Draken watched Artur leave then whirled around and wandered across the room to his throne. He sank into the firm wooden seat, placed his arms on the armrests, and closed his eyes. His anger had subsided. He would still get his Day-Walker, only this way he could inflict the most amount of pain. He would offer to spare the human woman in exchange for the Day-Walker's blood, but once the other vampire was under his power, he would kill her first and then drain the elixir that would make him invincible.
He smiled and reached out with his mind. He intended to observe this mission first-hand, and it wasn't long before he found the unique print of Artur's mind amongst the hundreds of thousands in the city. Most vampire minds were closed to him, but he and Artur exchanged blood daily in order to maintain this link. He travelled with Artur through the deserted night streets, out into the sleeping suburbs.
He allowed himself a moment to revel in the night: the darkness, the purity, the play of the shadows where they touched the pale filtered rays from a streetlamp. It was a world where anything seemed possible, and yet, it was one he had conquered long ago. Its mystery was beginning to lose its charm, and he was desperate for new horizons. Soon the blood of the Day-Walker would open up a world of light for him, and beneath the heady glow of the sun, he would slowly extend his control to the daytime hours until he was master of all.
He had waited centuries for this dream, pursued it with every resource available to him, and now his patience and dedication would be repaid. He became aware that Artur had stopped. They had reached the woman's house. He stretched his mind outwards, finding no sign of any human presence inside the small dwelling. The only mind pattern he picked up was that of a cat lurking in the garden, out on the hunt. He let himself walk with it for a while as it stalked through the grass. The cat was a predator too, but barely a speck of dust in comparison with him. He experienced an overwhelming urge to reach out with his mind and suffocate it.
At that moment, he felt the shift and Artur's buzz of anticipation, and he forgot the cat as he returned to the task at hand. The scene had changed. In Artur's mind, he saw the approaching headlights as a car pulled up outside the house. Then he noticed the push of two new minds entering the scene. One was closed to him, a fellow vampire, and would be dealt with in due course, but the other was new, and he realised this was the one they had come for. He eased into her mind, wanting to ensure everything went according to plan this time, then settled back in his chair and waited.
Chapter 11
The journey from North Adelaide to her home was not a long one, but the heavy silence during the drive weighed down on Darci, making every moment pure torture. She was lethargic, her body urging her to lie down and do nothing, and yet she knew she would get no sleep this night. Her mind was a whirlpool of thoughts: acceptance and denial, belief and incredibility. Her world had been turned upside down in a matter of hours, and she no longer recognised it. She no longer recognised herself either. Was she still the person she used to be? Had she changed? Or had she simply not truly known herself until tonight?
She was both grateful and anxious when they finally pulled over in front of her unit, grateful to be back somewhere familiar and relieved to be able to leave Stefan's sombre company. However, the idea of being alone with her thoughts was not one she relished. She reached out to open the car door.
"It is for the best. You will come to see that." Stefan spoke softly, his voice lacking the usual hint of his sardonic humour. "Humans cannot live with us; it never works."
"What about Liza?"
"Temporary arrangements are sometimes necessary. She'll get over her infatuation with me in time, and then I'll let her go and find another."
Darci didn't believe one word of it. She had seen the way he looked at the girl, and she was certain there were more feelings there than he was admitting. But she let it be because another question had come into her mind.
"Why don't you want Will? You know what he is. Don't you want his blood?"
"Ah, cherie," Stefan said, his normal, humorous tone returning. "I am happy in the night. It suits me. Even as a human, I enjoyed the pleasures of the night and slept during the day, so I did not really give anything up, and there is nothing for me to miss. Unlike Will, I embrace the darker side of my nature, not to the extreme that Draken and the other leaders do, but I do not deny it. Why would I worry myself with day? Go in now, get some sleep. Dawn is coming."
Darci managed a weak smile. "Goodbye then, Stefan."
"Goodbye, cherie. Perhaps our paths will cross again one day."
Darci climbed out and shut the door. She waited until the blue-white tail lights of the sports car were out of view and she could no longer hear the deafening roar of its engine, then she turned homewards.
She walked up the driveway, her feet dragging. The other units on her block were all in darkness, even the most die-hard of their occupants long having gone to bed. The wind blew through the gum trees, their leaves whispering as she approached her door. She reached into her bag to retrieve her keys, her body on autopilot.
She stepped into her living room. Not bothering to turn on the light, she shut the door behind her and dropped her bag onto the settee. She wove her way around the room, avoiding all obstacles on the familiar route, unhampered by the absence of light to guide her way.
In the kitchen, she poured herself a glass of water. It was only as the liquid slid down her throat, refreshing and cool, that she realised how thirsty she had been. She downed a second glassful then turned off the tap. She stood there a moment, leaning forward, hands on the rim of the sink, unable to move as she waited for the dizziness that had suddenly come upon her to pass.
I should lie down. She took a few unsteady steps until she found her feet again. The sudden glare of the bathroom light was blinding, and when she could finally see again, she wished she hadn't bothered. The pallid look of her skin accented the dark circles under her eyes, making her eyes appear sunken in and small. Her hair was tousled, and she could tell it was going to take some rigorous brushing and a fair amount of painful root pulling to get all the knots out. But not right now. She splashed some water on her face and patted it dry then pulled on the cord, turning the light off. Everything else could wait until later.
The blind in her bedroom was open, and the faint glow of dawn approached through the window. She reached out for the light, thinking to read a while until the sun came up. Her hand never made it to the switch.
The attack from behind took her completely by surprise. A large hand clamped over her mouth and another slipped around her waist, pulling her back against a firm masculine torso. She strained, trying to free her mouth to scream, her legs kicking wildly. She got a few good hits against the legs of her assailant, but he seemed oblivious and refused to loosen his hold on her.
Sleep!
A deep voice she didn't recognise echoed in her head, blocking out everything else until it felt like it was a part of her and she had no choice but to obey. Her legs slowed their motion, turning to jelly, flopping to a halt. Her whole body became heavy, and she went limp in the arms of the man who held her. Her head lolled forward, hair falling across her face, and her eyes blinked once, twice, then slowly began to close. All the while, the voice continued to speak to her.
Sleep, little one. The dawn is upon us, but we will meet tomorrow night.
Chapter 12
Wake.
Darci came to feeling groggy, her head heavy as if she were hung over. Her body was stiff and frozen, muscles aching as she moved. The floor beneath her was cold and unyielding. Her fingers carefully explored the area, brushing across rough concrete tiles and the damp soil between them. She couldn't even see her own hand as it moved through the impenetrable dark.
The voice that had entered her mind, telling her to wake, had departed once more, and there was no sound of any other life. Not even the scuttle of a beetle or the call of a night bird cut through the deafening silence. She was alone in the darkness. She wrapped her arms across
her chest, rubbing them against the cold.
She hoped Will had gotten out. She was certain it had been vampires who had kidnapped her. There had been no sound of footsteps behind her, and her assailant had held her with no effort at all. Perhaps they wanted her to tell them where Will was. If so, they were out of luck. I might die here. She took a moment to consider that. Maybe she would. Once they found she was of no use to them, they might let her go. Then again, they might not, and she might never leave this place alive. For the first time, she was glad Will had not told her his destination. If she had to die, she could at least do so knowing she hadn't taken Will with her, knowing she had thwarted the plans of this vampire-king.
Even so, thinking that she could soon be dead brought hot, stinging tears to her eyes. She was so young still and she had so many plans, so many things she wanted to accomplish. She had never thought to find herself locked up in the dark, waiting to die.
After a few moments, she could bear it no longer and decided to at least find out something about where she was being kept. You aren't dead yet! she told herself sternly. If she gave up now, she might as well slit her own throat and be done with it. If she wanted to live, she couldn't afford to just sit around, wallowing in self-pity. She had to act. She needed to be ready for whatever might happen.
Steeling herself, she scrambled to her feet, ignoring the icy pain in her legs. In getting up, her back had come into contact with a wall. She leant against it, the damp and slightly crumbling brick so coarse beneath her fingers it chafed her skin.
Taking slow steps, she followed the wall along. It was only a few paces before she reached a corner and she turned with it, letting the new wall guide her forward. She hadn't moved far before another corner made her turn once more. This time she felt the surface change beneath her hands, rough brick replaced by smooth steel. A door. She explored the surface, trying to locate the handle. After a brief search, her hand closed around it. She paused, taking a deep breath, holding it in as she turned the metal knob. It wouldn't budge.
I'm sorry, it is locked at present. I had hoped to meet you tonight, but business has called me away so I shall have to deny you the pleasure of my company until tomorrow night. There is food a few paces in front of you if you are hungry.
Darci shook her head, her hand still grasping the door handle as she tried to rid herself of the voice. Having this other presence inside her mind was a violation and she felt tainted by the contact, but at least she now had some information to work with.
She had not been shut up in here then forgotten; they still intended to speak to her. She would have to bear another twenty-four hours at least in her gloomy cage, not a thought that brought her any comfort. Plus, there was food somewhere nearby, unless that had been a lie to give her false hope.
She sank down onto her hands and knees, the cold of the floor burning uncomfortably through her skin and making her fingers twitch. She inched forward, leading with her hands, until her fingers hit against something on the ground in front of her. She touched the edges; it was a plate. Pulling it closer, she sat down with her legs crossed beneath her to examine it.
There was a chip in the rim of the crockery that caught her skin, but then she found herself handling something that was unmistakably bread, though it felt hard and crusty. She leant forward again, her hands fumbling in the pitch black for a moment before colliding with another container. The impact made it rock from side to side and liquid sloshed as she grabbed hold, steadying it.
She lifted the cool metal jug to her lips and took a small, tentative sip. Adelaide Cocktail. If she hadn't been so parched, she might have been tempted to spit it out. She'd never been able to stomach tap water in Adelaide. There was something indescribable about the taste, something chemical and repugnant. On this occasion she had no choice; it was a case of drink it or go thirsty.
She picked up the stale bread and broke a small piece off, popping it into her mouth. It was dry and rough on her tongue, and it took several minutes of chewing before she could force it down her throat. Even then she had to clamp a hand over her mouth so she didn't throw up.
She ate as much as she could bear, washing it down with half of the remaining water. Time had long since ceased to be measurable, and she had no idea how many minutes had passed since she'd woken up. Was it still night or was the sun now shining somewhere outside, beyond these walls? She didn't want to lie down on that frozen floor again, and yet, she knew she should at least try to get some sleep. She needed to conserve her strength. She stretched out on her side, one hand under her head to at least keep that part of her off the floor and stop herself from losing too much more heat, and then she closed her eyes.
Chapter 13
The double doors of the audience chamber opened, and Stefan Koske was led inside, flanked by Artur and Hans.
Draken watched as his visitor approached, impressed despite himself at Koske's cool demeanour. Most who were summoned before him condemned themselves through their agitation and unease before they even opened their mouths.
"My lord Draken," Koske said, reaching the throne and offering a deep bow. "To what do I owe the honour of this invitation?"
"Let us not play games, Koske. You know why you are here. The fugitive Day-Walker was found at your home. I want to know how long you have kept him from me and where he is now."
"I have kept nothing from you, my lord," Stefan answered, holding out his hands in a gesture of innocent compliance. "In truth, I had no idea he was a Day-Walker until last night when your servant botched his arrest. As to where he is now, I really do not have the least idea."
"You vouched for him when he arrived in town," Draken pressed, ignoring the slight against his people for now, "so I didn't bother to interview him myself. You have known him for many years yet you expect me to believe you knew nothing of his daytime activities?"
"Naturally we only met at night, and he never let slip anything that would have led me to suspect."
"Hmm. You still have that little human pet, do you not, Koske? You brought her here once, I seem to recall. If I ever find out you have lied to me in this matter, her life will be forfeit and her death will be painful and lingering."
Draken smiled, his mood improving tenfold when he saw Stefan's brow crease at his threat. For all Koske's protestations of innocence and his calm appearance, Draken was sure he was lying. But that was a small matter that could be dealt with at a more suitable time. For now, the threat would be enough to keep Koske in line.
"Very well, you may leave." Draken waited until Stefan was at the door before he called out after him. "I will soon have the Day-Walker in any case. I have his human woman, and if he values her life, he will come back and give himself up to me."
He was satisfied to see the younger vampire pause mid-stride, but Koske did not answer or look back. He regained his composure and left the room, Hans hard on his heels.
"Should we keep watch on him?" Artur asked, approaching the throne once the doors were closed.
"No, he is no threat. Leave him be with his human for now. What I do want you to do is contact the heads of every city. Tell them that if this Will arrives at their gates they are to let him know we have his woman and require his return at once. If they ask, tell them it is for a middling offense, but reveal nothing of his condition."
"It will be done, Master."
"Tomorrow night I will see the girl for myself. Have her made ready and brought before me. Speak to the human slaves about preparing some sort of repast for her—whatever humans like to eat these days."
Artur bowed and glided out of the room, leaving him alone. Draken leant back in his seat and chuckled. He rested his elbows on the chair arms, hands interlaced, index fingers tapping against his lips. Everything was going according to plan. He allowed himself a moment to gloat as he reflected on the perfection of his scheme. He had already taken possession of the Day-Walker's queen and now he was moving the pieces into position for checkmate.
* * * *
&nb
sp; It was only five degrees Celsius when Will stepped out of the terminal at Boston's Logan International Airport into the Massachusetts night air. Though vampires didn't feel heat and cold to the same extent as humans, the change still came as a shock to him after the unremitting warmth of the Australian summer.
He got into a taxi, sitting silently in the back, ignoring all the driver's attempts at conversation until they reached the Hilton in the financial district. He handed the driver a generous tip then hurried into the lobby.
After checking in, he left the hotel, hands buried deep into the pockets of his fleece coat, pure artifice to blend in amongst the crowds. This was not his first time in Boston, and he remembered the directions to the house. He wanted to see the local ruler, James Fitzroy, as soon as possible to get the duty over and done with, leaving him free to think.
"William," James said, drawing out the 'a' in his broad Bostonian accent. "How ah yah?" The accent was a fabrication of course. Will knew very well the man had been born in fourteenth century England and had only taken over the rule of Boston twenty years before.
"Hello, James. I was hoping to stay here a while—a few months maybe—if that's acceptable."
"Sure, sure; nice to have yah with us."
Will bowed and turned to go, not wanting to get into a long conversation when he really needed time alone.
"Say, Will, there was a message left for yah. I had nearly decided not to pass it on, considering how much I hate the guy, but I guess yah might like tah hear it. Seems yah upset Draken back in Adelaide before yah left, and he says he's got some human of yours and wants yah to return. Personally, I think the guy's an ass, and I'd ignore it, but it's up to yah."
Will nodded his thanks and left before his emotions could betray him. Draken had Darci. The thought of him being anywhere near her made his blood boil. His head was pounding painfully against his temple and the world around him receded into the background, the colour turning to grey, as he stormed through the streets, heading back towards the hotel.
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