by Jessica Snow
Chapter 48
"Are you sure you're doing okay back there?" Kimberly asked over the sound of the helicopter.
"I'm fine, babe," Edward replied back. He was, too. In preparation for the long flight to Thornblood Hall, he had spent thirty minutes arranging a padded mat and seat so that he could sit comfortably the whole flight. With his book and ear protection on, he could not only talk to Keith and Kimberly but could relax most of the flight. "You know, I don't think anyone has written a book on pregnancy for us. This guy is full of total crap."
"Let's face it, there isn't exactly a huge market for Lycan pregnancy books, and for sure not on Aklark-Lycan hybrid births," Kimberly replied. "Well, if you're okay, we're about thirty minutes out from Thornblood Hall. Keith just got them on the radio, they're expecting us."
"Looking forward to it."
Kimberly clicked the intercom off and looked over at Keith, who was taking his turn at the controls. "How are you feeling?"
Keith shrugged and looked out the windscreen. "Yeah, just a bit nervous. I've never met any of the European Houses before. Any time I've left the Americas, we cleared it, but I never met anyone formally. Know what I mean?"
"Yeah, me too," Kimberly replied. "Although I've heard these guys can be total assholes. Real sticklers for convention and such. So expect to hear nothing but a ton of Lord this and Lady that all weekend."
Keith rolled his eyes. "Tell me about it. And don't forget calling all the lower level members of the Thornbloods and every other group there Master this and Mistress that. We're going to sound like we're at a damn steampunk BDSM convention."
"Yay," Kimberly replied. "Well, let's just deal with it, and hope that nobody breaks out the German techno or something. Akiko didn't send us any information about the Houses that would be there."
Swinging south, the Lockwood helicopter made the final approach to the Thornblood Hall and came in for a landing. Keith was surprised as he took a closer look at the structure, which was almost ultra-modern in its appearance, with clean lines, steel and glass being heavily featured in the construction. Climbing out, he was glad to see Akiko Thornblood waiting for them.
"I can see it on your face, Keith," Akiko said with a small hug to him and Kimberly as they approached, and a formal handshake for Edward. "How is it that the progressive Lockwoods have the old fashioned Manor while the conservative Thornbloods have a futuristic Hall? It was one of Nioclas' last big investments, actually. We purchased this property from an energy startup that ran into financial troubles. This was supposed to be the headquarters of a gigantic solar and wind farm that would provide the electricity needs for most of the surrounding two states. Fortunately for us, the CEO spent more time on making an impressive headquarters than in researching the fact that fracking and other forms of exploration were making conventional forms of energy much cheaper than they had been when he started the venture. When his company went into bankruptcy, Clan Thornblood was able to snatch up the property at fire sale prices."
Keith looked around the building at the rolling waves of prairie, nodding in appreciation. "And how much of this do we own?"
"The Clan still owns twenty-five hundred acres, just under a mile in each direction. Nioclas was planning on following in the original owner's direction of installing alternative energy, but for Clan usage first and then for commercial purposes. Before you ask, it is a vast improvement over the old Hall."
"Which was?" Kimberly asked. "Sorry for the ignorance, but I wasn’t able to attend the last Gathering in Thornblood territory. I was at college."
"It's okay. We have an old former military base. During World War II it was a training field for pilots and afterward was a National Guard site for a few years before Nioclas' father bought it during a round of base closures. As you can guess, it's not very nice compared to this. Still, we still own the property, you can take a tour of it if you wish after the meetings. We currently lease most of the land out to cattle ranchers, other than the main buildings themselves."
"Perhaps if we have time," Keith replied. "How much time do we have until the Europeans arrive?"
"Just about a half hour, Lord Thornblood," Akiko said, intentionally emphasizing his title. "Just enough time to change out of those flight clothes. I recommend formal level attire, at least business suits for all of you. Edward, do you have that with you? I apologize that there are no Thornbloods who can match you in size."
"I do, we suspected this would be suit and tie territory," Edward said. "It's hanging in the chopper."
"Good. I have someone inside who can give it a quick steam pressing if it needs it. Come, there isn't much time to waste."
Leading them inside, the trio was greeted at the doors by personal assistants, two for each of them, who whisked them to a large room in the Alpha living quarters. "I apologize, we don't have changing areas for each of you," Akiko said as the assistants fluttered around.
Edward, in particular, found himself amused by the hubbub, as his suit was quickly deemed too wrinkled and rushed away for a quick pressing, while the other assistant fussed with his hair. He had been growing it out some to allow himself to fit in more with the Lockwoods, but the Thornblood assistant seemed to be unable to figure out what to do with it. Finally, she grabbed a styling brush, while Edward sat down on a large stool so the woman could reach. "Am I going to have to put up with this every time I come here?"
"I hope not," Kimberly said as another stylist finished pulling a brush through her hair and started twisting it into a quick braid to be piled on top of her head. "I don't think I could put up with it. Keith?"
"Just for today, everyone," he said, bending his head forward as a stylist took a straight razor to trim a few stray hairs at the base of his neck. "Akiko, I do hope this isn't typical of Thornblood events?"
"Hardly," Akiko said as her own assistant stood behind her, pulling the strings on a corset that she was cramming herself into. "If it was, I'd have changed the rules long ago. But, we are here to impress our guests, remember."
The hectic pace was necessary, as Keith was just finishing the final adjustments of his blood red tie while his assistant tied his shoes when the sound of approaching cars came to their ears. "That would be our guests,” Keith said. Suddenly, a thought came to him. "Hey guys, what about if they don't speak English?"
"I'm fluent in French, at least the Quebec version of it," Edward replied. "What about you guys?"
"Spanish and Thai," Kimberly said. "Akiko?"
"Japanese, German, and Russian," she said with a touch of pride. "I'm sure we have most of the continent covered somehow. We'll be fine."
The rumble of engines stopped, and Keith looked around. "Showtime guys. Let's greet our guests."
Akiko quickly led everyone into the main entrance hall, which Keith suspected had been the main lobby of the building when it had been an office complex. Keith took the position of honor at the front of the group, with Akiko and Kimberly standing on each side of him, half a step back. Edward was uncertain where to go until Akiko jerked her head to the side. "Next to your Mate, one step back," Akiko explained. "Sorry."
"No problem," Edward replied, "we do kind of look like a flock of migrating ducks like this, though."
The front door of the Hall opened, and Edward quickly covered his smile and looked on politely as four Lycans, led by a silver-haired man wearing an Italian suit, entered. Keith glanced at Akiko, who stepped out and forward, assuming her role as Alpha Female of Clan Thornblood and Mistress of the Hall. "Honored guests, it’s a pleasure to have you here. Welcome to Thornblood Hall, and may your presence warm our hearth," she said, reciting the quickly memorized ritual greeting she had been told was a prerequisite of any high-level meeting. I am Akiko Thornblood."
"Thank you, honored hosts," the silver-haired Lycan replied in English with a light French accent. He looked to be in his fifties, which probably meant he was as least ninety years old, Keith thought. "I am Guillaume Bisclavret, Alpha of House Melior. I wish you peace
and good hunting."
Akiko bowed in acceptance of the ancient honorific and turned to Keith. "Lord Bisclavret, this is my honored Lord and Mate, Keith Waldwyck, Alpha Male of Clans Thornblood and Lockwood. With him is my Sister and fellow Alpha Female, Lady Kimberly Waldwyck of Clan Lockwood. With her is her Mate, Edward Stormstout of the Aklark People."
Guillaume bowed his greetings and indicated the other members of his party. "This is my First Mate Marie Bisclavret, and my Second Mate, April Bell. Also with us is my youngest son, Drago. He will act as official secretary and record keeper of this meeting. We are honored by your reception of us."
Keith stepped forward extending his arm in the old greeting. "No, Lord Melior. I’m honored by your coming all the way to America for this meeting. Come, let us sit down as Brothers and find a long-missing common ground between us."
The two walked across the lobby towards the elevators, a Thornblood assistant who Keith still didn't know the name of leading the way, the rest of each party walking next to each other in two lines. He placed his trust in Akiko's skills with her Clan, that they would know how to make things run smoothly. Hey, she organized the Council pretty well on the fly, Kimberly thought to him over their Link. This place probably runs like a well-oiled machine with only a glance from her.
I hope so. I doubt Bisclavret is used to inefficiency. He arrived in a Bentley, did you notice?
I prefer the helicopters.
"Lord Thornblood," Bisclavret said, interrupting Keith's thoughts, "I was informed on the flight here that your situation is rather unique. You have just become Lord of this Clan, yes?"
"Yes, Lord Melior," Keith replied. "Lady Akiko and I reached an agreement that I would become Alpha Male of the Thornbloods after the attacks against the North American Gathering a few months ago."
"So some of the motivation for this was originally vengeance," Bisclavret said. "While perhaps not as utilitarian as this brainwashing accusation that we were informed of, it’s not ignoble in its....."
"Monster!" a heavily Scottish accented voice said behind them. Keith turned on his heel to see a scuffle breaking out as April Bell stared at Edward, her nose twitching and her skin already starting to bulge as she entered her change. Edward, for his part, stepped back and brought his hands up in a defensive stance, while Kimberly stepped in between, her eyes already flaring in warning.
"Arrêtez!" Bisclavret yelled, staring at his Second Mate. "What is the meaning of this?"
Bell looked at her Mate and growled, but complied, her skin lightening and her hair returning to the light blond it had been originally. "He's not a Lycan, Guillaume. He's not a human either. He's something else."
Bisclavret turned to Keith, his eyes questioning. "Is my Mate correct? I was made aware that your First Mate is a normal human, but not about this. What’s going on?"
Keith nodded. "Yes. Edward is of the Aklark, or I guess more simply you could call him a Bear. He is my sister's First Mate, and has proven himself an honorable and noble warrior in our fight against the silberjagger."
Bisclavret blinked and his mouth tightened, but he shook his head at his Second Mate. "I see. This is highly unusual, Lord Thornblood. The few other shifting kinds in Europe do not have good relations with the Lycan Houses. I do hope you don't have any other surprises, though."
Me too, Keith thought. He heard Kimberly growling over their Link as they continued towards the conference room. Calm yourself, Sister. You know Akiko wouldn’t let violence happen here. We're here to make friends, not spill blood.
That bitch threatens to change and attack Edward again, and she'll find my teeth at her throat. Peace treaty or not.
I know. But I doubt it will come to that. Besides, I doubt any of them want a pissed off Edward in bear form. They don't know how strong he is.
Perhaps a demonstration of Edward's strength is in order? He could always kick their Bentley.
I doubt Akiko would like that, but you could ask her later. Come on, we're here.
The meetings progressed about as Keith had expected, with him and Bisclavret playing a form of verbal poker, or perhaps chess, he reflected. Each of them apparently had all their intentions and desires visible from the outset, but at each comment, Keith could tell there were things that Bisclavret was keeping in reserve. He knew he was as well, and the key to the negotiations was finding a common ground that the two could agree on before either side revealed too much or distrusted the other too much.
It was a gentle game, one played in the space between words, he thought. He'd done it for years in business, and of course in Clan relations, but Bisclavret was wily, and had been at it far longer than he had been alive. The older Alpha, however, did not have the passion that Keith had, and could not deny the justification of their cause. Finally, as the sun was setting, things reached their crux.
"Lord Thornblood, it does seem that your requests are reasonable. Material and information support of the Order's presence in Europe, with joint coordination of any strikes or attacks. North American Clans are to provide most of the soldiers, while within North America you accept full weight of your activities. There is only one issue that remains."
"What is that, Lord Bisclavret?"
Bisclavret looked at Edward, then back at Keith. "Your Clan-mate. While the European Council of Lycan Houses can agree to all of what we have discussed so far, there is no way that the Council would agree to any Aklark warriors stepping foot on European soil. If you strike overseas, they cannot be involved.”
Edward, who had sat quietly the whole time, squeezed the edge of the table in anger and frustration, a high pitched squealing sound filling the room before the inch thick oak snapped off in his hand. Closer inspection showed he had driven his fingertips through the table, leaving a bite-shaped chunk missing from the wood. He looked at Keith, his face clouded with anger. "Apologies, Brother. I think lunch is not sitting well with me. If you would excuse me."
Keith nodded, and Edward left, leaving the room quiet. Keith sighed and rubbed his temples, frustrated. Fucking racist asshole.
I agree, Kimberly replied. She had calmed since the incident in the hallway and was back to her normal self, intelligent and perceptive. But we need this asshole. That is if you want to take out the Archbishop that Melanie talked about.
I feel like Roosevelt making a deal with Stalin.
Let's just hope it doesn't turn out quite the same way. I hate Faustian bargains. I'll talk with Edward, he knows what's up. He'll support you either way.
"We can find agreement on that, Lord Bisclavret. In addition, I think it best if we table the long term negotiations. It’s not that I disagree with your ideas for overseas trade and travel, but I can only speak for Clans Lockwood and Thornblood on those matters. The North American Council has only given me leadership on the particular matter of the war."
Bisclavret nodded his agreement, then smiled. "Well met, Lord Thornblood. My son has been recording this. Drago, can you produce a printed copy of our negotiations for signatures?"
"Of course Father," Drago replied, the first time he had spoken all afternoon. Next to him, a quiet machine, a printer hardly larger than a three hole punch, hummed, producing six sheets of paper, two copies in total. Drago stapled the corners of the documents and presented one to Keith and one to his father before sitting down silently again.
Keith read the document quickly, nodding. "Everything looks correct. How do your Houses do signatures? I apologize, but the North American Council uses video recordings with transcript currently if there is debate over an agreement such as this."
"Signatures along with a blood stain," Bisclavret replied. "If that is acceptable? I notice that your Sister has been recording the proceedings on your end with her tablet computer."
"Just a moment," Keith said, letting the man believe that it was just recording when in fact Melanie had been able to sit in on most of the dealings, typing her comments to Kimberly over the chat feed. Pulling a pen from his pocket, he scrawled his signat
ure before thinking for a moment. "Excuse me. Akiko, would you please get a knife from the kitchen? I'd prefer not to bite my own thumb in the presence of our friends."
Akiko nodded, a light smile at the small joke from Shakespeare, before leaving the room and returning a moment later with a hobby knife. "Would this do, Keith?"
"Perfect," Keith said, taking the tiny razor blade in his left hand. There was a moment of bright pain as he cut the pad of his right thumb before the blood oozed, dark and rich, and he fixed his thumbprint to the document. At the same time, Bisclavret did the same with his copy, his pen apparently having a cutting implement already in it. Switching papers, both men repeated the process, Keith for once finding his healing ability a frustration as he had to cut his thumb again to get enough blood for the second copy. Handing the fresh copy to Akiko, he handed the pen and knife to Kimberly. "Thank you, Lord Bisclavret. I do believe that concludes today's negotiations. Would you care for some refreshments after such a long day?"
Bisclavret shook his head slowly. "As tempting as that would be, I would not want to impose."
"It would be no imposition. Tell me, your name is French. Which region of France do you hail from?"
"Paris, although Marie is from Normandy and April is from Loch Etive in Scotland. Your family hails from Germany, yes?"
"The Waldwycks, yes. Although Akiko is Japanese, and Edward is Aklark, one of the First Nations peoples. However, I was thinking. Akiko, I do believe that we have a fine wine cellar at Thornblood Hall?" It was a guess on Keith's part, but he had never known a Clan headquarters that didn't have a well-stocked selection of wines and spirits for both social and political occasions. "Do you think we have something that reflects the backgrounds of our friends and guests?"
