Shadow Born: Book 1 of the Shadow-Borne Chronicles (50 page)

“We found him like this.
 
He seems to have…expelled some of the fluids he took in earlier.
 
There was a puddle on the floor of his cell.”

Silas’s eyes took on a faraway look as he thought about what Dorn told him.
 
He finally shook off whatever thoughts were in his mind and focused on VonBell sitting listlessly in his chair.

“Remove the cuffs,” Silas told Dorn.

“You sure about this?”
 
Dorn looked skeptical.

Silas nodded.
 
“There is a room full of elder vampires here.
 
I think we can handle Vincent if he tries anything.”
 

Dorn nodded once and uncuffed the slumping vampire.
 
The other four guards in the room, however, stood at attention with their guns held ready, their eyes never leaving VonBell even for a moment.
 
They might be human but they weren’t stupid.

VonBell seemed to recover quickly and sat a little straighter and rubbed his raw wrists.
 
Alec shivered at the memory that popped up of Clarissa doing the same to him.

“Vincent, we have some questions for you and we demand answers,” Laramie said authoritatively.
 
Silas rolled his eyes.
 
The man was nothing if not annoying.

“Of course you do,” VonBell said quietly.
 
“But I’m not sure how much use I can be to you.”
 

Doctor Schubert had moved his chair out of the way slightly so VonBell could be included in their little circle.
 
Dorn had moved the camera slightly so that he could include VonBell in the frame.
 
Alec noticed that Dorn’s hand never strayed very far from his sidearm.
 
Alec made sure he was burning blood just in case VonBell did something stupid.
 
The silver handcuffs that VonBell had worn should have sapped most of his strength and abilities but you never knew what would happen with vampires.

“You can start by explaining why you and Senator Taylor were stealing funds from our facilities,” Sabina said peering at VonBell.

VonBell chuckled quietly.
 
“Isn’t it obvious?
 
We wanted more money.”

“I can understand the Senator doing something like that, but I happen to know that you are financially well off Vincent.
 
Why did you really do it?” Silas asked.

VonBell shrugged his shoulders and sighed.
 
“Maybe I was bored,” he said smiling.
 
His eyes wandered around the room looking at all those present.
 
They narrowed when they got to Steven but stopped when they reached Alec.

“I see you have the abomination here.
 
Good, you might need him in the future,” VonBell said, hatred dripping from his words.

Alec sat forward in his seat and glared at the man.
 
“What did I tell you about calling me an abomination?” he asked dangerously.

“Alec,” Silas said warningly.
 
VonBell laughed into the heavy silence.
 
“Vincent, you will mind your tongue when you are in my house.
 
This is an official meeting of the council.
 
We are recording the proceedings for Victoria and Reginald so that they are up to speed when they arrive,” Silas told VonBell.
 
“And you will watch what you say to me and those present at this inquiry.”

“Oh, will I?”
 
VonBell looked defiant.
 
“You think you can get answers out of me that I’m not yet willing to give you?”
 
There was a manic gleam in his eyes that was unsettling to Alec.
 
This man was bat shit crazy.

“I’m sure I could find some way to persuade you,” Laramie said meaningfully.

VonBell barked out a laugh.
 
“You?
 
You are a sorry excuse for a vampire.
 
I doubt that you could do any more than bore me with your ineptitude.”
 
Then VonBell spat at Laramie who jumped off his place on the couch.
 
VonBell went to stand but five sets of guns trained on him instantly and he froze in place with a smug look on his face.
 
Laramie glared but he didn’t move any closer to VonBell.

“Take him away,” Silas told Dorn.
 
The man walked carefully to VonBell and put the silver handcuffs back on him.
 
The other guards never lowered their weapons or took their eyes from him.
 
They were obviously veterans where vampire prisoners were concerned.
 
Not really a job Alec would want as a human, he thought to himself.

VonBell instantly lost his smugness and his volatile temper once the silver cuffs were in place.
 
On the way out the door though, he started laughing and partially turned and looked directly into the camera Dorn had set up for recording the meeting.

“You’re all doomed, you know? You’ll see the error of your ways soon enough,” VonBell said and laughed as he exited the room.

Silas sighed heavily.
 
“That’s enough for one night,” he said gruffly.
 
He looked towards the cameras.
 
“Victoria, Reginald, you see what we are up against now.
 
I hope you have some answers or advice when you arrive.
 
The sooner you get here the sooner we can deal with all this.”
 
Silas motioned to Dorn to turn off the camera.

“Ladies and gentlemen, you can stay and talk if you wish.
 
I am heading to my chambers.
 
I am tired and need time to think.
 
I bid you all a good rest,” Silas said standing.
 
Laramie and Cassandra exited without saying a word to anyone.
 
Sabina and Anya wished everyone a good rest and walked out with Doctor Schubert.

“Feel like some company?” Steven asked Alec nervously.
 

“Yeah,” Alec said running his hands through his hair.
 
“Join us?” he asked Marcus.

“Of course.”

The three men bid Silas a good rest and headed to Alec’s chambers.
 
They filed into Alec’s room with Marcus and Steven sprawling on the couches while Alec poured them drinks.
 

“Is it always like this?” Steven asked.
 
“I mean is everyone at each other’s throats like this all the time?”

“Mmmm,” Marcus said and took a sip of his drink.
 
“More or less.
 
It gets crazy at times.
 
Laramie hates pretty much everyone and everyone hates him.”
 

“Then why is he on the council?” Alec asked incredulously.
 
He was starting to fade quickly.
 
Once they had entered his rooms he had stopped burning blood and his weariness was catching up to him with interest.

“He’s powerful and intelligent,” Marcus said shrugging.
 
“Better to have him on the council where they can watch him and try and blunt some of his more radical actions.”

The three men talked quietly for another thirty minutes, catching the rest of the way up when Alec started to drift off.
 
Marcus told Alec that they were going to turn in.
 
Steven’s room was right down the hall from Alec’s and they left.
 
Alec went to his bedroom, stripped and crawled into bed.
 
He was asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

The very next night Steven was waiting on Alec when he finally woke up.
 
They waited for food to arrive before they started talking.
 
Alec was picking at the tray of food the kitchen had prepared and Steven was working on his first cup of coffee when Marcus knocked and let himself into Alec’s room.

“I have news,” Marcus said without preamble.
 
Steven and Alec both found spots on the sofas opposite where Marcus sat.

“Victoria and Reginald have both reviewed the recordings they were sent and have decided to fly non-stop straight here and should arrive sometime around noon tomorrow instead of the following night,” Marcus told both the tired men.
 

Alec’s sleepiness vanished in a moment.
 
“How are they arriving at noon?” he asked confused.

“They have both taken private flights that offer daylight services for themselves and their retinue.
 
This is private.
 
Only Silas, the council members and we know this.”
 

“What does that mean exactly?
 
Daylight services?
 
I know what private means,” Alec said rolling his eyes at Marcus, who just laughed.

“There are services for moving during the day.
 
They offer protected shelter for travel.
 
Lightproof boxes, delivery services, that sort of thing.
 
Most vampires don’t like using these services since they are vulnerable during the day and unable to protect themselves should someone decide to rip open one of their boxes under the light of the shining sun,” Marcus said significantly.
 
“It’s a huge risk but they both think it necessary to arrive as quickly as possible.”

“What if I met them at the airport and helped with the delivery?” Alec asked, thinking.

Marcus looked relieved at the prospect.
 
“Silas was actually hoping you might.”

“I’ll go too.
 
I might not be much good in a fight but an extra pair of eyes wouldn’t hurt.
 
And I can map out an itinerary,” Steven said looking hopefully at Marcus.

“Not a bad idea,” Marcus said smiling.
 
“Plus, it can’t hurt for the two of you to earn some points with the council.
 
Dorn will be there of course, but Alec can handle the situations that Dorn can’t, should any arise.”

Alec shook his head.
 
“Hopefully, they won’t and this will be a routine daytime vampire pickup and delivery.”
 
All three of them burst into laughter.

“Silas is busy with the council members that are here and others that would like a moment of his time before the meeting, so we have most of the night to ourselves gentlemen,” Marcus said leaning back and stretching his arms out on either side of the top of the couch.
 
“We do have suit fittings at midnight,” he said smiling.

Alec rolled his eyes.
 
He hated wearing a suit.
 
He hated ties with a passion.
 
Silas thought it best that Steven and Alec appear before the council looking their best.
 
Alec felt like a criminal going before a court to be sentenced.

Marcus led Alec and Steven to the gym where Alec half-heartedly practiced.
 
He was distracted with all the thoughts of what lay ahead at the looming council meeting.
 
Hopefully, picking up the other council members would be routine like Marcus had said. He and Steven were meeting Dorn later to discuss it all and go over some things.

After several hours of practicing in the gym, which mostly consisted of Steven and Alec asking questions, Marcus led the two other men to a section of the mansion Alec had never been in before.
 
It wasn’t surprising considering how big the place was.
 
The three men finally arrived at a room with lots of open space and several adjustable standing mirrors occupying the floor in a horseshoe shape.
 
An elderly gentleman stood there waiting for them in an immaculate gray suit and white hair that looked feather light.
 
Alec was surprised the man could keep it in any sort of order.
 
He laughed quietly to himself thinking about it.

The man introduced himself as Herbert and then had his assistant bringing him measuring tapes, and clothing based on what he decided.
 
Several different styles of slacks and jackets were brought to Alec and Steven; single-breasted, double-breasted and a few that bordered on opulent.
 
In the end Alec chose something a little more toned down, elegant and traditional while Steven chose something with a little more flair.
 
Herbert nodded his approval at both young men.
 

Alec went behind a screen on the left side of the room and waited for them to bring him the choices that Herbert had picked based on Alec’s tastes.
 
Marcus and Steven were going through a similar process in their own sections, though Marcus already knew what he wanted.
 
Alec quickly stripped and redressed in the proffered garb.
 
He walked out from behind the screen so that Herbert could survey his handy-work.
 
The older man frowned and tut-tutted around Alec, then had him take his jacket off.

Herbert spoke to an assistant and a different shirt and jacket were brought to him.
 
He looked them both over and then had Alec remove the shirt and try on a second.
 
Even Alec could tell it was a much better fit than the first.
 
He tried on the second jacket as Herbert made several circuits around him, viewing him from different angles.
 
He said, “No,” quietly under his breath and ordered a third jacket to be brought to him.
 
This new one met with Herbert’s appraisal and Alec was allowed to view himself in the mirrors.
 

“Wow,” Alec said out loud, viewing himself from different angles.
 
He looked awesome.
 
Herbert certainly knew his business.

“You approve?” he asked, raising one of his feathery white eyebrows.