Blood Life Seeker (20 page)

“
But I can't remove the
Sigillum
, an invitation should be able to be rescinded.”

He laughed, obviously someone was finding it amusing. Great.

“Most people don't give their
Sigillum
unless they truly mean it, Lucinda. To share
Sigillum
is practically to propose.”

“Why did you do it then?”

There was silence for a brief moment, not long, but enough to make me realise he was reluctant to answer.

“Would you believe you stole my heart?”

My turn to laugh now. “No, not at all.”

“Ah, you are harsh,
ma petite chasseuse
.  I see I have my work cut out for me. To convince you of my noble intentions shall be my one and only goal from this day forward.”

“I don't think you have noble intentions, Gregor. I don't think you are capable of them.”

“They are pure of heart. Can they not be called noble too?”

“It's only words.” It's only ever words as far as vampires are concerned.

“So cynical for one so young.”

“Yeah, that's me. Vampire hunter for only two years and I've lost all hope of romance in this life.”

“That saddens me, Lucinda. No one should give up on romance.”

“Hadn't you? You'd given up on life after all.”

Now the pause was longer. I didn't say anything, it was the truth.

“Perhaps, I shall share with you my reasons one day, but despite what you may think, I am a romantic at heart. Especially where you are concerned.” His voice was quiet, not broken, but slightly fragile.

I had sat down on my bed when I opened the gift box and hadn't moved since. Just perched on the edge while we continued the conversation. I lay back down and closed my eyes now. I wasn't meant to feel anything for this guy, not even sympathy, but he had a way about him, that made you think there was more to him than meets the eye. I almost wished I'd met him under different circumstances. But, I hadn't and I was Michel's now, even if part of me was furious at him and the Bond didn't mean what I thought it meant, I had given my heart, my body to Michel. I'm not a fickle person, I don't go back on my word easily.

It's just a shame that Michel wasn't playing the same game right now.

“Your breath has quickened, my little Hunter. What are you thinking?”

“Can you not read my mind?”

“Oh, if it were only that easy, but alas no. I think you have worked out when your mind is open to me, you play it well now. What are you thinking that has made your breath hitch so?”

“Too many thoughts to mention. I have to get some sleep, Gregor.” I paused, stuff it, I'd say it. “Thanks for keeping me company.”

I could almost see his smile from here. “Now, if only you would wear my gift my night would be complete.”

“Somehow, I don't think you need me to complete your night.”

“Please. Just consider it, Lucinda. If not for me, then for yourself.”

“Good night, Gregor.”

“
Bonne nuit, ma cherie
.”

The line went dead but I didn't disconnect straight away, just listened to that tone. Finally I returned the handset to its cradle and walked back into my bedroom.

Consider it
he had said. I looked at the open box on the bed and did just that.

Then stripped and got into an old baggy T-Shirt and climbed between the sheets.

I left the box on the bed next to me though, open, but not too far away.

I wish I could say I slept well, but I didn't. No one visited my dreams, no one pulled me into a Dream Walk, but I did dream. Just normal ones, human ones, and they weren't pretty. Mixed pictures, flashes of images, confusing messages, words and faces and Darkness and Light. I woke with the feeling that I had run a marathon, that I had run from something or someone, I couldn't tell what. But that I had run and run and run and run all night long. I was exhausted, but hey, what else was new?

Even my morning ritual of strong, strong coffee didn't seem to lift the fog that had descended. I was due back at work too. It was my choice to keep working my day job, Michel had made it clear that I didn't need to, he would take care of me. But I'm a modern-day girl and besides, after nights like last night, it's nice to know I have a bank account with a regular salary going in and I'm accountable to no one. It's not like the
Iunctio
pays vampire hunters a retainer.

So I donned my uniform and set out early for work. Normally I'd jog there, then shower at the branch, but today my body screamed
take it easy
and I hadn't even been in a fight. What was wrong with me?

My day did improve, just being amongst humans can have that effect on you. None of the vampire politics that was consuming the rest of my world, just deposits and withdrawals and the occasional friendly customer chat. I've always said my job grounds me, being the business banking teller at the BNZ Bank in Queen Street had its perks. Lots of customers and not much time to mull things over. The day whizzed by and I hadn't even spared a thought for the
date
tonight and exactly what the
Iunctio
wanted from Michel. I hadn't even thought about Taniwhas and homicidal ex-best friends. Or about Nosferatin trainers and their high moral standards. And I most certainly hadn't had time to think about extended family reunions and just what that might mean.

All in all a good day really.

I toyed with the idea of heading out to the Hapū's settlement out at Whenuapai to talk to Jerome, but truthfully, the Taniwhas were the least of my problems right now. One thing at a time. I knew Michel wouldn't really want to see me, but one of us had to be the adult. You'd think a 500 year old vampire could play grown-up a little better, but there you go. So, I headed up to
Sensations
straight from work. I was still in uniform, so nowhere to put my stake, but I did make sure it was easy to access in the front zip pocket of my backpack. I slung my backpack over just my left shoulder, so I could reach across my front and grab my stake with my right hand without too much fumbling. Not that I planned to stake anyone at
Sensations
,
but you never knew. Always be prepared.

The bar was already open, it opened early on a Friday for Happy Hour. No vampire groupies in tow, it was too early for the creatures of the night, so the clientèle and staff were all humans. The staff knew me and I even got a few waves from the daytime barman and bus-boy, but mostly I was just left to my own devices.

I'd figured out the code to access Michel's private quarters not so long ago, but it did briefly cross my mind that he may have changed it just to lock me out. I held my breath, but it flashed green and I heard the door softly click open. The sounds of the after work drinking crowd disappeared instantly as the door closed and locked behind me. Michel wasn't in his office, I hadn't expected him to be, so I just made my way towards his chamber at the back.

I'd come this far, so I wasn't going to pause and have second thoughts on the threshold of his room. I didn't waste any time rapping on his big thick door. The sound echoed slightly in the hallway. Michel would have known I was there, he would have sensed me, maybe even recognised my scent, even through the closed door, so the time it took to answer was unnecessary, but not unexpected.

Finally it swung open and I took a step inside. He was sitting in the corner on a comfy couch, he'd been reading from his tablet computer. He read a lot during the day, what else do you do? He's not that into TV, so he reads. Newspapers, eZines, eBooks, anything electronic, he's on it. He hadn't bothered to get up and greet me, so still angry then. I walked straight over to him and stood a few feet away.

I took a breath in. It was a mistake. I could smell fresh wild flowers and clean cut grass, ocean breezes and storm washed gardens. I shook my head. It didn't matter if he didn't want me, I'd always want him.

He stood then and came to me, he was dressed in casual black trousers and a loose blue shirt, buttoned half way up, exposing a nice V shape of deep cream flesh at his neck and down his chest. He moved his hand up slowly to my cheek and brushed the backs of his fingers along my skin. I'd reached up and taken a hold of his hand before I even realised what I was doing, turning my head into his palm to kiss it.

He sighed and pulled me to him, wrapping his arms around my shoulders and resting his head against mine.

“I am sorry,
ma douce
. I have been cruel.” His voice was soft, warm and so familiar, like a favourite blanket you'd reach for in the night.

I pulled back and looked at his face. His eyes, one of my favourite parts of his body, were a mix of blues; from Arctic ocean to Mediterranean Sea, a stunning combination of shades.

“Why do we do this to each other, Michel?”

He shook his head and leaned in to kiss my forehead.

“I have a theory,” he said against my skin. “The more you love something the easier it is to hurt.” I wasn't sure if he meant hurt the thing you love, or be hurt yourself. Both worked in this case I think.

“We shouldn't be doing this, not now. What's going to happen tonight?”

“So practical,
ma douce
.” He was smiling, but it was a little sad.

“
What would you have me do, Michel? Ignore that the
Iunctio
is here to test you, to test us both? One of us needs to be practical.”

His eyes flashed then, just briefly and too fast for me to get a handle on the colour. I was just hoping it wasn't magenta.

“Were you being practical last night, my dear? When you spoke for so long to Gregor on the telephone.”

What?

He saw the look on my face, surprise and his smile just turned a little bitter.

“Tell me, did you wear it?”

Oh hell.

“I'm not answering that.” I pulled away from him and wrapped my arms around my body. He just stood there, watching me, not saying anything, just waiting, like he knew I couldn't help but fill the silence and give myself away.

Well, he was partly right, but there was nothing to give away.

“You have my home watched now? Or maybe you're bugging my phone? Which is it, Michel? Do you not trust me, is that it?”

“You have yet to behave in a manner that would warrant my trust.”

“That is so not true!”

“Are you sure? You return from a Dream Walk marked and having marked him. You refuse to end this when given the chance and now... now you seem to be settling in to a relaxed relationship, speaking for hours on the phone with your curtains closed.”

“
Oh for God's sake, Michel. This is ridiculous. Not that I need to defend myself or justify my actions, but I did not ask to be pulled into that first Dream Walk. I had no idea what exchanging the marks actually meant. I can't kill just because someone has pissed me off, excuse me for having a conscience. And
he
phoned me!” My voice had risen at the end, I wasn't trying to hold it in, Michel was really pushing me to my limit.

But that thought alone was enough to make me calm, just a little.

“You know, this is what he wants, don't you, Michel? To unsettle us, to push us apart.”

I thought he'd agree, it made complete sense. If he loved me, he would have agreed, but all I could see was anger and maybe just a little resentment, or it could have been regret. Regret that he'd joined with me at all, I'm thinking.

I refused to let the tears I had building show, so I turned away and took a deep breath in, centring myself, forcing the tears back down. He didn't come to comfort me, he just sat back down and picked his tablet computer back up as though I wasn't even there.

If I had felt alone last night, then I felt lost in an abyss right now. Nothing to hold on to, nothing to keep me from floating away. I turned to look at him, but he wouldn't acknowledge me. What was he hoping to accomplish by this? Hurt me. Obviously. But why?

I took a step towards the door and stopped. I didn't want us to part like this, but what choice was he giving me? I stood there for a good few minutes just shaking my head, trying to figure out what to do to make this better. I wanted to ask, what he wanted me to do? What would make things the way they were? But I do have my pride.

He didn't want me here, so I would go.

I straightened my shoulders and walked through the door. I say walked, but it was closer to a run, even though I was using every piece of my strength to
not
flee.

Despite being in my work uniform and not my training gear and sneakers, I ran all the way home. No doubt my feet would suffer for it later, but what's a little more pain when you're breaking up inside any way?

It wasn't until I was in the shower, alone, that I allowed myself to cry. To really cry. Sometimes I hated my life. Sometimes, just sometimes, I wished I'd never come to Auckland and found out I was a Nosferatin. And then joined with a vampire before one month past my 25
th
Birthday. Sometimes, I wished I'd just gone the same way as so many of my ancestors before me and denied the vampires my powers and my strength.

I think I must have lost track of time, because the water turned cold and I only noticed when I began to shiver. I'd never used the whole hot water cylinder before, it surprised me enough to make me want to move.

The sun was starting to set, I knew Gregor would be here as soon as true dark closed in. I had no idea what lay in store for me tonight, but I was determined to be prepared. Hunter prepared that is. So I dressed in my usual garb; black short mini skirt, black tight fitting T-Shirt, tights and black boots. And my new best friend, my custom made black denim jacket. I slipped the stakes in their hidey holes, the silver knife in its pocket and just for good measure, slipped another knife down the inside of my boot. I had no idea if I would need them, use them, or lose them, but they made me feel better. They made me feel safe.

I went and sat on the couch and waited. What else was there to do? Pace? I don't think so.

I felt it when true darkness came. Dating a vampire, you kind of got in tune with that time of day. It's not the same time every day. But the feeling of it is always the same. When you're around vampires, they seem to just perk up a bit, breathe a little easier, take a lighter step. As though the weight of the day has been lifted off their shoulders. I don't feel any lighter, I sense the dark as though it's a tangible enemy, something to battle. But I do recognise the moment that it arrives.

I took a breath in and waited for the knock.

The phone rang and I almost jumped out of my skin in fright.

Nervous, me? Nah.

“Miss Monk?” I didn't get a chance to say hello, before the low male voice asked that question. Which was probably good because I was a little breathless, but still not perfect, because I had to answer.

“Yes.” I think it sounded OK.

“My name is Luxor. My master has sent me to pick you up.”

I'd managed to get my breathing under control enough to form full sentences.

“Who is your master?”

“Gregor the Enforcer.”

OK. “I don't know you, Luxor.”

“We have not been formally introduced, but I believe you know me as... Pipi Longstockings.” The last was said rather slowly, as though he had difficulty getting the words out.

“Oh, OK.”

“I cannot come to your door, Miss Monk. Your wards are too strong. Would you be so kind to meet me at the gate?”

“All right then.” What choice did I have?

I hung up and rubbed my palms against my skirt to get rid of the light film of sweat that had coated them. One last look around the flat, then I really couldn't delay it any longer. I locked the door behind me, waved to my neighbour Mrs Cumberland as she sat on her couch watching TV, visible through the open ranch-slider door. And then walked towards the vampire at the end of my drive in front of the obligatory bad guy tinted black van.

He was dressed much the same as last night. His hair in one long braid down the back, being the only noticeable change. Pipi Longstockings always had two, I'd have to think of another nickname. He smiled openly and friendly, a definite improvement on last night and looked relaxed in the early evening light.

“Good evening, Miss Monk. My master awaits.” He turned and opened the sliding back door to the van. There was no internal light inside, just a black void of darkness.

I hesitated. Call me cautious, I'm a vampire hunter, I can't help it.

“Where is the Enforcer?”