Blood Life Seeker (16 page)

“And how did it go for you, my dear? Success?” His voice was dripping with sarcasm, his face not at all pleasant.

I smiled up at him then. It was a little crooked, but it was the best I could manage.

“In a manner of speaking.”

He blinked. A look of utter surprise flashing across his face.

“What?” Not his most eloquent sentence, that was for sure.

“Well, I kind of staked him. In the end.”

“
Why...How...
What
did you do?” Oh hell, Michel was practically having a mental breakdown. He never lost control to this extent, where he couldn't even form a coherent sentence. It would have been laughable, if he didn't looked so shocked.

Where to start?

“I went there with the intention of staking him.” When Michel went to say something I held up my hand to stop him and continued. “I ended up changing my mind. He's not evil, he has a lot of Light in him, I just couldn't do it. To top it off, he wouldn't fight me, he refused to protect himself. It was as though he wanted me to end it all for him. I couldn't, not like that.”

I had expected Michel to have been angry with me, because I  hadn't followed through when so close, taking the opportunity when it was presented to me. But what I saw was not anger, not by a long shot. It was sadness and an understanding, but somehow I didn't think it was an understanding of what I had done, or not done. Not an understanding of the final decision I had made to not kill Gregor.

He didn't say anything for a while, just let my words sink in, then he cocked his head and said, “You said you staked him. In the end. Did you change your mind? Again?”

I sighed, the truth, or as close to it as I could manage. “He wanted compensation for being inconvenienced. My
unscheduled
visit had interrupted a meeting.” I'd get to Alessandra in due course. “He said, I owed him compensation.”

“What form did this compensation take?” I didn't like his tone. It was even, low, a little scary.

You know how vampires can get. There's a threatening menace to their voices sometimes. They don't have to try hard, it's fairly close to the surface for them. It also manages to send a shiver down your spine. Not the pleasant kind of shiver, more like the someone-walked-over-your-grave kind of shiver. Not nice.

I took a deep breath in and let it out slowly. “I can't be sure, because I staked him before he had a chance, but I think his intentions were carnal in nature.”

Michel didn't say anything immediately, his face remained calm, his usual mask, non-committal, non-anything. He used that face sometimes while negotiating or dealing with other vampires. Lately, I'd seen it a bit more than I liked.

And then he smiled. Followed by a laugh, almost a huff of breath and then another, until he was laughing quite steadily and I wanted to laugh with him, but wasn't sure if the joke was for me or because of me, so I didn't.

Finally he exhausted himself and lay back on the bed staring up at the ceiling.

“
So, you staked him because he was about to make an advance on your virtue, but somehow you
didn't
kill him?” He laughed again. “Two things,
ma douce
. One, you are a vampire hunter and vampire hunters don't miss their target. And two, you staked him.” That last was said in awe almost, with a hint of disbelief. “No wonder he is pissed off,” he added with another huff of a laugh.

“Great. I'm glad you find it amusing.”

He laughed even harder at that. “Gregor has never had his advances turned down,
ma douce.
And not only did you do that, but you staked him for it. You can't imagine the hit to his ego.”

He suddenly reached up and pulled me down on top of him, wrapping his arms around me and planting a kiss on my mouth. It was a quick touch of the lips. He was still laughing, but he didn't let me pull away. Instead he began stroking my hair, nestling me in against him.

He whispered against my ear, “I should never have doubted you.”

“You like that I staked him for coming on to me?”

“I
love
that you staked him for coming on to you. Perhaps the lothario has met his match after all.”

I didn't know what to say to that. Had Gregor met his match? Part of me, that big, huge, defiant part, wanted to insist he had; the other part of me, that small, but not so silent, drawn to Gregor part, disagreed.

I wasn't sure which part I liked better.

That didn't bode well.

That didn't bode well at all.

Part of the reason we had come to Taupo was to hide. Hide from Gregor and his entourage. It was possible he had more vampires in the country than those he had turned up with in Auckland. And that they were, even now as we speak, searching for us, trying to find us and do whatever the hell it is Gregor wanted done. Another part of the reason was that Gregor had been offered Michel's house in St Helier's Bay, a suburb of Auckland. The same house he'd had me resting in the last time I Dream Walked twice in one night. St Helier's Bay is close enough to the CBD for Gregor to be able to meet with us, but far enough away from
Sensations
to allow Michel's base of power to remain untainted by the
Iunctio's
visiting party.

The first meeting was to be held at the St Helier's Bay house, almost like neutral territory. I think Michel was trying to protect
Sensations
for as long as he could. It was probably futile, Gregor being the
Iunctio
could go anywhere in our land without invitation. It was only required that he give us 24 hours notice of an impending visit and he had issued that as soon as I had left him. I'm not altogether sure if
he
had issued that, with the stake still embedded in his chest, or if one of his flunkie's had. It didn't matter, he hadn't broken any rules in turning up when he did. If anything Michel had by not greeting him in person, but even the
Iunctio
would allow some leeway when a vampire's kindred Nosferatin was injured. Kindred joinings are sacred to vampires, the
Iunctio
cherishes them too.

Gregor had been here two whole days already. Despite issuing the notice of his impending arrival, he had not arrived until 48 hours after it had been given. I'm picking he hadn't been in any fit state to travel. Vampires heal quickly, super fast, but a silver stake to the chest, within millimetres of his heart, would have required an enormous amount of
Sanguis Vitam
to fix.

Michel, Bruno and I were travelling in one of Michel's black tinted vehicles, a huge four by four,
Land Rover Discovery 4.
Michel didn't go for American vehicles, European or British all the way. We were silent on the short trip from
Sensations
to St Helier's Bay, all of us consumed by our own dark thoughts. The lights of small watercraft along Tamaki Drive reflected in the still waters of the Hauraki Gulf, sparkling and dancing to a tune I couldn't hear.

I didn't feel very musical. Music is for when you are happy, I wasn't happy.

I sighed, a little louder than I had intended. Michel's hand came out and touched my own. He and I were sitting in the rear of the vehicle, Bruno was driving. Why weren't we bringing more of our vampires to the meeting? We were trying for unconcerned. Michel's vampires would be surrounding the property and throughout the area, right back to
Sensations.
We wouldn't be alone, but the appearance of only a small greeting party was hopefully going to tone down any shenanigans from Gregor. Well, that's what we hoped any way.

“What are you thinking,
ma douce
?”

I turned to look at him in the dim light of passing street lamps. His hair was clipped back at the base of his neck, his face a serene mask of casual interest, but his eyes sparkled with amethyst and violet flecks. A sure indication that Michel was not as relaxed as he was trying to convey. He was dressed in his usual business attire; a beautifully made-to-measure Armani suit of dark, dark grey, almost black, with ever so small pin stripes in a slightly lighter shade of grey. You couldn't quite see them unless you really tried to focus on the material up close. His shirt was a Pierre Cardin in crisp white, his tie the deepest blue with a shining relief of something smaller, again not noticeable unless you looked closely. Everything Michel did was subtle. The blue of the tie brought out the darker shade of blue in his eyes. The combination was striking.

I reached up and ran my hand down his tie, feeling the embossed design ever so slightly under my finger tips. I traced the outline of one of the images, huh, dancing dragon. I almost wanted to ask, but we were already passing through Mission Bay, St Helier's wasn't too much further. I didn't have time right now.

“Why would he be here on official business? What would the
Iunctio
want with us?” I asked instead.

We'd discussed many outcomes from his being here over the past few hours, but never really touched on the why. I guess we'd all assumed he'd found a reason to come calling because of the challenge. But to be on official
Iunctio
business, would mean the
Iunctio
had approved the visit. This could not have all been for personal gain. What would it mean for us though?

Michel's hand tightened on mine, just slightly, a reassuring grip, his thumb tracing circles over the back of my hand. “There could be any number of reasons. Sometimes the
Iunctio
will simply visit a city to see how the Master is operating. They like to keep abreast of power struggles, of where certain Masters are flaunting their rules. We have been behaving ourselves, my dear, that will not be why they are here, but....I have recently started a base in Wellington, two cities in one country is not unheard of, but a country the size of New Zealand
and
one Master holding both, not so much. To be allowed to hold two cities when there are so many Master vampyres, is unusual.”

Michel had been forced to start a base in Wellington for two reasons. One, his line had practically doubled when those of Jock's were accepted into the fold. Auckland was not set up for that amount of vampires, so Michel decided to spread the load a little over two cities, not one. But the main reason for setting a base up in Wellington, was because there had been some unexpected and unexplained vampire killings by humans, Norms. The need to get on top of that was paramount. We couldn't afford the
Iunctio
getting involved.

“Why the Enforcer? Wouldn't they send someone else for such a task?” Gregor's job title was explanation enough of what his job description was. If the Enforcer was here, he was here to enforce something.

Michel shrugged, that delicate shift of his shoulders that he somehow managed to make so elegant. “I do not know.”

Neither of us said anything for a while, but it was too late to discuss it further, we had arrived in St Helier's Bay. Michel's house was visible as we came to the end of the point and the road rose steeply to a cliff. The lights were blazing from every window, making the big house stand out like a Christmas Tree, all golden squares of light, twinkling in the night time darkness. The windows were enormous, allowing for spectacular views of the Gulf and smattering of Islands. Vampires like big windows, hiding from the sun in closed rooms during the day, made them feeling like opening up in the dark.

Bruno parked the car in the paved driveway and turned the engine off. He exited and came round to open my door. Before I stepped out, I took a deep breath in, closed my eyes and centred myself, allowing my mind to shift to that black nothingness before Dream Walking, but stopping myself before I got too far down that path. I then sent my senses out, the new Blood Life Seeking senses, into the night. I wanted to get a feeling for how many vampires were here. They could hide their
Sanguis Vitam
from me under normal circumstances, but not when I was
seeking
them.

Several vampires were in the house, five in the main living area, six upstairs and perhaps another half dozen in and around the immediate house. All of them foreign to me. So, Gregor had brought a large entourage then? I sent my sense out further and found our vampires in the area, maybe twenty. I didn't bother to count, I wasn't going for accuracy, just an indication. Some of Gregor's vampires had streaks of evil in them and lots of Dark. None of them doing anything untoward just yet, but the threat was there. This could get ugly if we weren't careful.

I fell away from that realm and opened my eyes. Bruno was still standing tall by the open door and Michel was staring intently at me.

“What did you sense,
ma douce
?”

I took a deep breath in. “Four with Gregor downstairs, six upstairs and another six in and around the house. All of them tightly wound and reeking Darkness.” I didn't say evil, I couldn't bring myself to acknowledge that just yet. For some reason a part of me kept hoping Gregor wasn't going to walk down that path, that he simply wasn't capable of it. Ignorance is bliss.

Michel looked a little surprised. “Not quite what I had sensed. He has brought lower level vampyres then, only four are Masters.” Michel being the Master of the City, can sense when powerful vampires enter his territory. Obviously lower level vampires are not immediate threats, so his
awareness
does not acknowledge them.

He reschooled his features. “Shall we then?”

Suddenly I found my heart in my throat, beating a staccato rhythm across my chest. Nervous, me? Hell yes. Was I going to throw myself at Gregor, in front of Michel? Would I feel that undeniable pull to him and embarrass myself? Would I fall all over my feet in an eager rush to be close to my
Sigillum
? I so did not need this.

I had come to stand next to Bruno, having held his hand to exit the car. Michel came up behind me and took hold of my shoulders, bending his head to my neck, as though he was going to mark me. In my head he sent his thoughts,
It is all right, ma douce, you will feel attracted to him. Your Sigillum will call to you, as his calls to him.

Great. That's all I needed. Michel to know how hard this was. I pulled away from him, took a deep breath in, centred myself on my heartbeat and made it slow. I. Would. Not. Show. Fear.

Michel didn't try to touch me again, but swept past and headed up the stairs to the front door. It stood open with a short vampire holding it ajar. He had piercing black eyes, with a slight red ring to them. Vampires tended to only show that creepy redness when extending power, but I felt none rolling off this guy, just an eerie sort of Darkness. As though he had spent too long in an evil state of mind, that he simply couldn't switch it off entirely any more.

He was dressed casually, black jeans and a loose dress shirt, a deep plum colour that didn't quite match the red rim of his eyes, the two colours just not complementing in the slightest. He nodded to Michel, but stared right past me to Bruno, the obvious threat. He should have known better, despite my small physique, I can pack a punch
and
I was carrying concealed two silver stakes and a long silver knife. Stupid.

I felt his presence at our backs as we headed down the entry corridor and turned into the main living area of the house. One full wall was all glass, showing the watery scene out towards Rangitoto Island and the dots of green and red lights marking the main shipping channel. The room was understated elegance; modern furniture, soft furnishings, light and airy. So
not
what you would expect a vampire's house to be. It always surprised me when we came to visit here.

There were only three other vampires in the room we entered, one had vanished since I last sent my senses out. I didn't like that thought and resisted the urge to look over my shoulder as we came through the door. I made a concerted effort to ignore Gregor, instead taking in the other two vampires to the side, by the windows, feigning interest in the view. It wasn't that spectacular, so I knew they were bluffing.

One was tall, almost as tall as Michel, but short an inch or so. He had white blonde hair, past his shoulders, loose and fly away. It was snow white and made his pale features pasty. His eyes were a deep green, forest green almost. Green is not a common colour amongst vampires, don't ask me why, just isn't. I had met one other vampire with green eyes before and he was nasty, pure and simple. He was called Max. I think I've mentioned him before. This one didn't have too much Darkness rolling through him, just a sense of menace, as though he was trying to fit the bill of bodyguard but failing miserably.

The other vampire was slightly shorter, about 5'9” and had long auburn hair tied back in two plaits. Most vampires either go loose with their hair or clip it back snugly at the nape of their necks, like Michel and Gregor do, but this one had formed an intricate design with his tresses, as though it was his signature. I kind of liked it. His eyes were a pale blue, distant sky blue, they weren't his most striking feature. No, that would be the hair.

Both were dressed suavely; dress trousers encasing their long legs, dark dress shirts, slightly open at the neck. Both wore gold jewellery. Something I was not used to seeing on a male vampire. Watches yes, usually
Omega
or
Longines
, the top brand names only, but not Italian Mafioso style gold chains and thick gold bracelets. They weren't feminine, just a bit gaudy, that's all.

This perusal had taken mere seconds. I can scan a room in a heartbeat, ascertain threats, take in the scenery. I don't think it's an acquired skill, I think it's part of who or what I am. Nosferatins are always on the look out for danger and anything that would help them in an attack. I'd sized the vampires up, knew what they looked like, what their outfits said about their personalities and sensed what their power levels were. Aside from Red Eyes at the door, these vampires both had clout. Not the same level as Gregor, by no means, but enough to make the hairs stand up on my arms under my black denim jacket. I resisted the urge to rub them.