Gaida Serin, she signed the documents that ordered the week?s supplies for the castle as she has done every week since being placed in the position of the Count?s valet. She was also his Chief Operations Officer at S.E.C.T.O.R. Handling both positions would have been impossible if she didn?t have a good staff beneath her in both places. Still, her hours were long and the responsibilities enormous.

What bothered her most was not the work or the stress of the positions of responsibility, but the silence that continued between her and the Countess. You could cut it with a knife. Gaida would have quit the valet job long ago, but that was just not her style. Besides, if the Count felt it best that she no longer hold that position, she knew he was not too shy to make that desire known. Of course, the Countess hadn?t fired her either, and that mystified Gaida.

She had not seen much of Count Longden since she had encouraged him to go to his wife when she was in the swamp. He and Tara came back to the castle, and whenever the Count was around (which wasn?t often with all his campaigning and work) he was with his wife.

Except recently.

More and more often the Countess was at the Inn while her husband worked. Gaida had been at the inn the other night and heard rumors that the Countess had an obsession over some pirate vampire. Perhaps that was the tension she was feeling lately within the castle.

It explained a lot of things.

The Countess hardly paid any attention to the Count?s candidacy for governor. Gaida had wanted to be his campaign manager, but he gave the position to his wife. Gaida was sure that with her help he could win this election, but she wasn?t about to step on anyone?s toes. Besides, she had enough of her own work to do.

And she did her work to perfection.

Gaida was never anything but professional. Talomar always had his drink at hand, his cigar prepared; his mail with envelopes sliced open and laid in a neat stack with those with the highest priority on top. The castle was always clean and warm. The baby was taken care of. And, using the technological resources of S.E.C.T.O.R., Gaida always made sure that the castle was safe.

It was her job.

As far as her feelings for the Count went, she pushed them deep down below the surface and wouldn?t let them rise up again. Not unless Talomar and Tara split up. She would not steal another woman?s husband. It was just not her style.

So when she was in the castle, she did her job as Talomar?s valet. When she was at S.E.C.T.O.R. she was relentless at giving attention to details. She didn?t have much free time, and when she did, she found places to be alone.

She was just completing her work when there was a knock on the door. She didn?t recognize the knock and that made her heart race.

There was only one person it could be.

Gaida walked to the door of her suite and opened it.

?Countess.? She smiled and bowed her head slightly. ?Please, come in.?