“What does a personal assistant do, exactly?” said Marie.
“Well, the last time we used this identity it combined secretary and—ahem—fuck buddy.”
Marie gasped and turned to me.
“Anna posed as my girlfriend,” I said quickly.
“Did his reputation no end of good, having a vampire as arm candy,” said Anna. “I’d imagine that having a werewolf isn’t going to do it any harm either. Sir John Winstanleigh is known as a man with unusual, expensive and perverted tastes.”
“I thought this was supposed to be a fake identity?” said Marie.
“Ha,” I said. “Ha. Ha. Ha. Funny.”
“I thought so.”
“Okay, we go to Paris, check out the club, and set off on our little wild goose chase.”
“You still riding that horse, Jack?” said Anna.
“Yep, apparently I’m not allowed to get off until it reaches its destination.”
“What is this?” said Jeurgen.
“Jack’s skeptical about the chances of Dracula being resurrected,” said Anna.
“Not skeptical,” I corrected. “Completely dismissive.”
“You don’t think it’s going to work?” asked Jeurgen.
“I don’t think it can work,” I corrected. “Vampires just don’t come back from the dead like that.”
“Actually, every vampire has come back from the dead, that’s how it works,” said Anna.
“Yeah, but being killed after being bitten and then waking up a vampire is different from having your body burned and coming back six hundred years later. It’s physically impossible.”
“But you’re an atheist,” said Eva. “You don’t think God is possible.”
“I’ve asked you before, Eva,” I said. “Show me one proof of your God and we’ll talk.”
“Okay,” she said and pointed at Marie. “You’re sitting next to a woman who changes into a wolf.”
“I am?” I said. “I’d like to see that trick, sweetheart.”
Marie gave me a startled look.
“Jack, are you taking any heavy medication?” said Anna. “You’ve seen Marie change.”
“Not into a wolf.”
There was dead silence in the room. Marie finally broke it.
“Jack, are you okay?”
“Sure I am. Look, sweetheart, you don’t change into a wolf. Cam is not a wolf.”
“Sure he is,” said Eva.
“Really? You’ve seen many wolves that look like that? Because I’ve seen wolves. Wolves don’t have to bend down to get through doors. Wolves have four legs, not two. Wolves don’t wear clothes, or use a fork to eat bacon.”
“Okay, so he’s not your actual wolf,” said Eva.
“My point exactly. Marie isn’t a woman who turns into a wolf. She’s a werewolf, which means that sometimes she’s a werewolf that looks like a very cute woman, and sometimes she’s a werewolf that looks like a very cute woman with fur, claws, a tail, and a wolf-like head.”
“Sophistry,” said Anna with a smile.
“Nope, pure fact. Granted, if werewolves really were biologically human, who changed into a something that was biologically wolf, you’d have a point. But calling werewolves proof of God would be like finding a human with wings and declaring it proof of God because you’d found an angel. It’s just not the same thing.”
“Okay, so what about vampires?” asked Eva.
“Biological processes. Just because we don’t understand yet, doesn’t mean we’ll never understand. And, more importantly, just because we don’t understand doesn’t mean God did it.”
“Actually,” said Jeurgen, “I was thinking more of Satan. I mean no offense, ma’am.”
“None taken,” said Anna demurely.
“Okay, whatever,” I said. “You can’t just claim it’s the work of the supernatural and call it quits. People used to think that babies came by an act of some fertility god.
“Goddess,” Anna corrected with a small smile.
“Goddess, then.” I went on, warming to the subject. “We used to think that thunderstorms were the gods making war. We used to think a goddess made crops grow. Now we know better. One day we’ll understand vampires and werewolves better, too.”
“And women?” quipped John.
“Oh we’ll never understand women,” I said. “Some mysteries are too deep to fathom. I’ll tell you this, though: they understand us, buddy. They’ve got us figured out.”
“Yes we do,” said Anna. “That’s why woman will inherit the Earth.”
I looked at John and shrugged theatrically.
“I can’t argue with that. We’re close to obsolete, brother.”
“Naah,” said Marie, patting my arm. “We can think of one or two uses for you.”
“Killing spiders,” said John. “Opening jars. Getting things off of tall shelves. Fixing leaky things.”
“Don’t forget giving us a warm place to stick our feet at night,” said Anna.
“True, there is that. See, Jack? We’re still vital and contributing members of society.”
CHAPTER
17
I placed my empty plate on the coffee table and sat back on the couch.
“Sorry Eva, we wandered a bit away from the point there.”
“That’s okay, Jack,” she replied. “It’s only your soul we’re talking about.”
“I don’t have a soul,” I said. “I’m English, remember?”
I leaned back on the couch and shut my eyes.
“I could use a cigarette, though,” I said.
“Oh, sweetheart, you quit,” said Marie.
“Yep, doesn’t mean I don’t crave them now and again. And I could probably do with going back to sleep some time today.”
In my pocket my phone buzzed.
“Fat chance of that,” I said.
I pulled it out. It was a text message from the Ministry. The rest of the book was ready for download. We went through the security procedure again and the pages started to appear on the laptop.
Jeurgen was fascinated, reading the text through as quickly as possible.
I noticed an ornate carved box on the table and frowned.
“What’s that?” I asked.
“Oh, I thought you might like to see this,” said Eva.
She opened the box. Inside was a golden human heart.
“I thought they stole that,” I said carefully.
“They did,” she replied. “This is a copy.”
“Why did someone make a copy?” asked Bolt.
“Three hundred years ago there was an attempt to steal the original. The then Pope was so worried about it that he had this copy made and placed in the archives. The original was, under strictest secrecy, hidden away in the Pope’s chambers, under the floor.”
I lifted the object out, marveling at the detail.
“So how do we know this isn’t the original?” I asked.
“Two reasons: First, the original was placed back in the archives over fifty years ago, and second, we x-rayed this one, just in case. It’s wood, covered in a layer of gold.”
“And the original?” I asked. “What did the x-ray show that to be?”
“We don’t know. We never tested that one.”
I gave her an exasperated look.
“Are you kidding me?”
“No. Nobody ever thought it was important enough to bother with.”
I was idly turning the object around in my hands, admiring the craftsmanship. What about the original? Was it stone? Wood? Was it solid gold? Clay? Was it, despite probability, a real human heart encased in gold?
I carefully put the heart back in the box.
“Well, seeing as we’re awake, and it’s stupid o’clock in the morning, what are we going to do to waste time?”
“Well, I need to get this down to the archives. The archivists have been salivating about the book since it got stolen.”
“Sure, there’s some blank CDs in the case, if I remember correctly. Burn a copy
and go give the archivists a late Christmas present.”
The Guardsman extracted a CD and ran off a copy.
“Okay, I’ll be back soon,” he said. “Do try not to start a crusade while I’m gone.”
He left to the sound of appreciative laughter.
“Okay, so this club,” I said. “I’m going with John’s idea. Me, Cam and Marie. Sound good?”
“I think I should go with you,” said Eva, doubtfully. “I don’t know if my friend will talk to you if I’m not with you.”
“Well, not to disparage your skills, but if I’m going to be walking into vamp perv central I’d rather be with people who can’t be played like a guitar.”
“Then we’ve got a problem,” said Marie. “If I’m going to be playing your girlfriend, that is.”
“What’s that?” I asked.
“Well, I’m only immune in my not-quite-a-wolf form.”
I reached out and tweaked her nose.
“Sweetheart, I meant no offense by that.”
“I know that,” she said. “But it’s true, in my cute human form I’m vulnerable.”
“Go as a wolf,” said Cam, finally setting his empty plate aside.
“What?” I protested. “She can’t do that.”
“Why not?” he said, covering a belch. “Par’n me. Look, Anna said it did your reputation good to be seen partying with a vampire. Why not a werewolf? I’ll go as hired muscle, to glare at people and make them go away. Marie can go as your ‘I’m so much of a bloody stud I’m fucking a werewolf’ trophy.”
“Feel like upgrading from fuck buddy to trophy, love?” I asked.
“Is that really an upgrade?” she asked archly.
I shrugged.
“Okay, I like the idea,” she said. “That way when we need to save you from whatever trouble you get into, I’ll be ready to go. No need to change.”
“Yeah, I hear finding a phone booth in Paris is near impossible these days,” I quipped.
She smiled and shook her head.
“Yeah, Superwolf, that’s me,” she said. “But then we have another problem. What will I wear? It’s not like I can wear my combat suit. And don’t even think about taking me in there naked. I know you were, but just don’t.”
Actually the thought hadn’t even occurred to me.
“Okay,” I said and turned to Eva. “What can we expect from this place? What should she be wearing?”
“I’m sorry, hun, I really am,” she said to Marie, “but we’re talking about leather and not a whole lot of it. And …”
We waited.
“And …?” I prompted.
“And a collar. And leash.”
Marie was giving me a look best described as ‘flinty’. In fact it went past flinty and had reached granite, with magnificently marbled sides and reinforced steel supports. I knew her well, though. I could see that at least some of the look was fake. Her voice confirmed it. She was going for a growl, but I could tell she was on board. The look was to let me know that I should not be commenting in my usual irreverent way.
“Why would we need a collar and leash?” she asked.
“It’s a fetish club,” said Eva. “And not even a blind person’s going to buy Jack as a submissive.”
“I don’t know,” said Marie. “I’d buy him. If he wasn’t too expensive.”
I gave her a flat look and raised one eyebrow.
“Why does either of us have to be the submissive?” I asked.
“It’s that kind of club, Jack.”
“Well, isn’t this cliché? What is it about vampires and BDSM?” I asked sourly.
“Well, I have a theory about that,” she said. “It’s part of my duties here working with the Swiss Guard, studying vampires and trying to better understand them. Vampires like power; they live on being in charge. Think about the way a vampire uses their mental abilities. A vampire could, if they wanted, sneak in and plant suggestions, get you to do their bidding without you even being aware of it. Instead, they dominate, they take over utterly and force you against your will.”
“I suppose a BDSM club would be their style,” I said. “I just never did get into that whole Tabloid Dom scene.”
A thought occurred. I let out a heartfelt groan and put my head in my hands.
“And I guess I’m going to end up dressing like a pirate who just raided the kind of store that doesn’t have a front window display, right?”
“Indeed,” said Eva with a perfectly straight face.
“Now that sounds like fun,” said Marie. “And I’m going to be doing a little kneeling at your feet, looking up at you with adoring eyes, aren’t I?”
“You,” I said, leaning close, “are having way too much fun with this.”
“Oh come on, Jack,” she whispered. “You want to practice a little?”
The eyebrow went up again.
“Where are we going to get our Master and slave Hallowe’en costumes from?” I asked Eva.
“I don’t think you’ll be a problem, boss,” said Anna. “We’re going to Paris, the fashion capital of the world. I’m sure there’s going to be at least one shop that’ll be able to accommodate you.”
“And for Marie there’s actually a few werewolf boutiques around,” said Eva.
“Really?” said Marie.
“Yeah, there’s a large pack on the outskirts of the city and fashion for werewolves is quite a business.”
“Uh oh,” said Marie quietly.
“What?” I asked.
“If Paris is a pack territory we might have a problem. Do you know if they claim the whole city or just their part of it?”
“I have no idea,” said Eva. “Is that important?”
“Well, we, Cam and me, aren't strictly speaking part of a pack. We can’t claim membership of Liam’s pack, since I left and Cam never joined, and the pack in Paris would be justified in treating us as loners, and that’s bad.”
“Why?” asked Eva.
“Because if we infringe on their territory they have the right to challenge us, run us off, or even ... kill us.”
CHAPTER
18
We sat there for a moment, trying to digest the news.
“And if you really did belong to Liam’s pack?” I asked.
“Then we would be treated as emissaries. We would be under the protection of the pack whose territory we were in as long as we obeyed their boundaries.”
“So why can’t you just tell them you’re part of Liam’s pack?” asked Bolt.
“We do not lie about things like that,” said Cam gravely.
“Okay, so how would you become part of Liam’s pack?”
“Dump you.”
Dead silence greeted that comment.
“I’m sorry?” I ventured. “I thought Liam approved of me?”
“He does. As my brother, he does. As alpha male, he can’t. The alpha’s siblings are an important part of the pack, and, by rights, the males of the pack would be vying for the right to court me. But I’m with you, so they’d have to fight you, which Liam wouldn’t allow. Some of the more traditional members of the pack wouldn't like that and his position would be threatened.”
She sat back on the couch and crossed her legs.
“Liam is trying to gently guide the pack into the twenty-first century,” she said. “There’s no more fights to the death, no more dictated mating, no more pack executions. But old habits die hard and that’s why I’m not a member. I’m doing it to protect him. Him and you both.”
I reached out and took her hand, squeezing tight.
“There's also the whole Dannor issue,” she went on.
“Why is he an issue?” I asked.
“Because wolves mate for life, Jack. I told you that. And as far as some of the more vocal members of the pack are concerned, I'm still his mate and what you and I are doing is cheating.”
“That's ridiculous!” said Anna hotly. “After what he did to you?”
“What he did is irrelevant,” said M
arie, her eyes downcast. “Our old Alpha picked him as my mate.”
“And you had no say in the matter?” said Anna.
“No,” said Marie.
“I didn’t realize,” I said softly.
“It’s okay, I’d rather be with you than with the pack, but as I said, it’s a problem.”
“What about you, Cam?”
He shook his head.
“I’d have to go before the pack and ask for membership,” he said. “Nothing I can do from here.”
“So we’re up the creek without a paddle, then?”
“Not necessarily,” said Marie. “The pack may not claim all of Paris. Or they may not be hostile to outsiders so long as they obey the boundaries.”
“Obey the boundaries?” I asked. “What does that mean?”
“It’s to do with pack hierarchy. Places you don’t hunt, places you don’t even go. People you can’t talk to, certain clothes you can’t wear. Then there’s the stuff you do. It’s considered polite to pay a visit to certain members of the pack in a specific order. Always the alpha first, then usually the mother, then usually to each of the alpha’s seconds. If none of them object you pass. Sometimes they want you to meet the pack as a whole, or a certain part of it. Most of the time it’s highly ritualized and the worst that would normally happen is you get asked to leave. Sometimes, though…”
I thought about it.
“You mentioned the mother? What’s that?”
“Oh come on, Jack,” she replied. “You’ve met mother Jennifer.”
“Oh, I thought that was just a nickname.”
She shook her head and laughed.
“The mother's an important position in the pack. She’s sort of like the wise woman. She handles everything from birth to death. She’s like a midwife, doctor, herbalist, confessor, bonesetter, wise woman, counselor and adviser all rolled into one.”
I sat silently; remembering the strange, fey woman Liam had introduced me to just after we’d met. Mother Jennifer had been warm and friendly, with a ready smile, and she’d taken to me almost immediately. She’d told me to come back and see her when I was ready to take my place and she’d do everything in her power to prepare me. I had no idea what she’d been talking about and she’d refused to elaborate. I’d left with the uneasy feeling that mother Jennifer knew me far better than I knew myself, that she’d read my entire life with that first, penetrating glance.
Crusader (MPRD Book 2) Page 9