by Rose, Imogen
“I’m at your service whenever you need me, Princess,” he smiled.
“Cut the Princess crap, but other than that, thanks. Hey, can I ask you for a favor?”
“Anything.”
“I’m going to need a consort to escort me to my coronation. Luke was probably going to do it, but obviously can’t now. Could you?”
“Take Luke’s place? No.”
“Oh. Okay,” I said, trying to hide my disappointment. I hadn’t for a moment imagined that he would reject me!
Ryker laughed.
“Glad you find it funny,” I said, and pushed him.
“Hold on! I didn’t say I wouldn’t take you.”
“Yeah, you did,” I said testily, walking out the elevator doors first, as soon as they opened. He took me by my elbow to slow me down as I marched down the hallway, and turned me around to face him.
“Faustine, I apologize. I was just a bit pissed that the only reason you asked me was to take Luke’s place. Were you really going to go with him over me?”
I shook my head. “I don’t know! I don’t know what I’m doing, what’s expected of me! Maybe I have to go with someone in particular; I just don’t know. I’m totally winging it here,” I said, my eyes welling up. Yes, demons get stressed out, too.
“Okay, calm down,” he said, pulling me to him. I cried on his chest for a while, ridding my body of my emotions and feeding off of Ryker’s strength.
“I’m all good. Let’s get Neave; we need to get to school.”
Robert, Neave’s new stepfather, answered the door when I knocked. He told us that she was having a sick day. She was still asleep.
“A sick day? Isn’t that a bit weird?” Ryker observed, as we were walking into school.
“Say what?” I had been totally engaged in an imaginary bloody battle with Katerina–my main concern being how on earth I was going to keep that gorgeous, silver coronation gown from being shred to pieces.
“Neave. Witch, right? Witches don’t get sick, not like humans, anyway. Why would Neave need a sick day?”
“Maybe she’s cutting for another reason, and that’s just an excuse. I was trying to convince Mom to let me cut school, too.”
“What reason? Why would she cut school and not even come to the door to explain?”
“Sleeping in?”
“Faustine, her mom’s missing! Would you sleep in if your mother was missing?”
“She probably stayed up all night worrying, and then fell asleep. I should have gone to see her once Katerina left, but I fell asleep....”
“Something doesn’t feel right, Faustine.”
I stopped. “Spit it out, Ryker. Do you think she’s in trouble?” He was creeping me out.
“Faustine, Ryker, get to your classes,” the hall monitor yelled, as he shut the door behind us.
“It’s just a feeling,” Ryker whispered. “Later, at lunch,” he said and took off toward his class.
Like Mom had suggested–possibly in jest–I spent the morning classes strategizing. I received a text message from Dorian during math. Urgent it said, so I called him back as soon as math class ended.
“Princess, we have a situation. I need you in London right away. Luke, as well. Leave for the airport right now; I have a private jet waiting.”
“I’m at school. It’s only lunchtime here. They won’t let me leave.”
Silence.
“Princess, I’m not understanding,” Dorian muttered confused.
“I’m at school, Dorian! I can’t just leave. There are rules and a protocol. Surely you understand that? Whatever it is, can’t you take care of it?”
“Faustine, are you telling me that school rules are keeping you from leaving a school? A human school?” he asked incredulously.
Yeah, I guess that sounded lame, but it was the truth. Our principal–human no doubt–was more terrifying than most demons.
“Faustine?” he repeated.
“Yeah, still here.”
“I wouldn’t be calling you if I didn’t absolutely have to. Get over here. Now.”
I used the restroom window again, landing headfirst in the bushes. I called Mom as I hailed a taxi and filled her in. I had fully expected her to yell and scream at me, but she didn’t. She just told me to be careful.
I was dropped off right by the jet and ushered onboard by the pilot, who was waiting for me.
“It’s an honor to have you fly with us, Princess,” he greeted me, as we hurried up the stairs. “Lady Annabel is already on board. Is Luke on his way?”
“Mom’s here?”
“Yes, we received a call from airport control that she was on her way. She was dropped off by helicopter about ten minutes ago.”
Wow. Trust Mom!
“Luke won’t be joining us; let’s go,” I said, and walked up to my beaming mother. “Mom!” I said, shaking my head at her.
“Don’t you shake your head at me, young lady. I still have the power to ground you.”
“Without Tessa?” I asked cheekily.
“Is that a challenge?” she asked, eyebrows raised.
I threw my hand up in the air. Sheesh, no! “Of course not, Mom. You may have been safer staying in New York, though. I have no idea what we are walking into. Dorian didn’t say.”
“You think I would be safer in New York, than with you? Not that that’s the issue here, but you are so wrong. Goodness knows what that sister of yours is planning!”
True. Mom was probably going to be safer with me. Probably.
Dorian was waiting for us at Heathrow airport in London, where he ushered us onto a helicopter and took us to a country manor in Surrey. It was impossible to talk to Dorian over the noise of the chopper, but he kept asking about Luke. I pretended not to be able to hear.
“Tell me now,” he said, once the helicopter had dropped us off on the landing deck on the beautifully manicured grounds of the mansion. “Lady Annabel, I’m delighted that you could join us. I wasn’t expecting you, but I am pleased that you came. Could you follow Finna into the house?” he asked, pointing to a girl in a maid’s outfit. “She’ll get you settled into a room where you can freshen up for dinner.”
Once Mom was gone, he turned back to me. “Where is Luke, Faustine?”
“Otherwise engaged,” I said lamely.
“Is that humor?” Dorian inquired dryly.
“No... he’s indisposed, and wasn’t able to travel with me.”
“Faustine,” Dorian muttered impatiently. “I have the most prominent members of the London faction in that house over there, waiting to talk to you. I don’t have time for games. Just tell me where my son is.”
“Katerina put a spell on him, and he’s confined in Pauline’s–Neave’s grandmother’s–house in the Poconos. He’s fine; he just can’t leave, that’s all.”
Dorian shook his head. “You have a lot of explaining to do. But first, we have to take this meeting. We have a rogue demon creating havoc, and the paranormal community is in uproar about it....”
Rogue demon? What was that? A demon who decided to join a monastery? I snorted.
“Princess?”
“So what’s this rogue demon been up to?” I asked, trying not to chuckle as visions of an angry, red demon running around in a monk’s garb flashed through my mind. “Explain, Dorian.”
“The demon in question has taken it upon him–or her–self to invade other paranormal beings; he seems to favor vampires.”
“And?”
“Well, that presents a problem. The city charter is founded on the basic principle that paranormal beings of different types leave each other alone. Of course, that doesn’t always happen, and the main reason for the existence of the ruling factions is to keep any such activity under control.”
“So, let me get this straight. Paranormals may not mess with other kinds of paranormals, but humans are fair game?”
“Yes, well, we have no human representative on the board, so it’s a moot point. Besides, most of us need them for
something or the other. Each of the groups controls that aspect as well. It would never do for the city vampires to randomly start snacking on the humans, so Alfred has strict rules about what can and cannot occur. The main aim is for all of us to be able to coexist without the humans discovering our presence. That would lead to all kinds of unnecessary issues, like taxation.”
“So, this rogue demon has been possessing vampires and…?”
“Having them perform indescribable acts of violence all over London. Surely the news has reached the U.S.?”
I shrugged. I’d been too busy to pay any attention to the news. Not that I did at the best of times....
“It’s all over the news, Faustine,” Dorian responded, sounding irritated. “The police are flummoxed. They thought it was some kind of wild animal at first, but they have been finding these bodies in homes, on the underground, with bite marks, all exsanguinated. Some have been found shredded to bits and others left whole, but sucked dry. The term vampire has been mentioned a number of times now. First only in jest by the media, but now, social networking groups are coming together and forming vigilante groups, questioning the possibility of paranormal activity, again, and discussing how to bring us down. We must stop this,” he concluded firmly.
“How do we know it’s a demon?”
“He or she sent a note. Here it is,” he said, holding it out for me: Eat That, Demon Princess.
Sheesh. What was Katerina up to now? “How do you know that this note refers to the killings?”
“He-she left the same message by each body.”
Ugh.
“Princess, we have to go inside. Your role is to placate, to reassure them that we will take care of this. They are not satisfied with my reassurances because the killings are escalating.”
Most of the faces in the library of the mansion were familiar. King Alfred sat at the head of the table as the president of the council. Cassandra, Spencer, Nora, Shaefer and Hickman were also present.
“Princess Faustine, it’s lovely to have you join us. I apologize for insisting on your presence, but the situation has become untenable,” Alfred said, standing up to greet me. The others followed his lead. “Faustine, this is Eva, Suman’s representative. We’ve been unable to reach her, so Eva will vote on her behalf, if necessary.”
“Nice to see you all again,” I said, nodding at each of them, and then plunking myself down next to Alfred. Dorian bowed and made as if to leave. “Where are you going?” I asked, surprised.
“This is a closed meeting for the sovereigns only; Dorian can’t stay,” Alfred said authoritatively, as Dorian quietly left.
Stupid protocol stuff. But, I nodded as regally as I could muster.
“Princess, did Dorian fill you in at all?”
“A bit. He mentioned a spate of very public murders by vampires,” I began, but stopped as Alfred hissed and flashed his fangs at me. Not an attractive look, but I was impressed with the fangs. His were particularly prominent and excellent for biting into steak, though he’d probably never tried that. I gathered, however, that this was his displeased look, so I hurriedly added, “Possessed by a demon.” That seemed to temper him, and he retracted his fangs.
His lips were in a semi-snarl when he addressed me. “Is that all he said?”
“Well. I just got here...” I explained. “Just a question... are you sure it was vampires possessed by demons? How can you tell for sure? Maybe it’s vampires gone berserk?”
His fangs extended again. Serious anger issues, he ought to get some help with that. He reached into a folder by his chair and slammed a piece of paper down in front of me. A photograph.
Blech. Not a pretty sight by a long shot. Vampires can be such messy eaters. The lady in the picture was, or had been, pretty, with long, red hair and green eyes. I could tell from her bone structure that she had been attractive. I could also tell that she had been a fashionable dresser. She was still wearing one of her black patent Louboutins. The red of the soles now matched the red-stained mess of the rest of her clothes, a charcoal pencil skirt and pink collared shirt. Really messy eating; get that vamp a bib! Stifling the urge to comment, I looked up at Alfred.
“She was left outside Paddington police station,” he sighed. “Clearly, so that she would be spotted.”
“How do you even know it’s a vampire killing? It’s much more messy than a vampire would normally leave it’s prey.”
He passed me two other pictures. The first one was of the victim’s thigh–clear fang marks. The second one was a shot of the back of her head. There was a piece of paper stuck on it: Eat That, Demon Princess. I could feel everyone in the room looking at me intently, waiting to see now I would react. I didn’t flinch–I had seen the note before–maybe I should have flinched, for effect?
“You don’t look surprised, Princess. Is the note similar to the one found at your brother’s murder?”
I nodded. “I didn’t actually see that message, but the wording is the same.”
“There have been seventeen of these murders here in London in the past week, since Sebastian disappeared.” Alfred brought out a set of photographs and lined them up in front of me. Seventeen killings–women, men, and even children. Each one was found with the same note and same bite marks. Each one had been left in a prominent spot, the most popular one being on the subway. I picked up a picture and gazed at it, trying to gather my thoughts. The boy in the picture couldn’t have been older than six.
“That boy was left sitting on top of one of the lions in Trafalgar Square,” sighed Alfred. “This is a nightmare. The media is buzzing with talk of aliens and paranormals. We must put an end to that before we are discovered. The Internet is on fire with conspiracy theories. I don’t know how long we can stay hidden at this rate.”
I nodded. “So, the note and the fact that you think you have enough control of the vampire population that they would not rebel against you, makes you thing this is a demon-possessed vampire?”
“I don’t think; I know that no vampire in London would have the audacity to disobey me.” His fangs and charming smile were on display again. “You, on the other hand, do not seem to have the demon population under control, like your father did. I am concerned that we’ll need to replace you if you don’t take control and maintain order,” he warned.
“Replace me? With whom?” I was curious. If there was a way off this gig, I was taking it.
“Your half sister, Katerina, has offered to assume control, if we wish her to.”
Ha!
“I was going to ask the council to vote on it. Would you like to address us before we take a vote?”
“Vote? To blackball me before I’ve even gotten started. Bit harsh, don’t you think? Besides you have no authority to do so. Be. Clear. About. That. I just learned about this issue, you know. Sheesh, give me a minute to absorb it.” I looked around at the others. They looked like they had made up their minds already. No one, apart from Spencer, would even look at me directly. “Spencer, are you in with this?”
He shrugged. “I’m uncomfortable with it. We know less about Katerina than we do you. I feel we need some time to investigate her before we entrust the job to her. She may have her own agenda. Better the demon we know....”
Nora nodded. “I agree. Besides, we don’t really have any authority to blackball the Princess, as such. All we can do is support Katerina’s attempts to take her down. Alfred, what do we know about Katerina’s lineage?”
“Her mother was a witch. That’s all I know, at present. My intelligence is gathering data as we speak.”
“I suggest that we give Faustine a chance to prove herself while you’re doing that, Alfred,” Cassandra said. “Half witch could present a problem for me,” she mused.
Strike when the iron is hot, so to speak. I stood up. “All in favor of me continuing, for now, raise their hands,” I said.
Cassandra, Spencer, Eva, and Nora raised their hands right away. Shaefer’s and Hickman’s hands went up after a short hesita
tion.
“You have your quorum, Princess. Let’s reconvene here once my intelligence gets back to me,” Alfred concluded.
“Princess, please be my guest during your stay here. Your father’s home is nearby should you decide to stay there, but I hope you will be my guest. I hear Lady Annabel is here, please join us for dinner and a small reception later,” Alfred invited.
I nodded and took my leave. I had serious demon business to attend to.
I had been allocated my own apartment in the mansion. It was substantial, with it’s own conference room and a study fully outfitted with a computer and printer. I sat down on the burgundy, leather swivel chair in front of the computer and stared at the blank screen.
