized she still had doubts about his intentions, so he tried to back off and give her some space. They had been friends first, and he could be a friend again.

For a while.

So they met for coffee and conversation. She came to dinner at the house with Ben acting as an enthusiastic chaperone. Giovanni waited outside the library when she worked late just to walk her to her motorcycle.

And at the end of two weeks, she told him he was allowed to be in her life…as a friend. So he gamely ignored her racing heart every time she saw him and the loaded looks she cast his direction when she thought he wasn’t looking and pretended to be Beatrice’s friend for a while.

Two weeks turned into four, and they met for coffee a few times each week after her judo class. She had recently begun practice with a new teacher.

“Pete’s so good. I mean, he kind of beats me up-”

Giovanni couldn’t contain the low growl, and she shot him a look.

“-but in a good way. Since I’ve changed to this studio, I’ve made a lot more progress. And I’m a lot stronger. They focus on conditioning more than my old place.”

“You look stronger. And your balance has improved.”

She smiled. “I love judo. It’s so much fun. Have you ever studied martial arts?” She laughed. “Do you even need to?”

“My physical conditioning with my father was based on the Spartan agoge, so I learned about most military and fighting techniques that way, but Tenzin trained me more on hand-to-hand fighting styles. I picked up whatever she taught me, which was a strange mix of ‘do whatever will kill your opponent the fastest,’ and her sire’s form of wushu, or kung fu, as humans refer to it.”

“Cool. Tenzin’s the one who recommended I take tai chi when I first moved to California. That’s kind of what started me out. I still practice.”

“Tai chi?”

“Yeah.”

He nodded, letting a smirk cross his lips when he thought about his old friend.

“And Mano studied martial arts in the military. He still does some kick boxing. Sometimes we practice together.”

He made no response, choosing to ignore the existence of the boyfriend whenever she brought him up.

Beatrice had told Mano that Giovanni was an old friend from Houston who had recently moved to town and a mutual friend of Carwyn’s whom she had worked for in the past. He had a feeling that the boyfriend was clueless about more than his and Beatrice’s past relationship.

He leaned toward her in the crowded café. “So you really haven’t told anyone? Not even Dez? About your father or Carwyn or…anything?” He blew on the fragrant coffee he held, heating his breath to heighten the scent since it had cooled.

“No, I didn’t tell anyone. What would I say?” She lowered her voice. “Oh, hey, Dez, you know my friend, Carwyn? He’s a thousand-year-old Welsh priest who hunts deer and drinks their blood. Oh, and my father is a vampire, too, but I haven’t seen him for almost fifteen years so I don’t know what he eats. And I was kidnapped by a vampire once, but don’t worry, my boss-who I was kind of involved with, but not really-rescued me with his two best friends, one of whom can fly and the other who can tunnel underground like a giant gopher.”

He shrugged. “Seems totally believable to me. And we were most definitely involved.”

Beatrice rolled her eyes and took a sip of coffee. “Right, and were you going to swoop in and rescue me when they carted me off to the looney bin?”

“I will always swoop in and rescue you, whether from psychotic vampires or the men in white coats.”

He caught the small smile she tried to hide and held up his cup of coffee, inhaling deeply.

“Why do you even order it, Gio?”

“I told you, I like the way it smells.”

Beatrice shook her head and leaned back in the plush chair. She closed her eyes and he allowed his gaze to caress her face while she was unaware. He’d been dancing around his feelings for well over a month, and it was becoming increasingly harder to keep silent.

He forced himself to remain casual, more interested in regaining her trust than in satisfying himself. Tenzin’s admonition to be patient seemed more and more apt every day.

“So,” he cleared his throat. “I have a favor to ask, which you are in no way obligated to grant, but I thought I’d ask anyway.”

She kept her eyes closed but mumbled, “Does it involve blood donation?”

“Are you offering?”

Beatrice cracked one eye open and grimaced. “No.”

“Then how about taking Ben to the doctor?”

Her head shot up. “Why? Is he okay?”

“Nothing to worry about that I know of. He just needs a regular doctor. And you wouldn’t even have to go in with him-I’m sure he’d be mortified if you did-just drive him. He needs a checkup and none of the pediatricians in the area have evening hours. I can write a note as his guardian, of course.”

She thought for a moment before she nodded. “I can do that. Let me get my schedule for next week and I’ll see what days would be best.”

“Thank you. I appreciate it.”

“Oh! Next week is Thanksgiving. That might not be the best week to go.”

He nodded. “You are the one doing the favor, so you let me know what day will work for you. I’ll make the appointment from there. And thank you again.”

She shrugged. “I’m refusing to work for you, so it’s the least I can do.”

“I really wish you’d reconsider your-”

“I’m sure you would,” she interrupted, “but I’m very happy at the Huntington.”

He cocked an eyebrow. “Translating and researching for scholars with less intelligence than you? Taking orders from someone you could run circles around intellectually? It must be so stimulating, tesoro.”

“Don’t start, or I’ll leave.”

He exhaled and let his head fall back into the armchair. “Fine, I’ll refrain from stating the obvious.”

“Just…” she sighed. “It’s only been a month. Give me time to have you back in my life like this. Give me some time to make room for you on my terms.”

Why don’t you get rid of the excess boyfriend? That should leave exactly the right amount of room. He thought it but bit his tongue and smiled. “Of course.”

“So what are you and Ben doing for Thanksgiving? Going back to Houston?”

“No, no, we’re going back to Texas for Christmas, but I thought we’d stay around here for a quiet meal.”

Her mouth dropped open exactly how he had imagined the granddaughter of Isadora De Novo’s would. “What? You’re going to feed the child spaghetti for Thanksgiving dinner?”

Giovanni shrugged. “Well, he’s never celebrated it properly anyway. And I thought I’d try to make that macaroni and cheese he likes. I think I’d be able to manage that. We didn’t do much last year, either.” He frowned. “Of course, I think we were still fighting about stealing from my wallet last year.”

“You’re bringing him over to my place,” she stated. “The boy’s never even had a turkey dinner? What are you thinking, Gio?”

I’m thinking I wrangled exactly the invitation to your house I’ve been looking for. “Beatrice, you really don’t-”

“Are you kidding me? Mac and cheese? You can barely manage spaghetti from a jar. And my grandmother would die if she heard I let you feed that kid junk food on Thanksgiving. Come over to my house. Sunset’s before five now, I’ll make dinner for six-thirty. Bring some wine.”

He smothered his satisfied smile. “Thank you. I’m sure Benjamin will appreciate the decent meal. As will I.”

She shook her head and muttered under her breath. “Macaroni and cheese…”

The following Thursday, he was trying to convince Ben that a collared shirt would not inflict bodily injury.

“She wears Docs! She’d like my CBGB’s shirt way better. It’s vintage. Vintage is better than a tux to a Doc Marten girl.”

“It most certainly is not, Benjamin. And be grateful I’m not making you wear a tie.”

“Oh man, I’m not wearing a tie. No way!”

Giovanni tucked in a dark green button down shirt and fastened the buttons at his wrists. “Trust me, women always appreciate a well-dressed man.”

The boy looked at him suspiciously as he pulled on his hated dress shoes. “I don’t know. She’s not your girlfriend yet.”

He smirked. “Well, there’s another lesson. Things and people of value are worth waiting for.”

“If you say so.”

“I know so.”

“Hey, Gio?”

“Yes?”

Ben’s face was free of its usual sarcasm when Giovanni looked at him. “I get why you love her so much. She’s pretty great.”

He smiled at the perceptive boy. “I have only the finest taste in people.”

Ben looked embarrassed but quickly shot back, “Dude, I don’t want to know about your blood-drinking habits.”

Giovanni snorted and looked in the mirror before he walked over to the boy and mussed his hair. “Comb this mess. It’s almost time to go.”

They drove to Beatrice’s small house, Ben carrying on a constant chatter in the old Mustang that had finally arrived from Houston, and Giovanni trying to prepare himself to curb his natural instincts so he could meet Beatrice’s boyfriend without killing or maiming him.

They were met at the door by a blond woman Giovanni assumed was Beatrice’s best friend, Desiree Riley.

“You must be Desiree.” He held out his hand politely and nudged Ben to do the same. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

She smirked. “It’s Dez. You must be Gio. I can almost promise I’ve heard more about you.” She cocked her head and looked at Ben. “Or is this Gio? You’re not that tall yet, but you’ve got the dark and handsome part down.”

Ben grinned, winking at Dez and holding his arm out for her to take. She giggled and took it as they walked inside. “Well, Dez, my name’s Ben, I’m the smarter and more charming of the Vecchio men…”

Giovanni shook his head as he followed them into the small 1920s era Spanish bungalow. He crossed the small living room and paused when he saw a large man bending over Beatrice’s shoulder as she stood in front of the stove.

There were few times in his five hundred years that Giovanni had truly been grateful for the vicious training of his sire, Niccolo Andros. The fifteen years he’d spent under the vampire’s thumb had been brutal and draining, both mentally and physically.

But as he watched former Navy diver, Mano Akana, put his hands on Beatrice’s waist and pull her close, he knew he’d relive every one of those torturous training sessions if it allowed him to not kill the oblivious man holding onto his woman.

That level of violence would, no doubt, put most of the guests off their dinner.

He quieted the growl that wanted to escape his throat and cut his eyes toward Matt Kirby, his associate who had been living next to Beatrice on his orders for more than three years. Matt gave him a small nod and returned his attention to Dez and Ben. Ben was busy introducing himself.

“Gio!” Beatrice called, as she extricated herself from the grasp of the over-muscled behemoth who held her. She walked into the living room and gave Ben a quick hug before she walked to Giovanni.

She hesitated a moment but leaned forward and embraced him. He pushed his amnis toward her and felt the shiver travel down her back. Glancing past her, he noticed the boyfriend watching them intently and knew, without a doubt, that Beatrice was the only one fooling herself that they were nothing more than friends.

“Happy Thanksgiving, tesoro,” he said quietly before he approached Mano in the kitchen. He held out his hand and tried not to imagine how many ways he could kill the man.

“Giovanni Vecchio. You must be Mano.”

The man’s hair may have fallen to his shoulders, but the eyes that examined him revealed his military background more than any uniform.

“Nice to meet you. You’re a friend of Carwyn’s, right? And B’s old boss?”

“I’m both. And a friend as well. She’s a remarkable woman. You’re very lucky.” To not be dead right now.

“Oh, I know I am,” Mano murmured, a look of challenge in his eyes. “And this is your nephew?”

“Benjamin, yes. Ben, come introduce yourself to Beatrice’s friend.”

Mano cut his eyes toward Giovanni and smirked. Both men nodded toward the other, as if a challenge had been accepted, before Ben came over to introduce himself and the tension was cut.

The dinner was far better than anything he could have produced, and Giovanni ate more than he usually did. He’d been buying donated blood in Los Angeles and feeding on that unless the opportunity to feed from a criminal presented itself-which it did with fair regularity. In the past five years, he’d lost his appetite for random women and the blood they could offer him, so he’d been making do. He knew he was not at full strength, and it bothered him.

Giovanni wished that he hated the boyfriend but realized under other circumstances, he would probably like the man. No matter. After observing Beatrice and Mano throughout the evening, he had no qualms about doing everything in his power to separate them.

She was trying to convince herself she was in love with him. She most likely did love the human in some fashion, but she did not look at Mano the way she had once looked at him. Nor did she react to the man with the same physical intensity she did to Giovanni.

Mano, however, was very obviously in love with Beatrice. He could hardly blame the man, but his determination to make Beatrice his own suffered no setback at the thought of the human’s impending disappointment.

“Giovanni? What are you working on right now? Are you settling in L.A. permanently?” Dez asked from across the table. He smiled at the blond woman, noticing the longing look Matt Kirby threw toward her every time she opened her mouth.

“I am for now,” he answered. “It’s a good place for research, and I like my house in Pasadena.”

“It’s totally awesome, and I have my own basketball court,” Ben added.

“You should have a party!” Dez said.

Matt chuckled. “Gio’s not really one for entertaining.” His eyes widened and he added, “At least, you don’t seem like the type to me.”

Giovanni clenched his jaw and glanced at Matt’s apologetic face before he looked toward Beatrice, who was glaring at him.

“Hey, Gio,” she asked, “can you help me with something in the kitchen?”

He excused himself from the table, glancing at Mano’s perturbed face as he left. He walked into the kitchen and leaned against the counter.

“Matt?” she whispered.

He shrugged. “I’ve worked with him on and off for a number of years. He’s very trustworthy.”

“But he’s been watching me? This whole time?”

He rolled his eyes. “He’s not a stalker, Beatrice. He’s security, and he’s very good. He likes you, as well, if you’re curious. And I’m fairly certain he’s romantically interested in your friend.”

“This whole time?”

“I did what I needed to keep you safe. I’m not going to apologize for it.”

She crossed her arms and glanced toward the dining room. “Well, did he ‘save’ me from anything? In all these years?”

He crossed his arms and mirrored her. “As a matter of fact, no.”

“Then I think I deserve an apology.”

“No. Absolutely not.”

“Why not?” She was fuming. “Apparently he was unnecessary.”

Giovanni stepped close to her, towering over her as she glared at him. “An apology would imply that I am regretful or sorry in some way, and I make no apologies for doing everything in my power to protect you.”

He didn’t expect the flash of tears in her eyes. “You wanted me protected? It was that important? Then why wasn’t it you?” she hissed before she stormed toward the hall bathroom. Mano entered the kitchen a few minutes later wearing a smug look. Giovanni felt a small burst of flame rise near his hand, so he crossed his arms again and pulled his temper back.

“You managed to piss her off pretty well, Giovanni.”

“Oh,” he muttered. “That’s nothing new. I’ve been doing that for years.”

“Not for the past five, you haven’t,” Mano muttered. “That’s how long it’s been, right? That’s how long she’s been following your ghost to some old house in Chile?”

Giovanni smirked. “Did she tell you that?” He saw Mano deflate a bit. “No, I didn’t think so. She’s very good at keeping secrets, isn’t she?”

“She’s private.”

“Call it what you will.” Giovanni leaned back against the counter.

“Well, you don’t know her anymore. Not like I do.”

Giovanni chuckled. “Oh really? And why do you say that?”

“Because you weren’t here, asshole. Were you at her party when she bought this house? We’d only been dating a few weeks, but I made being there a priority. How about when she got her job at the Huntington? She was so proud of herself. Or maybe when her grandmother had the scare with her heart a couple years ago? Miss out on that, too?”

He just stared in silence when Mano stepped closer in the small room.

“How about when her scum bag of a mother showed up last year and tried to get money from her? Did you know about that?” He cocked his head. “Of course not, because you weren’t here. Know who was? Me. I was here. And I’m not going anywhere.”

He smiled at the tall man who knew so little. “You think you know her fairly well, don’t you?”

“I do know her. And I love her.”

“I’m sure you do. But you don’t know her like I do.” Giovanni shrugged. “It’s not your fault. She hasn’t allowed you to know her that well, has she?”

“You’re so damn arrogant.”

“I am, but am I wrong?” he asked and glanced toward the dining room, noting that Ben seemed to be entertaining Matt and Dez with some amusing story. “I know a lot about you, Mano. Can you say the same about me?”

“What does that even-”

“She’s very protective of the ones she loves. So who is she protecting with her secrets? You?” Giovanni stepped closer and let his swirling green eyes bore into Mano’s. “Or is she protecting me?”

Mano glared at him before he retreated, turning to walk down the hall in search of Beatrice. Giovanni could hear him knocking on the bathroom door when he walked back into the dining room.

“Benjamin, it’s time for us to go.”

Two weeks.

She refused his calls for two weeks, until finally, Giovanni sat outside the library, waiting for her on the steps. When she walked through the glass doors and spotted him, she didn’t stop, so he followed her.

“Beatrice.”

She kept walking past the walkway to the parking lot and toward a small grove of isolated oak trees. She did not look back. For the first time since he’d come back into her life, Giovanni felt a hint of panic.

“I want to talk to you,” he called as she paced through the trees.

She whirled around and he almost ran into her. “Yeah, I think that’s a good idea, Gio. Let’s talk.”

“Fine. I think you need to tell Dez and Mano the truth about me. About everything.”

She backed away from him and her mouth gaped open. “What?”

“You need to tell them.” He cocked an eyebrow at her. “You say you love them and you want them to be a part of your life, so why don’t you trust them?”

She might tell Dez…but he was betting she wouldn’t tell Mano.

Beatrice only blinked at him. “I don’t-you want me to tell them?”

“Do you love them?” She didn’t answer, so he shrugged. “It’s up to you, but you can’t continue to live with these secrets. It’s going to make you sick. It’s already making you angry.”

“No.” She strode toward him, pointing a finger at his chest. “You made me angry. When you told Mano about us. It’s none of his business.”

“Why were you hiding it?”

“To protect you!”

“I didn’t ask you to do that. I didn’t ask you to protect me.” He stepped closer and they circled each other under the oak trees.

“And I didn’t ask you to protect me, but you did. Why the hell did you hire someone to live next to me all these years?” Her face was red and furious, but he could see the tears filling her eyes. “What was the point? Did he tell you when guys stayed over? Did he tell you when I flirted with him myself?”

His fists clenched, but he forced himself to remain calm. “It didn’t matter, I don’t care about that. I care about you.” He approached cautiously, as if walking too quickly might scare her off. “You deserved a life. A normal life without me, so you knew-”

“I didn’t want a life without you!” she exploded, tears finally falling down her face. “Don’t you get that? Are you that dense? Don’t you realize I was in love with you?”

His heart ached. “Beatrice-”

“Five hundred years and you couldn’t tell?”

He walked toward her, desperate to take her in his arms, but she stepped back, dashing the tears from her eyes. “Tesoro-”

“Why didn’t you come?” she sobbed. “Why? I waited for years! I never loved a man the way I loved you. I’ve never loved anyone that way. I never wanted anyone that way.”

For the first time in his immortal life, he felt as if his heart could bleed from another’s pain. Giovanni could only whisper, “I know.”

He stepped within arm’s distance and put a single hand on her cheek, which was flushed and wet with tears. In that moment, Beatrice didn’t look like a confident woman of twenty-eight; she looked like the girl he had forced himself to leave.

“So why, Gio? If you knew, why? Don’t you realize I would have done anything for you? I would have run away with you.”

“Beatrice-”

“Didn't you know?” She slapped his hand away, and her voice rose. “I would have left my family behind. I would have begged Carwyn to turn me so I could stay with you forever! Why?”

“That’s why!” he yelled, grabbing onto her shoulders. “Don’t you see, Beatrice? That’s why I couldn’t come to you!”

Giovanni dragged her to his chest, and their mouths crashed together. He wrapped his arms around her, his fingers gripping her back. He breathed her in, desperate to get closer, to take away the ache of her loss.

After a few moments, he backed away so she could draw breath, but his hands reached up to frame her face.

“Don’t you see?” he pleaded. “I couldn’t have denied you anything. I would have given you anything you wanted! You might have hated me in a hundred years, but if you had asked me, I would have done it.” He leaned down and kissed along her eyelids, threading his hands through her hair as he pulled her into a more gentle kiss.

“Don’t you realize how I adore you?” he whispered against her mouth. “But I couldn’t steal the life of a girl when I wanted a woman’s love. I wanted you to have a choice, not an infatuation.”

“So damn arrogant,” she whispered, clutching the collar of his shirt.

“I know,” he said, as his mouth brushed over her skin, touching the face that had haunted his waking dreams.

“I loved you. It wasn’t an infatuation.”

He pressed his cheek to hers and whispered in her ear. “Then I will earn the woman’s love, if I have lost the girl’s.”

Giovanni drew her into another kiss, and her arms reached around his waist as she kissed him back. He didn’t know how long they embraced in the darkness, but he groaned when he felt Beatrice reach up to his chest and slowly push him back.

“I can’t do this. It’s not right.”

“Yes, it is right. You know it is.”

She shook her head. “What do you want from me, Gio?”

He blinked in surprise. “Isn’t it obvious?”

“Five years ago, I would have said yes. Not now.”

He closed his eyes and sighed. “Fine, let me make it clear.” He reached up to hold her face between his hands and look into her eyes. “I love you, Beatrice De Novo. I fell in love with the girl I met six years ago, and I love the woman in front of me even more.”

“Gio-”

“So you make the decision, tesoro mio.” He murmured and his thumbs stroked the soft swell of her cheeks. “It’s your choice. I want eternity with you, and I’m not leaving again.” He gave her a sad smile. “You can’t make me.”

A storm raged in her eyes. Giovanni wanted to kiss her again, but he knew it wasn’t welcome. Her tentative hand reached up and stroked his cheek; he leaned into it, a low hum of satisfaction rumbling from his chest, until they were interrupted by the ringing of her mobile phone.

“Who…” She pulled away and reached into her backpack. Giovanni tensed when he heard the panicked voice on the other end, even before she put it to her ear.

“Danny? What-” she frowned. “Slow down, what’s going on? A what?” The color drained from her face. “What kind of accident?”