Jack had been led to a cozy living room and now sat in a comfy armchair next to a fireplace and a side table with a candelabra. Although, given the abundance of books and lack of television, it might have fallen under the category of drawing room or parlor. The fact that an actual servant had shown him the way led him to believe the room deserved a classy name.

Jack watched in anxious silence as another servant brought in a tray and set about serving tea. Did the people working for Benoit know about her? Were they vampires as well? Were they enthralled and working for her against their will? What made him so special that it didn't seem to work well on him?

"That will be all, Hilda. Please see that we are not disturbed," said Benoit, smiling as she took the other chair beside the fireplace. She lifted her teacup and breathed in. "They don't train them like they used to. I've found treating your employees with respect and proper compensation will earn you fierce loyalty that lasts for many years."

"That's … nice?"

"What is it you would like to discuss?"

Jack stared at the tea set sitting on the low table between them. "I… I know. About Kieran. And, I guess, you," he said, quickly glancing up and away. Her raised brows and wide eyes had Jack thinking that Benoit thought she was being subtle.

"He confessed? Surprising!" Benoit's smile was pleased as she leaned forward.

Jack floundered for a moment, lost in his own shock. "Er, I found out."

She sighed and shook her head, dropping her smile. "Less surprising. May I ask how?"

"Probably in the worst way possible. Other than waking up with teeth in my neck, so a step above that? Even though that almost happened, so… Yeah." He coughed and picked up his teacup and ran his finger along its rim. "He, uh, got shot a couple times."

"Serves him right."

"No lie there," he muttered. "So, uh… That's part of why I'm here. You don't like Kieran. Why? Are you guys related or something? Sibling rivalry?"

"Related in that we share the same sire. My distaste for him lies in the fact that he hurt my darling Augustin." She sipped her tea before continuing in response to Jack's blank stare. "I have no children of my own, but I'd like to think of Augustin as mine."

"Oh." Jack tapped what remained of his nails against porcelain. "Hurt like … bad breakup? Or hurt like lies and stuff? Physical stuff? Other, uh, stuff? That I'm not sure if he was lying about, now that I think about it."

"He broke my Augustin's heart."

"Um… Okay." So Kieran was a love 'em and leave 'em type.

Benoit sighed and set her cup down. "He's not evil, but I question his motives and judgment. Morals are hard enough for men as it is. Throw in an eternity of boredom and they fray even more," she said with a graceful wave of her fingers.

"Yeah…" Now that his mind had gone there, Jack was hung up on Kieran's honesty about his so-called blood flow issue. He braced himself for a small round of awkwardness. "Uh, this is gonna sound weird, but he left me under the impression that vampires can't, uh, get it up. Or something."

Benoit blinked several times before her shoulders began to shake, and laughter overtook her. She leaned over the side of her chair as she gasped for air between fits of laughter.

Jack hunched his shoulders and sank further into the chair. He could always push over the candles sitting next to him and use it as a means of escape. Maybe toss a couple books into the fire. Although, Benoit would probably survive and come after him. Or she would haunt him just to help him relive every poorly thought out sentence that left his mouth.

Benoit waved her hands at her face as she sat back up, blinking at the ceiling. "Oh, my. You are an absolute treat! Yes, yes. Blood flow can be tricky at times. We can't produce our own; we can only convert. I'm certain he could perform after a decent meal."

"Good to know," Jack said through gritted teeth. He stared at the golden liquid in his teacup, doing his best to believe that his face was so warm due to his proximity to the fireplace. Where was a natural disaster when he needed it?

"Oh? Not excited about the prospect?" Her eyes narrowed. "I see. Please forgive my teasing."

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Jack's head shot up at Benoit's somber tone. His thoughts went straight to the women's shelter she helped finance. "What? No! I'm not traumatized or anything." He wilted under her raised brow. "Okay, I am. But not with sex. At least, I don't think I am…" He didn't feel lost or confused, so he hoped he was right. "No, I'm just … not into sex?"

He was going to have to be one of those weirdos who wore buttons. The rainbow earrings were bad enough, but those were a gift. He was obligated to wear those. But if he did get a button, then he would have to explain the damn thing, and explaining his sexuality to complete strangers didn't align with his idea of a fun time.

"Ah, one of those," Benoit said with a slow nod. "Lovers of the mind rather than the body."

"Uh, sure. Why not?" He needed to get off the subject of himself and lack of libido.

"So…"

"I cannot make up your mind for you, dear flame."

Jack was at the point where he wished someone would make a decision for him. Or at least give him a black and white answer. "You keep calling me that. Kieran said I smell good. Do I look different, too?"

"No. Only your scent differentiates you. You have no choice but to stand out and call to us. Much like a beacon in the dark."

"Or a … siren?"

"Beware the rocky shore. Yes. His name for you?"

"Yeah. A, uh… Well, his sweet siren." That annoying pang of wanting was back.

"Disgustingly romantic and prophetic of his own demise. Slap him if it bothers you. He may yet be trainable."

"Right. Um… Thanks?" Was she giving him permission to date Kieran? It sounded like it.

"He'll treat you right while he's interested. He, at least, abides by the rules."

"And that includes mind fucking?"

"Nudging, yes."

"Nudging. Right." When Kieran's brand of nudging didn't work, he switched to another form of nudging. But how invested was Kieran? "So I should be prepared for it to end whenever?" Jack chewed on a hangnail. "I think I can handle that."

Benoit ran her eyes over Jack, deep in thought. "To forcefully enthrall beyond relaxation can be cause for punishment," she said, her tone light and conversational. "If you believe he's crossed a boundary, you need only let me know, and I'll take care of it."

Jack gulped down his tea and shook his head. "I can't remember much, but I think I'm kinda-sorta immune-ish? I freak out."

"Then he's not pushing hard enough. You wouldn't be able to free yourself, even with your anxiety to help fight it."

"Don't sound so disappointed," he muttered into his cup. He winced as Benoit's smile widened, her eyes glittering in the firelight.

They fell into silence, and Jack stared into his empty cup. Had Kieran forcefully enthralled him that night with the gunman? If he concentrated on it, he could make out his concern for Kieran and Lindsey and how he wanted everything to go back to normal. Kieran had just offered him an easy way out. And he gladly took it then broke it.

No, not his fault. Kieran should have just held his hand, changed shirts, and called the cops. And then Jack would have had to lie to the cops and Sam. Slicing a guy's throat, even inadvertently, would be on his mind constantly instead of when he was actively thinking about that night.

He sighed heavily and set his teacup back on the tray, shaking his head when Benoit offered more tea. "I think I'd be happier not remembering, but I like knowing. I just wish I could not think about it. That… I killed a guy. With a knife. He shot Kieran, and then… Knife. Dead. People bleed a lot, and it's kinda gross. Really gross. I don't wanna die."

Benoit looked away and nodded slowly. "Death is never simple, and killing is much too easy," she said quietly.

"Not knowing and not remembering's easier, and I went and fucked it up," Jack said, his panic pushing the words out. "I thought I was helping. By being nosy. And he did that, too, and that just makes it more confusing, and I don't know what to think. I kinda did a standard background check on you, too. When you yelled at Kieran. I thought you guys might be fences or something. Montana's a weird choice. I want a reset button."

"Unfortunately, doing something so drastic would only push you further into madness." Benoit stared at the fire, lost in thought. She turned her attention back to Jack with a soft smile. "I must admit my curiosity. How did O'Byrne react to the gunmoney crown?" she asked.

Jack blinked a few times before meeting Benoit's gaze. The coin was stupid and only slightly embarrassing. The corner of his mouth came up as grateful relief unwound the churning in his stomach. "I made it sound like Ireland is just about clovers or shamrocks or whatever. You were kinda right. No tears, just kinda sad, but not sad-sad. Uh… Missing people you like kinda sad? So, uh… I guess no tears makes him a soulless bastard?"

"Oh, he's not a true bastard. He has a pedigree. He's rather proud of it, too," she said, rolling her eyes.

"I don't understand?"

"He never changes his name. Humans are willfully ignorant, so he's gotten away with it."

"Or he's sentimental." Either way, Jack knew exactly what his new search parameters were going to entail.

Benoit shook her head and let out a soft, disgusted sound. "Willfully ignorant."

Jack pressed his lips into a thin line and looked away with a huff. He was coming to the conclusion that all vampires were charming assholes. It had to be part of the initiation.

image [https://i.imgur.com/eZY0YUq.png]