by Lil Hamilton
“For you, Princess, I’ll even pretend that is funny.”
The two turned vampire bouncers approached us and I informed them of my pre-arranged meeting. I knew they were turned because the aura was still human, along with their bulky body structures and mundane eye color. When they got aged, like a fine wine I guess, it was harder to tell. The eyes got funkier and pretty spectacular and the skin tone evened out. Ability wise born vampires like Viv had the edge at birth and grew in strength as they aged, then as they linked up with each bond and turned beneath them they were far above a turned vampire in strength. Still a turned vampire that was chosen because he or she was a witch, faeling, demi or psychic had some serious skills that also grew with time. So as they got up there in age, well, I really just treated them as the same threat level.
Lan sat himself at the bar and ordered a beer, giving me a mock salute. I followed one bouncer through to one of the private back rooms. And found the back rooms were a polite euphemism for sex rooms, with biting. That raised the kink factor a bit, but what put it through the roof were some of the play toys that could be used. Some of them were just plain confusing. I was not sure I wanted to figure out how they were used. The décor more black, for mood I suppose, given their clientele believed vamps were from the stories and so sexual. I grimaced in distaste; it was like a bar with a bit of danger in the mix. They also believed they were the living dead, which was rather icky when I thought about it. Not that I did not get it. When women hit a certain sexual maturity, in any species, they were more demanding, more sensual and more explorative. A whole lot of more than an everyday man in an everyday relationship could quite live up to. If a man had any idea of how rich and detailed a woman’s sexual fantasy life could get they would be far too intimidated to even try. These establishments were only satisfying that need for something deeper, more primal and raw, than they were getting. I would say a great deal of the clientele didn’t want to have a relationship with one of the Other races, as that would be either too intense for them, or the exact opposite by bring it to the mundane level.
The room I entered had five vampires lounging with ease on couches. I wondered what Viv would say about that. Five to one seemed a tad unfair to me. Perhaps I had more of a rep with vamps than I had realized. That was always promising and rather good for my ego. I felt like I had been thrown into a cotton candy machine, the whirling power of their influences was mingling together, trying to pull my attention to each of them. Their auras were so damn sticky, it was impossible not to feel compelled to look at them. Vincent or Viv had more of a pull than the five true born before me. Still it was rude to have five people with only one me. However, they likely had no idea why I was meeting with them. Other than the Master’s mate or the turned fae he had created they were not exposed to the fae. That meant they didn’t know if I was here with hostile intent, fae relations or something else entirely. That and my demon blood didn’t make me any friends in the vampire community.
Thankfully none of the bunch, being as they were so low on the hierarchy and all, had any faeling blood in the mix. Vincent having secured himself a fae mate also earned himself the privilege to turn faelings without the severe retribution from the fae. While the Queen and the fae in general didn’t care for their mortal half-breeds in the least, they found it insulting for vampires to turn them, a dire and unforgivable insult that required the destruction of the fledgling vampire and the vampire that did the turning. The Queen, as a wedding gift, permitted Vincent to turn one faelings every decade. An unheard of contract. It made Vincent a Master to be reckoned with to be certain. Before that little bargain demi-demons were the ‘thing’ to be had for a new turn potential, but very rare, since demons rather protected their offspring. It was apparently difficult to turn a faeling, as in it failed fifty percent of the time. Fae blood could run strong enough to resist the demon blood inherent in vampire DNA with rather combustible consequences. I’d met one of the successes and he had reminded me of myself a great deal. Very… contrary in nature. Something about the mix didn’t sit right, but worked better than my bloodline being as the fae bloodline was weak and vampires were not the same as High Demons at all being as they were earth bound. Freaky as hell and powerful.
They all silently watched me, perhaps scenting my blood or some such thing. Their eyes were human enough to enable them to blend with their prey, just slightly more vibrant and glittering. The sort of a glitter you see in cat’s eyes, usually while the cat is considering pouncing. The vibrancy of the eyes was the one thing vamps had going with them, their eyes were eyes a couple shades too pale or too rich and always compelling. I had a weakness for pale eyes in a man; such eyes drew my attention as it was. So it was not surprising I focused on their eyes first, two with pale blue, one a shade of grey, the fourth with a deep shade between blue and green and last the man with pale green eyes. Pale green, like bleached aquamarine and oh so very stunning with his alabaster skin and black hair.
Mr. pale sexy eyes leaned on the desk and smiled at me, a slow smile, suggesting he knew I was compelled by him. I’m a woman; I’m so allowed to look at a gorgeous man openly and with appreciation. But when they looked at me all predatory and hungry, well that was a turn off. Look at me with desire, just raw desire, and it might spark me. Look at me like I am food? That is just degrading.
“Thank you for accepting my request to meet,” I said with a smirk.
“I would not deny a representative of the Accords,” he said, suggesting he thought I was here with an Accords violation, which of course I was not. If they broke the Accords, I left that to the one on the Council representing their race. Personally I think he was slacking on the job. Now, if I found out he held one of the fae that made it my problem.
“Matt, I presume.”
“I am,” he said with a nod.
“I’m not here on Accords business. I know this is a bite bar and that you have regular humans in your employ to help with the crowd. Would any of them be fae?” I asked, because of his Accords comment, I wanted to be sure.
“None of our volunteer donors are of that breed; it stirs the vampire blood too much. If it is not Accords business that only leaves your agency.”
That made me smile. Yep, I had a rep. Or he could Google. Either way.
“Yes. I asked for this meeting to help trace a stray.”
“Right to business then, love?” he asked teasing.
“I have heard of the entertainments you provide and they are not my thing. And if the refreshments are some sort of blood and juice cocktail, I think I‘ll pass.”
He moved so quickly he almost caught me off guard. Flaunting abilities to make himself more intimidating? Never a thing beneath a vampire. They were born of this realm and as such could move in it better, fit with the energy of it. He stood right in front of me, his sticky aura clinging to my shields, but not affecting my mind as it would transfix a mortal, or at least not as much. His hand lightly touched my shoulder and he smiled thoughtfully. “Such a woman should not be owned so, love,” he said, his voice soothing and husky. I felt deprived of his touch when he removed it. How could a human woman crave that? It felt so false. It felt like a thick fog brushing against me, leaving its mark, but utterly foreign. How could they not tell the response came from the outside and not their own internal inclination? “Such a link can be broken.”
“It can?” I breathed out, letting him believe I could not keep his influence separate from my will.
He brushed my hair aside, tilting my head as he leaned inward, kissing my neck slightly. “If you were Turned.”
I stepped back and laughed, although it came out as a breathy laugh rather than mocking. “You can’t Turn me, silly rabbit.”
He chuckled, and his voice was like liquid honey. “We could certainly try, darling.”
“And then what? Become part or your hierarchy? I think that bond is a little tighter and, since I’m already immortal, there are no perks.”
He sighed and stepped away. H
e looked disappointed and a bit confused. What did he expect? For a Seelie born to fall into his thrall? Just didn’t happen. Besides, while my blood was extra yummy to him, his venom was poison to me. “I believe I feel the anger of your demon lover from here, so we must stop teasing so, love. What is it you desire from me? I would be more than willing to fulfill any desire you might have.”
“I bet,” I said dryly.
I sat down and tried to ignore their aggressive aura energy, like an enticing fog. It was distracting. Hard to have a conversation with so many auras trying to pull me in different directions. Maybe I was getting how the fae I was watching could marry such a creature; his allure and stunning looks would melt me, if I chose to allow it. There was the appeal to have relations with a creature who I couldn’t easily influence and who couldn’t influence me. After all Liona had hooked up with Vincent, an aged born Master vampire. That man actually could influence me if I didn’t have my shields on lock down. Maybe my father would permit me hooking up with lesser demons.
“Let me be blunt,” I said.
“I do enjoy bluntness,” he replied. “So refreshing.”
I smiled slightly, he felt like he was just over century old, which was quite young to be bored with idle chit chat already. That was all part of the façade, the mystery to draw in a mortal woman. When in fact a young vampire living in the mortal realm behaved and felt much like a mortal did. It was the elders who began to become something separate from humanity, by living too long and seeing too much in a world that rapidly changed around them. At least the fae or demon born had consistency; as a long lived race our worlds ran at a different pace. These long lived surrounded by mortals had to have a depressing effect after a while.
I hated the way their aura crowded the room, clinging to me uncomfortably. It also gave them a sense of power over me, and that I was not willing to tolerate. Not when they were all looking at me like I was an appetizer. I needed to show my game. Looking around the office and making a broad gesture I said, “Let us talk somewhere more comfortable.”
I rapidly expanded my aura, with a twist of one finger and consumed his essence within a broad circle, focusing my concentration to making the circle solid. That alone cut us from the others, but I was aiming for impressive. I mentally recited the carefully chosen word that linked to my plot on Faerie and then, with a flush of power rumbling through me and the circle, I was there and him with me. The spell was by no means as easy as I made it seem. That was practice. It was also draining, but he certainly did not know that. More draining than taking my established and fixed circle, but it was easy enough to circle directly to my patch; it was mine and as such I knew it as well as I knew myself. I took him right into the serving room and settled into a comfortable chair, while he glared at me, showing some fang. Vampires, such control freaks. I beamed at him and made a welcoming gesture to the chair across. “Please sit.”
He stood still and posed for action while I carefully began to absorb some of the Faerie energy.
“Where the hell am I?”
“Why, not hell at all. One of my homes. Does it matter? I will more than likely return you.”
He growled something out in a guttural language. One of my squatters darted into the room, likely sensing my more powerful arrival rather than the usual marker circle entrance. The young, unrepentant, sprite slid to a stop, saw me and started calling out to the others about how I had picked up a vamp toy to play with. I gave the blue haired sprite a meaningful glare, to which he smiled back impishly but turned on his heels and ran out laughing. The look Matt gave me was somewhere between disgust, curling lip and all, and surprise. The sprite had totally ruined my intimidation factor. If they were not so damned cute I would reprimand them for it.
“Would you like tea?” I asked.
“Get to the point. Or is the point a half-breed fae has powers I don’t understand?”
“Partly. Never assume your ability to mind fuck people will work, especially when the one you try your games on is a better fucker.”
“Is this Faerie?”
I nodded.
“Well, fuck.”
“Indeed. So I wouldn’t do anything too… noticeable. The sprites and fairies here, you have no worries over. They help tend my land and in return I tolerate their presence. But other things will note your presence here soon enough.” A bit of a lie. Vamps did not have much mystical energy, what they did, they sucked from others. Close to them, their presence was felt, but at a distance would not even be a bleep compared to what lived in Faerie. Still, he had to be aware I could trap him here and any fae would kill him on sight, or worse toy with him first. That at least was true. The fae had a bit of a history in that regards; stealing people who intrigued them in some way and trapped them in some Faerie patch, either returning them centuries later or forgetting about them.
Since tea was the usual drink for all guests, almost near mandatory I asked again, “Would you like some tea?”
“Lovely. I think I would prefer something stronger.”
I grinned and pulled my awareness of my patch to me, as it was merely an extension of me. He would not notice it, but when I called the whisky bottle to me, there were ripples in the air as my world fluxed to my exerting my will on it. He would think I was either creating the bottle out of nothing or teleporting it, but actually it was more like re-arranging. When I concentrated and focused my vision just so, I could see the warping currents of my plot.
He sat still as I poured him a good shot and then one for myself. A sort of vampire stillness, that I was sure was designed to intimidate. After all, with those unblinking eyes and no other indication of mood, it made them eerie. He didn’t even look like he was breathing, but I’d heard their hearts only beat twenty times a minute and their breathing was very shallow and slow. In this case, I think he was doing it to be impassive. He must wonder what sort of power I had, and more so in Faerie, when I could materialize things out of thin air. I was impressive enough in my patch in the malleable reality of Faerie. Anything I willed would unfold, with a great deal less effort than it took anywhere else. It was really my element and for any confrontation the ideal location. I slid his glass to him with a little smirk. Yeah, I had changed the playing field and now had the home field advantage and he knew it. Sucked the cockiness right out of him.
After he took a few generous sips I said, “So then, without all the games, I will tell you what I need. And you will give me the answers. Because here, this is my world and you don’t want me to show you exactly what control I have.”
He exhaled a slow breath. “It is your show. I can’t argue with such fae inclinations. Vampires are a great deal like fae and so perhaps it wounds my pride you are so talented.”
“Vampires are earthly demons.”
“So it is, but not so by nature. Our natures are more dispassionate than demons and both our races depend on mental will over another for survival.”
I gave a little mock snort of derision. “Please. Vampires thrive in control, in all its forms. Even in the bedroom.”
He raised a mocking brow, but his smile was amused. “So unlike you Seelie.”
I almost had a retort; until it occurred to me he was right. I would have thought the only difference would be Seelie made control seem pleasant, if they desired, but then vamps had limited mind games available to them that could swamp an unguarded mind. Quite frankly neither of them was anything to brag about. Seriously, put some effort in and screw all the games.
“I want to know what business you had with Lily Storm, a local talented witch. Why you had business with her. Why she was attacked. And anything you know about her whereabouts.”
Yes, my interrogation skills are that refined.
“You needed only to ask. I’ve had business with her for years. Hardly a secret you need to beat from me. We were even lovers once and may be again,” he said. “But she’s a hard one to hold onto. Never around for long and very secretive. An aura of mystery that made my interest st
ronger.”
Lily had been running all her life, under the radar, alone. What lessons had she learned from hiding like that? And could it be she was underground again, knowing someone claimed her as bait? It would be a good thing if it were so. “So what about this last job?”
“I run a bite bar, darling. Things happen. I like them cleaned up quickly. She said she could track them and immobilize them until we could reinforce the accidental claim. Usually she does minor spell work for me, as she excels in distraction wards. I know nothing about her whereabouts now.”
“And the attack?”
“You assume that was me? She was a useful resource.”
“I don’t believe that for a second. You will enjoy a long stay here if you don’t share like a good little biter. Or I’ll make you tell me, and that is worse, trust me. I only refrain because you belong to Vincent, but in fae matters I have the right and the authority to take information any way I please. When someone takes your mind like that, like you swamp a human, it’s not pleasant. Why did you attack her and who hired you?”
I expanded my aura a little and added in just a boost of influence to get him to open up.
My influence slid into him easily and he sighed. “It would be a poor choice on my part to tell you. I like living.”
I stilled for a second in disbelief. He gave nothing away but in doing so gave me everything. “Vincent hired you. What did he ask for?”
I gave him just another little mental nudge.
Matt cursed but then coming to an abrupt decision, likely based on the prospect of being trapped in my landscape he said, “He wanted to incorporate her into the lifestyle.”
“He had her listed as bait being groomed?”
“Fraid’ not. He must have learned of her, had her watched and saw for himself. She worked for me. Her skills must have been noticed. Under the circumstances and his strength he can claim her. Maybe he has already. The operation I ran failed, but maybe he put some other men on it. And that is all I know. I know Vincent wanted her and then she was gone. I did look for her. Tried to contact her. I had assumed he had taken her and I would be compensated for her loss.”
