The Rest Falls Away (3 page)

He gave her a melting smile and a short bow. “I will be awaiting the event with great impatience.”

At that moment, Victoria felt rather than saw the tall, dark-haired man and his companion moving from their position under the staircase. The back of her bare neck was cold, and her fingers began to tingle. The couple was walking toward the doors that led to the terrace, the slim blond woman looking up at him with a soft, glowing smile. If they went outside…

Victoria started across the room, weaving quickly through the crush, slipping past people who wanted to stop and talk.

“Pardon me,” she said when a particularly formidable-looking matron attempted to block her path. “I must catch my…my aunt before she retires for the evening.”

Because he towered above the rest of the partygoers, Victoria was able to track her quarry's movements as the couple wended toward the French doors. They were most certainly planning to step outside to catch a breath of air.

Victoria slipped out onto the terrace, hoping her mother hadn't noticed the beeline she'd made across the ballroom. It would be rather difficult to explain deserting her own debut to wander on the terrace.

But it would be even worse for that tiny blonde if Victoria did not intervene.

Hurrying on silent feet, she clung to the shadows of the noisy, well-lit house as she scurried across the brick terrace. Listening for the murmur of voices, she paused near a statue of Aphrodite, peering around its cold stone base to see if she could spot the man and his intended victim. She had to hurry; he wouldn't waste any time for fear of being discovered.

Then she remembered, and slipped a hand under her silky, flowing skirts to tug free the wooden stake she'd tucked into her garter. Gripping it the way Eustacia had taught her, Victoria left the protective shadow cast by the statue and hurried along the main path, listening intently.

And then she heard a throaty murmur, followed by a husky laugh. Turning to the right, she moved silently toward them and at last came to the end of the path. The couple stood under the canopy of a branch heavy with lilac blooms. The blond woman was looking up at the man, all innocence and delight as he smiled down at her. Even though it was not directed at her, Victoria felt the power of his beckoning smile. She tightened her fingers on the stake and moved closer.

She was near enough now that she could see the rise and fall of the woman's bosom, and the sharp curve of her target's high cheekbone. He looked like an arrogant aristocrat, standing tall and dark with his handsome face and square-jawed chin.

What would it feel like to slam the stake into his chest? Would she have to shove it through clothing and bone? How hard would she have to push? Or because the heart was his weakness, was it unprotected and easy to penetrate?

She touched her cross, praying she would have the strength to do what must be done. She would have only one good chance.

She couldn't wait any longer. He was smoothing his hands along the woman's bare arms, and she was smiling up at him, curving toward his body. They looked as though they were about to kiss; but Victoria knew better.

At any moment his face would change…his eyes would turn a burning red, and his canine fangs would grow, ready to sink into the pure white flesh of the woman.

Now.
She must move.

Gripping the stake, Victoria launched herself from the shadows, arm just above her shoulder, her eyes focused on the broad chest of the vampire. And just as she moved, as she was ready to thrust that stake home, the woman's mouth opened with a flash of white.

Stunned, Victoria managed to pivot at the very last moment, whirling toward the tiny blonde, whose eyes glowed red and fangs shone lethally. It happened so fast the vampire didn't have the chance to recover from her surprise. Using the force of her sudden change in direction, Victoria slammed the stake into the woman's bosom.

It drove into her skin with sickening ease. Victoria felt a minor resistance, a small pop, and then the weapon slid in. It was like shoving a wooden pike into a bowl of sand.

The vampire froze, her mouth open in shock and pain…eyes wide and glowing red. And then, suddenly, with a small
poof!
the woman disintegrated. She crumpled into dust and was gone.

Just like that.

Victoria stood, panting, staring at the place where the vile creature had been.

She had done it.

She had killed a vampire.

Her knees wobbled. Her breath shook. She looked at her stake to see if there was any blood on it.

It was clean.

“You were going to stake me, weren't you?” came a chill voice.

Victoria looked up. The man glared down at her with a decidedly unkind expression.

“I…” What did one say to the victim one had just saved from being bitten by a vampire?

“You thought I was a vampire.”

Victoria forbore to point out that it was an honest mistake. With his gleaming black hair and sharp-planed face, he appeared dangerous and untrustworthy. “One would think you would be a bit more gracious, since I just saved your life,” she replied stiffly.

His laugh was sardonic. “That would be a fine day…one when I needed a girl to save my life. From a vampire.” He laughed harder.

At that moment, Victoria noticed that he was holding something in his hand. Was that a…stake?

“Who are you?” she asked.

“I am Maximilian Pesaro, master vampire executioner.”

+ 2 +

In Which a Piercing Commitment is Made

“It was merely a precaution
, my dear,” Eustacia said as she lowered her creaking joints and aching muscles into her favorite chair. Favorite, indeed, because of the well-padded seat and generous cushioning on the arms, and because of the small piecrust table next to it where she kept her spectacles, her cross, and a polished white hawthorn stake.

Old habits died hard.

Kritanu was putting Victoria through her paces here in the
kalari,
the well-curtained ballroom of the Gardella home, which had been outfitted as a practice arena. Some of her dark curls had fallen from their moorings, just as Eustacia's had done when she had trained for her hunting activities…oh, decades ago. Victoria wore skirts during these training sessions, since, due to society's dictates, that would most often be her attire. Eustacia knew trousers made it much easier to spin and kick, but that would come later when she began to learn the Chinese martial-arts technique of
qinggong,
in which she would fairly glide through the air, seeming to fly.

Victoria's porcelain skin was flushed dark pink, and her forehead and neck were damp with sweat, but the murderous expression on her face spoke volumes. Eustacia couldn't blame her for being annoyed. Maximilian had chosen the worst possible way to notify her of his presence; but then, that was nothing more than Max's character.

Everything was perfectly black or white to Max, whereas most people, including Eustacia, were able to find different shades of gray. It made life more tolerable when one could recognize charcoal or a light mist color.

Victoria had shown excellent promise with Kritanu in her education and training, or
kalaripayattu,
in the month before her coming-out; but as she'd never faced down a real vampire, Eustacia had felt the need to have plans for contingency purposes at Victoria's debut. It turned out those precautions had been needless, and indeed, perhaps had served to confuse the issue at the ball last night. But Eustacia would have done it again had she the chance.

The pride of a new Venator was a poor price to pay for the safety of her guests.

Kritanu watched with his sharp, dark eyes as Victoria took an offensive stance, then as she flew into action, pivoting, kicking, and whipping the side of her leg into a stack of cushions next to Eustacia's chair. The cushions went flying, and Victoria stopped whirling, hands on hips, right in front of her chair. “Aunt Eustacia, I nearly staked
him!
Though it would have served him right.”

“Now, Victoria, that's over and done with. You'll need to learn to move on, to put your anger and frustration aside if you are going to be a fierce Venator. Focus and strength, quick thinking and bravery…these are all characteristics you possess, but you must refine them. Learn to use them.”

As a Venator directly descended from the first Gardella, Victoria had been born with the innate fighting skills she would need to be a formidable vampire hunter. She already had the agility, strength, and speed she would need. The purpose of Kritanu's training her in various martial-arts forms was to refine and hone those skills…draw them forth and teach her how to use them. And the
vis bulla
she would receive would provide her with additional protection and strength.

Victoria ducked and spun about to meet a rear attack from Kritanu, mumbling something like, “I'd like to refine
him
,” but of course Eustacia wasn't about to acknowledge that sort of talk.

Instead, she allowed herself the pleasure of watching her lover and companion propel himself into smooth, lethal action as he dodged Victoria's defense and sent her tumbling to the floor. Kritanu, a wiry, muscular Calcuttan nearing seventy-five years old, was a daunting opponent even at his age. He wore an amulet that differed from the
vis bullae
given to Venators, but which gave him additional strength; but even without that, he was still quick and strong.

Nearly sixty years ago, he'd been sent to Eustacia to train her in
kalaripayattu,
the Indian martial-arts form favored by Venators who fought the inhumanly strong vampires, and the Chinese
qinggong.
He'd remained at her side as her companion ever since. The fact that he also shared her bed was a fact they kept discreet; although surely Max suspected the depth of their relationship. Kritanu's nephew, Briyani, had been Max's assistant for three years, and the trio of men spent much training time together.

Eustacia looked at Victoria, who was pulling to her feet. Her hair straggled over her shoulders, but her face was set with determination. “Kritanu, I think she's had enough for the day. Thank you.”

He gave a gentle bow, his dark eyes soft and warm. “I will excuse myself, then.”

Eustacia turned to her niece. “Set your pride aside for one moment, Victoria, dear. Max was there as a support to you and for safety in the event something went wrong. You performed well, even after he revealed himself to you. You will make a fine Venator,
cara,
”
she said. “And together we will put an end to Lilith the Dark.”

The mention of Eustacia's nemesis took the edge from Victoria's eyes, and her annoyance seemed to collapse. “You promised to tell me more about Lilith after I executed my first vampire. And about my
vis bulla.
”

“Indeed, and we will begin that as soon as you've had a chance to clean up a bit. Why don't you—Ah, he is here already. Now, Victoria,” Eustacia said with a warning look as Maximilian entered the room with a swish and an air of impatience.

She hadn't expected him so soon, and certainly wouldn't have had him arrive while Victoria was in dishabille. She was going to have to speak to Charley—the cook and erstwhile butler when Kritanu was otherwise engaged—about that again. She suspected it would be a losing battle, as Charley couldn't comprehend denying Maximilian anything—including the freedom to walk into any area of the house without being announced.

“Signora,”
he said, squeezing her hand gently while he lifted it to his face and then released her fingers back into her lap. The sweetness of their homeland's language still flavored his words, and it sounded lovely to Eustacia. She missed Venizia. “I apologize for my cursed punctuality.” He turned to Victoria, and Eustacia watched in fascination as his aristocratic features froze into a mockery of a smile. “And Miss Grantworth. Our protege. I bid you good evening. Apparently I have interrupted some training?”

“Good evening,” Victoria replied stiffly. She didn't bother to hold out her hand, and Max didn't appear to notice or care. “How does one address the master of the vampire executioners? My lord? Your grace? Your Stakeness?”

Eustacia intervened before he could reply. “Max, please take a seat. Victoria was just about to change out of her training gown. Victoria, go ahead. Charley will be along shortly with tea, or brandy if you wish.”

“Brandy? Much as I'd like to indulge,
signora,
you know that I do not partake when I am going on the hunt.”

Eustacia waited until Victoria had gone before she asked, “Any news?”

He crossed his long legs and leaned back into the seat he'd chosen on the settee next to her favorite chair. “Lilith is here for something called the Book of Anwarth. She has apparently located it somewhere in England. London, to be precise. She's moved a significant portion of her entourage here.”

“The Book of Anwarth,” Eustacia repeated. A cold shiver curled at the base of her spine. “I knew there must be a reason for her to bring her court here. That alone frightens me, Max. For her to uproot herself and leave the safety of her haven in the mountains…I have never heard of such a book, but I'll send for Wayren. If Lilith seeks it, this can bode no good for us. She'll send Guardians for it, I'm sure. Imperials, too, perhaps.”

“I'll visit the Chalice. Perhaps I can learn more…”

“Yes, and Wayren will help.” Eustacia gave him a warning look, effectively ending the conversation as Victoria walked in. “Ah, Victoria. That was quick. We were just about to begin reviewing the history of Lilith the Dark,” Eustacia said briskly, rubbing her knobby hands together. “Max, I have told Victoria very little about her; I thought it would be best if you were here to assist in filling in the details from your vantage point.”

“Indeed. Please,
signora,
you tell the tale. I will comment as necessary.”