“We’ve lost touch.”
She looked surprised.
“My schedule’s pretty crazy.” I hoped to sound convincing and not give away my sadness.
I recalled Dr. Hanson’s excitement when she’d first met Lucas. Their animated discussion on Egyptology and his father’s work. Which was really his work. A game of smoke and mirrors Lucas played to hide his immortality, even from me at first. His eccentric professorial demeanor leant itself to such a ruse.
“He does love his secrets,” Dr. Hanson said.
I held her stare. “He’s here?”
“Dr. Azir agreed to come on board as a consultant.” She motioned right. “His office is down the corridor.”
“He was monumental in solving one of my most difficult cases.” I failed to subdue my excited tone. “He’s a hard man to find.”
She gestured to the door.
A jolt of excitement shuddered up my spine, rendering my claustrophobia almost ineffective. It had been brought on by the closed in walls of the passageway that we headed down.
“The staff are quite taken with Dr. Azir.” She gave a wry smile. “They secretly refer to him as Mr. Eye-candy.”
That was, of course, an understatement. I recalled meeting Lucas that first time atop Leiden’s art gallery. He’d strolled out of the shadows, hands in his pockets, tall, dashing. His striking features revealed an uncommon beauty from his Middle Eastern descent. Despite his thirty-something appearance, he oozed the confidence of an immortal and emanated a stark sensuality. There was no doubt what had drawn Orpheus to him. Not to mention Lucas’ passion for history, and his intelligence was as sharp as his stare.
The very same one that now held mine.
Lucas peered up from his desk with a flash of recognition, his subtle cringe causing me to feel one too.
“Hey,” I said, trying to lessen the tension.
Dr. Hanson hadn’t caught his reaction. She merely gestured for me to enter and threw a wave goodbye to us both before withdrawing.
“May I?” I said, entering.
Lucas made his way around his desk toward me.
“I had no idea you worked here,” I said, taking in his office, which was only slightly larger than Hanson’s.
“I have permission to consult here.”
“Orpheus gave it?” I asked.
“Dominion,” he said, infusing the name with pride and revealing his admiration for him.
There came a flurry of hope he might tell me where Jadeon was, but I suppressed it, not ready to burn that bridge just yet. “You need permission to work here?”
“I’m in the public eye. All such activity must be sanctioned by the elders.”
The elders? Hadn’t Paradom mentioned them? I refocused, making a mental note to return to that subject later.
“You always have a way of getting me to say too much,” he said.
“How can knowing you work here be an issue?”
“The new rule of law means everything is locked down. No communication with mortals unless sanctioned by the elders.”
“Is Sebastian sanctioned to live at The Mount?”
“We shouldn’t be having this conversation.”
“Lucas,” I said, hurt by his avoidance. “Have I not earned your trust?” I stepped toward him. “Proven I’m an advocate.”
“I can’t risk my position here.”
I really was being locked out and kept at arm’s length. “Please, don’t turn your back on me,” I said, missing Lucas terribly even though he was right here. This distance between us wrenched my stomach.
“Oh, Ingrid.” He closed the gap between us and wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into a hug. “Forgive me.”
I melted in his embrace, needing this kindness to banish my feeling of being considered the enemy.
“It’s good to see you. Really it is. Forgive my paranoia.” He took my hand and kissed it. “There, see? Nothing has changed between us.”
“I’m not here and I never saw you.”
He relaxed a little, yet his eyes hinted at uncertainty. “You’re on police business?”
“Well I wasn’t originally.” I motioned to clarify. “I’d love to show you something. Then you’ll never see me again.” The words brought pain.
“I don’t want that. I mean, never to see you again. It’s complicated.”
“That’s the word Orpheus used the night he left you at Les Miserables and came to visit me in Knightsbridge.”
He gave a nod, validating Orpheus’ alibi. Seeing Lucas again reminded me why I’d fallen for his old world charisma. I’d fooled myself we were friends.
“We are friends,” he said.
“Stop reading my mind.”
He gave a bashful smile. “Eye-candy. I can live with that.”
“Those were not my words. You have quite the reputation.”
“My head’s in a book most of the time. Or rummaging around the mummy collection.” He saw the metal object in my hand and his gaze shot up to meet mine.
“That’s a promising response,” I said.
“Where did you get it?”
“Do you know what it is?” I peered down at it.
“It’s a Scirpus.”
“Scirpus?” I handed it over to him.
“Latin for puzzle. Also known as an enigma.” He turned it over. “Did you move the parts? Or did it come like this?”
“Haven’t touched it.”
“Who gave it to you?”
“It was sent anonymously to me at the Yard.”
He looked up.
Great, I reminded him I’m a policewoman.
“It came with this.” I showed him the card.
He read the cuneiform. “Interesting.”
“What does it say?”
“It’s an invitation.”
“To where?”
“Solve the enigma and it will lead to the invitation.” He waved the card. “Exact interpretation.”
“Are those Fabian Snowstrom’s words?” My mind reached back to those hours I’d spent in his presence. The most ancient of all vampires, and luckily for me a seeming ally. “You wouldn’t tell me if it was from Fabian, would you?”
“Tea?”
In the far corner sat a table, and atop that a kettle. Two mugs rested beside it and a tin of Typhoo tea. A fresh orange waiting to be peeled and eaten, along with a packet of salt and vinegar crisps, plus a box of Jaffa Cakes. These few items served their purpose of conveying the usual comforts of an office—delicate touches of normality. Even Lucas working through the night would be construed as passion for his vocation.
“Take a seat.” He sat on the edge of the desk. “Would you like that orange? A biscuit?”
“No, thank you.” I popped the metal object back in my bag. “I’ll grab something later. Do you know what it is? The puzzle?”
“Think of it as a modern day Rubik’s Cube.” He scrunched up his nose. “Only without the colors.”
“Thanks for that.” I caressed my forehead, not sure if I had the energy for the challenge. “So explain this, why am I being coaxed back to the underworld? And by whom?”
“Ah, a conundrum.”
“Can you hear the screaming in my head?” I made it a joke, trying to shake off my frustration.
“Let me make you some tea.”
“It’s too late for caffeine. I’ll never sleep.” I sat back. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but you’re such a kind man, Lucas, it really surprises me you’re friends with Orpheus.”
He gave a wry smile. “He sired me.”
“He turned you? So that forces you to remain loyal?”
“There’s a connection. A bond. But I also enjoy Orpheus’ company.”
“But he’s such a rogue.”
“You judge him on modern day morals,” he said. “Before the Victorian Era, England was merciless. The 19th century brought with it values of social, economic, and sexual restraint.”
I widened my eyes.
&n
bsp; “You just have to get to know him.”
“How did you two meet? Did he attack you?”
“Goodness, no. He saved me.” Lucas pushed himself farther up the desk. “I was on a dig in the Valley of the Kings.”
“Tutankhamen’s tomb?”
Lucas looked surprised.
“Orpheus told me he met you there in the 1920s. That’s all he told me.”
“Huh.” Lucas gave a ghost of a smile. “I was Howard Carter’s assistant. I was an annoying archeologist in the making.”
“Howard Carter discovered Tutankhamun’s tomb?”
“Along with his friend and colleague George Herbert,” Lucas said. “Did you know that Tutankhamun was crowned Pharaoh at nine years old?”
“No. That’s very young.”
“He reigned for ten years before he died. Probably from a fracture that became infected. Of course we only found that out recently. Our science was limited back then.”
“And Orpheus’ involvement?”
“He was visiting Egypt. He happened to stumble on the tomb I was working in. Luckily for me.”
“What happened?”
“The senior archeologists had left for the day and only a skeleton crew remained. There were five of us, two junior archeologists and three guards. We were working in shifts. Public pressure was on for us to present our findings quickly. This was an unprecedented discovery, as you can imagine. It was late, around 2 A.M. I’d taken a break from dusting off a pair of beaded sandals I’d found that were close to disintegrating.” Lucas stared off as though transported back to that time and place. “The first thing I noticed was the quiet. Then I saw them. Three tomb robbers had entered the cave. Their knives were stained with blood. I knew immediately they’d killed our guards. Alan, my colleague, panicked and ran for the exit, but he never made it. They stabbed him to death.”
“Horrible,” I whispered.
He looked tense. “They were after gold. I watched them gather what they could carry from where they’d left me in the corner, half dead. There came a blur of movement and one by one they fell. At first I assumed the man who’d entered behind them was with them, until he broke the necks of two of the thieves and then tied up the last one, keeping him alive.”
“Orpheus?”
“Yes. All I could think of was how angry Howard Carter was going to be when he realized we’d failed to protect the tomb. Even though I lay dying. Silly, I suppose.”
“I’m so sorry.” Though these words weren’t enough.
“Orpheus knelt beside me and asked if he could get me anything.” Lucas ran his fingers through his hair, showing this wasn’t easy for him. “I was bleeding to death. They’d stabbed me at least twenty times. The agony was blinding. There’s nothing quite like fear and pain. Nothing. Orpheus told me I was dying. He seemed so calm. I asked him to stay with me. I didn’t want to die alone.”
There came laughter from somewhere down the corridor, and it made me cringe from how inappropriately it clashed with Lucas’ narrative.
“Orpheus told me he was waiting for me to near the veil. I begged him to let them find my body. ‘I can offer you something better,’ Orpheus said. ‘Immortality.’”
“Did you understand what he was asking you?”
“I was in and out of consciousness. But he seemed to want me to want this. There’s a vampire code, you see. Before anyone is turned, their permission must be granted.”
“Is that always the case?”
“Not always, but it’s the most civilized way to proceed before turning someone. Sense doubt, and you put them through hell. I mean, imagine finding out you’re immortal. Some individuals just aren’t suited to it.”
I grimaced, having never actually given it much consideration. Though the idea of asking permission brought some reassurance. I motioned for Lucas to continue.
“My thirst was overwhelming,” he said. “The body’s way of trying to save itself.” His face flushed with emotion. “I believed I was drinking wine.”
“You were drinking Orpheus’ blood?”
Lucas let out a long sigh. “When I came round I realized why he’d kept the last thief alive. It all felt so natural.”
The stillness of the room closed in and his words hung heavy. The flicker of his eyelashes told me he’d shared the truth.
“Was the attack on you and your men ever documented?” I asked. “I don’t remember reading anything about it.”
“For the sake of public relations it was covered up.”
“And Orpheus?”
“He spent a few months with me. Teaching me all the skills needed to survive. That was the new way. The old way was to let the fledgling fend for themselves.”
“Where was Sunaria during all this?”
“Orpheus believed her to be dead.” He shrugged. “I don’t think I’d have made it without Orpheus by my side.”
“Did you hate him for transforming you?”
“I love him for it. I’m not your average vampire who questions his immortality. I’m grateful. My work consumes my every waking hour.”
“Have you seen Sunaria since…that awful evening when she attacked us?”
It was a delicate subject. The last time we’d both seen Sunaria, Orpheus’ lover, she’d held me at knife point and slit Lucas’ throat while he was trying to protect me. I shivered with the thought of it.
His face softened thoughtfully. “Orpheus protects me too.”
“So Sunaria hasn’t attempted to hurt you again?”
“Orpheus can be very persuasive.” Lucas twisted his mouth into a mischievous smile. “One day you’ll come to love him as much as I do.”
“Let’s not go that far.”
“I’d be happy to look at it for you.”
“Huh?”
“You have a photocopy you’d like to show me?”
My shoulders dropped. “I’ll never get used to that.”
“Sorry, if I could turn it off I would.” He shrugged. “We learn to shut down our own thoughts, but when a mortal thinks they might as well be speaking.”
“The funny thing is the more I try to control what I’m thinking the more embarrassing my thoughts become.” I reached into my handbag.
“Yeah, like don’t think of a red tree, right?”
“Exactly. Oh Lucas, it really is wonderful to see you.” I handed him the photocopy.
“Likewise.” He stared down at the image of the captured girl.
“We found this on a computer. Forensics are trying to ascertain when it might have been taken and, if we’re lucky, where. With no missing girl fitting this description reported, it’s a low priority for them, I’m afraid.”
“Mark of a Gothica,” he said, reaching across his desk for the round magnifying glass. He used it to study the image more closely. “She’s restrained against her will.”
“I thought that too. Belshazzar’s was a place where people could live out their S & M fantasies. This looks different.”
“I agree. This girl used to be Gothica.”
“She’s a vampire?”
“Look at her irises.” He handed over both the photocopy and the magnifier. “And a vampire could break from these restraints.”
I studied the image through the glass. “Someone’s sedating her?”
“Perhaps with a chemical straightjacket. Like laudanum.”
“Opium?”
“It’s the only substance that would sedate a vampire.” He raised his hand with caution. “That’s actually a well kept secret. Share that with no one.”
“Of course. I appreciate your frankness.” I looked back down at the girl’s picture. “Orpheus knows about her, doesn’t he?”
Lucas raised his chin and his eyes burned with certainty. “If there’s one thing you can count on, Ingrid, it’s that we always look after our own.”
CHAPTER 7
I hardly remembered getting home from the museum.
Seeing Lucas had been wonderful, though I was left with more que
stions than answers. I decided to let my subconscious mull over all I’d learned tonight. Very often answers presented themselves when I distracted myself. The shower was a particularly good place for these kinds of revelations. All that hot water and white noise did something to my brain. Still, right now I needed to eat.
Peering into my fridge, I acknowledged what I already knew. Inside sat a carton of soymilk, a can of tuna fish, and an old cheese stick that would probably kill me if I ate it. I’d had no time to go shopping, or more truthfully the drudgery of it had put me off. A bowl of Special K was in my future.
The chardonnay I’d just uncorked tasted of aged vanilla and it hit the spot. It wasn’t the best I’d ever drunk but it would do.
It was good to be home.
I carried the bottle into the living room, grateful to back in my London flat. This three bedroom luxury residence was tucked away in Chelsea, situated east of Redelsdale Street, and had served as one of the many safe houses belonging to Lord Jadeon Artimas. Over decades, he’d procured properties scattered around the country, should a haven be needed. Or so he’d once told me.
Though it wasn’t officially my home, it had come to feel like it. I’d only planned on staying here for a few weeks until I’d found my own place. This location allowed for a quick commute to Scotland Yard and my busy schedule hindered looking for somewhere else. Or maybe that was the lie I told myself and I’d come to believe it. The more likely explanation was I drew comfort from being around his stuff. Like the large selection of impressive paintings of nightscapes he’d collected. I’d gotten used to these simple but luxurious furnishings. All this dark wood and leather leant a cozy air. Though the Edward III sword hanging behind his desk in his empty office gave me nightmares, its ownership being illegal. I much preferred spending time in Jadeon’s bathroom with its enormous tub and marble tiled shower, which was presently calling my name.
For now though, I needed to sit and decompress.
Seeing Lucas tonight had been a lovely surprise. Though before I left I’d promised not to bother him again. A vow I doubted I’d keep. I missed him, missed all of them, and most of all I missed Jadeon.
Despite prolonging my withdrawal from a world now lost to me, the visit had proven invaluable. Lucas had confirmed my fear about that girl, validating the photo was real. Adding to this revelation that she was in fact a vampire. My only dilemma was whether to focus my full attention onto this investigation or, as Lucas had suggested, allow the underworld to take care of it. As far as I could tell they were already investigating this. Orpheus’ appearance at the Bainard Building hadn’t only been about protecting me, it seemed.
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