Key to Justice

by Talia Gryphon

  “Aleksei, there was nothing you could have done to prevent this. It seemed to be coming; we just didn’t know the time or the place. Everyone assumed it would be later rather than sooner. Gillian and this Institute have done so much to shed new light on the realities of cooperative living. Lately the intelligence reports have been much more favorable overall on the side of positive Human-Paramortal relationships. Everything has appeared to be calmer than it has been in centuries.”

  “The quiet breath before the hammer falls,” Osiris mused.

  “Yes . . . No!” Daed said emphatically. “No one expected the hammer to fall. Everything I’ve observed here, every contact I’ve had from Eastern Europe, has been positive. Positive about the Rachlav Institute, the Rachlavs themselves, about Gillian . . . There have been no negative reports or threats . . . Except for one, and we didn’t believe the threat was serious enough to consider at the time.”

  “Wait a minute, chico.” Luis spoke up for the first time. “What do you mean, everything you’ve observed? Are you here spying on us? On Gillian?”

  This time, Daed did visibly flinch when literally every eye in the room pinned him where he stood. “I’m here as medical director of this Institute.”

  “With a little cloak-and-dagger on the side, Major?” Trocar rose with deadly grace and moved toward Daed like a stalking panther. Daed had enough sense to back up, realizing he was completely on his own.

  “Just a minute, Lieutenant . . .”

  “I am not your lieutenant, and even if I were, if you have endangered my Captain, there will be consequences.” The Dark Elf’s melodiously beautiful voice echoed everyone’s thoughts. He wasn’t kidding, and Daed knew it.

  “Trocar . . . I give you my word I have not put Gillian or any of you in jeopardy.”

  “Really? Why, thank you, Major. That means so much.” His tone was condescending; the dagger that materialized in his hand was not. Methodically, he produced a silken blue square of material from one of his hidden pockets and polished the blade with it.

  “What else do you find not important enough to share?” Trocar leaned one hip on the back of the couch and breathed on the blade, scrubbing off his breath with the cloth. He was inches away from skewering Daed, who was backed up nearly against the wall.

  “Aleksei? Helmut? Will one of you call off your attack Elf? I will explain everything.” Daed was looking decidedly nervous.

  It was interesting watching a shape-shifting Minotaur being rattled by a tall, slender but very lethal Elf. Two thousand pounds of Minotaur versus a one- hundred-eighty-five-pound Grael would be a pretty fair fight. If Daed shifted, he would have the advantage of size and strength, but Trocar’s dagger was fourteen inches of pure Elven silver covered with arcane runes. The Elf had three thousand years of assassination practice and Wizard-level magical skills, and was blindingly fast. Not quite Vampire speed but enough to take on a Shifter bovine . . . unless the beef got in a lucky shot.

  “I do not believe it is my place to ‘call off’ Trocar.” Aleksei wasn’t smiling. “He is a guest in my home and free to do whatever he believes in his heart is right.”

  Trocar’s crystalline-faceted eyes flicked to Aleksei’s for an instant, then back to Daed. For Trocar, it was both an acknowledgment that Aleksei wouldn’t interfere and a look of gratitude.

  Helmut was sure his blood pressure was off the charts. He was pissed at Daed too, but Trocar was absolutely not joking. They didn’t need the publicity that would result from a psychiatric medical director and a highly decorated retired major in the USMC being dissected by a Grael in the library of the Rachlav Institute.

  “Trocar, wait. Let Daedelus tell us what he knows. All he knows.”

  “Very well.” The dagger vanished as quickly as it had appeared. Ebony hands folded and came to rest on a sleek thigh.

  “Daed? Is there anything else you should share?” Trocar’s frothy white hair shifted in an invisible breeze as he cocked his head and stared down his former superior officer.

  Poor Daed. He visibly blanched, and his upper lip was damp. He knew what the consequences of an actual throwdown with Trocar would be. Truth seemed an excellent choice.

  “As I said, there has not been anything concrete since the original Compact, and definitely not much since Osiris wrote that Doctrine. There has been so little information that we thought things had finally settled down. Yes, there were occasional threats or public blustering from one group or another, but nothing we could arrest or detain someone for.”

  “However?” Trocar prompted.

  “However . . . recently there have been a number of small religious groups, largely from Christian and Muslim backgrounds, who have been gaining some momentum with their negative outlook on Paramortals, particularly Vampires. Interestingly enough, most Christians, Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, Hindus, Native Americans, Aboriginals and Inuit believers are overall squarely on the Paramortal side of the fence. Sort of a live- and-let-live thing, assuming that if the Almighty created it and allowed it, it’s supposed to be here.”

  “So we are being targeted by two major monotheistic groups?” Tehuti asked.

  “No, just very small fanatical segments of their populations. Most are subscribing to the belief that it is not their place to judge, and they actually support the Compact and the Doctrine. Straw polls indicate that only the more separatist of their members are hostile.”

  “Hooray for good PR,” Kimber said dryly.

  “Exactly,” Daed agreed. He sounded surprised that she hadn’t noticed. “Why do you think I’ve been insisting on all these so-called photo ops? I want to highlight all the good we do together. To show that there is no reason for antiquated fears. It’s really not about me, Kimber; it’s about how we all function together for the greater good.”

  “Gillian hates it,” Aleksei said softly. “The publicity, I mean. She would prefer to just do her job, know she has done it well and be satisfied with that.”

  “I know, Aleksei.” Daed smiled at him. “She has always done her job extremely well. Gill understands that the spotlight is sometimes necessary to sway public opinion. I know she didn’t approve of the cameras being around in Russia, but we garnered a lot of positive feedback and public interest from that mission.”

  “That mission was supposed to be impromptu and secret,” Kimber mused. “She didn’t like sensationalizing the drama and agony those children and families were going through from that situation.”

  Daed looked at her. “The public response and sympathy has ensured that an organized task force will stay on top of the child traffickers. Even with our prior intelligence, it took Gillian and the team to zero in on the pick-up site. You saw what we went through there.”

  “Wait a minute.” Kimber’s eyes narrowed. “What prior intelligence? We spent weeks there, gathering intel . . . and yet . . .” Her voice trailed off as she thought about the circumstances.

  “And yet,” Trocar chimed in, “how interesting that you managed to lead us almost directly to their base of operations in the forest.”

  “You knew.” Kimber’s accusing tone matched the glare she was giving Daed. “You already knew, before we got there, where those asshats would be. You took us right to them.”

  “No, I didn’t. We tracked them back to their base solely due to the intelligence you gathered.” Daed’s face reddened just enough.

  “That is a lie,” Aleksei said flatly. “Your blood pressure has been steadily increasing and your scent has altered. You took them out there, knowing what they would run into, Daed. You set them all up: the pedophile ring, the local authorities and Gillian’s team.”

  “Why would you do that?” Helmut faced off with his medical counterpart. “Why not just tell Gillian that you already had the place pinpointed? Why waste time having the team track down leads that you already knew?”

  “It wasn’t like that,” Daed argued, clearly embarrassed. “We wanted to capitalize on the efficiency with which she and her team worked.”
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  “By leaving those captive children directly in harm’s way longer than they should have been?” Helmut had gone from amiable to livid.

  “We had people in the area checking on the kids,” Daed snapped back.

  “Is that an excuse or an explanation?” Aleksei was equally infuriated. “The simple fact is that you used Gillian and her friends for publicity while endangering those children.”

  Daed had the decency to look uncomfortable, but was unbowed. “I don’t expect you to understand, but it really was for the greater good.”

  “She is going to kill you,” Kimber muttered. “Yup. Plain and simple, kill you.”

  He paled a little. “If someone tells her, that is.”

  “Oh, I assure you, I will tell her,” Aleksei stated.

  “And if she is reluctant, I am not.” Trocar didn’t elaborate, but Daed got the point.

  Daed looked positively ill, but he had to get them off this subject and back on track. “What’s done is done. I can’t change what happened, and the kids are safe. We have a more pressing issue right now.”

  “This issue is not over, I promise you,” Aleksei said.

  “I’m sure it isn’t.” Daed sighed. He was going to pay the piper at some point in the future, and Kimber was right. Gill would probably kill him. He wasn’t looking forward to that conversation, but what was done couldn’t be changed now.

  “I screwed up. I will take the consequences, but I need to catch you all up on what is a very large, current problem. I was telling you about these fanatic factions before we got sidetracked.”

  He ignored Kimber’s derisive snort behind him. “One man in particular is a self-proclaimed evangelist with his own little television network. He’s been supplying his viewers with a constant stream of rhetoric about the dangers of cross- species mingling. He’s managed to gather a fairly large number of followers who are as fanatical as he is.”

  “Who’s that?” Kimber asked. “I don’t watch religious programming of any kind.”

  “He calls himself Father Bartholomew Daily. He is, in fact, a Vampire who is actually a defrocked Jesuit priest. According to his unauthorized bio, he was excommunicated for inappropriate relationships with female parishioners.

  “One of his dalliances was Reborn and Turned him shortly before his case went before the Vatican. He associates his loss of Faith, loss of humanity and loss of vocation with a skewed version of the facts. Sort of a fraternization with the enemy type of theory.”

  “Well, he was the one who violated his own vows,” Helmut interjected.

  “Exactly. But he insists that if he had not chosen an ‘unnaturally beautiful’ Vampire as his target, he would have overcome his base passions and been absolved instead of being damned. Unfortunately he has a lot of people who agree with him.”

  “He’s still a Vampire. Who the hell is he feeding on if he thinks it’s so bad?” Kimber asked.

  “That’s the best part. He actually sets up what he calls ‘sacrifices’ on live TV, where he demonstrates the ‘seductive allure’ of a Vampire—himself—over Humans who believe they can withstand his enticement.”

  “Isn’t that rather self-defeating? He’s preaching about the evils of mingling species, then partaking of the very thing he’s ranting about?” Helmut pointed out.

  “Dichotomy in acts and deeds has always been glaringly obvious from the more vocal proponents of various belief systems,” Osiris added.

  “Gives organized religion a bad name, in my opinion,” Kimber said.

  “But it hasn’t damaged his credibility with his own flock,” Daed said.

  “How is this man a concern for us?” Aleksei asked.

  “Because he wants to redeem Gillian.”

  “Redeem her?”

  “Redeem, reclaim . . . Get her to see the error of her ways: her affiliation with her profession and her relationship with you.” Daed stared at Aleksei.

  “He intends to harm her?” The Romanian Lord’s eyes went platinum with fury.

  “I don’t know what he intends, but it’s in Gillian’s best interest to find out. What I am afraid of is that Father Daily and others like him will get wind of what Dracula is doing and show up in Akabat to meet her. We need to have an equal show of strength, if we do nothing else,” Daed finished.

  Aleksei took the hint and gathered his thoughts. Wordlessly he sent out a plea to any Vampire loyal to him. He was surprised when he felt the instantaneous responses of all those who had pledged their loyalty.

  It was Teo, the first Vampire to take his Oath during the great healing, who answered initially. “We will be there, Lord Aleksei.”

  “All I want to know is who and what do I need to blow to hell?” Kimber’s voice interrupted his thoughts. She was standing next to him, hands on her hips and looking pissed off.

  “I am not certain that where they are is a place for Humans, little sister.” Tanis gripped her shoulder, gently.

  “Bullshit,” Kimber announced. “Gill’s Human, and she’s in the middle of this. I’m going.”

  “Count me in,” Pavel said, stepping up beside his lady love.

  “And me.” Luis flanked Kimber on the other side.

  “I am going.” Trocar’s voice was flat and angry.

  “We leave no one behind, folks. You are just going to have to put up with Humans and Shifters on whatever rescue mission you’re planning.” Daed’s Southern drawl had thickened, a sure sign he wasn’t going to back down. “Gill is one of us, and no Marine would ever leave another one behind, even if she does decide to shoot me.”

  “There will be no dissuading you, I see.” Aleksei was tremendously proud of Gillian’s friends and of her.

  “Nope. If you all leave without us, we’ll get there ourselves. We are resourceful, you know.” Kimber shot a grin that would have melted butter.

  CHAPTER 8

  A quick phone call from Aleksei to Ivan, Cezar’s police chief brother, procured them enough additional vehicles to get them all to the airport in Brasov. Gillian’s personal car and the Institute’s van were already filled to capacity by their small but mighty group.

  The flight to Egypt would take a few hours and land them in Cairo close to Daybreak. Fortunately, despite Dracula’s power, not even a Vampire Lord could tolerate the full force of the Egyptian sun at midday. He would be forced to wait until at least late afternoon or dusk, as the sun was falling, to exit whatever shelter he would have for himself and his own Vampires. The playing field was level at the moment, and they intended to use it to their advantage.

  After a quick discussion with Helmut, Cassiopeia agreed to stay at the Institute and arrange for some temporary staff to come in while everyone else was away, so the remaining clientele’s therapy would not be interrupted. Meanwhile, Daedelus ordered a UH-1 Huey cargo chopper to pick everyone up at the Cairo airport and transport them to Akabat. There was room enough for everyone, plus the Vampire’s containers, and it gave them the maneuverability to thoroughly search the area.

  There was an intense argument with the Brownies, who insisted on going. Aleksei finally managed to convince them that they would be a much bigger help if they stayed at home to look after things until Gillian got back.

  Cezar selected a number of Wolves to accompany the group to Egypt, leaving the balance of his pack to watch over the castle grounds and village since he and Pavel were going with Aleksei. Besides, Galahad Upchurch, the Interpol officer, would need help keeping Gill’s newest patient, Chester, under control and under wraps.

  The aforementioned officer was brought into the conversation by Daed and Helmut, who explained what had occurred and promised to bring Gillian back, safe and sound, very soon. Galahad in turn contacted his office and requested additional officers to help the pack with extra security at the Institute. No one argued with him. Even with the main focus on Gillian’s recovery, client safety was still paramount.

  “We’ll get her back, Aleksei,” Helmut quietly said to the tall Vampire as they slid into
Gillian’s car, with Trocar at the wheel.

  “We have to,” Aleksei responded, turning to grace Helmut with eyes gone platinum. “I cannot imagine life without her.”

  “You will not have to,” Trocar interjected as he barreled out of the driveway and rapidly shifted into high gear. “You must have your lady and I must have my Captain and my friend back. It shall be so.”

  There was a chill in the Dark Elf’s musical voice that everyone in the car noticed. Aleksei was furious that Gillian had been taken, but Trocar was absolutely seething with the ruthless rage his race was feared and famous for.

  “Damn, I’m glad you’re on our side, brother.” Daed grinned and patted Trocar’s leather-clad shoulder.

  “As am I,” Trocar responded, never taking his eyes off the road.

  “Just where the hell are we going?” Gillian was peering into the pre-dawn dark surrounding the plane.

  “I supposed it does not matter if I tell you now. We are headed toward the Western desert in Egypt,” Vlad’s supremely marvelous voice purred.

  “How exactly do you know where to go?” She turned away from the window to look at him.

  Smiling, he rose and went to an overhead bin. He removed a very bedraggled leather satchel and brought it to the table. Opening it, he gingerly removed two objects and placed them in front of Gillian.

  “This”—he pointed to the first one, a flat, clay disk with concentric circles of some type of ancient hieroglyphs—“is known as the Phaistos Disk.”

  Gillian frowned as she examined it. “I don’t recognize these glyphs. They’re not traditional Egyptian.”

  “This language predates Egyptian writing. It is a ritual, religious hymn. I was not able to translate anything in it except the word Akabat, which is where we are going.”

  He moved to the other device, a bronze box mounted with various gears, wheels and dials. “This is an intact Antikythera mechanism, unlike the one found in the Aegean by divers. I managed to locate both of these after searching among the collections of a number of cabinets of curiosity.”