by Olsen, Lisa
“No, let’s keep it more subtle than that. Don’t approach anyone inside the hangouts, but out in the parking lot or on the street is fair game.”
“Is there any reason I should give for stopping them in particular?”
“No, you’re with the Order, you don’t owe them an explanation. You have a right to see their documentation at any time. Get as many chips scanned as possible, but if you come across paper documents, I’ll want a pic as well.”
“What am I looking for?”
“I’m not sure. Common threads… names that appear too often for probability’s sake. There should be a fair mix of names involved with granting petitions for progeny over the years across our population.”
“You think there are forgeries afoot?”
“I’m not sure, but I’m hoping if we get a good cross-section of scans it’ll give me a clearer answer of what I’m looking for. Just send me the raw data at the end of the week, and I’ll do my best to assemble it into something usable.”
“I think I can handle that,” Fisher agreed with out hesitation. “Should I bring Pitch and Rush in on it as well? We’ll be able to cover a lot more ground that way.”
Bishop considered it for a moment, but rejected the idea. “No, let’s keep this between you and me for now. If there is something to it then we’ll bring in more people.” The right people. Just as soon as he figured out who they were.
*
It was hours later when he made it back to the mansion, throwing himself into his work with a renewed passion. He’d done it before, living his life only for the job in the belief that he served a purpose. It was simpler that way. Down time meant too many opportunities to think about things that could never change. It was the same after Carys died, he… What was he doing thinking about her?
Bishop changed his course, veering away from the blocky cells they called personal quarters to the gym for an added workout. Only once he was drenched in sweat, his muscles literally shaking with the effort to continue, did he slow down. It wasn’t enough though.
It was never enough.
How many nights had he punished his body the same way, trying to find that elusive state of being where Anja eluded his thoughts? Maybe he should have asked her to compel him to forget about her because he for damned sure couldn’t get her out of his head. Even now, when all he wanted to do was roll onto his bed and chase oblivion, she wormed her way back into his thoughts. As he lay on the hard bunk, his thoughts went back to those first days. The way she’d felt, all cold and broken, trembling with exhaustion that first night after he’d guided her through her transition. The way she’d first looked at him with new eyes. The way she’d made him feel like there was more to this life than duty to the Order.
Maybe he was being an idiot. Maybe he shouldn’t care if it was all an illusion. Was it any less real if he felt those things deep in his heart and soul? Because it was the happiest he’d ever been, even with Carys. Maybe he should… suck it up and stop obsessing over a woman. That couldn’t be healthy.
Somehow his cell phone had wound up in his hand, Anja’s picture smiling up at him. Jesus Christ, he didn’t even remember pulling it up. For long seconds, he allowed himself to stare at the picture, imagining what she might say if he called out of the blue. He could call to congratulate her on her new position, there was nothing out of the ordinary about that.
Instead he called Mason, his only lifeline to the world he’d left behind.
Mason answered on the second ring. “Hey, brother, long time no hear. How’s things in the future?”
“They’re good,” Bishop replied, losing his nerve at the last minute. Instead of asking about Anja, he kept it all business. “Listen, I wanted to ask you, have you noticed any increased numbers lately?”
“Don’t get me started,” Mason snorted.
“You too?” Bishop sat up to lean against the wall. He hadn’t been expecting that at all. “I thought it was just here in Vetis.”
“Wait… she’s messing with your population too?”
“Who is?”
“Anja. Isn’t that who we’re talking about?” Mason asked, much to Bishop’s confusion.
“Ah… I didn’t think so. I’m talking about a swell in the vampire population here. As in way above and beyond the usual increase we’d see since the last census. What would that have to do with Anja?”
“Oh.” The line went silent as Mason paused. “Nothing, I guess.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about your girlfriend.”
“She’s not my girlfriend,” Bishop growled.
“Sorry, I know she’s moved on and that’s gotta blow. I shouldn’t have said anything.”
“How do you know she’s moved on?” Was Anja seeing someone else?
“It’s not like we’re best buddies anymore, or even talking much these days, but I hear things from Hanna.”
Bishop knew he shouldn’t ask, it was none of his business, but he couldn’t help it. “Things like what?”
“Like she hooked up with Jakob pretty fast after the two of you called it quits.”
He’d always known she’d go back to him, he just thought it might take a little longer.
“But that’s over and done with,” Mason continued.
“I wouldn’t be too sure about that. The ties with a Sire… those don’t just go away.”
“Riiight. Hey, Bishop…” Mason said slowly, as if searching for the right words. “Not that I don’t enjoy playing gossip girl with you, but I’ve gotta get out there. We’re spread pretty thin out here these days. Frost has most of us up in San Francisco to handle the unrest since Anja took over.”
Bishop’s brows drew together. “There’s unrest about her becoming Elder? I thought the locals accepted her as one of their own.”
“Are you kidding me? They fucking love her.”
“Then what…?”
“It’s the Order that’s taking it in the seat. Every vampire on the street is suddenly filled with righteous indignation if we so much as question them. I’m half afraid if I show my face up there alone on a street corner, I’ll be jumped by a bunch of goddamn vigilantes.”
“People are turning against the Order?” Bishop’s jaw went slack. What the hell was going on down there?
“Let’s just say it’s a good time to keep my secret Order tattoo under my tighty whities and leave it at that. I’m glad I’m beating the streets in the Silicon Valley. Things are way more casual down here.”
“I don’t get it.” Bishop couldn’t help but scratch his head. “The general population always feared us, but there was respect. What happened to that?”
“It’s a whole new ball of wax now, buddy. Your… um, Anja encouraged people to speak out against injustice, as she calls it, and now every Tom, Dick, and Harry thinks they have the right to a voice. If this keeps up, we won’t be able to keep order around here, there are only so many of us to go around.”
“Why doesn’t anyone go talk to her? Try to get her to see the unrest she’s causing by encouraging this?”
“Hey, that’s Frost’s baby, you’ll have to ask him. All I know is, I’m not in the cool club anymore where she’s concerned. I wasn’t invited to Christmas at the Gudrun mansion.”
“Has Frost bubbled this up the chain?”
“I dunno, he doesn’t run stuff past me.”
If he had, that meant a whole lot of attention for Anja, above and beyond any increased scrutiny from her new position. But Frost was a fairly laid back guy, maybe he was trying to ride it out.
“Hey, what did you mean before when you said you had an increase of vamps? Is that part of this civil unrest?”
“Oh, just that our new Elder was working the underground railroad if you catch my drift.”
Bishop bit back a string of expletives, pressing the base of the phone tight to his lips to keep from losing it. Christ, he couldn’t leave her alone for a day before she was up to her neck in trouble again. “
Please tell me you’re messing with me right now.”
“I kid you not, man. Word on the street was, Anja was offering Sanctuary to anybody looking to avoid the Order over a matter of delayed paperwork. Not that it matters now, she’s got carte blanche to approve any petition that comes across her desk if she wants to.”
“Right.” Now that she was Elder, any investigation into her activities would probably be dropped. And if the vampire populace got too uppity… then the Order might take steps to re-establish control over the area, but there wasn’t anything they could do to Anja directly. Still, that kind of unrest was never good for either side. “Have you tried talking to her?”
“Yeah, I barely escaped with my balls intact for my trouble too.”
“Alright, I’ll try talking to her when she gets here. She’ll have to see that there’s nothing to be gained in riling everybody up.”
“Sounds like a plan. Listen, I hate to blow you off, but I gotta motor. If I’m still here by the time Hanna gets back, then it’ll take me another couple of hours to get out of here.”
Bishop couldn’t help but smile over the sheer happiness in Mason’s voice when he spoke of Anja’s sister. “Things are going good between the two of you? No regrets in taking the plunge and moving in with her?”
“Not a one. Except maybe I think about taking a year or five off to pretend I’m a normal stiff sometimes, you know?”
“Trust me, you’d hate it,” Bishop scoffed. “Guys like you and me, we’re not built for normal domesticity.”
“Speak for yourself, Kemosabe. I happen to be a fantastic cook, as it turns out. In fact, that reminds me – I’d better hit the stores before they close and pick up some heavy cream.”
“I guess I’ll leave you to it then. Take care, man, I’ll talk to you soon.”
Bishop let out a long breath as he disconnected the call. It didn’t surprise him to find his Anja at the epicenter of the drama in the West these days. No, not his Anja, he had to remind himself. Though part of him would always consider her to be his, no matter how far they drifted apart. At least now he had a good reason to talk to her.
Chapter Nine
You know how when you go back to your high school after a few years it seems somehow smaller? Something about the way your perspective changes as you grow older, but not necessarily too much taller. I thought I might feel something like that when the House of Vetis came into view, me being the Elder and all. I wasn’t an obscure nobody anymore – I’d actually become a strong, confident, vampire after months of pretending. There’s an inspirational message in there somewhere, suitable for bumper stickers, but I’m not quite sure what it is.
Well, my perspective must not have changed all that much, because the house still looked as grand and imposing as ever, the gray stone lending a slightly mournful air to its appearance. This time I wasn’t surprised to see ginormous wolves freely roaming the compound, knowing them to be part of the security team. Maybe Tucker was one of them.
“Damn, ain’t that a sight.” Macallister gave a low whistle beside me. “Makes you feel kinda like the red headed stepchild, don’t it?”
So, the brash Texan could be intimidated after all, I realized with a faint smile. “Don’t be silly, we deserve to be here as much as anyone else in there,” I said with more confidence than I felt.
Still, a flutter of anticipation made my insides tremble as Rob handed me out of the limousine, my shoes crunching on the gravel drive. He held onto my hand for a fraction longer than was necessary, dropping a quick wink my way. Dressed in the suit again, he looked every inch the professional bodyguard. So did Gunnar, as usual, and the security team that got out of the car behind us.
This was all old hat to Felix though, and Bridget looked right at home on his arm as he strode right up to the great wooden door. She’d come a long way from the wide eyed stare a few short weeks ago.
“Come on, Mac,” I smiled, patting his shoulder to urge him forward from his slack jawed stare. “Let’s go show ‘em a thing or two about Western power.”
Beyond the great door was a large antechamber, flanked by two armed guards dressed in tactical gear. Brody (or Mr. Smiley, as I liked to think of him) manned the desk, waving Felix and Bridget right through, but blocked my path when I tried to follow them.
“Come on, seriously?” He had to know who I was, we’d gone through this song and dance last time. Or maybe that was the problem? He didn’t like how I’d made him back down after tormenting Tucker. The short, husky blonde had a chip on his shoulder the size of Montana.
“Do you have any weapons to declare?” he asked, in his broad American accent.
“Just these babies,” I waggled my fingers at him. I almost wished he’d push me a bit more so I could show him some of the skills I’d picked up from Rob. Speaking of whom, Rob looked like he wanted nothing better than to take Brody’s head off.
“Name?”
“Come on, Brody. You know full well who she is,” Rob snapped.
“Anja Gudrun, Elder of the West,” I smiled sweetly, gratified to see his eyes widen. So, he hadn’t known, after all. He caught up a clipboard, his eyes scanning the page until he came to my name and I saw his jaw tighten.
“Welcome to Vetis, Your Grace,” he said stiffly, like he’d rather chew broken glass than bestow the title on me. Quickly glancing past Rob, he focused on Macallister next. “Name?”
I knew I could go on through, but I lingered for a moment, waiting to make sure Mac made it.
“Macallister James.”
“Do you have any weapons to declare?”
To my surprise, he drew out a pair of pearl handled revolvers from his carry on bag. Had he had those on the jet the whole time? “I like to be prepared,” he shrugged.
Instead of confiscating them like I would have thought, Brody simply made a note of it. “You’re not on the list.”
“So? Ain’t you still offerin’ Sanctuary?”
There was definitely a gleam of satisfaction to Brody’s eye as he set down the clipboard. “Ordinarily that’d be true, but we’re full up right now with the Gathering. I’m afraid you’ll have to find a place to stay in town.”
“He’s with me,” I said, hoping that would be a vote in his favor.
“Sharing a room then?” Brody’s mouth twisted into a smarmy grin.
“Apologize for that, you filthy dog,” Rob growled, his muscles coiled to strike if the werewolf so much as twitched, but I laid a hand on his arm. It was time to teach Mr. Smiley some manners.
“You know what, Brody?” I asked, easily catching hold of his will with mine. “I don’t think I like your tone of voice. From now on, you will only speak to me when spoken to. Do you understand?” I stole a page from Jakob.
His head bowed submissively. “Yes, Your Grace.”
“You’ll add Mr. James to your list and see to it that he gets accommodations suitable for the delegate from the honorable state of Texas. Is that clear?”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
“While you’re at it, I want to have Tucker added to my security team for the duration of my stay here.” It would be nice to see the shy boy again, and if it got him an easier work detail for a while, all the better. “And now that I think of it, I want you to personally see to bringing my luggage up to my suite. I’d hate to see it go missing like last time, so you be sure to bring it on up with your own two hands, okay?”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
“Great,” I smiled, giving his cheek a condescending pat. “Isn’t it so much nicer when you remember your place?”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
“Come on, guys, I feel like checking out my room.” I sailed into the open hall with my head held high, spotting Felix chatting with Bridget near the bottom of the stairs.
“Why does it always take you so long to check in?” Felix muttered. “You ready to go get settled in?”
“How’d you do that?” Macallister’s eyes bulged as he followed along behind me.
“Just a touch of compulsion, no biggie. The jerk had it coming from way before.”
“You can compel a werewolf?”
“Of course. Can’t you?” I smiled wide, feeling like a million bucks.
Felix’s brow shot up. “You compelled a Were?”
“Yeah, it was bloody brilliant,” Rob beamed with pride.
“Put the little shit right in his place too,” Macallister grinned. “Which I greatly appreciate. I was startin’ to think I might have to go find me a Motel 6 around here.”
“Isn’t that an interesting development.” Felix perked up at the news and I wondered if I should’ve been so cavalier at admitting to such a thing.
“It’s not that big of a deal, guys.” I tried to downplay it. “Let’s go check out our rooms.”
Macallister was diverted to a parlor to await his room assignment, but Felix and I were shown right up to our accommodations. I guess in the back of my mind I thought I’d be given the Swan room again, or one right next to it, but they took us to the suite Felix and Tommy had shared in the last visit. It was bigger than the Swan room, and a bit more masculine, but it had two private bedrooms, each with their own bathrooms, which was nice.
Bridget and Felix immediately closed themselves up in the smaller of the two bedrooms, and Gunnar excused himself to go and show the other security boys where they’d be bunking in a dormitory style room for the help, given all the added security force brought along by the other delegates.
It took Brody about fifteen minutes to bring up all of our luggage, making several trips up and down without the luxury of calling on anyone else for help. He was red faced and sweaty by the time he was done, but left without saying a word. Only after he was done and the door locked did I feel relaxed enough to take my shoes off and scrunch my toes around in the plush carpet beside the massive bed.
“I guess you’ll be bunking down with Gunnar in the barracks then, huh? Or will they put you in the east wing with the room that goes to this?” I batted the silken cord hanging next to the bed.
“No, I’ll be staying here with you.”