by Ally Shields
But was it? Or had she really been in Andreas’s head? Was any of it real? The sounds, the smells. The horrible taste of blood. She grimaced as her stomach revolted at the thought. Gabriel had been there, and someone else she hadn’t seen before. And three rogue vampires. Damion, wasn’t it? Ari shivered, remembering the crushing bones. Whatever had happened was really, really creepy. She’d almost gotten used to the idea of a link between her magic and Andreas’s, especially when it had proven helpful, but if this was some freaking new manifestation…
She shivered again. Her skin itched like tiny ants were crawling all over her. She rubbed her arms and leaned her head back, listened to the pounding of her heart. Because she didn’t want to face Lilith’s questions, she pretended to doze, but sleep had fled for the night. If she had experienced a nightmare—and at this point she still hoped it was—she wasn’t going to risk returning to that awful scene. Her breathing gradually evened.
Yeah, it must have been a horrible dream.
* * *
When they landed in Toronto, it was nearly midnight. Both women looked tired and rumpled, but Ari had regained her composure and was determined to start their search immediately. When she found Andreas, there were more than a few things they needed to talk about.
She tried his cell one more time. It went to phone mail again. Lilith called Russell to tell him they’d arrived, but he didn’t answer either. She tried again with the same result. Exchanging worried looks, they dashed to the cabstand.
Impatient with traffic, they abandoned the cab ten blocks from the vampire compound and ran the rest of the way. Ari pounded on the door until a weretiger peered at them from a two-way surveillance camera. Although his face wasn’t familiar to Ari, he must have recognized her, because the door opened immediately.
“Where’s Russell?” the women demanded in chorus as soon as they stepped inside the door. “Why isn’t he answering his phone?” Lilith added.
“Uh, I think he’s in the audience chambers,” the tiger said, apparently perplexed by their fierce tone. “I don’t know about his phone. Maybe they don’t want their meeting to be interrupted.”
“That’s just too damned bad,” Ari said, stalking down the hall. “I’m getting some answers from someone.”
“Don’t you think we should announce you?” the tiger called. “I can ring someone.”
“We’ll announce ourselves.” Ari wasn’t waiting for anyone.
She didn’t pause when she reached the chamber doors. With Lilith at her side, she shoved them open and burst into the room. Russell and six vampires sprang to their feet. Ari only had eyes for one.
Chapter Fifteen
“Andreas.” Ari halted and stared at him. Speechless. Fighting off an urge to fling herself into his arms. After all the worrying, all the fears, here he was. Safe and sound. Dark, hooded eyes, incredibly sexy.
And she wanted to murder him.
“Arianna.” He recovered first and glided toward her, taking her hands in his. Andreas raised his brows at the scowl on her face, but it didn’t deter him from brushing her lips with his. “I did not expect you tonight. And Lilith. Russell, I am sure your wife is anxious to speak with you after her trip. You may leave us.”
Russell shot Andreas a harassed look but stood and hustled Lilith out of the room.
Andreas’s gaze never left Ari’s face. “Please join us, madam witch.” His speech and manner were formal, and his eyes warned her they were not free to talk.
Still stunned, Ari looked over his shoulder to see who “us” referred to. Gabriel, three vampires—one of whom seemed vaguely familiar, and Marta, who for once was without her consort.
How normal things looked. But all Ari wanted to know was where in the hell Andreas had been for the last twenty-four hours. An explanation, right this minute. But she’d gotten his warning and swallowed her angry demands. Answers would have to wait, but it wouldn’t be easy.
Andreas led her toward the vampires, who were watching them with open interest. Gabriel made room for an extra chair next to Andreas. Wrapping a semblance of composure around her, Ari did her best to follow Andreas’s lead. She smiled at the visitors. “I’m sorry to interrupt like this. I was impatient to let Andreas know I’d returned.” She was pleased her voice sounded casual, revealing none of the turmoil inside.
“You are not interrupting at all,” Andreas said, still in his best host voice. “Let me introduce you to our guests. This is Raphael, master vampire and nest leader. His lieutenants, Lewis and Etienne. Gentleman, this is Arianna.”
When she took a moment to really look at the visitors, her eyes widened, and she quickly looked away. No wonder Raphael had looked familiar. He was the other vamp from her scary episode on the plane.
“This is your consort we have heard so much about?” Raphael asked. Ari looked up, and his eyes held speculation. What was he thinking that made him look at her that way? It couldn’t be the dream, so something else. She felt like she’d walked into the middle of a movie without knowing the plot or the characters.
“Some have called her that.”
Raphael swung his gaze to Andreas. “A strange choice of words.”
“I don’t like the word,” Ari interjected. “Consort implies so much personal information, like we’re sleeping together. Which, of course, is nobody’s business.”
“Outspoken, I see.” Raphael gave her a once over. “No doubt that spirit is welcome in the bedroom. Outside of that context, it could become a reason for sympathy.”
Ari bristled. She resented him talking about her as if she was a piece of furniture. Before she could say something she’d regret, Andreas laughed and put an arm around her shoulder.
“I assure you, Raphael, I have no need of your sympathy, and I would be careful what you say. She has a notable temper. Arianna, would you care to join us in a glass of wine or do you prefer coffee?”
She gave him a saccharine smile and chose the wine. She was too wired for coffee. The atmosphere in the room was puzzling. It wasn’t friendly or hostile, and her witch magic remained quiet. Each person seemed to be sensing his way. The vamps were blocking, concealing their powers and their thoughts. That included Andreas. She wasn’t sure what was happening, except the vampires were only pretending to be relaxed and civil.
While her wine was poured and other glasses refilled, Ari continued to watch the behaviors around her, hoping for some clues. She didn’t waste her time on Andreas. Unless he lifted his blocking, he would remain totally inscrutable. Gabriel scowled whenever she looked at him. That could be because she’d hung up on their last conversation. Marta appeared nonchalant, even bored, but Ari sensed an underlying unease.
The three visiting vampires were no more informative. The leader, Raphael, a dark, Latin-type, was talkative, too talkative. The other two looked more like bodyguards than court members. They remained uninvolved in the conversation, their faces deadpan, remarkably similar, except for the long scar on the left cheek of the older vamp. Ari was speculating on what kind of weapon would leave a scar on a vampire when she heard her name.
“Arianna?” the voice repeated.
“Huh?” She looked up to see faces turned toward her. “I’m sorry. Did I miss something?”
Andreas picked up the slack. “Raphael asked if you had a good flight from the States.”
“Oh, yes. It was fine.” Unless she wanted to talk about the nightmare. Which she didn’t.
“I was explaining you have been away on business,” Andreas prodded.
“Um, yes, an emergency on behalf of my Magic Council.” Could this conversation get any lamer?
“I hope you were successful,” Raphael said in a bored tone. At least he was speaking to her this time, rather than talking about her.
She gave him a polite smile. “Thank you. It had a good outcome.” What was this with all the small talk? Talk about dull. She looked at Andreas and frowned. Get on with it already.
As if he took the hint, Andreas said, “We hav
e been discussing Raphael’s future relationship with this court. It would be extremely advantageous to have the support of another master level vampire. Raphael has been in charge of the northern division of Sebastian’s territory for twenty years.”
“Division? I didn’t know there were divisions.” She waited for him to explain. When he didn’t, she added, “Have you gotten things settled?”
“We are making progress,” Raphael said. “There are still details to be ironed out. And,” he said, looking at Andreas, “the night is not growing younger.”
“A good reminder. Perhaps you and I can finish. I hate to bore our companions with the details. If I am not mistaken, there is live entertainment in the lounge.”
Gabriel immediately got to his feet. “I, for one, am happy to be excused. Arianna, would you and Marta care to join me? I’m sure Lewis and Etienne would like something more satisfying than wine to drink.”
At Raphael’s nod, the two male vamps broke their stone-faced watchfulness and lumbered to their feet. Ari cast a questioning glance at Andreas but allowed herself to be led away. She’d get her answers from Gabriel. Or he’d die at her hands. Painfully. Maybe not, but she was feeling pretty persuasive.
The lounge teemed with a live band, bottles of wine and carafes of blood on a corner table, and swaying dancers. The moment they entered the room, Gabriel grabbed Marta’s arm and walked away from Ari. Ari glared at his back, certain he was deliberately keeping his distance. Ready to drag him off to a dark corner for an intense interrogation, she spotted an alternate source of information. She made a beeline for Lilith and Russell, who were already sitting in the requisite dark corner.
“What the hell is going on?” she asked, standing over Russell with one hand on her hip.
“Shh. Not here,” he cautioned. “Andreas will explain later. Besides, I don’t know much, and I can’t talk about what I do know.” Until that moment, Ari hadn’t noticed Russell’s stiff pose or how sullen Lilith looked. They’d been fighting. The subject was obvious. Lilith wanted to know the scoop, and Russell wasn’t cooperating. “I mean it,” he whispered desperately. “Don’t ask me.”
Ari plopped in a chair and glared at him. “Don’t give me that. We’ve moved heaven and earth to get here, and now you can’t tell us what’s going on? That’s bullshit,” she hissed. Russell winced. “At least tell me about Raphael. Andreas said they were working out some kind of deal, and they seem to be getting along. If the problem’s been settled, why is everyone still so tense? Or isn’t it over yet? Surely you can tell me that without revealing any deep, dark super secret.”
Russell shook his head and avoided meeting her gaze. “What can I say? They’re vampires. Nothing’s ever over until it’s over. Besides, Raphael isn’t…” He stopped. “I just can’t talk about it.”
“Raphael isn’t what?”
Russell shook his head.
“He’s not going to tell us anything,” Lilith said with an ill-disguised flare of anger.
“I told you not to ask,” he grumbled. He made a zipping motion across his lips. No amount of threats, glaring or cajoling got him to reveal anything else.
When Ari looked around for another victim, Gabriel and Marta had disappeared. Unforgiving, but knowing none of this was really Russell’s choice, Ari unbent enough to help Lilith fill in the news from Riverdale.
Less than an hour later, Andreas and Raphael appeared in the lounge doorway, but Raphael didn’t linger long. Andreas, Ari, and Gabriel were soon bidding their guests good-night. The private talks had apparently been productive; Andreas and Raphael were relaxed and smiling as they shook hands at the door. At the last moment, Raphael turned and gave Andreas a pointed look that might have held a warning.
“I will let the others know that the witch has returned. It may buy you additional time. But if I were in your position, I would be prepared for anything.”
Andreas inclined his head, and the other leader left.
“What did he mean by that?” Ari demanded.
Andreas sighed, but before he could answer, Gabriel stepped in front of her. The look on his face, the look that had been there all evening, wasn’t exactly friendly. “A group of master vampires broke away from Andreas’s command. They’re a bunch of traitors, but they’re also cowardly and would never have been this bold if you had stayed here instead of running off to Riverdale.”
“Gabriel, that is enough,” Andreas said brusquely.
But Gabriel was on a roll. “If you had come back when I called, that would have helped. But what did you do? I try to tell you we’re in trouble, and you hang up on me.” He threw his hands in the air.
“Is that what you’ve been so pissed about all evening? That I hung up on you?”
“Not just that. But it didn’t help,” was his heated reply. “You were needed here. Obviously, you didn’t care enough to show up until now.”
Andreas had been trying to get Gabriel’s attention and finally grabbed his shoulder. Gabriel swatted his hand off, and Andreas pushed him back a couple of steps, away from Ari.
“If he’s got something more to say, let him finish,” Ari said, glaring at them both. “It’s about time somebody said something. First you’re gone, then you’re back. Everyone was in a panic. And now no one’s telling me what happened.”
Andreas turned and reached out a hand, but she stepped back, crossed her arms and frowned at him. “No more secrets. I don’t care how bad it is.”
Andreas spoke quickly as if to preempt anything Gabriel would say. “Gabriel does not understand our relationship or your Guardian responsibilities, and he has reached some false conclusions. You’ll have to forgive his ill-chosen words.”
“Don’t be apologizing for me.” Gabriel tried to interrupt, but Andreas kept on talking.
“The situation here is not unexpected, nothing more than ordinary vampire politics, which I can handle. It has nothing to do with you.”
“The hell it doesn’t,” Gabriel said hotly. He refused to be intimated by Andreas’s look this time. “She allowed everyone to believe she was your consort, then she took off. That’s what sparked the revolt.”
“Explain that,” Ari said. Her eyes locked with Gabriel. Had they been wrong about him all along? Was Gabriel finally showing his spots trying to drive a wedge between her and Andreas?
Andreas stepped between them again, facing the other vampire. “You are trying my patience. Our friendship means a great deal to me, but it may not survive if you continue down this path.”
Gabriel glared back. “How can you be so blind? My God, man—”
“Stop it. Both of you,” Ari said. She placed a hand on the arm of each, urging them apart. “Nothing is worse for me than not knowing.”
“She deserves to know, Andreas.” Gabriel turned back to Ari. “After Sebastian’s death, the word spread quickly about the power of the new prince and his fire-witch consort. Sebastian was hated by most of the vampires, and it looked as if Andreas’s authority would be accepted. Then you left without warning, no public explanation. The whispers started and spread rapidly that you had deserted him, and he was vulnerable. As a result, seven vampire leaders left the court that night.”
“Deserted him?” Is this what the vampires thought? Who had fed that rumor? Gabriel? She opened her mouth to protest until she noticed Andreas’s rigid, silent form. Oh, no. Is this what Andreas thought? It never occurred to Ari that anyone would see her departure in that light. She hadn’t left because she wanted to. Riverdale was her city, her responsibility.
“Andreas, is this true?” she asked.
“I swear, Gabriel…” Andreas’s words were low, his voice stretched tight, shimmering with anger. With sudden insight, Ari realized he was angry with Gabriel, not disappointed in her. His silent moments had been the vampire equivalent of counting to ten. He whipped around and grabbed his friend by both shoulders. “You don’t know what you are saying.”
Gabriel tried to wiggle free; Andreas’s hands tightened.
“Don’t I?” Gabriel’s gaze locked on Andreas’s face. “What have I said that was incorrect? Tell me you haven’t received word of multiple challenges. That they aren’t saying you’re weak because you can’t even command the loyalty of your own consort.” When Andreas dropped his hands and stepped back, Gabriel broke off, as if he realized he’d said too much. He sighed and looked at Ari. “I’m sorry, but there are many vampires here who are as old, or older than Andreas. They will only bow to superior power. He cannot hold this court without you by his side.”
Her eyes flashed to Andreas again. “Andreas?”
He didn’t answer her but continued to look at Gabriel. “All right, you have had your say. Now get out of here.” Andreas’s face turned cold, but his angry energy spilled into the room. “You and I will talk another time, Gabriel, but not now. I do not trust what I would say.”
Gabriel started to add something, thought better of it and turned away. He strode stiffly out the door. Ari did a quick check of the room. They were alone now. Marta had left before Raphael, when her consort Percy had appeared at the door. At least the vampiress hadn’t witnessed this fiasco.
Ari hoped Andreas would speak freely now without an audience. “Talk to me, please. Tell me how we fix this.” She studied his shuttered face. “What else don’t I know?”
“Nothing, Arianna. Nothing we need to talk about now.”
“I beg your pardon?” Ari snapped out each word as if it had personally offended her.
Andreas threw his arms around her and pulled her close. She stiffened and tried to shove him away, until she realized he was whispering in her ear.
“Patience, little witch. This room has ears.”
Ari froze, then relaxed against him. That explained why he wouldn’t talk. She was suddenly intrigued by the prospects. Was he talking bugs? Like in spies? Jeez, Horatio Jones had gotten to her. She didn’t know whose ears they were avoiding, but she was all for ridding themselves of eavesdroppers.