“Thanks.” He paused, looking nervous. “Deirdre?”
“Yes?”
“Do you think Dad might consider becoming human again? I mean now that you are, it would make things a lot easier, wouldn’t it? Otherwise, I just can’t imagine you’d be able to handle it all after a while. It’s not natural.”
Would Mitch undergo the transformation process? If I asked him to, most likely. But did he really want to be human again? His vampiric instincts were dead on, his sheer delight in being able to transform shapes readily apparent. He loved being what he was. How could I take that away from him?
No, Victor was right. Staying was too much of a danger, for me, for the baby, and for Mitch. Separated, we’d be lonely for a while and my heart would always ache for him, but no one would need to deny their basic nature to please the other.
I sighed and wiped away a tear. “I’m not sure it’s possible for him to change, Chris. Or that he’d want to. Why don’t we just wait and see.”
“And what happens to me?” He gestured at himself, “Inside I might be a full-grown man, but to the outside world, I’m still only twelve years old. I can’t make it on my own.”
“I don’t believe anyone would dream of asking you to do that. You can always stay with Mitch and me, of course.”
“Legally, though, I’m not even a blood relation. If my father was really Victor’s brother, that makes him my uncle.”
“I suppose it does. But I’m sure he won’t mind if you stay with Mitch.”
“Yeah, I guess not.” He nodded and put some money on the table to pay the bill. “You look tired, Deirdre. Let me take you back to the hotel.”
When I opened the door to the hotel room, Mitch propped himself up on one elbow and peered at me sleepily. “Were you out?”
“Yes, Chris and I had coffee.”
“Ah, that’s nice. What time is it?”
“It’s early, Mitch, my love. Why don’t you go back to sleep?”
“Don’t mind if I do,” he said, patting the side of the bed. “Join me?”
“I thought you’d never ask.” I crawled in and snuggled up next to him.
“Mmmmmmm. You’re so nice and warm, must’ve been the coffee.”
Within seconds he slept again. I drifted in and out of a light sleep, but mostly I just lay there next to him, breathing in his scent, enjoying the touch of his naked skin against mine. I considered waking him up so that we could make love one last time, but feared I would not be able to hide my intentions from him. Best that he didn’t know. Victor could explain it to him and he’d see eventually that it was the right decision.
The baby moved inside me again, a stronger kick this time. I stroked my abdomen and smiled, laughing to myself about Vivienne’s insistence that it was a girl. As for me, I wished for a boy, with Mitch’s features and build.
With that thought, I fell into a deeper sleep and dreamt of Max. He was holding my hand, sitting with me in the maternity ward of the hospital as the baby was being born. He accepted the newborn wrapped in a blanket and laid it in my arms, kissing me on the forehead. “You know, Deirdre, this moment is only possible because of me. Everything you’ve ever wanted and you have only me to thank.”
I woke shortly before sundown with the angry ringing of the phone.
I reached over and picked it up. “Hello?”
“It’s time,” Victor’s voice sounded steady and calm. “Meet me in the lobby. I’ve called the rest of them. I wish they’d had the foresight to bring Lily along, but I think we’ll manage without her.”
Victor hung up without giving me a chance to respond. “Mitch?”
He sat up immediately and smiled at me. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“That was the best day’s sleep I’ve had in over three years. And it was all because you were here. Safe and lying next to me.”
“Victor wants us to meet him in the lobby as soon as possible.”
“Good. It’s about time we dealt with Hunter.”
I shook my head. “I don’t know, Mitch. What has he done to us?”
“What do you mean? He drugged you and kidnapped you, poisoned you and tried to brainwash you. And he’s been sending Other assassins to kill us for years.”
“Are we dead?”
He laughed. “Of course not. But think of all the heartache he’s caused.”
I shook my head. “Last time I checked there wasn’t a law against being a bastard. None of us are dead, and as for all the manipulating he did of me, well, if not for that I’d not have what I have right now.”
“And what is that?”
“A new life. A new beginning. And our child.”
“Sam’s dead, have you forgotten that? Maggie ripped him to shreds at his encouragement.”
“No, he sent Maggie to kill you. And you are still alive. That Sam died is a tragedy, but laying that blame on Max is stretching it a bit.”
Mitch pulled on his jeans and a black T-shirt. “I see your point, Deirdre. I don’t want to see your point, but I can. Damn it. It would have been much better to just kick his ass. You can’t convince me that he shouldn’t be crushed. I’m sure he’s committed enough atrocities in his lives to justify it.”
“But, Mitch, there’s no evidence, no proof of anything recent. No dead bodies, nothing but an attempt to hold me against my will. And I escaped.”
“He might try it again.”
I smiled sadly. “Yes, he might. Think back, my love, to when we met. Would you have arrested him then for his crimes?”
“Damn straight. Whose side are you on anyway, Deirdre? Maybe he really has brainwashed you.”
“I don’t think so, Mitch. I’m just not sure killing him will do any good. After all, it didn’t work before.”
“Good point, sweetheart. Let’s just wait and see what happens, okay?”
“Fine. But remember what Victor said to you last night. There’s no need for you to be a hero; I’d like to keep my white knight intact and alive. I’m going to go downstairs and talk to Victor now. I’ll see you at sundown.”
“Deirdre? Wait. You can’t go down now. The sun is still up.”
“And?”
“And well, you can’t go.”
I kissed him full on the lips. “I saw the sun rise this morning, Mitch. I have nothing to fear.”
Chapter 29
Victor was lounging on one of the sofas in the lobby when I got off the elevator. He wore a different suit than he’d had on yesterday, a blue pin-stripe with not one speck of visible lint. His shirt was perfectly pressed, bleached snowy white, and not one hair on his head was out of place. As always I felt slovenly in his presence, this time with good cause, since I was still wearing the flannel shirt and jeans I’d left the Ballroom in.
“Deirdre. You look lovely.”
“Don’t, Victor. It’s not true and we both know it. But I seem to have lost everything I own somewhere along the way.”
He laughed. “Yes, as have you all. We will see what we can do about that tonight. But I didn’t mean your clothing. I meant you. For the first time since I’ve known you, you finally seem content and at peace. Have you thought about what you’re going to do?”
“I’ll take your advice, Victor.”
He nodded. “Good. I’ve made all the necessary arrangements for your trip. I’ll hand it all over to you tomorrow at Sam’s funeral.”
“There’s one other thing.”
“What’s that?”
“It’s Max. Mitch is thinking that we’re going over there to kill him. I’m sure the others are as well. But I don’t know . . .”
“You don’t want revenge, Deirdre?”
“I had my revenge, Victor, when he died the first time. I’m not sure he deserves to live, but I don’t want to be involved again in his death.”
Victor smiled at me. “How human of you, Deirdre. But you may put your mind to rest. I merely wish to confront Max. My demands are simple. He is to return things to the way they
were before Eduard DeRouchard took control. And he is to disband the Others, and their arcane secrets are to be buried and forgotten. That obscenity has gone on long enough. If he refuses to meet my wishes, then he will be held and tried by a council of my choosing.”
I laughed. “He will agree, of course. And then attempt to do what he wants anyway.”
“Possibly. But he will also know that we will be watching him. And that might keep him in line, for a while, anyway. Eternal life is boring, my dear, without conflict to keep it interesting.”
The sun had set outside while we talked and the elevator door opened. Mitch and the rest walked toward us. “I’ll take boring, Victor,” I said softly.
He laughed. “I believe you, Deirdre. However, I doubt that your life will ever be boring. I suppose time will tell.”
“So,” Mitch said as he approached Victor, “what’s the plan?”
“We talk and negotiate. There will be no killing unless it is initiated by Max. We are already too few.”
Mitch looked surprised. “Then why do we all need to be there?”
“So that he knows we’re serious.”
“That is all well and good, Victor,” Vivienne said, “but what about Sam? He’s dead because of Max.”
“If Max admits that he ordered Maggie to kill Sam, then I will change my position. Otherwise, Vivienne, Sam’s death was an accident. Tragic and senseless, yes, but an accident nonetheless. Anyone who cannot accommodate my wishes in this matter need not come along.”
Victor had hired a limousine for the night and the ride to the Ballroom was remarkably silent. Vivienne seemed to be sulking in her corner of the car with Claude watching her every move. Once again the similarity between him and Moe struck me and I smiled at him from where Mitch and I sat, holding hands. Victor stared out the window at the city streets and seemed bored with the entire expedition.
The club hadn’t opened yet when we arrived but Victor tipped the doorman a hundred dollar bill and he let us in. Vivienne looked around her with a pouting expression. “He did put everything back the way it was. It is too gauche for words.”
Mitch put an arm around my waist. “I don’t care what Victor says. If Hunter touches you, even in greeting, I’ll kill the bastard.”
“I will stay away from him, Mitch. Believe me, I’ve no desire to see the man ever again.” My statement seemed to placate him, but he kept his hold on me.
We trouped down the hallway and Max came out to greet us. “Welcome,” he said, ushering us into his office. “And to what honor should I attribute such a visit?”
“We need to talk, old friend.” Victor extended his hand and Max shook it.
“Looks more like a lynch party to me, Victor. How could it be otherwise with Greer in on it? But still, I’m thrilled to see you all. Vivienne, you’re as enchanting as always.” He took her hand and tried to kiss it. She pulled away from him quickly and his eyes gleamed. “And you”—he said, turning to the one person in our party he didn’t know—“you must be Claude. I have heard about you. All good, of course.” Then he moved in my direction. Mitch stepped forward with a snarl. “And of course, here is Deirdre. No party is complete without her and her own personal watchdog.” His eyes were cold when he looked on me and I felt a chill climb up my spine. I might be willing to forgive and forget, but I feared that was something Max would never do. The good feeling I’d had toward him after my dream of this afternoon faded away into nothing and suddenly I was deathly afraid.
“Max.” I nodded my head and said nothing else.
Obviously, he’d been expecting us, for in the place of the black leather couch, there stood a small conference table, with chairs gathered around it. “Sit,” he said with a crooked smile. “We’ll have some wine and we’ll talk.”
“No wine, Max.” Victor said, motioning for us all to sit around the table. “This is hardly a social visit.”
“Of course,” he said, sitting down next to Vivienne. “But I am happy to see you all regardless.” I heard the door to his office click shut and lock. “Deirdre and Mitch have met Derek, I know, but perhaps the rest of you haven’t. I thought I might need a second pair of eyes and ears in the room.”
I turned slightly in my chair to see Derek. He looked uncomfortable, but alert, standing at the door with his arms crossed, his gaze fastened on Max as if awaiting a signal. The side of his face sported a bruise from his chin to the corner of his eye. The message was clear: anyone leaving the room would have to get by him.
“Threats won’t help you, Max. We only want to talk.”
“So I heard, Victor. Talk then. Or read me my rights and take me away. If you can.”
“There’s no need for that,” Victor continued. “Our demands are simple. Return all Cadre holdings. And disband the Other organization.”
“And in return what do I get?”
“You get to live,” Mitch growled at him from across the table.
“I’ve managed to live centuries without your permission, Greer, and I intend to keep doing so. You have your wife back, no harm, no foul. I barely laid a hand on her. To be honest, she’s hardly worth the trouble she caused me.”
Mitch pushed his chair back and rose halfway out of his seat, but I put a hand on his arm. “Don’t,” I said, “please, he’s the one who’s not worth it.”
“Listen to her, Greer. Use your brain for once instead of your right hook.”
Max looked to Victor. “I won’t meet your demands, old man. I’m sitting on top of the world right now, so why would I give up any of it? Would you? Accept the fact that the power has moved out of your hands and into mine. You knew it would happen sooner or later. Bow out now while you still can.” Max’s voice rose ominously, echoing off the walls. “The only reason you all aren’t still being hunted down like animals is because I ordered the killings to stop. It’s certainly easy enough to countermand that order. All it takes is a nod in the right direction.”
No, I thought wildly, this is not the way it should go. He was supposed to give it all up. I shot a concerned look at Victor, he sat at the table, studying his fingernails. When he felt my glance, he lay both of his hands flat on the table.
“Return the Cadre holdings,” he said, “and disband the Others organization.”
“I’ll ask it again, Victor. Or what?”
“Or you will be held in custody until I can choose a council to render judgment. I could remind you that you were dangerously close to a similar judgment when Deirdre took matters into her own hands. I don’t want to see that happen again.”
“And I,” Max laughed, “certainly wasn’t looking forward to it then either. Why would I chose it now?”
“Because it is your only option.”
“The hell it is.” Something glimmered around Max as he stood up at the table and nodded to Derek. “I think the negotiations are over.”
Victor stood, but before he could make a move, Max grabbed Vivienne by the waist and pulled her into the force field that was generating around him. “You forget, Victor. I had two teachers, you and Eduard. So I have twice the power.”
“And none of the brains, Max. Let her go. You can’t hurt her.”
“Are you sure about that, Victor? I learned a few tips from Dr. Samuels’s research that might surprise you. Pity that Maggie killed him too soon.” Max looked down at Vivienne with scorn. “I wasn’t quite done with him.”
She bared her teeth at him. He tightened his grip on her neck and reached into his pocket, producing a small vial of liquid. “One drop of this and our lovely little French whore here will shrivel away into nothing.”
At that moment, Claude lunged up from the table to free Vivienne, accidently connecting with Derek, who apparently had been slowly moving toward us while our attention was riveted on Max. Claude’s glancing blow hurled Derek across the room. He hit the wall groaning to the accompaniment of cracking bones.
“Let her go,” Claude bellowed, “or by God, you’ll die, you dirty son of a bitch.” He rea
ched into his coat and I caught a glimpse of a leather holster as he pulled out a revolver. “I can shoot you through her, if you like. She’ll heal. Will you?”
Max looked up at Claude, an amused expression on his face. “I know now why you seem so familiar. You remind me of a dog I once killed.”
Claude gave a laugh that was almost a growl. “Not a dog, Max. Never a dog.” He tossed the gun to Mitch. “Cover him, and if he even attempts to open that bottle blow his brains out.” He turned to Victor. “I’m sorry,” Claude said, his voice growing deeper with each word, “I’ve never been good at following orders. You of all people should remember that.”
Instantly the space where Claude had been standing was occupied by a huge bear, wearing the tattered remains of human clothing. He moved in on Max and Vivienne and enveloped them both in his enormous front paws. It looked almost as if the three of them were dancing and I suppressed the nervous urge to laugh. Then Max gave a horrible scream of pain and I heard the tearing of cloth and flesh. Claude moved away, gently holding Vivienne in paws coated with strips of flesh, gore and muscle.
Max looked down in fascination at his shirt front and the red stain that was slowly growing. A trickle of blood dripped from his mouth and he fell to the floor.
I turned away, holding my hand over my mouth, sickened by the bloody remains. The room was silent except for the soft moans coming from Derek.
Claude moved back into human form, his hands still coated with Max’s blood. Stark naked, he looked enormous, ashamed and embarrassed. I ran to the room that had been my prison and returned with the spread from the bed and wrapped it around him. He gave me a grateful smile. “Thanks,” he whispered. Then he turned to Vivienne. “Are you okay?”
She came over to him and gave him a hug. “I am fine, Claude. Merci. You did very well. I told you the animal form would come to you if you were patient enough.”
“Or angry enough.” He looked at Victor. “You might as well convene that council for me, Victor. I won’t fight you.”
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