The Elemental Mysteries: Complete Series (191 page)

E
: Probably not. How about you guys? (
silence
) Guys?

Tenzin
:
(clears throat)
There is a gathering of some sort on Beatrice’s grandfather’s yacht in Long Beach. I believe she told him we would all be there.

(widespread muttering)

Beatrice
: You know, the next time I have to go to one of his stuffy dinners, you all can come with me! Then he can’t corner me into agreeing to stupid stuff.

Gio
: Tesoro, you are an extremely powerful vampire now, why didn’t you just refuse?

Beatrice
: You try arguing with him when he has my grandma and Caspar in his corner. Carwyn, back me up here?

Carwyn
: Huh? What?

Tenzin
: Will you turn the television off?

Carwyn
: But Small Boy left Cartoon Network on…

(E shuts off television and hands Carwyn a beer.)

Carwyn
: Beer! What are we talking about?

Gio
: The Halloween party. Elizabeth, the point is that,
yes
, we are all being forced to attend this… costume party.

(E begins laughing maniacally. Carwyn high-fives.)

E
: Oh, this is too good! It’s a costume party? What are you all going as? Have you picked costumes yet?

Beatrice
: I thought I’d go classic. Elvira.

Carwyn
: Very cool.

Tenzin
:
(perks up)
The woman who hosts the old horror movies? I like her.

Beatrice
: Yep!

E
: I would have guessed zombie…

Gio
: I prefer Elvira to zombie. Better… wardrobe.

Carwyn
: You mean better cleavage?

Gio
: That too. Tenzin, how about you? You were very cagey when I asked last night.

Tenzin
: I found some old jewelry in my things, so I think I’ll go as Cleopatra. I liked her.

(silence)

Carwyn
: You… knew her?

Tenzin
: Yes. She had attitude. And great jewelry.

(silence)

Gio
: Tenzin, the jewelry that you’re wearing… it didn’t actually
belong
to Cleopatra, did it?

Tenzin
: Well, of course it did. Why else would finding it make me want to dress up like her for this ridiculous party?

(silence)

E
:
(clears throat)
Well… that’s really… cool. Gio, how about you?

Gio
: I thought I would wear a more appropriate ensemble. I’ll be dressing as Sherlock Holmes for the evening.
(Carwyn, Elizabeth and Beatrice groan)
What?

Carwyn
: This is because you kept that hat, isn’t it?

Beatrice
: How about a Spartan warrior?

E
: I can get behind that idea.

Gio
: I have an authentic houndstooth deerstalker cap from that era, which I thought I’d put to good use—

Carwyn
: You and your hats. Why not Zorro? He has a funny hat. And he doesn’t wear tweed.

Tenzin
: How about Achilles?

E
: I like that idea, too.

Gio
: What’s wrong with Sherlock Holmes? And why all the classical themed costumes?

Elizabeth/Beatrice/Tenzin
:
Toga
.

Beatrice
: Really, anything that leaves you half-clothed is okay with me.

(Gio leans over and whispers in Beatrice’s ear. She squirms.)

E
: No fair.

Beatrice
: Totally fair. Gio, you can wear anything you want.

Gio
: That’s what I thought.

(Tenzin snorts. Carwyn grabs another beer.)

E
: How about you, Carwyn? Jimmy Buffet? Hula dancer? Surfer?

Carwyn
: Though displaying my Hawaiian shirt collection is tempting, I will also be going with something classic.

Beatrice
: Please, not a priest outfit.

Carwyn
: Of a sort. I shall be donning the mask of…
El Santo!

(blank stares all around)

E
: Uh… who?

Carwyn
: Surely you’ve heard of… well, really. What kind of—Gio, you know who I’m talking about, don’t you?

Gio
:
(clears throat)
I admit nothing.

Tenzin
: This has to do with some wrestling show, doesn’t it?

Beatrice
: Oh, for heaven’s sake—

Carwyn
: El Santo was only one of the most iconic
lucha libre
wrestlers ever! He was the first to don a mask! I shall be attending Don Ernesto’s party dressed in an exact replica of El Santo’s costume. Mexican wrestling royalty! I’m sure your grandfather will appreciate it.

Beatrice
: Uh, Carwyn? He’s a three hundred year old Spanish
don
. I’m not sure that he’s much of a wrestling fan.

Carwyn
: Well then, education is clearly the order of the day.

Tenzin
: Are you going to body-slam someone at the party? That would be highly amusing.

Gio
: Can I nominate Baojia?
(Beatrice slaps Gio’s thigh)
What?

Beatrice
: Carwyn, I’m sure your costume will rock. Elizabeth, how about you? Any plans to scare the kiddos while you’re escorting Small Boy around the neighborhood?

E
: Oh, I don’t know. Maybe I’ll get some fangs, a slinky dress, and be the Bride of Dracula.

(Carwyn/Beatrice/Tenzin laugh)

Gio
:
(bares fangs and winks at Elizabeth)
I approve.

~~~

Hey, these are my crazy meanderings! Please respect the author and do not distribute my work illegally. 

Copyright © Elizabeth Hunter, 2012

Merry Christmas, Tenzin

“Scrooge.”

“If you are referring to the literary character, I do not think the reference is apt.”

Ben set down the sports section and rolled his eyes. “I was referring to the popular concept of someone who refuses to celebrate a holiday.”

“For the last time, I am not a Christian. This is a holiday to celebrate the incarnation of the Christian god and his human journey.” Tenzin shrugged and continued to fiddle with whatever she was making on the stove. “An admirable celebration, but not one that I choose to take part in.”

“It’s about more than the religious celebration, Tiny.”

“I really dislike that nickname.”

“And yet,” Ben grinned and took a sip of coffee. “I will call you that anyway.”

“And I will hit you even harder the next time we fight.” She looked up from the stove where a delicious aroma was starting to drift to Ben’s nose. Tenzin didn’t cook often, but when she did, everyone showed up and he barely got any. She wasn’t very good at estimating portion sizes. When Tenzin cooked, she got out one of the old cooking pots she kept in Caspar’s kitchen, threw random things in, and in short order, the house smelled amazing.

That night, Caspar and Isadora were gone, spending the weekend with Ernesto on the yacht, Giovanni and Beatrice were out hunting, and Ben was stuck at home. It was winter break, so his college classes were out, and he was bored. Luckily, he had Tenzin to pick on and no one to share the food with. All in all, not a bad night.

“Why are you here?” she asked, stirring whatever spicy, delicious thing she was making. “Shouldn’t you be out with your friends making Gio worry?”

“I’m installing that voice recognition software on the computers tonight.”
And eating your food.

“And eating my dapanji.”

Am I old enough to know what that means?
Ben stifled a smile and finished his coffee before he stood and walked to the kitchen. “What’s dapanji?”

“This dish I’m making.” She looked up at him, then scowled at the coffee cup in his hand. “No more coffee. Drink tea. You drink too much coffee.”

Ben put his coffee cup in the sink and reached for the small pot of fragrant tea next to the stove. She’d set out two mugs. “Yes, all that coffee has obviously stunted my growth.”

“So, so proud of sheer verticality, Benjamin.” She whipped a small foot back, aiming a quick kick at his back of his leg that almost caused him to fall over. “Makes you easier to take down.”

“Hey, no fighting in the kitchen.” Ben caught himself on the edge of the counter. Hot tea splashed his hand. “Caspar will get mad.”

“At you.”

“He gets mad at you, too. He just can’t do anything about it.” Ben decided to abandon the newspaper and keep her company, so he hopped up on the counter to irritate her about his favorite subject of the moment.

“You know…” he started again as she lifted the edge of the pot. He caught a glimpse of some spicy looking red broth before it fell. “There are all sorts of winter holidays you could choose from. Christmas, Yule, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa. What did you celebrate as a human?”

“Survival.”

“I’m serious, Tenzin.”

“So am I.” She turned and poured herself a cup of tea. “Fine, we celebrated agricultural holidays. Harvest. Spring. The summer solstice. Things like that.”

He grinned at her unexpected answer. “Were there gifts?”

“No, there was food.” She gave Ben a reluctant smile. “That was gift enough.”

“Well, I think you should celebrate Christmas with us. Just to fit in.”

“But I do not fit in.” She shrugged and sipped her tea, the curling fangs evident behind her lips. Unlike most vampires, Tenzin’s fangs never retracted. They were frozen in vicious readiness at all times. And instead of the long straight canines that most immortals had, Tenzin’s had a distinctive curve that reminded Ben of the saber she usually fought with. It was one of the reasons she rarely smiled in public. Anything more than a murmur in front of humans made hiding what she was very difficult.

“You fit in here,” he said, his voice suddenly soft.

She looked up at him. Those eyes. He had to force himself to meet them. Those eerie grey eyes saw… everything.

“Fine. I’ll celebrate Christmas with all of you. But I’m not singing.”

Ben grinned. “Cool. So what are you getting me?”

Her mouth dropped. “I never agreed to gifts!”

“Yes, you did. That’s half of what Christmas is about.” He snickered and poured himself another cup of tea. “I know what I’m getting you.”

She cocked her head to the side. “You’re getting me a gift?”

“Yep. Already have it picked out.”

“So this whole insistence that I celebrate a Christian holiday was so you could give me a gift?”

“Kind of. But not entirely.” He reached over and patted the top of her head. “Come on, you’ll have fun. There’s food and drink and presents under the tree. Everyone will be here. We’ll watch Christmas movies later.”

“Which movies? There are very few action movies set on Christmas. I’m not watching anything with talking animals.”

He shrugged. “Home Alone?”

“I do like the resourcefulness of that child. Kevin would make an excellent vampire.”

Just then, he heard two sets of footsteps outside. “Aw man, are Gio and B back?”

Tenzin nodded. She would have heard them long before Ben did. “Yes, but they smell like they’ve both just eaten, so they shouldn’t pig too much of your food.”

“‘Hog,’ Tiny. ‘Hog’ the food.”

“It’s a stupid expression.”

The door opened and a rush of cool air wafted in. Winter in Southern California was never all that cold, but they’d had a few storms come through in the past week, so the air was crisp and surprisingly chilly.

Giovanni said, “What’s a stupid expression?”

“‘Hogging’ food,” Tenzin said. “It’s a stupid expression.”

Giovanni shrugged. “Have you seen pigs eat? Not all that different from Ben.”

“Hey!”

Beatrice slipped through the kitchen door. “Tenzin, that smells amazing. What is it?”

“
Dapanji
. It’s a kind of stew with chicken and garlic and chiles.”

“It smells divine. I’d love a taste.”

Ben shook his head. “No. I had plans! You were all supposed to be gone. The Tenzin food is mine.”

Giovanni sniffed the air, which was suddenly alive with the energy of three powerful vampires crowded into a small space. “Did you make
naan
?”

“You don’t get the naan!”

Tenzin nodded. “It’s in the oven. It’s the kind with the sesame seeds on it.”

Beatrice came over and patted Ben’s cheek. Her fingers were ice-cold. “Don’t worry. We won’t eat much. We’re pretty full.”

He didn’t shiver. Not much, anyway, but her fangs were still down and her eyes were bright and his favorite aunt was looking particularly vampire-like dressed completely in black. Ben swallowed the instinctive lump in his throat that often came when you were the only one with an active pulse in a room full of creatures who drank blood for dinner.

“It’s fine. I can share.”

Beatrice grinned. There was slight smear of blood at the corner of her mouth.

“Uh, B… you might want to…” Ben mimed wiping the corner of his mouth.

“Oh!” She caught on and grabbed a napkin from a drawer. “That’s embarrassing.”

Giovanni bent down and whispered something in her ear that made Beatrice laugh and suddenly, it was just home again. Giovanni and Tenzin started chatting in Chinese and Beatrice began teasing Ben about two of the girls he was dating from school.

“Oh hey,” he finally interrupted her. “I got Tenzin to agree to celebrate Christmas with us.”

“Yay!” Beatrice clapped her hands. “I know what I’m getting her already.”

“If you just wanted to buy me things—” Tenzin piped up as she took the steaming dish to the table, where Giovanni was putting out four large bowls. “—you don’t have to make up an excuse. I accept gifts at all times.”

Ben said, “But it’s more fun when they’re wrapped up under the Christmas tree, and you know they’re there, but you can’t open them.”

She curled her lip. “I have to wait?”

Ben and Beatrice nodded in tandem. “Yep,” he said. “For
weeks
.”

She growled a little. “I do not like that.”

Beatrice grabbed the warm bread from the oven. “Why do I think that’s part of the appeal for the boy?”