by Pepper Pace
I walked forward and group hugged them all. I felt so blessed to have them…but it scared me to know how precarious our lives were. Our safety all rested on my shoulders. I sighed.
***
We went home that same night. Julie and I just flashed ourselves back to the mansion. Karen and Monica were going to wait until morning when Tyler was released from the hospital and then the three of them would come back together.
I had told Julie that she could just flash herself back to her own home-but she declined the offer. Julie had a big ass mansion that was part fun house part modern contemporary. Even still, you always felt comfortable there.
Obviously Julie didn’t want me alone in the mansion. Truthfully I welcomed the company. Mara and Kat, my other two assistants, had done an excellent job putting the house back together in our absence. Kat had even done some redecorating in the living room. I liked the improvements. Still, as nice as the house was and even with my own touches this house really didn’t feel like my own. I rested here, I conducted business here, but it wasn’t home.
I went into the media room and relaxed in the leather theater seating. I needed to unwind and I had a collection of old movies that I had yet to enjoy. CLAUDINE took me back to my childhood. James Earl Jones and Diane Carroll made me forget for a moment my own sad love life. I’d just dumped…okay, tried to kill one boyfriend. The other was going to be exiled for 250 years, that is, if he could survive the wrath of his sire. Well, I guess I’d know whether or not he succeeded when I felt my innards being crushed from within. So far so good. And then there was Paul…I wasn’t even going to consider what was happening there.
When the movie ended it was close to dawn. Instead of retiring to my bedroom I concentrated on staying awake. If I were a daywalker then it was time I reaped the benefits of it.
***
I don’t remember closing my eyes but when I opened them I knew that it wasn’t day. I had slept clean through and it was night again. I cursed and headed for the master bath to wash and change. In the full length mirror I couldn’t help but marvel at my smooth skin. I was again scar free. Alexis had thanked me for the scars…Alexis.
I dressed in a new pair of jeans that hugged my rounded hips riding low to show off my curves. Braless I pulled on an ebony blouse that only buttoned up enough to cover my breasts. It had been a long time since I’d exposed so much skin. My belly was uncovered and I still hadn’t gotten used to how tight and flat it was. My crucifix was lost in the fight at Gigi’s house and I missed it. I had to settle for an 18 kt gold chain with a white gold diamond encrusted crucifix. It was a beauty but not mine…not the one that had been around Paul’s neck…Gold nugget earrings completed the adornment. My hair was loose and without a comb still perfectly coiffed.
I slipped on black mules and wondered if the girls had gotten back okay. I found Monica in the office writing in the planner. She looked at me with a smile.
“Tyler okay?”
“Yeah. She said she’d be here in a bit.
“Good. What are you working on?”
“I’m getting your appointments together for the coming week.” She glanced at me sheepishly. “It’s going to be busy.”
What was new? Monica told me that we’d have Monday and Wednesday devoted to hearings. So far there were 14 cases to be heard Monday and eleven Wednesday. Usually we started hearings at midnight and they ran through the remainder of the night so those two days would be shot.
I had a council meeting Tuesday. I was not looking forward to that. For sure my Council will have heard about what had happened in Spain…not to mention the bad break up between Tony and myself. I know it was childish but I was still resentful of Tony’s involvement in keeping the truth away from me. At the same time I felt sorry for attacking him…but our relationship was over. Not even his old fashioned idea of chivalry was enough to make me forgive him. I didn’t forgive him. But I was sorry that I had attacked him.
Thursday I was going out to visit three of the shelters and meet with some of the people that had been victimized while under my protection. That was how I would decide who would be punished…who would be killed.
There are eleven Council’s within the United States. The land is separated with no rhyme or reason that I could determine. Julie is my First Lieutenant. But under her are Masters. There is no limit to the number of Masters within a territory. When you’re a thousand years old you automatically become a Master or you can become a master earlier, like me because you exhibit great strength.
So here I am a Master due to some fluke. But I’m no where near as strong as a thousand year old Vampire. So it’s not uncommon for someone to be turned into a Master one day and be dead the next. Just the nature of the beast.
Anyway the Masters are my police but also much of my headache. Vampires are a selfish breed and having to answer to someone they look down their nose at is always a pain. Tyler flanking me makes it easy to keep them from just jumping on me. And Julie with her sharpened senses can anticipate something foul like the countless traps I’ve avoided.
The doorbell rang and Monica hurried away to answer it. I picked up the planner and made some additional notes.
The door slammed open and I jumped. Monica stood in the doorway looking pale.
“What’s wrong?” I asked. I stood up and hurried out of the room when she just stared at me wide eyed.
Right in my entryway was my entire Council, including Tony.
CHAPTER 8
I came to a halt right in front of them. The door was still opened so just to have something to do I walked past them and closed it while trying to figure out what I should do. The sight of Tony was especially distressing. He still wore four long marks down his cheeks that were slightly raised. I felt so guilty when I saw them. His eyes when they met mine had grown large at the lack of scars. Other then that he didn’t relay any messages to me.
I turned back to face the rest of the Council trying to hide my discomfort with a look of confidence.
“I wasn’t aware that there was a Council meeting tonight—and in my home.” They all just silently stared at me, stared at my lack of scars, stared at my exposed flesh.
Cyrene broke the uncomfortable silence. “We were informed by the Barcelona Council of an…altercation that happened last night.”
I gestured for them to follow me into the newly redecorated living room. Bastards hadn’t wasted any time telling on me!
When I went to close the door after them I saw Monica watching from the other room so I decided to keep it open. There would be no secrets concerning this matter between us.
Keeping my discomfort hidden I reentered the room and sat down in a new wing chair that was upholstered in a mellow mustard fabric. A rich brown silk pillow offset it and my outfit just perfectly.
“Make your self comfortable.” I gestured casually.
Kaniji chose the sofa and Frank sat near her. Keada chose an oversized leather chair and Cyrene sat in the matching chair just opposite her. Tony just remained standing. He watched me silently. I couldn’t help but to meet his eyes even though I wanted to ignore him. I needed to gage his mood but couldn’t.
“Where’s Malarias? Shouldn’t he be here for this little gathering?”
“Malarias is on his way to Spain.” Tony said evenly. “It seems there was a death of an Elder last night. I think you may have met her; Esmerelda.”
Now I was speechless and there was nothing I could do to hide my surprise. Lordie, what had happened after we had left?
Tony studied me closely.
“There is to be a ceremony at Epic Cu;” Cyrene spoke while studying me in turn. “A death ceremony for the fallen Elder.”
“I suppose I wasn’t invited.” I replied coolly, still attempting to mask my shock.
Keada was the one to respond. “Currently none of us are invited.”
“What happened to your scars?” Frank asked bluntly. “They were a distraction in our dull meetings. I think I will miss them.�
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I turned to him. “Sounds like you’re coming to me for answers now. I don’t recall any of you being very forthcoming with the answers when I was asking the questions.”
Kaniji responded. “Your memory is short.”
I flashed her a look. “I paid you well for your information. Didn’t you get what you wanted?” She looked at me shocked. Frank was smiling. Tony wasn’t.
“The Barcelona Council told us what happened.” Cyrene said. “But we want to know what really happened.”
I was pretty shocked at her words. It almost sounded like they had my back. Nah…likely they were just trying to trick me into incriminating myself.
“What did they say happened?”
Tony was the one to speak. “They said that you brought Alexis into a Council meeting and between you, your Lieutenant and your Assistants, you proceeded to attack the Council members, maiming three of them, one of them is bald-”
“And you couldn’t tell that they were lying?!” The question was directed to them all.
“They weren’t lying.” Keada said. “But they weren’t telling the complete truth, either.”
Cyrene came to her feet and faced me. “Was Alexis there?”
I stood up and faced her. I could feel that she wanted to take a step back but she wasn’t letting a newly turned wannabe up her.
“Alexis never left Epic Cu the entire time I was there.”
No one spoke. “She doesn’t lie.” Keada finally broke the silence.
“How did Esmerelda die?” I asked Keada since she was so forthcoming.
Kaniji smirked. “Athena killed her: In a jealous rage. Esmerelda had been Alexis’ long time lover. Athena suspected that Esmerelda had snuck into Epic Cu and shared a night of passion with him. She went to Esmerelda’s home and…lets just say that what was left was not a pretty picture.”
I looked away feeling my heart pounding in my chest. I actually tasted fear on my tongue. It was like copper.
“Isn’t that odd,” Kaniji continued, “that you went to Spain to help Alexis and you come back with no scars…and his old lover ends up dead for spending an illicit night with the very man you had gone to-”
“Shut up, Kaniji.” Tony said.
“Well, that is pretty strange. You must admit.” Frank said innocently.
I was fucking speechless because these bastards had me cold busted. And not just that but with one word from any of them Athena was going to annihilate me.
“What’s going to happen to Athena?” I whispered.
“How are we supposed to know?” Cyrene snapped. “This goes beyond Council business, beyond Elder business. This is old business.”
I looked up and met Tony’s eyes. “So you’re all here to gloat?”
He didn’t say a damn thing. Kaniji watched us with interest, then she reached out and placed her hand on his. He stepped away from her but glared at me. Still Kaniji grinned at me victoriously. I ignored her.
“You have some nerves.” Cyrene said. “Our relationship with the Europeans is fragile at best. They look down their noses at us new world Neratomay. We can’t do anything as good as they can.” She said mockingly. “Then you go over there and-”
“Oh leave her alone!” Frank snapped. “You’re not mad because she hurt American-European relations. You’re mad because Kim does things that none of you would have ever had the guts to do!” My mouth dropped open at that. And so did Cyrene’s.
“I’m not jealous.” Keada said. “I killed men with my bare hands in my time! I could give a shit what she does in Europe. But now the Elder Council is going to judge us all.” She raised her hand in disregard to Frank’s words and glared at me. “Look, if you go down…we all go down. So, we’re not going to let you go down.”
I swallowed speechless by this show of camaraderie, even though it was self serving.
Tony stared at a spot past me and stayed as still as a statue. Kaniji was pissed that she couldn’t play with my fear. Cyrene was still speechless at Frank’s snapping at her. Keada seemed in control now.
“So it would be in your best interest to tell us what happened.”
“Alright.” I sat back down. “I went to Epic Cu.” That seemed a safe place to start, seeing that the Barcelona Council already knew about it. “It was booby trapped.” Not exactly a lie. “But evidently being in such close proximity to Alexis meant that he could…share my body. We’re bound so he’s in me. And yes he took my remaining scars.
“When my people and I tried to leave the country we were stopped and forced to face their Council. They said they wanted to question us about going to Epic Cu, but it was Esmerelda that wanted to question me about my relationship with Alexis. She was angry about our…bond.” I glanced at Tony again but he had not budged and he still was looking at a space beyond me. “It was their poor choice to force us to go there. That they did not know that Alexis was in me is their own fault. They struck first when Esmerelda smacked me, breaking my neck, and bloodying my nose.”
I could feel Tony’s eyes move to me then.
“And when Tyler tried to protect me her wrist was broken. Julie was thrown across the room and only then did Alexis come. But he came from inside of me.”
After a pause Frank spoke. “Her words are not lies.”
“Well,” Cyrene finally said. “It seems that they weren’t very hospitable to an American Council member.”
“Why don’t you ask her what she said to cause her to get slapped?” Kaniji asked.
“I asked her why she was asking me so many questions about Alexis.”
“And she slapped you?” Frank asked in actual surprise.
“No. She didn’t just slap me. She…hit me with her power. And it knocked me out of my chair and broke my neck. I couldn’t even turn my head when my people began to scream. If Alexis hadn’t been inside of me…I don’t know.”
“You didn’t have to go.” Tony growled. “You didn’t have to put them at risk-”
“Yes,” Kaniji interrupted, “she did have to go. Alexis is bound to her. She loves him.” Her words were true but used just to hurt Tony. He absently stroked his chin.
“You said that we’d be investigated by the Elder Council.” I spoke to Keada. “I’m not very popular with them.”
“True.” Frank spoke. “They wanted you dead when Alexis fought for your life.” I watched him with wide eyes. He was telling me something I already knew, but he was giving me the information willingly; something Tony had yet to do.
“Yes, Alexis fought for your life while you were in a coma. And he was punished for it. He almost killed Malarias, that old bastard, and good riddance. I wanted that black chick to sit on the board. She is hot. And I’m sure Tony wouldn’t mind another sista seeing how you tried to kill him and all.”
God you couldn’t like that asshole. He’d do something to make you drop your guard one second and the next he was a complete prick!
Tony moved quickly to grip Frank’s throat. Frank wasn’t a Council member for nothing and he blocked the move and flashed himself across the room.
“Don’t piss me off, Frank.” Tony said. He sat down on the couch where Frank had just vacated seating him right next to Kaniji. Not that I cared. I meant it when I said I was done.
“Malarias doesn’t like you, that’s true.” Cyrene said. She shrugged as if to say that it was understandable. “But I don’t believe that the Elder Council doesn’t have some…fondness for you.”
“When they return from Esmerelda’s death ceremony they will speak to all of us concerning this matter.” Kaniji said. “I for one look forward to speaking to them. I want off this Board.”
“You can’t dictate what Board you’ll serve on.” Frank spoke from across the room. “Not unless you plan on seducing and murdering another Council member on a different board.”
She ignored him. I was more then ready to kick him and the rest of them out. He especially was working my last nerve!
Keada stood. “Then we have our st
ory. Is there anything you would like to change, Kim? You know better than most how they will enter your brain to search for the truth that they want.”
“I haven’t lied. That’s the story I want told.” I hesitated and tried to make the next question casual. “And what of Alexis?”
“And this is what got us in trouble the first damn place. Don’t even think about lying to her or she will be on the next plane back to Spain.” Frank said. My heart leaped in fear.
“There is nothing to tell about Alexis.” Cyrene said. “He is still confined to Epic Cu and as far as I know has refused to speak of any of the events that transpired.”
I blew out a relieved breath.
Tony stood. Reaching into his pocket he withdrew a sealed, miniature envelope. He dropped it on the table then disappeared.
Kaniji stared at the envelope curiously but then she disappeared, too.
Cyrene threw up her hands in exasperation. “Does no one adjourn properly anymore?!” Then she disappeared.
Keada stood and bowed slightly in my direction. Then she disappeared.
Frank ogled me from across the room. “Nice outfit.” Then he, too disappeared.
I closed my eyes and blew out a long breath of relief.
“Monica!” I called.
But it was Julie that appeared before me. Monica appeared two seconds later on a run.
“Did you two hear everything?”
Julie nodded. “What would make me think this had ended?” She asked herself.
“It was too good to be true.” Monica sighed.
I stood and began pacing. “Julie, what punishments do you think I could receive from the board for something like this?”
“Well, for going to Epic Cu you could get exiled for a number of years. But if they think you’re responsible for an Elder’s death…it could mean your death.”
I paused and looked at her. “No chance I could take her place on the Elder Council, huh?”
