“No,” he said. “I’m just not a romantic.”
Zeno threw his head back and laughed. “And what is romantic about this life? Drinking blood? Hiding from the sun?” Then his amusement fell. “Watching old friends die?”
“Exactly. Do you wonder why I don’t want it?”
“Yes.” The old vampire narrowed his eyes. “Because I see the same thing in you that I could see in myself at your age. You’re greedy.”
It pricked Ben a little. Made him feel like he was asking for more than his share. He sat a little straighter. “There’s nothing wrong with wanting—”
“Don’t be offended. I understand it,” Zeno said. “I wanted many things at your age. Money. Good music. Cheerful friends.” Zeno grinned. “Many, many women.”
Ben shrugged carelessly.
“I see much of myself in you, Ben. The same… ambition that drove me. The same greed.”
“I don’t see ambition as greed.”
“I’m not talking about money,” Zeno said. “Not talking about anything that… unimportant. I scraped coins growing up. I know just how good it feels to accumulate wealth. But that’s not the kind of greed I’m thinking of. You’re greedy for time, Ben Vecchio.”
Ben stayed silent.
“Time,” Zeno said, “is the true treasure of this life. And who is more greedy for time than those of us clinging to the dark?”
“You told me once you didn’t want to become a vampire,” Ben said quietly.
“I didn’t!” Zeno said, sorting papers into a pile that he carefully placed in a grey document box. “I didn’t want to be a vampire. But that didn’t mean my sire was an idiot.” Zeno winced. “Unfortunate that I killed him before I knew that wasn’t strictly allowed. But he knew I’d come to terms with it.”
“Why?”
“Because I was a thief!” Zeno said with a grin. “And a gambler. And because in the end, my sire helped me pull off the greatest heist of my life. I stole time.”
❂
BEN was helping Zeno sort letters two hours later when a timid priest knocked at the door and peeked in.
“Brother Zeno?”
“Why do you bother me?” Zeno roared. “Can you not see that I am working?”
The priest flinched. “There is a… person here to see you and your guest.”
“Who?” Zeno frowned. “I’m not expecting anyone.”
“She was most insistent.”
“Is it my wife?”
“No,” the priest said quickly. “Though I have not met the signora, I am sure—”
The young man broke off when surprised shouts echoed down the hallway. Tenzin flew over the young priest’s head, shoving him down and landing in front of Zeno with a smile.
“Oh,” Zeno said. “It’s you. I wasn’t expecting you.”
“Nobody expects me!” she said.
“Or the Spanish Inquisition,” Ben muttered.
“What?”
Ben cleared his throat. “Nothing, Tiny. Why are you here?”
She flew over and sat in the center of the worktable as the young priest abandoned the room with relief.
“I was bored. And I wanted to talk to Zeno about Naples.”
Ben leaned against the table. “Oh, are we being forthcoming this time?”
She shrugged. “There’s not so much mystery. There is a vampire there who wants me to find some old coins for him. I want you to help.”
Zeno’s eyes shot up. “Who?”
“Who what?”
“Who wants you to find the coins?”
“Alfonso.” Tenzin scooted over and swung her leg over the edge of the table, shoving Ben’s carefully organized papers to the side. “Who else?”
Zeno’s eyes darted between Tenzin and Ben. “And you intend to take Giovanni’s son with you?”
“Yes,” Tenzin said.
“I’m not Gio’s son. And you haven’t actually asked me to go with you,” Ben said, crossing his arms. “I’m not going unless you tell me the details. And that includes any cross-Atlantic steamer trips I might be unknowingly booked on.”
Zeno started laughing.
Tenzin flew behind Ben and perched on his back, hanging her arms over his shoulders. “Don’t be mad. Didn’t you get an excellent grade in Conversational Mandarin the next semester?”
“Not the point.”
Zeno was still laughing. “I want to hear that story.”
“It’s really not that funny.”
Tenzin said, “It really is.”
“Tiny, if you want me—”
“I’ll give you all the details. I already told you about the Sicilian coins, didn’t I?”
“Mentioning a type of coin isn’t a story. That’s a detail. Is this another one of your caches? Is this someone who hired you? What will I be doing? Will any weapons be involved?”
“Such a pacifist.” She sighed. “So boring.”
How did she piss him off so quickly?
He untangled her arms from around his neck and shoved her away. “Fine. If I’m so boring, then you can—”
“Ask me your questions,” Zeno barked. “Then take your lovers’ quarrel somewhere else. I don’t want to listen to it.”
“He’s not my lover,” Tenzin said. “He’s my… life coach.”