Being a sworn Vegan and a staunch supporter of animal rights, Serenity went to almost absurd lengths to avoid using things that were made from animal products or chemicals that were tested upon animals. As such, her choice of clothing may have seemed a bit cheap or lackluster in appearance compared to others of the IVC. She nevertheless managed to look quite stunningly elegant and beautiful in her own right. Her naturally straight, strawberry-blonde hair rivaled the length Duvessa had exhibited, extending all the way down to the back of her knees, and it was always surprisingly glossy and smooth. Her light hazel eyes sparkled with excitement as much as the subtle glitter that shimmered upon her face from the body lotion that she favored. As Serenity drew close to kneel respectfully before her Grand Duchess, Raina could smell the fruity scent of that lotion – peach, melon, pear, or some combination of those fruits. Serenity’s feet were clad in ramp-styled shoes made of hemp, cork, fabric, and wood that may have looked cheap but, given their design, were probably quite expensive. Bracelets with little charms of various shapes twinkled softly about her wrists and ankles. And the plain white, unbleached dress she wore looked quite a bit like a Greek toga, but with the accenting braids and styling of her hair and her natural grace and beauty, it lent her an almost goddess-like appearance. Like Duvessa, Serenity usually favored wearing white for the sake of public psychology – white was good and black was evil – and because of her eccentric beliefs regarding certain attributes belonging to certain colors.
“Your grace,” Serenity greeted her with that breathy, sweet voice of hers, “I have been so worried for you. You’ve no idea how relieved I am to see you alive. Goddess be praised!”
Olivia waited patiently by the half-opened door. Raina gave her a nod to let her know she would be fine, and Olivia offered a polite bow before backing out and quietly closing the door behind herself.
“Thank you, Duchess Serenity,” Raina said, unable to help smiling a bit as she motioned for the Elder to stand. “It’s good to know that not everyone in the IVC wants to see me dead.”
Lifting her head to meet Raina’s gaze as she arose, Serenity insisted, “Oh, quite the contrary, your grace. The vast majority of the Council was quite happy to see you defeat Duchess Camille. After all, they were very glad to be rid of Duvessa, and everyone is counting upon you to clear out Duvessa’s remaining loyalists from the Council.”
“They sure have a funny way of showing their gratitude. I’m surprised half the IVC didn’t line up to take a swing at my neck,” Raina quipped.
“It’s all about saving face, I’m afraid,” she said. “We all want the same thing, I’m sure. That is, we all want to integrate with the humans, and most of us want to put all of this brutality and violence behind us. But nobody wants to admit that they were wrong. So many of us have been going at this for so long that, as you said, it would seem like hypocrisy to suddenly condemn our own actions in the past. The protest against your decree was mostly just for show.”
Raina raised an eyebrow at that. “So, Duchess Camille tried to kill me just to avoid looking like a hypocrite?”
“No. I’m afraid she was one of the few that took it a bit too seriously,” Serenity admitted. “She is the most outspoken of Duvessa’s remaining loyalists. As you’ve seen, she was very close with Duvessa. They shared a sick passion for cruelty.”
“Seems like a common theme with all of Duvessa’s friends,” Raina mused, glancing at the sword in her right hand. “So … about this assassination attempt…”
“I don’t know exactly who did it,” Serenity said immediately, “but I know someone who does.”
“Oh, really.” Raina’s smile vanished. “A friend of a friend, I suppose?”
“Not exactly, no,” she admitted, glancing aside rather nervously. “An associate of mine in America just contacted me with information regarding the attack. She very strongly believes that she knows who was responsible.”
“She believes she knows, or she actually knows?” Raina asked. “I’m not ready to start chasing after rumors.”
“She is a very credible, trustworthy individual. I have known her for several years,” Serenity assured her with a nod. “She felt strongly enough about this to call me right away. In fact, she called me just before you arrived here. I trust her enough to say with full confidence that what she claims to know is true.”
Raina paused, eyeing her closely as Serenity anxiously clasped her hands together at her waist. “Then why didn’t this associate of yours just call me directly?”
Serenity looked to the floor, her eyes drifting to the small pile of bloodstained rags and paper towels as she replied, “Well … she sees this as an opportunity, I’m afraid … a quid pro quo sort of agreement.” And then, sensing the intensity of Raina’s response to her words, she bowed her head and said, “I am sorry, your grace. I know this must seem terribly inappropriate.”
Actually, what bothered Raina most was Serenity’s use of the term quid pro quo, as the last person she recalled having used that phrase was Duke Sebastian … minutes before he had rendered her unconscious, sexually assaulted her, and injected her with his blood. She remembered all too clearly the conversation that she’d had with her Maker, that short period of time she had been permitted to get to know the individual that had ultimately destroyed her humanity. But, just the same, the idea that Serenity’s informant was withholding information in order to seek personal gains was also quite unsettling.
“What does she want in return? Money?” Raina asked after a moment.
Serenity shrugged. “Actually, she was afraid to ask you for anything. She was asking me for a favor in return.”
Raina shook her head as she sighed, “If this associate of yours knows something about a major crime that’s been committed, they’re legally obligated to inform the authorities … even if it’s in another country. Withholding information to a crime is a serious offense.”
“Actually … your grace,” Serenity began very carefully, “that is exactly why I chose to come to you directly with this. You see, what she wants from me is a promise for protection. But … well, I … I don’t know how to say this exactly, but…”
“You’re a lover, not a fighter,” Raina said for her with a smirk.
Serenity again bowed her head, honestly ashamed of herself. “I am so sorry, your grace.”
“No, don’t,” Raina insisted, holding up a hand. “You shouldn’t apologize at all for that. There’s no shame in that at all.”
“But … it’s a sign of weakness. The other Elders, they have always looked down upon me because…”
“Because they only know how to rule with violence?” Raina interrupted. “Honestly, I think they are jealous of you, Duchess Serenity. The only way they seem to know how to solve disputes, and the only way to show their power, is by hacking their enemies to death.”
Serenity’s skin actually began to exhibit a slight illumination. As she had long ago learned, High Court vampires did not blush, they glowed.
“You are too kind, your grace.” Eventually, she managed to make eye contact again. “Even so … the fact remains that I honestly could not provide her with any sort of protection.”
“Protection from whom?”
“She did not say, but I would assume that she meant the person or persons who are responsible for having ordered the attack,” Serenity replied.
“But … you’re one of the richest vampires in the world! I mean, you’ve got more connections to people in Hollywood and everywhere else than anyone else I can think of in the IVC,” Raina said. “Why can’t you just hire some professional bodyguards for her?”
Serenity shook her head sadly. “I am sorry to say, your grace, but the only people that would be willing to work for me are people that I would not trust with that kind of responsibility. Not many humans are truly willing to put themselves in harm’s way for the sake of vampires or their human servants.”
“And what makes you think anyone would be more willing to work for me? I’m
just as much a vampire as you.”
Again, Serenity hesitated. “She believes that they will be less inclined to come after her if she were to become … a High Court bloodspawn. They would not risk the consequences of going against someone powerful if they attacked the bloodspawn of someone in the IVC and … honestly, I am not powerful enough, even as an Elder.” She paused, meeting Raina’s gaze quite directly. “And if I may say so, your grace … considering the risks you face … it would probably do you well to expand your bloodline by at least one more member.”
Raina fidgeted slightly for a moment, mulling over the idea. On some levels, what Serenity was saying made sense. Serenity was, quite frankly, a hippie vampire. Sure, she carried a sword – a wakizashi, a Japanese style of short sword, to be exact – but its blade probably wasn’t even functional, strictly a ceremonial accessory. Even more doubtful was the idea that she even knew how to use it in actual combat. Serenity was definitely a pacifist, as part of her public fame was based upon being an outspoken anti-war advocate. She had made her way toward the top by pleasing everyone – financially, emotionally, even physically. She had never once been challenged to a duel simply because Serenity was as politically unoffending to the IVC as a fluffy little baby bunny. And being that High Court vampires tended to choose like-minded individuals for their consorts, all three of her male consorts were just as pacifistic as Serenity, herself. Sure, Serenity could be this informant’s Maker, and yes, she would be within her rights to retaliate if someone attacked her bloodspawn. But unless Serenity could make her “magick” spells actually do something in reality, she was more or less an impotent threat to anyone. She could never protect herself from attack, much less her own bloodspawn. It was a wonder that someone in the IVC hadn’t already found an excuse to challenge and slay her, simply because she would have been a pathetically easy victory.
Just as well, Raina knew that the authorities weren’t exactly inclined to get involved, either. Even though an innocent human, the limo driver, had died that night during the attack, and the other three men that had died were human, Raina knew that nothing would really come about of it. Although they were polite and at least seemingly sympathetic to her situation, and even though they never once said anything as much, Raina got the distinct impression that the authorities were looking at this as a “when you lay down with dogs, you get fleas” sort of issue. The actions of the paparazzi were enough to confirm it.
As the humans saw it, all four men essentially had deserved their fates – the three hired killers, simply for being hired killers, and the limo driver, simply because he was employed by vampires. Similarly, if a known mobster or street gang thug turned up dead, the only time law enforcement would go after the killer is if it would add to a case they were already building against someone higher up in the food chain. They were content just to take some pictures, write down some basic notes, bag and tag the bodies, wash the pavement clean, and tell the crowd to disperse. If a vampire was trying to kill another vampire, so what if their hired goons got caught up in the mix? The only humans that would have cared were the ones that were already on their way to the morgue.
So, Raina was in a position to offer sanctuary, but at what price? Of course, she wished to … no, scratch that … she needed to go after the person(s) that had tried to kill her. It was only a matter of time before they tried again. Ethan and an innocent man were dead because of her. Svetlana and Thomas had nearly been killed on her behalf as well. And the blood of three other men was upon Raina’s hands (literally). Obviously, the opportunity to satisfy her urges for both vengeance and justice was a major plus … but that benefit also came with a free economy-sized can of worms as an added bonus.
“Let me get this straight,” Raina finally sighed. “You’re asking me to agree to accept a complete stranger into the House of Fallamhain … not as a servant or an ally, but as my consort?”
“Only as your bloodspawn, your grace,” Serenity quickly added with a gently raised hand. “Whether or not you choose to make her your consort is entirely up to you.”
“But it’s pretty much the rule rather than the exception, isn’t it? When a High Court creates a new bloodspawn, they’re also claiming that person as their lover,” Raina said with a bit of a frown. Her left leg began to twitch a bit, and she promptly slapped a hand onto her knee and held it firmly in place.
Serenity glanced at Raina’s restrained leg for only an instant before meeting her eyes again. Rather cryptically, she replied, “You are our Grand Duchess. Your word is law.”
“Even if I didn’t take this person as my consort,” Raina continued, “you do realize that becoming someone’s Maker isn’t a trivial thing. It’s not like adopting a puppy. It’s more like giving birth to a child.”
“Oh, you are very right, your grace! The Change is very much like childbirth. It’s a very, very beautiful thing,” Serenity replied with a brief smile. “But yes, I agree, it is quite a serious commitment. But just as well … you could always, ah … arrange for her to become a consort to someone else, perhaps even to someone of another bloodline. That would release her from her obligation to you, and you would no longer be responsible for her.”
Raina was unpleasantly reminded of the fact that this was precisely what had led to the bloody war between Countess Wilhelmina and Duvessa. When Elizabeth Fallamhain had fallen out of favor with her so-called mother, Duvessa had promptly traded her away to another bloodline in exchange for yet another lover – Cedric Fallamhain, to be exact. Having thusly become Countess Wilhelmina von Reichenbach, Duvessa’s former daughter-by-blood fostered a long and steadily swelling hatred for her mother, the Grand Duchess. Eventually Duvessa’s act of callous betrayal had come back to haunt her when Wilhelmina slaughtered all of her consorts and several of her beloved servants. It was enough that Raina was finding herself more and more to be Duvessa’s daughter by way of inheriting her tendencies. She would not be helping herself by committing the same acts as her predecessor and thus writing a duplicate chapter in history for the House of Fallamhain.
Raina was inclined to say no, but the arguments for agreeing to the deal seemed equally strong. If she could find a way to make this new addition to her bloodline a practical and reasonable one, then perhaps it would not be such a bad thing after all. Just as well, if she passed up this clear opportunity to go after the ones that had hurt and killed her friends, and to also prevent them from doing any further damage, she would surely come to regret it later on … or perhaps in the form of another assassin’s bullet finding its way through her head or heart.
“I’ll need some time to think about it,” Raina finally said with a nod. “How soon do you need an answer?”
Serenity’s eyes brightened as she visibly restrained her smile. “Well … if it’s not too much trouble … maybe … tomorrow night?”
That soon? Raina didn’t like it, but she was too sore, too exhausted, and she had too many other things on her mind to try to haggle for more time. She was already leaning toward agreeing to the deal, but as usual, she wanted to run it by Olivia first … and Loki, of course, being that he was the only other true Fallamhain still living in this world. And, if nothing else, hopefully her wounds would have begun to heal enough by then that she could think more clearly beyond the pain.
“You’ll be in London for a few more days, right?”
“Yes, of course.”
“Swing by the Estate sometime,” Raina said with a nod. “Make up some kind of an excuse as a cover. Obviously, you don’t need to be drawing attention to yourself over this. Whoever’s behind this mess will probably be just as inclined to come after you.”
“Of course, your grace. I will visit the Fallamhain Estate to show support for my queen,” she replied with an enthusiastic nod.
“You mean your Grand Duchess.”
“Yes, of course.” She knelt before Raina once more, kissing her hand and looking up to her with a broad smile. “Thank you for your time. May the Goddess watch over you an
d keep you safe.”
“Thank you, Duchess Serenity. Give my regards to all in your House.”
“Most certainly.”
She backed away and reached for the knob of the door, hesitating as she watched Raina struggle to bring herself to stand with the aid of her sword as a makeshift walking stick.
“Are you sure you will be fine?” Serenity asked with genuine concern. “I would be more than happy to ask my consorts to offer you a measure of blood, if it would help…?”
“No, no, thanks. I’ll be fine,” Raina insisted with a quick wave of one hand as she stood, her left knee persistently wobbling a bit for a second or two before relaxing. “Believe me, I’ve already seen enough blood for one night.”
* * * *
Chapter Nine
A recess had been declared, and the Hall was mostly cleared. The House of Fallamhain was among the last to leave. Raina felt quite feverish and utterly drained, a cold sweat covering her entire body and surely making her look quite ghastly. She was nonetheless able to walk on her own, summoning all of her strength and courage to appear indifferent to the pain of her wounds. A few members of the IVC had lingered to wish her well, and to congratulate her on her bravery and her successful duel. Without exception, each of them tried to use their well-wishes and congratulations as a prelude to ask her for a moment of her time, just as Serenity had done, but the issues about which they wished to speak with her were more selfish and petty.
Raina politely dismissed each of them, honestly stating that she did not feel up to resolving disputes at that time, and insisted that she would address their concerns at a later time as soon as it was reasonably possible. As in other occasions, she handed them business cards with her private e-mail address printed upon it – of course, courtesy of Simon – and assured them that she would reply to them in a timely manner. A couple of them seemed a bit put off by this, but all were respectful and politely thanked her before getting out of her way and allowing her to exit the Hall of the High Court.
The Darkest Colors- Exsanguinations Page 17