Ignis (Book 2, Pure Series) (3 page)

           
"I wouldn't say she's
never
had any questions about you," I replied.
 
I was feeling worse and worse about the turn the conversation had taken.
 
"But she hasn't had any questions about you since we returned from Russia."

           
My mind slipped back briefly to a dark crypt—a crypt that William had rescued me from.
 
Back in October, William and I had both traveled to Krov, Russia.
 
We were very lucky to have survived the trip.

           
"Why hasn't she had any questions?" William demanded.

           
I took a deep breath—I had a feeling William wasn't going to like the answer.
 
"Because GM doesn't know you're in Elspeth's Grove.
 
She thinks you stayed in Russia."

           
"What?"
 
William stopped walking and stared at me, his expression angry and incredulous.

           
He continued to stare at me, and I began to feel distinctly nervous.

           
"Your grandmother doesn't know I'm in Elspeth's Grove," he said slowly.
 
"So she doesn't know that we've been meeting?"

           
"No—I was afraid she would forbid me to see you."

           
"Katie, I insist upon meeting your grandmother."
 
William's anger seemed to swell up and surround both of us.
 
It felt like a solid, tangible thing.
 
"We cannot go on like this."

           
"You've already met her," I said.
 
"Twice."

           
That was true, though my bringing it up was really more of an excuse than anything else.
 
GM had glimpsed William briefly in our dark kitchen back in October, and he had come to visit us at our house in Russia once all the trouble was over.
 
It was at that second meeting that William had told me that we would have to part forever.
 
I had told GM what he had said then—I'd just never told her that he had later changed his mind and come back to me.

           
"Katie, you know what I mean," William said sternly.
 
"I want to see your grandmother.
 
I want her to know I'm here.
 
I don't want to see you without her knowledge."

           
"William," I said, feeling panic rising within me, "what if she says I can't see you?"

           
"We'll deal with that if it happens," William replied firmly.
 
"But it's best for her to know.
 
She loves you—she wants to protect you."

           
I thought bringing GM into things was a mistake—I thought it was too risky.
 
But at the same time, I could see that I wasn't going to win the argument.

           
I sighed.
 
"All right.
 
I'll see if I can set something up."

           
Anger flashed in William's eyes.
 
"Set something up?
 
Katie, you're not taking this—"

           
William stopped suddenly and glanced around sharply.

           
I looked around, too, trying to see what had attracted his attention, but we appeared to be completely alone.
 
As we stood silently, I noticed that the woods around us were quiet and somehow watchful—just as they had been when I had walked through them earlier.

           
I thought once again of the fact that there were no houses nearby.

           
William continued to stare at a fixed point somewhere off in the trees.

           
"William, what's—"

           
"Katie, get out of here," William whispered.
 
He didn't turn to look at me.

           
"William?"

           
"Katie, go!
 
Run!"

           
I turned to do as he asked, panicked by the tone in his voice.

           
I had not gone very far when someone stepped out of the trees and blocked my way.

           
I looked up and found myself staring into the calm, pale eyes of a vampire.

           
His name was Innokenti, and I had met him in the Pure Woods in Krov, Russia.

           
He was friendly.

           
Sort of.

           
"Hello, little one."
 
His voice, as I remembered only too well, was silky and just a little superior.
 
His brown hair fell in a straight line to his chin, and his clothes were as picturesquely antique as they had been the last time I had seen him—he appeared to have stepped out of the Middle Ages.

           
I noticed with some surprise that Innokenti was speaking English—when we'd last met he'd spoken only in Russian.
 
I knew that he was centuries old—I supposed he'd had plenty of time to learn.

           
Innokenti's presence here in these woods was deeply disturbing.
 
I had believed that I would never see him again after I left Russia—and I certainly hadn't expected him to show up in my own small town.
 
Seeing him again was like being revisited by a nightmare.

           
"Innokenti," I stammered, taking a step back.
 
"What are you doing here?"

           
He bared his teeth in a smile that was far from reassuring—especially since it allowed me to see the unusually sharp outline of his teeth.

           
"My friend and I," he said, "have traveled thousands of miles to pay you and William a visit.
 
How fortunate we are to find the two of you together."

           
Innokenti sent a significant nod over my shoulder, and I turned quickly.

           
Standing next to William now was a man I didn't recognize—young, tall, dark of hair and eye, dressed all in black.
 
William was staring at the newcomer with dislike, his body tense, his expression set into harsh lines.
 
For his part, the newcomer was smiling malevolently at William.

           
I had the distinct feeling that the two of them knew each other.

           
Innokenti gestured to the young man.
 
"Shall we go over so I may make introductions?"

           
As Innokenti and I walked the short distance that separated us from William and the stranger, I had to remind myself that Innokenti had never done me any harm—in fact, he had actually given me information that had proved to be very helpful.

           
But no matter how hard I tried to calm myself, I remained uneasy.

           
Both Innokenti and his friend gave off a palpable air of danger.

           
As we reached William and the stranger, both of them turned to look at me.
 
I could see a muscle working in William's jaw, and the stranger's smile deepened as he looked me over with unpleasant scrutiny.
 
His eyes met mine, and I was startled by just how dark they were.
 
They were eyes with the depth of night in them.

           
"Innokenti, get out of here," William said angrily.
 
"And take
him
with you."

           
"Now, now William," Innokenti replied mildly.
 
"This is a friendly visit."
 
He gestured to the stranger.
 
"The two of you know each other, of course.
 
But introductions are in order for the young lady."

           
Innokenti gave me another one of his unnerving smiles.
 
"Katie Wickliff, may I present my associate, Anton.
 
You'll have to forgive us—we don't go in for surnames much in our community.
 
Many of us do not like to dwell on the past."

           
I looked to Innokenti.
 
"Is Anton a—a—"

           
"A vampire?" Innokenti asked.
 
"Yes."

           
"Pleased to make your acquaintance, Katie," Anton said.
 
His voice was dark and smoky, and I had the feeling that he was laughing at me.
 
He actually lifted my hand with his ice cold fingers and kissed it.
 
He stared at me as he let my hand drop.

           
He seemed to be waiting for a reply.

           
I found that my throat was too dry to allow me to speak.

           
Anton's amusement deepened.
 
"Too stunned to speak?
 
I have that effect on a lot of women."

           
William grabbed Anton's coat and shook him.
 
"Leave her alone."

           
Malice lit up Anton's dark eyes.
 
"I'm simply saying hello."

           
"Gentlemen, please," Innokenti said.
 
"I believe you're upsetting the little one.
 
Our mission here is a benevolent one.
 
We should all be pleasant to one another."

           
William pushed Anton away and rounded on Innokenti.
 
"Why did you bring him?
 
If you wanted things to be pleasant, you should have left him at home."

           
"William, your attitude isn't very charming," Innokenti admonished gently.
 
"You should put your antagonism aside as Anton has done.
 
This mission we are on is one of the gravest importance.
 
Anton knows that, and that's why he very kindly volunteered to come with me."

           
"Why did he have to come at all?" William said angrily.
 
"
If
you truly need to speak with me, you should have come alone."

           
"William, you weren't listening," Innokenti replied patiently.
 
"We have come here to see you
and
the little one, and this is no routine visit we are on.
 
I am a messenger here.
 
Anton has accompanied me in order to look out for my welfare."

           
William snorted derisively.
 
"He's your bodyguard?
 
What do you need protection from?
 
Me?"

           
"Vampires are strong, but we are not completely invulnerable, William—you know that.
 
And our mission here is a dangerous one."

           
William's face grew grim, and he moved swiftly to stand in front of me.

           
"Tell me what you need to tell me.
 
But leave Katie out of this."

           
I looked around William's shoulder.
 
Anton gave me an unpleasant smile, and Innokenti spread out his hands apologetically.

           
"I'm afraid I can't leave Katie out of anything," Innokenti said.
 
"Katie is involved no matter how much we all might wish otherwise."

           
William folded his arms across his chest.
 
"Say what you have to say, and then get out of here."

           
"Very well."
 
Something steely came into Innokenti's light eyes.
 
"You both have your duties, and you are both avoiding them.
 
This is unacceptable."

           
"Unacceptable to whom?" William asked.
 
"To you?"

           
"William, you know I do not speak for myself," Innokenti replied.
 
"I speak on behalf of others.
 
You, William, belong in Krov.
 
You belong with us in the vampire colony there.
 
You are valuable to us.
 
You have special abilities—you alone amongst our number can fight the kost."

           
"Are you being troubled by a kost at the moment?" William asked.

           
Innokenti gave William a mirthless smile.
 
"No—not at the moment.
 
But our kind grows thirstier.
 
You know what that means."

           
Innokenti's pale eyes shifted to me.
 
"And you, little one, you too, have a purpose.
 
You are the Little Sun, and you are also destined to fight the kost.
 
You owe us no particular allegiance, but your heritage confers certain obligations and responsibilities—ones that cannot lightly be ignored."