Darkness Before Dawn (7 page)

“I’ll see if I can increase the supply,” I say to placate him for now, until I can talk with Rachel.

“I hope, for your sake, that the citizens of Denver find their charitable side,” he says in that icy, dead tone.

My heart jumps when I hear the door open. I assume it’s the servant coming to escort me out, but I dare not look; it’s bad form. I’m just relieved the meeting is over.

“You’re late,” Valentine snaps.

“My apologies, Father,” a deep voice says. “I only just got your summons.”

My breath backs up in my lungs and I manage somehow to remain still. I know that voice. But it can’t be. It can’t.

I hear the quiet footfalls. I see movement out of the corner of my eye. Suddenly he’s standing there. Beside Valentine.

My savior from last night. Victor.

He’s not a heralded Night Watchman. He’s a damn vampire!

Chapter 6

“D
awn, I don’t believe you’ve met my son, Victor Valentine. Victor, allow me to introduce Miss Dawn Montgomery, our new delegate.”

I feel as though I’ve dropped into the seventh level of hell. It’s taking everything I have not to display any sign of recognition. To keep my face impassive. To reveal absolutely nothing at all. What games are being played here?

Victor bows slightly. “Good evening, Miss Montgomery.” His manner has changed. He’s more like his father, more refined and formal. It doesn’t fit him.

He’s wearing a black shirt beneath a dark blue silk suit, and the corner of a red handkerchief—decorated with two embroidered Vs—peers out of the pocket over his heart. He’s definitely projecting Old Family. It explains so much. The car. The carbonated drink. He’s filthy rich. It also explains why he was so insistent that I not tell anyone about him or the theater. He’s a vampire, living in the city. Maybe spying for dear old Dad.

I want to strike out at him for deceiving me, for talking with me as though we had things in common. For making a fool of me. He had to know that I assumed he was human. Instead he’s a bloodsucker.

But I’m pretty sure none of my thoughts, my sudden hatred of him, is showing on my face, because Lord Valentine continues as though nothing is amiss.

“We were discussing the blood situation,” he says. “Miss Montgomery assures me that the supply can easily be doubled.”

That has me snapping my attention from son to father. I did no such thing! But I’d be a fool to contradict Valentine.

“I’m sure that will be much appreciated,” Victor says. “We have many starving vampires.”

Like the ones last night?
I want to ask. But I don’t. I hold my tongue.

Valentine swirls his goblet, the blood dancing in it. “As you can see, Miss Montgomery, my son understands the value of blood.” I hear pride in his voice and something more. The blood he’s referring to isn’t only that which comes from humans. He’s talking about bloodlines. The blood of family.

Victor takes a seat beside his father. I can’t tell what he’s thinking. Then a sudden thought pops into my head. Maybe Valentine summoning Victor is part of tonight’s test. Maybe he knows that I’ve met his son before. I hate the games vampires play.

“Now, Dawn, where were we?” Valentine asks.

I don’t realize I’ve been holding my breath. I’m not looking at Victor, but I can feel his gaze boring into me. I despise that he’s witnessing my first night alone, without Rachel. I need her to guide me through this. I need…

No. I don’t need anyone. I just need to remember who
I
am. I’m smart. Brave. I’m a delegate. The city’s only connection to Valentine. I think about people on the street. To Valentine, they are merely sacks of blood. But to me, they have hearts and souls, and each one is depending on me right now.

“The blood supply can be increased,” I say. “But it will take time.”

Valentine gives a small, calculating smile. “I have all the time in the world.”

Beheading, stake through the heart, sun, engulfing fire—we’ve discovered those things can kill a vampire. I’d give anything to have one of those means at my disposal right now. I’d go for Victor first.

I quickly discard the thought. I need to focus on the powerful vampire in front of me. But that’s a little difficult to do, because I’m distracted by Victor’s presence. I have to wonder whether he’s using his powers to influence me. It’s never been proven, but it’s long been suspected that vampires can control us with their thoughts. Can bend us to their will. Some call it being vampire struck. I imagine it’s nothing but hundreds of years of practice in the art of subtle manipulation.

Victor may have toyed with me last night, may be messing with me right now, but when I get back to Denver, I can mess with him. I’ll tell Rachel about him, about the theater. His sanctuary in the city will be destroyed. Maybe I should wait until he’s in it.

But then I remember how he saved me, and I feel a stab of guilt. How much do I owe him? Loyalty? To keep his secret? I don’t know. But neither do I trust his motives for coming to our rescue. Vampires never do anything without an expectation of gain.

“Miss Montgomery?”

I snap my attention back to Valentine, only then realizing that I’ve been staring at Victor. “Yes, m’lord?”

“I see my son intrigues you.”

“No, I … I’ve just never met a young vampire before.”

“Four hundred years. Hardly young by your standards, but you are correct that he is young by ours.”

“Did he fight in the war?”

“It’s rude to talk about me as though I’m not here,” Victor says, and I can hear the irritation that so often marks his father’s voice.

I turn to him. “Did you fight in the war?”

“I’m not sure what bearing that information has on the blood supply.”

Valentine chuckles, and I realize we’re entertaining him. The last thing I want to do. I angle my chin defiantly. “In your absence your father and I discussed the abductions that happened last week. Maybe you know something about them.” I shove my folder of photos toward him.

To my surprise, unlike his father, he doesn’t ignore them. He opens the folder and turns the pictures over slowly, one by one. Then he lifts his gaze to mine. “I’m sorry. I don’t.”

“They were attacked in the city. We know there are vampires within the walls. They’re fair game if we find them,” I say, giving an emphasis and meaning to my words. You’re
fair game
.

“I’m well aware of the conditions of VampHu, of the dangers that vampires found within the city face,” he says.

“Your Night Watchmen are apparently useless,” Valentine suddenly barks, “and I stated earlier that I was finished discussing the abductions.”

“I thought I should enlighten your son about them—since he was tardy.”

Victor narrows his eyes at me, but Valentine chuckles again. I give my attention back to Valentine. “Other than the blood supply, is there anything else that displeases you, m’lord?”

“That you do not trust the house of Valentine.”

I don’t trust any vampire. I want to remove the black gloves he makes me wear and scrub at the skin that Victor touched last night when we were running through the alleys. I want to forget every word we shared. His smile, his concern. None of it was true. It was all a ploy. Vampires lure us in and then destroy us.

“Perhaps if you were more lenient in your requests, m’lord, the citizens’ trust could be more easily gained.”

“What exactly do I demand, Miss Montgomery, that is such a burden?”

Victor appears more interested in my answer than Valentine.

“More blood than is reasonable. If we charted the minimum amount that a vampire needs to survive and then got a census of the number of vampires in the area, we could get an accurate projection of the amount of blood that is truly needed.”

“Charts and censuses won’t be necessary. My word is all you need. And I have told you exactly what is required. Double.”

“Based on what, m’lord? We don’t even know how many vampires we’re supplying.”

“Are you trying to calculate the number so you can plan an uprising against me? Has the Agency sent you to determine the extent of my following? If they feel that my position has weakened, they will quickly find that they are in error.”

“No, m’lord,” I hastily answer, “but if we could make the citizens feel more secure, that the terms of the treaty hold and they are safe within the city walls, perhaps they’d be more willing to give.”

“Knowing the numbers would not reassure them. To the victor go the spoils. Humans never should have started a war with us. Your defeat was inevitable. It is only through our kindness that we have not made you all slaves. Perhaps you should remind the citizens that our generosity is easily withdrawn.”

This meeting has taken a turn for the worse—ever since Victor strode into the room. Why do I feel a need to prove that he may have fooled me last night, but I’m not someone to be messed with?

“We’re not the enemy, Dawn,” Victor says.

“Tell that to their families,” I say, pointing to the photos on the table.

He bows his head slightly, as though conceding the point.

“I believe we are done,” Valentine suddenly announces.

When the servant arrives to retrieve me, Valentine remains sitting. I give him a small curtsy and he nods his head very gentlemanly. The Old Family vampires are conservative creatures. Despite the fact that they kill us for blood, they’re still elegant. Polite and courteous. Appreciative of a lady who behaves like one.

Victor rises to his feet. “It was a pleasure, Miss Montgomery.”

I want to respond,
For you maybe
. Instead I keep my tone as cordial as possible. “I look forward to our next meeting.”

It’ll take place at your theater and I’ll have an army of Night Watchmen with me
.

With my back stiff and my head held high, I follow the servant from the room.

Outside, Winston hands me up into the carriage. Receding fog drifts past us as we clatter along. Back to home and safety.

At the city’s main gate, we go through the ritual of having our Agency IDs checked while they search the coach for any hidden vampires. Bowls of blood are strategically placed—the thought being that vampires won’t have the strength to keep their fangs retracted long enough to get through the checkpoint.

Winston and I are cleared to go on our way into the city.

It’s still dark when we arrive at my apartment building. As the driver helps me out of the coach, I breathe a sigh of relief. “Well, we survived, Winston.”

“Yes, we did, Miss Montgomery.”

“Please call me Dawn.”

“Yes, Miss Montgomery. Sweet dreams.” He climbs back onto the coach and, with a flick of his wrist, sends the horses cantering down the street. He’s a strange old guy, but they say no one is faster with a stake. Wish he’d been my parents’ driver—but like them, their driver was killed.

I feel a growing sense of relief as I take the elevator to my floor.

Before I’ve even slipped my key into the lock, the door swings open. Rachel looks like she’s aged ten years.

“Oh, thank God you’re back. How’d it go?” Before I can answer, she grabs my arm and drags me into the apartment.

“What do you know about Valentine’s son? Victor?” I ask, as I drop my briefcase on a table and start unbuttoning the bodice of my dress. “He was there tonight.”

“Instead of Valentine?”

“No, with him.”

“Why?”

As soon as I’m out of my bodice, she starts unlacing the back of my corset. It’s a ritual that began when she accompanied me to Valentine Manor. I feel my rib cage expand as the laces are undone, and take a deep breath before answering. “I don’t know. Mind games, maybe.”

I know I need to tell her about the trouble that Tegan and I got into and how Victor saved us because Victor being Valentine’s son has changed everything. He’s not a secret I can keep any longer. But I can’t just blurt it out. I need to come up with a strategy that will lessen the amount of trouble I’ll be in. “I need to get the feel of Valentine Manor off me and then we’ll talk, okay?”

She smiles, and in that moment she’s just my guardian, looking out for me, not working for the Agency. “Sure. Relax for a while. The important thing is that you survived. You hungry? I’ll fix you something to eat.”

Food is her answer to everything. “Starved.”

In my bedroom I strip off my clothes and pile them in a corner. With each item, I’m shedding the mantle of delegate. I walk to the bathroom, removing pins as I go until my unruly black hair falls down around my shoulders. It matches the real Dawn. I fantasize about one day showing Valentine who he’s been messing with. I’ll do it with a stake in my hand.

Around my throat is a choker of tightly linked metal chains. Bite protection. It was hidden beneath the high collar of my black dress. I twist and turn the complicated mechanism to unlock it in the back. The band clinks as I lay it over a towel rack. I can breathe a little easier.

I catch my reflection in the mirror above the sink. My blue eyes are dull, weary with the weight of what I have to tell Rachel, and from the postadrenaline crash of my first solo visit. I feel dirty after my encounter with Valentine. In the shower, I let the hot water pour over my body, shedding another layer of delegate. The splashing noise relaxes me. Until I shut my eyes. Then I see Victor’s face, his incredible blue eyes as he studies me. Was he tense, wondering if I’d tell his father everything? But if he didn’t want me to, why respond to the summons? He had to know I’d be there. So why come at all? Why risk exposing his true self to me? Maybe Rachel will have a better idea of what it could all mean.

I shut off the water and towel dry. I slip on some flannel pants and a tank top from the Race for the Blood 5K run my parents organized and cosponsored. I’d volunteered to help with the registration. No one showed up. No big surprise.

When I pad out into my bedroom, I discover that I’m not alone.

On my bed sits a vampire. One I hoped to never see again. One I just finished rinsing off my skin.

Victor.

Chapter 7