The Shadow (Florentine #2)

by Sylvain Reynard

  Cara turned away from the camera and began rummaging in her purse. “There’s nothing to see.”

  “Cara,” Raven whispered.

  Cara’s eyes moved to her sister’s and, for a moment, Raven thought she saw acknowledgment. Her sister retrieved what looked like a tube of lipstick and began painting her mouth with it.

  “You need to call the cops. The guy who called you is a nutcase. How did he find you? You go by a different name.”

  Raven bristled. “He isn’t crazy. He found me because he’s good at finding things. He wants to hear what we think. He’s offering us justice.”

  “Justice?” Cara laughed. “Some lunatic approaches you and says he has our stepfather, and you want advice about what he should do to him? I can’t believe you haven’t called the cops already.”

  “We weren’t the only children he hurt.” Raven leaned toward the camera. “But we’re the oldest. The investigator wants to give us closure.”

  Cara tossed her lipstick into her purse and moved out of range of the camera.

  “There’s no we, Raven. There’s just you. You want some stranger to do God knows what to David. Why? Because you had an accident and fell down the stairs?”

  “I didn’t fall down the stairs. He pushed me!”

  “Yeah, keep telling yourself that.”

  Pain shot through Raven’s middle at her sister’s words. “I don’t care about me.” She clutched her laptop screen with both hands. “Are you listening? It was never about me. It was about you.”

  “It wasn’t necessary.”

  “Someone had to protect you.”

  “Protect me from what?”

  “From what he did to you!” Raven shouted.

  “He didn’t do anything!” Cara slapped her hands on the desk. “How many times do I have to tell you? Nothing happened! He never touched me. Do you hear? He never touched me!”

  “Cara,” Raven managed. Cara turned her face away and began to cry. Raven reached for the screen. “I’m sorry.”

  “What the hell is going on?” Dan, Cara’s boyfriend, came into view of the camera. He tried to put his arms around her but she pushed him away.

  “Fuck you, Raven!” She turned toward the camera, her face filling the screen. “Fuck you.”

  “Cara, I’m sorry. If you could just—” Raven’s plea was cut off by Cara’s disappearance and the sound of a door slamming.

  “What just happened?” Dan crouched so he could see Raven’s face on the computer.

  “I didn’t mean to upset her. We were talking about our former stepfather. I just found out he was part of a pedophile ring in California.”

  Dan cursed. “Why did you tell her that?”

  “I wanted to know how she felt about it. I wanted to know what would give her closure.”

  He stood, facing the door. The sounds of Cara’s sobs could still be heard in the background. He moved toward the computer once again. “You upset her.”

  “I was trying to help her.”

  “I don’t want you bringing up that shit again.”

  “She’s my sister.” Raven felt a tear slide down her cheek.

  “She doesn’t need your help. Nothing happened to Cara and I want you to stop trying to convince her that it did.”

  “Dan, I—”

  “Stay out of our lives. That’s it, Raven. I mean it.”

  Before Raven could protest, Dan ended the chat.

  For a long time she sat, staring at the computer. Then she walked to her bed and crawled under the covers, pulling them over her head.

  Gregor moved away from Raven’s bedroom window and climbed to the roof. He leapt from building to building with the intention of informing the Prince about what had just happened to his pet.

  In truth, he was confused. He didn’t understand the subject of the argument or its context. However, it was clear the pet was distressed, which meant he needed to report that fact with haste.

  As he dropped to street level and approached one of the secret entrances to the underworld, he quickened his pace, hoping the pet would not harm herself before he could deliver his report.

  He wanted to keep his head.

  Chapter Eleven

  “This is disturbing.” The Prince folded the handwritten report and placed it carefully on his desk.

  He was seated in one of his personal rooms near the council chamber that lay at the heart of the underworld. A set of flickering candles sat to one side, the only illumination in the dark space.

  “Yes, my lord. That’s why I thought you should see it immediately.” Niccolò stood in front of the desk. His face wore a look of intense concentration as he watched his ruler’s reaction.

  “What news from Rome?” The Prince placed his hand on top of the report, as if by pressing down he could lessen its threat.

  “None. As usual, the Roman seems to operate without the Curia’s interference. If you recall, Lorenzo was told personally by the Roman’s lieutenant that Rome’s support ends when the Curia’s involvement begins.”

  “I am aware of that.” The Prince’s hand folded into a fist. “I am also aware of the fact that Rome is Florence’s ally.”

  A look of surprise flitted across Niccolò’s features.

  “Nevertheless,” the Prince continued, “we don’t want the Curia here.”

  “No, my lord. If I may?”

  The Prince waved his hand in his security adviser’s direction.

  “Thank you. The war with the Venetians was kept quiet. The Curia heard of it but did not interfere, probably because they were delighted two principalities were at war.”

  “Obviously,” the Prince commented dryly.

  “But the murder of the Interpol agent by a feral drew international attention. Then there were the bodies found downstream. And more recently, the incidents with the hunters.”

  “I am well aware of our most recent history, Sir Machiavelli. Have you anything new to contribute?”

  Niccolò schooled his features, hiding his irritation. “Forgive me, my lord. Now that it’s clear the eyes of the Curia are on Florence, it may be the time to enact stricter laws on feeding and killing.”

  “Our laws are already some of the strictest. That is how we’ve avoided their attention.”

  “True, but a gesture of strictness may ameliorate the situation.”

  “Our citizens have always enjoyed their liberty,” the Prince mused.

  “There will be no liberty to enjoy if the Curia enters the city. Remember what they did to Prague.”

  The Prince was filled with revulsion. He remembered the reports of how the Curia had entered Prague and slaughtered most of its supernatural inhabitants as punishment for widespread, indiscriminate killing. It was a genocide.

  “My lord?” Niccolò’s voice broke into the Prince’s reflections.

  He straightened in his chair. “Outline your analysis and recommendations. I’ll review them and call for a Consilium meeting tomorrow.”

  “With respect, my lord, the proclamation should come from Florence’s Prince and not the Consilium.”

  “I don’t disagree. But the support of the Consilium is useful for my purposes.”

  Niccolò bowed. “Of course, my lord.”

  “You are dismissed.”

  The Prince stroked a hand across his chin as he watched his adviser’s departing form. He would do what was necessary to avoid confrontation with the Curia. Even as he made plans on how to do so, his thoughts strayed to a certain young woman, wondering how she would fare if their most dangerous enemy ever entered the city.

  He lifted a copy of one of Machiavelli’s works from the desk and opened it, noting with satisfaction that the missive he’d hidden inside was still there. He reshelved the volume in one of the bookcases, not because he thought he’d ever need to produce the secret message, but simply because it was precious to him. And he wanted it to remain hidden.

  Chapter Twelve

  As the first rays of morning sun illuminated the city, R
aven awoke to discover a naked vampyre in her bed.

  It was not an unwelcome discovery.

  The bed was narrow—too narrow for two persons. Somehow William had slipped between the sheets without disturbing her. His naked body was spooned behind her, his arms around her waist, his long legs entangled with hers.

  It was very comfortable, despite the coolness of his skin. She closed her eyes and settled into his embrace.

  “I wondered when you’d stir.” William chuckled in her ear.

  “You could have woken me.”

  “And miss the opportunity to do—whatever they call this?”

  “What?”

  He squeezed her waist. “I don’t know what it’s called, the way we are lying together.”

  “It’s called spooning.”

  William paused. “That is an extraordinarily silly description for something this sensual.”

  Raven laughed and snuggled closer. He pressed a smile against her hair. “I enjoy the sound of your laughter. I can’t remember the last time I heard it.”

  “I haven’t had much to laugh about recently.”

  He flexed his hand against her abdomen, pulling her back against the cradle of his hips.

  She sighed. “It’s fine.”

  “Do not do that.”

  “Do what?”

  “Lie.”

  “I’m not lying.” Raven fidgeted with the old T-shirt she was wearing.

  William’s hand slid to cover hers. “I can tell when you aren’t being truthful. I can hear it in your heartbeat. I can smell it through your skin.”

  “Which is extraordinarily creepy and annoying,” she mumbled.

  “Almost as annoying as humans who mumble.” William nipped at her ear playfully. “Tell me about your conversation with your sister.”

  She twisted in his arms, but he wouldn’t release her. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

  “And her decision regarding your stepfather?” William touched the edge of her jaw, a gentle touch, as if he were trying to coax her to look at him. “I am sorry your conversation with your sister was not what you hoped.”

  “That’s an understatement.”

  William was quiet for a moment. Raven could almost hear him thinking. “You—concern me.”

  She recognized his remark as akin to an admission of weakness.

  “Why?”

  “I can’t stop thinking about the other night. How upset you were.”

  Raven’s lips twisted. “I’m sorry.”

  “I don’t want an apology. You have nothing to apologize for.” William pushed his hair back from his forehead, his body noticeably tense. “What I want is to care for you.”

  “You care for me well enough.” Raven relaxed minutely, thinking back to their shower together the previous evening. She felt her skin grow warm.

  “I meant with respect to your heart and mind, not just your body.”

  “My heart and mind are part of my body,” she whispered.

  “Which is why I must care for them all.” Leisurely, he entwined their hands. He brought their connection to his mouth and began kissing the tips of her fingers. “I thought I was giving you a birthday gift, but I gave you a burden instead. I’d like to remove that burden. But I can wait.”

  Raven changed the subject. “What about you? You seemed distracted last night.”

  “We have some concerns about the principality.”

  “Are they serious?”

  “Yes, but they’re being addressed.”

  “What kind of concerns?”

  He began kissing her fingertips once again, drawing them into his mouth and laving them with his tongue. “I don’t want you to take on the worries of the city. You have enough trouble.”

  “I care about you, William. If you’re worried, so am I.”

  He kissed the back of her hand. “You honor me with your concern.”

  “Then honor me by telling me what you’re worried about.”

  “Only if you agree to tell me about your conversation with your sister.”

  Raven swore, her body tense. “All right.” She relented after a pregnant pause. “You go first.”

  William’s body shifted next to her. He looked surprised. Clearly, he hadn’t expected her to agree.

  “Vampyres are prey to two groups. You met the weaker one, the hunters. Our spies informed us the stronger group, the Curia, has turned its eyes to Florence. We do not want their scrutiny.”

  Raven placed a hand on his arm. “When you say Curia, are you referring to the Vatican?”

  “Not precisely,” he hedged.

  “Then who are they?”

  “Our sworn enemies. A powerful group of human beings with—shall we say—supernatural abilities.” William watched her reaction, cocking his chin in the direction of her chest. “This is what I was worried about. I’ve made your heart race.”

  “You can’t keep secrets from me just because I’ll get upset. I’m not made of glass. I’m not going to break.”

  His expression tightened. “Human beings are easily broken.”

  “I’m not.”

  He stroked a single finger over the scar she wore on her forehead. “Unfortunately, my sweetheart, you are only too breakable. A break of any part of you is not something I can sustain.”

  Raven lowered her eyes, a hesitant smile creeping across her face.

  William’s finger traced the curve of her lips. “It isn’t something to smile about.”

  “You called me sweetheart.”

  “And?”

  “No one has called me that before.”

  “It suits you. You’re all sweetness and heart. And all mine.” He kissed her firmly. “You have the sweetest heart I’ve ever had the pleasure of listening to.”

  Her smile deepened. “Tell me your troubles and we’ll move on to sweeter things.”

  William pulled back, his expression shifting. “Florence has avoided the attention of the Curia since I became prince, primarily because I enacted two laws—one that prohibited feeding on children and one that prohibited indiscriminate killing.”

  “What’s ‘indiscriminate killing’?”

  “Killing a human every time we feed. Long ago, I persuaded my brethren that food would be more plentiful if we fed without killing. Further, our citizens are not permitted to kill for sport, as a disproportional murder rate attracts unwanted attention. Those who cannot abide by our laws are invited to leave. Forcefully.”

  “If the laws have been in place all this time, why is the Curia coming after you now?”

  “They heard about the corpses found by the river and about the feral who killed the Interpol agent. They know we wiped out the last incursion of hunters. Since all these events happened in a very short period of time . . .” His voice trailed off.

  “What does that mean?”

  “It means if they don’t like what they see in future, they’ll intervene.” His face grew grim.

  Raven’s eyes fixed on his. “How?”

  “They’ll send an army and lay waste to us.”

  Raven sat up. “They’ll kill us?”

  William frowned. “Not you. The Curia is sworn to protect human life, which is why they’re eager to wipe us out.”

  “Can you fight them?”

  William rolled to his back and stared at the ceiling. “We can try. We may even succeed in killing some of them. But they have weapons from which we cannot defend ourselves.”

  “Don’t take this question the wrong way, but if they have powerful weapons and they mean to destroy you, why haven’t they?”

  William’s gray eyes grew glacial. “They know it is beyond them to eradicate evil.”

  “You aren’t evil.”

  He turned back to the ceiling.

  She touched his chest. “What about the other principalities, wouldn’t they help?”

  He grimaced. “The last time multiple principalities banded together to fight the Curia was in the Middle Ages. We outnumbered them, which is w
hy the war went on so long. But we could not defeat them.

  “The war caused widespread panic and death. Eventually a truce was negotiated, a truce that declared vampyres would live underground, in secret, and cede control of the human population to humans. If another principality were to come to our aid in a conflict with the Curia, it would break the truce and result in a world war. No one wants that.”

  “If the Curia were to attack Florence, your neighbors would let them?”

  “Not only would they let them, they may be tempted to assist them, if the Curia were to promise to leave them alone.”

  Raven’s eyes widened in horror.

  He lifted his hand to caress her cheek. “Before you panic, you should know that there’s no guarantee they will come. Conflicts with the Curia draw public attention. The Curia prefers to operate in secret.”

  “At the moment, they’re just watching?”

  “Yes. I must be especially attentive to the principality and I must take great care to protect it.”

  “I understand.” Raven felt cold all over. She reclined once again, burrowing under the covers.

  “I hope you don’t.” William pulled her until she was draped over him and they were face-to-face. “I hope you never understand. The farther away the Curia is from you, the better.”

  “You said they’re sworn to protect human life.”

  “Yes, but since you’ve become what they call a feeder, they’d take great pains to separate us. But enough of this. There’s no point in you worrying about things that may never come to pass.” He took her lips in a long, deep kiss.

  “I don’t want to lose you,” Raven whispered.

  He pushed her hair behind her shoulder, a smile playing about his lips. “It’s strange to see a human so concerned with the fate of a group of vampyres. Then again, I should have known your protective streak was extensive enough to apply to various creatures.”

  “I don’t believe in indiscriminate killing. And I don’t care who the Curia are or who they think they’re protecting. Vampyres are sentient beings and their lives should be respected.”

  “Spoken like a true protector,” he whispered.

  His hands firmly gripped her bottom as his tongue teased at the seam of her mouth. He took his time, gently tugging at her lower lip and nipping on it, only to cover her mouth with his own and stroke his tongue over hers.