"Kid, I hope you know you're filling out the report on this one."
"Hey, it wasn't my fault, chief. They had rocket launchers."
"Why is it with you, they always have rocket launchers?"
"Hey, whatever works? They keep missing with the smaller crap." He laughed, a little. "Can we get a ride?"
"Not if they're still out there with more rockets."
Chapter 22
I swear I heard the sun drop below the horizon as I opened my eyes. I groaned inwardly, not at having to get out of bed, but because of the Governor's Ball in a few short hours. I could only imagine one outcome for tonight, and it had nothing to do with glass slippers and pumpkins. Bullets and blood, maybe. Sunshine and lollipops, I sincerely doubted. I'd stopped giving a crap about Greer three bodies ago. I just didn't want to end up one of them.
"Morning, master," Vic said sleepily from her spot next to me. I rolled over and touched the tip of her nose with my talon.
"Morning, Vic. What are you going to do tonight while I'm out saving the world?"
"I'm going dancing with Viktor. Is that okay?"
"Of course it is. Your free time is yours to do whatever you want, and would you stop calling me master?"
"Sure thing, master," she quipped and stuck her tongue out at me.
I gave a girlish giggle as I got up and stretched. I had showered after the fire last night and slipped into bed wearing white cotton panties and a matching sports bra. I faced the wall as I stretched, but I could feel Vic's eyes trying to burn little holes through the back of my underwear. "Are you staring at my butt?" I said it without looking.
"Yes, master. Is that okay?"
I turned around and kneeled on the bed. I stared at her slit pupils and slowly lowered my face to hers. Without pausing, I gave her the gentlest of kisses on her soft lips. She moved in for more, but I had work to do. As she leaned forward, I leaned back. Breaking off the kiss, I smiled at her to let her know I didn't want to. "Duty calls. Don't stay out too late, Vic," I said with a wink and wandered toward the closet to get dressed.
I was going to a ball, but I couldn't dress like it. A gown would be way too impractical. I never wore a gun since I was probably the worst shot in the FBI, so I wasn't worried about that. Chances were something or someone was going to get shot or blown up, and evening gowns didn't exactly say "combat." I pulled out my usual skirt suit and donned it without much thought.
Vic's soft, "
hm hmm
," behind me caught me off guard.
"What?"
"Take it off. You're going to a ball. I can't let my master be seen like that."
"I'm not wearing a gown." I frowned.
"You can wear a dress. It's possible to look beautiful and be dangerous. When you're not being frumpy, you are exquisite. Take it off, all of it."
"Vic, I…"
"Ashlyn, please?"
I'm not kidding. She gave me puppy dog eyes. Well, shit. "Fine," I said and rolled my eyes.
Naked as the day I was... whatever, Vic did my hair and painted my face with the skill of a professional makeup artist. By the time she finished I hardly recognized myself. She stood there while I took it all in, her shoulder against the wall, and a smile twice the size of mine on her face. I shook my head in disbelief and found myself tearing up a little. I'd never thought of myself as pretty, but the creature staring back at me from the mirror was positively breathtaking. Now I just needed to get dressed.
"Can I still wear my skirt suit?" Vic rolled her eyes and threw her hands up in the air.
Instead of answering, she took my hand and dragged me back to the closet. Every piece of clothing Marcel had bought her had literally gone up in flames with our last hotel, except one. That night she'd worn a little black spaghetti strap dress to the club. She'd been wearing my clothes until I could take her shopping again, but without a second thought, she reached in and took the slinky dress off the hanger and held it out to me. On Vic, the dress's length bordered on obscene, but she stood well above my meager five-foot frame. I cocked an eyebrow as I eyed the dress and took it from her. I slipped it over my head and felt it fall around mid thigh.
"You look amazing, master."
"I don't feel amazing. What if something happens tonight? I'm not going to be able to fight anybody in this."
"Stretch, and tell me different."
"Excuse me?"
"Bend, flex, or do whatever you want. See what happens."
Instead of arguing, I did what she asked. I couldn't believe the dress didn't bunch, hinder, or ride up in any way. I must have stared at Vic incredulously because she let out a quick giggle and gave me a little bow. The only problem I had would be in the footwear department. There wasn't a chance in hell I would be wearing Vic's heels tonight. I'd probably look a little fashion impaired in anything else, but I was putting my taloned foot down.
"Now you just need shoes. What do you have?" Vic asked. I needed to have her tested for ESP. Following my thoughts to the tee felt a little creepy, even to me.
"Mostly just flats. They'll have to do. I can't wear heels tonight, especially if all hell breaks loose."
She rummaged around in the bags of clothing I had bought at the mall and not gotten around to sorting through and putting in the hotel dresser yet. "Ha," she said and stood holding out a cute pair of sandals I had actually bought on a whim. They strapped around the ankle, but looked like a flip-flop made entirely out of cork. I'm usually pretty self-conscious about the talons on my feet, but I couldn't wear sneakers or flats everywhere, so I caved. The straps of the sandals had been crafted from black cloth and reinforced with something. My knowledge of cobbling bordered on nothing. I amazed myself by knowing they were called cobblers.
I put the shoes on and stood back from Vic. I didn't even need to ask how I looked. The hunger in her eyes said it all. I breathe, but it's just a natural process emanating from the primordial part of the brain stem. It's genetic even for me. I don't have to, but I do. After seeing the look in Vic's eyes I stopped cold. I didn't start again until I crossed the distance between us and took her in my arms. I didn't kiss her, but I wanted too. I didn't know where that would lead and I didn't have time to find out. Instead, I put my head below her chin and pulled her as close to me as I could and whispered, "Thank you."
"Trust me, master, it was my pleasure."
I looked up at her eyes and saw the truth in her words. I raised myself up on my toes and gave her a short kiss on her lips. She didn't lean into it, but still gave me a smile that threatened to melt me from the inside out. "Thank you anyways." I stuck my tongue out. She laughed and stepped back a pace to let me know I had to get going. "Have fun tonight, Vic. Tell Viktor I said hello."
"I will, and master…please be careful?"
"I will."
* * *
The music wafting through the mansion threatened to make me regurgitate my last meal. I'm pretty tolerant in the music department, but chamber music tweaked my innards. The governor stood at the end of a long line of arriving guests to personally receive and welcome them. I guess the music was supposed to make them appreciate the snootiness of the extravaganza. I looked around at everyone in the enormous foyer. They looked bored, but apparently I was the only one who looked nauseous.
I stood on the stairs above the governor and had a bird's eye view of everything. The only thing that struck me as out of the ordinary was the sheer amount of jewelry draping the necks, wrists, and fingers of the guests of the governor. If I wanted to, I probably could steal all of it and buy my own country somewhere and retire. I'd probably start a new record, youngest person to retire. For a fleeting moment, retiring sounded almost perfect. No danger, no excitement, and no death might be a nice change.
Nothing exciting was happening anywhere in the mansion. The guests came in, shook hands with Greer, and made their way to the illustrious ballroom where they were expected to wait until Greer made his grandiose entrance. Even the tiny earpiece I had in my left ear remained silent except for everyone checking in periodically.
Just for the hell of it, I gave a, "Foyer clear." At least it gave me something to do to avoid looking down at the governor and old lady cleavage. I'm sorry, but if I were a ninety-year-old human, I'd dress a little less like a supermodel and a little more like a schoolteacher. Money does weird things to people.
Somebody waving at me interrupted my thoughts. I looked down and saw Esperanza and her remaining escort standing in line to present themselves to Greer. I waved back and gave her a little smile. Usually I just pissed people off when I met them. Making friends was a nice change. Marcel, Greer, and now Esperanza liked me. Three out of a million vampires wasn't bad, right?
I watched the exchange between the master of San Diego and the governor of California. My brows furrowed. Normally I can hear a flea fart from forty feet, but I couldn't make out a word Esperanza said to Greer. The noise level in the mansion had steadily increased since the first guests arrived and now had climbed above a dull clamor. I should have been able to hear them, but nothing reached my ears. I will say one thing; Esperanza Garcia Ramirez didn't look the slightest bit amused. In fact, my hand tightened around the staircase banister the longer the conversation went on. Before Esperanza finally gave a wan smile and moved on, I might have left a few talon marks in the polished wood. At least I didn't have to break up a fight before the ball started.
Esperanza looked up at me as she passed and I shot her a quizzical look. She shook her head and whispered, "Nothing." The whisper carried itself up over the staircase and I heard it as if she had been standing next to me with her lips at my ear.
Neat trick
. I'd have to practice that one later.
The only problem with vampires is nobody has catalogued all the different variations, powers, and abilities some of them have. Vampires on the whole, are often very secretive and don't share information well, even with innocent scholars. Not that I blame them. When you let somebody see everything you can do, you might scare the shit out of them. Fear often makes humans destroy what they don't understand. If you've shown all your tricks, you're giving others the knowledge to overcome your skills. Kind of like teaching somebody to hunt, and then being the one hunted.
I watched Esperanza enter the ballroom and I relaxed a little. She might like me, but that doesn't mean I trust her. I don't think she is behind the attacks on the governor for the simple fact that she was the target last night, but that didn't mean she wouldn't start now. She'd been in Greer's territory when she'd been attacked. She might be suspicious of him, or she could even blame him for it happening outside his control. Vampires can be weird too.
I shifted my focus back to the line of guests still waiting to meet the governor. This was going to take a while. The line reached from below where I stood and trailed outside the door. I could only imagine how many people were waiting outside.
I sighed in frustration and relaxed my stance. No sense being uptight.
If
something happened, it happened. I'd be ready. I just hoped I'd be quick enough to do something about it. I did make a silent vow not to step in front of any explosive projectiles.
"Greetings, James Branfield, master of Pasadena!" Greer's exclamation below me focused my attention back on him and his current hand shakers. The master of Pasadena was a hunk. He towered over Greer by at least eight inches, but he wasn't gangly. Broad shoulders balanced his weight very nicely. Long brown hair swept down past his shoulders in beautiful waves that made you want to reach out and touch it. His face completed the package. Usually when you see a man with long hair, it compliments their face in a feminine way. Not James Branfield. His face was anything but feminine. A square jaw with just a hint of stubble ended in a cleft chin and lengthened his face enough to soften the jaw. I realized I stood there with my mouth open and quickly shut it before anybody noticed.
"Cut the crap, Greer. I came because you asked, not because I wanted to."
"You sly dog, still ticked over the council denying you another territory? I assure you, I voted in your favor!"
"Bullshit," Branfield said and walked past Greer without so much as a hand-clasp. Apparently Greer really was an asshole. Branfield didn't like him much which made him a suspect. The list kept getting longer and longer.
"Call me, we'll do lunch," Greer said with a sneer toward the retreating vampire's back. Branfield flicked him off over his shoulder. That alone made me hope the hunk of vampire wasn't guilty. I liked him.
Every vampire that greeted the new governor pretty much did the same thing. They were stiff, but cordial. None of them were friendly. That didn't shorten my list any. From the running tally I kept going in my head, every master of every city in the State of California must have shown up for the Governor's Ball. I couldn't believe the amount of tension in the air. I hoped to get a "vibe" from at least one of them, giving me some clue as to who was behind the attacks. I didn't expect to get it from everyone. I recalled my conversations with Marcel on the new governor, and he had seemed almost amicable toward the vampire. Either he had shitty taste in people, or he got along with everyone. I suspected the latter.
After what seemed to be an eternity of handshaking and ass kissing, the last guest made their way to the ballroom. I quickly made my way down the stairs and followed the governor as he left the reception area and made his way back into the bowels of the mansion. He would make a grand entrance into the ballroom, but through a side entrance. It's hard to set yourself above everyone else when you have to use the same set of doors. As we neared I saw Thompson guarding it like a bouncer. He just needed a velvet rope, a black T-shirt, and some sunglasses. Maybe one day, when I retired, I'd open a vampire club and have him working outside. I'd have to bring it up at the next staff meeting.