A Cold Day in Hell (The Hellcat Series)

by Hannaford, Sharon

  "This is a,"

  "Momentous occasion." The lack of emotion in their voices belied their words entirely.

  Gabi risked a glance at Julius, unsure as to what was playing out in front of them. Julius's jaw was set, a muscle twitching; he knew these two, or at least knew of them. They had a strangely familiar feel to them when she allowed her Vamp sense to run over them. Not Vampire, but something dark and alarming, something that raised the tiny hairs on her neck and sent her internal warning bell clanging.

  A second later an unpleasant memory surfaced, and she knew why they felt familiar. She might not know who they were, but she knew what they were. Dark Magi. The same as Mariska, only older and much more powerful. Magus twins? Holy shit, these were the twins Vincent had spoken of, the ones no one wanted in the City. They were still studying her, as though expecting her to do something interesting. She met their gazes, one at a time, steadily, but with trepidation zinging through her.

  "We are here tonight to discuss allegations against Master Julius and his…consort," Eliasz announced to the twins. "We were about to proceed."

  "We will observe,"

  "For now," Gemini replied.

  "Master Julius." A beautiful Indian woman addressed him from next to Santiago. She was dressed in an intricately beaded traditional Indian sari in rich reds and golds, her slick, black hair neatly parted and tied behind her head.

  Gabi rifled through her mind, trying to remember her name. An 'A', Gabi knew it began with an 'A'.

  "We must remind you that if you were to use your power in any way to try to change the outcome of these proceedings, you will automatically be assumed guilty of all charges."

  Akshita was the woman's name; that was it, Gabi finally recalled, and she had a way with lightning and electricity. She was going to need some kind of a cheat sheet to keep all these Princeps straight.

  "I understand," Julius answered, calm, emotionless.

  "In accordance with any allegations lodged against a Master Vampire, you and your retinue will be granted incolumitas until such time as these proceedings come to an end," said the only female Vampire Gabi hadn't yet identified. Her lilting Irish accent immediately branded her as Fianna, the female warrior who had never lost a fight. Some attributed this fact to her immense skill with a multitude of weapons, while others, like Julius, thought it was a natural gift which had become a Vampire power when she was Turned.

  "Thank you," Julius said simply.

  "Let it be noted that Master Julius, his consort and his retinue, Clan or not, are now protected by incolumitas. Any attempt to harm them is considered treason and punishable by death," Oleksandra intoned, and Cassandra began to write on pages of thick paper on the table in front of her.

  Huh, Gabi thought, even amongst the Princep society the youngest gets lumped with the nasty jobs.

  Eliasz had taken his seat but spoke up again. "Under normal circumstances, those making the allegations would be present now to have their say," he said. "But in this case we found the denouncer to be somewhat mentally unstable and possibly a threat to us and herself. She has been contained in a safe room while we conduct our investigations."

  "Mariska is here?" Julius ground out.

  "She gave us her name as Marisol, but we do believe she normally goes by that name. She is nearby," Eliasz confirmed, "but she is quite powerful. We were forced to call in Gemini to help calm and restrain her."

  "That is good to know." Julius sounded darkly pleased. "Once these proceedings have been finalised, she and I have some unfinished business to discuss." There was no doubt in his voice that there would be no discussion involved.

  "That would be between you and her, unless we find reason to deal with her ourselves." Helene spoke up for the first time, her accent clearly uppercrust British, rather than Julius's toned-down version or Alexander's lower-caste drawl. "Now let's proceed. Cassandra, will you read out the list of charges?"

  CHAPTER 12

  Gabi was pacing the large living room of the apartment in front of the roaring fire, unable to shake the nervous tension inside her or the feeling of threat hanging over them. Fergus and Caspian had arrived back shortly after they did. Both parties had news.

  “There are two main charges against us," Julius was explaining. "First is that we killed Dantè unlawfully. Mariska says his attack on the City was simply a challenge for control of the City, a rightful challenge under Vampire Master rules. She alleges that Gabrielle, Kyle and myself conspired together to kill him. A fair challenge is a one-on-one contest; no one else may step in."

  "But you—" Kyle began, but Julius halted him with a hand.

  "Yes, I know," he said. "We all know what happened, but the onus is on us to prove it, as Mariska has made the allegation against us." He folded his arms across his chest. "This charge isn't too difficult to get out of. It isn't a serious charge, even though Mariska seems to think it is. Her allegations are tenuous at best. The second charge is the more serious one. My Clan and I stand accused of harbouring someone or something that would pose a serious risk to all of Vampire-kind.”

  "A Dhampir is seen as a threat to Vampires?" Kyle asked.

  "With Vampires split into Clans, and Masters awarded cities to rule and generate an income to support their Clans, Vampire ways have changed over the last few centuries. A law was specifically written to stop any one Vampire or Clan from creating or encouraging something that could give them an unnatural edge over others, possibly sparking war between Clans. This is the law I plan to use to justify Dantè's death. He was bringing Demons into a challenge against another Vampire. It doesn't matter how many of us conspired to kill him; his death will be seen as justified once they know about the Demons. In the case of Dhampirs, the secret had always been closely guarded because if the practice became common, then Vampires could start creating armies of Dhampirs who could fight wars for them. This is even truer now that distinct Clans have been formed and Masters are constantly vying for better cities and stronger Clans."

  "They're saying a Dhampir would be a direct threat to Vampire-kind, and therefore cannot be allowed to exist, or at least exist without being under Princep control," Caspian put in when Julius paused. "My contact overheard their discussion last night," he told them. "At the moment, if they find you guilty, their only punishment options are to kill her and all who know her secret, or to take her into the 'care of the court' and to use a mind-bender to wipe the knowledge of her creation from all others."

  "By 'care of the court', they mean keeping her imprisoned here?" Kyle asked. "Forever?"

  Julius and Caspian both nodded.

  "And if they find you not guilty of both allegations, they'll simply let us walk out of here?" Kyle sounded sceptical.

  "I think that some stipulations will be made with regards to the secret of Gabi's heritage. As we've already concluded ourselves, that knowledge is best kept out of the hands of certain Vampires," Julius said. "But to be found not guilty we have to prove either that she isn't a danger to Vampire-kind or that we didn't know she was a danger to Vampire-kind. I'm open to suggestions."

  Before anyone could offer up a suggestion, a faint creak of wood sounded just to one side of the fireplace, followed by a soft whoosh. Nex was in Gabi's hand, and the blade was at the throat of the man who had attempted to enter their suite through some kind of secret passageway.

  "Lea, it's all right," Julius said quickly. "He's with us."

  Athena had issued a little gasp and was round eyed; Caspian looked equally as surprised by Gabi's move; the rest had seen it all before. The man in her grasp swallowed convulsively.

  "Uh, hello," he said sheepishly.

  Gabi spared a quick look in Julius's direction, to confirm that he did indeed know the culprit, before removing Nex from her precarious position at his jugular and backing away slightly. The man put a hand up to rub the spot on his neck where the blade had caught him.

  "It's only a tiny cut," Gabi grumbled defensively.

  He was average height
, average weight and build, with dark curly hair and nice features. Nice, that was a good word to sum the man up.

  "My friend, you may need to be a little more careful about startling my Lea at the moment," Julius said, with amusement-laced apology. "I'm sure you understand we're all a little tense."

  "My bad," the man put his hands up. "I should know better than to startle Vampires and other supernaturals. My apologies, my lady." He nodded politely at her as she frowned at him. His English was good, but it obviously wasn't his first language.

  "Athena," Julius addressed the Magus, "would you be so kind as to seal the room from prying ears and minds?"

  She stood, giving him a grim nod, then she closed her eyes, and Gabi could feel a bubble of pressure forming in front of them. The bubble grew and expanded until it encompassed them all and brushed the edges of the room in all directions. Athena drew in a sudden breath, like a swimmer coming up for air, and opened her eyes.

  "It's done, as long as we all stay in this room," she declared.

  Alexander moved up beside her and pressed a glass of water into her hand.

  "Gabrielle, this is Xavier," said Julius, stepping forward to make the formal introduction. "Xavier is my informant here at court."

  Gabi frowned, confused. "But, he's…human," she stated, appalled for no reason she could put her finger on.

  Julius smiled and drew Xavier further into the room. "Xavier has been keeping me informed on goings-on at the court for over ten years now," he told the group before introducing the others to Xavier. Kyle moved to shake the man's hand, and Nathan and Quentin gave casual salutes as they were introduced. Alexander and Fergus just nodded a greeting; they'd obviously met before. "And yes, my Lea, he is human."

  Caspian shook his head in reluctant admiration. "Brilliantly played, Sire," he conceded. "No one will ever think you would stoop to this level to obtain information." A sharp glance from Julius had Caspian backtracking. "No offense Jul—Sire—to you or the human, but what Princep or court hanger-on ever pays attention to the humans who work here. They don't even speak to them unless it’s absolutely necessary. And you…" He looked searchingly at Xavier. "You’re familiar. I've seen you around."

  "Xavier is second assistant to the court steward," Julius answered the unasked question. "He's in charge of dealing with all daytime operations. He’s a trusted member of staff here."

  Gabi knew the surprise stamped on her face mirrored Kyle's and Athena's.

  "Come, sit," Julius told him, indicating one of the chairs. "I think we'll need to fill the others in before you tell me your news."

  Xavier took a seat, as did everyone else bar Julius and Fergus.

  Julius continued, "I've known Xavier for nearly twenty-five years."

  "Julius saved me and my mother after a rogue Vampire attacked my family when I was five," Xavier filled in. "My father was killed outright." A resigned sadness clouded his eyes at the memory, but he didn't pause in his recount. "The Vampire saw fit to Turn my mother, but left before her Turning was complete. When she awoke as a Vampire, I was the closest living thing to her. She tried so hard to resist the bloodlust, but it overpowered her." He did pause then to swallow, his eyes dropping as he steeled himself against the recalled terror.

  Gabi shuddered at the thought of a five-year-old faced with a rampaging new Vampire. A terrible sight without the added horror of that Vampire being your own mother.

  "Julius arrived just in time to save me." He looked up and smiled at Julius. "I thought he was a guardian angel. He helped my mother, buried my father, and took us both to the court, where he knew we'd be looked after and my mother would be taught what she needed to know."

  "It was before I was a Master," Julius explained. "I couldn't claim them as my own, and I wasn't settled enough to let them tag along with the rest of us. We've kept in touch ever since, though."

  "My mother was given work here at court. She cleaned rooms and helped with maintenance stuff. I was pretty much left to my own devices. As you can imagine, there aren't too many other children around here to play with."

  An uncomfortable tension suddenly rippled through the room, though Gabi couldn't pinpoint the origin or the cause. She filed a note in her head to ask Julius about it later as the human quickly continued.

  "I discovered hidden passageways and tunnels all over the castle," Xavier said, confirming Gabi's assumption about the building they were staying in. "I think there are very few others who know anything about them, but I know them very well. I can come and go without being seen, and the walls are so thick that I'm rarely heard. If any of the Vampires do hear me, they assume I'm a rat. There are listening holes drilled into the walls in most of the halls and suites of the castle. I get to hear all kinds of interesting things." He smiled.

  "I've tried for years to get Xavier to join me in the City," Julius said, "but he refuses."

  "I know I can be more useful here," he insisted, looking at Julius. It sounded like a long-standing argument. Xavier looked back to the rest. "As long as no one takes notice of me here, I feel like I can best repay Julius for his kindnesses by keeping him informed of the Princeps' business."

  Gabi's initial distrust of the man was fading fast; his loyalty towards Julius was patently clear.

  "It wasn't hard to get the steward to hire me to take care of daytime administration. I didn't have too much competition for the job."

  "And as a human," she said, "you can snoop around the place during the day without fear of being caught by any Vampires."

  He grinned conspiratorially. "I also get to take trips out of the castle to buy certain supplies that aren't delivered. I'm up to date with modern technology and like to hang out in coffee shops that conveniently have Internet connections available."

  "You crafty bastard," Kyle suddenly huffed, but in admiration, not annoyance. "They'll never track the leak from the Princeps' Court because it doesn't come from the Princeps' Court."

  Julius's sage smile was accented by smugness.

  "None of this will matter if we can't get the court to leave us and Hellcat alone, though," Alexander reminded everyone of the real purpose of Xavier's visit.

  "Before we continue, I want to remind you that none of us officially know Xavier," Julius said with dire warning in his tone. The fire crackling in the hearth suddenly spat as though to reiterate his point. "Do not speak his name once Athena lifts the protective spell. We need to keep his presence under the radar as well as his affiliation to me." He looked meaningfully at Caspian as he spoke. "Only one Vampire knows I brought Xavier's mother to court, and I doubt even she thinks of the small boy who arrived with her. He is unnaturally good at keeping himself in the shadows."

  Xavier's news had elements of good and bad. He reiterated that Benedict, Cassandra and Oleksandra were fighting in their corner. All three saw no need to imprison or destroy Gabi. They were conspiring to come up with a third option to vote on in case of a guilty vote, but as a minority, it was proving difficult. He felt that Fianna could quite easily be swayed to their cause, as could Faruq, the Arabic man.

  Faruq’s gift was being able to tell when someone was lying, so if they were honest as far as was possible in the proceedings, he would view them in a good light. He was already swaying against her destruction.

  Their biggest advantage was the split between those who wanted her dead and those who wanted her under their control. The fact that she was now Julius's consort had changed the game enormously. They'd known it may create tension with Julius if they tried to do anything to her before, but now he had legal rights where she was concerned, and it was clear he had feelings for her beyond her being a Dhampir.

  A few of them were truly concerned about his level of power already, and were even more worried that Gabi was enhancing his abilities. Some were concerned with keeping him alive, as they realised his potential as an ally, while others simply wanted him destroyed before he challenged them for their seat on the Princep council. This revelation sparked Gabi's curiosity.
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  "What do you mean he could challenge them?" she asked. "I thought the precious Princeps were sacrosanct, nobody would dare to act against them.”

  "It's much more complicated than that," Caspian said. His knowledge of the Princeps and their laws had already proved invaluable tonight. "The Princeps may be protected by their Clans and their bodyguards, but they are not protected by law. It is no more illegal to kill a Princep than it is to kill any other Vampire or member of the court."

  "Really?" Gabi was shocked. How could they not try to protect their 'royalty'?

  "Survival of the fittest," Julius declared simply.

  "The core attributes of a Princep are strength and power," Caspian put in. "If they cannot protect themselves from others, they are not strong enough to keep their seat as a Princep. If they’re killed, they’re deemed unworthy to have held the position. As long as it was a fair challenge and fair fight, the assassin isn't even punished."

  "But surely that would breed a culture of plotting and assassination attempts?" Gabi was confused.

  "Of course," Caspian agreed. "That's what the Princeps' Court revolves around." He whirled his hands in the air. "The challenged Princep may use any and all powers they possess to defend themselves."

  "So that's why there is only one Princep Prime left?" Kyle asked, now also intrigued.

  "Yes," Caspian affirmed, "and Oleksandra is one wily old cat."

  "How is the next Princep chosen after one is killed?" Kyle asked.

  "If the previous Princep was killed by a Master, that Master is the forerunner for the position. Only a unanimous decision by the others can veto the appointment," Caspian explained.

  "And if the Princep is killed by someone other than a Master?" Gabi asked, drawn in by the intrigue as much as Kyle.

  "If the person who kills the Princep is acting on behalf of a Master, that Master may still put forward an 'application' to be considered for the role. However, in this case, that Master would need a majority 'yes vote' in order to win the Princep seat." Caspian was clearly enjoying the attention his knowledge brought. "If the Princep is killed by someone unconnected to a Master or dies in some other way, the Princeps themselves put forward their choice of candidate. A vote is taken on the twenty-eighth day after the death of the previous Princep, and the candidate with the most votes becomes the next Princep. For this exact reason most Masters try to stay on the right side of at least a few of the Princeps." He shot a sidelong look at Julius.