by Hayden, Sean
"What are you doing?" Marcel stood looking at me peculiarly.
"Sitting," I said more than a little confused.
"You have so much to learn and so little time. James, explain to the little one exactly what Antonio is doing right now."
"Enrapturing the mind of the hotel clerk and finding out which room the tall handsome blond vampire checked into," he said confidently.
"Exactement," he said and unlocked the sliding glass door leading out to the balcony.
I looked at Thompson and he motioned me to follow Marcel. I stood and made my way over to the balcony while Marcel stood looking over the railing down to the ground. "Come on," he said and slid over the railing like a parallel bar Olympian and fell eight stories to the ground.
"Show off," I muttered and did the same. The air rushed up against me as I fell. I willed myself to slow at the last moment and crouched into a perfect landing about three feet from Marcel. I looked up to see if Thompson made the jump when six hundred pounds of dark werelion landed behind us. I guess eight stories seemed a little too far to jump in his human form.
"Let us go, it won't take Antonio long to figure out my ruse. My hotel is about four blocks away," he said and took off at inhuman speed. I took off behind him and sensed Thompson close on my heels. In his werelion form he had no problems keeping up with me and I wouldn't have put any money on a race between us.
It took us only a few minutes to reach our destination. The Marriot we were staying at wasn't a cheap hotel. It was beautifully maintained, but the Hyatt Regency we stood in front of made me raise my eyebrows more than a little. We entered the lobby through the front doors under a concrete awning and didn't pause as we made straight for the elevators. Again Marcel punched the uppermost button, the doors closed, and the elevator began to hum as it lifted us into the air.
I couldn't remember getting off the elevator as we walked into his room. I really needed to start paying attention. I glanced around at our surroundings and my feeling of jealousy over his other room tripled. It still had a sliding glass door, but this one had been designed with vampires in mind. Instead of clear glass panes, the doors were made of opaque black glass. It was the only exterior window or door in the room. I got nosey and wandered from one bedroom door to the next, peeking in. Each had its own king size bed and bath. The rest of the suite looked just as luxurious. Comfortable couches, plasma televisions, and a large desk filled the spacious common area. I wanted to kill Marcel and live in his room for the rest of my life.
Marcel sat on one of the couches, leaned back, and closed his eyes. I doubted the run exhausted him, so he must have been thinking. I bet I could guess what about.
"Thanks, Marc." I walked over to him and placed my hand on his shoulder.
"You certainly do make life interesting, little one." He smiled for the first time since his arrival.
"So what now, do we just continue to hide until he goes away?"
"No, child, to do that would just invite the rest of The Council to hunt for you. No, we will meet him, but on our terms, and only after we have come up with a plausible explanation for your abilities." He sounded weary. "But for now, sunrise is almost here. James take the spare bedroom, Ashlyn please help yourself to the master bedroom."
"Where are you going to sleep?"
"Right here. I have stayed in the Regency before. Their rooms are quite sun-proof."
"Don't be silly, Marc. There's a king size bed, big enough for the two of us," I said, trying very hard not to sound like a schoolgirl. I must have failed miserably because he opened his mouth to protest. "I insist, I don't mind sleeping in my clothes," I added.
He paused before giving me a, "Oui."
"In the morning, I'm going to run back to our hotel and pick up one of the Suburbans and some clothes. I shredded my shirt and pants shifting," Thompson said from across the room. I glanced over at him and sure enough, his pants were tattered from the knee down and his shirt probably lay shredded on the hotel room floor back at the Marriot. Hopefully, he had the foresight to take off his jacket first.
"Be careful. He might have day friendly entities watching your room," Marcel said and stood.
"I will, Marc, go get some sleep, and thanks from me, too."
"Good day, my friend," he said and made his way to our room. Our room. Damn I liked the sound of that.
"Night, Thompson," I called and followed the exquisite French buns in front of me.
"Night, kid."
I entered the bedroom and watched Marc strip off his shirt and settle himself on top of the comforter. As an afterthought, he kicked off his shoes and let them fall to the floor. He brought one arm up and covered his eyes while I flipped off the switch plunging the room into complete darkness. I knew I could see perfectly in the dark, but honestly didn't have a clue if he could or not. I took off my jacket and lay it on the dresser and took off my shoes. I had on pretty modest panties and a sports bra, but I promised Marc I would remain clothed, damn it.
I gave a little sigh and crawled onto the massive bed. The mattress seemed a little softer than I thought possible and I sank in. I debated getting up and crawling under the comforter just to make Marcel a little more comfortable, but figured I really didn't care.
"Marc," I started tentatively.
"Yes, little one?"
"What's going on? Why is Antonio so interested in me?"
"That is a story too long in the telling for now. When we wake, I will tell you everything. I promise." He closed his eyes.
I sighed and did the same.
* * *
I woke with my head on Marcel's chest. He hadn't moved, but I covered him like a small blanket. I tentatively lifted my leg to try to remove it from his, but he shifted and smiled. His arm wrapped my shoulders and he drew me against him tighter. Chills traveled from the base of my spine all the way up and over my skull, sort of melting themselves away into my brain. I let out a little moan and rubbed my face against his chest. His arm tightened, beckoning me even closer.
The butterflies in my stomach started to form a little whirlwind as I slid over his leg, lying completely on top of him. His hand slid down and cupped the right side of my butt, pulling me up into his embrace. I couldn't reach his face with mine, but he planted little kisses on the top of my head. I brought my hand up over his chest and began to tentatively lick. I won't lie, it would be my first time, and I wanted it to last forever. I felt stirrings in familiar places as my little licks elicited a moan from Marcel's lips.
"Oh, Sophie," he moaned.
I froze. Resisting the urge to bring my knee up hard enough to drive his male parts into his stomach, I leaped off of him onto the floor. "Stupid French pig," I muttered as I made my way to the door, grabbing my jacket as I opened it to leave.
"Ashlyn," Marcel called confusedly. I debated ignoring him, but I guess the whole thing had been my fault. I rolled over on him; I started licking. It wasn't his fault he was dreaming.
"Yes, Marcel?"
"I am sorry." He sounded very contrite.
"It's not your fault. I woke up mid dream, too. I'm the one who should be apologizing. It won't happen again." I walked out of the room, pulling the door shut behind me.
Chapter 7
Thompson was dressed in a suit when I walked out of the bedroom. I assumed he'd picked us up a car and some clothes sometime during the daylight hours. He had the news on and sat on the couch parked in front of the television, holding a carton of Chinese food in his hand. Damn, it smelled good.
"Morning, kid. Is everything okay?"
"Peachy keen," I replied.
"Do I have to punch Marc in the face?"
"No, but you might want to smack me around a little." He laughed and resumed devouring his food. I heard the shower running so I assumed Marc wanted to clean up a little.
"Did you bring me any clothes?"
"Your suitcase is over on the other couch," he called back.
"Thanks," I said and meant it. I slept in my clothes and
they looked it. "I'm going to use your bathroom," I told him and didn't wait for a response.
Once I'd changed, I met both of them back in the sitting room. They were seated and looked like they had already been talking. Thompson had a huge frown etched into his granite features. They both looked at me as I walked toward them, making me more than a little self-conscious.
"What?"
"Field trip," Thompson supplied. "Governor Greer just called; he's flying down to San Diego in an hour. An earthquake hit this morning and he needs to assess the damage. Pack your stuff; we're flying down with him."
"That's a good thing isn't it?" If we were leaving Sacramento, then surely Strozzini wouldn't be able to find us.
"It would be if Strozzini hadn't made contact with Greer and introduced himself as part of The Council. He's going to be Greer's shadow, too. He's to 'determine if by assuming the office of governor, Greer has not broken any Council laws.' We need to come up with a cover story quickly, little one, and fast. One strong enough to explain your anomalies to Strozzini so he won't run back to the council to report what he's found. At this point, I'm open to suggestions." Marcel spoke almost exasperatedly.
"I told Greer you sired me, could we stick to that?"
"If I had talons and slit pupils, maybe. I don't think Strozzini would believe it though."
"What if we told them the truth?" We both looked at Thompson.
"Absolutely not, my friend. To tell them she has always been a vampire would be akin to telling the government she landed here from another planet. They would dissect her to see how she worked. We need something better."
"Could we bribe Strozzini?" It's not like I had enough to bribe him with, but I wanted to know.
"He is a creature of The Council, no we cannot."
"Could we kill him?" The question hung out there in the air; I just didn't realize it had come from me. Let's hear it for self-preservation.
"I've already resolved to do that as a last resort," Marcel said deadpan. A chill ran along my spine for the second time in one evening. I liked the first one better.
"How about if we threaten him?" Thompson realized the futility of it as soon as the question left his lips. What would keep him from telling us what we wanted to hear, and then blabbing about me once he touched down in Europe? "Never mind," he finished.
"I wish we could just tell him I wasn't a vampire," I said, thinking aloud.
The silence in the room made me look up. Thompson and Marcel sat on the couches staring at each other with raised eyebrows. "We couldn't blame it on lycanthropy," Thompson said.
"But she had a mother, and she does work for the U.S. government. She could have been the result of a genetic experiment. She could be a cross breed of lycanthrope, vampire, and human. Ladies and gentlemen, we have our answer," Marcel said with a smile.
"Oh, joy. I get to be an experiment."
* * *
We pulled up to the Governor's Mansion and I fought hard not to start shaking. I wasn't afraid, or at least I didn't think I feared Strozzini, but I wanted nothing to do with The Council. I just wanted to be left alone in my own little world. I don't mind what I do for the FBI; it kind of offers a buffer between me and the vampire world. I'm an outsider keeping an eye on them; I don't want to be one of them.
"Remember, Ashlyn, stick to the story," Marcel said before he opened the door and stepped out into the night air.
"I'm a genetically engineered mutant. I got it," I said to myself, but Thompson must have heard me because he gave a rough bark of laughter.
I opened my door and followed them up the hewn granite steps to the front door. Before either of them could knock, the door opened and Samantha Barnes, Greer's personal assistant and aide, stood there waiting. Without so much as a hello, she led us up the stairs to Greer's office. I half expected her to take us to his study.
"Go ahead in, he's expecting you," she said and left us.
Thompson opened the door and went in first, leaving Marcel and me to follow. I couldn't see the governor or Strozzini until Thompson sidled out of the way. When he did move, I spotted Greer at his desk on the phone, and Strozzini standing behind him staring at Marcel. At first he looked surprised, but I recognized hatred when I saw it. I glanced to my right and saw the same look etched on Marcel's face. I coughed in an attempt to break the staring contest and Marcel looked at me with a small smile.
The governor set the receiver into the cradle and stood to greet us. "Welcome back, agents. A helicopter is on its way and we should be in the air in about fifteen minutes. May I introduce Antonio Strozzini of The Council," Greer said with his usual charm.
"We've met," Strozzini and Marcel said in unison.
"Marcel, it is very good to see you again," Greer greeted Marc.
"You as well, David. It has been a long time." He never took his eyes from Strozzini. "What brings you to California, Antonio?" Marc turned the focus of his conversation to the Italian vampire.
"The Council has concerns regarding David taking a position of authority over the human population. They sent me here to investigate when I came across the little treasure you've been hiding."
I'm a treasure? I tried not to laugh.
"A treasure indeed, Antonio, but be wary of her. She not only has her own protections, but also that of the United States Government," Marcel informed the smug vampire.
"You will have to explain all of this to me, in great detail," Strozzini shot back.
"All in good time, right now agents Ashlyn and Thompson have the governor to attend to," Marcel replied.
"Oh, this is a story I can't wait to hear," Greer chimed in.
"I'll have to say no to that, Governor." Thompson spoke for the first time. "Ashlyn is a puzzle wrapped in an enigma and the U.S. Government wants to keep it that way. We received special dispensation to share her secrets with The Council to keep them placated, but that's it. I'm sorry, Governor," he added almost as an afterthought.
The governor gave a sheepish nod, but Strozzini stared at us with open disbelief. I would bet even money he wasn't going to buy Marcel's story. He opened his mouth to say something, when Marcel held up his hand indicating he should wait. He nodded and moved from his spot from behind Greer.
"I do have to ask you something, Mr. Strozzini," I said. "You said you were here to make sure the governor's oath of office didn't break any of The Council's rules. You wouldn't know anything about the attempts on his life would you?"
"No, I don't. I know a vampire used a gun that shoots the silver stakes, because I saw him on the rooftop of the building next to the hotel, but I became so engrossed in watching you I didn't look for him until later. He fled, taking everything with him, so to answer your question, no, il mio piccolo tesoro."
"Thank you," I said politely.
Vetters had been right. It seemed a vampire, or vampires, wanted Greer dead. I just needed to figure out why. I tried every plausible avenue I could come up with mentally and rejected each one. "Who would want to kill a vampire governor? We know it wasn't a human, so we can rule out any extremists who didn't vote for him. A vampire took the shot. A vampire wants him dead."
Thompson looked at me while I pondered out loud. "But why kill another vampire? Maybe it's not because he's governor," he added to my train of thought.
"Maybe it's because he's the master of Sacramento?" I tossed out there.
"I'm not the master of Sacramento. I'm the master of San Francisco," Greer spoke up.
Thompson looked at me and me at him. It couldn't be that simple. I knew from my studies that vampires were highly territorial, to say the least. If this boiled down to a turf war I would be pissed. Either way, we had our first lead.
"Who is the master of Sacramento, Governor?"
"Ramon Santiago," he supplied.
"How does he feel about you being in his territory?" Thompson continued the questioning.
"He's not happy about it, but he understands the necessity. We have a meeting scheduled next week. I offered to
give him some sort of compensation for my being here. That seemed to make him happy."
"Maybe not happy enough, Governor. Where can I find him?"
"I can take you to him," Strozzini said, moving closer to where I stood. I really didn't want to have to spend any time with him or be indebted to him in anyway, but what the hell.
"Ashlyn, can I talk to you alone for a minute?"
I looked at Thompson and nodded. I made my way to the door. Thompson beat me to it and opened it, giving me a scowl as I passed through. Once out in the hall, I spun to face him, but he walked past me to the stairwell. Apparently, he didn't want anybody to hear us. He stopped at the top of the landing and turned.
"I want you to go with the governor; I'll go with Marcel and Strozzini," he said, leaving little room for argument. Of course I did anyway.
"No." I shook my head.
"This isn't open for discussion. You're going with Greer."
"I would, if I weren't better suited to questioning the vampire suspect and you know it. Plus, I want to, actually let me rephrase that, I need to be there when Strozzini wants his explanation. I know my body better than anyone and if he has questions, I'm sure I can come up with answers."
"Ashlyn, I want you to trust me on this."
"Thompson, I need you to trust me on this." He paused to think about it, sighed, and nodded. I couldn't believe I won the argument. I was proud of myself, but didn't jump around like I wanted to. Instead, I closed the distance separating us and threw my arms around the mountain of man. "Thanks, old man," I said and released him before he became uncomfortable.
Chapter 8
Marcel, Strozzini, and I stood by as the helicopter lifted off the ground carrying Thompson and Greer off to San Diego. I didn't have a clue when they'd be back, but Thompson told me he'd call when they touched down. I just hope they stayed safe.
"Are you ready?" I didn't know if my question was meant for the two vampires standing next to me or myself.
