"I've never heard of someone named Kifirin. Kifirin is the name of the High Demons' planet. Where did you get that information?" Dragon asked.
"I just met someone yesterday who called himself that."
"Lissa, that knowledge is only known to a select few on this side of the universes," Dragon said. "It's likely an accident that he came across that name." I just hunched my shoulders and didn't mention it again.
* * *
"Honored One, I know a call from me is likely unwelcome at this time, but I've had two hits on Lissa's information. One I'm sure you or someone you know ordered, but Xenides has thrown his hat into the ring, I think." Wlodek had Tony's call on speaker and he, Charles and Radomir were listening.
"What evidence do you have, Mr. Hancock?" Wlodek was frowning deeply as he flipped the gold pen in his fingers.
"Footage from a hidden security camera, records of a box sent to an address in London and a dead legal secretary."
Charles handed Wlodek a shocked look at that news; he'd gotten the box containing Lissa's records five days earlier. Xenides must have been right behind him in his search. "Do you have Xenides on the camera recordings?" Wlodek asked calmly.
"No, Honored One. I don't recognize this vampire. I can send a copy of the digital images, though; I still have the email address I was given before if it's still good."
"How quickly can you send this?"
"I can send it now; it should only take a few minutes," Tony replied. "Why are they interested in Lissa, other than the obvious?"
"That is not something we are prepared to discuss with you," Wlodek replied, reining in his temper. "Send us the images; we will attempt to make identification."
"Sending now," Tony tapped on his computer. "Something else you may be interested in; my contacts have reported sighting Xenides in London, last night. I'll send those images as well."
"Very well," Wlodek said. "Any other information?"
"No, Honored One. I'll keep you posted on any updates."
"Good." Wlodek terminated the call. "Charles, get Merrill on the phone right away," Wlodek demanded. "And pull up those images as soon as they come through."
"Of course, sir," Charles whipped out his cell and was dialing numbers and tapping on the computer at the same time.
* * *
"Xenides may be in London; I've called for the jet," Merrill slid into the other side of the booth at the bar. Gavin looked across the table at Merrill.
"Are you ready to go, then?"
"After we pick up our bags. The jet is refueled so we can depart as soon as we arrive at the airport." Gavin rose and he and Merrill walked out of the bar together.
* * *
"That is Bartholomew." Charles was nearly breathless; he recognized the vampire that had taken the file from Gerald Michaels' office in Oklahoma City. The legal secretary's body was off to the side; he'd killed her by breaking her neck and then tossed her aside as soon as she brought the records to him.
"Our records indicate he walked into the sun two hundred years ago," Radomir muttered angrily. "That is why we stopped hunting him."
"We were led to believe that is what happened," Wlodek said as they watched the footage together. At least there was nothing incriminating done that would indicate the perpetrator had been vampire.
"And now Xenides most likely has Lissa's records. What is he looking for?" Charles asked.
"Probably the same thing we have looked for," Wlodek sighed. "We have already searched to see if she had sisters or brothers and there are none. Both parents are dead and there were no other marriages for either. Lissa's siblings might have had the same talents she holds, had there been any."
Charles didn't say anything. This had happened before, he knew, only not during his lifetime. That was why they had two sets of brothers as misters and mindspeakers—one brother had been turned initially, and when that one had displayed desirable talents, the brother was sought out and deliberately turned to enrich the vampire race. It was a little-known and hidden law designed by the Council—the conscription of a human if their talents would augment the Enforcers or Assassins. Charles harbored the secret belief that even if Lissa had brothers or sisters, that none of them might come up to her level if turned.
"Merrill is on his way," Charles received a text as they reviewed the images sent by Anthony Hancock. Wlodek sat in his chair with Charles's computer in front of him, while Charles and Radomir peered over his shoulder.
"Is there anything concerning Lissa in those records that holds any importance?" Radomir asked.
"Tell him, Charles," Wlodek said as he watched the images again.
"The attorney for Lissa's father had a DNA test run; he paid someone at the hospital to draw Lissa's blood while she was there. Howard Graham wasn't Lissa's father. Of course, this information couldn't be used in court, it wasn't obtained legally and Howard Graham was still guilty of the murder and attempted murder." Charles was shaking his head over the whole thing. "We even had someone go to Howard Graham's brother and place compulsion to see if he knew anything about any affairs that Harriett Graham might have had, but he didn't know anything and never suspected her of doing anything like that. We've reached a dead end on whom Lissa's real father might have been."
"He's likely dead," Wlodek muttered, turning to the images of Xenides that were recorded at Heathrow the evening before. Wlodek cursed softly as he watched Xenides walk right through the doors of the airport and disappear.
"He's after Lissa, isn't he?" Radomir observed. "He either wants her or wants her dead."
"She killed one of his own, right before his eyes in Washington D.C.," Wlodek agreed, leaning back in his seat and looking up at his youngest child. Of course, that youngest child was more than a thousand years old. "Now he wants her, more than likely for his own sick purposes."
"Where is Lissa now, father?" Radomir didn't know.
"Somewhere safe," Wlodek replied. "Xenides has no hope of reaching her for the moment. We may be forced to take steps to ensure this remains true." That statement worried Charles, but he kept his thoughts to himself.
* * *
Watts ushered the man into Tony's office. Deryn Alford hadn't seen the inside of this office before, so he looked around a bit while Watts discreetly scuttled through the door, closing it behind him. Tony finished tapping out the end of an email, hit send and looked up. "Hey, bro," he said. "Feel like a trip to London?"
Chapter 6
"Lissa," Gabron inclined his head as I materialized before his desk. I'd misted through the place; it was called Blue Desire. I'd learned that much, at least. Kifirin was on my mind again, and the mystery of him and the two companions he'd brought with him chased through my brain, much like a puppy chasing his tail. I wasn't destined to catch those thoughts anytime soon in order to examine them fully.
"Gabron," I nodded back to him.
"Please sit," Gabron held a hand out toward one of his guest chairs. I sat. "We want to come out in force against Solar Red on the evening of their ritual, as you know," Gabron began. "But there are certain factions within the vampire hierarchy that must be appeased before they agree to participate."
"What kind of appeasement?" I asked.
"The two who wanted to invite you to their home during the meeting?"
"What about them?" I asked.
"They are demanding that you attend a gathering held in your honor."
"They need to lose that idea," I said. "I'm not much on parties."
"Unfortunately we may have to cooperate, to prevent them from passing information to the opposition."
"Good grief," I said. "Don't they have any brains? And what will you and the Council do if you learn that they've done something like that?"
"Oh, if we still live, we'll bring them in on charges. But it will be too late by that time. The city may have already been handed over to Solar Red."
"I'm not going to bed with anybody, not making out with anybody, not sucking up to anybody," I said. "And I don'
t have anything suitable to wear. Fuckers." I felt like misting away, right then and there.
"You may have to explain your terms," Gabron said. "What do you mean by sucking up?"
"Flattering them," I muttered. "Convincing them they're more wonderful than they are, or even wonderful to begin with. I don't like being coerced," I added.
"Neither do I," Gabron agreed. "Nevertheless, it may keep them happy and give us needed numbers when the ritual takes place. I cannot command you to do this, Lissa, but it will be better for all of us if you accept the invitation. I will make sure they realize that sex is out of the question."
"Please do," I said dryly. No way I wanted to rub against somebody I didn't know. Not to mention what Gavin would think about it. I almost wished he were with me, just to keep the others away.
"If you will come at fourteenth bell tomorrow evening, I will take you to the location," Gabron interrupted my thoughts. "There is also something else I'd like to ask you, little Queen."
"What is that?" I watched his face; he was curious about something and desperate to learn the answer, I think.
"How much Elemaiyan blood do you have? I have an eighth, but that only allows me strong compulsion and mindspeech. I greatly desire to know if you are full Elemaiyan, or nearly so."
As questions go, that one was completely unexpected, bordering on shocking. "What are you talking about?" I blurted. Elemaiyan? I'd never heard that word before.
Gabron was almost as surprised as I was. "You did not know? Only vampires of Elemaiyan descent are able to mist or mindspeak. Others of that race have been reported to have additional gifts as well, but I have not seen these myself; they are only legends here. Obviously, you belong to the Bright Elemaiyan race; the Dark Elemaiya always have black hearts and become criminals when they are turned. I have not seen any of those in a very long time."
"How can you tell the difference?" I asked, becoming a little frightened over Gabron's descriptions.
"You can't; both races have the same coloring and features. It is only in their actions that you may tell, once they become vampire." I stared at Gabron for several minutes, sure that somehow the two must have different scents or some other way to tell the difference. And why hadn't I heard of them before?
"Where are they from and how do they become vampire?" Those were the next questions on my list.
"They are known as Travelers on many worlds, or Elves, even, although that label is very wrong. The only known race of Elves keeps to themselves and do not wander as these races do. The Elemaiya have the talent for world-walking through gates that they can sense between the worlds. They prefer worlds that are not technologically advanced—they have a power of their own and choose to rely on that."
"And you're saying that I have their blood?" I was skeptical, to say the least.
"You must, your talents indicate this," Gabron's eyes were hooded, now. "And you were not aware of this?"
"This is the first I've heard of it," I said. I wasn't sure I should believe any part of this, anyway.
"The Elemaiyan race is a strange one, although our ancestry rests there," Gabron steepled his fingers and watched me as he spoke. "They are capable of reproducing with the humanoid races, as you can see. However, if the child is less than half Elemaiya, the race will not acknowledge it, turning the child out after it is grown."
"So, if one of the parents is half and has a child with a human, then that child is forced to leave? That sounds a little harsh," I said, still not sure I accepted any of Gabron's tale.
"My mother was turned out at age sixteen," Gabron nodded. "She was a quarter as you may have deduced, and her own mother forced her to go. She never recovered from that rejection."
"How long do the Elemaiya live?" I asked.
"They are one of the immortal races," Gabron said softly. "That, in my opinion, explains why they turn vampire so easily; something in the blood accepts it more readily than the other races. I can see that I may have shocked and upset you with this information. Nevertheless, it is true, little Queen. Think on it for a time and if you have questions, please come to me. My mother taught me much about the race."
"All right," I nodded. "I will be here tomorrow evening at fourteenth bell. What should I wear?"
"Wear whatever you like, this is an informal gathering," Gabron informed me. "It was good seeing you again. Would you like me to walk you out or will you leave in the same manner as last time?" He was smiling now, I noticed.
"I'll get myself out," I replied and misted away from him and Blue Desire.
* * *
"This is where the perimeter lies," Tony held a GPS locator in his hand; he and his brother Deryn had traveled into Luddesdown and gone past it, following the signal on Tony's small device. "Every signal we received stops here. There were tags in her luggage; I placed them myself and not all of them should have stopped working at once."
"You're serious about this, aren't you?" Deryn watched his half-brother's face as Tony frowned at the GPS screen. Tony had never been involved with anyone before, except casually. He was always too tied up with his work; he gave that his full attention always.
"I want her, bro. Not only for me, but because I think she has the best chance against these terrorists we're hunting." Tony placed a hand on his brother's shoulder. "She's a vampire, Deryn. And not just any vampire. Weldon Harper calls her Pack and she's a member of the Sacramento Pack, too. Now do you know who I'm talking about?"
Deryn's eyes widened as he stared at his brother. Now he knew why they were out in the middle of the English countryside in the dark. They wouldn't find a vampire awake during the daytime and it would be dangerous to move one anyway, during that time. No wonder he'd seen a body bag in the trunk of the rental Tony was driving.
"Bro, you can't be serious; we can't kidnap a vampire—they'd shred us. And if it's the one dad was telling mom and me about, she'd really shred us." Deryn figured he would have to convince Tony to forget this mission.
"All we need to do is find where she is, just before dawn. Then, when she falls asleep, we'll just take her with us. I don't think she'll hurt us, she's not that way," Tony said, climbing inside the car. "Here," Tony tossed his cell phone over when Deryn slipped into the passenger seat. "Find a hotel or bed and breakfast someplace close."
* * *
Xenides observed the member of the Vampire Council carefully. Saxom had pointed this one out to his eldest vampire child, telling him to approach her if assistance was ever needed. This particular member hadn't been on the Council at the time—she was selected to take Saxom's seat when he'd been eliminated. All the better for me, Xenides snorted softly. He and the others now had a mole on the inside.
"Wlodek has that one closely guarded while she is inside the country," the female Council member paced a little. "Merrill is her surrogate sire, but I'm sure you have that information already."
Xenides didn't have that information but his expression failed to reveal that fact. Merrill would be difficult to kill. Saxom had always been wary of him, but Xenides saw no reason to fear. He'd use whatever means necessary to lure Merrill into a trap, like so many others he'd destroyed.
"The girl is susceptible to compulsion; she will be easily manipulated," the female Council member laughed. "The little fool."
"And yet her remaining talents are formidable." Xenides watched the female pace; they'd met on neutral ground—an old hotel on the outskirts of London. Xenides arranged for the room and notified the female afterward, giving the time and place for the meeting. The Council member's jealousy of the younger female was evident to him. Her petty emotions mattered little. Information was Xenides' objective and he might arrange to have her killed if the death could remain hidden. She'd already given him every scrap of information she knew. No matter. She was contemptible and beneath him and his mission.
"Promise me her death when you are done with her," the female member stopped pacing to offer Xenides a hard look. Xenides smiled.
* * *
> "Grand Master, I wouldn't have come to you if I weren't so concerned." Lucas Alford sipped coffee inside Weldon's study. It was late and Weldon's son, daughter-in-law and grandson were asleep in another portion of the house. Weldon was still awake and talking with the Second from the Denver Pack.
"You think they've gone to London to track Lissa down?" Weldon was worried over the same thing, but didn't want to reveal his concern to Lucas.
"Yes. Their mother is terrified and you know what the Council might do if they find out."
"They are not the most forgiving race on the earth," Weldon agreed, staring into his own coffee cup for a few moments.
"I don't think we can afford to anger them any more than we already have," Lucas went on. "I have no idea what Tony was thinking when he did what he did."
Weldon didn't know either, and had Tony Hancock not been as highly placed as he was, Weldon might have sought justice for Tony's acts himself. Lissa was Pack and she'd been violated. He'd toyed with the idea of pulling his wolves out of the special division of the FBI. Daryl, Weldon's son, had pointed out that the information garnered through those wolves had been invaluable from time to time. For the moment, Weldon judiciously left those wolves where they were.
"What do you want me to do about this?" Weldon asked. He had a good idea but waited to hear what Lucas had to say anyway.
"Do you have anyone in the area who might be able to keep an eye on those two? Maybe stop them from doing anything foolish?" Lucas didn't expect anything from the Grand Master, but felt he had to ask anyway. He'd raised both those boys, although only one was his natural son. Tony was two years old when Lucas met Corinne, Tony's mother. Deryn had come along two years later. There wasn't that much difference in the boy's ages.
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