JAVIER

by Miranda Jameson

  “What? How?” Gabriel asked.

  Javier waited, he knew what was coming. She was certainly telling the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth he thought.

  “Cassia!” Flavia whispered urgently,

  “It’s alright Flave. The thing is, five years ago I stole a Goya from that house. I have an excellent memory. I never forget details. As I told Javier that house used to belong to an Empath called Erebus. I think it still does.”

  LaSalle stared at her, astounded;

  “You stole a painting from that house? Fuck! Erm, I mean mon dieu.”

  Javier coughed to cover up a shout of laughter. LaSalle’s face was a picture. Cassia carried on;

  “I persuaded them to untie us and bring us something to eat and drink. They seemed content to do that once I agreed to help them. As we were eating the two Empaths were talking in the next room. Empaths forget how very acute our hearing is added to which they were speaking in Italian.”

  “You understand Italian?” Javier asked

  “Of course, I speak it fluently. It’s essential when you’re an art expert.”

  “Or art thief.” countered Javier. Cassia scowled at him;

  “To be a successful art thief it is pretty essential to also be an art expert. I could hold my own against the very best of them.”

  “I have no doubt.” murmured Gabriel, “Get to the point.”

  “They were talking about an upcoming meeting with the knights. That’s definitely what they said…the knights. The knights wanted something. Javier, I think they meant to ransom you.”

  “Are you sure?” Gabriel asked, “Knights? Cavalieri?”

  “Yes, cavalieri. My Italian is fluent.”

  “Cassia was also certain that the household had Human visitors.” Javier added

  “Fuck, Empaths and Humans…I’ve never liked that combination…” muttered LaSalle, “If ransoming you was their plan Javier, they would have been disappointed. We never ever pay ransoms. We would have found you and got you out.” He leaned forward in his chair and addressed Flavia.

  “Mademoiselle Flavia, you were in that house for almost three weeks. Did you hear anything, notice anything that may help us? Take your time.” His voice was gentle and Flavia sat up and looked in his direction, her deep blue eyes wide and unfocused. Cassia watched as the men’s expressions softened, even Gabriel Bathory. This always happened with Flavia. There was something about her delicate fragile beauty that made men want to fight dragons or lay down their cloaks for her to step over or go on quests. As for herself, well she usually made men want to throttle her. She didn’t mind, not much.

  “They left me very much to myself and I was quite glad about that.” said Flavia;

  “They brought me regular meals and allowed me to listen to music. After a few days Cassia brought me my guitar and I would sing. Well, it relieved the boredom and kept my mind off things. Then one of them asked me if I would go downstairs in the evening and play or recite. So I did. They didn’t touch me and I suppose they assumed that because I can’t see they were safe. They also assumed that because I can’t see I wouldn’t be able to hear or understand anything either. That happens sometimes you know.”

  “They were wrong though weren’t they querida?” said Javier

  Flavia smiled dazzlingly in his direction;

  “Completely. I listened carefully. Cassia is right, there were Humans there, I could smell them. They deferred to the Empaths. But when the Humans weren’t there the Empaths deferred to their leader. I have a feeling they were following orders from someone much more important. They spoke a lot of Italian. Oh, and once someone commented that the knights of the dagger had only one of their main weapons left but that would soon be remedied.”

  Gabriel Bathory shot to his feet, his face pale;

  “Flavia, are you absolutely certain that they said the words knights of the dagger?”

  “Yes, yes I’m certain. What does it mean?” Flavia asked

  Cassia saw the three men look at each other. This was obviously bad news. Gabriel Bathory was about to speak when his head turned suddenly to the study door; seconds later someone knocked then entered and his whole face transformed. Cassia knew this was his Empath consort even before he drew her into his side with a smile.

  “Hera, beloved these are our guests. I wonder if you could check Flavia just to make sure she is alright after her imprisonment. Flavia, Hera is a trained nurse and a paramedic. You will be in good hands.”

  As the slender blonde haired woman smiled at Cassia then leaned to take Flavia’s hand, Cassia heard Flavia gasp excitedly;

  “Hera…Hera of the House of Achilles? The daughter of Rhea? Oh, I never ever imagined I would actually meet you. She’s the one Cassia, the one I told you about. The last of the healing women. You are, aren’t you?” Flavia held both of Gabriel’s consort’s hands as the Empath broke into a slow beautiful smile and answered;

  “I am. Welcome to our Island. I am told you have both had a hard few weeks.”

  It was kind of the Empath to include her, thought Cassia. She was sure Flavia had told her about this woman but she had probably been distracted. She often was these days. So Gabriel Bathory’s Empath consort was not just any old Empath, she was the sister of the High Councillor of all the Empaths and a woman of the legendary healing line. And she was the consort of a commander on the Council. This woman was as close to being royalty as you could get.

  Cassia sensed the men wanted them out of the way and she didn’t mind going with Hera. She seemed remarkably normal and strangely calming. Perhaps she should get herself checked out too, she felt tired, as though she was going down with a cold.

  LaSalle thanked them then the men all stood as they left. Cassia glanced quickly at Javier. He smiled and inclined his head slightly; it was oddly reassuring.

  The minute the door shut behind the women LaSalle jumped to his feet and rummaged in his desk then lit up one of his slim cigars and inhaled deeply as he threw himself into his customary position. Leaning back in his comfortable work chair with his boots up on the desk he pointed the cigar at Gabriel;

  “Gabriel, I thought you killed the last of those bastards more than a century ago.”

  “So did I.” Gabriel ground out, “Do you think she misheard?”

  “No, both those women are extremely intelligent. I believe they heard exactly what they said they heard.” Javier replied

  “So we haven’t got all the daggers then…” said Gabriel

  “No, obviously not.” LaSalle took another drag on his cigar then slammed his fist on the desk, “Fuck, fuck, fuck! Slayers…I hate fucking slayers. Unstable mad religious maniacs the lot of them!”

  “I couldn’t have put it better myself my Lord LaSalle.” said Gabriel dryly, “I’m going to head down to Ops and see what the surveillance team has to report.”

  LaSalle nodded, “Keep it quiet Gabriel. I don’t want to start a panic. I want us to wipe this latest lot out before any of our people get killed. I’ll talk to Aries and Chronus; we need them on board urgently. I’d like to know if this Erebus has flagged up on their radar.”

  As Gabriel hurried off Javier felt rather than saw LaSalle’s smoky grey eyes focus on him and waited for his commander to rip him to shreds verbally. However, when LaSalle spoke his voice was quiet and gentle;

  “You knew it could not be her, my friend, you knew.”

  Javier’s head jerked up and he took a deep breath to calm himself as he nodded;

  “Yes, I knew. I just couldn’t help hoping…hoping that somehow she escaped, that somehow she’d come back. I let myself get distracted, I was careless; if you want me to step down…”

  He got no further as LaSalle raised a hand to silence him then came round his desk and leaned against it; his eyes fierce;

  “Stop that Javier of Seville. I would trust you with my life; I would trust you with the lives of my consort and my son. If the so called fucking knights are back we are going to need you for th
e fight ahead. I am not going to allow our people to be hunted and slaughtered by them ever again. You stay here and you do your job.”

  Javier nodded; he was surprised his voice worked at all, the blockage in his throat felt so huge;

  “As you command my Lord LaSalle.”

  “I do. Javier, about Charlotte…we have not forgotten her, none of us here on the Island. You know, do you not, when you are ready to perform the ceremony we will all be there with you.”

  Javier stood and turned away blinking fiercely as he cleared his throat. God, some days eight years ago felt like yesterday. He wondered if he would ever have made it through those first days after her death without LaSalle. His commander had been friend, brother and father all rolled into one. He had stopped him from putting a bullet through his own head.

  “I know, thank you. I’ll go and see what the latest news is.”

  “And I’ll contact our friends in Venice.” LaSalle said as he ground out his cigar.

  It was business as usual.

  CHAPTER 6

  Javier shut the study door behind him and leaned against it for a moment rubbing his face with his hands. He would check in on Beatriz then head underground to look through the latest reports. All around him he could hear the muted familiar sounds of the household at work; a household he had joined with Charlotte towards the end of nineteen seventeen. He had been newly promoted to commander. His father, LaSalle’s predecessor had been a proud witness at the ceremony and Charlotte had stood watching the proceedings with his mother, her hazel eyes shining with love.

  He had spent the last eight years looking back into the past. When he was with Beatriz he saw a future for her, never for himself. Oh, he saw himself doing his job, fulfilling his oath to be a protector of his race but that was as far as it went. More and more these days he was filled with a yearning for something more. Gabriel and Hera’s obvious happiness just sharpened that yearning into a constant physical ache, a longing. Javier sighed; this was pointless. Better to just concentrate on work. If the slayers had really re-formed things were about to get nasty.

  He headed for the stairs then stopped in surprise. Cassia was sitting on the bottom step. Her elbows rested on her knees and her head was bent over causing her long black hair to sweep forward like a curtain and brush the floor. Her hands were clasped loosely together.

  “Cassia? What are you doing here?” he sat down next to her on the step.

  Cassia flicked her hair back wearily and turned to him;

  “Hey, Javier of Seville. I just needed some space…I was looking at that Chagall up there. That’s never been seen out in the Human world you know; I would estimate its value to be at least three million pounds, at least. Beautiful isn’t it?”

  Javier examined her face, alarmed. She hadn’t regained any colour and her speech was slightly slurred.

  “Cass, are you feeling unwell?”

  She regarded him steadily, taking a deep breath as though she was summoning up energy;

  “Funny you should say that…I think I’m coming down with something.” She lifted her hand to tuck her hair behind her ears and Javier noticed a small tremor. He tuned in to her heartbeat, it was sluggish.

  “Cassia, when did you last take blood?”

  She stared at him then her eyes widened as realization dawned.

  “More than a month ago. I didn’t think, what with everything that’s happened.”

  “I bet you gave your blood to Flavia while she was kept in that house didn’t you?” Javier asked.

  “Yes, of course I did. They were Empaths, they didn’t want to know about any of that. It disgusts them.”

  Javier stood and put out a hand. Her energy seemed to be draining out of her as they spoke;

  “Come on, I’m taking you to our Donor right now. Give me your hand, I’ll pull you up.”

  Cassia looked up and focused on Javier. What did he want? Oh yes, her hand. She reached out and felt him take it then pull her to her feet. She felt herself sway, she’d better not let go. Her legs were as heavy as lead and her head felt woolly.

  Suddenly the world seemed to tilt and she gasped in surprise. He had just bent and scooped her up in his arms as though she was some sylph-like Empath female. Wearily she let her head rest against his shoulder; it felt solid and warm and safe.

  Javier marched as quickly as he could to the Donor;

  “God Cass, you should know better than to let things go so far. Why didn’t you say something earlier? You really are a very annoying woman.”

  He should have realized. She had gazed up at him, her midnight blue eyes unfocused and dreamy. Normally he would have found that look intensely arousing except that he knew she was on the verge of slipping into unconsciousness. She had turned so very pale back in the study and she had endured the constant threat of knowing her sister was in danger for the last three weeks. Of course she would have given her blood to Flavia without any thought for her own needs; he had a feeling she always put Flavia first. Her head was resting against him and Javier bent without thinking and brushed the top of it with his mouth. She would hate being so dependent, he had no doubt that she would be absolutely mortified when she felt more herself again.

  Shouldering the door open he bowed as well as he could to the duty Donor. She was one of the Elders and had lived on the Island for three centuries; he spoke the ritual words in the Old Language;

  “Madam, with respect, I ask urgently for the gift of life.”

  She returned his bow and smiled her response as he laid Cassia in an easy chair, brushing back the curtain of heavy black hair. Should he score his wrist and touch it to her lips? Her head turned slowly and he watched with relief as her canines descended white and sharp into her mouth; good, she wasn’t as far gone as he had thought. The Donor offered her wrist and Cassia bit down into the older woman’s vein and paused for a moment then Javier heard her sigh with relief as she took long, thirsty drags.

  Heading over to the comfortable armchair in the corner Javier waited, his mind racing. Slayers; if it was true it was the worst possible news. It had been over a century since their last encounter with the self-styled knights. That had been quite a battle; he still remembered his injuries from that day. At least they had been caused by bullets; had they used one of the daggers on him he would have died instantly.

  He waited till Cassia released and closed the wound then raised the Donor’s hand and touched it to her forehead as she thanked her in the proper way. Jumping up he went and helped her to her feet as he bowed to the Donor. Cassia was in the warm dreamy state that followed blood-taking and her pupils were hugely dilated as she murmured her thanks, her hand resting lightly on his arm as they left the room. This time his heart started an insistent crazy thudding and he experienced an almost uncontrollable urge to plunge his hands into her hair and kiss her long and deep.

  What the hell was the matter with him? He needed to keep a professional distance. Dragging in a calming breath he looked down and saw her smiling insolently up at him;

  “I can hear your heart beating Javier of Seville. Is it nerves or what?” The Welsh lilt was slightly more pronounced and her voice was soft and teasing. Javier felt flustered; he, expert flirt that he was; Cassia was making him feel flustered!

  “You’re not my type Cassia Mathrafal. Now, you haven’t eaten yet, come with me…that’s if you can manage to walk in that post blood fog you’re obviously in or do I need to carry you again?”

  Cassia blinked rapidly and he watched her almost shake herself into alertness as she replied waspishly;

  “There is no need to take that tone with me. I’m very grateful for your assistance but I can manage just fine. Food would be good though, I’m absolutely starving. And just so we’re completely clear, you’re not my type either.”

  Javier turned rapidly away and headed for the kitchen so she wouldn’t see him laughing.

  Half an hour later he watched with approval as she finished off the omelette he had made her and sat sipp
ing coffee. The colour had come back into her cheeks and he found himself, once again, under the spotlight of her wary intelligent gaze. God, she had the bluest eyes he had ever seen.

  “That was delicious, thank you. I didn’t know warriors learnt to cook.”

  “They don’t…I can’t, well, just omelettes and anything you can throw on a barbeque.” Javier paused, “Back there, in LaSalle’s study, you were very afraid when Gabriel mentioned Empaths. Why was that?”

  Cassia stared down at her coffee, absently stirring the liquid round and round in the cup;

  “My father, Hugo Mathrafal, joined Aries Achilles’s underground reform movement in its early days. It wasn’t long after the great conflict as you know. I was a small child and Flavia was a baby. He was caught by agents of the hard line Empath Council of the time, taken to their headquarters in Venice and interrogated. He was lucky to get let out alive a whole year later. He came back to us but he was never the same; they destroyed his mind. His life was a living nightmare until one day, when I was just past my adolescence, he killed himself. It was Flavia who found him. She was eleven years old. She has been blind from that day. My mother…my mother fell to pieces. It was a very hard time for us all.”

  She fell silent as she remembered. There had been so little money and she had suddenly found herself to be the one they all depended on.

  Javier watched her as she seemed to retreat into her memories, her eyes very far away. Overnight she had become the head of her family whilst barely in possession of all her abilities; her body hardly recovered from the trauma and pain of the transition from childhood into an adult Vampire. Who had she been able to turn to? He tapped her hand gently to bring her back to the present.

  “Did you have no kin? What about the other males of your father’s bloodline?”

  Cassia smiled at him sadly and shrugged;

  “They were all wary of being linked to a dissident, a collaborator. Perhaps they thought they might meet a similar fate. I am close enough to my cousins now and my mother found a new consort in time but that first decade was not easy.”

  “That must have been very tough. I had wondered about Flavia’s blindness. The only blind Vampires I have come across have been warriors who have lost one or both of their eyes in battle.”