by Julie Wetzel
“It’s my greatest honor to welcome one such as you to Honolulu,” Kusanagi said, holding his hands out for Darien.
“The pleasure and honor is mine,” Darien said as he took the man’s hand. A wave of energy rolled over Darien as their hands met. After arriving at the hotel, Darien had let the cap he usually kept on his power settle back into place. He’d become comfortable keeping things sealed up, but with the first probing of his power, he let the lid slip open again. The area around him pulsed with a power that surprised even Darien.
Kusanagi’s eyes widened in response as Darien pushed his power back down. “Very impressive,” he said. “You honor us with a show of power.”
Darien drew in a breath, trying to hide his surprise. Showing the level of one’s power could be seen as a sign of trust, but such a flare could also be seen as a challenge. He had only intended to let a small amount of energy out as was customary, but the fay mead had raised his base line up higher than he was used to. “And you honor us with your hospitality.” He answered with the appropriate response, hoping Kusanagi would take the slip as a sign of trust. “Thank you for having us.”
Giving him a bow of the head, Kusanagi released Darien’s hand. “Thank you for coming. Although, I must admit that I was surprised to find out about your arrival mere hours before your plane landed.”
“I apologize for that,” Darien said. “With all the planning for the wedding, I left our travel arrangements to my personal assistant, and I must have forgotten to have her call.” He could feel Vicky’s glare burning into his skin as a hint of anger rolled over their link. He washed it over with an unspoken apology.
Kusanagi gave him a solemn nod. “It’s hard to find good help these days.”
“Very,” Vicky piped in before Darien could answer him.
Darien turned and met her eyes as she stepped up next to him. They held a hint of irritation that made him smile. She didn’t like him using her as an excuse for not calling, but he could also see that she understood why he had. “True,” Darien agreed, reaching out and pulling her into his side. “But I couldn’t live without my personal assistant.” He turned back to face their host. “She keeps my life together.”
Confusion crossed Kusanagi’s face as he glanced between Darien and Vicky.
“Forgive my manners,” Darien said. “I have yet to introduce my wife. This is Victoria Westernly.”
Kusanagi’s eyebrows rose and he turned to look at the woman tucked into Darien’s side.
Vicky held her hand out to the master as she studied him. The short spikes of his dark hair worked well with the pale tones of his fawn skin. Around his neck was a leather cord with the largest pair of pearls Vicky had ever seen. She glanced back up to find his dark brown eyes were filled with intrigue as he bent over to kiss her hand.
“Hime,” he said. Standing up, his hand lingered on Vicky’s as he turned his attention back to Darien. “Word had reached us that you had bound yourself to one, but I had not imagined that she would be so enchanting.” Kusanagi looked back at Vicky and raised her hand out to the side so he could see her better. “Such a lovely creature indeed.” His eyes fell to the cross on her chest and he recoiled slightly. “Though I do question her choice of jewels.”
Irritation creased Vicky’s brow. He was starting to piss her off. The soft shift of Darien’s hand on her hip and a wave of warm emotion through their link quelled the sharp comment poised on her lips.
“She is that,” Darien answered, pulling her into his arms so she stood with her back against him. “She brings light and life to my dull existence.” He kissed the side of her head showing his claim on her. “And I do believe that cross fits her perfectly. Elegantly wrought with just a hint of a bite,” he teased.
Vicky gave Darien a sharp look, but turned a toothy smile back to Kusanagi.
The look that crossed Kusanagi’s face was intrigued. “Interesting.” He paused, running his gaze down Vicky again before meeting Darien’s eyes. “I’m glad you found something to break the tedium of life.”
Vicky’s spine stiffened, but Darien held her tight, reminding her to keep her cool. Frustrated with the whole situation, she pulled her hand back from their host and thrust the bottle of mead out towards him. “Here,” she said in a very stiff tone.
Surprised by Vicky’s action, Kusanagi looked up to Darien in confusion.
“Please accept this as a thank you for your hospitality,” Darien said, covering the somewhat rude action.
Kusanagi took the bottle from Vicky and rolled it in his hands.
“It’s fay wine,” Darien explained. “Perfectly safe for vampires.”
“Really?” Kusanagi asked as he gave the bottle an appreciative look. “It’s been a long time since I’ve had the pleasure of wine. Thank you.” He lowered the bottle to his side and gestured with his free hand towards the deck where he’d been sitting. “Come. I have a gift for you.”
Releasing Vicky, Darien stepped to her side so he could catch her hand in his. “Thank you,” he said to Kusanagi as he tucked Vicky’s hand into the crook of his arm and led her towards the platform.
“Darien,” Vicky breathed through clenched teeth.
“I know.” He soothed her by petting his hand down her arm. “Gracious guests.” He reminded her. “I will make this up to you later.”
Vicky took a deep breath and nodded. When she finally looked up at the platform, her footsteps stuttered as she walked. “What is that?”
The notes of disgust in her voice made Darien look up as well. The area was adorned with a lovely rug and piles of lush pillows. Two girls relaxed in one of the mounds of cushions near the wicker chair in which Kusanagi had been sitting. A matching pile of pillows sat empty on the other side of the platform, but it was the chair next to the second pile of pillows that Darien was sure Vicky didn’t like. The dark wood of the chair was expertly crafted into an enormous scorpion. Tawny velvet pillows cushioned the seat and several segments up the raised tail forming the back. Polished to a high shine, it was a lovely piece, if you were into giant bugs. Darien drew in a deep breath and smiled wryly. “I do believe that would be our gift.”
“Isn’t it lovely?” Kusanagi said as he hopped up on the deck and went to stand next to the scorpion chair. “A wonderful gift for a man such as yourself.”
Darien raised an eyebrow. “A scorpion?”
Raising his hand, Kusanagi caressed the dark wood of the stinger. “Such amazing creatures; efficient and deadly hunters, yet passionate and fierce protectors. All things I’m sure you know well.”
Vicky leaned into Darien’s side and gave him an amused look. “He does have you there,” she teased him.
Darien glanced down at her with a pointed look before releasing her and stepping towards the impressive piece. He raised an eyebrow in question at Kusanagi. “Passionate and fierce?”
“And deadly,” he said, holding his hand out, urging Darien to sit.
Darin eyed the seat one last time before turning around and sitting down. He rested his hands on the claws that formed the arms of the chair and shifted his hips, getting comfortable in the plush padding. “It’s actually quite comfortable.”
“Of course,” Kusanagi said as he dropped himself back into his wicker chair. “It’s made by the finest craftsmen in Hawaii.”
“I wouldn’t think it was easy coming by something like this on such short notice.” Darien said, running his hands over the highly polished claws.
“It was not.”
Nodding, Darien looked up at Vicky. “What do you think?” he asked, trusting she would remember to be civil in her response.
A mischievous smile turned up the corners of her mouth. She walked closer so she could stroke the stinger of the scorpion’s tail. “I think it would make a striking statement in your office at your work.”
Darien laughed. “It would definitely make meetings interesting. Would you like to try?” he asked, moving to stand up.
“No thanks,” she answer
ed dropping her hand to his shoulder to keep him from rising. “That fits you much better than it would me.” She looked around for another place to sit, but there were no other chairs available. Taking a hint from the two women on the cushions next to Kusanagi, Vicky moved to the pillows next to Darien. “I’ll just sit here for now.”
Darien watched Vicky shift the pillows around to suit her needs. He didn’t like that she was forced to sit on the floor, but there were no other chairs anywhere in the luau. Just the scorpion chair and the wicker chair Kusanagi held, but then again, chairs wouldn’t have worked well in the soft sand of the beach. Letting it go, he turned his attention back to his host. “Thank you. It’s a magnificent gift.”
“Excellent!” Kusanagi said as he sat up straighter in his chair. He clapped his hands and yelled a sharp command.
The soft beat of hand drums broke the calm that had fallen over the beach.
Darien looked out at the people, evaluating the scene. He really couldn’t tell without getting closer to them, but it seemed that only a few of the twenty or so individuals were actually vampires. Six at the most. And they didn’t seem to get along very well. Even from where he sat, Darien could feel the tension between the clusters of people. The one exception was the man standing on the sand at the far end of the deck. He was a petite man in a white linen shirt and dark pants. He stood as if he was waiting for something to happen. An overwhelming wave of hostility washed over Darien when he met the man’s eyes.
“So what brings you to Hawaii?” Kusanagi asked breaking into Darien’s thoughts.
The sudden animosity subsided, leaving Darien wondering if he had been reading too much into the strange man’s look. Shaking it off, Darien turned back to answer Kusanagi’s question. He paused as he took in the two women next to their host. They had shifted from their positions on the cushion so they flanked their master. Long and lean, they were extraordinary examples of what the islands could offer. “We’ve come to spend a few quiet days on your island,” Darien said, looking up at Kusanagi.
“I see,” Kusanagi said. His fingers worked their way through the short hair of the girl leaning on his leg. “What do you plan to do during your stay?”
Darien considered his answer before giving it. “Just relax. Maybe take in some of the sights,” he said vaguely. He had a whole schedule of things, but he didn’t want to sound like a fool for wanting to do all the touristy things he’d planned. In addition to seeing Volcanoes National Park, Darien wanted to visit the USS Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor, drive the Hana Road, see the Iolani Palace, and take Vicky to see the turtles at the Maui Ocean Center. All things that a normal vampire—even one helped out by the Hawaiian Council—would have a hard time doing.
“Hawaii does have some wonderful night life.” Kusanagi said wistfully. “Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help.”
“Thank you.” Darien said. “But I have most of it covered already.”
“Really?” The younger vampire said intrigued.
Worrying his lip with his tongue, Darien tried to think of something to say. His best bet would be to tell Kusanagi everything. It wasn’t a secret that he could walk in the sunlight, but confessing that ability always felt like bragging, so he seldom shared that knowledge with others. Before he could come up with a plausible story that wasn’t an outright lie, the distinctive twang of a samisen cut in over the gentle rhythm of the island drums and grabbed his attention. He turned to look at the woman wielding the traditional Japanese lute.
She was magnificent. Her dark hair hung over her shoulder in a long braid. Her perfect skin was almost pearlescent against the line of red around the collar of her white kimono. She bent her head down in concentration as her fingers flew over the strings of the instrument. As the final note hung in the air, she lifted her head and met Darien’s gaze.
Energy snapped between them, making Darien gasp. His heart hammered as he watched the woman drop the samisen to the ground next to her. Desire sang through his blood as she gracefully unfolded herself. The silk of her kimono was held loosely in place by a thin red obi at her waist. As she moved, the front of her robe gaped, giving him flashes of a red under-kimono and long legs. He gripped the claws of the scorpion chair as she held his gaze. The heat in her eyes promised passion to rival his sweetest fantasies.
“Isn’t she enchanting?”
Kusanagi’s words barely registered through the power beating at Darien. Each step of her bare feet drew him deeper into her hold.
“Who is she?”
The sound of Vicky’s voice pulled at Darien and he turned to look at her. She’d shifted her cushions around so she was almost leaning against the leg of his chair. Her golden curls glittered in the firelight making his heart beat for a different reason than that of the woman approaching them. Releasing his death hold on the claw, he reached down and brushed his hand against her shoulder.
She glanced up at him curiously.
Darien smiled at her and held his hand out. As she took it and laced their fingers together, he felt the last traces of the strange woman’s power slip away. When he lifted his eyes to meet her gaze again, he felt the pulse of her power, but it washed around him like water over a rock. The look in her eyes shifted from heat to surprise, and then to intrigue.
Turning to look at Kusanagi, Darien re-asked Vicky’s unanswered question, “Who is she?”
Kusanagi just nodded towards her.
Darien looked back just in time to see her step up onto the deck and stop a few feet from them.
“It’s nice of you to join us, Shuri.” Kusanagi said.
Shuri bowed her head to him. “I have come, as my master has asked, to perform for the Ancient.” She looked back over to Darien. “But I did not expect a kupua.” Dropping down to one knee, she bowed deeply to Darien. “You honor us with your presence, Haku.”
Darien sat up straighter in his chair, unsure what she’d said. He had never heard those words before, but it was obvious they were some terms of respect. “Please,” he said holding his free hand out towards her. “Rise and be known.”
She rose and stood in front of him. “You honor me.” Bowing her head again, she went on. “I am Shuri. I belong to Master Kusanagi, but for tonight, I am yours. What would you have of me?”
Surprised by the sudden declaration, Darien stared at her for a moment before he could get his thoughts into gear. “To sit and visit with the Council is all I require for the moment.”
Shuri bowed her head accepting his words. “Then if your chosen will allow, I shall sit with her for a while.”
Vicky contemplated the woman’s words, surprised that her feelings had been considered. She studied the woman for a moment. With a narrow face and high cheekbones, Shuri was lovely. Vicky glanced up at Darien, but his expression clearly said it was her choice. “I don’t mind,” she said as she turned back to Shuri.
She nodded and moved to sit in the pillows next to Vicky.
Vicky considered the woman as she tucked her kimono around her legs and settled in the cushions. The fact that she had considered Vicky’s feelings before taking a seat had astounded Vicky. In the short time she’d been there, Vicky had come to realize this Council wasn’t like the one in Brenton. At first, it had bothered her that Kusanagi viewed her as an object belonging to Darien, but after seeing his idea of an appropriate gift, she was glad to settle into the familiar role of silent observer. After all, she spent most of her time at work following Darien around, mostly ignored by everyone. It gave her a chance to soak in the surroundings unhindered by conversation. What she found concerned her.
Things seemed pleasant enough, but Vicky had a feeling that things in the Council weren’t going as well as Kusanagi was trying to show. There was a strange distance between each of the small groups spread around the luau. The tension running under the surface may have been veiled to the casual observer, but she’d spent the last few months learning the interplay in Darien’s kiss as they’d settled into their new roles. T
here had been an apprehension in the air until they got used to the changes in their world. This felt the same.
“Thank you.” Shuri said, pulling Vicky out of her thoughts. “It’s been nearly two hundred years since I kept the company of my own kind. It’s refreshing.”
Vicky gave the woman a confused looked. At first, she had thought Shuri was a vampire. She moved with the grace of an old vampire, plus she was as pale as any vampire Vicky had ever met. Now that she was sitting next to Vicky, she didn’t have the presence of a vampire. And if the woman was over two hundred years old, she couldn’t be human. Vicky opened herself to feel the woman out. There was definitely power there, but it was subtle, like Darien’s was when he was pretending to be human. “Your own kind?”
Shuri smiled sweetly. “Well, you are not my kind,” she said, cocking her head and evaluating Vicky. “But you are not the human you pretend to be.”
Vicky’s spine stiffened.
“A changeling perhaps,” Shuri went on, “Young, but still amazingly powerful.” She reached out and caressed Vicky’s cheek. “It will be interesting to see what you’ve become in a few hundred years, when you’ve grown into your power.”
Vicky recoiled from the touch. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
The smile on Shuri’sface changed from sweet to knowing. “Of course not. But there is no need to play coy with me. I amyōkai. I know my own when I see them.”
“Yōkai?” Vicky asked. She wasn’t sure what that was, but it didn’t sound very good.
Shuri nodded, but didn’t offer an explanation.
Vicky opened her mouth to ask, but the touch of Darien’s hand on her shoulder stopped her. She turned to see what he wanted.
“Kusanagi has offered to introduce me to the other masters, would you like to come?” he asked.
Vicky considered the offer for a moment. She was torn. She did want to meet the other masters, just to see what they were like, but she didn’t want them to treat her like she wasn’t there. “I’ll stay here,” she answered.