Rick watched me walk over to Jerome, who had stopped chopping wood to wipe his brow with the hem of his checked shirt and take a swig of water from a bottle. Even in winter here in Auckland, you can work up a sweat in no time.
Jerome nodded in greeting as I approached and screwed the lid back on his bottle, placing it to the side on a stump of wood he used as a table. He looked at me, as though he was assessing me, but didn't really smile. There was a sadness to his eyes I hadn't seen before. Was everyone as down as me right now?
“Hi, Jerome,” I said quietly. For some reason my voice and courage seemed to be failing me, he picked up on it and smiled reassuringly.
“Hey, Luce. Come and have a seat.” He indicated a couple of deck chairs out on their own under a gnarled old Rimu tree.
The chairs creaked as we both sat down and the wind swirled a few of the tree's needles at our feet around in mini tornadoes, then abated.
Neither of us said anything to begin with, content on watching the younger mokopuna play fighting in the distance. He could obviously sense my reluctance to start the conversation, so he took the lead, bless him.
“I knew it wouldn't be long until you came to me. I've felt the change for some time now.”
I looked at him then, unsure of what he was saying, but aware his choice of words mirrored mine. I had been feeling like everything had been changing too.
“Lucinda. It has been a long time since my kind have had anything to do with yours, but we have not forgotten our kupu taurangi, our promise to you.”
“You said the other night at the Hangi, that the Taniwhas would fight along my kind's side, should we ever ask?”
“We would be proud to serve.”
I wrung my hands together. “What I'm asking is dangerous, Jerome. Some of your people may get hurt,” - I swallowed - “killed even.” My voice barely a whisper, but he heard.
“We have always known this time would come. We have been lucky, Luce, to have had so long to thrive and grow unhindered, but from a young age, our mokopuna are made aware of our pact with your kind. They have been schooled from birth to be ready. You need not worry that we cannot, or will not, heed your call. This is what we have lived for. The chance to return the favour your kind did us so long ago.”
I looked into his dark brown eyes and saw he meant it. Unflinchingly. “How did you know it would be soon.”
He laughed out loud at that. “From the moment Rick brought you to us. If the Kaitiaki had returned, then our time was due. Besides, your powers have been growing stronger and stronger, most noticeably so today.”
Huh. Even the Taniwhas had been able to see it. I guess it was all the time I spent here. Jerome didn't miss much, being the Alpha of the Hapū. I had always thought he was a little removed though, polite and welcoming, but never having more than a few words to say to me and never being in my company for long. I guess he'd been watching from the sidelines though. That's definitely a shape shifter thing. They hunker down in the undergrowth and watch.
“So, when do you need us?” he asked softly.
“Tomorrow night, in the city. The vampire we fight wants me and he's going to use any method possible to succeed. He has 100 ghouls from Australia and an untold number of vampire. Michel has made an accord with our ghouls and here I am, asking you to honour ours.” I smiled ruefully and Jerome reached out and took my hand. His hands were rough and calloused, not the smooth fine hands of Michel. These were working hands, unafraid of getting dirty, but they were reassuring all the same. “We will be there.”
I wasn't sure where “there” would be, but it was a safe bet it would happen in and around the CBD. I didn't think Maximilian would fly in, Ghouls don't do aeroplanes, it was more likely they would come ashore at the docks or wharves downtown and head up towards K Road. That's the centre of vampire business in Auckland, Vampire Central and that's where Max would expect to find me and Michel.
I looked out across the expanse of lawn and gravel area where my car was parked and noticed Celeste was back, sitting on the swing seat with Rick. My heart ached at the thought that these fine, strong, but caring people, could get hurt because of me. All of this was because of me and it killed me slowly inside to know it.
“We are strong, Lucinda,” Jerome said, almost reading my mind, as he stood from the chair. “We will be all right.”
Somehow, I wasn't so sure.
I bade everyone farewell then. Jerome wanted to call a Hapū meeting and get everyone prepared. I didn't want to be there when they heard the news, see the looks on their faces as they learnt of what I had asked them to do. Cowardly, I know, but I needed to protect my heart from any more damage than it was already receiving in droves.
I headed back to the city in silence. I couldn't face music, there was too much static in my mind. I was just pushing open the front door of my apartment, after returning the keys to Mrs Cumberland and making her promise to stay indoors tomorrow night, when I felt it.
A vampire had been in my home.
Chapter 13
What a Bitch
He hadn't tried to hide his signature, on the contrary, the Sanguis Vitam reached out and grabbed me, wrapping tendrils of his scent along my arms, neck, body and legs. Power tingled over my skin in a caress, the scent intoxicating, enveloping me in a molten lava of bliss. I took an involuntary step inside.
If I didn't know better, I'd have thought Michel was marking his territory like some determined and possessive dog. His power and scent were everywhere. I glanced towards my bedroom, nothing seemed disturbed but I was guessing the power signature had not left my bed alone. Over on the dining room table was an enormous bouquet of flowers. Bright orange roses, more than a dozen. He knew my favourite colour and from teenage years, I knew what orange roses meant: Desire. The flowers filled the room with a further scent, slightly fruity and deeply floral. The colour sprang around the room, lifting my cream on cream interior and making a glow extend across the lounge.
Michel never did things by half. I sighed and tried to push that distracting scent and sense of power aside, pulling up any shields I could muster to block those feelings evoked out. I stomped over to the table and snatched up the folded note resting in amongst the blooms.
The writing inside was in a flowing and neat style, slightly old world. No one alive today would have this type of penmanship.
If you are not too busy, ma douce,
I would delight in your company tonight.
The note was on Sensations letterhead. I guess I was being summoned. I had to admit, reluctantly though, that this beat Shane Smith as a message delivery service any day. Michel was improving.
I'd spent the better part of the day at Whenupai with the Hapū , but there was still another hour or so before sunset, so I freshened up and grabbed a bite to eat. Even with a churning stomach you get hungry sooner or later if left long enough. And I really wasn't sure if I'd make it back home 'til the wee hours tonight, there was going to be a lot of preparation going on, I didn't doubt it.
Once I was all satisfied, I checked my pockets. I grabbed a second stake from the case under my bed, tonight just felt like a second stake kind of night, and headed out the door. Still plenty of time to take a leisurely walk towards Sensations and be there in time for vampire start of business day.
It's not that I was overly eager to come running on Michel's command, I was just practical. Delaying it would only frustrate him and although we had come a long way from the good old days, Michel was still not one to be left waiting. I wasn't sure my new status as my Lucinda would grant me much protection on that.
Surprisingly, Shane Smith was bouncing on the door when I walked up. No queue at this time of night, people would be freely able to get inside, but Shane is not your bouncer type of physique. He's a little skinny on it and most definitely doesn't have the snarl. So he looked more than a little out of place.
He smiled openly when he saw me walk over. Oh, Shane, when would you ever grow up and be a big vampire? I smil
ed in return though, you just can't help it with this guy, he's so sweet.
“Good evening, Luce. The Master's waiting inside.” I didn't really need to know that, but Shane was trying to be professional and competent in his new role as doorman.
“Thanks, Shane, have a great night,” I said as I walked past into the darker lighting of the club. The room was about quarter full, even the vampire groupies don't turn up 'til later, so it was a small crowd of local daytime Saturday business owners checking out Happy Hour at the club.
There was another vamp on the door to the private area out the back. Dillon Malone was of Irish decent and a regular in Michel's group. About 200 years old and reeking power. Other than Shane Smith, Michel's vampires were usually impressive on the scale of vampire power. I'd seen him around but not had much to do with him, he was more of a satellite in the Durand power structure. I was guessing Michel had called all of his vampire protégé close right now. There'd be more vamps in the CBD than normal this weekend, all of them out to protect Michel to the end.
He inclined his head and opened the door without a word. I was expected, so it wasn't a surprise. But the wall of foreign Sanguis Vitam that greeted me in the hallway to Michel's office was and it was not at all friendly.
I swallowed hard and pushed against the barrier the power had made, it whipped around me, making my hair lift off my shoulders and my short skirt fly up in a sad attempt at imitating Marilyn Monroe. It started nipping at my sides, my arms, my legs and I felt myself hunch over to protect my stomach and chest.
It was unrelenting and continued for a good five minutes before I heard Michel's soft, but firm voice say, “Che è abbastanza, Alessandra. Avete fatto il vostro punto.”
It didn't stop straight away, but lingered in a caress that left my nerve endings screaming for release, sharp and brutal in its pursuit of a response. When it finally abated I almost stumbled to the floor. What the fuck?
I took a few deep breaths in and straightened up, brushing my skirt back down and trying to flatten my now tangled and birds-nest of a hairdo. Great, I looked like I'd just rolled in a haystack on the farm. And not in a good way.
All right, so I was warned. Whoever, or whatever, was in the office with Michel wasn't playing nice. But there was also more than one power signature there, so my heartbeat did rise just a little at the thought of facing more than one of that powerful and unforgiving force. I braced myself and put on my best vampire hunter smirk as I walked through the door.
Michel was sitting in his chair behind his desk, in his usual dark suit, white shirt and this evening, midnight blue tie - had he picked up on the look I gave the burgundy one? He looked relaxed and at ease, actually quite comfortable, but that may have had something to do with the tall, blonde female vampire resting on the arm of his chair and draped sinfully over his shoulders.
She was stunning. Her hair was a long golden mass of softly wavy tresses, reaching passed her waist and bouncing slightly as she cocked her head at me. She was wearing a blood red slinky dress, which moulded to her gorgeous figure like a second skin. The hem of the dress was well up past her knees, exposing a large amount of deep cream porcelain skin on her perfectly smooth thighs. She had on matching red high heels, dangerous in their three inch glory and was softly running her hands through Michel's hair.
I felt like a child in comparison.
I hated her at once.
To the right stood another vampire, male, cream-coffee coloured skin, deep dark brown almost black eyes and long black hair, tied in a clasp at the nape of his neck. He was leaning nonchalantly back against a book shelf, in tight black jeans and a black tee-shirt. All of which did a wonderful job of showing off his muscular and graceful physique. He wasn't smiling but he was watching me with an intensity that reached my core.
On the far left, sitting in an armchair, was another male vampire. This one had a shock of red hair, but was dressed much the same as old black jeans, his hair tied back, his rugged, but somehow handsome, face open in a smile. I didn't trust it. I didn't trust any of them, the power that rolled off them toward me was almost suffocating. It took every ounce of my anti-vampire Nosferatin skills to stand up straight and not blanch at the waves of Sanguis Vitam against my body.
All right then.
Never let it be said that I can't hold my own with the big baddies of the night. No self respecting vampire hunter would let a bunch of the undead threaten them, at least they wouldn't dare show any fear on the outside. I was damn sure these fangers weren't going to get the better of me. I was angry at Michel, angry at him for letting me walk into this ambush, so I grabbed that anger and wrapped it around me like a shield. The moment I did, I felt a deep seated sense of strength inside me build into a crescendo and suddenly felt my own power lash back out at the vampires in the room, Michel not excepted.
The two male vampires stiffened visibly, old slinky bitch gasped, then re-schooled her features into a sneer. Michel didn't move a muscle, despite my knowing he had felt it too.
“She has claws, mio caro,” the female vamp purred in Michel's ears.
Michel didn't say a word in reply. He was looking at me coolly, no softening of emotion showing in his face. It was almost as though my Michel had gone away somewhere and left an imposter in his place. I felt a deep ache in my heart at that, then I mentally straightened my shoulders and glared back at him.
The vampire on the right, all golden coffee coloured skin and deeply delicious eyes came forward and reached out to shake my hand. No fast movements, mustn't scare the powerful and angry vampire hunter. “I am Enrique, Señorita Monk. It is a pleasure to meet such a fine Nosferatin.” He said it like Michel does, lengthening the end, with a strong Spanish accent and also with a subtle cloak of power. He was looking for a response, he got it.
My stake was in my hand and heading towards his chest before I had even realised it. Michel just smiled, the red haired vampire whipped the stake away and Enrique took a casual step back. It took a mere split second for all of that to unfold, I hadn't even got a breath in. No one had touched me at all. No one looked like they wanted to.
“Intriguing,” the redhead said as he flipped the stake over in the handkerchief in his hands, he had a soft Scottish lilt. “I don't think I'll try that trick. Enrique, you have more courage than sense.”
“It is appalling,” old slinky slut spat. “How dare she?” She was still wrapped over Michel's chair, but she had stiffened and did not look happy. No change there then.
I wasn't going to apologise, but I felt I had to stand up to this group or it would head south pretty quickly. “I'll make a deal with you all. You knock off the power and I won't stake you.”
Enrique laughed, old redhead decided to join him. “I like her, Michel, she has spunk.”
“Indeed,” said the Scot.
The Sanguis Vitam in the room abated, all except slinky. The men returned to their previous places, redhead delicately placing my stake on the far side of him, away from me. I wouldn't be able to reach it without first going through him, but I did have another in my jacket. So I just smiled.
“Lucinda. You have been introduced to Enrique, this is Jock.” Michel indicated the red-headed Scot, who inclined his head with a respectful nod. “And Alessandra.” He reached up and stroked her arm not taking his eyes off me. She sniffed delicately in acknowledgement of the introduction, but only glared at me. I returned it with equal vehemence. “They have agreed to fight alongside us, with their own.”
What it would have taken for Michel to strike a bargain with three other level one master vampires such as these, I did not know. But I was sure it would have been an expensive exchange, one that he would no doubt have cause to regret in the future if he survived. Michel knew he was not strong enough to take Max and his cohorts on alone, he needed support and it needed to be fierce. I didn't doubt that those in the room weren't up to the task. But part of me, was also deeply scared that they were here at all, and in the case of Alessandra, a little threate
ned as well.
“So, we have met her. Now let us continue in our talks.” The woman practically purred as she stroked Michel's arm with one hand and waved a dismissive hand in my direction with the other. “She does not need to remain.”
I simply walked over to the only other empty armchair in the room and plonked myself down with a thump, not very ladylike I know, but I was making a point. “I think I'll stay thanks.”
She glared at me and Michel petted her arm. “It is for the best, Alessandra, that she remain. She is integral to our plans, after all.”
Michel's petting wasn't having the desired effect as she bristled and her power level rose, swooshing out towards me, making it hard to breathe. I blocked it, as best as I could and through gritted teeth said, “Knock it off, bitch and let's talk business.”
OK, so it was probably not the wisest thing to say to the most powerful female vampire I had ever met, one who obviously had a thing for Michel and did not like me stepping in on her territory, but I had just about had as much of this woman as I could take and anyway, time was of the essence and all.
“I think the young hunter is right, Alessandra,” Enrique piped up. “Perhaps a little foolhardy, but surely you can understand her lack of diplomacy is due to age.”
Great, back to feeling like a child again. Thanks.
Alessandra just flashed her long delicate fangs at me and returned her attention to Michel. She knew it wouldn't scare me, I'd seen too many to make me even blink, but it was a reminder of who she was and that I shouldn't forget it. As if.
Jock cleared his throat, I don't think he really needed to, it was more a habit than anything else and said, “So. We're quite certain they will approach from the docks and proceed towards us here, is that right?”
“Yes, my informant is quite solid on that,” Enrique said. “I think we can trust him. Maximilian has a vessel 50 miles off the coast, in deep waters, waiting to enter when the deadline to his request has been reached. It won't be doing the ghouls much good, all that motion on a rolling boat, but they will recover quickly once they reach land.”
Kindred (Kindred, Book 1) Page 13