Alexandre frowned at Cassiopeia's expression.
Edward tightened his grip on the child's shoulder. The child jerked as if an electric current had run through his body. His voice sounded shrill in the Council room. "I think it will be necessary for the Council to speak to both Jennifer and Renault."
Shai caught the look of distaste that flashed in Alexandre's eyes as he glanced at the albino. He masked his expression and turned toward Val, "You will arrange this?"
Val nodded reluctantly. "I'll speak with them to see if they are willing to come here to address the Council. However, there is still the immediate issue of Miranda's abduction. I request that the Council force Mikhail to release her at once and that she be requested to appear here and speak for herself."
Alexandre nodded to Mikhail to arise. When Mikhail had taken the three steps forward, Alexandre spoke. "What do you say about this Mikhail? Where is Miranda of Glencoe?"
"Miranda has indeed been a guest of mine for some time," the vampire admitted.
Shai snorted at Mikhail's words, earning herself a glare from Cassiopeia and a warning glance from Val.
"She contacted me some ten years ago when Valentin dumped her, rather callously I might add, for the then-mortal Shai," he waved a hand in her direction and she stiffened. She could feel hundreds of eyes boring into her back. The attention of the Council shifted from Mikhail to herself. She struggled to remain impassive beneath their probing eyes. Some of their looks were curious, some malevolent. Unobtrusively Shai shifted, sitting up straighter. Anger simmered in her blood as the vampire continued.
"Miranda was of course devastated by Valentin's fickleness and his abuse of her tender feelings toward him," Mikhail continued, his expression dutifully sorrowful at the alleged abuse. "And when he dumped her for Shai, after the human pursued him shamelessly, of course," once again he glanced in her direction, his expression mock- disgusted. He faced the Council again. "She had no one to comfort her since Shai had turned the head of her only love."
Val tensed, his left hand curled into a fist. The knuckles whitened then, slowly released. Other than flexing his hand he remained still.
Great, now they think I am a blood-sucking groupie. Her blood reached the boiling point as Mikhail's lies flowed through the room, but she forced herself to remain still as the Council again regarded her with curious eyes. Squarely she met the gaze of the ginger-haired giant, and was startled when he winked at her, his smile amused.
Mikhail shook his head, his hands clasped on his chest as if he were miming a broken heart. "Miranda has entombed herself in the catacombs of the original manse. I have no idea how long she intends to remain there."
Bravo, Mikhail. Shai glared at the vampire. It wasn't unheard of for a vampire to go underground, as it were. It was near to impossible for anyone, even another vampire, to find one who did not want to be found. To violate a vampire's self-imposed exile would be considered an insult and the height of rudeness.
A burst of laughter surprised everyone in the chamber. Slowly the ginger-haired giant rose from his slouched seat on the dais. To everyone's astonishment he clapped his hands slowly, each clap thundering through the room. "Well done, Mikhail, well done."
Shai switched her astonished gaze from the giant to Mikhail. The vampire's eyes were narrowed but his face was otherwise expressionless. "Fayne," he spoke evenly, "Are you accusing me of lying?"
Fayne stopped clapping, his smile unpleasant. "I would never accuse you of anything, Mikhail. However, I would say that your performance here would earn you an Oscar in the mortal world. Such a performance the likes of which I've never seen."
Shai was shocked to see Val twitch with laughter.
A low growl sounded from Mikhail. Surprised, Shai turned to see Gaby leap to her feet. Gaby placed herself in front of Mikhail, her hands on his chest as if to restrain him. Her expression was intent. While she didn't speak a word, her eyes spoke volumes.
"Enough," Alexandre got to his feet, waving Fayne back to his seat. "Sit down immediately," he spoke to Gaby.
Gaby shot Mikhail another warning glance before turning to smile apologetically in Alexandre's direction. Smoothing her immaculate hair, she regained her seat.
Alexandre waited until she sat before speaking again. "Valentin, Mikhail has stated before the Council that Miranda of Glencoe is an invited guest at his home. What say you to this statement?"
"It's a lie," Val's voice was quiet, assured.
Alexandre nodded just once before turning to the enraged Mikhail. "Mikhail, Valentin has stated you have lied before the Council. What say you to this charge?"
Mikhail visibly pulled himself together, still darting angry looks at the amused Fayne. "I have not lied to the Council. Val is lying to protect himself and his whore. They are trying to frame me and slander my good name."
Val's fist clenched again as Alexandre's face turned stony.
"You are on trial here Mikhail, not Val's consort, and you will refrain from impugning her name before the Council."
"And who will refrain from impugning my good name?" Mikhail roared.
"If you had a good name, then we wouldn't be here in the first place," Fayne snickered.
"Now see here..." Cassiopeia objected, rising to her feet.
"Enough!" Alexandre erupted and again the room subsided into stillness. "I will brook no more arguments. Currently we stand at an impasse, gentleman. Mikhail, you stand accused of kidnapping a vampire and the attempted rape of a revenant. Currently these charges are unsubstantiated. Mikhail, it is charged that you must produce the whereabouts of Miranda of Glencoe within the next twenty-four hours. Failure to do so will result in a penalty of one hundred years of exile in the pit. Do you understand?"
Mikhail flinched, rage etched on every inch of his taut body. "I understand completely."
"Furthermore, you will issue a public apology to Valentin's mate, Ms. Jordan, within the next two minutes, do you understand?" Alexandre's voice was cold as ice and Shai shivered, his words lashing out into the silence of the chamber room.
"I will never...." he began.
"You will indeed apologize or you will suffer the consequences," Alexandre's voice grew colder as the temperature plummeted in the room. "I will not brook any refusal on this, Mikhail. Ask for forgiveness or pay the penalty."
The power of the two vampires whipped around the chamber in a silent duel. Shai sat on the edge of her seat, the tension in the room unbearable. Their power blew around the room, causing the candles to flicker wildly as the temperature continued to fall. Fear showed on the small child's face as he stood by Edward's chair. He tried to pull away as if to run from the room but Edward held him firmly in place. Shai bristled as the child flinched under the pressure of his grip, but the Albino held steady, not allowing him to move. Someone cried out in fear at the back of the gallery.
Suddenly it was over and Mikhail staggered as if he'd been dealt a blow to his gut. Shai didn't miss his quick look of fear before he masked his expression with a thin veneer of civility. With a jerky nod in Alexandre's direction, he turned to her, his expression mocking.
"My dear lady," he bowed in her direction, "I tender my apology here before the Council and those assembled. If anything I said here today was untrue, I rescind my words and I beg for your forgiveness. Truly, I hope that I have not offended you."
Shai glanced at Val to find his gaze upon her, anger lingering in their dark depths. A slow smile spread across his face and he winked at her. She looked over Mikhail and gave a sharp nod. At his look of triumph, a feeling of imminent calamity crept over her. Someone would pay for the slight dealt to Mikhail today. She could only hope it would not be Miranda.
Alexandre spoke again, "Mikhail, you will prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that Miranda of Glencoe is unharmed. You will lead both Bliss and Fayne to her resting- place. Miranda will not be disturbed. They will view her unharmed body and that will be that." His emerald gaze pinned Mikhail. "Do you agree to this?" Shai saw that Mi
khail wanted to object but he held his peace. His gaze was angry as he locked on Fayne. He nodded sharply to acknowledge his acquiescence.
Alexandre turned to Val, "Valentin, you will bring forth both Jennifer Beaumont and Renault before the Council. They will give testimony as to what they saw. Return to this chamber with them at midnight in two days."
Val nodded.
"Council is dismissed until midnight, two days from now," Alexandre stepped from the dais as voices broke out all over the chamber. He disappeared through the doorway with his fellow members of the Council trailing behind him.
Val turned to Shai and her heart ached as she took in his frustrated expression. "I..." she began when Mikhail interrupted her.
"I will win, you know," Mikhail hissed at Val. "No matter what you try to do, Val, I will win yet again."
"There will be no winners here, Mikhail," Val replied, his voice calm. "The Council will decide what is right and wrong in this case."
"The Council," Mikhail spat, "is a fivesome of despots and petty tyrants. They have no real authority over me, and I will deal with them in my own time." The light of insanity glowed in his eyes.
Val turned away, reaching for Shai's hand, but Mikhail grabbed him by the arm, spinning him around to face him. She gasped as Val reached for Mikhail's throat, but a soft voice underlaid with steel stopped them both.
"That's enough." Bliss moved between them, effectively separating them with her tiny body. She didn't come anywhere near either man's shoulders, yet she pressed a hand on each man's chest, holding them apart. "Gather your woman and leave, Mikhail. I'll not hear of any more threats against the Council or you will find even more charges against you."
"This isn't over," he snarled at Val.
"Of course it isn't over," Bliss shot back. "You have much to answer for."
Mikhail shot a rage-filled look at the tiny woman as Gaby grabbed his arm and led him from the chamber. As they vanished into the milling crowd, Bliss turned to Val, her expression just as cold.
"You'd better hope your witnesses are convincing, Valentin. Mikhail won't let this drop if they aren't."
Val looked down at the tiny woman, his gaze warm and his smile slightly mocking. "I am in the right, Bliss."
The woman smiled ruefully and shook her head. "Still the white knight, aren't you, Val? Always trying to slay the demons of the persecuted and the downtrodden. You realize that one day this will be your downfall?"
He shrugged easily. "I cannot go against my grain, Bliss, you know this."
Shai bristled as Bliss sighed, reaching up to lightly caress Val's cheek. "Yes, I do know this."
Shai darted angry looks at as Bliss as the other woman turned away and moved toward the Council doorway, her movements as graceful as a ballet dancer. She'd always hated tiny women who moved so gracefully. She always felt like a lumbering cow next to them with her height and her large bone structure.
Val chuckled and tugged Shai into his arms. She relaxed against his broad chest, wrapping her arms around his waist. Safe in the arms of her lover, she watched the tiny woman walking away. Jealousy melted away like snow under the steady sunshine. She felt him press a gentle kiss to her forehead and a sigh escaped her.
"Val," Bliss's voice interrupted them from the Council doorway. "What happens if Mikhail gets away with his supposed crimes?"
Val's chest rumbled beneath Shai's ear. "I will kill him."
"You realize if you kill Mikhail without the blessing of the Council that you, too, will be put to death?" Bliss spoke evenly, her eyes searching his.
He nodded. "Sometimes we have to do what we feel is right regardless of the consequences."
Bliss smiled faintly and shook her head. "Still the white knight..." She turned and slipped through the door.
Shai pulled back and looked up into Val's dark eyes, "What..."
He shook his head, laying a finger across her soft lips. "Let's go home," he whispered.
Reluctantly she nodded. As they moved through the crowds toward the door, she silently dreaded what the next 48 hours would bring.
His first thought upon waking was he was glad his erection had finally subsided. It wasn't easy to sleep fully clothed with a hard-on the size of Texas when there was a willing woman nestled against him. Thank the Goddess for his iron restraint or he wouldn't have made it through the night without pulling Jennifer underneath him and taking her the way his body demanded.
His second thought was something was terribly wrong.
Instantly he sat up. Snow fell heavily outside the windows, causing a thick cloud cover to crouch over the city. The candles in the bedroom had long since burned out, and the only light spilled through the hallway door.
Cursing the sheets tangled around his legs, he kicked to free himself when a soft sound reached his ears and he froze. Silence roared in his ears until a soft scrabbling sound sent chills down his spine.
"Jennifer?"
Silence.
He staggered to his feet, stumbling over the tangled sheets as he heard another sound. It sounded suspiciously like a sob. He grabbed a black sweater and pulled it on as he lurched toward the wall switch.
"Jennifer, where are you?" he commanded. He flicked the switch and light flooded the bedroom. She was nowhere in sight. He stuck his head into the bathroom. Empty.
His feet sounded on the polished oak of the hallway as he ran out the bedroom door, the bright lights temporarily robbing him of sight. Blinking furiously, he heard that odd scrabbling sound again, like fingernails scraping on wood.
"Jennifer," he barked. "Answer me."
Silence.
He thundered down the steps, his eyes scanning the open living room as he paused on the landing. His gaze lit on Jennifer, standing against the French doors. The sheer draperies covered her nude body, as she stood flush against the glass, her arms out straight from her shoulders, her head lolling to one side as if her neck were too weak to support it.
"Jennifer?"
Was she sleepwalking? Mac walked down the five remaining steps into the tiny foyer. Was she sick? She didn't stir as he moved through the living room toward her. He shoved the drapes to one side, looking her over anxiously for any injuries. He placed his fingers on her shoulders and she flinched, a protest escaping her lips. Even though the room was warm, her skin was painfully cold. The scrabbling sound came again and he glanced at one hand. Her fingernails had gouged deep grooves into the wood, marring the white paint. Now she clung to the wood with all her strength, her arms trembling with exhaustion.
"Jennifer," Mac kept his voice low, soothing. "It's me, Mac. I want you to let go, darling." He encircled one trembling wrist with his hand and stroked her skin, willing her to release her stranglehold. "Please, darling, let go." He continued whispering calming words until she released her death grip on the damaged wood. He clasped an arm around her, drawing her hand to her chest. He repeated the process on her other wrist until she released the wood. As if boneless, she sagged against his chest.
Deftly he swung her up into his arms, and walked over to the couch. He deposited her on the couch and covered her with a blue afghan. She trembled violently beneath the worn wool as chills shook her body. He strode over to the thermostat and cranked it up to eighty degrees. When he heard the furnace kick in, he turned toward the woman on the couch. Her eyes were open but she wasn't seeing him or her surroundings. Her gaze was distant and horrified, locked on a nightmare he couldn't see.
He moved to her side and seated himself on the edge of the couch. "Jen?"
"He's killing her," her voice was dull, lifeless.
He exhaled noisily, relief flooding through him. "Who is killing whom?" he urged, desperate to keep her speaking.
"Mikhail is killing her as we speak," her voice trailed off. Slowly she turned her head toward the east windows, where in a few hours the sun would breach the horizon. Tremors shook her body harder as her chill worsened.
Mac stared out the window, horror dawning in his soul. He wouldn
't...he would. "Where Jennifer, where is she?' He looked at her still, pale face.
Her eyes grew even more distant. Locking on a scene that only she could see. "She is laid out on a stone slab in the center of a ring of stones. The stones are bluish in color and there are thirteen of them with a large, flat red stone altar in the middle. I think it is an old pagan circle. The symbols on the stones are Celtic..."
Mac felt the blood run from his face as she described the stone circle. With a sudden flash of insight, he knew where that circle was located even though he had never been there. Something twisted painfully deep within his soul then lay silent and waiting. The circle she described had haunted his dreams for as long as he could remember; it was one of his earliest memories.
And his recurring nightmare.
"Definitely Celtic," she murmured, drawing his attention away from his tortured thoughts.
"Jennifer..."
Jennifer's voice changed, her accent and language distinctly old Scots. "Ha maister o'nor stane, micht an pooerfae..." she faltered. "Hearken ma roup o'yer..."
Mac froze as the words poured over him. Ancient whispers, long forgotten by mortal men sounded crisply from the depths of his memories. Hail Master of the north stone, mighty and powerful. Hear the cry of your... And he knew the words that would follow. He knew them as if they had been carved on his heart. It was a bastardization of an ancient invocation to the Goddess, one used to call the forces of darkness into the light of day. They were the same words he heard in his dreams thousands of times before, but could never make them out with any clarity.
Something slithered along his spine; a memory long forgotten shifted but remained obscured by the fog of time. Something momentous was about to happen. And like a runaway freight train, there was no way the he could stop it. Trepidation slashed at his heart, threatening to steal his breath from his lungs. The room spun dizzily around him as he slid to the floor. Was he about to come face to face with his past?
Wilder, J. C. - Shadow Dweller 2 Page 8
