There was shocked silence as we walked to the back parlor. Just as we opened the parlor door the portal glowed and Charmaine and Amparah appeared.
We introduced them to our new personas and discussed all the recent new developments, bringing them up-to-date on everything that we knew until this moment.
“This is even more disturbing than anything else,” Letta said. “The sanctuaries and secrets of the vampire network are in extreme danger of being revealed.”
“We need to be very careful,” I said. “If born vampires turn on each other, we play right into their hands.”
Just then Liridon, Gruen, Alex and Jonathan joined us.
“Gentlemen, I’m glad you’re here. This is Amparah and Charmaine,” I said in introduction. “They’re here to help us. You’ll want to get better acquainted later. Right now I want to change our focus. I want you to observe born vampires and their activities. Are they meeting with dark vampires? How many are going to the V clubs? Feeding on humans is forbidden as we all know, as the addiction works both ways. We need to identify their feeding habits and find out the incidence of human feeding here.
“I didn’t notice any born vampires at the clubs tonight but us,” Rosa said.
“I just want to stop this before it gets a foothold. If I’m right this is much more dangerous than the other things that they have thrown at us so far.”
“We’ll get started right away,” Liridon said.
I followed them out. “Alex, Jonathan, thank you for coming.”
Alex nodded and Jonathan smiled, “Thank you for letting us stay and finding something for us to do,” Jonathan said.
“It’s late,” I told everyone. “Let’s get you both settled and get some rest.”
“Anyone for something to eat?” Sarah said as she came in with a tray of food and herb tea.
“I just want a bath and to go to sleep. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“I’ll be right up,” Sarah called after me.
I went right into the bath room. “Clothes off, please. Please fill the bath with hot water, bubbles, sandalwood and bay.”
As steam filled the air with the scents I’d requested, I pinned my hair up and stepped into the hot frothy water that was to become my sanctuary for just a little while.
In the relaxing privacy of the bath, tears started to flow. I longed for days of my past. Days where I could train, ride and spend hours in the library by myself reading classics that no human would ever get to read. But that life was gone, this was the life chosen for me and I had accepted it.
Sarah came in with an armload of warm towels. “The girls are all settled and we are ready for Hun Lee’s sisters to arrive. Is there anything…what’s the matter?”
“Just letting go of a little frustration and I really miss Quinn, that’s all.”
“It’s a lot for you to deal with again. I wish I could do more to help. And it was you that asked Quinn to go with Reynold.”
“I know, but it was because he really was the only one I trusted to go. And now that I’m here and Damien is here…”
“You’re confused again.”
“I don’t have time for either of them. I need to be available for the two powerful men that are the only ones that can end this, if that’s even possible.”
“You need to learn to let go and give the others more responsibility. I can tell they crave that as well. You take on too much; let others help you. Let Damien help you.”
“Oh Sarah, I know that you’re right. I’m going to start tomorrow. What would I do without you?”
“You will never have to find out. Now, if you don’t need anything else, I have things I need to do.”
“No, I’m fine here for a while longer and then I’m going straight to bed.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow then.”
I soaked for at least another half an hour before reluctantly pulling myself out of the tub. I wrapped myself in a towel and ambled off to bed.
“Warm milk, please.”
A cup arrived on the bedside table. I slid between the smooth, cool sheets and then drank down the milk before snuggling into the down mattress and closing my eyes.
CHAPTER SEVEN
D
amien:
“I can’t believe that Katrina’s observations found more revelations in one day than we have in months.”
“It’s what she does, Damien and why we asked her to come. But I’d swear she looks the most beautiful when she is elbow deep in the quest,” Cain mused.
“We need to take as much pressure off of her as we can. I don’t know why I was thinking we could handle this ourselves. I have to get over that and again think of solutions that we as part of the group can resolve. Otherwise I’m just going to cause more problems and that is definitely not what I want to do.”
“It’s nice to see Liridon and Gruen. I actually missed them,” Cain laughed.
“Gruen makes the perfect body guard even with his disguise. And shape shifters are always lots of fun, except the ones that prefer large animal forms, like Were. I have never known one that was agreeable.”
“There were Lican in the underworld. They were very disagreeable. How did we get on this subject anyway?”
“We were talking about Liridon.”
“Do you think your relationship with Katrina will ever be the same as it once was?”
“I am doing everything that I can to regain her trust. So far she seems content to accept my help in our mission and leave our former relationship in the past.
There was a silence in the carriage. “I’m not the least bit tired. Do you want to go back out?”
“I’m up for it. What do you want to do?”
“I want to take a look at that barracks that Liridon found. If the dark vampires are trying to recruit us, I say turnabout is fair play.”
“You mean to find out if the foot soldiers all want to get rid of us or if it’s just the leadership. We’ve already marked so many of them and if they really aren’t our enemy we need to know.”
“I still think if we can stop their funding, it will make all the difference. They are buying their way into the government, military…every position of power.”
“This is ridiculous, who has more money than we do? We should just buy back some of the most precious treasures.”
“That still just gives them the funds they need. Besides, I won’t buy back treasure that is rightfully ours. Now that we are fired up let’s go.
“You know, we really need to find a place to train. I haven’t had a good work out since I left the underworld.”
“With Max, you don’t really need one. That enchanted sword wouldn’t let anything hurt you. Isn’t that right Max?”
“That’s true, but I’d like to have something to do as well,” Max said. “I do have a suggestion, if you don’t mind.”
“Of course not, Max. We need all the help we can get.”
“There are Belnovus that still reside in the underworld. Many of them want nothing to do with evil plots and would like more than anything to be able to live in the world of light. Why not go back to Althar and recruit them?”
“I don’t know if having more dark vampires here is the answer, Max. But it is certainly something to think about. Katrina mentioned that one of them has already joined our cause. Maybe that’s something that we should ask her about.”
“Well, are still going out or not?”
“I think so. Let’s blend into the background.”
“I’ve got a better idea. We have Belnovus watching us outside right now. I’m just going to walk out there and ask them what their intentions are.”
I laughed, “Are you serious, Cain?”
“Why not? What’s the worst thing that could happen . . . they would try to kill us? That happens all the time anyway. We don’t fear them.”
I opened the door and made an exaggerated gesture, “After you, brother.”
“Lovely night,” Cain said as he used his acute senses to lead him in the right direction.
“You needn’t hide. I just want to talk to you.” He called out into the night.
Four of them stepped out of the shadows.
“Would you like to come inside?”
“So you can kill us?” one of them answered.
“We could kill you any time we wish. Do you answer to the Arnaunt brothers or to someone else?” I asked.
They looked around at each other not knowing whether to answer or if they did, who would speak for the group. “Listen I have no fight with you,” I continued. “What is it that you really want? Not what you’ve been told, but what you really want,” I asked.
“We want to live in this world and feed in our natural way.”
Cain took a step forward and then addressed the four men. “Hmmm. You lived most of your life in the underworld, is that not true? I myself was raised there. Using captured humans as a food source as well as entertainment was normal to me. But now that I’m here I enjoy the world of light and I have exchanged feeding on humans for the right to exist here freely without endangering our entire species. Tell me, is the freedom that you know exists in this world, worth giving up the killing of humans? Is changing your old habits something that you would entertain?”
Again they looked at each other until one stepped forward.
“Perhaps we could feed on the both of
you
instead,” he said as he bared his fangs.
“You could try,” I said trying to show restraint.
The vampire lunged forward. He was marked so I simply ended his existence, which means a puff of smoke was all that remained of him.
“Are the rest of you in agreement that there will be no compromise?”
“We have no choice in this fight. Either you will kill us or
they
will kill us.”
“So you would live in peace if given a choice?” Cain asked.
“Yes, I think many of us would.”
“Listen, a war between us is not what we want either. But make no mistake, we will not risk our vampire existence and in a war between us,
you
will lose.”
“Walk away, except the choices that we have made-- not to feed on humans. Use other resources to supplement your diet,” Cain added.
“And you would leave us alone?”
“Yes.”
They again looked at each other. Then they simply, backed back into the shadows and disappeared.
“If this encounter is a real example of the sentiment of the dark vampires, that, if given the chance three to one would choose peace, it would be great news.”
We walked back into the house.
“Your crazy idea worked, Cain. I feel a lot better now. How about a brandy and we’ll go to bed?”
“I’m with you. I do feel better. Of course humans are another thing. Their fear of anything different from themselves will always be a danger to our race.”
Katrina:
“Damien and Cain are here,” Letta said as she looked out the window the next morning. “I hope the party is more exciting than this. I am soooooo bored.”