"If you already know, why do I have to tellyou?"
"I want your side of thestory."
I exhale and he finally releases my hand. We drive off, the car's enginerumbling.
"I found a translation in another file box. I read the part about Michel being made into avampire."
"Ohh," Julien says and nods. "That explains it." He's silent for a moment, watching the streets, checking the rear-view mirror. "That would upset him. Poor Michel. He's very sensitive about his fall fromgrace."
"He shouldn't be. It wasn't hisfault."
Julien shrugs. "I know that and you know that, but to Michel, it feels like God'spunishment."
"That's crazy. It was Marguerite being a nasty vampire. It wasn't Michel'sfault."
He turns and watches me for a moment. I glance away from his too piercinggaze.
"You're veryforgiving."
"Why do you say that?" I say, frowning. "He's done nothing that I have toforgive."
"Eve," Julien says. "We've all done things for which we need to be forgiven. Michel just has a lot more guilt than most. More of a need to atone. Keep that inmind…"
"What does thatmean?"
"Take it whatever way you want, but if you want to understand Michel, remember that he feels a lot of guilt for things that have happened, even if they weren't his fault. And they weren't his fault, but he bears the guiltregardless."
We drive through the streets towards my apartment block and I'm happy once we arrive. I hop out and am upset when I hear him turn off hisengine.
He gets out and follows me to the door to my building. "Let me come up," he says, taking my arm. "I'd like to see yourplace."
"I don't think so,Julien."
"Why not? Fix me a cup of that chai tea you like somuch."
"Julien!" I say, angered that he knows things about me. "This is complicated enough without you trying to get involved in mylife."
"In case you were under some misunderstanding, I'm already involved in yourlife."
"Well, no more that you already are,then."
I put my key in the lock and open the door. Julien stays on the step as if he can't cross the threshold. At least I can keep him out. I let the door close and smile at him through theglass.
"Sorry. Can't let youin."
"That's OK," he says and shrugs. "I'll just compel someone from the building to let me in. Eve, you can't keep me out. You might as well let me in. We need totalk."
"We've already talked enough." I turn and start up the stairs to my apartment. I glance back and see him bending down to check the names on the buzzer outside thedoor.
"I can answer your questions, Eve," he shouts at me through the mail slot. "Michel won't because he has a conflict of interest, but I will. Ask me anything and I'll tell you what I know. No funny business. Ipromise."
I stop at the top of the landing. I can see his feet on the step outside thedoor.
"Go away, Julien," I say. I climb the other flight of stairs to myapartment.
* * *
Chapter 8