Chapter Twenty-Three | Our Little Secret

August had been a busy month for Warren; Karou had hardly seen him. What made the situation different from his last work spree was that he'd told her he would be swamped for a month or two. Ahead of time, he mentioned he'd be taking several business trips, which meant that she'd be left alone in the unit. He was trying to be more accommodating even if he couldn't offer her more attention.

Now that Karou knew more about REDford, he told her about his retail plans for cloned blood. It would allow him to move away from farming Mortals and close his bloodfarms. Karou had found the topic fascinating but understood that he couldn't give her too much information. Still, it confirmed to her that he wasn't the monster he believed he was. He was moral enough to try and live more ethically. His effort just by being less mysterious made a great deal of difference to Karou. She couldn't believe the turnaround.

One night, while Warren was away on one of his trips, Karou was woken by his office phone's incessant ringing. Standing outside the door in her pyjamas, she contemplated whether she should go in and answer it or not. She wondered, Is the door even unlocked? Trying the handle, she discovered Warren had left it open. Cautiously, she crept inside, peering around on high alert as if he might spring out of nowhere and ask her what she was doing.

When she answered the phone, she didn't even get a chance to greet the caller before they asked, "Why are you answering my office phone?"

"Warren?" Her heart skipped a beat. Ugh, so this was some kind of test, and I fell for it. She thought, wincing, waiting for his lecture. "Why are you ringing your office phone?" Karou retorted.

"I hoped you'd eventually answer it." He replied smoothly. She wasn't sure which was more unnerving, the possibility of him being angry or the fact that he wasn't. "I know it's late, but I have a favour to ask. Magnus is trying to get in touch with me from Russia, and I'm staying at a Mortal hotel—"

"—Mortal hotel? Isn't that dangerous?" Karou's knee-jerk reaction of alarm interrupted his explanation.

"It's more 'risky' than outright dangerous. Listen, because he can't call me directly from Coven territory, he's going to call my office, and I need you to take a note from him for me. Okay?"

"You woke me up at four AM to be your secretary?"

"Yes, I hope you're not expecting wages?" He joked; his humour was as dry as always.

"No, but you owe me. I'm going now, so I don't miss Magnus' call. He'd better call soon 'cause I'm enjoying having your great big bed to myself."

"You're sleeping in my bed?" Warren sounded mildly alarmed.

"Duh, you're not using it, so why can't I? I'll wash your sheets, don't panic. I'm hanging up now. Bye." Karou waited patiently for Magnus to call, and when the call came through, it rang once before she picked up. "Good morning, afternoon, evening, or night, this is Mr Howard's sleepy secretary speaking. How may I help you?" Karou greeted humorously.

"Ah, Karou! It's so nice to hear your voice; I was expecting Warren's answering machine. How are you doing, Bonita?" Magnus returned cheerfully.

"Oh," Karou muttered, perplexed by this new information. "Uh, I'm the same as always but doing fine. How're you?"

"Always the same here." Magnus chirped. "The reason I called is, I need to let Warren know what time our flight lands. Will you write it down for him?"

"Sure. He'll be pleased you're coming for a visit." A pause. "I'll take a note; let me just find a pen..." Karou could be heard fumbling about until she eventually opened one of Warren's desk drawers and gasped, "Good grief, this guy needs a hobby. Who organises their stationery to this extent?" The commentary earned a chuckle from Magnus. "Okay, fire away..."

"We will be there September eighth. Landing around seven in the evening. We shall be with you by half past eight."

"Uh–huh, I've got all that written down. I'll let Warren know. Y'know, he called six times before I answered and then scolded me for answering when all along, he could've just let you leave a message on his answering machine? He's unbelievable!"

Magnus' hearty chuckle trilled down the line. "It sounds like you're getting along. I happy he has company. On second thought, Karou, how about you don't tell him what I told you, and the visit can be our little surprise?"

"I wouldn't say we get along. We fight plenty. And, uhm, Warren isn't a fan of the whole company thing or surprises. Besides, I bet he'll be really happy to see you."

"¡Ay! If you feel you should tell him, then you go ahead. I wouldn't want my devilment to get you into trouble. We don't usually visit on his birthday, but Ellis has been rather anxious to see him. I thought, why not spring a pre-Christmas visitation?"

"The eighth is his birthday?" Karou picked up Warren's desk calendar and saw that he hadn't even marked it.

"No, the ninth. You didn't know?"

"No, but we don't talk about that kinda personal stuff. I don't know his favourite movie, book, food, colour… anything." For a moment, she felt sad that even after all that time, she didn't even know when his birthday was, but she supposed she'd never asked either.

"Well, Niña, look around; his favourite colour is blue."

Karou looked, and even in his small office space, the abundance of the colour suddenly dawned on her. "Ah, right. Of course..."

"I shall let you get your rest. See you soon."

"Sure. Bye, Magnus."

✷✷✷

Warren was sitting eating breakfast while Karou made herself busy getting her own. She'd been about to disappear into the lounge with her toast and coffee when he stopped her. "You're acting rather strange this morning."

"Am I?" Karou raised her brows as if she hadn't noticed.

"Yes. You've been weaselling your way around me for the last few days. Here was I thinking: I'm the avoidant one... Is everything all right?"

"Yep! Everything is absolutely fine." Karou blurted with too much pep to be convincing. Sipping her coffee, she stared at him over the rim; her attempt to act normal only made her appear stranger. Inside, it felt like she was about to burst. Keeping a secret had made her overly anxious, and it was only made worse by Warren's suffocating presence. He gave her a look, raised an eyebrow, and that did it! "Okay, okay. I've done something you're potentially gonna be mad about, but I can't hide it anymore!" Karou whined, desperately wanting to be forgiven for the misdemeanour. Stepping back up to the kitchen island, Karou placed her breakfast down, only for her mug to land awkwardly and spill coffee all over his newspaper. "Oh, shit! I didn't mean to do that." As if things couldn't have gotten worse. She grabbed a kitchen towel to alleviate some of the carnage.

"I'm a little more concerned about what you said than a ruined newspaper, Karou." Warren grabbed her hand, halting her frantic mopping and sought her attention, looking peeved and impatient. "Spit it out."

"So, remember when you went to New York last month? I was here alone, and you kept calling and calling and calling—"

"Yes, and you eventually answered and took a message from Magnus."

"Yeah. That time. Well, I lied about what he said."

"You lied?"

"I mean, it wasn't exactly a big lie, but—" Karou took a deep breath and spat out her explanation frantically, "—they're going to be here at eight-thirty tonight."

"Repeat that last part..." He hoped she hadn't plotted to spring them on him.

"Magnus... and Ellis... they're coming over to visit you. They'll be here at eight-thirty. Tonight."

The clock on the kitchen wall ticked and tocked. Warren was silent. He wasn't furious per se, just surprised, but then again, he wasn't fond of surprises. Mainly because they messed up his schedule. If his stillness and silence weren't enough to cause Karou to fear the worst, when he got up to start washing the dishes without saying anything, was when she felt doom consume her. Oh, crap, he must be really, really mad. "Uh, before you shout at me, just think, at least you'll get laid tonight, right?"

Warren glared and snapped, "What makes you think I want El—" Huffing, he squeezed the sponge tightly. "Setting me up for sex isn't a good enough reason to lie to me, Karou."

"Magnus suggested keeping it a secret as a surprise for you."

"Throwing him under the bus, are we?"

"C'mon, don't be such a grinch. I bet you're actually really happy they're coming." Karou grinned at him over-enthusiastically, hoping that it might rub off. "Y'know, these days, I imagine you have this smiley guy on the inside. It makes you an easier pill to swallow."

"You have a way with words, Miss Morgan."

When Warren genuinely smiled, any notion that he could be a dangerous predator seemed impossible. His mouth didn't look like a place she'd go to die, but rather somewhere, the fire of passion burning inside her went to be kindled. With one kiss, he'd ignited her, only to leave her wanting. Now, though, the cold glaze that usually caused his eyes to appear like ice melted away so that she could admire how dazzling and full of charm they were.

"What're you looking at me like that for?"

"Like what?" She'd bit down onto her bottom lip and began toying with her fingers.

Like you want me to kiss you, he thought but figured he might've been projecting. "Never mind," Warren said, pulling the plug on the sink and his fantasy. With the dishes left dry, he grabbed his cell phone and excused himself—he had to sort out his guest's sleeping arrangements with the residents of unit three and hoped the sort notice wouldn't be an issue.

✷✷✷

Karou made herself busy for the rest of the day. She wasted the morning reading and spent the afternoon roaming the library's aisles, looking for a new book and chatting with Juniper. Once the daily bustle had passed, she settled down at Alder's desk with her sketchbook.

"Whatchya drawin'?" Juniper's sing-song voice tweeted over her shoulder. Leaning well into Karou's personal space, as was her habit, they almost came nose to nose when Karou turned to look at her.

"Uh, just—"

"Aw, look, it's all of us!" The fae girl giggled, looking at Karou's sketches. "That's our Kenny. You've got his eyes spot on. Ooh, and a self-portrait, have we?" June appraised Karou's face, examining the likeness. "Aye, you've captured your beauty."

Karou grinned, pleased that Juniper could at least recognise Kenichi, but blushed, unable to bear the compliment about herself. "June, stop it."

"Stahp Et!" The fae mocked, her New England accent as if her own Scotts one wasn't more apparent. "Ack,i I'm only messin'. But seriously, don't let Nate and Kage see this one, they like to pretend they keep at least two foot between 'em." June's green eyes rolled.

"Juniper!" Alder called, and Juniper reluctantly went back to work.

Karou turned the page and looked at the sketch she'd been working on most of all. It was Warren, poised to unwind for the evening, in the corner of the couch with his scotch. She wouldn't let Juniper see it, it was private, for Karou's eyes only.

When she finally checked the time on the library's Grandmother clock, it was around a quarter past eight—time to make her way back to the unit. It was only polite to say hello to Warren's guests, even if she wasn't expecting an invite to their 'party'.

✷✷✷

At home, Warren was sitting on the couch scribbling into his planner; he'd been working at the coffee table. Rearrange his schedule for that day, which had a knock-on effect for the whole week. A pile of cigarettes sat in his ashtray; it seemed reorganising his workload had taken some time. He had another smouldering cigarette wedged between his index and middle finger and had just blown a plume of smoke from his lips when he looked up and found Karou arriving. "Ah, there you are. Your disappearance this morning was rather strategic; you got out of helping me clean this place."

"Is it ever really untidy in here, though?" Karou asked sarcastically as she clambered over the back of the couch into her usual seat. Warren's cleaning habits neared obsession, and she wasn't sure she'd ever adjust to seeing a businessman scrub a toilet bowl until it gleamed.

"It would be if I let you run wild," Warren replied, shutting his planner and tossing it onto the coffee table. "I wanted to thank you for the surprise before they get here and take over... and before I get too drunk."

"It's not really my surprise; it was Magnus' idea, but you're welcome. You're difficult to keep secrets from."

"Really, why's that?"

"I guess we kinda initiated a... 'thing'—" Karou articulated awkwardly, not wanting to say 'relationship' "—where we don't lie to each other. Plus, how you look at me sometimes makes me feel compelled to tell you stuff." She figured they could at least be honest with each other if they couldn't be friends.

Before Warren could reply, Magnus and Ellis were coming through the unit's front door. Magnus and his flair for the dramatic meant that his entrance was characteristically flamboyant. He called loud greetings to the pair with outstretched arms, ready to receive. Just like the first time Karou had witnessed the couple arriving, the men embraced, and Ellis kissed Warren intrusively on the mouth. However, this visit differed from their first because Magnus approached Karou when she stood from the couch as a passive welcome. Despite his chilly Vampiric temperature, Magnus exuded warmth, and when he hugged and kissed her cheeks, Karou felt like a giddy child.

"It's great to see you," Karou awkwardly hugged Magnus back; she wasn't used to such affection. Over his shoulder, she spied Ellis, paying a little more attention to Warren than he looked comfortable with.

Magnus hadn't done with her yet and kept hold of her upper arms. With a grin, he held her back from himself, inspecting her as if she were a treasured relative. "Si, it is lovely to see you also, Bonita."

Warren had gotten away from his Sire and muttered something into Magnus' ear, to which he responded, "Ah yes, yes... Good idea, before I forget. Do excuse us for a moment; there is a small business matter to take care of before the party begins." Magnus excused himself and Warren, and they disappeared into the office and left Ellis and Karou alone.

"Uh, did you have a nice flight?" Karou asked, breaking the silence, however awkwardly.

"It was all very ordinary," Ellis replied, already making herself comfortable on the couch, taking off her jacket, shoes, and such. "I see you're still living here. It was nice meeting you last time we visited." She began and seemed to be starting an amicable conversation until she continued, "But you'll be making yourself scarce for tonight's little soiree, won't you? You understand that our visit was to see Warren and share his birthday—it's a family affair."

Ellis' directness was shameless, but she was almost impossible to get fiery about when she made her alienating request sound so reasonable. "Uhm… Sure. I'll just be in my room then." Karou replied, pointing her thumb back toward her room.

When Karou started to back away, Ellis objected. "No, dear, you need to leave the house." Curling her manicured fingertip through her black curls, she smiled, pulling her red-painted lips back over her shiny white teeth and pointy fangs, which hung down into the hollow of her lips unapologetically. "I have plans for Warren and me tonight. I'm sure you understand. It was exceedingly difficult last time with you hiding away in your closet, and I can imagine it was awkward for you, also. You have a friend you can go stay with, don't you?"

"Uhm, yeah. I can go someplace else." Karou found herself agreeing. The second request was quite a blow—being kicked out by someone who didn't even live there felt horrible, but she guessed that Warren would probably agree that she shouldn't be there to snoop on them.

When Magnus and Warren exited the office, they instantly noticed the absence of Karou and, specifically, her scent. "Where is the little one, mi amor?" Magnus asked unreservedly.

"She said something about going to see friends." Ellis lied. Warren knew what his Sire had done. At present, he didn't want to cause a scene, so he said nothing, biding his time, and went about enjoying the evening.

Without Karou, the three Vampires shared several bottles of wine over their catch-up, but the further Warren got from sober, the more he found his eyes wandering towards where Karou usually sat on the couch. As time wore on, he'd been increasingly wary that Karou was out past curfew. To quell his worries, he'd convinced himself that one of her friends had given her shelter.

Magnus tried to steer the conversation in the Mortal girl's direction a couple of times by asking Warren some choice questions when he noticed his attention was already distracted that way. Alas, Ellis was quick to change the subject. It seemed Magnus would have to get Warren alone if he was going to extract information regarding his increasingly uncharacteristic relationship with Karou successfully. Had she somehow gotten past Warren's social façade and become his friend? Or more?

✷✷✷

After being dismissed, Karou went to the Compound's main lounge and curled up on one of the Chesterfields in a gloomy mood. The Compound's public spaces were never particularly busy at night because the nocturnal residents tended to keep to themselves. The quiet meant the lounge was a cosy place to fall asleep, but she couldn't. Karou had been warned that nowhere was safe if she was alone; worrying kept her awake.

The fire crackled, the library's Grandmother clock ticked the minutes away, and every so often she heard muffled voices—cheering, swearing, or laughing. Karou peeped over the back of the couch and listened. The voices were coming from the store room. The door opened, and from within came Alder Pitkin.

Juniper had finished work for the day, but her Uncle Alder would remain until the night librarian clocked on. Sometimes, like tonight, he'd meet 'friends' in the storeroom, and they'd gamble on card games. Although, on first impression, the talkative Fae had seemed friendly, he had a dark side, and the more time she spent around him, the less she liked him. It was anything he'd done in particular, but Karou felt in her gut that there was something dangerous about him—if the rumour mill was to be believed, he was akin to a mafioso.

Alder leant against one of the library's bookcases; Karou watched him light his pipe. The pointed tip of his left ear twitched; the right probably would have as well if it hadn't been missing. He'd heard her, though she could've sworn she'd moved silently. His eyes homed in on her. Slowly, he brought his index finger up to his lips and requested her silence, baying her to keep his secret: the taboo of smoking indoors. Alder didn't remain in place for long; Karou didn't take her eyes off him as he sauntered her way. Pausing before her couch, he pulled an ornate-looking pocket watch from his waistcoat and checked the time.

"You're out late, aren't ya' sweetheart?"

"War—the Overseer has guests over."

"You not invited to the party, eh?" He didn't wait for a reply. "Hope you're not thinkin' a sleepin' here all night. There's a few fella's in that room there that you should'nae be running into, if y'know what I mean? They're the feral sort. Lots a teeth in 'em. Like pretty necks…"

Karou swallowed hard. His words were as threatening as his tone was haunting.

"I'll give June a call t'come fetch you to the Nest. You'd be better off there tonight."

Alder perched himself on the edge of the coffee table, smoking his pipe in silence while they waited for his niece to arrive. When she arrived, she offered Karou a shawl, much like the one she had draped over her own shoulders, though, of course, Karou had no wings to fit through the slits in its back.

"Why didn't you jus' come straight to the Nest, 'Rou?" June gently scolded. They made their way out into the woods toward the West Gates Delivery depot, where the Alternative Quarters were. Outside, rain soaked the ground a deeper shade, and now the need for the shawl made sense. Great spots of water pitter-pattered and trickled off the waxy covering and kept them dry. Karou made excuses, but the two barely chattered along the way; they kept their heads down due to the downpour.

Juniper peeled back the corrugated steel door of the warehouse that housed the De'en Fae's nest, and 'nest' was the right word for it. Although the lounge and kitchen nestled into the corner of the warehouse, above, their sleeping quarters hung from the metal rafters like the nests of weaver finches. The intricately woven pods made almost a dozen tiny bedrooms connected by bridges fashioned out of supple saplings and climbing vines. Light glowed from within some, and others lay in darkness, their residents probably sleeping.

They each shed their shawls, and Karou watched in awe as June's wings fluttered, shaking her four iridescent membranes free of water. Shown the way up the stairs and along a viney gangway to Juniper's room, Karou was seated on a mess of blankets that was June's bed.

"I'll go put the kettle on, and you get comfy." The Fae fluttered back downstairs and, upon her return, furnished Karou with a piping-hot cup of tea. Once the tea had been drunk and gossip and laughter had been shared, the girls snuggled down and fell to sleep by the flickering light of the crystal lamp—it kept the small mossy pod toasty warm.

Near midnight, a voice whispered through the doorway, using words unrecognisable as English. Naturally, she stirred at the sound of her Father's voice. June's side of the conversation went from sleepy to annoyed in seconds. It wasn't because she'd been woken but because of the reason why. Spurred by his urgent request and her fervent denial, June flew down from her bedroom and met their visitor at the warehouse door.

"Good evening," Warren greeted from beyond the threshold. "I've come to take Karou home."

"You can't enter here," Juniper informed him with a deadly green glare.

"Wake your sister, get her to lift the enchantment, and allow me entry."

"Why? You kicked her out of your home. She's welcome in mine, so leave her here."

"That's quite the assumption." Warren's brow stiffened. "I would've housed her here if I could trust you to guarantee her safety."

"Are you suggesting I'd hurt her?" June spat, and like a lightning strike, the enchantment that kept her appearance humanoid faltered—Warren glimpsed the creature she was beneath. Grey-skinned, with huge eyes—black sclera housed her verdant irises. From her mouth, full of jagged razor-sharp fangs, came a screech inaudible to the Mortal ear, but it lanced Warren's.

He winced in pain and sucked in breath through his teeth. In reaction to the threat, his fangs bared. Looming closer, returning the threat, his eyes darkening, "I know you sold her out to Richard Abbott. Don't you dare pretend to care about her wellbeing!" Warren's hand grasped the steel door, breaching the enchantment; as a result, he was punished—a burn and its searing pain radiated from his palm and up his forearm.

It evoked a feral growl from him that made Juniper stand a little straighter. "Don't enter here!" She cried, fearing the look of determination in his hollow eyes.

"Bring her out to me, or I will come in. Don't forget I give you shelter here." Warren glowered.

"She's not your proper—" Juniper retorted.

"Enter, Mr. Howard, and forgive my sister… Althea, step aside." Aster De'en appeared like an astral vision. Her form illuminated as she flew down from her room, and her hand extended to indicate she had temporarily lifted the enchantment. Warren's hand stopped burning as proof of this. Unhindered, he stepped through the threshold and out of the rain.

"She's a fool not to fear you."

"Likewise," Warren snarled as he forced his way past Juniper and into the nest.

When Karou heard her name whispered, she blinked open her eyes and was surprised to see Warren crouched by the side of the bed framed in the glow of the crystal lamp.

"Hmmm, is it morning already?" Karou asked sleepily.

"No, it's not morning yet. It isn't even one AM. What are you doing sleeping here?" He whispered gently—his mood had mellowed the moment he'd spotted Karou sleeping peacefully.

"Ha-ha, making myself scarce so you can get laid, duh." Karou rubbed her hand over her face before flopping back into the bedding pile.

"Ellis told you to leave?"

"Mhmm said something about your party being only for family. That, an' she has a 'present' for you," Karou said, still drowsy, but her nose wrinkled at the mention of Ellis' implied sexual gift.

Warren smiled weakly. Ellis' deviance was old news; her behaviour made her tiresome.

"Did you have a good time? Seeing them, I mean."

"We caught up over a bottle of wine or three. There was nothing exclusive about it. Now, come on; you're tired; let's get you in your own bed."

"I think I'm supposed to be gone all night because of your present, remember?"

"I can go without a late-night birthday present of lingerie and masochism." His nose wrinkled. "Come on, let's go home, Karou. Don't make me carry you." He warned. He wasn't taking no for an answer.

Together, Warren and Karou left the De'en's nest. Aster ensured her sister didn't hinder the Overseer any further, but that didn't stop Juniper from staring daggers at him.

Back at their unit, Karou quickly disappeared out of sight and went to get ready for bed; the rain had dampened her clothes. With her pyjamas on, she peered out of her bedroom door and saw Warren had tidied up the lounge and now sat in his corner of the couch holding an unfinished bottle of wine. As she watched him, she figured he was waiting for Ellis to arrive and thought, I'd better shut this door tonight. "Good night," Karou called down the hall.