She leaned forward, and her voice dropped. "It's rumored that Mikhail was blinded in the ensuing battle. Since they lost, Edward, Cass and Mikhail have been on the run for the past fifteen months. The majority of the preternatural world is looking for them but you're determined to find them first."
"For a spectator you seem to be remarkably well informed."
Sunni straightened and flashed him a bright smile. "What can I say?" She shrugged. "I'm observant and I pay attention."
"So it would seem. However, the one thing you forgot to mention is that Edward is dead, killed last fall."
Her expression turned thoughtful. "I hadn't heard. So now you're looking for the remaining two?"
Cass, Mikhail, Miles, the diary, and a few hundred of their supporters, but that was none of her business.
He nodded. "Something like that."
"I might be able to give you a hand with this."
"Indeed?" He swallowed a laugh, fighting to keep his tone level. He couldn't imagine any way she could be of help to him. "How is that?"
"Well, in case you haven't noticed, I am a woman." She leaned forward and he caught another whiff of her perfume. "I might be able to give you some valuable insight into what Cass will do and where she'll go next."
Alexandre couldn't contain his snort of laughter and he covered it with a cough as her eyes narrowed dangerously. He cleared his throat. "Thank you for the kind offer, Sunni. I'll certainly keep you in mind should something come up which would require your, er...particular talents."
A hurt look came into her eyes and she leaned back, dropping her gaze.
Damn, why do I feel as if I've just kicked a puppy?
"Sunni-"
"I saw him." She pointed to the top photograph in his lap.
He looked down and saw she was pointing at a clear photo of Miles. "Where did you see him?"
"Here in New Orleans."
He stifled the urge to groan. This was just great. She was so intent upon helping him that she was seeing things. There was no way Miles or Cass would enter his city. As prey, it was too dangerous for them. They knew he was on their trail.
He looked up. "Sunni-"
"It was a few days ago, I guess." She frowned. "I don't remember for sure. Maybe three days? I went out to pick up some henna and cloth and he was standing by the fountain in Jackson Square."
His looked at the picture once more. Could Sunni be right? Was Miles here in New Orleans? He picked it up and beneath it was a fuzzy photo of Cass and there, beside her in the shadows of the Palazzo Grassi, was the hulking figure of Miles. He flipped it over to look at the date. Nine days prior, they were together in Venice. He shuffled through the rest of the photos. None of the others showed them together, just that one. Were they still together?
He looked at Sunni and held up the clearest one of Miles. "Are you sure it was him?"
She nodded, her expression earnest. "Yes. I couldn't miss him to save my life-he's huge."
"Was anyone with him?"
"Not that I saw. It was late and not terribly crowded. He was standing by the fountain, looking around as if he were waiting for someone. I only noticed because he's a revenant." She grinned. "I'm getting better at picking them out."
Chances were, if Sunni was right and Miles was here, then Cass was with him. But why would they come to New Orleans? They both knew he and several other Elders lived in and around the city. They certainly knew they were being hunted. The Council had levied a death sentence on Cass for treason. For now, Miles had no charges against him, but his transgressions were mounting with each passing day. What could they hope to accomplish by entering his city?
"Who is he?" Sunni plucked the photo of Miles from his fingertips.
"An old acquaintance." He retrieved the picture before she could get a good look at it.
She snagged the next one, a close-up shot of Cass taken several days before the photo with Miles. "How old?"
Alexandre reclaimed the second photo and opened the center desk drawer. "Not too old." He scooped everything-all of the photos, the letter and the documentation he'd been reviewing before she arrived-into the drawer then closed it, safe from her inquisitive eyes.
"Was there anything else you needed?" He rose from the chair.
"Is he mixed up with Mikhail and Cass?"
She slipped off the desk, her skirt brushing his pant legs. Standing so close to him, he was once more assailed with the warmth of her skin and the scent of her delicate perfume.
He ground his teeth in frustration. She was maddening. There'd been many times he'd had to restrain himself from throttling her. He'd noticed her as a man would a beautiful woman on several occasions, then she would spoil the illusion by opening her mouth and irritating the hell out of him. The logical side of his brain knew Sunni could never keep him satisfied as a mate and a relationship with her would be a disaster for both of them.
His job as an Elder and the head of the Council was to look out for the health and welfare of all preternatural beings. Regardless of how he felt, he didn't want Sunni anywhere near him when the carnage began. He would do anything in his power to avoid the coming battle, but it was inevitable. Cass and her ilk would see to it.
He ruthlessly tamped down his wayward desires. His position required it.
"No, he is not mixed up with them." He moved around her.
"Then why is he in a picture with her?" She stepped in his way. Her gaze was direct as she placed her hands on his chest to prevent his escape. "You're lying to me."
He encircled her wrists with his hands. A shock radiated through his palms at the feel of her skin against his. "This may come as a surprise to you, Sunni, but it's none of your business." He gently removed her hands and pushed her back before releasing her to step away.
"It is my business if it concerns the Council." She moved to intercept him, crossing her arms over her chest. "I'm a vampire and the Council is supposed to represent all of the Shadow Dwellers. If this man is wanted by the Council then I, as a citizen, have a right to know."
He fought the urge to roll his eyes. She was, without a doubt, the most exasperating female he'd ever met. "First off, he isn't a wanted person and we have little interest in him, only Cass. Second, there isn't much of a Council in power at this point. Only Fayne and myself are left."
"It's said that Val will be stepping in for Cass and you've asked Quinn to assume the position vacated by Bliss' death."
Damn, whom is she talking to?
"That is a possibility, but as of yet, nothing has been decided."
"Alexandre-"
He held up his hand to stem the tide of words. His patience had reached the end and it was time to take off the kid gloves with the annoying little blonde. "Look, I appreciate your interest, but right now I have my hands full with this and other matters. Everything is under control and there's nothing to concern you."
"Nothing to concern my little head about you mean?" Her eyes narrowed as she placed her hands on her hips. "I just want to help, so why won't you let me? I might be able to find this man. Really, I'm very stealthy and..."
She moved backward and her foot caught in the hem of her skirt, causing her to stumble. Pinwheeling her arms, she gave a squawk and reached for the desk to stop her fall. Before he could give it a thought, Alexandre's hand shot out and he caught her arm, pulling her upright. The warmth of her skin singed his palm as a jolt of awareness shot up his arm. Stung, he released her and stepped back.
"So I see. Graceful, too." He winced inwardly at his sarcastic tone. What the devil was wrong with him? He never gave in to his emotions, especially where his constituents were concerned.
Her expression turned annoyed. "It was an accident and it could have happened to anyone."
"Anyone wearing a skirt that's too long, you mean?"
Damn, there I go again.
She put her small fists on her hips and cocked her head to one side. "Since when are you the fashion police? You probably own twenty suits, all in the sa
me color and style. Black." She snorted. "That's original."
He gave an exasperated sigh. "Look, I appreciate your bringing the envelope over." He ushered her toward the door, reluctant to touch her but desperate to get her away from him before he did something unforgivable-like kiss her. Or strangle her. Both were possible right now.
"I need to ask you to leave. I have many issues I need to attend to post haste and I really don't need any help at this time. If I do, I will certainly contact you."
She stepped to the side, her expression remote. The warmth and fire that had inhabited her eyes as she'd entered the room was now but a memory. Her gaze chilled his skin with its coolness. "Of course you will. As long as the task requires-how did you put it-my 'particular talents,' I believe?" She turned to exit the library. "Don't patronize me, Alexandre. I'm not a child and I'm fully capable of taking care of myself."
"Sunni-" He followed as she stalked into the hallway.
She ignored him. Throwing open the front door, she fled into the New Orleans night in a flurry of color and bells. The door slammed shut behind her.
He dropped his head, fixing his gaze on the tips of his polished shoes. Silence surrounded him, broken only by the ticking of the grandfather clock in the far corner of the hall.
Damn.
Chapter 2
"It isn't working." Sunni stuck her tongue out of the corner of her mouth as she completed a graceful sweep of the peacock's neck. The tube of henna moved along Maeve's skin in a slow, practiced arc, leaving the thick paste to mark a trail. The mehndi tattoo was taking shape; the peacock would be eye-catching when it was complete. Only the beak and a few tail feathers remained to be finished. She shifted her position and started outlining the beak. "What do you think I should do?"
"Seduce him."
Sunni's hand jerked. A sound of annoyance escaped her as the unexpected movement left a smear of henna in the wrong place. The beak now had a definite dip in the center. Great, a peacock with a cleft palate would adorn her friend's back. Setting the tube on a small table, she grabbed a cotton swab to dab at the bobbled beak before the henna could stain Maeve's skin.
"Alexandre doesn't strike me as a man who can be seduced." Her friend, Jennifer Beaumont, lay on her stomach on a padded massage table a few feet away. Henna marked her left shoulder in a pattern of the sun and moon.
"He's a man, isn't he?" Maeve asked. "If he has the necessary equipment and is of the proper sexual persuasion, he can be seduced."
"Oh, I'm sure he has the essential equipment. He's just very...formal. The perfect gentleman, you might say." Jennifer shook her head as she reached for her glass of wine. "I've known him for years and I've never seen him even look at a woman."
"Maybe he's gay," Maeve offered.
Sunni laughed. "He's not gay, just reserved." She leaned back to inspect her clean-up job. That looked much better, like a real beak.
"Very reserved," Jennifer agreed.
"He's gay." Maeve reached for her glass of wine.
"Quit moving." Sunni poked her in the shoulder with a finger. "He's not gay. Maybe he's shy?"
"Uh huh, that's probably it, he's shy." Jennifer nodded.
Maeve emitted a disbelieving snort.
Sunni dropped the cotton swab into a trashcan and leaned over her friend's back once more. Picking up the tube, she continued the finishing touches on the beak and neck.
"About thirty years ago there were rumors of him with a woman," Jennifer mused.
"Who was it?" asked Maeve.
"You won't believe this, but it was Cassiopeia."
Sunni stifled a groan as she bobbled the beak once more. Annoyance streaked through her. Next time, no talking while working.
"Really?" Maeve laughed. "I don't know Alexandre well at all, but that's an unlikely pairing, if you ask me."
"Me, too. Mac mentioned once that it was short-lived and ended amicably. It broke off when she ascended to the Council. Knowing Alexandre, he decided it wasn't proper to have a sexual relationship with a fellow council member."
Sunni gritted her teeth as jealousy burned under her skin. If Jennifer was correct and Alexandre had had an affair with the outlaw, this was yet another reason to hate the lovely Cass.
"I still think Sunni needs to try seducing him," Maeve offered.
"I've never actually tried to seduce a man."
"That's the problem. You need to learn how, my dear." Jennifer reached for the wine bottle.
"That's easier said than done." Sunni shrugged. "I've never been the seductress type."
Maeve shook her head. "You're a woman. You can learn."
"Well, I haven't managed it yet. I grew up in the early twentieth century. Women rarely voted, let alone seduced men."
"When did you become a vampire?" Jennifer refilled her glass, then Maeve's.
"Nineteen-thirty-eight, I was twenty-five."
Maeve snorted. "A twenty-five-year-old virgin?"
"Times were different then."
"No kidding." Maeve's tone was wry. "What happened in the sixties? Didn't you learn how to handle men in the age of free love?"
"Well, no. It was the age of free love but I wasn't very free with it." Sunni dropped the empty henna cone into the trash and reached for a fresh one. Clipping the tip with a small pair of scissors, she started detailing another feather. "It just never seemed...right, I guess. I wanted more than just emotionless couplings."
Maeve whipped her head around, her face registering disbelief. "Are you saying you've never had sex?"
"Damn it, Maeve." Sunni reached over and shoved her friend back into her previous position. "You keep moving around and your peacock will look like a molting chicken." She snatched another cotton swab to repair the damaged feather.
"Are you?" pressed Jennifer.
"I never said that." She dropped the swab in the trashcan and reached for another. "I'm not a virgin. How could I have stayed chaste for over sixty years?"
"Not very easily," Maeve drawled.
"Okay, Sun." Jennifer placed her glass on the table with the mehndi supplies. "What do you want to accomplish with this seduction?"
Uncomfortable, Sunni shrugged. She could barely remember a time when she hadn't been in love with Alexandre. Since the day they'd met in 1947 when he'd rescued her from a gruesome death by sunshine, she'd been head over heels in love with him.
She frowned. There was definitely something pathetic about being in love with the same man for so many years and never making a move. He barely knew she existed, and it was her own fault. She'd been too much of a coward to make a move. Until now.
She discarded the swab and straightened. The time had come for her to muster her flagging courage and deal with him once and for all.
She took a deep breath and spoke in a rush. "I either want a relationship with Alexandre or exorcise him from my life forever."
"A relationship?" Maeve asked. "You want a relationship?"
"What's wrong with that? You're in one now." Jennifer grinned. "Quinn has certainly tamed the angry woman that was once inside you, my dear."
Maeve sighed, her tone dreamy. "And then some."
"Back to Sunni's problem." Jennifer looked at her. "Knowing Alexandre, you'll need to be subtle."
"I still think he's gay," Maeve grumbled.
Jennifer ignored her. "You need to take him by storm. Seduce him, but make him think it's his idea. A subtle yet ruthless assault on his senses."
Sunni bit her lip as she contemplated the idea. Could she seduce Alexandre?
Not in a million years...
She shook her head. "It doesn't sound like something I can do."
"If you want something bad enough," Jennifer said, "then you'll do anything to get it."
"Try showing up naked. That seems to work for most men," Maeve said. "After that, getting him into bed will be the easy part."
"I don't know how," Sunni wailed, narrowly managing to not stomp her foot. "I just told you guys that my education was stunted in this are
na."
"That's an understatement if ever I've heard one," Maeve said.
"You're not helping," Jennifer ground out.
Maeve rolled her eyes.
"We need to come up with a plan." Jennifer's expression turned thoughtful. "Let's think about this. In a woman, what would appeal to a man like Alexandre? What would he value in a potential mate?"
"Well, if he had a relationship with Cass, let's take a look at her. Other than poor judgment and the penchant for treachery, what positive qualities does she possess?" Maeve said.
"She's beautiful." Sunni picked up the henna tube and reapplied herself to completing the peacock.
"Very. But so are you." Jennifer eyed Sunni's short blonde locks. "You're as light as she is dark."
"Cass is very beautiful. Polished." Maeve held out her hand and counted off as she spoke. "Intelligent."
"So is our Sunni. Even though she tries to hide those long-haired books she reads." Jennifer nodded toward the slim volume of Rimbaud half-hidden under a hastily tossed towel. "I cannot imagine why you'd do that."
Sunni ducked her head. As a child, her mother had pounded the idea into her head that men didn't like intelligent women. While she knew it wasn't true, such ingrained habits were hard to toss aside.
"He strikes me as someone who appreciates subtlety in a woman," Maeve offered.
Jennifer nodded in agreement.
"That's pretty much the last thing I am." Sunni sat back to admire her handiwork. One more feather and it would be done.
"We'll have to work on that," Jennifer said.
"No, we don't have to work on anything." She drew the spine of the feather in a graceful dip, following the gentle curve of Maeve's own spine.
Under normal circumstances she loved nothing more than to lose herself in a mehndi design. The traditional Indian patterns were her favorites, but she enjoyed the free hand designs her clients often requested. Unfortunately, with her two friends in the shop and the recent downward spiral of their conversation, there was no way she could lose herself to the creation of her design this time.
Wilder, J. C. - Shadow Dweller 6 Page 19
