Chapter 9: Coping Mechanisms
"I dreamed about you last night," Jack told Leonard.
His voice was hard to read over the phone and Leonard hesitated to joke about it. In London, all Jack's dreams about him were nightmares—generally of Jack attacking him. The nightmares were the primary reason Jack had stopped sleeping.
But Jack had spent the past hour describing how well the session with Marcus had gone and the enjoyment he'd had at the Domino Club. Jack had now been in New Orleans for three days. He'd settled into a comfortable routine with yoga sessions with Matthew, therapy with Marcus, and music in the evening. He'd told Marcus about Leonard. Wouldn't a joke be another step toward a return to normalcy?
"I hope that dream gave you ideas for when we're together once more," Leonard said and waited nervously for his reaction.
"It was so good I didn't want to wake up," Jack confessed happily.
Leonard sagged with relief against the pillows of the bed. "It sounds like mine. We should compare details when we're together."
"How about moving up that schedule? Now that Father H is back in London, is there any chance you could come to New Orleans? I've sung your praises to Ransome. He's eager to hear us perform together."
"I'd love that too." Jack had been calling Leonard at least twice a day since reconnecting with Diana and Matthew. At first, progress was slow. He hadn't divulged the details, but Leonard suspected his initial disclosure to them had triggered another bout of sickness. After Leonard heard about Jack biting Baldwin, he'd been frantic with worry. Jack knew nothing about the calls he made to Father H, imploring him to bring Jack home to London where he'd be safe.
Leonard was sure that Baldwin would insist Jack be killed. That was the standard way vampires treated blood rage. But Father H insisted that he wouldn't let it happen.
Fortunately, Matthew had a solution. Father H believed that Matthew's decision to form a scion was brought about by Diana. He said she'd shown in the past a willingness to go to any length to protect her own and that included Jack.
Baldwin wasn't in New Orleans so for now Jack was safe. The fact Father H had returned to London was proof that he believed Marcus and Matthew would provide sufficient protection. But Leonard's reunion with Jack would have to wait.
"I'm afraid we'll have to live off our dreams and phone calls a little while longer," Leonard said. "Françoise contacted me. Ysabeau is coming to London since Diana will arrive here shortly. I have a special assignment I think you'll like."
#
Jack raced down the staircase. Had Matthew heard the news? Surely he'd been kept informed. Jack was a little disappointed he hadn't shared it. Did Matthew think it would plunge him into a relapse?
Matthew rarely spoke about himself. He tolerated Jack's questions up to a certain point, but his answers were short, conveying the bare minimum of information. Jack suspected it was because Matthew worried that Benjamin would capture him once more and feed off him. Then Benjamin would learn about anything Matthew had told him.
So Jack had stopped asking questions. Marcus said he shouldn't take it personally. Matthew had handed Marcus over to Gallowglass a few months after siring them. Their relations were much closer now than they'd been during the first century of Marcus's life. Give him time, Marcus urged, not realizing how ironic it sounded to someone who'd waited for over four hundred years for a reunion.
"What's up?" Marcus asked when Jack entered his study.
"Diana's going to London. Leonard told me. Do you know about it?"
"No, but perhaps that's why ..."
"Why what?" Jack asked impatiently when Marcus's words trailed off.
"Chris and Fernando are arriving today."
"Who's Fernando?"
"A close friend of our family. Fernando Gonçalves currently lives in Spain. He was Hugh's mate. Hugh was Philippe's oldest son. He's also Gallowglass's blood sire. He was killed in the fourteenth century."
"So with Diana no longer in New Haven, they're coming to support Matthew?" Jack guessed.
"I think so. Chris would probably also like to draw blood samples from my children to build up the number of case studies."
Another surprise was in order when the two arrived. Fernando had pledged an oath to the new scion and was now considered a member. His action prompted Jack to consider if Leonard would like to do the same. Same-sex marriages weren't legal in England. This would be a way for Leonard to have an official designation.
Jack already felt a bond with Fernando because of Hugh. They'd navigated the difficult waters of being a couple. Was it because of them that Philippe had been so tolerant of him and Leonard?
#
Marcus breathed a little easier now that Chris and Fernando were here. They could provide a needed distraction for Matthew. He was meeting with Ransome today—a potential tipping point.
Matthew had been on edge ever since he arrived in New Orleans—constantly teetering on the verge of losing control. He managed to remain calm during the yoga sessions with Jack but disappeared promptly afterward, usually not returning till Jack was in bed. Marcus knew why. Matthew was being forced to relive all the murders he'd committed under Philippe's orders, and guilt was gnawing away at him.
Marcus thought that Ransome would temper his animosity as he heard of other members of the family who'd agreed to join the new clan, but so far there was no sign of it. Marcus already knew how it would play out. Ransome would hold Matthew's feet to the fire. Matthew would control the simmering rage till he got home. Then all bets were off.
Fernando's decision to join the new clan was unexpected but very welcome. The timing couldn't be better. He'd help enforce discipline among the unrulier members of Marcus's family plus confirm the necessity of forming an independent branch.
Chris's presence was unexpected. Marcus suspected he'd come mainly to check on Jack. He'd developed a strong rapport with the kid which was all the more remarkable given their different backgrounds.
They gathered in the living room while waiting for Matthew's return.
"I praised your artistic skill to Fernando," Chris told Jack. "How about showing us your sketchbook?"
Jack accepted readily and Marcus was as eager as the others to see his latest works.
"These are musicians at the Domino Club where I've been playing the past few nights," Jack explained. "I intend to give them the best drawings on my last night."
"They'll love them," Marcus predicted. "But they won't be able to take them home. Ransome will want to hang them on the walls of the club." Somehow Jack had managed to capture the essence of their personalities while in the act of performing.
"You said you played there too," Chris asked. "The cello?"
Jack nodded. "It's not usually thought of as a jazz instrument, but it blends well."
"More than blend," Marcus said. "Jack's been the hit of the club."
"Then that's where we're going tonight," Chris declared as he thumbed through the sheets of drawings. "What do these represent?" he asked, pointing to a page.
"They're concept art for a video game. I call it Labyrinth. Cicely Wilson—she's my boss at Bridewell Studio—saw some of my knot designs and asked me to create a maze for a future game."
"Wilson ... is she a daemon?" Marcus asked.
"How'd you guess?"
"A daemon named Agatha Wison is a friend of ours. I wonder if she's related."
"She could be. I remember her mentioning a cousin Agatha. I believe she lives in Australia."
The odds just skyrocketed. Agatha was a fashion designer in Sydney.
Chris held up a sheet of knots. "Could you draw a page of knots like this one for me? I'd like to discuss them with Miriam."
"You can have that one," Jack said with a shrug. "They're all in my head. I can easily make more."
Miriam had told Marcus that Chris was fascinated by Jack's knots. He claimed Jack had a natural gift for DNA analysis, but Marcus doubted Jack would be interested in the math and science that went with it.
Fernando pointed to another page filled with studies of a young man. Jack had used colored pencils on him. He had striking blue eyes and dark brown hair that fell almost to his shoulders.
"Is this another musician?" Fernando asked.
Jack smiled. "Yes, and my best friend. His name's Leonard." Jack stopped abruptly, sniffing the air.
Marcus had already stood up. "Matthew's returned." A couple of minutes later, the door slammed shut with a force that rattled the house.
"I need to go to him," Jack said, looking distraught.
Marcus shook his head. "No, you stay with Chris and Fernando. I'll see to him."
Fernando picked up on the unspoken message and distracted Jack by asking about Leonard as Marcus left the room. He headed to the entry, preparing himself to face a vampire who'd lost control. Until the past week, he'd never seen his father in the grips of blood rage. Now it lapped at him daily. Had Ransome withheld his consent?
"It's done," Matthew said, his voice a low growl. "Ransome challenged me to recite the names of all those I'd killed in New Orleans. He didn't expect I'd be able to. When I did, he was forced to agree." He paused for a moment, the strain on his face evident. "I'm going to my room. Don't let anyone—especially Jack—near me." With that, he bolted upstairs.
Ysabeau had told Marcus that Matthew wanted to be alone whenever he was overwhelmed with rage. She explained his greatest fear was injuring someone else when he lost control. Jack would be an easy mark, and Matthew would never forgive himself if he lashed out at the boy.
"Is Matthew all right?" Jack asked anxiously when Marcus reentered the game room.
"He's fine," Marcus said, slapping a fake smile on. "And I have excellent news. Ransome signed off on the clan! We should celebrate in the Quarter. I'll make reservations for an early dinner at Antoine's then we'll go to the Domino Club where you'll get to hear Jack perform. Matthew wants us to go ahead. Extensive documentation needs to be prepared. He'd like to get a head start on it so it can be submitted without delay. He's asked not to be disturbed."
He was spinning flummery, and judging by the look Fernando shot him, he was well aware of it, but Jack and Chris appeared to accept the tale, and that was good enough.
The evening passed without a hitch. Several of Chris's students were addicted to Time Thief, and over dinner, Jack regaled them with tales of what it was like to work on video games. He never mentioned that Leonard was his mate, but to Marcus, it was obvious from his anecdotes, and undoubtedly to Fernando and Chris as well. It was a healthy sign that Jack talked about him so much. It meant that Jack wasn't despairing over his future.
Chris was a jazz enthusiast. His claps and cheers were among the loudest at the Domino Club that evening, but Fernando seemed to enjoy the performance just as much.
"It makes my blood boil to think Baldwin ordered him killed," Chris muttered to them when Jack and his fellow musicians were off stage. Jack had finished his final set. They planned to take a short walk in the Quarter before calling it a night. Bourbon Street was an experience everyone needed to sample at least once.
"He's improved dramatically since New Haven," Chris added. "You're a miracle worker, Marcus."
"What helped the most is that I'm not bound by traditional thinking on blood rage," Marcus said. "Since I only learned about it recently, I don't have the prejudices others do."
"Your theory about Jack's bloodsickness is provocative," Fernando said. "It could be a real breakthrough in understanding the differences among vampires."
"That's my hope," Marcus agreed. "Now that Jack's returned to his standard diet, his symptoms are less severe, but whether it's blood rage or post-traumatic stress, he'll need to be carefully monitored for a while."
When his cell phone vibrated, he rushed to pull it out of his jacket, hoping Phoebe was calling him. Instead, Jack's name was on the display. When he answered, he heard Jack snarl, "Get away from me!"
"Is that any way to speak to your Grand-père?" a low voice sneered.
"Dios, that's Benjamin!" Fernando was already on his feet. An instant later he'd vanished.
"Come with me or the killings will start with your musician pals," Benjamin added in a hiss. A crash was heard then silence.
"Chris, stay here," Marcus ordered. "Don't attempt to follow."
Marcus didn't wait for his answer. Fernando had exited through the front door to approach the club from the rear. Marcus raced to the musicians' lounge in the back. By the time he arrived, it was empty. He could smell Jack's fig and rosemary. But there was an unfamiliar scent as well. Sorrel and bay leaf.
He darted through the kitchen and into the back alley where his car was parked. He heard sounds behind a dumpster a half-block away.
Fernando was helping Jack up as Marcus drew near. The boy's shirt was ripped. A dark bruise was already forming on his chest. Marcus could smell a little internal bleeding. Jack likely had a couple of broken ribs. The physical injuries would heal quickly but the damage to his psyche was undoubtedly much more traumatic. His eyes were black as midnight. He appeared to be in shock.
"Benjamin hurled Jack against the dumpster as I approached," Fernando said. "He fled north."
"I'll take care of Jack," Marcus said, slipping an arm across the boy's shoulders to support him.
Fernando immediately sped off. Marcus wished he could join him in the chase, but Jack couldn't be left alone, not only because of his condition but because Benjamin could circle back and make a second attempt. "Jack, can you hear me?"
He nodded jerkily. "I'm okay."
"You're doing great. We're going back to the club. Fernando's gone after Benjamin."
Ransome was waiting for them at the back door. "What happened?" he asked, looking with concern at Jack. Fortunately, his eyes had reverted to brown.
As Marcus led Jack back to the lounge, he explained, "A rogue vampire with blood rage attacked him. Fernando's searching for the assailant."
"Is this the vampire you warned me about?"
"Yes. Now you understand why blood rage makes us so vulnerable."
"What can I do to help?"
"Tell Chris to join us in the lounge. Then alert the family."
Jack didn't show any trace of rage, but he was shaking uncontrollably. As soon as Chris arrived, they headed back home.
Marcus called Matthew from the car to alert him, mainly to ensure Benjamin wasn't lurking somewhere on the property. He was standing at the doorway when they arrived. Matthew's mood was already black. Would this be the last straw?
#
"That was smart thinking to sneak a call to Marcus," Matthew told Jack. "I'm impressed you could manage it." His own nerves were still raw from the assault. He should have been there. Marcus was worried that he would lose control, but Benjamin's attack forced him to bury his guilt deep. Remorse was a luxury he had no time for.
Now he understood why Marcus believed their two conditions were so dissimilar. Jack was holding onto his control by a thread, but he wasn't violent. Not yet anyway.
As soon as they got home, Marcus asked Jack to draw Benjamin's portrait so his family would know what he looked like. Matthew's first inclination was to reject the request out of hand. The images of those drawings at Gallowglass's house were still disturbingly fresh. Wouldn't drawing Benjamin's face throw Jack into an unreachable state?
But Marcus knew what he was doing. He talked Jack through it, peppering him with questions and insisting on an answer to each one before allowing Jack to proceed.
Matthew adopted the same tactic, asking Jack about the clothes and shoes Benjamin wore. The resulting drawing was terrifyingly realistic. Matthew hadn't seen the man in hundreds of years. Benjamin was his responsibility, and he needed to be killed before anyone else was hurt. But much as Matthew longed to give chase now, he couldn't. Jack was in too vulnerable a position, and then there was Diana. Simply the thought of her and their unborn babies caused his heart to rip apart.
"Leonard taught me how to make a stealth call," Jack volunteered unexpectedly. "When he brought me back to London, I was sure Benjamin would find me again. Leonard got me a burner phone and challenged me to alert him with a speed dial like our Time Thief would do. Initially, only Leonard's number was on speed dial, but when I went to New Haven, he pestered me to add you. Once we were in New Orleans, I included Marcus."
"I'm looking forward to meeting Leonard and thanking him. I also see that I need to play that video game to keep up with you. Tell me about your master thief."
As he and Marcus plied Jack with questions about the series, gradually his expression grew less haunted, and a little of the pressure weighing on Matthew's heart eased.
When Fernando returned, Marcus left to make copies of Jack's drawing and distribute it to his children.
"His trail vanished after a half-block," Fernando said. "He must have gotten into a car." He crouched in front of Jack. "I won't let him get near you again. That's a promise."
Jack nodded jerkily but didn't reply. Matthew knew none of them would get any sleep tonight.
"Matthew, I brought you a gift from Sept-Tours," Fernando added. "Madame Ysabeau thought you would like these." He handed him a bag.
Matthew opened it to find his well-worn carpentry tools.
"Madame Ysabeau wanted me to remind you that those babies need cradles, and you better get started," Fernando said.
Matthew marveled once more at how perceptive his mother was. She realized the challenges he'd face in New Orleans and had provided the means for him to heal. What she didn't realize was that she was giving the same chance to her new grandson.
He squeezed Jack's shoulder. "You've asked me to teach you woodworking. This is an ideal project for us to work on together. Would you like that?"
A little more of the tension left his expression. "Very much."
Matthew adopted a cheerfulness he didn't begin to feel. "Then let's get started." Jack's mind was undoubtedly still filled with Benjamin's face. Soon it would be replaced with cradle drawings.
#
They worked through the night and kept going during the day. Fernando managed to scrounge some rowan planks for the cradles. Jack remembered that the tree had a special significance for Diana since her box of cords was made from the same wood.
This was the first project for Diana that they'd worked on together since they'd prepared a joint valentine for her at the Hart and Crown. For Matthew, that was only six months ago, but for Jack, hundreds of years had passed. Even so, he still remembered the experience vividly. And like then, the activity reinforced the bonds connecting them. Once the frame was assembled, Jack carved a rowan tree on the supports of the cradles. In elegant tracery, he'd added leaves and glimpses of Corra as well.
No further sightings of Benjamin occurred. Marcus's house was guarded continuously by members of his family and Fernando. Perhaps the show of force convinced Benjamin to move elsewhere. Would he retreat into some hole, biding his time for another surprise assault?
The cradles were completed in record time as both he and Jack were eager to go to London. Diana's due date was sufficiently close that any further delay was unacceptable. She'd sent Matthew a few photos from London and he took advantage of every spare moment to view them.
The morning of their departure, he and Jack cleaned up the game room where they'd finished the cradles. Once that task was completed, Matthew was ready to celebrate. He retrieved his phone and pulled up Diana's photos once more. Soon, mon coeur, we'll be together. Time stood still as he scrolled through the photos.
When he roused himself to check on Jack, he found him sitting at the game table. He'd opened his sketchpad and was studying drawings of Leonard.
Christ, why had he taken him so long to realize it? Jack was gazing at Leonard's image with the same enamored expression that undoubtedly had been on Matthew's face when he looked at Diana's photos. Matthew had been so absorbed in his own issues that he hadn't seen what was probably blatantly obvious to everyone else.
"You're in love with Leonard," Matthew said, not making a question of it.
Jack spun around to face him. "More than that. We're mates. We have been for hundreds of years."
"Why didn't you say anything?"
Jack winced. "I tried to but you misunderstood me. Then you seemed so relieved that I hadn't mated with anyone, I didn't want to burst your bubble."
Fernando strode into the room. "At last the truth comes out. I'm happy for you both."
Matthew groaned. "Does everyone know except me?"
"Marcus and Chris do," Jack said. "I don't think Diana does."
"I know she doesn't. When you called Leonard your mate, she took it to mean friend."
Jack grinned. "And that's true. He's my best friend as well as my soulmate."
Matthew took a slow breath. His initial inclination was to disapprove because Jack was too young, but that was hardly fair. He wasn't that eight-year-old Matthew knew in London, nor was he the twenty-year-old youth he appeared to be ... and often acted like.
Marcus would undoubtedly point out that Jack had handled his separation much better than Matthew had. Mating bonds possibly weren't as strong for vampire youths as they were for older vampires. If Leonard proved to be a disastrous match, corrective measures could be taken later. In any case, how could he give Jack grief over his choice, when Matthew had spent decades with Juliette?
"Then let's get this show on the road," Matthew said, burying his lingering concerns. "I have a son-in-law to welcome into the family!"