Ancients and Old Ones : Book 8 of the Heku Series

by T. M. Nielsen

“The Equites have an Encala that we want back,” he told her, and then looked up the Equites Council.

  “Do I know him?”

  “Doubt it,” William said. “He’s accused of spying on an Equites coven.”

  She sighed, “You heku and your spies. Can’t just leave each other alone, can you?”

  He grinned, “What fun would that be?”

  “Well do it anyway.”

  Andrew’s eyes narrowed, “How bad is it?”

  Emily glanced up at the Equites Council and then lowered her voice to Andrew, “I’m ok.”

  “We need a conference room for a moment,” Andrew said to Chevalier.

  He looked at Emily, and when she shrugged and then hesitantly nodded, he ordered Derrick to show them to a conference room.

  Quinn smiled and punched in a number on the speakerphone, and the conference room came onto audio.

  “Hey!” William hissed. “That’s a private conversation.”

  “Nothing’s private in my palace,” Zohn said, amused.

  “And it’s one-way, so no use trying to warn them,” Quinn said.

  The Council listened as Andrew and Emily sat down.

  “How bad is it?” Andrew asked her again.

  “I told you, I’m ok.”

  “Not what I asked.”

  “How do you even know?”

  “You have on long-sleeves and it’s 80 degrees outside.”

  Emily sighed and slipped the gloves off of her hand, “I’m handling it.”

  Andrew took her hand and flipped them over, and then pushed her long sleeves up to her elbows, exposing the soft side of her forearms. He studied her arms before speaking, “Marks are gone though.”

  She nodded, “Yes, it was months ago.”

  “But you still have pain?”

  “Some”

  “What are you taking for it?”

  “Depends on the day I…”

  He looked into her eyes, “What?”

  “Are you interrogating me?” she snapped, and then tried to pull her hands out of his, but he held tightly.

  “No, but I want to know what you’re taking for the pain.”

  “Why?”

  “I’m concerned. I can smell medication on your blood.”

  “Then plug your nose.”

  “Tell me, please.”

  She sighed, “This morning was bad, so it’s Vicodin.”

  “Did the Equites force you to take it?”

  “No, in fact, I don’t think they know I’m on it.”

  He nodded, “They know, it’s pretty strong.”

  She finally managed to pull her hands away from him and slipped her sleeves down, “It’s getting better.”

  “Did the Valle do it?” he asked, getting angry.

  “No, it was the other Council.”

  “They’re dead?”

  “That’s what I’m told,” she said, and then whispered. “You’re not using that in your interrogations are you?”

  “No, I swore I wouldn’t.”

  “I hate that you’re an Interrogator.”

  “Why? It’s fun.”

  She glared at him, “Torturing poor heku for no good reason isn’t fun!”

  “I didn’t say I tortured them for no good reason. You’re trying to make my job into something worse than it is. I get information, that’s it.”

  “It happened though.”

  “What did?”

  “You made the Council and then stopped coming around.”

  “You are the one that took off for 4 months. I don’t really want to come and visit the Equites Council socially.” It irritated her that he was finding this amusing.

  “Still… I hate the Councils.”

  “I know, but I’ll be around now that you’re back. I was hoping we could start our videoconferencing again.”

  She smiled, “You just want to check up on me.”

  He studied her for a moment before speaking, “You’re hiding something from me.”

  “I am not! Stop using your little Interrogator thing on me.”

  “I’m not using anything on you. It just seems to me like you’re not telling me something.”

  “Can’t you turn off that Interrogator crap around me? This is why Interrogators are my least favorite Council members,” she whispered harshly.

  He grinned, “You just lie too much and hate being caught.”

  Emily stood up, “We’re done here.”

  “No we’re not. What are you hiding from me?”

  “Nothing”

  “Is it something the Equites did?”

  She just watched him.

  “Valle then?”

  They had a small stand-off when no one spoke, and then Andrew smiled and stood up, “I guess we’re done here.”

  “I guess so,” Emily said, and then headed back to the council chambers. Before they arrived, Quinn turned off the speakerphone and the Council waited. They could tell by how Emily walked in that she was irritated, but Andrew seemed amused at the last conversation.

  “Everything ok?” Chevalier asked her.

  “Fine,” she said, and then sat down beside him. She watched as William said something quietly to Andrew, who then turned to glare at the Council.

  “I think we’re done here,” Zohn said. “We will put Jacobs on trial within the month and let you know its outcome.”

  “Call me tonight,” Andrew said to Emily before leaving with the other Encala.

  “Call me tonight,” Emily mimicked.

  Chevalier chuckled, “Problems?”

  “Yeah, he’s an Interrogator now… so he’s on my list.”

  “List?” Richard asked.

  She stood up and looked at him, “Yeah, you’re on it too.”

  He just smiled.

  “Em, you have a helicopter landing from Thukil?” Kyle asked.

  “Oh! I have sperm for them,” she said, and then ran out of the room.

  Zohn and Quinn looked over at Chevalier.

  “She’s working with Thukil to breed a faster horse.”

  “She does the strangest things,” Zohn said, laughing.

  “How do I get off this list?” Richard asked them.

  Chevalier shrugged, “Tomorrow the list will change.”

  ***

  Emily headed up the stairs after a long day with three of Thukil’s Generals. They wanted to see her racing stallion in action and then ended up doing patrols with the Council City Cavalry until late into night. Exhausted, she went into the room as her guards took up their post outside of the door.

  She immediately saw the manila envelope sitting on the table beside her dinner. The handwriting was familiar and her heart constricted in her chest when she realized that her stalker had again gotten into the bedroom.

  With shaky hands she opened the envelope and pulled out Quiesco’s collar along with a dozen photographs of Emily sleeping in the bed. She gasped. The stalker was now watching her sleep.

  Emily studied a photograph and then walked over to the bed, trying to determine if the room had a camera in it. From the distance and angle, she followed the point-of-view to a wall she had with a painting of each of the kids. She carefully removed each picture and looked along the frame and backing. It was on the back of Dain’s picture that she found the tiny camera.

  “Redecorating?” Chevalier asked from behind her.

  She showed him the camera, “I’m under surveillance.”

  He hissed and took the pictures off of the table.

  Emily looked over when the Chief Investigator came in and immediately began going through the pictures.

  “What did you find on her phone?” Chevalier asked him.

  The Investigator handed Emily her phone and then addressed his Elder, “The phone is one of those pay by the minute numbers. No way to trace it.”

  “Search this room. I want to know if there are more cameras.”

  “Yes, Elder,” he said, and Emily watched as a team of heku entered and began tearing the roo
m apart.

  “Let’s go to my office,” Chevalier said, taking Emily’s hand.

  She nodded and followed him down, then sat down in a chair across from his desk.

  He leaned against his desk in front of her, “Do you want to talk about Andrew?”

  “Not really.”

  “Did you call him?”

  “No, I got busy with Thukil.”

  He nodded and then grinned and pinned her to the wall. When his lips met hers the camera was forgotten.

  Chapter 27

  Emily smiled, “We’ll only be gone for a few hours.”

  Chevalier’s eyes narrowed as he looked over Emily and Alexis, “I don’t like it. If you’re so hell bent against guards, then I’ll go.”

  “We don’t want you to go either,” Alexis said, and then took a step back when he looked at her.

  Emily moved between them, “We’re just going to talk, nothing more, but we can’t do it with grumpy old men watching.”

  “Grumpy old men?”

  “That’d be you.”

  He smiled and shook his head, “I got that. Fine… but check in every hour or I’ll send the Cavalry out.”

  “How sad it is that that’s not just an expression,” Alexis said as she followed Emily out to the Rubicon.

  Once settled in, they set off for the city and Emily drove while Alexis watched out the window.

  “Oh, set the alarm on my phone for every hour,” Emily told her daughter. “We don’t need Mark showing up in the middle of this.”

  Alexis nodded and then began fiddling with Emily’s phone, “Just talk though, right?”

  “Yes, we need to know what’s involved.”

  “I can’t believe we’re doing this.”

  “There’s no commitment, just talk.”

  “I still can’t believe you told Dad. I figured you’d tell him we were shopping or something.”

  Emily couldn’t help but grin, “I’ve done that before, they’re on to it.”

  “Not with me! I obey the Council,” Alexis reminded her.

  “You didn’t used to.”

  “Well… no… but that got you shot, remember? Why exactly is Dad letting us do this when the Council said no to adoption?”

  “He said it won’t hurt just to go ask questions. Between you and I, I think he’s hoping they talk you out of it.”

  Alexis nodded and looked out the window.

  “Here we are,” Emily said. They both looked up at the sheer face of the twelve story business complex. After finding a parking spot, Emily and Alexis headed inside to the fourth floor, where a small office marked ‘Melissa Quick, Adoption Attorney’ was written on the door.

  Alexis took a deep breath and walked inside, followed by Emily.

  “Good morning. Can I help you?” a young woman asked from the reception desk.

  “Yes, I have an appointment. I’m Emily Winchester,” she said. The woman looked over Emily and Alexis and then smiled.

  “Have a seat. Ms. Quick will be right out.”

  Emily nodded and both of them sat down, obviously a bit nervous about the meeting. They were both starting to get irritated when 45 minutes later, a older woman came out of the office.

  “Emily?” she asked, putting her hand out.

  Emily shook her hand, “Yes.”

  “Come into my office.”

  Alexis swallowed hard and followed her Mom into the cluttered office of the adoption attorney.

  “Have a seat, please,” Melissa said, and then sat down behind a large oak desk.

  Emily sat down and took a deep breath, “We’re just here to see about adopting a baby.”

  Four hours later, Emily and Alexis crawled back into the Jeep, and Alexis frowned at a single white rose sitting on the dashboard, “Oh no! Dad came anyway.”

  Emily reached out and took the card, and put it into her purse, “No he didn’t. That’s not from your Dad.”

  “Who is it from?”

  “You can keep a secret?” Emily asked, looking over at her daughter.

  Alexis nodded, “Of course.”

  “It’s someone threatening me.”

  “Do what!?”

  Emily shrugged, “He leaves these envelopes and notes with flowers usually, and they contain threats.”

  “What kind of threats?”

  “Pretty harmless… except he took Quiesco.”

  “So that’s where the dog went. Let me guess though, you haven’t told Dad.”

  “He knows.”

  “You told him!?”

  “Yes”

  Alexis sat back and thought for a moment, “You’ve changed.”

  “How so?”

  “Six months ago you wouldn’t have told Dad and would have just handled it on your own.”

  “Maybe I’m tired of doing it all on my own. It doesn’t seem to be stopping and I’m tired.”

  “It’s good you told Dad.”

  “Well don’t tell Garrett, I don’t want anyone else to know.”

  “Why not?”

  “I just don’t. The Council is enough.”

  “But they followed us today. That’s scary.”

  “No, creepy maybe, but not scary. Just remember, keep that from Garrett.”

  Alexis began sifting through the mountain of paperwork the attorney had given them.

  “Can we get Chinese food?” Emily asked as she pulled out of the parking lot.

  “Sure, I’ll call Dad and let him know.”

  It was a few minutes later before Alexis was connected to Chevalier, “Dad, we’re going out for dinner and then we’ll be back.”

  “Where?” he asked, sounding short and a bit irritated.

  “I don’t know. What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing, just get be careful.”

  “Always,” she said, and then smiled and hung up. “Must have had a bad day.”

  “Why’s that?” Emily asked.

  “He’s grouchy.”

  “As opposed to…”

  “Ok, so he’s grouchier.”

  “I’ll talk to him when we get back,” Emily said. She pulled into the Chinese restaurant across from the heku’s donor bar and cut the engine.

  Alexis looked back at the bar, “Can’t we pick another Chinese place?”

  “This one has the best egg rolls though.”

  “I guess it’s ok.”

  Emily glanced at the bar after getting out of the Jeep, “I’m sure we’ll be ok.”

  “I know we will, I just hate that bar.”

  “Why?”

  “Garrett goes there sometimes.”

  Emily shrugged, “A heku’s got to eat.”

  “Well I don’t know why he won’t just feed off of me,” Alexis snapped, and then headed into the Chinese Restaurant.

  Emily was shocked, and finally followed her inside and sat down in the booth across from her, “Does Garrett feed from you?”

  “Sometimes,” Alexis said, as she thumbed through the menu.

  Emily’s eyes grew wide, “You let him?”

  “Of course, he wouldn’t do it if I said no.”

  “But…”

  Alexis put the menu down, “Mom, I don’t mind… in fact… I kind of think it’s a good way to relax after a stressful day. It’s kind of, well, erotic too.”

  Emily wrinkled her nose, “No it’s not.”

  “You should really give it a go when no one’s attacking you.”

  “No thanks,” Emily said, and then turned to the waitress. “Lemon Chicken please, with an extra egg roll.”

  The waitress turned to Alexis and she handed her the menus, “Same for me.”

  Once the waitress left, Emily leaned forward, “I can’t believe you let him do that.”

  Alexis shrugged, “Why not? It’s soothing.”

  “It’s disgusting!”

  “Not with someone you love.”

  “Still…”

  “It’s not disgusting.”

  Emily took Alexis’ hands and flipped them o
ver to examine the soft side of her wrists, “Does it hurt?”

  “No, and he doesn’t use my wrists.”

  She put her daughter’s hands down and shook her head, “I’m not sure I like that.”

  “Why not? It’s my choice. I love him, and I like it.”

  Emily frowned and took a drink of ice water as she thought about it.

  Alexis finally broke the silence, “What did you think about our meeting?”

  Emily looked up at her, “If it’s what you want, then I’ll do it.”

  “I don’t know though. It’s not the same as having one.”

  “Alex…”

  “You don’t have to tell me. I just don’t know if it’s worth it.”

  “That’ll be your call. You heard her, it’s not that easy to get a newborn.”

  “With the right money though, she said we can pre-arrange one.”

  “There’s that. I have enough money that you can go that route.”

  “I’d rather Garrett and I pay for it.”

  “Does he have that kind of money?” Emily asked, somewhat impressed.

  Alexis shook her head, “No. He’s not old enough to have that kind of stockpile.”

  “I thought he wasn’t going to go along with this anyway.”

  “True”

  They both watched the waitress deliver their food and Emily began to eat while Alexis just moved the food around on her plate.

  “You’re not going to eat?” Emily asked.

  “I will… I hate it though. If I didn’t get really tired after a few days of no mortal food, I wouldn’t do it.”

  “I know, but you do… so eat up.”

  Alexis took a tentative bite and then grimaced as the slippery food slid down her throat.

  Emily grinned and took another bite.

  After a few minutes, Alexis frowned, “So what’s the note say today?”

  “Oh, forgot about that,” Emily said as she dug in her purse. She pulled out the plain white envelope with her name on it and dug out the paper. “It says… Tired of the half-breeds and trying for a full mortal this time? Seems you’ve had enough brats, but who am I to judge?”

  Alexis’s frown deepened, “So this person knows where we went.”

  “They seem to know everything I do.”

  “Meaning?”

  “Meaning they watch me sleep, know when I’m working with the horses, or swimming…”

  “Mom, this is bad!”

  “Between your Dad and me, we’ll figure it out.”