RBC05 - Bloodline (19 page)

“Why don’t you change your form, go over to the private school and make sure that there is no recruiting going on?”

“That’s a good idea. We can portal to Gerhardt’s and go from there.”

“What’s the matter El?”

“The time that I spent in that school was the worst in my life. I don’t have fond memories of that place,” she admitted.

In an instant she had turned from the strong warrior Protector, into the shy, wall flower she had been when she was young and forced to attend the boarding school.

“You can’t be serious. I understand what happened to you there. You were bullied and harassed until you went home to England. But you are the most compassionate, confident woman, vampire and warrior that there has ever been. If you can do all that you’ve done this year, facing this can hardly be any challenge to you,” Rosa said.

El stood taller then. “You’re right. Actually, I hope that I do come across someone that I know, even if they won’t recognize me in my chosen form. After all we are their benefactors.”

“Good, then let’s go. Who has an idea of who we should change into,” Rosa said as she sashayed down the hall and into the portal area and the rest of us followed.

“We didn’t get to stay in the guise of gentlemen for very long, how about that?” El smiled thinking of the good looking men that they made.

“Yes, that was fun. I think Eric and Kale would get kick out of that too,” Kate said.

“Liridon do you want to go with us?” Letta asked with a shy smile.

“If no one has anything else for me to do, I’d love to.”

“No, I don’t think so. Go ahead,” I said.

They stood together, the bright light of the portal glowed around the five of them and they were gone.

“What did we miss?” Cain said as he and Damien joined Gruen and me.

“I’m hungry again. If you don’t mind I’m going to get something to eat and take a nap,” Gruen said rubbing his large belly.

“Boy do you fit in around here,” I laughed.

“I’ve got tea and cakes. Oh and Gruen, there is a plate of pork and all the fixings in the kitchen out back for you. Alex and Jonathan are already back there, so I would hurry if I were you,” Sarah laughed.

“Once again you read all our minds, Sarah,” Damien mused.

Gruen didn’t waste any time heading out to the kitchen.

“The three of them and Liridon were prowling around all night so they will eat and be asleep before long I imagine.”

Just then Charmaine and Amparah joined us.

“Charmaine, this is Damien and his brother Cain. Cain you remember Amparah don’t you? Damien, this is Amparah, she is the star student of Niranjana, High Priestess of the witches.”

“So good to meet you both. Your beauty will be a great asset to our cause,” Damien said exuding charm.

“It’s very good to see you again, Amparah. I am sorry I had to leave you so abruptly,” Cain said sheepishly.

“I didn’t understand at the time, but I understand now.”

“Charmaine, I’ve been told you made a brave choice to come from the underworld and help us. Do you think there are other Belnovus that would help us?”

“I am positive that there are,” she answered as she poured some tea.

“Last night we confronted some Belnovus that were watching us from outside our home. Of the four, three wanted to live in peace,” Cain said.

“And the fourth?” Charmaine inquired?

“He declined our offer,” Damien said without elaborating, but we all knew the consequences of that.

“I, as well as all Belnovus are connected by a unique bond because of the way we were born. Actually, that is not the correct word. We were made from the same stock if you will.”

“I saw rows and rows of your kind while in the lower levels of the underworld, so I understand what you are saying. How will the nature of your ‘birth’ benefit us now?”

“I can sense the others. Of course they can also sense me. I can find them as easily as Gruen, but much more accurately. Because we were made in the same way we all have the same gifts and weaknesses. And…when I am close to them, I know what they know.”

“Fantastic, but does that mean they also know what you know?” Damien was now suspicious.

“It would if Allwain and Amparah hadn’t trained me to be able to block them totally out. I was also trained to control their access to me. In other words I can let them in just enough to purposefully give them false information.”

“This
is
great news. It saves us time and effort. It gives us an advantage that we never could have expected before,” I said excitedly.

“Allwain said you saved me from being destroyed after my usefulness was deemed over. You knew that I would help your cause and that I was different from the others. Thank you Ka-Suzette. I want more than anything to live in this world,” Charmaine said, tears filling her beautiful, big brown eyes.

“Someone always joins us at times when we need it most. This is your time,” I said giving her a hug.

“I just have one thing to add.”

“What’s that Charmaine?” I asked.

“How often do I have to wear this?” she said lifting her heavy skirts and dropping them is disgust.

“Every time we go out until we finish our mission here I’m afraid. I don’t like it either,” I laughed.

“We do,” chimed in Cain and Damien.

I laughed again, “Big surprise.”

“Well I guess if this is supposed to be a working brothel, we have to look the part. But these corsets have to be the most uncomfortable things ever made and if I ever come across the person that invented them I’m going to kill him,” Charmaine grumbled.

“Get the one that invented these high heels too,” added Amparah.

“Shall we finalize our party plans?” I said as we all sat.

“I brought a sample of the invitations,” Damien said as he pulled it out of his coat and handed it to me.

It was a black catlike mask embossed with gold. It overlapped in the center and when I opened it, it was blank inside.

“I don’t understand.”

Look at it again.

When I looked back down at the invitation’s message started to appear in gold. Each word formed in an ornate, musical script, until the song of it was finally completed.

You are cordially invited to the

Paris event of the season

a Grand Masquerade Celebration

This Friday evening we will introduce

Madam Suzette and

the most beautiful and talented

women in all of Europe

to the most worthy

and preeminent citizenry of Paris.

Please join us
.

Just as the letters had formed they faded away again.

“A magical invitation, it’s perfect, Damien.”

“Of course the humans will get a regular one. Only the elite will be invited and each of these invitations will be delivered by a Page who will wait for a reply.”

“Again, perfect. Could I see the guest list please?”

Cain handed me the list and I read each name, not recognizing most.

“Sixty-nine in total. That is, if everyone comes.”

“Oh, they’ll come,” Cain said emphatically. “Everyone is so curious about you now, that I’m sure we’ll have to have Gruen keep those without invitations out,” Damien said.

“Send them out today then, Friday will be here before we know it,” I said.

“I can do all the decorations with magic too, it’ll be fun,” Amparah added.

“So that can be done at the last minute, good. Is there anything else we need to do?”

“I think that does it for now. Madam Suzette’s House of Pleasure is almost ready for business,” Cain mused.

“The two of you are really enjoying all of this way too much,” I said.

“I’d like to go out alone and see what I can find out,” Charmaine said. “It’s time I earned my keep.”

“I don’t think I want you to go by yourself,” I said.

“I’m in no danger.”

“I’ll go with her. I can blend so no one will know. That way I can bring us back here if anything happens,” Amparah volunteered.

“All right, portal out near the chateau and don’t stay out too long.”

“You’re as bad as Niranjana,” Amparah teased.

“I like having someone worry about me. I never had anyone that cared before,” Charmaine said.

“You’ll find we are family, Charmaine. I’m glad you’re here, we all are. See you later.”

“Can we change? We’re not going to be seen leaving from here,” Charmaine pleaded.

“You might as well get used to it. Besides I think you will get a friendlier response dressed like that,” Cain said.

“If you want to put on something a little more comfortable it’s all right with me,” I said.

Amparah sighed, “Good.”

As the two of them walked towards the portal area I could see their dresses change from the formal corseted gowns to simple, but still fitted dresses and lower heeled boots.

They smiled as they turned and stood waiting for the portal to open. Then bright light surrounded them and they were off to the first location, Meil’s chateau.

“I’m proud of you. You sent everyone out to do a task on their own. That isn’t something you would normally do,” Damien said.

“Everyone wants to help. It’s time I used their talents and trusted them to do what they need to do on their own. Which brings me to what I need the two of you to do.”

“That sounds very interesting,” Cain said rubbing his hands together.

“Father has asked the Masons for help. They have been told only what they need to know except for Father’s very closest friends.”

“And…,” Cain said impatiently.

“I need you to contact Father and find those in Paris that are willing to help. They need to be invited to the party and kept up to date.”

“Do you want us to alert them to Meil?”

“I’ll leave that up to you to decide. I picked up the scent of someone else that is in Paris when we were out last night. The Volator leader is here.”