Key to Conflict

by Talia Gryphon

  Watching her as she calmly and methodically explained what she had determined after examining the body and why, he was taken in by her natural ability to command authority and respect. She was in her element, comfortable in the role she was filling. He admired her calm and assured presence. Gillian’s gift made others feel at ease, and the local chauvinists responded. The region they were in was rather isolated, as were most of the villages in Romania. Old traditions, beliefs and customs rarely completely died out. Women and children were precious, to be protected, cherished, not sent out into the ugliness of either the Human world or the paranormal realm. And never, ever to be on the front lines of a conflict.

  Being witness to the assertion of her naturally dynamic personality, watching as the police officer’s faces went from skepticism to respect, brought pride in her to the forefront of his feelings. Mentally he shook himself. Capable or not, soldier or not, she was still deserving of his most diligent protection, and she would receive it. Like it or no. He could not pursue her as a lover for another six months; then he would no longer be deterred. The clock was ticking on Gillian’s oath. She would be alive at the end of that time frame if he had to lock her in the castle tower. War or no war, they would see that particular situation through.

  “Aleksei…hey! Phase back in will you?” Gillian’s dulcet tones crackled through his consciousness.

  She snapped her fingers irritably under his nose. Petre Florescu and Ivan Jarek were with her. “Tell them what you’re going to do,” she ordered him.

  Imperious little thing. He gave her a look clearly designed to intimidate her. She glared right back, a slight frown creasing her perfect brow, not budging an inch. Brat.

  Every effort would be made to find the perpetrators, Aleksei assured Mayor Petre Florescu. He would deal with them personally. Watching the expression in those cold, ice-gray eyes, the Mayor had no doubt that justice would be done. The village inhabitants would be as safe as Aleksei could keep them. Taking their leave, Aleksei kept Gillian with him and spoke personally to several of the Vampires in the community. All happily agreed to continue to keep watch and discretely obtain information. They would pass on the request to known affiliates of Aleksei and Tanis. None had any information about the rogue or group that had perpetrated the attack.

  Establishing the local Vampires who answered to him as guards had been necessary for several reasons. Aleksei didn’t want any of them hunted down and killed by an overzealous populace. Along with the Lycanthropes, they were the first and best defense to guard against Dracula’s infiltration and they needed the network.

  With the staked Lycanthrope the night of Tanis’s disappearance, and now the girl’s death, came the removal of any false sense of security they all had held on to. Fortunately the village of Sacele was indebted many times over to the Rachlav clan and trusted Aleksei to do the best he could do.

  Most of them knew that he and his brother had been reborn. That their governing Count was a Vampire did not dissuade them from trust. Neither Aleksei nor Tanis, or even the Egyptians, normally fed locally. With the new issues of Dracula being a very real and deadly presence, the village held a meeting that very night.

  Mayor Florescu reminded them that their town had been safe, free of Nosferatu, rogue Lycanthropes or philandering Fey for centuries. Surely they owed the Rachlavs more than their loyalty. A vote was taken and the Mayor himself delivered a formal notice to Rachlav Castle the following evening.

  Your family has kept us safe, well and prosperous for a very long time, yet you have never fed here. Our citizens work for you, yet you keep very little of what you earn. Instead, you invest most of what you could call your own back into our community.

  You do much for us, Count Rachlav, you and your brother when he is here. Now we know that you are in trouble. We know that your family and friends are threatened, as we all are. With respect for your position as our beloved Count, we the citizens of Sacele wish to make you an offer.

  Contained with this note is a list. The list is of men and women, all of age, that would willingly donate blood to you and your loyal friends. We do not make this offer in fear. We do not make it to encourage you to do more for us. We make it because you have been loyal and generous to us and our families through the years. We are in your debt and you have our gratitude. If you need, we will provide.

  It was signed, “The citizens of Sacele,” notarized by the Mayor, Chief of Police and the Village Council.

  A single blood-tinged tear ran from Aleksei’s eye, and he had to swallow past the lump in his throat. To say he was touched was an understatement.

  Mayor Florescu waited patiently, not wanting to interrupt the Count’s thoughts, but he knew Aleksei was humbled. Gillian stood next to him, the Glock now openly worn on her hip in its familiar holster and position. She was wondering what the document said. It was in Romanian, so she’d have to wait for Aleksei to translate. Turned out, she didn’t wait long.

  When he could trust his voice, he looked at the Mayor of his town, there alone, trusting him. Clearing his throat past the lump in it, he began. “Petre.” He used the Mayor’s first name intentionally.

  The selfless gift the villagers offered warranted acknowledgement. “Please thank them for their offer. I am humbled and honored that you all think so highly of me and mine that you would make this gesture.”

  Petre Florescu had been nervous about coming to the castle alone, but watching Aleksei’s extraordinarily handsome face suffused with emotion, he knew they had done the right thing. “We want nothing to happen to you, Lord Aleksei. If you cannot leave the area to feed, you will die. We do not wish to lose you or your brother. The village, they would not accept another count in your place. If you are at war, then so are we, whether we wish it or not.”

  “I am stunned by this document, Petre. I had no idea we were so well thought of. However, please tell them that unless the need is very dire, none who are loyal to me shall feed in this village.” He extended his hand, which Petre took in a firm grip.

  “They knew that you would refuse, so everyone listed is putting some form of wolf on their home or at their gate, to let you know you are welcome.” He shook Aleksei’s hand. “Good evening, Count Rachlav. I hope that we will see more of you in the village soon.” Mayor Florescu took his leave. Aleksei mentally signaled Cezar, and a Lycanthrope shadowed Petre until he reached his home unharmed.

  Aleksei tucked the document under the blotter on his desk. He wouldn’t take advantage of its terms, but he couldn’t bear to throw away something that came from the hearts of his people. He was still amazed at the courage and warmth it had taken for the largely Human village to make such an offer.

  “Wow.” Gillian’s voice at his elbow interrupted his thoughts.

  “‘Wow’? I do not understand, piccola.” Aleksei’s puzzlement was evident as he tilted his head to look down at her.

  She ignored the fact that he was over a foot and a half taller than she was. That and broad-shouldered, heavily muscled, narrow-waisted, gorgeous eyes…yeesh. His scent from the close proximity touched her nostrils. Masculine, warm, spicy, comforting, like cardamom and nutmeg. It was all she could do not to reach out and run her hands down his corded arms, bury her face against his inviting chest.

  “Yeah, ‘wow.’ I am duly impressed with the love and loyalty you command from your village, Aleksei. It takes a very special Vampire to hold that sort of loyalty. Hell, it would take a special Human. I’m impressed.”

  Her head was cocked to the side as she looked up at him. She was so small and adorable. A muleheaded pain in the ass, but adorable. And much too close. The mere nearness of her, her scent of sunlight, snow and clover meadow; the delicate touch of her empathy shimmering across his power made his heart slam in his chest and his body tighten in response.

  Fangs pressed against the tissues of his mouth, trying to descend as his groin was beginning to swell; both areas demanding him to penetrate and sample her. Now was not yet the time. He straightene
d and stepped back, leaning against the desk and folding his arms across his broad chest, iron control in place once more.

  A slight smile curved his sensual mouth. “I have impressed the piccola capitana. Now it is my turn to be impressed. I know that you are not easily influenced in your opinions, piccola.” He was laughing at her, she just knew it. His ice-gray eyes were iridescent, sparkling in the light of the library, clearly amused.

  “No, I’m not. But I am willing to concede when I discover something that is by its very nature astonishing. Humans just don’t completely accept Vampires like that, no matter how open-minded they claim to be. I am impressed, Aleksei. It tells me a lot about you to see concrete proof of how well you are loved by these people.”

  A glimmer of awe had crept into her voice. She knew more about him than any other being on Earth but this did surprise her. Unconscious pride in him rose up and was hastily put down again. She couldn’t afford to think of him in any way but as a protector and benefactor at the moment.

  Catching her thoughts, and being touched by them, Aleksei chuckled. “It might be better, piccola guerriera, if you think of me as your keeper for the time being. You need looking after.”

  His comment should have pissed her off, but it didn’t. His smile was magical and his voice warm and full of teasing mirth.

  “Shithead, stay the hell out of my mind until you’re invited.” She grinned as she took a halfhearted cuff at him, then went to find Maeti for fencing.

  His rich laughter followed her down the hallway. The warmth she had felt being near him faded along with the sound of his voice the farther she went from the library.

  CHAPTER

  20

  A LEKSEI was impressive on a lot of levels, Gill thought as she changed into quilted fencing jacket, tight pants and soft, pigskin thigh-high boots. She was impressed she hadn’t killed him yet. He was Old-World elegance, mystique, intrigue and temperament in a very tall, muscular, breathtaking package. Bossy, domineering and chauvinistic too. Oh well, no one is perfect.

  Having none of Tanis’s arrogance made him rather attractive indeed. Aleksei didn’t need to be arrogant. He was power personified. When he entered a room or brushed the edge of her senses, she noticed. Tingles went through her when he was near. Vampiric power of his caliber made her empathy flare but this was different. This was warm, stimulating power from him. Maybe it was just in response to her. Nah.

  She also noticed that as enlightened as Aleksei and the Egyptian Vampires claimed to be, they were hundreds and thousands of years older than she was and had very strong opinions about a number of issues. The men treated Gillian as if she were a china doll, absolute in their determination to keep her safe and alive. Sekhmet and Maeti were almost as bad as the males. They tended to treat Gillian as a favored little sister. Drove her nuts.

  Point blank, she simply was not as powerful, experienced nor invincible as she wanted to be under the circumstances. Time as a battle-hardened captain in the United States Marine Corps had honed her body; her doctorate in psychology and position as a field operative had honed her mind and attitude to an edge that none of the Vampires had ever encountered in a Human female. They simply didn’t have much exposure to Humans except as prey. She was opening up new windows of understanding for them as well.

  Gillian was a no-nonsense woman in a world of bullshit. Normally she kicked ass and took names. When she chose to become a professional psychologist, combining that career with being a field operative, she’d put a very firm leash on her inner beast, needing to keep her own dynamic personality clamped down in favor of her patients’ needs and the clandestine requirements of her missions.

  Every so often, her own deep-rooted need for independence and individuality reared its head. Tactically, in the Human realm and most paranormal situations, she could protect herself. In the Vampires’ world, she had a target painted on her back and she resented the hell out of it. Her iron will and Aleksei’s continued to clash over matters of her ability to protect herself. Gillian did not seek out danger or trouble; she wasn’t stupid nor was she so determined to be right that she had to prove herself by flaunting caution. She knew her capabilities in Human terms. She was learning about them in the paranormal universe. No, Gillian didn’t actively seek dangerous situations. She was a magnet for them.

  One night, several weeks after Tanis’s disappearance and the two murders, Gillian was feeling especially claustrophobic from the constant vigilance of the Vampires and slipped out alone. The pack patrolled the property, Aleksei’s Vampires were about and she planned on staying within close proximity to the castle.

  Needing alone time and to walk without an escort became central to her thoughts. Getting outside was easy; staying outside was another matter. If she got caught outside alone…well, she didn’t want to dwell on that thought. Feeling like a naughty child, she skulked through the trees on her way to a peaceful waterfall near Rachlav Castle, staying on the grass or exposed earth of the forest floor, careful not to make noise.

  Her breath clouded lightly in the air in front of her. It was still cool in Romania, even in the late spring. The forest was filled with the scents and sounds of the night. Owls hooted, faraway animals rustled, the pine and the rich forest loam assailed her senses, bringing a sense of wildness to her. Giving in to the feeling, she ran through the trees into the darkness.

  The night was clear, lovely, and Gillian sat on a huge boulder under the shining moon, smoking. The Glock was on her hip, loaded with silver-tipped bullets. Downwind from the spray of the waterfall, the light mist settled on her hair and clothes, blanketing her in a sparkling shimmer from the light of the moon. It was a tranquil setting right out of a fairy tale. Listening to the rush of the water calmed her whirling thoughts. Used to being in control of herself and her environment, she chafed under the restrictions placed on her. She was a marine, dammit. She didn’t need a keeper or a babysitter. It went against her grain.

  Suddenly, the crystal-clear air was oppressive. She stiffened and broadened her spectrum of feeling to try to pinpoint whatever it was. Climbing off the boulder slowly, crushing out the cigarette and stuffing the butt in her pocket while keeping the mountain at her back, she drew the gun, which already had a shell jacked into the chamber. Edging slowly toward the waterfall, she shut her mind down to a perfect blank. The only thing registering in her thoughts was what she saw as she scanned with total calm and an icy resolve. It was a place she went to when she faced life-or-death situations. In kill or be killed, Gillian was the killer. She’d been trained as a sniper and had been good at it. Her ability to separate her emotions and thoughts had made her deadly at her craft. The air grew heavier—the only thing she could think of was evil. It felt evil. Something was hunting. It didn’t have her on its radar yet, but it had felt her in the forest or smelled the smoke and was hunting her. What it didn’t know was the tables were about to be turned.

  She backed up to the water’s edge and kept going, her eyes never leaving the area that her senses were pinpointing. The icy water filled her boots and her back was becoming soaked from the chilly falls, but she was too focused to notice. Gillian knew that most waterfalls had a depression or cave behind them, and that was where she was going. It would either be easily defended or a trap. She was betting on the easy-to-defend angle. The Glock was all but waterproof, one of the finest guns on the planet, so she didn’t worry about it jamming. Step by careful step, she backed into the falls and, feeling behind her, found a deep enough depression to stand in fully. The waterfall curtained the opening completely. Whatever was out there was getting closer, but it still couldn’t find her. Her presence was masked by the noise of the falls and the water itself.

  It never occurred to her at that point to call for help. The thing was close, and she didn’t want to risk anyone’s life who might come to find her. She kept her mind blank except for what she could see. A shadow entered her field of vision near the edge of the pond and she stepped back into the falls to look through the
crystal veil. Evil. The person, thing, whatever it was, felt evil. Fear started to crawl in her gut and she shoved it aside, replacing it again with icy calm. It may not be hunting her on a personal level, but it was hunting tonight.

  The dark thing waited by the water’s edge about twenty yards away. It seemed to be checking the very air, the edges of its outline curiously blurred. Its gait was wrong, the knees seemed to bend the wrong direction. It walked upright, though hunched over, but seemed neither Human nor animal. Gillian had no idea how long it stood there or how long she remained motionless with the cold water beating on her head and body. Finally it turned toward the location of the village and started off. Its path would take it within ten yards of her; Gillian leveled the gun at its head. Seconds ticked by and her finger tightened on the trigger.

  She knew it wasn’t Human; it felt wrong. It damn sure wasn’t one of Aleksei’s Vampires or wolves, she would have recognized them or they would have called out to her from recognition of her scent. Taking a shallow breath and letting it out, Gillian let her instincts take over. “No hurry, no worry,” had been drilled into her by her sniper instructor. It turned its head, looking behind it, and its face was illuminated fully by the moon. A snub nose and glowing eyes were surrounded by fur; long, upright, tufted ears stood out in the fall of hair around its face. Wicked-looking fangs gleamed white in the moonlight. She recognized it for what it was then: Lycanthrope. It looked like a demonic lynx, except lynxes didn’t get that big. Praying that the old legends were true and that a .40-caliber silver-point bullet would be enough, she continued to aim.