“That’s…unnerving.”
Andre stood in the open doorway looking vaguely uncomfortable. It had been nearly a week since we got back together, yet we had both been so busy that I had barely seen him outside of our daily planning sessions. I hadn’t mentioned either his nightmare or possible confession yet. I had almost convinced myself that I had misheard or dreamed the whole incident.
Convincing Evan to include me on this mission hadn’t been easy, especially with Andre arguing why I should stay behind, but after certain concessions were made, I was allowed to proceed as planned.
“Come to give me a good luck kiss?” I teased in a terrifyingly low voice that startled me. That final detail had been Ida’s suggestion. She had given me a small bottle of pepper oil that was so strong, all I had to do was inhale the fumes to wreak temporary havoc on my vocal cords.
“I uh, don’t want to mess up your makeup,” Andre said with a comical wince.
“What about me, handsome?”
One of the concessions I had to agree to was that Miles tagged along on our side of the operation. According to Ingrid, the Daughters like magical numbers, so we needed a third priestess. Seeing as I was already playing the male driver, Miles took the third slot. Tanya had done such a convincing job that I had a momentary fit of jealousy when he draped his arm around Andre’s neck and practically gave him a lap dance. Honestly, there was no need for that much cleavage.
“I think you’re both making a good argument for celibacy,” Andre muttered. “If you’re quite done clowning around, we need to get up to Evan’s office.”
“Then I guess we better get this show on the road.” I couldn’t help pinching his butt as I walked past.
Evan’s office was pretty crowded when we got there. In addition to Abe and Johnny’s security detail, several others, including Dara, Layla, and Kaylee, were in attendance since they would be handling communications from headquarters. While Miles made a flamboyant entrance, I stood against the wall, crossed my arms over my chest, and waited for someone to notice me. It didn’t take long.
“Oh my god, that is scary!”
“Day-um! I didn’t know Tanya was going to perform a full sex change on her!”
“Hey no fair, I gotta workout three hours a day to get muscles like that!”
“Is it wrong that I think you’re totally hot?”
“Of course not, Kaylee,” I said with a wink. “My ego would have been crushed if you didn’t.”
My deep baritone caused another uproar, which was silenced with a wave of my hand. “Okay, get it out of your system because we have to get serious here in a minute. How’re we doing on time?”
“You leave in 30 minutes. We’ll follow ten minutes later,” Evan answered. “Okay everyone, let’s run through this one last time.”
The plan was deceptively simple, at least on my end. Once we had the child, we were to drive straight back to New Orleans. We were given an address out by the park that I was unfamiliar with and we were to wait there. It was a given that we would get back first, seeing as Abe had to perform what amounted to open heart surgery in the middle of a swamp.
After all of the equipment was checked and double-checked, we headed out. For my own peace of mind, I ran through the plan again.
“Lucy relax, we got this,” Ingrid assured me.
“That’s another thing, just call me driver, or boy, or whatever a Daughter would call a subservient male. My name is not something we want to throw around out there.”
“Good point, Soddy.”
“Soddy? Seriously? Is that what you call them?” Soddy sounded like I was being insulted by a British thug.
She shrugged. “Servant of Darkness doesn’t really roll off the tongue, so I shortened it; S. O. D. Sod, Soddy if I favor you.” The Daughters of Darkness made absolutely no sense to me.
A few hours later, we were driving alongside a stone wall and I slowed down, keeping an eye out for the gatehouse. I didn’t have to look too hard. The gatehouse stood just around the next curve, illuminated by high-powered perimeter lights. As I signaled my intention to turn, the door opened and two rather large men in what looked like riot gear stepped out. I didn’t fail to notice the automatic assault rifles that they cradled like babies. Hugh would be so proud of me for recognizing them as the same guns he favors. Not that recognizing them stopped me from being completely freaked out. Guns in general made me uncomfortable. Guns in the hands of the wrong people terrified me.
I wasn’t sure what I was expecting when I rolled down the window, but the looks of pure contempt that the guards leveled at me weren’t promising. I blinked a few times and cleared my throat, waiting for some kind of verbal acknowledgment.
“Well, spit it out defect!”
I should have expected as much. A male vampire in the service of a female would be nearly as low on the food chain as a human. “Ingrid Durian has an appointment.”
Thug number one made a grunting noise and gestured with his gun at the lane ahead.
“Keep to the right, stop within the markers, and do not exit the vehicle until you are told to do so.” I nodded curtly and threw the car into drive, happy to put as much distance between me and the assault rifles as possible. Of course, I should have realized that there would be two more burly thugs with giant rifles waiting to make sure I followed the parking instructions carefully. Here though, without the glare of floodlights, I noticed that their skin was the same sickly gray that Cynda’s had turned when she shifted. Suddenly the overwhelming number of anomalies on the hemograph made sense. Bluebeard’s guards weren’t vampires; they were chimeras.
The main house looked like any other plantation house that dotted the Louisiana landscape. We were met at the door by yet another gray-skinned vamp, though this one at least was not brandishing any firearms.
“Miss Ingrid? Master Adam has been expecting you. If you’ll please follow me, he is just finishing up business with another client.” The formality of his speech was at odds with his appearance and strange gestures that reminded me somewhat of a skittish horse. I realized that this was probably because he was part horse. He led us through the foyer and down a long hallway with elaborately carved wood trim. I might have found it beautiful if it wasn’t the house of a psycho murderer. “Please, make yourselves comfortable. Can I offer you any refreshment?”
“No, but thank you for the offer,” Ingrid politely declined. Horseman bowed himself out of the room and I chanced a glance at Miles who tucked a strand of hair behind his ear and brushed his finger against the side of his eye. This wasn’t random fidgeting, we had worked out a set of codes and Miles was letting us know that the room was rigged with both cameras and microphones. This wasn’t the least bit surprising, but it still made me nervous.
Ingrid, Holly, and Miles, or Millicent as he was calling himself, all sat, but I remained standing, using my position as bodyguard to have a look around. I spotted the cameras immediately. Bluebeard didn’t seem to be hiding the fact that he was spying on his guests. I’d seen far more advanced hidden camera set-ups at convenience stores. Nothing else appeared to be amiss. It was a small salon with a couple of antique sofas and a sidebar, complete with crystal decanters. I nearly laughed as I imagined a movie villain with an eye patch pouring a drink as he explained his evil plan. Unfortunately, our villain had yet to materialize and I doubted he was going to tell us his plans.
Through the open window, I heard footsteps and a low voice speaking what sounded like French. As casually as I could, I made my way to where I could spy without being seen and looked out over the dark lawn. Luckily, my involuntary gasp was masked by the sound of a car coming up the gravel drive. I moved to get a better look and confirm that I was seeing what I thought I was. Sure enough, two very large vampires with black skin and silver hair stood chatting in their native tongue. Next to them, two gray-skinned guards and one weedy looking vampire exchanged nervous glances. When the car stopped, the foreign vamps both got inside and drove away.
&
nbsp; I barely had time to contemplate what two high-ranking ES vampires were doing back in the United States before the door opened and a vampire that I was pretty sure could not be Bluebeard, entered the room. Like the weedy one down in the yard and Jonesy, the vamp from the cemetery, this one had a gaunt, hungry look about him and a mannerism that was peculiar.
“Evenin’ ladies,” he said, leering at each of the girls in turn. “I heard daddy had some of you fine society women comin’ up tonight. You some of them Daughters ain’t ya?”
“That is correct, Mister…” Ingrid replied in a haughty tone.
“The name’s Jeb, but you can call me Big Daddy.” I didn’t like his tone and glanced at Ingrid for direction, but she seemed to have it covered.
“I’ll do no such thing. Is there something I can help you with?”
Jeb smiled lecherously. “Honey, you know there is. I heard about you gals. You like to get a little freaky, dontcha?”
I stepped in. Plan or no plan, Jeb was making me nervous. “I’ll politely ask you once to apologize to Mistress Ingrid. I won’t ask you twice.”
“Jeb, what did I tell you about bothering our guests?” I looked over at the speaker and received my second shock of the evening.
Bluebeard was tall and ghostly pale, with light blonde hair, but his eyes were the same pale gold as Isaac’s and mine. But what shocked me most was that aside from the color of his skin and hair, he looked exactly like Isaac. Knowing that Isaac could change his own appearance, and knowing that Cynda and I shared the same DNA despite our physical differences, it was suddenly and painfully clear that Bluebeard wasn’t just the man who created Isaac; he was the man who provided the genetic material as well.
Jeb’s already waxy complexion paled considerably. “I didn’t mean nothin’ by it, papa.”
“What you meant is inconsequential,” Bluebeard said in an icy tone before turning to Ingrid with an apologetic smile. “Ingrid, my dear, I apologize for the abhorrent behavior of my child. Clearly, he’s more defective than I originally suspected and he will be punished for his transgressions. If you will excuse me for just a moment.”
“Of course,” Ingrid said demurely.
“Come along, Jeb,” Bluebeard commanded. To my surprise, Jeb followed immediately, head bowed like a dog that knew he had done something bad. Several moments passed before the door opened again and Bluebeard reemerged, wiping his hands on a handkerchief. I could have sworn that I saw traces of what was likely blood before he stuffed it back into his pocket and I wondered if in fact that was the last we, or anyone for that matter, would see of Jeb.
“Ingrid, love, again I must apologize. But come, my darling, it’s been ages! How is Stephan?”
Ingrid stood and Holly and Miles followed her lead. She grasped the vampire’s hand and allowed him to bring hers to his lips for a formal kiss. “Stephan is dead. I’m afraid I’m not terribly put out. As you know from our correspondence, I’ve been enlightened.”
“Ah yes, an interesting if somewhat regrettable lifestyle choice.”
Ingrid bristled with haughty indignation. “I see nothing regrettable about it. Misogyny only serves to bring our species down to the level of swine. I dare say your… young man’s manners only solidify my faith.”
“You raise a fair, if not regrettable point, my dear. I suspect to some degree this is due to the impurity of our kind. However darling, resorting to mysticism is also an animalistic quality. Have you considered Paris? Our European brethren have a more far-reaching outlook than mere survival.”
I wasn't sure which was more preposterous, that the man who was deliberately mixing human DNA into his modifications was talking about purity of blood or the idea that the European vampires weren't worried about self-preservation. Their presence here tonight proved otherwise. Ingrid dismissed his words with a wave of her hand.
“I've no patience for a lecture, Adam. If I'm wasting my time here just let me know. You know what I am offering is generous and I am more than willing to take my money to Alexandria.”
“Yes, about that.” Bluebeard narrowed his eyes at her. “You're offering quite a price for something I've been led to believe the Daughters typically take for free. Why is that, Ingrid?”
I glanced at Miles and Holly. Both looked as though, like me, they wondered why we couldn't simply kill this guy right now and save everyone the stress. Ingrid however, acted as though she was expecting everything that transpired.
“I'll be happy to explain the complexities of the Rite of Mother's Fertile Earth, but I don't want to insult your empirical faith in nothing with the details of my silly mysticism. All you really need to know is that I need the pure blood of an innocent.”
Bluebeard regarded her with an amused expression and shook his head slowly. He turned suddenly towards me. “What is your name, boy?”
Ingrid opened her mouth to answer for me as we had planned, but Bluebeard cut her off with a sharp look. “Surely he isn't so defective that he cannot speak for himself?”
“My name is whatever Mistress Ingrid wishes it to be.” Ingrid shot me a pleased smile.
“My mistake, he's clearly more defective than I thought.”
“My servant's loyalty does not go unrewarded,” she answered, throwing me an exaggerated lustful glance before cutting her eyes back to Bluebeard with a frown. “You desire something more than I have offered? I regret to inform you that Holly and Millicent are to remain virgins until the rite is performed.”
“I have no interest in your acolytes,” he said dismissively, turning once again to me with a very disturbing expression. Ingrid’s eyes went momentarily wide when she realized his intentions.
“No, absolutely not, I favor that one.”
“Surely you have others. Tell me, how old is the boy?” It was all I could do not to kill the bastard with my own hands. My fangs had descended and refused to retract no matter how hard I tried to force them.
“Too young for what you likely have in mind,” Ingrid responded. This only made Bluebeard’s smile widen into a disgusting leer.
“You should know I have a preference for young ones, dear.”
I growled. With my altered voice, it was deep and menacing. I was practically shaking with rage and I wasn’t sure how much longer I could be in the room before I compromised the mission.
“He sees you as a threat to me, Adam,” Ingrid said lightly, but with warning. “If you aren’t careful, he’ll rip you to shreds.”
Bluebeard turned from me at last, but not before giving me one last longing look. “I might enjoy his attempts. He’d make a fine addition to my collection,” he said with a wistful sigh. “He’s not one of mine, where did he come from?”
“Alexandria,” Ingrid said with exasperation, “which is where I am headed if you are wasting my time.”
“Mistress, the hour grows late,” Holly warned with a deep and mysterious voice.
“You needn’t worry yourself with Alexandria, darling,” Bluebeard said with a strange look at Holly. “I agreed to your price and I’m delighted to do business with you. I just thought I might bargain for what you truly desire. That which you know deep down this ritual will not give you.”
“Oh? And what pray tell is that?”
Bluebeard circled swiftly around Ingrid and pressed the palm of his hand to her abdomen. Miles, Holly, and I all went on full alert. “What your creators saw fit to leave out, my dear.” He bent his head close to her ear and stage whispered so that we all could hear. “A womb, capable of bearing a child.”
For a moment, a very real hope flared in Ingrid’s eyes and her body slackened slightly. “You can do that?” she whispered sharply. Bluebeard stepped away from her with a chuckle.
“My poor misguided Ingrid. Have you forgotten that we are the only gods in this forsaken world? Tis but a simple procedure, my dear. If you will allow me to ready a suite for your party, I can schedule the operation for the morning.”
I was convinced we were all dead. How Bluebeard manag
ed to hit upon Ingrid’s one real desire was both baffling and terrifying. Her conflict was palpable in the silent room. I didn’t dare chance looking at Miles or Holly and kept my eyes fixed on Ingrid, silently willing her to see past the lies. At long last, she hung her head with a sigh.
“You’re right, of course,” she said ominously. “Call it a defect if you must, but yes, that is what I desire. However,” she crossed her arms and glared up at Bluebeard. “I have not forgotten the indignities I’ve suffered at the hands of Stephan and I’m afraid I’m distrustful of any man who claims science can better our species. Uphold your end of our arrangement tonight and I will consider your offer,” she glanced at me with a look of apology, “and perhaps your price.”
“Very well then.” Bluebeard walked to the door and pressed a button on an intercom on the wall. “Persephone, our clients wish to see the child.”
A few minutes later a small, mousy woman in a drab gray dress, which looked like an old-fashioned prison uniform, shuffled into the room, cradling a small bundle of blankets close to her chest. When she saw us her eyes widened with fear and from the normal blue color of them, it was obvious that she was human. I had been right, and again, it made me sick. She clutched the child closer.
“Persephone, the child, please,” Bluebeard scolded. With trembling hands, she handed over the baby who immediately began to cry. At the sound, the girl automatically reached out again, but Bluebeard lifted the child out of her reach. “Now, now, she is not your concern anymore.”
“But father,” the girl mumbled, “you said they-”
“What I said is that they might not take the child. Leave us now, Persephone. You will have other dolls to occupy you soon enough.”
With one last heartbreaking look towards the baby, the girl shuffled out of the room. I felt physically ill. We might have been rescuing one child with the intention of rescuing the others, but putting a face to the countless we were leaving behind, even temporarily, made me feel as much like a monster as the man who had imprisoned them.
The Eyes of the Sun: The Complete Trilogy Page 46