67: 67 To safety and danger (AVOT)

67 To safety and danger (AVOT)

"You want my mother to stay with him?" Daisy asked, her eyes widening with disbelief.2

"Yes, Daisy. She'll be safer at his residence. Ideally, I'd send you there too, but we must avoid arousing suspicion. As for your mother, it could be construed as nothing more than Tiberius taking a personal interest in her."

"He's a vampire, and my mother doesn't even know about your supernatural background."

"Tiberius possesses unparalleled self-control, especially where harm is concerned. Initially, he declined my request. Yet, he's here. I believe he's genuinely concerned for her safety," he assured her.

Daisy began to pace, her face etched with conflict. She was extraordinarily protective of her mother, not given to taking risks lightly. Finally, she stopped and looked at him. "Do you truly trust him?"

"Yes, I do," he said firmly.

"But why would my mother agree to go with him?"

He smiled, a hint of mischief in his eyes. "Let's leave the persuasion to Tiberius."

Elsewhere, Tiberius found himself in the ornate drawing room, surrounded by the comforting scents of lavender and lemon. Helena had bathed; her damp hair sent a fragrant mist into the air. Despite wrestling with his conscience all night, he had finally decided that he could not turn his back on her—or on his friend, Rhain.

So here he was, again entangling his life with a mortal, a decision that had invariably led to heartbreak in the past. He pondered his options, weighing each choice with the precision of a jeweler inspecting a rare gem. He didn't want to impose upon her, to make her feel as if her status as a divorced woman somehow made her less deserving of respect.

Yet there was an urgency that he couldn't ignore. Her safety was paramount, and if compelling her was what it took, he would bear that burden. Compulsion came easy to him; a certain lilt in his voice, a specific look in his eyes, and he could bend the will of others. He considered starting with a simple invitation to his home, laying the groundwork for a more prolonged arrangement later.

Helena interrupted his thoughts, offering him homemade delicacies that she had prepared herself. Despite knowing the consequences, Tiberius took a bite, instantly regretting it. Food was a dreadful experience for him, unlike the richness of blood. He could almost taste her essence in the air and it tantalized him, forcing him to focus on maintaining his composure.

As they ate, Helena began to speak warmly of Rhain, her voice tinged with genuine happiness. "He's such a wonderful son-in-law. I couldn't be happier for my daughter."

Tiberius suppressed a sigh, his thoughts momentarily drifting to the chaos that this union had stirred beneath the surface, a tempest that Helena was blissfully unaware of. 

"I would like to extend an invitation for you to stay at my residence," Tiberius said, his voice tinged with an urgency he hated himself for feeling. He looked into her eyes, employing a modicum of compulsion.

"That sounds lovely," Helena replied, her voice distant but agreeable, wrapped in the subtle trance he'd woven.

A knot of self-loathing tightened in Tiberius's stomach and fear. Fear of his own feelings, of not being able to reign them in, of falling deeper into this pit of pain. 

Rhain and Daisy returned, seemingly unified in their decision concerning Helena. The woman herself remained blissfully unaware of the unfolding drama, and Tiberius couldn't shake a sense of impending disaster. The complications were numerous, especially with Daisy now being a target for supernatural foes.

"I'll be staying with Tiberius for a while," Helena announced to Daisy, referring to him now by his first name alone.

Daisy arched an eyebrow, her surprise evident. Tiberius knew questions would follow as she ushered her mother away to pack her bags.

Alone now with Rhain, Tiberius combed his fingers through his hair, wearied by the tangled web he'd found himself in. Rhain scrutinized him, then mused, "You must truly be fond of her to be here."

"Don't, Rhain," Tiberius warned, his voice tinged with an edge.

Rhain exhaled deeply, sinking back into his seat. "I am sorry for involving you. I know now how painful it must have been to let go."

Tiberius willed his thoughts away from painful memories.

"But maybe," Rhain continued softly, "we should allow them—to make their own decisions. I know they could probably not fathom what they are getting into, and you feel protective and responsible, but there is no guarantee that our decision would be better." He mused. "I am torn myself. Sometimes I wonder if Daisy would be better off without me. Then I consider how far I would go to ensure her happiness, and I question whether any other man could match that devotion. Perhaps that's egotistical of me." He flashed a self-aware smile.

Tiberius studied Rhain, seeing a man ensnared by love.

"Helena is an adult, a mother. Let her decide her own fate," Rhain advised softly.

As Tiberius rode back to his home, Rhain's words resonated with him. Could he really stand aside and let Helena choose? The thought gnawed at him. It was one thing to choose darkness because one had no better choice. Tiberius life before he was turned had been a living hell, and he had changed his life for the better. So had Rhain and his brother. But Helena, could he say embracing darkness would be better for her? 

As he glanced over at her, he saw her eyes meet his, shimmering with a mixture of curiosity and faint confusion. The compulsion would be waning now, leaving her to question her earlier agreement to join him. If she probed too deeply, he could always reinforce the compulsion. 

Tiberius had always preferred deception to compulsion. A lie allowed people the freedom to believe or not, whereas compulsion stripped them of that agency. It felt like a violation, and he had no desire to impose that upon Helena.

As they arrived at his sprawling mansion, he extended his hand to assist her in alighting from the carriage. She took in her surroundings, sensing a unique ambiance. "Your estate shares a resemblance with Rhain's," she observed.

"We do have similar tastes," Tiberius acknowledged, his eyes meeting hers for a moment before he gestured for her to follow him inside.

Passing through grand, wrought-iron gates guarded by two imposing figures armed with ceremonial weapons, they entered a garden that was nothing short of an Edenic oasis. A harmonious blend of formality and wildness, sculpted hedges lived alongside untamed blossoms. Ferns and exotic flora whispered secrets in their soft sway, while the gentle murmur of a fountain imbued the air with a tranquil melody.

The mansion itself was a study in dark elegance, its silhouette grand against the sky like a monument to gothic grandeur. Gargoyles and intricate stonework lent an ethereal air that seemed to pulse with latent magic.

As they crossed the threshold, Helena was met with an interior that matched the external majesty. Corridors were adorned with rich, velvety drapes and antique chandeliers that cast ghostly shadows on the walls. Ornate tapestries and ancestral portraits whispered tales of yore, as though the very walls were imbued with a centuries-old mystery.

Guiding her to the drawing room, they settled into sumptuous chairs. There was an effortless elegance about Tiberius that was both casual and decidedly regal, making her somewhat nervous. What made her even nervous was that she was in his home. 

Why had she agreed to come here? 

May I offer you something to eat or drink while we wait for lunch?" he inquired.

"We've just had breakfast; I'm quite satiated," she replied, smiling politely. "You have a beautiful home."

"Thank you. Feel free to explore; you're not confined to any particular area," he assured her.

A fleeting question of 'why' danced across her mind but vanished before it could take root.

"Do you live here alone?" she asked.

"Yes," he replied, pausing before adding, "but I'll be glad for the company."

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