by Lauren Hodge
his or her occupation?”
The truthful answer rips itself from his throat before he can create a lie to appease me.
“She is a drug mule for the Sinaloa Federation.”
He rubs his throat. It is a common response to my ability.
“Does she have family ties to any cartel?”
“None.” He coughs a bit after he answers. Others say it feels like the gag reflex in your throat kicks in without warning.
“Have you or any member of your coven purchased humans outside of your assigned quota?”
“No.”
Everyone except Castile shifts nervously. Vampires without additional aptitudes do not like being reminded of those of us who do. It is why the Detachment and the Quorum are so feared.
That reminds me of a call I need to make.
“I can see no reason to deny your petition. See that you file a Socious registration when the time comes.”
Ramon lets out a shaky breath. “Thank you, prefect.”
“Castile.” I snap my fingers. “Amend the permit to include the creation of one additional vampire with a Donec Dignissim report dated six months from now. I wish to see Ramon’s new Socious then.”
After Castile makes a copy, I take their new endorsement, sign it, drip red wax on the bottom, and stamp it. The Noricum seal ensures equality in our world. Peace to the victor, mercy to the meek, death in rebellion. These are the words we live by. Without them, our society would disintegrate under the banner of war with every coven greedily fighting for blood.
With the Noricum, we are all equal.
Castile ushers the new Southern California coven out. Once they leave, I pick up the phone to dial my mentor, High King Priam.
“Prefect, before you converse with His Majesty, I have the information you requested about the errant vampires in Toronto.”
I put the phone down. This has been a difficult case.
“As you instructed, I placed the locator on the conspicuous vehicle and found a distinct pattern. Every three days it moves from deep in the Algonquin Provincial Park north of Toronto into various areas of the city. Every time that vehicle makes the trip, multiple humans are found dead in a manner consistent with feeding.”
This is exactly the kind of intelligence I was hoping for. Not in several decades have I had such a hard time pinpointing an illegally feeding coven.
“Do you have a name this vehicle is registered under?”
“It belongs to a Blake Severin, but I do not believe he is involved.”
“Why not?”
“The vehicle is covered in mud and a back window is shattered. He is a high school mathematics teacher on Prince Edward Island, not Toronto.”
“Stolen?”
“I believe so, prefect.”
This is to be expected of an errant coven.
“Do you have a location?”
He hands me a satellite picture printout of a cabin nestled in the deep forest next to Reed Lake on a path named Bissett Creek Road. If the illegal coven thinks hiding in a remote location will protect them from the consequences of their crimes, they are mistaken.
“Well done, Castile. You are dismissed.” I pick up the phone to call Priam, but Castile stays put. “Something to add?”
“Assistants are normally present for the monthly conference.”
It always irritates me when Castile gets like this. I would ask for a new assistant, but he is good at what he does.
“I will be sure to tell Priam of your contribution. You are dismissed.”
He leaves, but I wait until the elevator doors close before I dial Priam.
“Duncan, it is good to hear from you.”
“You as well, High King.”
Priam chuckles. “What formalities have we to get out of the way?”
“Formalities can wait. I have a more pressing matter to seek counsel on.”
“Oh? Have you found the problem in Toronto?”
“I have.”
“Is it the Dacians as I suspected?”
This is news to me. I never knew he suspected the Socious killers. “Why would you suspect the Dacians? Do you have news from Brasov?”
“Nothing I did not already know. The Dacians have long danced in the shadows of the human sex trade market. Romania is Toronto’s chief source of slaves. When you told me of a coven in Toronto flagrantly disregarding our laws, I naturally suspected them.”
Decades ago Priam instructed me never to assign a coven to Toronto. Now I know why.
“I would expect better living conditions for a Dacian than the spit of a cabin these vampires are living in.”
“You have found them?”
“Castile desires I make sure you know he is the one who found their automobile. He found their location through the means of a tracking device placed on their vehicle. However, something about their style troubles me.”
“Go ahead.”
“They do not even try to cover their kills. Bodies are literally left in stairwells and apartments with doors gaping open.”
“Are they taunting us?”
“If it is the Dacians, then likely, but they may not know any better. I find it hard to believe such ignorance exists; not since the South American Rebellion have I seen such recklessness.”
“How many strong are they?”
“From their eating habits, I estimate at least six. For this reason I am requesting the Premier Detachment.”
“A wise decision. I shall have Lucius dispatch them directly. Sabine has asked after you. Shall I send her as well?”
His phrasing makes me laugh. “Sabine knows very well she is always welcome and does not need an invitation.”
“Anything else to add?”
“Not as of right now. I shall inform you as to the criminals when I know something more. You may need more room in the entombed vaults with how defiant these ones are.”
Priam’s voice loses all humor. “If it is the Dacians, do not try to engage them and inform me immediately.”
“I will report back to you either way.”
“Very good.”
The connection drops. To think the Dacians are so active on this continent is something I never considered. One cannot have too much information about an enemy, and with this coven hiding in the wilderness, the Socious killers may be building another army in the new world.
Twelve hours later, Castile and I board a private jet on the JFK tarmac. As the cabin door closes, the engines engage, pushing us immediately to the runway. I have never been on this jet before. It must be a recent acquisition of Priam’s.
Four men of the Premier Detachment and their servants rise and bow when I walk in.
Edson says, “Prefect, how may we be of service?”
“First let us get in the air. Then I will brief you.”
He dips his head. “Of course, prefect.”
Castile secures my briefcase and one of the servants gets clearance from the control tower for us to take off. While the aircraft moves onto the runway, a wadded-up piece of paper bounces off my head and onto my lap. Turning toward the culprit, I see that Ismet is chuckling and rubbing his temple. Alton looks toward the ceiling innocently and whistles.
It is good to see the brothers have not changed.
Flattening out the paper exposes Ismet’s handwriting. “Bridget asked the Queen if you were still without a Socious.”
This is not the first time the South American prefect has inquired to Sabine about me. Unfortunately, my polite rebuff of Bridget did not have the intended effect. If I ever were to take a Socious, it would be one who did not pine for royal approval. Bridget was appointed as prefect after the South American Rebellion for that very reason. The Quorum knows her greatest motivation is to be esteemed by royalty.
She is as sycophantic as they come.
Alton is the younger of the two brothers and quite the gossip, but only within the administration. To vampire society, he is a feared warrior. Ismet can exchange sight with anyone in the world once he ha
s seen them. Alton is similar but with blindness instead of exchange. When they work together, we are able to acquire massive amounts of intelligence with no risk to us before ever launching an assault. Their abilities are also useful in combat.
Edson is not so jovial, which is why he is their captain. His conversion is somewhat of a mystery. It took far longer than normal, was more painful, and, at the end, left him with a frightening ability. It is nearly the mirror of Prince Verus’s ability. While Verus can experience the memories he absorbs from another, Edson can make others relive his memories. You suddenly find yourself in a different place, feeling everything as if you were there. When he forces you to relive his conversion, the pain is paralyzing.
Francisco’s ability is similar to Verus’s but no more than a shadow of its potency. He can see the last visual impression from the dead. It is useful to provide undeniable proof of illegally feeding vampires. His gift is more helpful in investigation than in combat, but he has completed special combat training from Lucius. No one is foolish enough to claim he is unqualified for a position on the Premier Detachment.
When we level off at cruising altitude, Castile fetches the papers from my briefcase.
I say, “This assignment has a possibility you have never faced before.”
Alton smiles. “Your Socious announcement party?”
“A possibility of Dacian involvement.”
The humor leaves his face.
Ismet asks, “How are the Socious killers involved?”
“We are not sure if they are culpable.”
Edson says, “Prince Lucius said you expect at least six and have a location. Will we need to request additional support to facilitate transport back to Boulogne?”
“Before we start talking entombment, let us see if it is indeed the Dacians we are dealing with. In any case,