Gideon and Evelyn watched the taillights of Jake's car until they disappeared beyond the gate. That done there wasn't much else to focus their attention on.

"Have you thought about hiring a gardener?" inquired Gideon.

"I don't want more mortals poking around here. The housekeeper is about all I can put up with, and that's just because I hate to clean house."

"Well, if I hear of any vampire gardeners, I'll let you know."

They both chuckled politely and waited. Gideon had called for a limo to take him to the airport as soon as the sun set. He didn't want to be in the same house with quarreling lovers; he was sure Joe and Evelyn were just waiting for him to leave so they could get on with it. At least Joe had the good grace to be embarrassed and not show himself this evening.

And as if he had heard that thought, Joe sauntered out of the house behind them.

"They're gone," said Evelyn, not turning to face him.

"I know." He tapped his head. "I can hear them."

"Hear them?" inquired Gideon.

"Can you... talk to other vampires, you know, telepathically?" asked Joe.

"Some," replied Gideon with a frown. Joe could hear that? He hadn't even tasted of Evelyn's blood.

"I can't hear anything," responded Evelyn petulantly.

"I know," said Joe. "And you don't broadcast anything, either. I could hear Jake and... Talbot, clear as a bell."

Can you hear this? asked Gideon.

"Yup."

"What?" demanded Evelyn in annoyance.

"Do you hear people's thoughts?" asked Gideon, mortified.

Joe wobbled his head for side to side. "Sorta. It's just all white noise and I tune it out. Sometimes I catch something, when people put things into words. I mean, when my roommate at college -- Carter -- if he's writin' an essay, I can hear every word and every revision." He grinned. "Freaks him out when I spell words for him. Anyway, I never paid much attention to it until I heard them 'talking' that way. So, is it a vampire thing?"

"Not as far as I'm aware, Joseph," Gideon replied, eyeing the approaching headlights of the limo with some relief. "It seems to depend on whether you had any latent abilities to begin with; and also on the bloodlines. I know vampires who are psychically deaf, and humans and non-vampiric types who have remarkable mental powers."

The airport limo wound around the brick drive. The driver put Gideon's bags in the trunk and held the door for him.

"Well, Evelyn, it's been an... interesting trip," he said with a smile. "I hope you will come visit us in Maine."

"That would be nice," she answered.

"Good night, Joseph."

"Good night, Baron." And stop worrying, she won't bite my head off.

"You really can't hear nothin'?" asked Joe as the limo pulled away.

"If I could read minds, do you think I'd have let Talbot within a mile of you?" she growled.

"Will you let me explain? Baby, wait."

Evelyn stalked back into the conservatory and glared at him. "Alright. Explain."

"It was a mistake. It was supposed to be a one-night stand, no strings. I mean, Talbot doesn't mean anything to me. And you weren't meant to know. I never meant to hurt you, baby. I didn't mean for him to bite me, or...." Joe stopped. No need for her to know how Adrian had slammed him against the wall so hard he'd knocked the breath out of him. "I just wanted... sex."

"With a man!" she asked, her voice an octave higher than normal.

Joe flipped his hair back. "You think that's wrong?"

Evelyn frowned. "I don't understand it."

"Gideon's gay, and that doesn't bother you."

"He's gay," she repeated. "He likes men; he doesn't like women at all. He's picked sides. Besides, I will never be sleeping with Gideon."

"It's not like you have to pick sides. It's not a war, I'm not committing treason," said Joe, and then regretted that metaphor. He knelt in front of Evelyn's chair so that they were on eye level and put his arms around her waist.

"What I did was a mistake, gender preferences aside. I was kinda jealous, I'll admit. It won't happen again," he told her with his most sincere look, "I feel too guilty."

Joe maintained eye contact and didn't fidget: he was a practiced liar. Actually he didn't know if the whole thing was a lie or not, but he knew it was what he needed to say right now. He felt stupid for not realizing Adrian was using him, and ashamed that Evelyn had found him out, and sorry that he'd hurt and embarrassed her, but he didn't feel guilty. After all, it was just sex, and that in his mind, wasn't any kind of betrayal.

"I don't know whether to be angry or sorry for you or just amazed. Why didn't you tell me?"

Joe laid his head in her lap. It felt so good; he was so tired, even after sleeping the whole day away.

"I dunno. I was afraid.... It's not like I prefer guys. And anyway, it just never sort of came up, you know?"

Her hand stroked his hair and Joe closed his eyes.

"Maybe you ought to tell me a little more about your past," she said.

"Oh, baby," sighed Joe wearily, "that's a whole 'nother can of worms."