Antoinette knew the rest of the story. Christian, enraged with grief over his father and wife’s murder, began hunting down and slaughtering all those responsible. He killed so many rebels while tracking down the traitors, that he earned his title the Crimson Executioner.
Talk of peace seemed impossible until Christian, the one they’d all expected to lead the attack against the humans, approached Nicolae instead. Christian’s grief had not been sated by the carnage he’d wrought; in fact his remorse was so great, Nicolae took pity on him. But the Aeternus Council of Elders would never agree to peace while the one man responsible for the attack was still free. Nicolae had to make the most difficult decision of his life. Face more war and more death or give up his only brother, Emil.
Nicolae chose the latter, with the assurance that in return for his support with the Aeternus Elders no repercussions from the humans would be taken against Christian for the deaths he’d dealt. If the Crimson Executioner could be made to see reason, then there was hope for them all. From that single act of cooperation and mutual trust, peace talks became possible again.
Emil was tried by the Aeternus Council of Elders and sentenced to death by public beheading, only this time Christian looked on instead of playing the executioner.
“What does this have to do with the present and the Aeternus’s visit?” Antoinette looked up, trying to maintain a calm appearance.
Sergei stood up and limped around the desk, his cane thumping on the floor until he came to a stop beside her. “Christian is not our enemy. You have to let go of the past.”
“But Uncle—” All that history happened over a hundred years ago, but she couldn’t get past the fact Christian had slaughtered so many humans in cold blood.
Sergei straightened. “I’ve decided that we should attend the annual CHaPR conference this year. I need to talk to some old friends.”
“But, Uncle, they’ve been trying to get you to go for years and you always steered away from the politics of the Guild and CHaPR. What’s different now?”
“You need to have more exposure to parahumans; you’ve isolated yourself from contact for far too long. It’s time to live in the real world, Antoinette.”
Antoinette glanced at Sergei, the sting of his words cut deep.
His expression softened. “Look, if half of what Christian tells me is true, we may be in for some very rough times. I need to look into these incidents myself, and what better place to start than at the conference all my colleagues will be attending? The evidence Christian brought points to the involvement of someone within the Guild itself. I need to be sure before I turn my back on the Guild once and for all.”
Antoinette narrowed her eyes. “That’s impossible. Why would the Guild be involved? Its purpose is to protect us from his kind—why should we trust the word of a filthy bloodsucker?”
Antoinette’s head rocked back, the side of her face stinging. She looked up at her uncle’s thunderous face and raised her hand to her cheek. Sergei had never laid a hand on her before but then she’d never spoken with such disrespect either.
“Firstly, we owe Christian a personal debt.” Sergei’s voice took on a harsh yet controlled tone. “Christian saved your lives when he brought you and Nici to us. And…” Sergei leaned forward on his cane, his face grim. “Let’s not forget what else occurred when The Troubles plagued us last time—you lost both your parents.”
It didn’t really matter what hotel Christian was in, they were all the same. He headed straight for the bar and ordered a double scotch straight up. He downed it in one mouthful and signaled for another.
“Went that well, did it?” a familiar voice asked.
“Join me for a drink, Viktor?” Christian turned to catch the amused glint in his friend’s amber eyes.
“Sure, if you’re buying.” The handsome blond man’s laughter attracted the attention of a nearby stunner who fluffed her bleached blond hair and smiled in their direction. Viktor chuckled again, slapping Christian’s shoulder. “But let’s go somewhere more…private.”
They walked to an alley a few blocks away and arrived just in time to see the large, bald doorman turning away a curious human couple.
“Evening, Keith,” Christian said to the giant ursian bouncer who resembled an African god carved from polished obsidian. “More curious tourists I see.”
“Mr. Laroque, Mr. Dushic.” Keith greeted each of them with a nod of his large scarred head and turned to watch the drunken couple stumble back the way they’d come. “The Princess has stopped all unescorted humans from entering.”
Christian had seen it before, dozens of times. Human males try to impress their girlfriends by taking them to an exotically dangerous club and end up with more than they bargained for when some horny or thirsty Aeternus starts fanging on their date.
“Is your mistress in tonight?” Christian asked.
“Yes, sir.” Keith’s voice rumbled as he reached out a colossal arm to hold the door for them. “The Princess is within.”
Before entering, Viktor stopped. “Is there anything special on the menu?”
“I’m sure she has something to your taste, Mr. Dushic,” Keith replied.
The club’s gloom was welcome after the bright streetlights and they walked down a hall lined with gauzy curtained privacy cubicles. Sighs and moans emanated as they passed. This club was different from the one Christian usually frequented in New York, but he enjoyed the change of scene.
Christian and Viktor stopped at the entrance to the club’s inner sanctum where a DJ played for an undulating crowd on the dance floor.
The Princess stood on the other side of the room talking to a group of people but immediately turned in their direction as if sensing their presence.
The tall dark-skinned woman smiled as she came toward them. Her white lace dress left very little to the imagination: high rounded breasts nearly spilled out of the thin strips of cloth that passed for a top, and the high splits of her skirt left her long, shapely legs bare to the hip. She moved like the royalty she was, and the crowded dance floor parted before her.
Christian placed her outstretched hand to his lips. “Akentia—you’re looking as lovely as ever.”
The regal Aeternus Elder accepted his compliment with a graceful tilt of her head. “And you, Christian, are as charming as ever.” Then she turned her smile on his companion. “Viktor, it’s been a long time. I was sorry to hear I’d missed you last night.”
“I only came with Christian on this trip to bask in your beauty, highness.” Viktor flashed his extended fangs and kissed her offered hand.
The lushness of her full lips meant she’d recently fed and her white teeth glowed in stark contrast to her ebony skin as she returned his smile. “Liar! I am sure my presence is not what brings two of the Department’s finest to my little club. You’ll need a private room, yes?” She turned and clicked her fingers. “And I’ll have my children attend you.”
Immediately two of Akentia’s “children,” as she referred to her donors, appeared at her side; one a raven-haired girl dressed in a skintight black leather mini dress and the other a stunning blond man in a white see-through body shirt and matching snug leather pants.
“They’re fresh,” Akentia said, smoothing the hair on the girl’s head. “This one hasn’t known the fang.” She reached out and slid a cool palm down Christian’s cheek. “You could be her first—we could both be her first.”
Akentia offered him a compliment and he was tempted. To awaken a fang-virgin to the delights of feeding was a beautiful experience for both participants, and with Akentia involved it was sure to be explosive.
Viktor licked his lips and ran his hand across the young man’s chest. He didn’t discriminate between the sexes when it came to feeding or pleasures of the flesh. Man or woman, he enjoyed both equally.
But, much to his own disappointment, Christian bent over Akentia’s long slim fingers and brushed them with his lips again. “We’ll take the room, Princess, but we have mu
ch to discuss and can’t afford the distraction. Perhaps another time?”
Disappointment flashed across Viktor’s face, but then he nodded. “Sorry, Princess, but he’s right I’m afraid.”
“Anything you wish, my dear boy.” Akentia’s hand slid across Christian’s chest, her own eyes reflecting the glimmer of regret. “Marcus, show these gentlemen to the Peacock Room, and bring them a couple of bottles from my private stock.”
“Yes, Mistress,” the boy said, bowing low and then leading the way.
He pressed a panel to open a hidden door behind a velvet curtain, holding it aside so the two men could pass. They entered the tastefully decorated room. A one-way mirror filled the length of the wall and looked out onto the dance floor. Plush leather lounges were scattered around for comfort and pleasure. Viktor closed the curtains on the dancers and then sat opposite Christian. “So did he believe you?”
Before Christian could answer, the boy reappeared carrying a tray and placed it on the low table. He exchanged a quick heated glance with Viktor before withdrawing. Viktor watched him until the door closed.
“Sergei couldn’t ignore the evidence,” Christian said when he was sure they were alone again. “But it was better that you didn’t come with me in the end. Good call.”
“She’s definitely Grigore’s daughter.” Viktor pulled the cork stopper from the bottle and poured a splash of crimson into the glass. After a sip, he smiled approvingly. “Akentia’s taste is impeccable, as usual.” He filled a fresh glass and passed it to Christian before refilling his own. The freshly drawn blood warmed the glass in Christian’s hand. Viktor sat back and draped an arm along the back of the lounge.
“What did he say?” Viktor asked, growing serious.
“I think he’ll agree to his niece’s involvement.” Christian drained the crimson nectar and placed his empty glass back on the table.
“Excellent. Just what I’d hoped but we still have to be careful who we trust.” Viktor said, pouring himself some more, then offered the bottle to Christian.
He shook his head. “How do you know you can trust me?”
“Who says I do?” Viktor’s stoic expression held no hint of humor, then it dissolved into a grin.
For a moment Christian had the impression his friend wasn’t entirely joking. Viktor’s grin faded, but the warmth didn’t leave his eyes.
“Christian, my old friend, you could never lie to me. Take Dominique, for example. I knew you were in love with her long before you’d even admitted it to yourself. Every time you denied it, I could hear the truth in your voice and see it in your eyes when you looked at her.”
Pain pierced Christian’s heart at the mention of his late wife’s name. She’d been kindness and love personified. The war tore at her heart with each loss of life. “All that useless death and destruction,” she used to say. So when his father had approached them about a truce with the humans, Dominique had jumped at the chance, even though Christian had thought it was insane. She’d quickly joined Ignatius’s cause, agreeing to be an emissary, but when they’d been murdered Christian had wanted to wipe humanity from the face of the earth.
Viktor had saved him then; he’d opened Christian’s eyes to the fact it wasn’t humans he was angry with—it was himself for not being there to protect them.
“Christian…”
He looked up at his friend to find his pain and loss mirrored in Viktor’s face. He’d also suffered. The third assassinated emissary had been Viktor’s father, Mikhail.
“I’m sorry.” Viktor dropped his gaze. “I shouldn’t have brought that up.”
“Don’t apologize. It was a difficult time for both of us. The act of a few misguided men happened long ago and I’ve stopped blaming anyone. Including myself.”
Time to change the subject. “So if the Guild won’t cooperate why isn’t CHaPR stepping in?”
“The Guild is autonomous and hasn’t broken any laws. They’ve repeatedly denied any leaks from within their number. Sir Roger Wilberforce-Smythe, the human CHaPR ambassador, repeatedly blocks any attempts by the Department to become involved. He refuses to see the patterns similar to The Troubles when the Council almost split into two factions. If that happens then all we’ve achieved will be…” Viktor trailed off and his eyes went blank.
“Viktor?” Christian prompted.
His friend shook his head. “We have to gather more evidence, force them to open their eyes.”
“So how—will we use the girl?”
“We’ll use her—somehow get her to draw out the one we’re after. You must convince her that you’re genuine. It’s essential to gain her trust.”
“I know, but that’s easier said than done. With Sergei’s fall from grace with the Guild, I see no other way to get near them,” Christian said.
“What does she know about it?”
“I don’t know. Sergei didn’t seem willing to go into it, but I’m pretty certain she’s not aware of the tension between Sergei and Sir Roger.”
“Excellent. Let’s keep it that way for now.” Leather creaked as Viktor shifted in his seat. “What about Grigore? What does she think happened to him?”
Christian stared down at his hands. “Sergei never told her the truth; she still thinks he’s dead.”
Viktor sighed heavily. “He could be for all I know. It’s been weeks now since he disappeared. It’s just not like him to stay out of contact this long.”
Christian sank back into the soft seat. “Did he give you any other clues?”
“No more than what I’ve already told you.”
It was something cryptic about a contact within the Guild and a distant Petrescu family member being involved. Christian stood, frustration pounding at his temples. “But that doesn’t tell us much.”
“Which is why we must use Grigore’s daughter as bait.” Viktor crossed his legs and smoothed out an imaginary wrinkle on his pants before fixing Christian with a stern gaze. “There’s no other way.”
At that moment Viktor’s cell phone went off with a funky techno beat and he held up a finger to Christian as he answered it. “Talk to me.”
“Right,” Viktor said after a minute and flipped his phone shut before looking at Christian, his face all business. “We have to get back to New York ASAP. Looks like the human ambassador to CHaPR is the next target. But we still don’t know who the leak in the Guild is and if we can’t get Antoinette to draw them out, our plan could fall apart.”
5
Goodbyes
Nici was waiting outside for her as she left the training room.
“Sorry—but can we leave this until tomorrow?” Antoinette asked. She was bone tired, the weight of the day suddenly pressing down on her.
Nici reached up and tugged his left ear, a sure sign he was nervous. But then he dropped his hand and straightened. “No. I need to talk to you now—it’s really important.”
Antoinette’s stomach clenched in premonition. “What is it?”
“Let’s go to the eating hall, it’s usually empty this time of night.” Nici avoided her eyes.
As predicted, no one was around. All the students were in bed long ago, training started before sunup. She’d been one of those students once and while life had seemed hard at the time, it had really been much simpler. Now she and Nici only used the family’s school as a home base in between missions, not knowing where they’d be from one day to the next.
They sat at the end of a long communal dining table but now that he had her attention, Nici seemed reluctant to speak.
She reached across the table for his hand. “Nici, what is it?”
“I’ve been offered a place with the Guild,” he said, so softly she barely heard him.
Antoinette withdrew her hand and sat back. A foreboding shadow darkened her heart. “You’re leaving me?”
He looked up suddenly, his jaw jutting. “It’s not like that.”
“No?” she whispered. “You’re my brother, we’re supposed to stick together.”
“In a few days.” His face filled with pride, she’d never seen him so sure of himself, so confident. “They’re really impressed with my designs and want me to start as soon as possible. It’s London—the best lab facilities in the world—and I’ll finally have a chance to fight in my own way.”
“But you do—”
“No, Antoinette,” he softened his tone, “you do. I sit in the van waiting to find out if you’ve killed or have been killed, sick with worry and hoping it isn’t the latter. This way I get to work on equipment to help save the lives of Venators like you.”
Nici had always tinkered on things in the workshop and Antoinette had to admit his designs were good. In London, he’d really be able to achieve his full potential.
She caught movement out of the corner of her eye. A young woman stood half hidden in the doorway of the kitchen, watching them. Tatiana, Nici’s girlfriend, and another tech-head. Tatiana dropped her gaze to the ground and backed away from the door—she was always timid around Antoinette.
“I see,” Antoinette said. “You’re not accepting this R&D position just for yourself, are you?”
Nici followed her gaze and the girl reappeared in the doorway, her lips trembled as she tried a shaky smile.
“She’s pregnant.” Nici’s eyes softened before he steeled himself again. “Look—you’re the Venator, not me, that’s the way it’s always been. And to be honest, I don’t really have the stomach for it anymore.”
“What about our parents’ deaths?” Antoinette snatched at his hand, the fear of losing him overwhelming. “Doesn’t that mean anything to you?”
“Of course it does.” He pulled his hand out of hers and ran it over his face. “But it’s not going to bring them back, is it?”
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