Kindred (50 page)

When I came out of the bathroom Michel had also changed, not too dissimilar from his usual attire, all black and totally sexy. He was sitting back down on the couch looking relaxed, not at all concerned about what might face us. “I have organised a car to meet us on the tarmac, we shall just have to head directly towards Cairo city centre and try to locate Nafrini there.”

“
Do you have ideas on where to start?”

“
It shouldn't be hard, she will sense me as soon as we land. She will no doubt come to us if able.”

Oh, I had forgotten that master vampires of Michel's and Nafrini's level could sense each other. Michel was always aware when someone powerful had entered his city. Handy, I guess, if you want to keep hold of your territory from encroaching vampires.

The plane touched down lightly and after a couple of minutes came to rest away from the main Cairo terminals, near hangars which were obviously an area for private jets and the like. I had expected us to be met by customs or something similar, but when the door to the jet was opened, there was just a solitary limousine on the tarmac and a lone figure waiting beside it.

We came down the stairs and walked towards the car. The heat hit like a solid wall, it felt like I was pushing my way through thick molasses. But at the sight of who was waiting for us I couldn't help it, I couldn't keep the smile from my eyes, or the idiotic grin from my face. He stepped up and took my hand, bending over at the waist and laying a light kiss across my knuckles. His eyes danced in the artificial lighting, his smile blinding all on its own.

“
Kiwi. We finally meet in person and you are even more beautiful than I could ever have imagined.”

I didn't get to answer, because anything I could have or would have said, was drowned out by a long, low and menacing growl at my side.

So much for diplomacy.

Nero didn't even react, just slowly lowered my hand, never breaking eye contact with me. Eventually, he did let go and turned to bow to Michel.

“
Welcome, Michel Durand, to Cairo. Nafrini Al-Suyuti welcomes you to her land.”

He said all of this whilst still bowing, head low in respect. He rose now and looked Michel in the eye, never even blanching at the slight glow of magenta and amethyst that had taken up residence there.

“
It is kind of Nafrini to provide us with a driver.” I'm quite sure that Michel had meant that statement exactly how it sounded. He knew damn well this had to be Nafrini's kindred Nosferatin, but he was also making damn sure Nero knew he wasn't impressed. Men.

“
So, what's the plan, Nero?” I thought I'd better get us back on track or we'd end up having a duel right here. I didn't fancy Nero's chances against Michel, but then again, Nero did have some wicked moves.

Immediately Nero shifted his full attention back to me with another of his dazzling smiles. He had been all serious and lacking any facial expression, other than polite welcome, when addressing Michel, but now he lit up like a Christmas Tree, all light and happy glow. What was he playing at, antagonising a vampire who had come to help him? Was he seriously that reckless?

I tried to ignore the look he was giving me and knew that no matter what was happening on my face, no matter how good I was at schooling my features to a pleasant mask, Michel had already registered my emotional response to Nero. This was so not going how I had expected it. What had I thought would happen? Well, I admit, I kinda forgot all about the emotion reading thing and just was looking forward to meeting my Nosferatin idol. Because that's what Nero was, I decided, someone I truly looked up to, someone who could teach me so much. I put as much of those thoughts into my head as possible, hoping my emotions, or perhaps a stray projected thought, would reflect that instead.

“
We have relocated our family and have been awaiting your arrival to mount an attack.”

“
You know where they are?” I was surprised and amazed he had accomplished so much since I had last seen him in the Dream Walk.

“
Yes, I shall brief you both on the way, there is not much time to waste.” He seemed very pleased with the news he was relaying, I couldn't blame him, this was exactly what we needed. We all climbed in the back of the car, which had a driver all of its own, that no doubt Michel had been well aware of when he made that little remark. A human's scent and heartbeat stand out quite easily to a nearby vampire.

Nero briefed us on what they had uncovered today as we drove through Cairo's streets heading towards her city centre. Everywhere I looked out of the windows I could see Date Palms swaying in the evening breeze, nothing like our quasi-palm trees back home, the Nikau Palm, these were the real deal. I was also surprised to see so much sand, a reminder of how close the desert was, but interspersed with that sand was a lushness, beautiful greens, like an oasis, right on the side of the road as we zipped past.

The buildings became more impressive as we headed away from the airport, sand coloured, thick set structures, with arched windows and faux balconies, the sidewalks crowded with colourful swaths of cloth. I had expected to see only light coloured clothing, tans and whites, similar to what I had seen Nero in before, but the colour was cheerful and vibrant, quite different from my imaginings. They turned the mono-toned buildings into a backdrop fit for an opera, the coloured clothing making the people stand out in stark relief. There was, of course, a lot of people in whites and pale colours, but they simply blended into the crowd, lost in a kaleidoscope of colours.

Market stalls swam past us as we slowed to negotiate traffic and pedestrians. I glimpsed even more colourful table cloths with bright blue and green and red Hookahs for sale. Followed on with tea houses, street side seating overflowing with faces, some drinking coffee, others just laughing and talking and more still smoking their Hookahs. It occurred to me, that most of those I witnessed were male, but I didn't have time to consider this further as we had arrived at Nafrini's new residence.

Even I felt the wards as we passed under a heavy archway into a cobbled courtyard within. I could see figures surrounding the area, some half hidden in the shadows by the columns supporting more arches, some up higher on balconies and even more at the entrance securing the door behind us. All reeking
Sanguis Vitam
. Nafrini hadn't taken as large a hit to her entourage as I had expected.

All around the courtyard were windows and doors decorated in ornate carved wooden designs. Beautiful intricate arches, with circles set in relief inside, they looked like a stencil, so pretty and perfect, lay them down on a sheet of paper and trace a pattern through the holes. They were stunning and so unlike anything I had ever seen before in my life.

The door to the limousine was opened and we all stepped out into the heat of night again. Michel took my hand as soon as I exited behind him, it wasn't an unusual gesture, but I had the feeling it was premeditated, for Nero's benefit. Nero didn't show any signs of noticing and simply led the way into the building itself.

We were greeted by further vampires and in amongst them a large number of humans, all moving around doing their own thing. The sense of community I felt from them was astounding. Vampires were talking to humans with respect and vice versa. There was no overt use of powers here, just one being talking or interacting with another. A part of me realised the rest of the world could gain a lot from what Nafrini and Nero had achieved here.

The inside of the building was as beautiful as the out, lovely furnishings, similar in design to those I had seen in the Dream Walk. Bright colours and rich tapestries, ornate furniture and comfortable covers, pillows upon pillows and a slightly fruity smell in the air. Cinnamon mixed with apple, I think. There was a lot of marble and wood and smooth white sandblasted walls, all of which lent itself to the plush furnishings gracefully, interspersed here and there with delicate statues on high plinths.

Despite having to move so quickly, Nafrini had somehow secured a palace for her people in just under 24 hours since I had last been with them. Influential, she clearly was.

Finally we entered a smaller room, decorated much the same as elsewhere, cushions on the floor to the side, a desk with comfortable chairs surrounding it, bookcases behind filled to the brim with brightly coloured leather bindings. Standing at the far end of the room was an elegant, beautifully clothed woman, she was perhaps almost six feet tall, with fine features on her deeply tanned face, high cheek bones and delicate long fingers in her hands. She had long black hair down past her waist, loose and shiny and shimmering in the candle light of the room. She was dressed in the most beautiful shade of purple, amethyst mixed with pomegranate, long sheaths of fabric, folding over themselves and draped perfectly over her shoulders, showing just the barest hint of smooth skin beneath.

Her eyes were alight with colour, deep amber laced with cocoa and a hint of copper flecks. They were heavily made up, with shades of copper and cinnamon elongating the roundness of their shape. She looked stunning, there were no two ways about it, she was a queen.

As soon as she spotted Michel, her face broke into the most hypnotic smile, there was no power there, just sheer natural brilliance, lighting up her face and eyes even further, she glided towards us with her hand extended. Michel took a step away from me and bent at the waist in a bow similar to Nero's, all grace and practised movements, he took her hand in his. Bent his head and placed a lingering kiss on her smooth skin.

Part of me wondered if his actions were in response to Nero's at the airport, giving as good as he got, but all hopes of that were dashed when Nafrini spoke in a low and sultry voice thick with eastern African accent, against his ear, loud enough for everyone to hear.

“
It has been a long time, my love, you should not hide yourself away so. You have been missed.”

What the...?
They knew each other?
For some reason I hadn't seen this coming. Despite knowing how old Michel is and how old Nafrini is and how vampires didn't just stay in one place, but moved around the globe. Despite knowing Michel would have a history I wasn't privy to, that he'd had a life before even coming to New Zealand, before me. I had never once stopped to think he would know Nafrini. Stupid. Stupid. Me.

And then came the anger. Why had Michel chosen not to mention this? Once again he had omitted something that might just have prepared me for this moment. Was it intentional? Did he hope to get a response from me? To what avail? I realised I'd just been standing there staring at the exchange between them, stock still, like a statue, my hands fisted at my sides. Michel would have felt the emotions rolling over me, Nafrini would have sensed my hitched breath, my increased heart rate and Nero, well Nero was just watching me with steady eyes. No sympathy, no sadness for the position I now found myself in, just a steady gaze of interest. Did
everyone
want to see me throw a fit?

Well, they obviously don't know Kiwi girls then. We're hard and tough and have a bloody great sense of pride. There was no way I was letting them see me crumble. I don't know what protocol called for in situations such as these. Do you wait to be introduced? Curtsey? Grovel at her feet? I really didn't care, so I took a step forward and put on my most dazzling smile, stuck my hand out and said, “Hi, Nafrini. I'm Luce. It's a pleasure to finally meet you.”

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Nero smile, just a brief touch to his lips. Nafrini removed her hand from Michel's and turned her gaze on me. I'm not sure I was receiving exactly the same startling amber and cocoa look as Michel had, this time they seemed a little daunting, a little scary around the edges, rather than beautiful, but she smiled and shook my hand anyway. Whew!

When she had removed her hand from mine here eyes lingered in a appraising slide over my body, without looking away she said, “She is intriguing, Michel. I understand now why you chose New Zealand. Why you sacrificed your lifestyle in Paris. I had always wondered what would cause you to give up such a position.”

Michel stiffened slightly next to me, it wasn't anything overtly obvious, just a slight twitch to his arms. I don't think Nafrini would have noticed, but I'm getting good at sensing these little pauses in his shields, these moments that he simply can no longer hide from me. He didn't like where this conversation was heading, there was something here he didn't want me to know. I didn't turn to look at him, just kept my pleasant face and steady gaze on the Amazon woman to my front, but in my mind I sent out the thought,
Paris?

He ignored me, I hadn't expected him to answer, but I knew he had heard me. This was something we would have to cover later. Instead he decided to take control of the conversation himself, a typical Michel tactic.

“
You have found yourself a lovely home, Nafrini, at such short notice, it is commendable.”

She laughed openly at that, acknowledging his rebuff. Her laugh was musical, like the tinkle of a wind chime, it didn't sound right with her low and sultry voice, but somehow it still suited her. I wondered if it was practised.

“
I have friends in the President's Cabinet, this home is on loan, a small unused section of the Heliopolis Palace. We have of course, made improvements.” She was referring to the wards, they weren't normal, I just wondered what she had done to create such protection, how much of Nero's power was she using?