by Hayden, Sean
They nodded and we walked to the Suburban. I pulled out the keys Thompson gave me and clicked the unlock button. The hazards flashed and I opened the driver's door. Climbing in, I needed to scoot the seat forward all the way. I cursed being short as I started the ignition.
"We have time to talk before we get to Santiago. I want to hear your explanation," Strozzini muttered from the back seat before I even put it into reverse. I opened my mouth to tell him to go to hell, but Marcel beat me to it.
"Just remember, Antonio, what we are about to tell you is one of the largest secrets the US Government has at the moment. To spread this information is to make yourself a target. You may give the gist of it to The Council, but I wouldn't go into detail. Please also remind them seeking to harm Ashlyn in any way would bring about retribution," he began solemnly.
"Is that a threat?"
"One does not threaten The Council. I am simply warning you. To touch Ashlyn would be considered damaging government property. They don't think of her as a person; she is their creation," he said and paused to let the information sink in to Strozzini's head. It didn't take long.
"Perdono?"
"You heard me. Ashlyn isn't a vampire, or not entirely. They genetically engineered her to be as she is."
"Engineered, like Frankenstein's monster?"
"Exactament, they wanted a way to fight back against us, and she's it. They tried to make more, but have been completely unable to duplicate the results. She's one of a kind so far," Marcel told him and gave me a wink out of the eye Strozzini couldn't see from the back seat.
"I don't believe you, she's pure vampire. I felt her in my head."
"Show him your claws, little one," Marcel bade me.
I released the steering wheel with my right hand and reached behind me, exposing my talons to Antonio. I heard him take a deep breath and tentatively reach out and touch one. I wanted to pull my hand back and clean it with something, but I let him explore their strength and sharpness.
"I still don't believe it. How did they do it?" For the first time I thought maybe we could pull this ruse off.
"They added vampire and lycanthrope DNA to a human embryo. I don't know the exact details, but it worked. The only problem is, they can't reproduce the effect. Ashlyn is effectively a new type of being, both lycanthrope and vampire, and neither at the same time. That is why I warn you, if any harm comes to her the United States Government will be very, very unhappy," Marcel finished.
"Would they permit The Council the opportunity to meet her? If I promise no harm will come to her?"
"I can't promise anything, but I will ask," Marcel told him. I hoped jokingly.
"And what is your involvement in all of this anyway?" Strozzini asked, eyeing him suspiciously.
"Where do you think they got the vampire DNA?" Marcel lied smoothly.
* * *
"Pull in the parking area on your left," Strozzini called from the back seat. He'd been giving me directions for the past half hour while we made the drive from the Governor's Mansion to the downtown Sacramento area.
I did as he said and pulled in, finding a spot in the back. The sign by the road stood nearly thirty feet tall and illuminated the name, "Bare Fangs." I didn't get it. I assumed it had to be some sort of nightclub.
The name became clearer once we walked inside. Little leather chairs surrounded a raised platform complete with three brass poles. A statuesque vampire danced quite provocatively on the stage without a stitch of clothing. The meaning of "Bare Fangs" became quite evident.
"Welcome. There's a ten dollar cover for each of you," a large human seeming bouncer said from the counter to our right.
"Agent Ashlyn with the FBI," I told the man. He didn't seem shocked when I flashed my badge. "We're here to see Ramon Santiago. Is he around?"
"Have a seat, he should be back shortly. I'll let him know you're here," he said and motioned us through. I would've taken the closest set of chairs, but Strozzini walked down by the stage and sat at one of the smallish round tables right at the edge. I let out a sigh and made my way over to him with Marcel right behind me.
I tried not to face the stage, but Marcel pulled out the chair closest to it for me to sit. I didn't want to be rude so I sat, trying to stare off into the distance. It became extremely difficult to do so when the blonde vampire ambled her way to where we sat. I caught her movement out of the corner of my eye and turned to look. I gasped as I saw everything the gods had given her just a few short feet away. I tried to turn away in embarrassment, but she squatted down right next to me, opening her legs and giving me a clearer view.
I couldn't look away. The smoky smell of the club faded away and I caught the scent of vanilla wafting from her skin which happened to look like unfinished marble. I had the strongest urge to reach out and run my finger along the vein glowing just under the skin one her thigh. The vanilla smell became stronger until it filled my senses. I wanted to taste it. I can smell when a vampire or lycanthrope is afraid. I didn't know, until that moment, that I could smell desire. A low rumbling growl started in my throat as I stared at her thighs and what lie between. I've never wanted anything more.
Her hand interrupted my view as she cupped herself and ran her hand along her sex, letting her fingers part her flesh. My gaze followed her hand as it ran up over her belly and then her breasts. She brought her fingers up to her mouth and sucked them in making a soft, slurping noise as she did. Her lips were painted red, a beautiful contrast to her pale skin and green hued eyes. I caught myself licking my lips as she put on her little show. She smiled at me, stood, and turned around giving me a view of her buttocks before bending over and looking at me from between her legs.
I expected her to dance away, but our gazes met. I could feel the pull of her power drawing me in. I fought the pull and remained in the real world while the beautiful vampire licked her lips, making me want to taste her. She brought her lips together into a little o and blew a puff of air across her mound and into my face. Marcel's hand slid down my arm and over my wrist and he squeezed painfully, breaking me out of the trance I'd slipped into. I blinked my eyes several times as the girl vampire gave a throaty chuckle. I watched her as she stood up straight in a sensuous movement and continued her dance for the remainder of the patrons.
"Are you all right, little one?" Marcel placed his face perilously close to mine.
"I will be in a minute; could you please give me a little space?" I closed my eyes, trying very hard to get the dancers natural perfume from my mind. Strozzini, from the other side of the table gave a little chuckle. I flipped him the bird which turned his chuckle into laughter.
"She is quite beautiful. It's okay," Marcel said and I held my hand up to him asking for silence. Reminding me of her beauty probably wasn't a good idea right now.
"He's here," Strozzini said, nodding at a darker skinned vampire who walked in. I looked up as the bouncer who'd told us to sit mouthed something to Santiago and pointed to us. He nodded and strode through the club to our table.
"I'm Ramon Santiago, you are looking for me," the vampire said in a deep voice when he got close enough for us to make out his words. Even with vampiric hearing, the music levels made casual conversation next to impossible.
I stood and held out my hand to Ramon and he readily took it. "Do you have someplace we can talk?"
He nodded and motioned us to follow him. He deftly led the way through the sea of tables toward the rear of the club. We went up another raised dais that held a multitude of leather couches and large upholstered chairs. I glanced around and noticed several more vampire strippers giving private dances. One difference stood out from every other vampire club I had ever been to. Usually humans congregated there to feed the vampire patrons, but at Bare Fangs, the patrons fed the employees. I watched as naked and near naked vampires ground themselves against the laps of the male (and one female) patrons while feeding. Moans from the customers filled the room and it drove my previous state of arousal up another notch.
"What can I do for you folks?" His voice seemed much more pleasant without the blaring hard rock music prevalent throughout the club.
"I'm Agent Ashlyn with the FBI," I said and produced my credentials for him to look at. He declined, so he must have believed me.
"I saw you on television; I know who you are, agent. What can I do for you?"
"I'm sure you know Governor Greer. Do you know who's trying to kill him?" I tried my best to make him think I suspected him.
"Yeah, I saw that on the news too. I have no idea," he said calmly. "I have no beef with him. He encroached on my territory, but he offered me compensation."
"What sort of compensation."
"I don't know yet, we have a meeting to discuss that next week. Agent, I don't mean to be rude, but I have a lot to do. Is there any way we can speed this up?"
"Make him tell you the truth, il mio piccolo tesoro," Strozzini chimed in from behind me. Ramon seemed to notice him for the first time and frowned.
"Who are you? I only know of one vampire who works for the FBI. She has dispensation to be in my territory, you two do not."
"I am sorry," Strozzini said in a sarcastic voice. "I forgot to introduce myself, Antonio Strozzini at your service."
As soon as he said it, Ramon stood from behind his desk and bowed low to Strozzini. "It is I who am sorry, enforcer. I had no idea The Council had sent an envoy. My territory is yours."
I stared open mouthed at both of them. Marcel reached over and pushed my chin up, effectively closing my mouth. When I looked at him he gave me a little wink. I had so much to learn about the vampire world.
"It is quite all right. I am not here for you. I am here for…other reasons. Are you sure you have no idea who tried to kill the governor?"
"You have my word, enforcer," he said and bowed again.
"He had nothing to do with it," Strozzini turned and said to me. I remembered the first time he questioned me. I had been compelled to speak only the truth. I so wanted to learn how to do that.
"Thank you, Mr. Santiago, I appreciate your honesty," I said both sarcastically and emphatically, a fact not wasted on Marcel who gave a short chirp of laughter.
"Please, won't you all stay and be my guests?"
It was a little hard to say no, but I didn't trust myself in the strip club either. I hadn't eaten for two nights and the chances of me trying to satisfy my hunger with one of the naked dancers seemed pretty high. "I'm sorry, Mr. Santiago, I'm afraid I'm going to have to pass. I have more work to do, and I'm afraid I must feed. I thank you for your cooperation and your hospitality," I said and reached out to shake his hand.
"You cannot thank me for my hospitality, agent, until you accept it. Please, I insist on you all staying as my guests this evening," Ramon said and closed his eyes.
"It would be our honor, Master Santiago," Strozzini and Marcel said in unison. It came out like a well-rehearsed response that I didn't get. I turned to look at Marcel and he glanced from me back to Santiago like he wanted me to do something. He mouthed the exact words he and Strozzini said and gave a small flick of his finger to point at me.
"It would be my honor, Master Santiago," I said trying not to make it a question.
Marcel gave an almost imperceptible nod from his spot to my right. I knew I responded appropriately. Santiago opened his eyes and smiled at me. "It is the honor of the host to provide for his guests," he said and Marcel and Strozzini bowed low. I did the same.
The door to Santiago's office opened and a tall vampire walked in. He stood well over six feet tall and a spidery air clung to him like a shadow. Long spindly legs propelled him across the room to the master's side. "Yes, my master?" The man bowed low and remained prostrate.
"Raul, we have honored guests. Tonight we shall have a feast in their honor, please make it so," Santiago told the gangly man. He stood and I could see the excitement in his eyes. I had a bad feeling about it.
Chapter 9
The spacious underground room looked as if it had been hewn from the rock by hand. Score mark, upon score mark marred the granite walls not leaving a smooth surface anywhere. I marveled at the difference between the room in which we sat and the expertly crafted hidden entrance we were led through to enter the vast catacomb-like area beneath Santiago's club. Gone were the sounds of the club, replaced by the subtler sounds of acoustic Spanish guitar in the background.
A wooden table, easily forty feet long sat squarely in the center of the cavern. Wrought iron candle chandeliers hung from the stone ceiling over different segments of the table, as well as candles in wall sconces illuminated the room and cast flickering shadows everywhere. The effect seemed positively medieval. I liked it. I doubted I'd be decorating an apartment in D.C. like it anytime soon, but I liked it.
"Please, make yourself at home, the master will be joining you shortly," Raul told us and gave a curt bow leaving us to explore the room. I wandered to the far wall and sat down on a mahogany colored leather couch and watched Marcel and Strozzini as they made their way to where I sat.
"I apologize for the wordplay in Santiago's office, Ashlyn. There is so much you need to learn about being a vampire," Marcel said and sat next to me, leaving Strozzini to either sit somewhere else or continue standing. "When the master of the city offers you hospitality, you are under obligation to accept. It is one of our oldest laws," he continued and Strozzini nodded as he stood a few feet away from us.
"He could have taken offense, but I think he is a little confused as to your office," Strozzini said. "Remember the words we spoke, for it is almost a ritualistic response, the same for Santiago's acknowledgement of our gratitude."
"Well at least I don't have to remember Santiago's response. I have no inclination to ever be master of any city," I said with distaste, earning me a short burst of laughter from Strozzini, but not Marcel.
"Take care when you speak out loud so the fates may overhear, il mio piccolo tesoro. Sometimes the fates take great pleasure in heaping on you that what you wish for least," Strozzini said with a sad smile. It sounded as if he spoke from experience.
"What does il mio piccolo tesoro mean?"
"My little treasure," he replied offhandedly, like he had more serious thoughts running through his head.
Santiago chose that moment to enter the dining hall. I hadn't even imagined vampires gathered for meals. I did however have a feeling of what would be on the menu, I just didn't know how I would get away with not partaking in the feast.
"I hope you are all comfortable, the others should be joining us shortly," Santiago said, and as if on cue, one by one, came the rest of his entourage. They took their seats around the table and left spaces at the head for Santiago and us. The men talked animatedly about the state of affairs of the Sacramento vampires, and I listened disinterestedly as the vampires filled the spaces around the table. Most of them seemed comprised of the workers from the club upstairs. My suspicions were confirmed when the tall blonde dancer who'd captured my attention onstage sat in one of the seats closest to where we would be sitting. I'd just have to make sure I sat on the opposite side of the table from her.
"It is time," Santiago said and raised his arms. He walked us over to the table and pulled the seat out by the blonde exotic dancer, looking at me expectantly.
Well, crap. "Thank you, Mr. Santiago," I said.
"Ramon, please, Agent Ashlyn. We are all friends here," he replied, bowing his head.
I smiled and took my seat with Marcel sitting on my left. Santiago sat at the head of the table with Strozzini taking the seat opposite Marcel. I gave a shy
smile to the beautiful vampire sitting next to me and blushed. When she entered the room, I thought she'd dressed herself in a silk dress of the darkest green I had ever seen. Her modesty impressed me. Sitting next to her, I saw my mistake. While the gossamer gown looked modest from a distance, from a foot away with the light of the overhead candles radiating on it, I realized it didn't hide anything. It looked like it'd been spun from spider webs and then dyed green. I could see every slope and curve of her breast and every ridge and bump of her nipple. I didn't dare glance down to her slightly parted thighs. I began to doubt if this evening would ever end.
"May I introduce myself, mistress?" The sultry dancer's timid English accent came from somewhere very close to my ear. I hoped she didn't hear my audible gulp of air.
"Hi, I'm Ashlyn," I said formally and held out my hand for her to shake. She didn't. She very gently took my hand and turned it knuckles up and brought them to her lips. Her fingertips gently caressed the palm of my hand as she sensuously parted her lips and pulled my knuckle between them with just the slightest amount of suction. I gasped as her tongue darted out and gently lick the skin of my hand. I barely stifled the moan threatening to escape my throat before she pulled my hand from her mouth.
"I'm Victoria," she said and didn't release my hand. Her skin felt cool in mine and I sighed, trying to relax. I'd always dreamt of holding hands romantically for the first time, I just never would have thought it would be with another woman. I stopped to think if it bothered me and I realized it truly didn't. She might not be a guy, but I knew how looking at her made me feel. I gave her hand a tentative squeeze and she returned it. My smile waned just a tad when I thought how hard it would be not to make her my next meal. I definitely needed to start carrying a little extra lycanthrope blood in the back of my vehicles.
I glanced to my left and saw Santiago conversing with Strozzini about happenings with The Council. I looked at Marcel and expected him to be engrossed in the conversation as well, but he stared at my hand, in Victoria's, with a curious smile on his face. I gave him a little eyebrow raise and his smile got a little bigger. He probably would have laughed, but Santiago stood and clapped his hands once. The sound echoed in the cavern like a gunshot.