Dancing Dragon (25 page)

“
As soon as you told me about Alastair and your Dream Walks I had Alain and Daniel investigate. Having not heard through the
Iunctio
that London had a new master, it seemed only fitting. They have been trying to ascertain more information since then and now it seems, that that is closely related to what the Champion has now asked me to do.”

“You think Alastair may be Amicus?” I asked, still a little surprised at the idea. Why wouldn't he just call himself by his real name, he didn't seem like the type to hide behind anonymity.

“In all honesty, I am not sure. I cannot believe that Amicus survived, but then, the amulet...” He trailed off there.

“
What is the amulet? You called it a fey relic: the
taufr
. What does that mean?”

“
The
taufr
is a talisman created by the Fey. It is unknown exactly what powers it possesses, but it is believed to be able to cheat death.” He let a breath of air out in a huff. “Cheat death. We do it daily by merely existing, I cannot see the worth of an amulet that would tie you to the Fey, because that is what it would be. The Fey do not part with their powers willingly, to give someone of our world something so powerful from theirs, there would be payback of some description involved." He grimaced slightly. "
And that brings us to your prince.”

“He's not my prince,” I replied, getting a little bit sick of everyone saying otherwise.

“Your prince, his
elska
, the same thing. The two of you are connected and now the amulet has been spotted and Amicus is believed to live.” He did not sound happy with any of that.

“So, where does Avery fit into this?” I asked, trying to just get this over and done with and then maybe we could somehow move on.

“Avery and I have shared an alliance for centuries. He owes me. I helped him out with a sticky situation some time ago and now I intend to use his unique skills in obtaining something I desire.”

“What exactly are his unique skills, Michel?”

“Avery is every inch the assassin Amicus once was. He is cunning, lethal, single minded and as you witnessed this day, capable of powerful mental persuasion. I have no intention of facing Amicus again, Avery will do it for me.”

I thought about that for a minute. OK, so Avery was powerful and could obviously kill quite well, but then so could Michel and I had never seen Michel turn his back on a challenge before. The Champion had challenged him to kill Amicus, to rid the world of him once and for all, so why wouldn't he just go out there and do it himself? Why rely on another, crazy, loony, borderline functioning psychotic killer such as Avery, when he was more than powerful in his own right to carry out the task?

Michel shifted next to me and reached out to cup my chin, pulling my head around to face him.

“
I will not lose you, Lucinda, you know this. I will do anything in my power to keep you safe. I may resent the fact that I have to battle for your affections, but I
will
battle. To the death if need be, for you.”

I shook my head, it still didn't make any sense.

He smiled, that lovely, young boy smile he occasionally, very rarely, lets me see.

“Fighting Amicus again, attempting even to kill him, would seal our fates. I cannot allow that to happen.”

“I still don't understand, Michel. Why can't you fight him?” A strange question in itself, because any excuse to keep him from the front lines, seemed like a good one to me.

“Because when I took his life last time a portal to the Fey world was opened, due to his wearing the
taufr
. At the time, I didn't understand its significance, but in retrospect and in light of everything that is transpiring now, it makes more sense.”

He saw the utter look of confusion on my face, replicating the confusion in my mind and went on.

“By opening that portal I allowed a fairy to slip through to our world, just briefly, but long enough for her to curse me, to lay a fey spell. The Queen of the
Dökkálfa
whispered in my ear, that I would be faced with my sire's execution again and when that time came, I would release the
Dökkálfa
from their prison and they would take from me that which I prized most precious. It was ridiculous and made absolutely no sense at all, Amicus was dead and I did not have anything left that I prized most precious, so I ignored it.” He laughed at himself. “And here we are. Amicus is believed alive again, the Fey have opened a portal already and I cannot imagine a world without you by my side.”

I really didn't know what to say to that. I'd only just got my head around fairies and spells, Lutin's lust charm had clinched the deal on those beliefs, but now this? I
can
be practical when needed. The Fey exist, spells are possible, so why not believe Amicus is alive and Michel killing him could mean my death. But he would die too, wouldn't he?

“No,” he answered my thoughts. “They would simply take you from this world. Take your life from me, as I took Amicus's from him.”

“Why is he so important to the Fey?”

“I do not know, but I cannot risk facing him, so I have called on an old favour and alliance.”

Avery. And he needed me to lead Avery to Alastair. Or was that Amicus?

“Yes,” Michel whispered, pulling me tightly into an embrace and kissing the top of my head.

Please forgive me, ma douce, please forgive me. But I will not lose you to the Fey, even if I have to make you walk through the lion's den to achieve it.

His words were a soft whisper in my mind, his arms warm bands of promises around my body. I could feel his fear at the thought of losing me, I could feel his frustration at having to deal with those uninvited... suitors - for want of a better word. But, although I couldn't assuage his fear right then, I could do something for his frustration. For even if there are always those who covet me, I am not naive, they covet my Light, my power, not me. In no way are they a temptation. In no way would they take me from him.

I turned in his arms to face him, placed my hands upon his cheeks and looked him in the eyes. Then I opened my mind, lowered my shields, sent my thoughts across the space between us and invited him inside. In a cascade of images, a tumble of fervent words and a beautiful combination of emotions, I showed him exactly what I felt.

I am yours, Michel Durand, and don't you forget it
.

Wonder. Adoration. Belief. Joy. It all came crashing into me, received with open arms. Tears rained down my cheeks and for the second time only, in my association with this powerful, potent and intense man, I watched him cry. Then welcomed his embrace and kiss giving everything I could of myself back, as he sought to show me again his love.

Samson turned up, not long after the shutters whirled away for the night, with a change of clothes for me. Whether he knew where Michel had a house or was contacted by one of Michel's vampires, I didn't know, I was just grateful for a full complement of my own clothes to face what was undoubtedly going to be a hellish night.

Every night for the past three or four, Alastair had fed on multiple humans, I didn't think that tonight would be any different. Sooner or later I'd feel the pull. For some reason my
Sanguis Vitam Cupitor
powers were tuned in to the ancient vampire. Maybe it was because no other Nosferatins were around, or maybe it was because he was feeding and killing more than one human in one sitting. Who knew, but for whatever reason, I had a direct dial line to Alastair and that was what Michel was counting on.

By the time Avery came back in the room, I had managed to eat, again, had showered and was dressed in my usual hunter gear, complete with my two new beautiful sterling silver stakes and a long sterling silver knife hidden away in my fitted black jacket. All of which I was just so damn itching to use on him.

It wasn't me that made the first move however, but Michel. Avery glided into the room and went directly to the drinks cabinet to pour himself a Scotch. Daniel and Alain were in the corner by the fireplace talking quietly, Christopher had just removed my tray of food and was still in the kitchen and Michel was on his cellphone sitting in an armchair to the side, catching up with Jett in New Zealand. Samson and I were having a quiet chat on the sofa, bringing him up to speed on Michel's plan to track Alastair. He hadn't been impressed with the idea of me having to work with Avery, but then I wasn't either, so I didn't put up a fight to his arguments. Same book, same bloody page.

I had stiffened when Avery came in the room, but I was buggered if I was going to show him he had upset me. Vampires like him liked the chase, the game, if they felt their prey's fear it was impossible to resist. He had overstepped the mark though, we all knew it, but he'd still be quite prepared to rub it in, just to see my reaction. I wanted to lash out, I really did. Standing up to the bully was the only course of action, otherwise he'd just do it all over again. But doing it in front of Alain and Daniel, who did not know what had actually transpired, was not an audience I was happy with, so I was sitting on my hands, refusing to grab my stake and just biding my time until I could bite back.

Michel, however, had other thoughts entirely. Without even ringing off his call to Jett, he simply thrust out a hand toward where Avery was pouring his drink, with a minimal amount of
Sanguis Vitam
behind it, making it only evident that he was about to do something right at the last second. Alain and Daniel's heads shot up, two sets of blue eyes flashing cyan and turquoise, and then Avery was on the floor gasping with pain.

I think I might have yelped, embarrassingly, but it was so fast and so unexpected that it caught me off guard. Avery writhed around on the floor for a good few minutes, but no one went to his aid. Michel simply went back to his conversation with Jett on the phone as though nothing had happened, Alain and Daniel, though, kept themselves vampire still. Watching the room, Avery, Michel, everyone, no doubt trying to figure out what exactly Avery had done to piss their master off.

How did I feel about Michel attacking Avery? Good. Bloody good in fact. Had he not done anything, what would it have said? I was still going to have to go out the door with Avery when the pull called, I was still going to have to lead him to Alastair, but Michel had not let what had happened slip. I had no doubt Michel would not say a word to Avery when he recovered though. He didn't need to, the punishment could only be for one thing. Avery would have known, hell, he'd have probably been expecting it.

Would it stop him from trying something else on me? Somehow, I doubted that, but I'd be prepared. I was working hard to keep my shields at full strength.

Finally, Avery stopped writhing and just lay there on the floor, his eyes closed, his hands clasped together across his chest, breathing deeply, evenly, slowly. Almost as though he was taking a nap. I couldn't help watching him, expecting at any moment that he would jump up and attack us all in a fit worthy of Dr Jekyll's Mr Hyde. But, the longer it took for him to move, the more relaxed Alain and Daniel seemed to get. Michel was simply unaffected by him, one way or the other. Me, on the other hand? I was getting more and more strung out, waiting for the inevitable strike from the sleeping cobra.

I'd been around vampires long enough to know how they act in situations like this. One of two things happens. They are either powerful enough to fight back, instantly and without pause, or they concede to the other vampire's superior strength and slink away into the night, tail between their legs. Avery was not slinking and he was most definitely arrogant enough to believe he was as powerful as Michel. So, an attack was imminent, I was sure.

But still, nothing came.

Samson tried to distract me, I half heartedly listened to his stories of life in London before he joined my line. Working for the Master of the City, Boris, obviously before he was killed by Alastair. That story was almost enough to grab my attention fully, but the vampire feigning sleep on the parlour room floor, was too much of an unwanted distraction to pay enough attention to Samson's intriguing tales. Alain and Daniel started joining in with his conversation though, adding bits and pieces to the scene Samson was painting. They too, had known Boris and were sad at his demise. Even though of different lines, and Alain and Daniel's paths had not exactly crossed Samson's before now, they all knew the same haunts and locales that Samson had frequented. Fun, fun, fun in Nosferatu London, to be sure.

But I only vaguely paid attention, most of mine was still on the coiled spring on the floor.

Time must have passed, because before I knew it, I felt the pull. I didn't react outwardly, I needed a moment to prepare myself for what lay ahead. Not the facing of Alastair, that was natural to me, not even the thought that Lutin would undoubtedly be nearby, but the fact that I would have to take Avery with me on the hunt. Antonio and Ricardo would shadow us, Michel who couldn't afford to tempt himself with a closer proximity, was staying here, in the house, but would keep abreast of what was happening through his shadow guards.

The plan was to get Avery close enough to determine it was Amicus and that he had the amulet with him. And that was it. Michel had made me swear to not approach the ancient, not attempt to do my job and save the innocents he would undoubtedly be killing. We'd argued, of course, but he'd won. My track record so far with Alastair had not been good, in fact I had almost died on two occasions and on the third been captured by the influence of a Fey Prince. So no, not a good track record at all, we needed a better plan than my usual, stake out, guns blazing - well, at least stakes blazing - approach.

When the pull had got to such a point that I could no longer deny it and Michel had started watching me - a little too closely, no doubt picking up on my wayward emotions, reacting to denying myself the hunt - I sighed, ran a hand through my hair and stood up.

Samson sprang to his feet in response, his conversation stalled with Daniel and Alain for the time being. I didn't look at Michel, it's not that I was angry with him for sending me out with Avery, for not coming with me instead. Well, maybe just a little. But, it was more if I looked at him, he'd see. He'd see what doing this was actually doing to me.

I would crumble under his gaze, his knowledge that I wasn't up to this task and I couldn't face failing this and failing to help another lot of humans in the same night. So, I didn't look at him, I simply walked towards the door and said, “Come on Plucking Pervert, we've got a job to do.”

I was out the front door before I felt him at my back, a solid wall of heat and energy, a presence that towered over me, making me want to hunch my shoulders, run screaming into the night. I forced my back straight and just headed in the direction of the pull.

Michel's house was on the edge of Knightsbridge, closer to South Kensington than Samson's house and therefore closer to the pull. Alastair was hanging around Knightsbridge, he certainly wasn't venturing far. I wondered why? Vampires usually moved about, within the VC, or vampire central area of a city, the fact that he was restricting himself to one location was unusual. The fact that he was killing humans, again and again, in the same location, was suicidal. There was just no intelligent reason for it at all.

“Where is he, Hunter?” Avery asked in that commanding voice.

“Not far now,” I replied, curtly.

I couldn't be stuffed explaining I didn't have a map in my head, had no idea what the street name was that Alastair was standing on, what the scene would entail. My Nosferatin powers don't work like that, I just get pulled in the direction of the hunting vampire and my body automatically takes the quickest route there. I don't question it, I just do it.

Avery, though, obviously liked to question.

“Do you know the street?”

“No.”

“Do you know how many humans are there?”

Sometimes I could tell, but not always. Usually not. “No.”

“Do you know if the fairy is with him?”

I sighed. “No.”

“You don't seem to know much then, do you, Hunter?”

“I know he's about to feed from an innocent. I know he won't stop until they are dead. I know exactly how best to place a stake in his heart, so that it enters without hindrance and he turns to dust, without me having to inhale it. Shall I demonstrate?”

He didn't react at all.

“I only need to be close enough to identify the amulet, Hunter, you will not be drawing your stake.”

“Don't tempt me,” I muttered.

He was quiet for a while. We were getting closer, but I wasn't going to tell him that. I'd be quite happy to share absolutely no intel' with him at all. He can just go with the Nosferatin flow for all I cared.

But, my body started slowing of its own accord, a natural response to the proximity of the feeding vampire. You don't just run full on into a hunting scene, you get there quickly, but you approach carefully. Avery turned to look at me, his eyebrows raised in a motion similar to how Michel questions me.

“How far now, Hunter? Or do we need to be practically on top of them for your skills to be accurate?”

I glared at him and tried the door to a building on our right hand side. It was locked, but I was certain it would have access to the roof, where we could get a good idea of what Alastair was doing, without giving our scent away. I didn't want Alastair to sense me, I certainly did not want Lutin to. So, from a safe distance it was.

Avery stepped forward, clearly having reached the same conclusion I had made, but before he could use his mojo on the door lock, I simply ran my hand over the handle, spread a little Light and ecstatically heard the lock click. I tried to hide my satisfaction at having beaten the vampire at his own game.

“First time?” he asked, giving me the raised eyebrow look again and waltzing past.

His
Sanguis Vitam
shot out in a concentrated burst, disabling the alarm. I wouldn't have thought of that and probably would have had the cops corner us in under ten minutes flat. I cursed myself inwardly at that oversight, but just followed him inside without a word.

He found the stairs and we were soon quietly creeping along the rooftop towards the edge that I hoped would overlook where Alastair was. I've never approached a hunt from this angle before. My pull was not taking me here, this was all me. My pull wanted me to be on the ground, around the corner, confronting the bad guy. I sympathised with it, completely.

“Well done, Hunter,” Avery said quietly, but there was steel in his voice.

I peered over the side of the building and cursed under my breath. The street below was adorned with awnings, brightly coloured stripes in green and gold. Every shop window on both sides of the road was bedecked with them. Alastair was indeed right below us, I had brought us to the exact spot overlooking his carnage.

It was just a shame it was underneath an awning and we couldn't see a bloody thing.

“Fuck,” I said more vehemently, as I tried to get a better angle from further along the rooftop. It was futile, he was well hidden. Only the legs of one of his victims was visible as it spilled out onto the paved road below.

Avery hadn't moved from his original spot, directly above the awning that covered our prey. He just watched me, arms folded across his chest, expression closed, as I paced and tried different angles and spots along the top.

“Maybe we'll get a look at him when he moves,” I offered, hopefully.

Avery said nothing.

If I had been with Michel, he would have offered a solution, at the very least a suggestion to try. Avery just let me wallow, his silence said more than words ever could.

I cast a glance around for Lutin, but couldn't spot the Fey. If he was there, he was well hidden. Maybe he only came out when a threat to Alastair appeared. At least he wasn't springing out from behind the air conditioning unit on top of our roof. I quickly did a double check to make sure.

All the while Avery watched me with those slightly glowing hazel eyes, a small smattering of ochre and amber deepening their tones.