Artemis shook her head. “I turned Claudette too young, but I had no choice. She would not have survived otherwise. Still, her youth when she was turned is often her downfall.” She seemed to study Donna intensely then. “You are better suited for what lies ahead.”
“Thank you.” Donna wasn’t sure what that meant, but she was happy Artemis thought so well of her. And as much as she wanted to know the real reason for this visit, Donna was glad for the small talk. “Can I ask how old you were when you were turned?”
“Thirty-four. But I had five children by then, and in my time, thirty-four was, as they say now, the new fifty. Although in my day, fifty was the new ninety.”
Donna laughed. “I can already tell you have the kind of wisdom that comes from experience.”
“I do my best.”
“How many vampire children do you have?”
“Many. But it’s a number in flux.” The happiness left her face. “Between the fae, the hunters, stupid mistakes, and infighting, our numbers rise and fall. My hope in coming here was that I would find in you someone more levelheaded. I know you are new to this life, but I often find myself in need of someone I can count on. Claudette is…” Artemis frowned. “Not always so reliable.”
Donna had seen that firsthand. “What are you asking me to do? It sounds like you want me to take on some kind of responsibility. I’m not afraid of that, but I don’t think I’m ready for it either. I know so little about being a vampire. I don’t even know if I should keep using moisturizer or not!”
“I am not asking you to assume any role yet, just looking forward to the future. I am definitely thinking about how you might serve. If things go as I imagine they will.”
Whatever that meant. “What is your position, exactly? If that’s okay for me to ask.”
“I am the Queen of North America.” Artemis waved her hand. “But I am getting ahead of myself. Nothing will happen until this incident has been dealt with.”
“Incident?” Donna played dumb while she took the bag out of the hot water and poured it into one of the big red wine goblets always on hand.
“Claudette told me you severed your tether by killing the first human you drank from. Is this true?”
So there it was. The real reason Artemis was here. Donna delivered the glass. “Yes. It’s no excuse, I suppose, but I didn’t know that my actions would erase the tether. I didn’t know a lot of things. Like the importance of my first feeding. Or how out of control my hunger would be. Or the extent of my new power and strength. You know, there should be a handbook for new vampires. Especially when their sires don’t pony up the kind of important info they need. Yes, I went too far, but it was unintentional. I don’t think I should be punished for that. Plus, the guy I accidentally killed was a criminal. He would have done me serious harm if he’d lived. Maybe even killed me.”
Artemis took a long drink before answering. “Can this be proven?”
“Yes. He was a known Russian gangster, and he claimed my husband owed his boss money. I have no doubt he would have hurt me if he thought that would help him find the money.”
“Is there anyone who might testify to this on your behalf?”
“Sure, I think. The man who helped me with the body. He’s a werewolf. And an FBI agent.”
Artemis nodded and drank some more.
Then Donna realized what she’d asked. “Testify? You mean like in court?”
“Yes. There is going to be a trial.”
Suddenly weak-kneed, Donna put her hand out, found the island countertop, and leaned against it hard. “Is this before the Immortus Concilio?”
“Yes.”
Donna couldn’t believe this was happening. “What happens if I’m not cleared of wrongdoing?”
“You will be put down.”
Ice filled Donna’s body. “Put down? You mean killed.”
“Yes. But I will do it so quickly you will not suffer.”
“That’s really why you’re here, then. To bring me to trial?”
“More or less. You are ultimately my responsibility. But you do not seem like the kind of woman who would run.”
“I’d like to think I’m not. I’ve never been on trial for my life before.” She took a few deep, shuddering breaths. “I guess Claudette was too chicken to face me over this, hmm?”
Artemis smirked. “She does seem a bit scared of you, which is also interesting to me, but this wasn’t something she could have handled. She’s already had one child go rogue on her. To have a second do that in such a short period, well, the council does not look upon that favorably. She had no choice but to turn this over to me.”
“You’re who she called. From my guest room.” Donna shook her head, feeling betrayed that she’d offered Claudette hospitality only to now realize the woman had stayed over probably just to keep an eye on her. “That little—what happens to her if, I mean, when I’m exonerated, and they realize what a crap job she did as my sire?”
“She will be punished. Her title stripped. She may be banished for a set period. Or another decision will be made. You will be promoted to her position. It is all according to the council’s rules.”
“What do you mean another decision—wait a minute. I’d be governor?” That was insane. Was that how vampires ran things? That seemed ludicrous. “I have no experience.”
“Being the governor of the state isn’t like being a human governor. Not exactly. It’s more about keeping things peaceful. If a vampire goes rogue, you may have to send hunters after them. If there is a dispute that cannot be settled, it will come to you for a decision. If there is something you cannot handle, you turn it over to me.”
“That still seems like a lot of power for a woman who hasn’t even been a vampire for a week. Speaking of, when will this trial take place?”
“Three nights from now.”
“That’s kind of soon, isn’t it?” Like really soon.
“Vampire justice moves swiftly. Will you not be ready by then?”
“I guess I have no choice.” A sudden idea came to her. “Am I allowed to have an attorney?”
Artemis hesitated. “There is no rule against it.”
“Then I’m bringing one. Where will this trial take place?”
“Right here, in your home. It will be done via videoconference.”
“Who knew vampires were so modern? Will you be staying here until then? To keep an eye on me?”
“Do I need to?” Artemis asked.
“No. I give you my word on that.”
“I believe you. So no, I will not be staying. But you must understand two things. If you do not appear for trial, it is an automatic admission of guilt on your behalf. Hunters will be sent after you. Also, if I return for the trial, and you are not here, I will make it my personal mission to find you, and then it would be best for you to pray the hunters get you first. Is that understood?”
Donna nodded, hoping she didn’t look as terrified as she felt. “Very much so. Three days from now. So Tuesday night. I will absolutely be here.”
Artemis smiled. “Very good. I will see you then.”
She got up and made her way to the front door. Donna followed, because it felt like the thing to do. One of Artemis’s assistants was there, waiting.
Artemis greeted him with a question. “Any sign of the fae?”
“Not yet, mistress.”
Donna called out to her as she left. “What if I need to reach you? What if I have a question before the trial?”
Artemis turned to look at Donna one last time. “Those are valid concerns.” She glanced at her assistant. “Florian.”
“Yes, mistress.” He dug into his suit pocket and pulled out a business card, then handed it to Donna.
The card was matte black with shiny black printing, and the only information on the card was Artemis’s name and a cell number. Donna had to tip the card toward the light to read it. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Three days.”
Donna nodded. “
Three days.”
Artemis walked to her car, where the second assistant opened the door. Artemis got in, then he got in after her. The first assistant got into the front passenger’s seat, making Donna realize there was also a driver.
As the car pulled away, Donna memorized the license plate, then she typed it into the Notes app on her phone.
She was going to be as prepared for this trial as possible. She’d only just decided to embrace this new way of life.
There was no way she was going down without a fight.
Chapter Thirty-one
As soon as Artemis left, Donna drank what was left of the blood in the goblet so that it didn’t go to waste, then went straight back to her bedroom and her wine.
She sat in bed, sipping wine and just thinking for a good ten minutes, forming her game plan.
She’d text Rico as soon as she woke up tomorrow. She didn’t want to do it now. She wanted to catch him actually on his phone. Except she wondered if what she had to talk to him about was really the kind of thing that should be recorded in texts. He had an FBI phone. Those texts undoubtedly would go into a database somewhere.
Better that she ask him to come over. Or she’d go see him. She sighed into her glass. Except she couldn’t, because she wasn’t supposed to be able to go out in the sun. Which was something else she had to figure out for sure.
So she’d text him, tell him she had an urgent matter to discuss with him, and ask him to come by. That was Rico sorted out.
Then there was Pierce. She was pretty confident he’d be willing to represent her at the trial, but then again, maybe that would be getting too involved in vampire life for him. She wasn’t sure. The thought of arguing before the Immortus Concilio was either going to thrill him or send him running.
Either way, she was going to make that request in person, too, so it would have to wait until dinner. For which she was going to look as irresistible as possible.
When her glass was empty, she set it aside. She ought to sleep, but sunrise was still hours away, and it felt like the afternoon to her. And with everything on her mind, sleep felt impossible. There was too much to think about, too many scenarios to run through, too many possibilities to explore.
The only one she wasn’t going to think about was being put down by Artemis if she wasn’t cleared at trial. Because that would not be an acceptable outcome.
So she did the only thing she could think of. She put on her running gear and went downstairs. She hadn’t turned the alarm on after Artemis had left, but she would when she got back.
She stood in the garage, doing a few stretches and getting her playlist right. With that done, she opened the door and headed out into the night. It was cold enough that she could see her breath. She blew out a plume of vapor as she left the shelter of the garage.
Something whizzed past her.
She ducked instinctively, turning toward the direction the thing had gone. It was too big to be a bat.
Her eyes found it, even in the darkness.
The creature was thin and angular, with cheekbones like razors and wings of iridescent membrane that gleamed in the ambient light. Its dusky skin was stretched drum-tight over its bones, making the being look gaunt. She knew without question this was the fae she’d been warned about.
Maybe a run wasn’t such a good idea. “What do you want?”
“The old one,” the fae answered.
“Long gone,” Donna said. “Now leave me be. I’ve done nothing to you or your kind. You have no cause to bother me.”
It hovered a couple feet off the ground, wings beating furiously. “Not yet, you haven’t.”
“What do you have against my kind?” That was another question she needed answered. Why did the fae hate vampires so much?
It smiled, revealing a mouthful of pointed teeth. The thing was a nightmare. She was adding more iron to the perimeter as soon as possible. And getting herself some iron jewelry. “You are young. And worthless.”
Then it was gone with the same kind of speed Claudette liked to show off.
Donna stood there for a moment, listening for it to come back. For the flutter of wings, any sign it might return. But all she heard were the sounds of the night.
She went back inside, set the alarm, then ran up to the exercise room and did five miles on the treadmill. She finished with a few therapeutic rounds with the heavy bag. She would have preferred the outside run, but the image of the fae lingered.
Her newfound courage didn’t extend to becoming the victim of a fae attack. Plus, getting to punch something had been a bonus.
When she was finally good and sweaty, she quit and went back to her bedroom. Lucky had never left the bed. Actually, she wasn’t sure if he’d even woken up.
She filled the tub with steaming hot water and tossed in a muscle soak bath bomb, then got another glass of wine before stripping down and climbing in.
She stayed in the tub until the water lost all useful warmth, then she got back in her pajamas and went to bed.
Her alarm woke her up at two. She texted Rico immediately. Can you come by today? Urgent news to discuss.
If that didn’t get her the desired response, she’d call.
Next, she got dressed and went downstairs to feed Lucky and make coffee. While that was brewing, she went to the sliding doors that opened onto the enormous back deck and took a hard look around.
She didn’t know the rules of the fae. Were they nighttime-only creatures, like vampires? Or could they handle sun? She needed to know that. She needed to know everything about them. It was the only way to defend herself.
Behind her, the Keurig sputtered out the last drops of dark roast. The smell was divine. But she had something else on her mind.
She turned off the house alarm and unlocked one of the sliders. She opened it just enough to slip through. The sun wasn’t high enough in the sky to reach over the house yet, so half of the deck was still in shade.
She inched forward, toward the line of sun. Her pulse picked up with each step. When she was a foot away, she stretched out her arm.
Her fingertips felt the warmth, and she jerked back. A second later, she realized all she’d felt was the sun’s rays, not her skin bursting into flame.
She repeated the action, this time leaving her fingers in the sun.
Nothing happened.
She went farther and farther out, testing her ability to withstand the UV rays, until at last she was fully bathed in sunshine.
How was this possible? She tipped her head up and let the warmth cover her. It felt glorious, especially since she’d assumed it was never going to happen again.
She returned to the shade, took off her crucifix, then inched toward the sun again, fingers out.
When the sun hit them, blisters formed almost immediately. With a yelp, she pulled her hand back, the pain making her eyes water.
That answered that. But would any crucifix do or just this one? That was a question for another day. She put the necklace back on, kissed the crucifix, then went inside for some burn salve and her coffee.
Rico had returned her text. Four okay?
Yes, she texted back. Perfect. Thank you.
With Rico squared away and nearly two hours before his arrival, she did what needed to be done. A run to the bank to retrieve more cash. With her crucifix firmly in place.
Twenty minutes later, she was home again, this time with two hundred thousand that she tucked away in the safe in the walk-in closet. She wasn’t sure what Pierce would charge her, but she figured that should more than cover his retainer.
If not, she’d get more. Now that she knew she could, it wasn’t such a big deal. She just hoped he didn’t care that it was Mafia money.
She had a second cup of coffee and called Cammie. The blisters were already gone. The call went to voicemail. “You’ve reached Sister Mary Lazarus Immaculata. Please leave a message at the beep and have a blessed day.”
“Cammie, it’s Donna. I’d love to see you soon and talk.
Let me know what your schedule is like, okay? Love you.” She wasn’t ready to have the vampire conversation with her kids yet, but soon. After the trial. After she’d survived and there was a reason to tell them.
Next, she reached out to Neo. She thought about using the group text, but considering there were two women on the group whom she’d never met, she wasn’t sure how smart that would be.
Neo picked up on the second ring, but there was sleep in her voice. “Yo, what’s up?”
“Neo, hi, it’s Donna. I’m sorry I woke you. I can call back later.”
“No, it’s cool, I’m up. What’s going on?”
“I screwed up, and I’m being put on trial before the Immortus Concilio. I just need someone to talk to.”
Neo let out a soft curse. “I’m awake now. What happened?”
Donna explained about Yuri and Claudette and then Artemis’s visit. Neo’s first response was a low whistle. “Girl, that is messed up. You were protecting yourself.”
“I think so too. I just hope the council sees it that way.”
“Hey, do you want me to be a character witness?”
“You would do that for me? You’ve only known me a couple days.”
“Yeah, but first impressions don’t lie. You’re no killer.” She laughed softly. “Plus, I have always wanted to see the council. Just tell me where and when.”
“Let me talk to my attorney about having character witnesses, and I’ll let you know. To be honest, it hadn’t occurred to me, but I think it’s a great idea. I just don’t know what he’ll think. But thank you so much. I’m honored that you’d do that for me even when you haven’t known me long.”
“That’s what friends do, right? And we’re friends.”
Donna swallowed down a little knot of emotion in her throat. How long had it been since she’d had a true friend? “That’s what friends do. I’ll talk to you soon.”
“Hey, you know Francine would do it, too, I’m sure. You want me to reach out to her?”
“I…okay, sure. Thanks again.”
“Hang in there, Donna.”
“I will.” She hung up and took a breath. She’d never expected Neo to make such an offer, and it touched her. It also got her thinking. Who else could she ask to speak for her? La? Dr. Goldberg had known her a long time, so that could be good. Donna had another idea, but it might cause more problems than it solved.
Sucks to Be Me Page 24
