The Timekeeper (11 page)

That’s true, unless they find some way to stuff you in a brass lamp. I’ve got a feeling I’m not going to like this plan of yours, but who am I to argue? You’ll do whatever you want without my input.

Neither one of us was going to bring up the fact only one Vamp that ever had his hands on me, nor the little detail that if I had my way, he would have his mitts all over me again. Before I had a chance to say anything else on the subject
,
the Council members started filing into the room, one by one. Once they’d all taken their seats and settled themselves the Chairman, an Elf by the name of Kafar Zak, spoke
.

“Princess Azriella, this is an unexpected visit.” Chairman Zak and I rarely agreed on anything. We could, however, remain civil when in the presence of others. I smelled the sulfur stringer of Dragon smoke leaking from my Guardian’s snout. He didn’t care for the Elf either
,
and after all this time they still hadn’t learned how to play nice
.

“So sorry to bother you with this meeting on such short notice, but we’ve got some serious issues in the mortal world. I am respectfully requesting the number of Veil Guards be increased and patrols stepped up. There is an increase in illegals crossing over and causing problems. This needs to be rectified on both sides of the Veil, additional personnel to find the people responsible for helping them is required.

“Their Visas must be revoked and they need to be deported. This is a worldwide situation. Fey are crossing over in Europe, Djinn in the Middle East and Weres in South America. It is causing harm to the local Vampire Clans and if the problem isn’t taken care of quickly, I certainly foresee war.” I watched the members’ converse quietly amongst themselves.

This time the Elven Councilwoman
,
Narisa Secor
,
spoke up, “Azriella, we don’t currently possess enough resources to provide you with the additional patrols you’re asking for. We’ll need to organize volunteers and that’s going to take time. I’m sure you are aware the Council is in a territory dispute of sorts with the Queen of Summer Island and the King of the Deep Desert.

“This is taking additional time and more resources than we had originally anticipated. We hope to come to a speedy resolution, but it’s still going require more time than it sounds like you can spare.” I glared at her, hating everything about the blond, pig-nosed Elven bitch. Azul nudged me with his scaly nose.

You have control here, my love. Don’t forget it.

“I am aware of the situation, and no doubt it’s the cause of the troubles I’m having. Find the extra resources, do whatever you need to do. If I’m forced do to everything myself it will cost you, and as you know, my prices are steep. Call a meeting when you get your shit together, ladies and gentlemen, or you’re going to end up with a bigger disaster than a simple territory dispute. I will try and deal with the Vampire problem, but even I can only postpone the inevitable for so long. The Clans will lose their patience.” I turned to leave. I had nothing else to say to these assholes.

“Princess Azriella, we plan to do everything in our power to get you what you need. If you want to speed things up you will find a method to force Azazel to back out of this dispute, or persuade Ariannona to settle down and give up what’s rightfully ours. We can do this the easy way or the hard way, but we will be doing it our way, Princess.” I spun around, my large cloak twisting about my ankles in a swirl of fabric, my burgundy hair spinning over my shoulders
,
and glared at the Chairman.

Azul’s growl reverberated in the chamber and several of the Council members stirred nervously. The sulfur hung in the air, signaling an irate Dragon in the room. The Chairman held my gaze and gave me a quick smile. Against all better judgment, he had to be taught a lesson.

I fizzled into a cloud of smoke, startling the members even more, and re
-
formed right behind the Chairman’s seat. My hands went around his fat, sweaty chin and I forced him to lock eyes with Azul, still standing in front of him, taking up most of the expansive space.

The stink of fear poured off of him as I put my lips close to his ear, whispering softly so only he would hear me. He sat stiffly; acutely aware I could snap his neck at any moment if I chose to. The members sitting next to him had moved away, afraid they might be inflicted with the taint of Demon-Djinn.

“Listen to me, Kafar Zak, and listen to me carefully. I have no patience for your games, and if you expect to do something that will endanger my family, my land or my people, you are sorely mistaken. I am the rightful heir to Azazel’s throne and it would behoove you to remember. You and I both know you have no claim to the territory or property
,
which I suspect is more accurate, you’re seeking. Let it go and give me what I need to do my job.

“Remember, Chairman Zak, I can find you where ever you hide, and your best Guardians wouldn’t be able to stop me from pulling your body apart limb from limb if I so desired. Nothing but little ol’ me stands in the way of that seriously pissed off Dragon. Threatening his wife is a grievous mistake, one he will not soon overlook. Never threaten me, or I’ll let him gnaw on your bones until nothing remains but dust
.
This war will not wait for petty disputes to be resolved, fix the problem now.” I kissed him on the cheek sweetly and vanished from the room, knowing that Azul would find me again without issue.

I hadn’t made it far when I heard the booming voice in my head, causing me only a minor amount of pain. I pulled my hood back on to ensure my face wouldn’t be seen on the street. At least trying to pretend that I didn’t hear Azul’s voice echoing around in my noggin.

That was a ballsy and stupid move, Azriella. You all but started a war if they don’t give into your demands. Your father will be proud when he finds out what you’ve done, but that doesn’t do anything for our cause.

I turned and glared at him. I didn’t care that we were standing in the middle of the road in the pouring rain. It always rained in Portlandia City and no one dared approach us. I planned on settling this argument now.

“What cause would that be, Azul? I will be free of the Council on my terms. If the Veil falls tomorrow, what concern is it of mine? I keep the balance because it is my job. One day it will fall, I won’t care to hold it together anymore, there will be nothing anyone can do
.
I see a war like no other on the horizon. Do you think I don’t already have an exit strategy? I thought you knew me better. The Council only has as much power as I give them.” I turned to continue down the street. We had one more stop to make.

That may be true, but my love, please listen to me. You will make sure your family is taken care of, including me, but you know as well as I do you cannot let the Veil fall prematurely. We planned this together remember? Nothing is in place and too many lives will be at stake. I won’t allow you to fail, my darling, I will stop you from making foolish decisions. What you just did was reckless. The Council is already skeptical of you and your actions, and you are adding fuel to the fire.

Nothing new there. I’d been irresponsible, but I’d been backed into a corner. I did what was best for the greater good, and I refused to be held hostage by those assholes. This farce would come to an end faster than I had originally anticipated. I should’ve held my tongue. I was quickly losing my patience with this game I’d been dragging out for too long. It should’ve ended a while ago.

“I’m aware, Azul. I don’t need a lecture. We’ll need to make sure we are ahead of the curve. Start making preparations
.
The Veil is going to come crashing down sooner than previously scheduled. I have one more stop before I call it a night. I need to speak to the Ambassador at the Vampire Embassy. They’ll have a better chance of getting to all of their Clans a hell of a lot quicker than we will. Dexter Sloan will be able to help us.” Azul growled.

He despised Vampires, and he particularly detested Ambassador Sloan. Sometimes, I wondered if there wasn’t a man alive or dead my husband didn’t hate.

“Azul, I don’t believe your presence will to be helpful here. I think you should go home and wait for me. If I haven’t shown up within an hour then come back. I’m not planning on going anywhere else tonight. If for some reason my plans change I will let you know first.” I looked up at the moon, the same moon hanging above our sleeping bodies in the mortal world.

Do you think this is wise, Azriella? I don’t want to have to come back here and find your soulless body.

I smiled and kissed him on his blue
-
scaled nose. Always the worrier.

“I love you,
Mr. Mavi
. Don’t make me ask you twice. I don’t purposely put myself in danger and I’ve always trusted Dexter, he would never do anything to harm me. I’ll be home in an hour.” A stringer of smoke escaped his nostril again, right before his tail wrapped cinched my waist and pulled me toward his large body. His neck coiled around my chest until he was face to face with me. I grinned, stroking the base of his horns.

“I’m safe, and don’t worry. No harm will come to me tonight.” His large nose, roughly the size of my head, came up to my shoulder and he buried himself there the best he could.

I love you more than my life is worth, and I always worry, you leave me no choice in the matter. If you don’t come home in an hour, I will tear this world apart, one building at a time. One hour, Azriella, nothing more.

I nodded and he released me. I wanted so much more time than I was allowed, but he wouldn’t agree to anything longer without him accompanying me. Azul wasn’t welcome, not while I was in the company of Ambassador Dexter Sloan.

He disappeared, leaving me on the steps of the Portlandia City Vampire Embassy by myself. I had a strange relationship with the head of the Embassy, one I didn’t want to share with Azul. I suspected he already knew, it’s impossible to keep a secret from him
.
He wouldn’t mention it, and I never brought it up. He couldn’t understand how long I’d known Dexter, and he wouldn’t appreciate the intimacy common when a Demoness dealt with a Vampire.

We were kindred spirits, races whose histories became so intertwined they were almost inseparable. Our races shared customs, we constantly changed, manipulated and used who and what ever we needed to get the job done and survive. We understood each other, and helped when we could. This was one of those times, when I’d have to reach out to an old friend with the hope he’d forgive me for being away for so long.

Dexter hadn’t always been his name, he had gone through at least fourteen I could count in the time I’d known him
.
We’d been children together, grew up together. My forename remained the same throughout my life. I‘d never bothered to trying and hide who or what I was. I didn’t need to
.
I had been brought up as one of the most notorious Princesses the world had ever seen
.
Very little had ever been secret about my life.

I walked up the stone steps of the Embassy and knocked on the solid wooden door. I wouldn’t make a scene
.
I’ve got no reason to demand anything from the Vampires. They would allow me attendance with whomever I wanted.

A handsome young man answered the my knock, “Good evening
.
May I help you?” I smiled at him shyly as he took in the status my clothing signified.

All he saw was the smile playing on my lips, the wine color hood covered everything but the lower half of my face. He’d been a little more than surprised to see a younger woman standing on his doorstep, in the middle of the night, alone without an escort. Council employees always had a Guardian present. He said nothing, minding his manners. Vampires tended to be very proper and I loved that about them.

He was youthful, couldn’t be over a couple of centuries old
,
willowy with fine features and appeared as if he had been of a royal descent
.
However, he appeared too intelligent to be a simple noble seat warmer. Clouded, stormy blue eyes on a pale skinned, mouse brown haired man. Handsome, but quite plain and would’ve easily blended into a crowd if necessary. A Vampire made for Assassin work, but I wasn’t here to steal the Embassy’s employees.

“Good evening, I need to speak with Dexter Sloan.” The youngster shook his head.

“I’m very sorry Miss, but Ambassador Sloan isn’t receiving visitors right now.”

I chuckled, “Why don’t you let Ambassador Sloan decide that, young man. I’m an old friend and I’m quite sure he will be
most
anxious to greet me.”

I tipped my head back to locked eyes with him, ensuring he saw the glow of my vibrant green eyes in the darkness of my cloak and nothing else. He nodded, allowing me to step into the foyer out of the rain. He expected me to drop my hood, but I wasn’t interested in being seen tonight. Granted, this young pup wouldn’t recognize me by appearance, but others, the older Vampires in the Embassy would.

“Allow to me to check with him. Your name please?” I grinned, showing perfectly white teeth.

“My name and face aren’t something I care to share, young sir. Tell him an old friend with chartreuse eyes is here to see him. He’ll know who I am.” A strange expression crossed his face and he nodded, before quickly walking down the hall. I waited patiently, knowing he would return promptly. Dexter never kept me waiting long. Moments later he returned and bowed deeply.