Avery had every intention of making our forced joining unpleasant, despite having been kept in line by the presence of Michel's vampire-within. Avery had a healthy fear of Michel's inner vampire and whenever I Dream Walked to the Dark Nosferatu, Michel was always on hand to offer support. And a little encouragement to Avery, ensuring he never overstepped the mark. Still, Avery usually found a passive-aggressive way to make me squirm. Many a time I had found him in compromising positions. Neck deep in orgies, blood lust feedings and the like.
Avery was Dark, and I swear he was getting Darker.
You'd think being joined to the one Nosferatin prophesied to balance out the Dark with the Light, would enable him to find his Lighter side. But something had gone amiss in our joining. Something hadn't quite gone right. Avery had received my power, he had grown stronger - for a while. Then all of a sudden, my power had begun to retreat. I don't know where to, maybe back to me, I can't really tell. But it had certainly begun to withdraw from the Iunctio. Little by little they were losing my Nosferatin life force, they were losing access to my power.
I ran a hand through my straight, brown hair, once again relieved to note it had grown out some. It scraped the top of my shoulders now, no longer a hideous, ear curling length. Clutching Michel's note, I forced all thoughts of Avery aside. I had Dream Walked to him last night, I wouldn't feel the need for at least another 24 to 48 hours. Which meant Michel expected to be home by then. Two days tops, I could handle his absence that long. Besides, I might be able to convince Kathleen and Matthew to stay a day or two before they ventured off on their hunt for a new holiday home. Christopher, Sergei and Nataliya were all good company, but we needed a little more diversity into the mix.
I climbed under the covers and set about reading the first of many shape-shifter books. Two hours later, with drooping eyelids and a crick in my jaw from yawning too much, the sound of the shutters closing signalled the end of the night and the approach of dawn. I finally shut the book. Placed the note next to me on the bedside table and settled down to sleep. I let my mind drift for a moment, once the room was bathed in dark, sending an unconscious thought out to Michel, full of my love and longing to have him by my side. He didn't answer, he often doesn't when away on a mission for the Iunctio. I'm not entirely sure what he gets up to, but as the Emissary, he could be spying or assassinating at the Champion's request. Neither of which he particularly enjoyed, but unlike me, Michel was making the best of his lot. He was at least trying to make his new role work.
I resigned to do the same, my last thoughts, before sleep ensnared me, were of making an appointment to see the new Master of London City tomorrow evening, and perhaps getting at least one thing crossed off my duties to fulfil list.
I woke to loud voices coming up the stairwell from downstairs. As Michel's quarters were on the upper most floor, it was a surprise that I could hear anything at all. Which meant the voices were either really loud, or approaching my door. Neither idea wanted. I scampered out of bed, noticed the shutters were still down, so daylight was out, and grabbed a robe from the back of the door. I crept out onto the landing and tried to decipher what was being said.
I recognised Matthew's voice first of all. He had answered the door. Being still daytime, that didn't surprise me. Christopher would have talked to the visitor through the intercom and not allowed them access inside though. Matthew, being human and not normally in Michel's main home base, had obviously just opened the door at the sound of the knock. I felt the vampires in the house on full alert, their Sanguis Vitam pulsing through the air. I couldn't see any of them, but all three were awake and aware and hiding in the shadows downstairs. Their rooms were located on the floors beneath Michel's and mine.
Resigning myself to walking past them, still barely woken for the day and no doubt with bed-head hair, I took a breath in and ventured down the stairs determined to find out what all the fuss was about. Sergei stepped out of the shadows as soon as I reached his floor.
"Mistress," he said in his thick Russian accent. "It would be best to let the human deal with this."
I rolled my eyes at him. Sometimes he just sounded so vamp. "What's going on? Do you know?"
Something flashed across his deep brown eyes. Anger? I couldn't quite catch it and he wasn't giving off any vibes of being angry, maybe cautious, on guard. But not ire.
"A messenger, mistress," he said quietly. "From the Master of the City."
Oh fuck. Just when I had decided to do the right thing, he pips me at the post. Being summoned to meet him was definitely not as good as making an appointment of my own accord. Well, if this messenger was here because of me, I wasn't going to let Matthew wear the brunt of the new Master of the City's rage at my neglect of duty.
I patted my vampire on the shoulder in an effort to reassure, then headed down the stairs much to his annoyance. Matthew was just shutting the front door when I reached him, the scene already passed. In his hand, as he turned to spot me hovering on the last step, was an envelope. A wax seal on the back. He was running his fingers over the ridges of the seal, which from where I stood, was difficult to make out.
"Lucinda, good afternoon. This is for you." He handed over the object and with a small sad smile full of concern, headed towards the kitchen.
The envelope felt heavy in my hands. What is it with vampires using paper with high quality gsm? I took a closer look at the red wax seal. It was a creature of some sort, with the body of a lion and the head of cat. A sphinx. Not something I would have expected the Master of London City to have. Considering the last official Master of London had been of Russian birth, it really shouldn't have surprised me. Vampires get around, they can choose to live anywhere and are not restricted to their places of birth. But I must admit, I was relieved that the seal did not depict something typically Russian. Although I didn't know Boris Davydov personally, I did know his brother. And staying clear of him was an excellent idea.
I thrust a finger under the seal and tore the envelope open. No point putting off the inevitable. Inside was a sheet of paper equally as heavy as the white envelope, but in a pale blue. The letterhead was intricate in design and included the Sphinx again and the words, All Mighty Master of London City. I snorted at the over-the-top title. Someone had a sense of grandeur.
I quickly scanned the type written note and felt my heart sink. I really wasn't making a good impression on my new home town. First Arthur sticks me with an inexperienced Nosferatin to train - no doubt as some form of lesson needing to be learnt, then I stumble on the leader of the local dragon-shifters making a rather poor example of my hunting prowess, and then I piss the Master of the City off. I had only myself to blame. And if there is anything I am good at, it's owning up to my mistakes.
But this mistake was going to be painful. I looked at the wording again. Could he have been any more to the point?
Nosferatin!
You are in my city unannounced.
Remedy this tonight or I shall be forced
to expel you from my city's limits.
Amun Nadeem,
All Mighty Master
of London City
Delusions of grandeur and blindingly quick assessment skills to boot. I had been here a while after all, and he only now demands my attendance?
I really didn't feel like eating, but facing an irate Master of the City on an empty stomach was not advised. I headed toward the kitchen and the smell of bacon and eggs on the air.
Kathleen looked up as I entered, smiled and thrust a cup of frothy coffee in my hand.
"You'll need a full stomach, Lucinda. I want you to eat everything on your plate," she demanded, but her voice was laced with worry.
I tried to ease her concern and smiled brightly, placing the note on the table and digging into the laden plate she had just placed under my nose. Kathleen was used to vampire schedules and although Michel would not be eating right now - well not food in any rate - she knew I would be on a nocturnal schedule. Having just risen, breakfast was the
order of the day, despite the fact that the sun was about to set.
The slightly greasy meal sat heavy on my stomach as I returned to the bedroom to get dressed for the night. Christopher met me halfway up the stairs. "Mistress," he said in his soft English accent. I glanced up at his handsome face, dusky blue eyes, sandy blond hair tied back at the nape of his neck, all wrapped up in the standard Durand family line wear; black trousers and black business shirt.
"Hey, Christopher." Even to my ears I sounded a little down. He cocked his head to the side and paused, one foot lifted off the ground, ready to take the next step needed. I smiled weakly and continued on my way. I couldn't really be bothered getting into the plethora of problems that lay ahead for me tonight.
Although I planned to deal with the Master of the City first and foremost, I still had a meeting with the other Nosferatins to attend and Arthur's no doubt ill temper at how close Marie and I had come to being harmed by a rogue. Not to mention said rogue's escape and my otherwise unimpressive introduction to Sebastian.
I sighed as I brushed my teeth and then started the shower. At least the water pressure in Michel's house was excellent, despite the age of the décor and the dreariness of the interior, the shower was hot and hard, bringing me fully awake and preparing me for the hell my night ahead was going to be.
I dressed in my usual gear, strapped on my Svante sword, sheathing it down my back, and pocketed my two intricately carved silver stakes and silver knife. I only hoped I'd be able to face the new Master of the City fully armed, usually a Nosferatin's right in front of a Nosferatu, but you never could tell what a vampire would do. I was suspecting this one was a little more demanding than your average vamp.
I checked my cellphone battery level, as I started back down the stairs and scrolled through to find the number for a London cab. With Michel's Rover missing and my abhorrence at relying on Marie to ferry me around, public transport was the only option. I could have walked to the Tube station and taken a train, but I wasn't married to a wealthy man without being able to absorb some financial benefits - paying for an expensive taxi ride was a pittance really. Man, I had come a long way since we first met.
Sergei met me at the bottom of the stairs, halting my scrolling efforts.
"Mistress, I trust you will be taking either myself or Nataliya with you this evening." He didn't say it as a question, it was a simple statement of fact. I glanced up at him - my self appointed security head - and smiled sweetly.
"Of course, Sergei. How about we all go together." His face relaxed marginally. It was a little hard to tell, Sergei and his sister had very fierce physiques. All square jaws and heavy brows, usually with a permanent scowl gracing their swarthy skinned face. I knew it was all an act, they both could let loose and have a laugh with the best of them, but it was a very good act. The only thing that detracted from their fierceness was an iridescent tattoo-like Sigillum in the shape of a star on their cheeks. My Sigillum, the mark of the Lux Lucis Tribuo. And, I decided, perhaps a good thing to have on display this evening when faced with a pissed off Master of the City.
Sergei nodded to me and went in search of his sister to give her the favourable news. Their mistress was cooperating with her security detail tonight. Oh happy day.
I was just about to connect my call through to the local London Cab company, when Christopher appeared before my eyes. Almost out of nowhere in fact. I stifled my yelp and sucked in a breath instead, giving the stealthy vampire a glare. He smiled knowingly. He liked to sneak up on me, for some reason it made him laugh.
"Mistress, I have something for you," he said in his quiet voice. "The Master organised it before he left. I managed to speed its delivery along to this evening."
I frowned at him in confusion, just what was he playing at now? He held his hand up and a set of keys emerged in his open palm. Car keys. My face lit up and I swiftly pocketed my phone. Michel hadn't said anything about organising a car for me, we'd talked about it, but I couldn't make my mind up on what type to get. I had loved my BMW back in Auckland, but Michel had insisted I needed a change. I thought we had left the discussion unfinished, but being Michel, he had just forged on with what he considered the best option for me instead. I used to get irate at him doing this, deciding things without my consent. Hell, I wouldn't have even considered taking a car as a gift previously, but we were now married - at least in the eyes of the vampires and my parents - so what was his was mine, right? I kept reminding myself of that.
Besides, I'd spotted the winged emblem on the key chain. A Mini had actually been my pick of his suggestions too. I just prayed he'd got me the soft-top. There were only two seats in that. Less room for the annoyingly ever-present security detail. I may accept them in my life now, but that still didn't mean I occasionally liked to rebel.
I took the proffered keys and skipped to the front door to see what my new independent toy looked like. It wasn't a convertible and it did have room - albeit a small amount of room - for four. But I brushed that aside as I took in the sleek black, brand spanking new, Mini Cooper S sitting pride of place outside our front door. It was gorgeous and I was in love with one glance.
I opened the passenger door and peered inside, then couldn't resist myself and slipped into the black leather seat taking it all in. Pressing buttons, opening glove compartments and then squealing with delight when I found a new iPod sitting in the dock in the centre console of the car. I flicked through the device quickly, noting Michel had made sure all of my favourite music was already loaded.
I sat back in the seat and made myself breathe. Being involved with a vampire certainly had its ups and downs. The downs we had traversed most recently. But it never failed to surprise me the extent Michel would go to show he cared. I felt myself smiling; no doubt a dumb, love-filled, I'm-the-luckiest-woman-in-the-world smile. Michel was amazing and he was all mine.
I heard the tell-tail sound of the shutters on the house whirring up for the night, having missed the sunset completely, being dazzled by Michel's new gift. Sergei and Nataliya appeared on the doorstep, dressed, armed and ready for the night. Was I? I didn't know, but I had little choice. At least I'd be driving to my confrontation in style. I got out of the car and greeted my vampires. Nataliya's face was scrunched up in disgust.
"You don't like my Mini?" I asked incredulously.
She huffed a breath in reply and then in her deep Russian accent said, "It won't be you squeezed into the pocket sized boot, will it?" Then under her breath, "He could have chosen a Lada."
"Ha ha!" I replied, smiling at the ridiculous thought. I still had the smile on my face when I slipped into the driver's seat next to Sergei. Nataliya did look a little cramped in the back, but she had the whole rear seat. She couldn't really complain.
The on-board GPS was a God send. I had been studying hard, whenever travelling in the Rover or in a cab, or with Marie. I had made it my priority to learn the main routes as quickly and thoroughly as I could. But nothing compares to actually driving them. Everything looks different from the driver's seat and without the soothing instructions from the very British sounding female guiding me through the GPS, I would have been lost. As it is, it took a good hour to make it to the new Master's main place of business.
Like most Masters of the City, he operated from a night club. A popular night club in a popular part of town. The Vibe was just near Trafalgar Square. Parking was a bitch, of course. This was the centre of London, a tourist Mecca, an overpopulated and densely filled-in area of the city. I eventually found parking in an incredibly expensive and surprisingly humorous street called Cockspur Court. I really was grasping at any little thing to lift my spirits right now. Sergei and Nataliya looked positively glum.
We walked towards our destination in silence. I allowed myself the indulgence of taking in my surroundings whilst seeking all the vampires in the area out. There were hundreds, not to be unexpected, but the idea that so many existed in this part of town only made me jumpy. Even the splendid sight of the Squa
re itself did little to allay my fears. Water fountains and colonnaded buildings all lit up for the night. Huge paved expanse littered with people, colourfully dressed, walking arm and arm. Unaware of the creatures who stalked them from the shadows. We crossed the square, my hand brushing against one of the bronze lions and taking a swift look up at Nelson's Column, then approached the flickering light display that heralded the Vibe.
Multi-coloured lights danced along its façade. A queue wound down the front steps and zigzagged away from the entrance. It would take over an hour to stand in line before you reached the bouncers at the door. We could be patient, but then what would that say? One, I had two vampires with me, who would not normally wait in a queue for anyone, let alone in amongst humans waiting to enter a club. And two, I was expected. I didn't think for a minute that Amun Nadeem, the All Mighty Master of the City, didn't know I was already here. There were simply too many well placed Nosferatu out and about right now, for him not to be aware.
I rolled my shoulders and walked determinedly past the queue, ignoring the loudly whispered negative comments from the club goers as I approached the vampire on the door. He ignored me for about thirty seconds and then finally gave me a head to toe appraisal. With a sneer, he said, "There's a queue."
I laughed daintily, flicked my hair over my shoulder and battered my eyelashes at him. Then opened my jacket enough for him to see the flash of silver inside and gave him a glare. His sneer deepened. "I'm not sure about you," I said only loud enough for him and his vampire mate on the door to hear, "but I really wouldn't keep me waiting. I have a tendency to get bored when left alone for too long. Boredom creates urges I can't seem to deny. They always involve silver for some reason." Never show fear. Never give an inch.
He held my gaze for a moment, his a dead, flat grey. Then with a shrug of his shoulders, he opened the door and stood aside to let us walk in. Much to the annoyance of the impatiently waiting crowd. He growled in their direction, effectively silencing them, and then flashed fang at me when his face was out of their sight.
Entwined With the Dark Page 4
