Part 3 (1/2)
”We have rules regarding killing our kind. If we made your activities legal under the Vampiric Const.i.tution then we could eliminate the Jacquerie whenever we please.”
”Why me?” I've never been a leader except a couple of centuries ago in Santorini. That only lasted five minutes.
Alec regarded me with a patient smile, as if he knew what was best for me and I only had to relent to it. ”I trust you.”
”We just met, Alec.” How could I trust what he felt about me?
”It's been a year, Daedalus. You're my brother, and underneath that sh.e.l.l you constructed around yourself, lays a good heart and a well-developed sense of justice.”
I'm not right for the job. I'm not a leader and I'm n.o.body's 'yes man'.” I fight-kill, not for sport. If it's a necessity, it gets done. Humans kill without breaking a sweat. ”The Council won't see my good points if there are any. It's no secret how I feel about bureaucrats.”
”Yes and no. Being an Enforcer involves being fair and thinking quickly on your feet. You do that often. I've seen you in action.” He paused, loosened his tie.
I didn't know I held my breath waiting for him to finish. ”I still don't see how...”
Tania placed her hand on mine, interrupting me. ”I would love to work with my brother in-law- and get to know him better.”
”That's sweet, Tania but...”
”You fight with the grace and skill of a predator and you can handle yourself around the Council. You are protective of the weak, vampire and otherwise.” Alec said.
Alec was being modest. Even while shackled to the walls of the lava tombs in Santorini I felt how frightened Ma.n.u.s was about encountering Alec, the Vampire Viking Prince. It was the first time I'd seen him tremble. The second time was at the sight of me in bat form.
I leaned against the counter and crossed my arms. All of their compliments made me squirm. I suppose never hearing compliments all my life it's a foreign thing. I've only heard the opposite. ”I was part of a clan grandfather never sanctioned.”
”You were sold into the Vrykolakas Clan by Radu at four years of age. You couldn't defend yourself back then. I'd be an idiot not to recognize that.”
Even centuries later the memories came back to me of my enslavement and humiliation at the hands of Radu and Ma.n.u.s. I paid Ma.n.u.s back in kind for torturing me, of course. The memories still dug deep and twisted my gut. I straightened up and reached for the cabinets. ”What's in it for me? I have more money than I can spend. My life is relatively easy. Why should I complicate it to become your Enforcer?” I asked them while taking down two large coffee cups from the cabinet. The owners of a diner downtown invented a flavored coffee just for me after I saved them from a nasty death by a vampire. I'd never thought of adding cow's blood to coffee. Ingenious! ”Brew eighty-eight?”
”Sure,” the couple said simultaneously.
”You're the Prince of Vampires by birth. You'll have authority to act on any emergency decision. Naturally, if anything happened to us you would take over our duties as the royal elect.”
That sounded ominous, but I supposed being King and Queen meant a relatively short life span. Still, I wasn't chomping at the bit to accept the job offer. I lifted the coffee-filled carafe and poured. ”And who would I take orders from? You two?”
”Would that be so awful?”
I snorted at her ridiculous question, and then took a sip of the eighty-eight. ”Have the Jacquerie attacked you since last year?”
”Once or twice,” Tania interjected.
”You shouldn't be fighting,” I said. Her thin brows knitted together. What was it that made a woman beautiful when she got angry?
”And why not? Don't raise your eyebrow at me, Daedalus. A woman can fight just as well, if not better, than males,” she argued, the earlier tenseness gone. That relieved me.
”Before Tania and I met she could defend herself,” Alec interjected.
I had no doubt of that. Tania is brave, muscular, and s.e.xy. For a reason unknown to me I was drawn to the utility drawer Hermes had ransacked almost thirty minutes ago. ”Your wife is trying to get pregnant,” I said to Alec while pouring red liquid into the coffee mugs. I pa.s.sed both cups to Tania and Alec, and then opened the utility drawer.
Tania lifted the mug, gave me a mock toast. ”Thanks a lot!”
”You're welcome,” I said, and then went back to looking through the utility drawer. All the while, my anxiety level increased as it became clear her picture wasn't in the drawer where I'd left it weeks ago. With slow dread, I closed the drawer then placed both hands on my hips. How could I have been so sloppy? In a fit of rage, I raised my fist high and slammed it down on the marble island, cracking the surface and clattering my coffee cup. It tipped over on its side. Coffee poured on the saucer. The coffee machine jumped, shook, then settled down.
”Daedalus?”
Without looking at them I said, ”They took my daughter's picture.”
Chapter Two
Reddish brown liquid poured out of the cup and seeped into the crack I'd made with my fist. Fear held my heart in a death grip. I headed for the floating staircase then ran up to the fifth floor.
The fifth floor was an addition. I needed the s.p.a.ce for my dojo. I slid the Shoji screen door to it open. I wasn't surprised when I heard Tania and Alec's footsteps behind me. They traveled like Siamese twins. It was that strange and frightening vampiric marriage, the Hymeneal that all mated vampires had, and I'm loathe to indulge in.
It was unavoidable. I have secrets I haven't trusted anyone enough to share with including Alec and Tania. They'll be hurt. I'll deal with it.
”My daughter.” Alec's mouth opened. Before he could utter a sound, I cut him off. ”I'll explain later.”
Alec was a hurricane ready to flood me with his anger. The power of it literally danced over my skin. Instead, he calmly stated, ”Maybe you took it out of your drawer?”
I sighed inwardly. ”I never forget.” With that, I turned around and pulled off my black, v-neck sweater...exposing my scars. It was clear I wasn't going to get the privacy I needed to change my clothes. There was a sharp intake of breath from both of them. The two of them seeing me naked was the least of my worries.
Behind me, I heard footsteps retreat into the hallway. Good. Tania got the message. I wished Alec would heed it also, but he wasn't the sort. Distantly, I registered a dull ache on my left temple.
I pressed a b.u.t.ton on a silk wall panel. A rectangular panel came forward. I pulled it down and opened it. Three pieces of black clothing were folded neatly on the shelf.
”This is a trap,” Alec said.
”He'll try to kidnap Juliana. I taught her to defend herself, but Hermes is older and deadlier.” I unb.u.t.toned and unzipped my jeans, pulled them off. My socks came next. All the while, the fear tried to paralyze me. I was completely naked. I hated underwear.
”Maybe she isn't in town?” Alec said.
”I would have sensed her departure. She's still here and probably getting herself into trouble.”
”I'll give you your privacy.”
”Thanks.” I was thankful neither Alec nor Tania asked about the scars covering my back. They were my business only. I pulled on the black top. It hugged my muscular chest. The pants, tabi socks and the tabi boots with the sectioned off big toe I pulled on next. I'm efficient, having done this a thousand times over. Gloves and the gauntlets I pulled on last. The mask I'll pull on later. I had to retrieve my sword next.
I shook my head disbelieving the opportunity I gave up. If anything happens to my daughter because of my twinge of non-violence... I shook my head in disbelief at my stupidity. This was the night of all f.u.c.kups. I ran down the stairs and found Alec in his uniform. Not a Ninja uniform but something ancient, chivalrous and all Alec.
Then I scrunched my face tight as I held the Katana in my hand. A dull throbbing pain ricocheted out into the void then back into my head, as if I was playing mental boxing. I felt as if someone stabbed my head with a knife repeatedly. Whomever I sparred with, was having a harder time than I was.
The s.p.a.ce in front of me s.h.i.+mmered. I stepped back, tense, ready to fight. Terra was good. She must have many tricks up her black sleeves. I had renewed respect for the crazy she-b.i.t.c.h, but it wasn't Terra I saw. A woman with skin the color of dark honey was laying on the floor, in her underwear, curled up in a fetal position. She held her head for dear life. Tears ran down the bridge of her nose.