"Very well," Wlodek was still writing. "Do you have a name?"
"Anthony Hancock," René replied. Wlodek dropped his pen. René smiled.
* * *
"The poison has been neutralized," Pheligar declared. He'd still been working over Lissa's body while Dragon folded all of them away from Refizan. Karzac was satisfied; Lissa and Dragon had managed, with the help of the local vampires, to take down the five Ra'Ak and their demon force. Griffin was now there, as was Belen, who was shining brightly, half corporeal, half light.
"Do it now, then," Belen instructed. Griffin nodded and peeled back the sleeve of his shirt. With the giving of Griffin's blood, Belen was ensuring that Lissa could walk both sides of the realms—light and dark. She would not be confined solely to the Dark Realm if Kifirin transported her there. Griffin was smiling as he made his preparations.
"Dragon, will you help me?" Griffin asked. Dragon nodded and lifted Lissa's limp body into a sitting position. It was daylight where they were and Lissa would normally be asleep anyway, although Karzac had not removed the healing sleep. At the moment, the shield disc that Pheligar had installed was protecting her from sunlight.
"Karzac, will you wake her, please? She'll be sluggish but this is the best time for me to do this; she won't resist." Griffin drew a line on his left wrist with a finger of his right hand, leaving an opened vein in its wake. Blood was already welling up.
"Lissa, wake," Karzac commanded. It took a few seconds before Lissa sleepily opened her eyes, blinking in a confused manner at all the blurry images around her. She hadn't been awake in daylight in a very long time and the light hurt her eyes.
"Hold still, little one," Pheligar soothed. The Larentii nodded at Griffin.
"My blood is a gift to you, Lissa," Griffin said, reciting an ancient vow in the Neaborian language. "You will take no harm from it. There are no bindings or conditions, it is freely given." He held his bleeding wrist under her nose.
"Drink, Lissa." Dragon's command was better than any vampire compulsion. Lissa was tired and needed the blood; Pheligar had purposely not fed her after her healing. This blood would do. Lissa drank from Griffin's wrist until she'd gotten enough. Griffin drew his arm back and healed up the gash himself, vanishing the extra blood with merely a thought.
"Go back to sleep, Lissa," Karzac crooned to her. She dropped off immediately.
* * *
I woke the moment the sun slipped below the horizon, my eyes just popping open. My waking was never that quick. Ever. I was blinking up at a pale aqua ceiling and wondering where in the universe I actually was. This wasn't a ceiling I'd ever seen before.
"Nothing to worry over, little vampire," Karzac was at my bedside. I turned my head to look at him.
"Where are we?" I asked. He smiled.
"You're in Dragon's aerie," he replied. "We often stay here; there are no other humanoids here and Dragon can go flying through the mountains as much as he likes without fear of detection." The walls behind Karzac were mostly bare and there was no furniture, except for the bed. "Dragon was on campaign most of his life as Warlord on Falchan, and the less you have, the easier it is to get yourself from one battle to the next," Karzac was reading my thoughts.
"I don't feel terrible," I said, attempting to sit up in bed.
"You shouldn't. With the Larentii helping with your recovery, you should feel quite fine."
"Then I owe him a big thanks," I said.
"He wants you to stay here for three days and rest before we take you back," Karzac informed me. "We have blood for you in the kitchen, if you are thirsty." I found that I was dressed in pajamas; something I would actually pick out for myself, if I were able. A stretchy, sleeveless top in a pale pink, with pink and white striped bottoms. Experimentally, I swung my legs over the side of the bed. I wasn't stiff or anything, which was remarkable. Karzac led me down a flight of polished wood steps to the kitchen and living area below and I stared in amazement at an open wall.
"The glass windows slide back, allowing us a full, unhindered view of the mountains and the valley," Karzac said, coming to stand next to me. He was right; the mountains were so close I could almost reach out and touch them, and the valley below was shining in the moonlight.
This must be incredible in sunlight," I whispered reverently.
"It is. Blood first, or tea?"
"We'll do blood and then tea," I said, following Karzac into the kitchen. They had solar powered everything, I learned, as Karzac handed over a bag of blood from the fridge and then put the kettle on the stove to heat water for tea. I took my blood back to the open view and stared out at the scenery while I drank my dinner.
Dragon flapped up in dragon form a few minutes later, changing to his normal shape as he landed on the balcony outside the house. Karzac handed him a cup of tea as he came in and he grinned at me before sipping his tea. "I see why you like it here," I said, sitting on one of the cushions scattered about the room. There was no carpet here, just a nice rug in the center. Everything else was covered in wood flooring. I figured it was bamboo—the pale, natural color blending well with the cushion colors and the few sculptures and paintings.
Karzac brought my cup of tea and settled down with a cup for himself. Dragon got his favorite darker blend; I recognized the scent. Karzac and I got our usual.
* * *
"Several bodies are still missing," a reporter for the BBC stated, microphone in hand as she stood roughly a block away from the pile of rubble left after the hotel bombing in Paris. "The explosion and fire may have completely destroyed some victims and there is now little hope in their recovery. Among the missing is Anthony Hancock, an American who was Director for the National Security Agency and Homeland Security Joint Office," the female journalist went on. "The American President has ordered all flags flown at half-staff to honor their fallen hero, who, according to sources, was once a special operative for U.S. Intelligence."
If Wlodek hadn't already informed Merrill and Gavin of what had truly happened to Anthony Hancock, Merrill might have been upset. He could only imagine what the news might have done to Lissa. As it was, Griffin had informed him that she would be home the following day. Franklin and Greg had returned from their trip to Las Vegas and although the trip had been good for them, Merrill could see that Greg was weakening. The chemotherapy had already resumed earlier that day. Merrill worried over his human child Franklin; he wasn't saying anything, but Greg's illness was taking its toll on him as well. Merrill was going to wait a bit before making his offer again.
Merrill was also concerned for Lissa; Wlodek instructed that she be brought to him in two nights so he could inform her of her marriage to Gavin while she was absent. He also planned to tell her that she was now going to live under Gavin's thumb for the rest of her days. Merrill wished to ask his sire just how he intended to break the news to her, but was too afraid of the answer to ask the question. They would all find out together. Gavin promised to stay at his London apartment until Lissa was informed; Merrill didn't want the news to come to her sooner than necessary.
Gavin was restless himself; he would be taking over Lissa's teaching, although she would still be living with Merrill. Merrill had accomplished that, at least. He'd argued with Wlodek that Lissa did better when she was around Franklin and perhaps helping to care for Greg would take her mind off the fact that she was a captive and would never be otherwise.
Griffin, when he'd come to give the information to Merrill of Lissa's impending return, had been curiously tight-lipped over where Lissa had been or if she'd been any help at all to Dragon. Merrill shrugged it off; he'd ceased any attempts to decipher Griffin's actions long ago. If Merrill was destined to know, he would be informed. If not, then Griffin had his reasons.
"Father, try this," Franklin was suddenly at Merrill's elbow, offering a small slice of cake to him. "They served this at the French restaurant at the hotel," Franklin added. Merrill lifted the fork and dipped up a little of the cake.
"This is very g
ood," he replied, taking the plate from Franklin and cutting off another piece of the dessert.
* * *
"There is nothing to fear," René was there when Tony took his first breath as vampire. Tony had his own bedroom inside René's chateau; Aubrey's had been closed away and neither René nor Devlin could bear to go inside it. "Here, child; you are hungry, I know." René handed over the bag of blood, showing Tony how to clip off the tube at the top to drink. Tony accepted the bag with shaking hands and René rubbed his back soothingly as Anthony Hancock drank his first blood meal as a vampire.
* * *
Deryn had given up hope of finding Tony and was trying to explain to his weeping mother over the phone that Tony's body most likely had disintegrated in the blast. The restaurant had been near the front of the hotel, after all, and that's where Tony was seen last. Not for the first time did Deryn curse the full moon that had taken him and Paul away. They hadn't learned of the bombing until nearly dawn, when they made their way back to the hotel, finding the area surrounding it blocked off and ambulances and fire trucks everywhere. He and Paul had gotten around the police; they were werewolves, after all, and had sniffed around, finding nothing. Nothing alive, anyway. There was plenty of blood and bits and pieces of bodies, which they didn't touch.
The authorities received notice that Rahim Alif's group was responsible, which led Deryn and Paul to believe that Tony was their intended target. Deryn also informed the Grand Master, since Paul was there at his request. Weldon hadn't been happy with the news. Deryn and Paul were now determined to hunt down Rahim and had taken steps toward that goal. They'd already examined the remains of the van the suicide bombers had driven, but Alif's scent wasn't in it. Tony would have been the one to have that sort of thing on file, Deryn knew, but that option was no longer open to them. Deryn finished the call to his mother; she'd become too upset to talk and Lucas, Deryn's father had come on the line, saying a few words to his son before hanging up to take care of Deryn's mother.
Deryn and Paul checked into another hotel—they'd had to buy clothing and such to replace what was lost in the blast. Deryn fluctuated between anger and depression much of the time. Paul was doing his best to keep the younger werewolf focused and moving.
* * *
Gavin sat at his ancient kitchen table, fingering the wedding ring he'd bought with Lissa's engagement ring. It was a simple gold band, thin and shaped to fit around the other ring she wore. He had mixed feelings about the whole thing—excited, because Lissa would truly be his—concerned, because she would be upset. Until he placed compulsion, Lissa would most likely be angry and weeping. There was a way through this—there had to be. She would come around and be happy; he would see to it. They would stay with Merrill, at least for a while, until things settled down and she accepted what was.
Gavin also heard from his cousin René. René informed Gavin that Anthony Hancock's turn was successful. He'd wakened and had been fed the first time. Gavin almost warned René to keep his new child away from Lissa, but that would be another blow to her; he knew she would be upset if she watched the news and learned of his apparent death. Hancock was newly turned; he would be easily controlled. Only a slight compulsion would be needed to warn him away if his feelings for Lissa survived the turning.
* * *
"This is a gift for Lissa, because she saved us," Karzac informed the other healer as they made their way through the National Naval Medical Center, located in Bethesda, Maryland. Both were dressed as physicians, with official nametags and other necessary ID. The rooms holding six agents infected with vampire blood were close together, making it easier for the two healers to do their work.
"Take the last three, I'll take the first three," Karzac whispered. Joey Showalter, who'd once been vampire and Merrill's last turn, grinned at Karzac and headed toward the first of his three assignments.
* * *
"Little girl, it's time to go home." Griffin was there, appearing out of nowhere just like the rest of his kind could do. Dragon had gotten some clothing for me from somewhere—it wasn't the shapeless Refizani crap, either. I didn't want to insult Karzac's home planet by saying that out loud and Dragon just grinned as he handed over a pair of jeans and a pullover shirt.
"I owe you, little vampire," Dragon said, hugging me. Karzac had left earlier; he said he had work to do and I'd gotten my goodbye hug from him, then. I patted Dragon's back a little before I let him go and in a blink, Griffin had me inside Merrill's kitchen. Franklin and Greg were both there and hugging me, almost making me cry. I'd missed them and I told them that. They'd gone to Las Vegas while I'd been away; I discovered quickly.
"You went and didn't take me?" I pretended to be hurt.
"We'll take you next time, you'll love it," Greg promised. I wasn't sure there would be a next time for Greg; he was thinner and weaker, I could tell, and his scent was changing—the disease was taking over.
"We stayed at Caesar's," Franklin said. "And it was wonderful, even though it was crowded. We lost a ton of money; won a little of it back and ate ourselves sick."
"We flew over the Grand Canyon, went to Hoover Dam and saw all the tourist traps," Greg added. Well, they'd gone to the Liberace Museum, I just knew it.
"So, what did you do?" Franklin asked. He'd just finished making dessert and was serving some up for Greg and himself.
"Went to Refizan," I said.
"Where is that?" Greg asked, dipping into his dessert.
"No idea. Nowhere close, I know that," I said, smiling. "I met vampires there. And I learned some things. Really important things. Wlodek is going to flip when I tell him."
"What about the vampires?" Greg asked.
"The one who was in charge, his name was Gabron," I said. "And he's about three times as old as Wlodek."
"What's this?" Merrill came through the back door, taking off his trench coat as he came in; it was raining out, apparently.
"The Head of the Council on Refizan. He's about three times as old as Wlodek," I repeated. "And he gave me some great information. I know what Saxom was looking for when he was making misters and mindspeakers."
That had Merrill's attention right away. "What was it?" he demanded.
"Have you ever heard of a race called the Elemaiya?" Merrill went still. He had, I could see it in his face.
"Yes," the answer was guarded.
"Well, there are Bright Elemaiya and Dark Elemaiya. I got a good scent on both—all of Saxom's misters and mindspeakers had Dark Elemaiyan blood. Our misters and mindspeakers all have Bright Elemaiyan blood. Gabron says they're Travelers—the Elemaiya, that is. He says they can world-walk, through gates between the worlds, whatever those are."
Merrill stared at me for a few seconds. "There's a gate nearby; Griffin uses it at times," Merrill admitted. "He told me that he has sealed it off so only Saa Thalarr and a few others can use it now."
"You mean that if he hadn't, those guys could just come right in?" I asked.
"There may be other gates; he says that some worlds have more than one, but this one is on my property. That's why he sealed it off." Merrill came over, wrapped me in an embrace and rocked me a little. "We missed having you around, little girl," he said softly, kissing the top of my head.
"Well, too bad you weren't where I was," I said. "The vampires could have used your help, I think. There was this terrible religious cult that called themselves Solar Red. They practiced human sacrifice and turned themselves over to demons and the Ra'Ak," I babbled.
"And what were you doing in all of this?" Merrill was frowning as he held me away from him.
"Lopping off heads; both priests' and demons'," I replied. "You should have seen what I did to their temple, there at the end. And those Ra'Ak? There was only supposed to be one. There were five of those suckers. I thought Dragon was going to die so I blinded four of them, Dragon killed three of those, and then Kifirin came in and got the last two. Oh, and that doesn't count the one I killed while he was in humanoid form. I can smell them, i
f they're not shielded."
Merrill stared at me, hard. "I'm going to have a talk with Griffin," he muttered and stalked away.
"What did you do to their temple?" Greg whispered as soon as Merrill was out of hearing.
"I blew it up," I grinned and hugged him. He laughed.
* * *
"Lissa, dress nicely, sweetheart, Wlodek wants to see us," Merrill knocked on my bedroom door the following evening. I was brushing my teeth; I'd already had my dinner and dressed in jeans and a pullover. Now I was going to have to change. I'd tried to phone Gavin but the call had gone directly to voice mail. Just as well, I'm sure the guilt was going to be showing on my face the next time I saw him anyway. I hadn't seen hide nor hair of Kifirin since I'd seen him on Refizan and he'd been a big, tall, winged something or other. Dragon said that the High Demons looked like that, only they were a bit shorter when they went to what he called Full Thifilathi. Kifirin had said that word to me once before, after he'd sunk his teeth into my neck. He'd said the Thifilathi must be satisfied, whatever that meant. Honestly, he looked more like a demon to me in that shape than the ones that Dragon had called demons. Those guys were ugly, all right, but if you wanted demons, well, Kifirin would come to mind every time.
"What does Wlodek want?" I asked, coming downstairs later, dressed in nice slacks and a pretty blouse with low heels and a little jewelry. Thankfully, my hair now covered Kifirin's marks, otherwise I'd be explaining those, I'm sure.
"He'll tell us when we arrive," Merrill replied stiffly. I just shrugged as Merrill led the way to the Range Rover—it was raining again.
The drive usually takes half an hour, if the weather is good. That night it took an extra ten minutes. The rain was heavy at times, drumming on the roof of the Range Rover and the wipers had a tough time keeping up. Merrill had an umbrella in the car and he held it over both of us as we dashed inside; Rolfe was there holding the door open. I gave him a smile as we raced through the door. He seemed a little more solemn than usual. Charles was also there and he offered a lop-sided grin as he led us up to Wlodek's study. What surprised me was finding Gavin waiting inside—the schmuck hadn't returned my phone call yet here he was, standing against the wall next to the Monet. Wlodek sat behind his desk, being his usual, unreadable self. His gold pen was in his hands and he was already playing with the thing.
Blood Domination (Blood Destiny #4) Page 21