A few nights later, Sean and Claire were once again in the main hall of their home. This time, the two of them were both seated on one of the sofas, speaking quietly with one another while waiting on any other members of their community who wished to speak with Sean that night. However, the next person shown in was not Kindred or ghoul, making her appearance there that night even more unexpected.
As Summer glided through the door, she had barely a moment to be in awe of the lavish home, before she was once again overtaken by not only Sean’s presence, but Claire’s as well. Their combined majesty did do well to slow her steps, and her breath as she moved toward them, trying once again to regain her usual confidence.
With a shake of her long locks, she managed another smile. After a few more moments, and steps, she finally found her voice as she stopped a small distance from where the two awaited the explanation for her visit.
Sean allowed a soft smile as his eyes moved over the girl who was even tinier than Claire, standing at a barely 5′3”. Meanwhile Claire just looked puzzled by who this young woman even was. Though her flinch a moment later showed that she had changed her vision to take in the girl’s aura. And upon seeing that bright sparkle she had only ever seen in Eliot’s before, her curiosity as well as her wariness only grew.
Taking a deep breath to allow another second to find her voice, Summer spoke at last, “So, after hearing about my father’s... experience with your kind, then knowing what Eliot had done to himself to try to save one of you,” her dark eyes moved to Claire then, as she could only assume that was who the beautiful woman next to Sean was, “I was pretty sure that I never wanted anything to do with all of you, either.”
“But?” Sean responded with a charming and curious smile at the young lady, while Claire just looked between the two of them with further wariness.
Summer returned his smile, which was nearly as charming as Sean’s, then provided a response, “But, after meeting you, and having quite a few long chats with Eliot, I’ve decided to give you the benefit of the doubt.”
“How kind of you,” Sean responded with a playful smile, as Claire just continued looking on with furrowed brow.
“So, I’m here to talk about our future cooperation, sire,” she added the title with a playful smirk of her own.
Sean leaned back in his seat a moment and gave her another long look, his lips still curled into a smile as he did, “And what cooperation would that be, Summer?”
Her grin only widened at his seeming acceptance of her confidently given proposal. “I saw the way your eyes lit up when we were talking about my wards the other night,” another playful smile back his way, “and you must admit, the huge, bright silver walls are a little.. uh...” she shook her head with another smile. “Let’s just say, wards are a definite improvement. And I, being the generous sort of girl I am, can help you get your very own ones set up around this place.” She gave him another knowing smile, “Tempted?” she asked with a little more to her tone, and her sparkling aura, than just a desire to be helpful.
Seeing the obvious flirtation between the two, Claire finally had to speak up, “Summer, was it?” She then moved on without waiting on an answer, “I’ve got to say, it is rather odd that you’ve suddenly just decided to come here and offer us your help, without us even asking for it.”
Summer was only stalled a moment before continuing, “Like I said, Eliot has convinced me that maybe you all aren’t that bad after all. And, if there really is some unknown danger waiting to happen... which is why he even went on that suicidal walk through time, right?” she added pointedly. “Then I’m sure you could use any help I could provide. And I’m sure Eliot would like to keep you as safe as possible too, considering.” She then looked back at Sean, her smile returning, before adding one more argument, “Besides, there’s no reason to worry about my intentions when Sean here can see every one of them, can’t he?” she stated as she let her eyes move over him once more.
“Well, the wards do sound rather helpful,” Sean agreed as he stood. “Let’s go talk in my office. I’d love to know how they even work,” he stated as he moved toward her, offering his arm to lead her to his office with another smile down at her.
Once Sean and Summer reached his office and took seats, it was still several moments before they did much more than smile at each other across the desk. Finally, it was Sean who spoke up.
“I have to say, it is a very good thing that I can read your thoughts. Or else, like my lovely wife, I would be very suspicious of you.”
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Summer feigned offense despite her coy smile, “She doesn’t read thoughts herself then?”
Sean looked down only a moment, “Not really her way of dealing with people. However, considering my position, it is a necessary evil I’m afraid.”
After another moment of smiling over at him, she spoke again, “So what’s so suspicious about me? I’m not the first mage that’s been under this, highly lavish roof after all,” she stated as her dark eyes moved from him long enough to take in more of their surroundings for only a brief moment before returning to Sean.
“You have a rather odd way about you. That’s the best way I can describe it.”
She narrowed her eyes at him before responding, “Weren’t you a poet of some kind in some other life? Surely you could describe it if you wanted to,” she smiled again.
“You’re fairly knowledgeable about my past, which only adds to the aforementioned oddity,” Sean replied.
“I do live with a man who has spent years mentally traveling through your wife’s past; therefore, your past,” she returned, dropping her voice only slightly.
“But he’s never told you about the future he saw?” Sean had to ask.
Summer shook her head with a slightly sadder smile. “If he is already staying away from the woman he loves to keep anyone from seeing that future inside his head, why would he risk filling another head with it?”
“Point taken,” Sean had to agree.
“So, again, I ask, what do you find so odd about me, if it’s not just what I can do?”
“I suppose it’s the way you carry yourself. You have a confidence most mortals don’t, especially when speaking to our kind,” Sean attempted an explanation.
“I guess it’s easier to be confident when you already know my every thought, and desire. I have nothing left to hide then, after all,” she finished with a seductive smile.
Sean shook his head, but wore a look of admiration as he did, “That’s not the usual reaction most people have to me being able to read their minds. It’s usually quite the opposite feeling that it inspires in them,” he admitted, deliberately not naming any of those people who did hate what he could do.
Summer looked down with a thoughtful smile, “I suppose maybe it’s just because I’ve always had a habit of saying exactly what’s on my mind anyway. Even if I shouldn’t. So I guess having someone else able to see it all already, it saves me some time, at any rate,” she chuckled sweetly.
“In a rush, are you?”
“Depends on the company I suppose, and the activity,” she gave another coy smile. “Other than that, I guess my best explanation is that if you already know exactly what I’m thinking, then neither of us have to worry about pretending that we’re thinking something else. It’s refreshing, isn’t it?”
“That’s one word for it,” Sean agreed, with a pointed tone.
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It took Summer just over an hour to finish erecting the wards around the estate. Once she had completed the task, she smiled up at where Sean stood over a foot taller than her. They had now moved to a place just inside the rear gate, after having walked the whole perimeter of the grounds so Summer could be sure the entire property would be protected.
“All safe and sound,” she told him as she returned his smile.
“So, explain once more, just to make sure I have it... firmly committed to memory,” Sean requested with a playful slant to his tone as well as his smile.
She swallowed another small smile as she answered, “The wards are charmed so that the people you mentioned, like yourself, Claire, your servants, are allowed to pass through without a problem. That of course can be reversed at any time with the incantation I gave you. You can of course also use that to allow access to anyone else you deem worthy of being able to pass through. As for less frequent visitors, they’ll have to be given verbal permission from someone who has permanent access. And even then, they’ll only be able to pass through for a matter of seconds once permission is granted.”
“And---”
“And no, compulsion won’t work through the wards,” she smiled up at him again. “My father did teach me a few things about your people after all,” she reassured with a knowing smile.
“We are quite good at that sort of thing. Are you sure it won’t work through the wards?” Sean had to ask with only a bit more seriousness returning to his tone at last.
“Oh, you’d like proof?”
“It is something I should require, being who I am and all,” he stated in a slightly apologetic tone.
“May I go outside?” she smiled up at him as she gestured to the gate they stood just inside of.
“You may,” he chuckled down at her as she smiled back before moving through the gate and stopping just outside it now.
“OK, compel me.”
Sean allowed another small chuckle before he looked straight at her, as he remained inside the gates, speaking in that hypnotic tone of his, “Alright, it’s been a long night, why don’t you have a nap, right there?”
Summer looked down at the ground below her feet then gave Sean a questioning look, “And ruin this dress? I think not, sire,” she chuckled. She then moved her eyes over him as Sean grinned back at her, “Besides, I have a feeling staying awake would be so much more interesting.”
Sean chuckled again as he moved toward her and leaned down to give her a gentle kiss, as he already was quite aware that she had been hoping he would since the moment they met.
When the kiss ended, Summer looked up at him breathlessly, “Was that a thank you then?” she whispered.
“For starters,” he answered with a knowing smile of his own.