Eternal Shadows (22 page)

“The second time, he and Tabitha attacked Kassandra in broad daylight, bleeding an innocent girl in an attempt to arouse her bloodlust. When that didn’t work, Tabitha threw Kassandra into the path of an oncoming car. The necessary cover-up is still incomplete.”

It was? I hadn’t heard anything about that. All the kids at school seemed to believe I hadn’t really been hit. Why didn’t anyone tell me anything? I jabbed Rhys in the ribs, but he just shook his head at me. Whatever.

Cordoba scratched at the hair that lined his jawbone. “Malachi never was one for subtlety. What would you like for me to do for you?”

“He has tried to expose us, and in the middle of a very precarious time. We cannot help the humans if they suspect our existence. He must be brought before the council.”

“And you want my support.”

“He is your initiate.”

“Yes.” Cordoba bobbed his head a few times. “I am saddened by the path he has taken, and more so that his brothers followed. Tabitha is a needy creature. Malachi never should have turned her. He could have done better for a mate.”

I heard Madge scoff.

Aurelia leaned forward, placing her hand on top of the general’s. “We wish to ask for the highest punishment. If you support us, you will be advocating the death of those who were once your devoted children.”

“Once devoted, yes. Now they threaten everything I stand for. They know the laws. Malachi especially. I did not raise a simpleton. He knows the consequences of his actions. Which makes me wonder why he would risk such a thing.”

Cade traced the blade of a dagger with one finger. “The Freedom Organization must be up to something. Malachi would never risk their integrity otherwise. They must have plans to move.”

“I agree,” the general said. “With our current position in the human world our attentions are divided. They have the strategic advantage. From their standpoint, it would be foolish not to strike.”

“And knowing that, we should strike first,” Aurelia said.

“For which we need the unanimous approval of the council.” Reaching across the table, the general lifted a stack of papers up and set them in front of her. Aurelia leafed through them quickly, frowning.

“I know the current opinions of the council members,” she said. “But we have two here already in agreement.”

Cade flipped the dagger around in his hand, catching the blade, then the hilt, then the blade again. “If
Aldric would just retire, or die, then Aurelia would have his seat and we would have three of the nine seats on our side.”

Aurelia grabbed the weapon from his hands and set it on the table. “Don’t look so eager to retire him yourself.”

“He’s one of the only two who are older than Julius, and by far the most stubborn. If anyone will be impossible to convince it will be Aldric.”

“You let me deal with that.” Aurelia’s voice was cold as ice, and Cade said no more on the subject.

My head spun trying to assimilate all the information being thrown around. All I knew of the vampire world resided mostly within my house. The outside world was a giant mystery that I was eager, yet hesitant, to explore.

“
Aldric will be a bit troublesome,” Cordoba said. “But, if you will allow me, Aurelia, the man owes me a favor. I shall save you the trouble of having to sweet talk an old vampire.”

“Who said anything about sweet talk?”

The two oldest vampires laughed. It was creepy.

The door to the room opened, silently of course, and the scents of ocean and rain swept inside. The two vampires who entered looked like something straight out of an old vampire movie. The woman was maybe in h
er mid-twenties, with long dark-brown hair that hung halfway down her back and eyes to match. Her skin was pale as the moon, and her lips were painted blood red. She had dressed all in black, her pants tight and her shirt low-cut. A belt rode low on her hips, with empty loops and hooks all around. I could imagine the armory that must have normally hung there.

The man beside her had skin the color of coffee, and hair the color of night. He, too, wore black. His tee-shirt was far from ill-fitting and his jeans anything but loose. A black leather strap circled his thigh and a shoulder holster sat empty. I wondered why they had both unarmed themselves before entering. The fact that they normally carried numerous weapons with them was obvious.

Cordoba stood and extended an arm towards them. “Ah, there you are. You have not yet had the pleasure of meeting my dear friends. This is Julius Augustus, who you have of course heard of, and his wife, Aurelia Cinilla. The rest are his family, Caden Lucas, Millie and Madge King, Rhys O’Shea and Kassandra Thomas.”

Good God, he remembered everyone’s full name, even mine.

“Julius,” he continued, “these are the new initiates I told you about. It is unfortunate you have not had a chance to meet them before now. A century and a half is too long to go without a proper get-together. Allow me to introduce Viviane and Isaac. Both have chosen to forgo their old human names and now use my surname as their own.”

Greetings were murmured back and forth. Viviane stepped forward. “General Augustus, it is an honor to finally meet you. I have studied your history and feel
no reluctance whatsoever in saying that you are quite possibly the most accomplished vampire of this age.”

The general laughed modestly. “I thank you, Viviane, for such an unexpected compliment.”

Aurelia rolled her eyes. “It will go to his head.”

Viviane’s gaze trailed around the room, lingering on each of us. She stopped at Rhys. “And you must be Rhys, the general’s pride and joy. I have long looked forward to meeting you as well.”

“I can’t imagine why,” Rhys said good-naturedly. “But thank you. It’s good to finally meet those deemed worthy enough by Bartolome to join this life.”

She bowed her head slightly, but her eyes remained trained on Rhys. A hunger sat there that I couldn’t identify. I wondered if Rhys had seen it, too.

Cordoba sat again and gestured to the two empty chairs left on my side of the table. The two next to me. Isaac took the farthest, Viviane sat at my right. The undeniable scent of rain washed the air around us. The thought of getting caught in the rain made me cold, but I didn’t get any other feelings from her. Not like I had with Cordoba. Even that feeling had faded some. Maybe Rhys was right and I was overreacting. Maybe the feeling had been coincidence.

The meeting continued on while I deliberated to myself. “Malachi must know you have called me here,” Cordoba said. “I wonder what he will do. It would be stupid of him to confront me thinking himself safe without the sanction of the council, but he is a proud man, he may also see it as an act of fear to not pay me a visit.”

“As long as you are staying here, in my nest,” Julius said, “I doubt he would dare to get too close.”

Cordoba wove his fingers together, setting his chin on the surface they made. “He has attacked you twice already, my friend. Who can say what he will do or not do. However, Viviane and Isaac are quite adept at keeping an eye on him, as I had them do a number of decades ago. I shall have them keep watch while we are here.”

“Appreciated.” The general flipped through the papers he had given to Aurelia earlier. “So for formality’s sake, can it be said that I have your full cooperation in my intent to gain sanction from the council to order the punishment of Malachi and his clan?”

“You have my full support. I am embarrassed to say that I ever brought that boy into this world.”

“I am grateful, my old friend.”

“What is the point of friends if things were otherwise?”

An amiable silence passed between them. Then they shook on it.

Cade, who had been sitting silently since his reprimand earlier, sat up suddenly. “Now we have to call the council to meet. It will take time to get all nine to agree on a time and place.”

“Too true, Cade.” The general tapped the table with one finger. “I shall have to send out the request immediately. Given the current state of the world many of us will be endlessly busy.”

Aurelia stood, gracefully moving to a side table. “I can make the requests personally if you wish.” She poured herself a glass full of blood from a wine bottle. She held it up in an offer to the rest of us. Aside from Cordoba and the general, everyone declined.

“If you think a personal request will make that much of a difference, love, then who am I to stop you?” The general took his glass from her with a kiss on her hand. “I do not doubt your powers of persuasion.”

Cordoba laughed. “Is that what you call it?”

I leaned close to Rhys and whispered in his ear. “Is this how meetings always are?”

Only his eyes moved to look at me. “Yes. Vampires as old as these three never worry about time.”

“Oh.” I had been hoping for something a little more exciting. A heated debate maybe.

Aurelia had begun speaking again. “I will make sure every one of those old coffin-sleepers know that this is no small matter. Our existence is at stake.” Her eyes were like ice set on fire. Hot and cold, all at once.

“Just don’t try to influence their votes before they get there, Aurelia. You know that makes them obstinate.” The general seemed more amused by her cut-throat nature than anything else.

“I’ll bring Cade,” she said. “He’ll keep me diplomatic.”

“Only for as long as you listen to me,” Cade said.

Viviane cleared her throat, gaining the attention of the room. “If it has been decided to ask for death for my disavowed brother, then I would like the opportunity to learn the layout of this city before the night grows any older.”

Cordoba took a sip of blood, then waved a dismissive hand at her. “Yes, yes. Go. But return by sunrise so we may discuss what should be done should Malachi show his face. If for any reason you find him tonight, apprehend him and bring him to me. Tabitha, Garrett, and Henry will choose their own fates. Do as they demand of you.”

Viviane stood, clasped her fist over her heart, then bowed. Isaac followed suit. “It was a great pleasure meeting you all,” she said before sweeping out the door, Isaac close behind.

As soon as ocean and rain left the room I felt warmer, dryer.

Aurelia scooped up the pile of papers that had been passed back and forth a number of times. “Cade and I will leave immediately. I will find each of these pig-headed vampires and set a date. As for location, I assume the usual meeting place will suffice?”

The general looked at Cordoba for confirmation. “Yes,” Cordoba said. “I don’t see why the chambers would not please everyone involved.”

“I shall pack then. Come, Cade.” She glided out of the room as though on a cloud. Cade stood and retrieved the dagger she had taken from him earlier.

“I’ll try not to let her bully anyone too badly,” he said, slipping the weapon into his belt.

The general chuckled, smiling as though they hadn’t just decided on someone’s death. “I trust you to do just that. But let her bully
Aldric a bit. The man should know just who is vying for his seat. Perhaps it will gain him some resolve to be a more agreeable member of the council.”

Cade snorted in distaste, then left. Madge stood immediately.

“So this is how fate is decided?”

“Now, Madge,” the general said in the tone of a father explaining
something carefully to a child. “You knew this would be the outcome. We have no choice. The laws are clear. If it makes you feel any better, we still have the council to convince. Nothing is set in stone.”

I stared at her. Cheeks flushed red, she looked angrier than I had ever seen her before. Her hand was clenched tight around a silver blade I recognized. Blood seeped through her fingers and ran over her hand.

“I know you,” she said. “You won’t take no for an answer. You’ll keep them all there until they bend to your will.”

“I refuse to have that renegade fool put my family at risk.”

Millie touched her sister’s hand gently. “Madge, let’s go for a walk. I’ll hunt with you.”

“Vampire blood is about to spill. You can’t distract me with human blood, Millie.” She spoke through her teeth, fangs bared like an angry dog.

Millie stood so quickly it looked like she had simply been in one place and then another. Her expression matched her twin’s. “It is not a distraction. Now get outside before I put you there.”

They stood still as marble statues, identical in every way. Low growls vibrated against the air of the room. I clutched the arms of my chair, waiting, having no idea what to expect. I imagined the back wall disintegrating as Millie threw Madge clear through it. Though I couldn’t really picture Millie being so violent.

Nothing like that happened. Finally, Madge hissed and headed out of the room. Millie followed her quickly.

The general shook his head. “I apologize, Bartolome. Madge is not normally quite so badly mannered.”

Oh, really? Who did he live with? I’d lived with her bad mood for weeks now.

Cordoba finished the last of the blood in his glass. “Do not worry. I understand her viewpoint, as misguided as it may be.”

I didn’t understand. What the heck was going on? Why should Madge care if Malachi died or not?