Guildhall Guardian: Thamesian #1 (Thamesians) (12 page)

Yet the most important question : why catch a train here?

Roydon took off our luggages and I followed him quickly.

The details and patterns in the building were even more gorgeous up-close. I think I might have fallen in love with this train station.

We entered the lobby and a groom said "Madam, Sir. Welcome to the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel."

What? I just had a glimpse of the station's platforms minutes before.

  "I've booked a suite. The name is Thamesian."

  "Perfect, Sir. If you will please follow me'' said the employee who couldn't hold a candel to Blacksmith in my opinion.

I must admit I was flabbergast. Reacted like a simpleton to the reveal of our true destination.

Roydon eyed me with a glimmer of mischief. Which engulfed me in a tidal wave of delicious trouble.

  "This a fucking hotel!"I said while he followed the groom into an elevator.

Roydon heavy-lidded amber eyes crinkled.

  "Language Ms. Di Terzi. Yes this is a bloody hotel.We can't go living in the streets, even under these peculiar circumstances."

Thanks for the lecture, you endearing posh.

  I should have felt uncomfortable with this situation. Invited by Roydon Thamesian in what I presumed was one of the most expensive hotels of London. Alone with him in the suite.

I tried to shove the guilt into a cupboard by thinking it was all for the sake of our quest. 

Well that's one tiny cupboard and one adult sized guilt.

Yet, the suite was AWESOME. More than awesome. It was art.  Exquisite ornaments, high ceilings, contemporary furniture, a white mantelpiece, a kitchen, two bathrooms, two bedrooms.

Victorian armchairs.

My four poster bed was seducing me into never leaving it again. I wished I could apply the same sentence to the Guildhall Guardian.

I barely had the time to settle into the place, to see that Roydon had changed into a formal, charcoal suit ''Let's get to work." he said.

I whined. Unbeknownst to me ,apparently Roydon Thamesian had become my new employer.

Roydon's eyes softened.

  ''Allright,  I suppose getting some lunch won't be wasted time."

*

  When they sat at the restaurant's table, Roydon got himself to text his brother.

They had only two days left until the auction. Forty-eight hours to gain  access to the most eagerly awaited sale of the British underworld it seemed.  He liked the idea of playing the unexpected guest card. The expected unexpected rather.

The setting.  For such a staged event, the setting was crucial.

London wasn't likely to give it away to them.

  "I recognize this look" said Gioia. "You are mind-mapping."

Since she had shown up at the Guildhall to confront him, he had sometimes wondered how on Earth the two of them could share spot on connections. Nothing predestined them to understand each other and team up.

  "I am indeed."

He noticed her slightly dishevelled blond hair and thinned out face. She was as striking as she was tired.

  "You should eat some meat before we enter the battlefield" he said.

  "Vamp diet advice. You could have suggested blood."

  "Or wine instead." he said.

  "Is that the alcohol you're drinking? The Stonehenge?"

  "The wine is a special mead infused with light blood and narcotics. The Stonhenge is a chemical substitute for it."

  "Can I taste some?"

Roydon's grip on his glass almost slipped.  His mind jumped into a succession of phantasms.

  "You'd rather not."

*

  The restaurant room was as dazzling as the rest of the hotel.

As I tried my best to delicately sliced through an upper-class hamburger, I

I did a look up of the people at the bar, in front of me. I wondered how many of them weren't human.

Classy, rich people, businessmen and every single one of them could be masquerading like Roydon Thamesian did.

  "So we have a Roy de coeur, and no idea of the password." he murmured eyes on the screen of his smart phone.

So London made him cautious. Unfamiliar environment, haha.

  "And what if the sale takes place faraway from here? We'll be screwed."

  "It has to be London."

I didn't insist.

He stood up.

  "If you'll excuse me, I'll be right back, Gioia."

I nodded. "Sure."

He was probably on his way to some investigating on his own.

*

  Roydon headed toward the London Renaissance's terrace. 

He was not very fond of leaving Gioia alone, but surely she was less at risks in a restaurant than in a grave.

Brand was sitting there, sipping on a glass of white wine and gloomily overlooking the street. Quite the poseur as he let his cigarette burn out and his sunglasses speak for his world weariness.

  "Well, you've been quick." said Roydon.

  "As if our kind could ever be slow. So what's the big deal? Did someone attempt on your life again?"

  "You were almost right Brand, it's not my head which has been put on sell. But the Lancasters's"

  "Blimey. That's lucky for them they're already dead and buried."

  "Seriously." scolded Roydon. "There is a campaign launched against us. I've been publicized as selling the Vampires, our masters. Secret auction is to take place on Thursday."

Brand extinguished his cigarette with a definitely not languid move.

  "Thursday, you say? Can't be a coincidence, Isolde asked me to be her date for some sort of event on this very same day."

"Still seeing the fashion witch? That could be useful for once."

  "You know, she is mad about me. After all I am her favourite Brand!"

Roydon coughed. "This is positively awful. Did she tell you where it took place?"

  "Wasn't bothered to ask. I thought she wanted to drag me to the Fashion week."

Roydon was back on his feet.

  "Come inside, there is someone I want you to meet."

*

  I was basking in the hushed, classy atmosphere of this hotel. It was truly peaceful, and a once in a lifetime event for me.

But I had to snap out of my comfy haze.

Roydon was back and not alone.

The man beside him was nearly as attractive as him. Gave bored movie star vibes. He wore a cashmere dark jumper and black skinny jeans. Curly, luxurious dark hair and same golden stubble. Couldn't see his eyes behind his Ray-ban blue wayfarer.

A Thamesian brother. I couldn't help but blush as they crossed the lobby to join me at the table. It didn't seem quite real for a second.

I was entranced by Roydon's brother, until he spoke, that is.

With an artificial sophistication and attitude which made Roydon look like a stern countryside Lord in comparison.

  "This my friend, Gioia di Terzi. Gioia, my brother, Brand Thamesian."

  "Interesting." said Brand.

Brand, really, what kind of consumerist name was that? Well, he had been born way before supermarkets existed, I could give him that.

He shook my hand.

  "Pretty, entirely human. Unitalian complexion and above average taste in clothes." he continued.

  "And also right in front of you. Can be addressed directly" I said plainly.

  "Repartee. Well done, Roydon."

I smiled. Roydon was about to roll his eyes.

  "Some am I some kind of achievement? Flattered even if you didn't care to properly introduce yourself."

Maybe it was a Thamesian trait to be lacking in introductory skills.

  "Excuse me Ms. Di Terzi. I've left myself gush about the wonder of my brother being able to appreciate someone human. It's beyond nice to meet you."

And just like that he had turned on the charm. I grinned at Roydon.

His eyes lingered disaprovingly on his brother and said ''Brand is a master at turning tables. Don't mind him."

  "Well now that everyone's role is established here'' said Brand '' can we take care of the issue?"

  "Yes, let's get back on track" agreed Roydon.

Wow, the dynamics between those two was mind-spinning. As an only child, I was an avid spectator of their sibling banter.

Twice as more Thamesians, I didn't know if I had to feel concerned or not...

*

  Brand would be Brand, his trademark insufferable self. Roydon didn't resent him for that, Brand was smart and circumscribed in harmless personae.

And Gioia didn't disappoint in front of him. She was too curious to take offence.

  "Marketing the event in this very way could mean two things : it's empty air and you are lost on the wrong trail or the auction sale is sometimes big hiding sometimes even bigger. Of course it could be a mix of both. In any case, congrats to the event planner, he or she had brought some serious tension in here" said Brand.

  "Might it be a she, Brand? Isolde Perdue is bloody inviting you to the auction."

  "Who is Isolde?" asked Gioia.

  "A witch and a huntress, Brand's woman of the moment."

  "Witches exist? Where does this madness stop?"

  "A very overrated word, witch. She hasn't been casting spells since the 20th century." said Brand.

  "That's because she was busy slaying and hunting our kind."

  "And doing runaways. Mostly doing that.  You wouldn't ever believe she is quite a dangerous little thing."

  "Maybe she has bewitched you into thinking she is
not
dangerous." said Gioia.

*

  At this point my mind had kind of reached a point of total acceptance.

So witches? Whatever. Although if I ever told my mother she would come at once with her religious relics, ready to fight against all kind of evils.

Let in the faeries, trolls, magicians and werewolves.

It didn't make such difference to me, was basically an outsider to their world. I wanted it to remain like that in some measure.

  "I'm planning on going out tonight, you two should come with me" said Brand, apparently out of the blue.

  "No" said Roydon.

  "I mean it like this: to further your inquiry you have to visit London's corners."

  "What do you have in mind?" I asked.

  "No." said Roydon again.

  "Something special for my brother's London's debut" said Brand, losing all trace of morbid ennui.

*

  They had spent a good part of the afternoon trying to break into the auction website and waiting for the Cambridge hacker's feedback on that.

Gioia was getting distracted, her eyes set on the view of London, and bluer than they had ever been.

  "I'll admit Brand's idea is not entirely rubbish." he said, rubbing the side of his face.

Gioia's gaze immediately fell on him.

  "You know what they say: party hard, work harder."

Roydon mindlessly caught a strand of her hair between his fingers.

  "Who says that?"

  "Me.  So what will you be wearing tonight?"

* 

  I'll admit wagging war on the underworld wasn't what it seemed.

As I was putting the last touch of mascara, I noticed the new hollowness of my cheeks. England had been feeding off my flesh. No wonder so many vampires hanging out in this country. My heart was beating faster when I looked at myself in the mirror. I had been shamelessly dressing to the nines in order to impress Mr. Thamesian and generally the London unknown crowd.

Little black dress. And I almost never wore dresses or skirts. This suite's walk in wardrobe of was something out of Sex and the City. It would have brought out a girly girl out of anyone, even me.

Keep your mind focused on the objectives Gioia, no my primary goal wasn't to make out again with Roydon. It ought to be gathering information to be ready for the auction sale.

  Right. Deluding oneself has never worked, has it?

Roydon's eyes briefly double checked me when I entered the living room.

  "That's playing foul for the other women, Ms. Di Terzi."he said"Can we depart?"

I was fiercely proud. For wringing some obvious appreciation out of him.

I grabbed my clutch and jacket.

  "Yep.Let's go."

*

  Damn she had played bold with the black dress.  Roydon couldn't bring himself to block the image. Her legs, her naked shoulders. 

He could bring her back to the suite and slowly disrobe her, have her backed against the glass window. Slip his hands beneath her dress, while her face was pressed into London's night lights.