by Tanith Frost
“Security?” Daniel asks.
“Improved since our recent failing,” Raymond says, referring to the night the Blood Defenders got in and wreaked havoc, nearly ending Miranda’s reign. I want to reassure Raymond by reminding him that Viktor may have had a hand in that as well as some help from the demon he’d enslaved, but it doesn’t matter at this point. More security is better, and if wounded egos are what it takes to get us there, I’m on board.
“With only one entrance, there’s not much to guard,” he continues. “Not actively, at least. But with half the clan down here, we’ll have plenty of backup ready to mobilize the second we uncover the hint of a threat.”
Crawley raises his pointed chin higher. “One entrance. And what of the exit?”
Raymond stares evenly back at him. “Available should we need to flee. We won’t. I, for one, am prepared to stay to defend my clan to the bitter end, as I assume all others are.”
“So that’s it?” Crawley asks. “If the enemy gets in, we’re trapped? I understand the need for secrecy in this matter, but—”
“Sorry, what matter?” I barely realize I’ve spoken until everyone turns to me.
Raymond presses his lips together for a second before he answers. “There is another exit, accessible only from deep within Maelstrom’s underground complex. The door is as good as invisible and can only be opened from the inside. It is secure, and part of that security comes from making sure its location is largely kept secret even within this clan. We will have regular patrols of all of our corridors including that area.” He’s still answering my question, but now he’s looking at Crawley. “Releasing that information would provide an escape route for members of our clan, but that benefit does not outweigh the risk. If the seat of our power falls, Maelstrom falls. Or do you value your own neck over the very existence of your clan?”
Crawley doesn’t answer.
“Should evacuation be required,” Raymond says, “there will be vampires remaining here who will be able to direct it. Does that satisfy you?”
Crawley nods. He doesn’t look satisfied, but at least he has the good sense to shut up.
“What else have we got?” Miranda asks, her gaze passing over everyone at the table. “We need ideas. Suggestions. Poke holes in our plan if you see a weakness—the enemy certainly won’t hesitate to exploit it. I’d rather hear it now.”
No one speaks for a few seconds.
“Daylight,” I say, and they all look at me again. “We didn’t see evidence either way, so it’s best to assume these creatures don’t have our limitations. They could be out terrorizing humans while we’re forced to stay inside. It might be worth considering bringing in outside help to fill that gap.”
Crawley scowls. “What, should we send our humans after them? Or are you proposing something else?” He sounds personally insulted. “You’re cozy with the werewolves. If that’s what you mean, say it.”
I clench my hands into fists on my lap where no one can see them. “They might be willing to help if this could be a threat to them. And they can go where we can’t—or rather, when.”
“And I’m sure they’d have plenty of demands for us to meet before they’d lift a single filthy paw to do it.”
“Enough,” Miranda says, and turns to me. “You are, of course, correct—we cannot assume any weakness in this new enemy. But we do have the means to keep vampires mobile and alert during the day. Vladimir, how are our stocks of daylight serum?”
A tall vampire with a long, thin nose and a thick mane of brown hair answers. “Low, as always. It doesn’t have much of a shelf life, so there’s no point stocking up.” I can tell this last bit of information is for my benefit, and I’m grateful for it. “I’ll distribute what we’ve got and get more in production. Should be ready by this evening.”
“Go, then,” Miranda says, and he takes his leave. “Eoin, your department has all of our daylight armour. Will it be enough?”
She flips further back in her notebook and traces the tip of her fountain pen down a column of notations. “Not for everyone,” she says. Her voice is soft, but not gentle. “But we have enough to outfit my department’s members on each team and at least one other member if we need to send them out in daylight. We’ll just have to do the rest of our eradication and hunting work at night.”
My head is spinning. I’ve been struggling with magic, learning to use it to keep me awake in daylight, suffering through grogginess and nausea to stay up to keep watch when I had to, and all this time, we’ve had other means to make it easy?
Daniel leans toward me. “We don’t use the serum often,” he says, barely above a whisper. “The side effects can be unpleasant. It’s for emergency use only, and one of our clan’s well-kept secrets. We developed it here, and it’s an advantage we can offer to diplomats we send to enemy territory—or that we can use if we need to hunt down rogues in our own.”
Of course. It makes sense when I think back to the first time I was arrested. I was too high on killing, too horrified by my own actions, and too afraid of what would become of me to think it strange that Daniel and his team came out hunting on a sunny day. Katya, Trixie, and I were all brimming with stolen life, vulnerable to burning but too strong to feel the other ill-effects. Daniel’s crew wore black tactical gear with reflective masks—daylight armour, I assume—but that couldn’t fully explain how alert they were when they made their arrests. They certainly hadn’t been killing.
But I never thought to question it, and now I look like an idiot.
“Does that satisfy you, then?” Crawley asks. He doesn’t look at me as he speaks, but we all know who he’s talking to.
“Not quite. There are other reasons to bring the werewolves in.” I know I’m right, but I also know I’m only digging this hole deeper. “When I was in Tempest’s territory, I realized that their power gives us an advantage. We’re strong in ways Tempest isn’t, and I believe it’s because we’re exposed to energies they aren’t. I can’t prove that there’s any benefit if we haven’t—”
A short vampire with muscular arms who’s shaped a bit like a fire hydrant stands and slams a fist on the table. “We’ve heard enough of this. Why is she even here, Miranda? Daniel was perfectly capable of delivering the information, and this young vampire hasn’t earned a place at this table. She’s not familiar with our resources, our protocols, or any of the nuances that make the rest of us useful to this discussion. If she must be here, you might order her to do so in silence so those with knowledge and authority can get on with our business. This discussion of werewolves is a waste of time.”
I’m on my feet before I realize what I’m doing, slamming my own hand against the table hard enough that the stinging vibrations travel up my arm. “You have no idea what I know,” I say, louder than I meant to speak. “None of you do because you don’t listen to anyone who disagrees with the way you believe the world works. I get it. You’ve been around the block more times than I have. But you old dogs are going to have to learn some new tricks if you want to deal with new threats. If your methods are failing, it’s time to seek better ones even if it hurts to admit you’ve been wrong all along.”
“Insolent child,” Crawley whispers, loud enough for all to hear. Of course he’s backing this asshole up. “You’ll want to learn your place before someone takes it upon himself to put you in it.”
I lean forward, fangs bared, more Ava than Aviva. It feels good, this whole embracing-my-own-power, giving-no-fucks thing. “I’m here to save your asses, not kiss them. If I’m not wanted in this room, that’s fine. But you’re not going to shut me out of the operation. This clan means as much to me as it does to any of you. This is my home, and I’ll be damned if I let you fuck this up.”
To their credit, no one so much as blinks at my use of profanity.
I turn to Miranda, who’s hiding her mouth behind one hand. “I’ll be available if you need me. Enjoy the rest of your meeting.”
I rise, ready to walk away alone, but I�
�ve barely stepped away from my chair before Daniel is on his feet.
“Daniel, you don’t have to go,” Raymond says. “Your expertise is needed here.”
Daniel nods thoughtfully. “I know. But so is Aviva’s. I’ve seen what she’s capable of, watched her stand up to enemies that would have had every one of you pissing down your legs with fear before you found yourselves on the business end of a wooden stake. I’ve fought beside her, and there’s no one I’d rather have watching my back out there. And she’s right. These zombies, if that’s what we’re calling them, are a new threat, but so is Lachlan.” His voice grows louder, his tone harsher with each statement. “He’s been biding his time, waiting for his opportunity to take this island from us, and every time we knock down one plan, he’s already got another set up to take its place. It’s not enough to respond to threats as we have in the past. We have to be one step ahead, and excluding someone who knows the enemy better than you do simply because she does things differently…” He trails off, and suddenly seems aware of what he’s doing.
Daniel doesn’t have outbursts. He doesn’t tell his elders and presumed betters what to do. Daniel plays the game, climbs the ladder, and protects his good reputation at all costs in the hopes that someday he’ll be the one in power.
He squares his shoulders and looks each member of the council in the eye, one by one. “Whether you believe it or not, Aviva has already saved every one of your asses from a danger you can’t possibly comprehend. I’ve been there. I’ve seen what Maelstrom will become if it falls to Tempest, and I’ll tell you right now that you should be thankful most of you won’t survive to see it.”
“We can’t—” Crawley begins.
“You can,” Daniel tells him. “The question is whether you will before it’s too late.”
“Thank you both,” Miranda says. “I’m sure you’ll want to get cleaned up and gather some supplies before we get things moving.”
I guess that means we’re dismissed. I leave with as much dignity as I can, wishing I’d had the guts to storm out before there was any question of me being turned away.
7
“Thanks for that,” I say as Daniel and I pass through a chain-link gate and enter a storage locker filled with clothes in a range of sizes—all in shades of grey and black, naturally. I grab jeans, a t-shirt, underwear, socks, and a thick sweater.
“I lost my temper.” Daniel grabs his own selections and turns to me. “I should have let you handle it yourself.”
“Why? They actually listen to you. Might as well use that to our advantage, right?”
“Right.” His lips twitch. “Old Ivan looked like he was going to shit himself when you stood up to him.”
I laugh. “It was probably good for him.”
“Certainly.” He steps closer and tucks my hair behind my ear. “I don’t know about you, but I could use a shower before I get changed. If we went back to the house…” He pauses. “The house is still standing, isn’t it?”
“Last time I checked. It needs a new back window, though.” I won’t tell him about his car just yet.
I close the rest of the distance between us, pulling him close. He hesitates for half a second—hardly anything, really, but my voice falters as I finish my thought. “I mean, if everyone else is going to be busy for a while yet…”
He looks down into my eyes, then leans in and kisses me, long and deep.
The last time we kissed, it was to say goodbye. He expected to be tortured and executed while I made my escape, and I thought I’d never see him again. A fine kiss, but it never would have been enough to see me through if I’d lost him. This kiss offers everything that one couldn’t—desire, the promise of more, and an assurance that, despite everything that’s been broken in each of us, we’ll find a way to carry on together.
Then he pulls back.
I hold on. “Daniel, what’s wrong?”
“I don’t know. I mean, I do, but it’s…” He lifts his hand as if he wants to touch me again, then lets it fall. “I mean, this is—” He looks over my shoulder.
I’ve been so focused on him that I didn’t feel the other presence approaching, but it’s hard to ignore. We pull apart as Miranda enters the room. Not quickly enough, but she has the good grace to act as if she didn’t see anything.
“Meeting’s over?” I ask.
Miranda shakes her head. “There’s a human phrase—‘It’s all over but the shouting.’ I’d use it now, but the whole damned meeting seemed like nothing but shouting. In any case, they’re working out details now, calling everyone in, arranging travel. Daniel, Eoin will be expecting you shortly to help finalize team assignments and placements.”
Daniel looks from Miranda to me and back again. “I’ll just go get cleaned up, then.”
Miranda watches him go, though not with quite the same appreciation I do. “It’s good that you brought him back. I’m only sorry it was too late to save the others.”
“Not as sorry as he is,” I tell her. It’s better than what I want to say. I want to ask whether she’s truly sorry, whether she feels anything that deeply, or whether those vampires were just pawns in her game that she wishes she could have back now that she needs them.
“Daniel holds himself to a high standard,” she says, and turns to me. “Always has. It makes him an asset to the clan, but such tendencies can be harmful. He will survive this, though, thanks to you.”
Ooh. So close to a thank-you.
Miranda raises an eyebrow. “I am grateful. And I have many questions about what happened during your time among the vampires of Tempest.”
I cross my arms. “I guess you could just take a peek into my thoughts and find your answers, couldn’t you?”
“I could. But you deserve better.” She looks deeper into my eyes. “Or perhaps I couldn’t. Even when I test it, there’s a wall. Not around all of your thoughts, but around your time in Tempest. It’s as though—”
“As though they’re someone else’s?” I smile, but it feels grim. “That’s how I survived. I made myself become someone else. Split myself, like Doctor Jekyll with his medicine. Have you read that story?”
She frowns. “I have. And I recall quite clearly that it doesn’t have a happy ending for the good doctor. You’re saying you let your shadow loose?”
“I guess. She did things, believed things, wanted things I don’t think I could have if I hadn’t imagined myself to be a completely different person. But she was still me.”
“Clever. Dangerous, but clever.” Miranda steps toward the shelves and collects clothes—pants, shirts, sweaters, not so different from what I chose for myself. “I assume your Hyde is still with us if she’s holding her own memories.”
“She is, I guess. Seemed like she came out a little at that meeting.”
Miranda chuckles quietly. “So I suppose she’s not all bad, then.”
“Not all bad, no.” I remember what I felt as Ava—the way I embraced my darkest self without shame, how I wanted things that seemed natural for a vampire but that I’d never let myself truly desire before… how right it felt even if it went against everything I thought I stood for. “But certainly different.”
I follow Miranda through the storage locker and mimic her actions as she takes a big, black duffle bag from the shelf and puts in several more sets of clothes, a few toiletries, a small first-aid kit and extra sun protection cream, a hat, a scarf, and mittens. The next compartment is stocked with guns and ammunition, knives, and an assortment of larger weapons that I haven’t yet had a chance to train with, but suddenly very much want to—battle-axes, polearms, spears, deadly looking metal spikes, bright little throwing knives, swords. Miranda selects a pistol and a curved blade that’s just short enough to fit into her bag.
She pauses at the ammunition. “Do we think silver affects them?”
“I don’t know.” I set a pair of daggers and a gun not unlike the one I had at the sanctuary into my bag. “Silver’s effects seem to depend on the energy that’s
in us—different for vampires and for werewolves. But I didn’t feel anything in them.”
“That’s good to know. We’ll test the theory, but I’ll tell everyone to aim for maximum physical damage rather than relying on the chemical composition of—” She glances back at me. “This lack of energy means you won’t be able to track them?”
“No better than anyone else, I’m afraid.”
“I have no doubt you’ll prove useful nonetheless.” Miranda moves toward the door but doesn’t leave. She listens for a moment, then motions for me to come closer. “You have impressed me.”
It takes me a second to process that. Miranda has told me to make myself useful, arranged my assignments, and quietly provided financial rewards if I succeeded, but praise from her is even rarer than it was from Daniel during my training.
A slight frown creases her brow. “I don’t reward you with praise because, believe it or not, I don’t wish for my approval to be your goal. I have enough power-hungry vampires below me who are so focused on gaining my favour that they become useless otherwise. It would have been a gross misuse of your potential to have allowed that.”
I close my eyes, though I doubt it helps. “Please stop looking into my mind.”
“I can’t help catching what comes at me so forcefully. Know that I don’t count it against you if you think badly of me, though. It’s when I don’t catch that sort of honest thinking that I begin to worry.”
“Which is why you keep so many vampires close to you who aren’t afraid to question you?”