A Cold Day in Hell (The Hellcat Series) (20 page)

Gabi knew that Julius still didn't trust the Spaniard, and wasn't sure whether she did or not.  While she considered herself a quick study when it came to trustworthiness, she simply couldn't get a firm read on Caspian. 

"I have hopes for Fianna being on our side once she meets Gabi," Julius said.  "Being a warrior herself, she'll either see Gabi as a threat or a kindred spirit.  From my encounters with her, I think she'll side with us."  The plane suddenly shifted angle slightly.  "The rest I'm not sure
about, and discussing them will have to wait.  We've started the descent.  Please go and wake Kyle and Athena.  We’ll land in a few minutes." 

When they touched down, Gabi still had no idea where in the world they were.  She knew they'd been in the air about seven hours, but that might not mean anything.  With Julius adamant that none of the non-Vampires were to know where they were going, he might have gone a longer route than necessary, and it was also possible the jet was quicker than the average commercial plane, so she was no better off at working out where the hell they were.  She didn't even know what time zone they were in.

It was dark as a bat cave and as cold as a snowman's armpit when they exited the plane.  Julius had been thoughtful enough to have thick, fleece-lined coats ready for her and Athena.  He helped her into hers while Alexander held Athena's out for her.  It was deliciously warm, and fully synthetic fur, she was relieved to note.  Razor was at her heels, sniffing the air tentatively,
his built-in fur coat enough to withstand the icy temperature.

A black stretch limo was waiting for them on the tarmac.  Nathan and Quentin quickly began unloading their luggage from the plane's hold.  The driver of the car was standing to attention near the front door and, at their approach, smoothly opened the door for them.  He was Vampire but not very old either in Vamp or human years.  Gabi sensed little power around him.  He was a lackey, obviously expendable in case Julius was petty enough to eliminate one of the Princeps' people. 

"The Princeps' Court bids you most welcome," he intoned nervously.  "My name is Bartholomew.  I am to conduct you directly to the court, where refreshments will await you and your entourage.  The Princeps will see you within the hour, so I'm afraid I must ask you to hurry."  Afraid was the operative word, as the anxiety fairly poured from the young Vamp.  His eyes flicked from her to Julius and then to Fergus with apprehension, and his tongue tried to lick dry lips. 

Julius simply ignored the driver and ushered her into the warm depths of the car.  She moved towards the rear of the vehicle, automatically checking the area with her Vamp sense, searching for anything that posed a threat.  No other
supernaturals pinged her radar.  She took a seat near one of the rear windows, and Razor immediately occupied the seat next to her.

Within minutes they were moving.  The car didn't stop at any border checkpoint; it simply drove out of the airport gates without slowing.  And she'd been worried about taking a cat into a foreign country.  She hadn't even needed to bring her passport.  They drove at speeds far exceeding any speed limits she knew of. 
Along a motorway, through an industrial area, over a bridge—a long, wide ornate bridge over a dark, slowly chugging river—and then through city streets.  Though dark still blanketed the city, her eyesight and the streetlights gave her enough glimpses to spark her imagination. 

"Lea, leave it alone," Julius said in a low voice, trying to draw her attention away from the outside world.  He knew she was determined to work out where they were, and if he knew her at all, he'd know she wouldn't stop until she'd solved the puzzle. 

They drove past huge, gothic-looking churches; tall, ornate buildings that could only have been built centuries before.  Restored with care and patience.  Whatever city they were in, it celebrated its age, revered its longevity, decried modernism.  Though Gabi had never been to Eastern Europe, somehow this is what she expected it to look like.  She wondered how close to the mark she was. 

Giving up on talking her out of her obsession, Julius finally moved to her side, the side closest to the window, and inserted his body between her and the view of the outside world.  She caught the growl before it left her throat.  It wouldn't do for a stranger to see dissent in their ranks.  He was very well aware of her annoyance in any case.  She knew why he was doing it, and he knew she hated it. 
Just another impasse. 

CHAPTER 11

The rest of the travellers sat in silence in the limousine.  Kyle still sulked, and Athena finally showed a little of her tension as she worked a string of amazonite worry beads through her fingers.  Gabi had no way to tell the time, so she wasn't sure how long they drove for, but it couldn't have been much more than about half an hour. 

They soon left the central city behind, and the driver slowed, bringing the car to a halt.  They were in a narrow lane, surrounded by narrow apartment blocks huddled close to one another, as though propping each other up after a drunken night out.  The lane was cobbled, and the windows of the apartments sported window boxes and tiny haphazard balconies.  A dull hum broke the stillness of the night, and a garage door began to open to their right.  The limousine carefully squeezed through the narrow opening and into the dark beyond.  The passage beyond the door was claustrophobically narrow and completely dark but for the car's headlights.  The passage was far longer than seemed possible, but Gabi realised they were on a gentle downward gradient.  They were heading underground, only to begin climbing again seconds later. 

Several minutes later, the passage opened up into a large courtyard.  It was open to the night skies, and a spectacular fountain dominated the centre of it, forming a pivot point around which vehicles could travel.  Above them and on three sides, a
ginormous building loomed.  It looked to be built of stone and at least several centuries old.  In the dark it was impossible to see exactly how big it was or even how many stories it rose above them.  One word came to Gabi as she tried to take it all in.  Castle.  She was fairly sure they were about to stay in a freaking castle. 

Bartholomew was out of his seat in an instant and opening the car door for them.  Another Vampire, this one female, was waiting for them a few paces from the building.

"I am Iris."  She bobbed a polite head, coming forward to introduce herself.  "Master Julius, I am to convey you to your apartment and attend to all your needs." 

Julius didn't even acknowledge her, and it frayed Gabi's nerves a little further.  He'd warned her he wouldn't be acting the same way he normally did.  Here, every nod, every word, every eye contact meant something.  He was the big, bad, Master Vampire.  If you didn't act the part, you would be treated accordingly.  Iris wasn’t offended by his attitude.  She merely watched the rest of them climb from the car and waited while Nathan, Quentin and Fergus retrieved their luggage.  Then she turned
and walked towards a large, arched, double doorway.  Julius took a little time to realign Gabi's coat on her shoulders before following the Vampire at his own measured pace. 

After several flights of stairs and numerous dark, heavily carpeted corridors, Iris stopped at a door marked 403, opened it with a modern hotel-style key card, and left them to settle in, with the promise that feeders were on the way, and food and drink would be arriving soon for the non-Vampires. 

Gabi knew that Kyle and Athena would be feeling the same sense of disquiet that she was.  Being surrounded by hundreds, possibly thousands, of unknown Vampires had kicked every nerve into a state of high alert.  Their apartment was a suite of several rooms, all opening onto a communal living area furnished with tables, chairs, comfortable sofas and wing-back chairs.  The place was cold, but a huge fireplace stood ready with kindling and firewood in the communal room, and Nathan went over to light it.  On one of two tables lay a formal-looking invitation alongside a large, colourful floral arrangement.  How prosaic, Gabi thought. 

"We have twenty minutes," Julius told her after picking up the invitation.  "We are being given a hearing.  They have opted to go the official route and put us on trial.  They’re obviously concerned about how this could turn out in the eyes of other Masters.”  His eyes went distant for a moment as he processed this approach.  “Only Gabrielle, Alexander and I will be attending the hearing," he told the rest of them.  "They’ll inform us of the allegations against us, and we’ll be told what punishment may be considered if the allegations are proved to be true.  We’ll then be told what time tomorrow we’ll be able to put our own case forward."

"What do the rest of us do?" Kyle asked.

"Stay here," he said firmly. 
"You and Athena in particular.  You don’t officially belong to my Clan, so your safety is tenuous until the Princeps officially give us
incolumitas
." 

"What does that mean?" Kyle demanded.

"It essentially means safety.  It's an order of protection over us while we’re here and on trial.  It prevents other factions from attempting to take matters into their own hands.  It is treason to harm someone under protection of
incolumitas
.  Punishment, if found guilty, is death."  He pursed his lips.  "If they aren't trying to play games with us, they should issue the decree tonight, but this is the Princeps' Court; they have been known to do as they please.  I wouldn't put it past some of those here to jump the gun and try to strike us before the decree is issued." 

Caspian moved impatiently.  "
Ju…ah, Sire," he amended quickly.  "I request permission to make contact with some associates.  I believe it will be in our best interests if I find out what has happened since my departure." 

Julius fastened his gaze on his newest Clan member, his eyes boring into the Spaniard. 
"Only if one of the others goes with you."  It was plain in his voice; he didn't trust the Spaniard. 

A muscle twitched in the other Vampire's jaw, but his face remained passive.  "Of course, Sire."  His tone was one very short step shy of patronising.  "I'm sure Fergus would like to reacquaint himself with the court." 

The expression on Fergus's face said that he would rather pull his own toenails out with a pair of forceps, but he grunted acceptance without comment.  Caspian smiled benignly, but Gabi caught the cold glint in his eye. 

"Watch what you say in here.  The walls have ears," Julius warned.  "Only let in the feeders."  In the spirit of his own advice, he didn't say anything further. 

Quentin had done a recon of the rooms and put everyone's luggage into place.  There was to be no arguing over bedroom choice, apparently.  She and Julius had been assigned the largest and most opulent of the rooms.  A gigantic four-poster dominated the centre of the room, hung thickly with rich velvet curtains and a heavy, embroidered bedspread.  Gabi divested herself of the warm coat and made a quick trip to the en-suite bathroom in the room with her toiletry bag.  Julius was in the room when she came out. 

"Ready?" he asked her.

"No," she replied honestly.  "Let's go."

Gabi convinced Razor to stay at the apartment.  It had taken a bit of effort; he was as anxious as the rest of them.  Iris waited for them at the end of the corridor, and she simply fell into step in front of them.  Julius followed her wordlessly.  The four of them trailed her down a wide wooden staircase until they reached a landing.  Turning right, they came across a female Vampire standing on one side of the landing, as though admiring the view out of the ornate French doors.  She spun, as though surprised by their approach, and gasped a little.  Gabi assessed her quickly: young for a Vampire, no more than a hundred and fifty and with no noticeable power.  Gabi relaxed; this Vamp was no threat. 

The other woman made a little 'O' with her mouth, and then a smile bright enough to light an airport runway lit her face.  "Julius," she exclaimed in a little shriek. 

Gabi switched from Vamp assessment to female assessment as the Vampire rushed towards them.  Her petite frame was swathed in a beautiful, floor-length gown of rich satin, her ample bosom almost indecently exposed by the plunging neckline of the sapphire-blue dress.  Dainty gold shoes barely touched the ground as she moved, and gold jewellery glittered from her neck, ears, wrists and fingers.  A mass of bouncing blonde curls cascaded down her shoulders and framed her pale, pretty features. 

She came to a very abrupt halt before reaching Julius.  The cold steel of
Nex's blade pressed against the bare skin of her chest, drawing a thin line of red where the tip touched.  Gabi had moved between the woman and Julius without conscious thought.  As reality caught up with her, she realised she may just have made some kind of humungous faux pas.  Whoops.  Too late now.

"Amelia," Julius greeted the stunned Vampire. 

The woman moved her wide, shocked gaze from the sword to Julius, her mouth still gaping open. 

"Meet my consort, Gabrielle."  Julius didn't move to stay her sword arm, but simply stood calmly behind her and waited. 

Gabi didn't move either, waiting to see what Amelia did.  It took the Vampire a full second to stop looking like a floundering fish and shut her mouth.  Alexander was making strange noises behind them, as though he was choking on something.  Gabi thought it might be a stifled laugh.