Dancing Dragon (27 page)

That next drink was followed by another, conversation flowed as easily as the vodka. By the time the bottle was empty, I was pleasantly happy - if not a little tipsy. And all thoughts of guilt at the four lost humans tonight, or displeasure at having to face the same scenario all over again tomorrow, were washed from my mind. Replaced with a warmth from the liquor and an equal warmth from the company of the two male vampires in the room.

"Well, I see I will have to call for more
водка
," Viktor announced. I was sure he had used the Russian word for the drink, although similar to our pronunciation, it just rolled off his tongue in syllables that did not exist in English.

"I think I've had enough for one night, thanks," I answered, stifling a yawn.

"Will you sleep here, Luce?" Samson asked, taking my empty glass and placing it on the cabinet top.

I considered the offer, but I really wanted to be back in Michel's arms. I shook my head and stood, a little shakily, to my feet. Both vampires glided to theirs, not showing an ounce of effect from the booze. I cursed my half-human make-up, but internally shrugged. It was my own fault, I should have just stuck to two.

"Can I offer you a lift somewhere, Lucinda?" Viktor asked, reaching for his coat. "I have a car outside, it would be no inconvenience at all."

I glanced at Samson. He didn't own a car and I would either have to walk, a daunting prospect in my current state, or call a cab. Samson shrugged his shoulders and said, "I'd go with Viktor, Luce. It can be hard to get a cab at this time of night."

He'd picked up on my inebriated state, but if he felt it was safe for me to go with a vampire I had only just met, then I wasn't going to argue. Besides, I was hoping Viktor would tell me a few more Russian jokes. They'd been hilarious.

"OK," I said in reply and smiled at Viktor. "If you don't mind, of course?"

"Not at all, it would be my pleasure to see you safely home."

Samson waved us off at the door after shaking Viktor's hand and I turned to see the most ostentatious looking stretched limo in my life. I think it was Hummer, but I couldn't be sure. I hadn't seen one before, Hummer’s are not that popular in Auckland, let alone one as long as this. It was a sleek black, with silver trim, and I was picking, over three times the length of a normal Hummer, with seven windows along the length of its body. I couldn't imagine how difficult it would be to navigate London’s traffic with this sort of beast. I was surprisingly keen to look inside.

I looked at Viktor - standing, he towered over me, maybe 6'4” or so, he was tall and big. Broad chested, wide shoulders and neck - and he must have seen the incredulity on my face; that anyone, especially a vampire wishing to remain out of the eyes of the Norms, could traipse about in a such a thing.

"It goes with my culture, my dear," he said simply and offered his arm for me to lean on as we walked towards the behemoth. "Allow me to introduce my security, Lucinda," Viktor added, indicating the two vampires standing either side of an open rear door.

I quickly sent my senses out and determined the level of Dark in the two guards. It took only a moment to assess the new duo of Dark that faced me. And they were Dark.

One male and one female vampire, but if I had to guess, I'd say they were siblings. Their similarities were simply too close. Both had the same darkish skin, a medium brown with a slight swarthy-ness to it, thick black hair, both tied back behind their necks with a simple leather cord. Prominent angles to their faces with strong square jaws and high chiselled cheeks. Even though their features were sharp, ruggedly handsome, not finely so, they still carried themselves in such a way, that they held a beauty of sorts. Not what I would call a regular beauty, but a compelling one. You couldn't help noticing them, they drew the eye and although your mind told you they were heavy set in their characteristics, something else made you think they were divine.

Two sets of dark brown eyes stared straight ahead, making no eye contact with me, just blankly adopting that vampire stillness pose. There was a flash of colour in the depths of those eyes though, a chestnut and a maroon. The reddish tinge would normally have looked bad, but on them it seemed perfect. They were both about 6 feet tall, well dressed in long black cashmere coats, dress trousers and shirts. The only reason I knew that one of them was a female, was because she had longer eyelashes, softening her facial features slightly and was well endowed. You couldn't help but notice her ample breasts.

This assessment had taken a mere couple of seconds, not long enough time for any of those vampires on the sidewalk to even know I had taken the duo all in. Taken a look at their physiques: powerful and muscular, their style: casual and smart, their attitudes: fierce and dedicated and their
Sanguis Vitam
: Dark and level two.

I compared their Darkness to that of their master's. I was momentarily surprised to note that Viktor's appeared far less Dark. Could he be hiding it? I didn't think so, my
Sanguis
Vitam Cupitor
powers couldn't be fooled. He had Dark within him for sure, but it was controlled and balanced by a good smattering of Light. Not as Light as Michel, but also not as Dark as Avery. But the duo in front of us were almost all entirely Dark. I hadn't expected that, I had assumed the master would account for the level of Dark in members of their line. Obviously not.

I hesitated before all that Dark, my hand itching to seek solace and guidance from the silver inside my jacket, but Viktor's warm voice brought me back from that moment of fear, allowing me to pull on my Nosferatin mask.

"Sergei and Natalyia. Their strengths allow me a certain amount of freedom, if you will. Please do not be alarmed, they are well trained."

He knew I had seen their Dark. I took a deep breath in and allowed Viktor to guide me into the vehicle. His reasons for having two such Dark vampires as his guard were his own, as long as they behaved themselves, it was none of my business. And if they didn't behave themselves? I could always stake them.

All thoughts of the Dark Duo were momentarily lost when I took in the inside of the car. If you could call it a car. It was more like a luxury brothel, a plush invitation-only club, on wheels. Curved white padded leather couches adorned each side of the long open spaced interior. A two seater sofa down one end, backing on to the driver's compartment, and two more four seaters, one on each side of the car, spaced unevenly so stretched legs would not get entangled when reclining on either side. In between the sofas were mahogany trimmed cabinets, full of crystal decanters and row upon row of bottled drinks. A plasma TV screen graced the far end of the room, a stereo, DVD player and what looked like a games console were embedded in one part of the mahogany wall units.

The Dark vampires sat themselves down by the driver and the TV, allowing Viktor and I to take a seat each on either side of the car. The movement of the vehicle reminding me this wasn't a room in an overly ornate house, but in fact a car. It was smooth, but motion could not be denied.

Viktor crossed his legs, his long coat having been removed and draping over the edge of his seat. He placed one hand along the back of his sofa and took me all in.

"Would you care for a drink?" He asked, his voice lower than it had been at Samson's house.

I shook my head and continued to take the interior of the vehicle in. When would I ever get a chance to ride in a celebrity style vehicle like this again?

Viktor didn't say anything for a while, just let me scan the space. My eyes were no doubt bigger than usual, it was just amazing what they could fit inside something on wheels. The mind boggled. Finally he broke the silence.

“I have been watching you for a while, my dear.” The atmosphere shifted, the Nosferatin immediately awake - despite the level of alcohol recently consumed. Viktor went on, my attention now split between him and the Dark Duo, both of which were on either side of me in the car. “You did not attempt to stake the Master of the City tonight when he drained four humans dry.” He watched me closely for a reaction, I used all of my Nosferatin know-how not to give him one. Blank face, blank thoughts, blank everything. I was beginning to wonder if Samson knew this guy at all. “However, you were most upset about it.” Great, who else had heard my scream of frustration and anguish on that roof?

“So?” I asked, crossing my arms over my chest and cocking my head slightly. I was going for defiant, I'm not sure I made it.

His lips quirked slightly as though I had amused him, but also as though he was not accustomed to being amused.

“Do you realise you are the only Nosferatin in this city tonight?”

That got my attention. I knew
Citysider
had been missing and I knew no other Nosferatins had turned up when Alastair fed, but I hadn't really come to the conclusion that no Nosferatins at all were left in London. London's big. I guess I'd been avoiding that possibility, even if logic would have already led me there.

“You are a valuable asset in the war. I will not be the only one to approach you, I am hoping I am the first though.”

What war? "There are more dangerous things on the streets of London this night than me, Ms. Monk." And there was the confirmation that this vampire was more than he had seemed. "I will cut to the chase. I want Alastair dead. You want Alastair dead. We can help each other, can we not?”

I stared at him for a moment. The realisation that the situation had turned deadly crashing into me in waves. I pulled my Nosferatin skin tighter around me. I would not show fear.

I glanced out the window and knew we were already several kilometres away from Kensington, but were crawling in heavy traffic, not making much progress at all. I briefly considered making a dash for it, an escape out of the nearest door. But the nearest doors were either right next to the Duo or beside Viktor. Maybe the alcohol I had consumed this evening had lowered my guard, because I couldn't believe I had readily sat myself in such an inescapable position with such ease.

“What do you want from me, Mr. Davydov?”

“Please, call me Viktor. You have been all night.” He was still putting on the charm, I don't know why. I had his number now, there was no further need to act.

I shrugged my shoulders in agreement. I couldn't care less what he called me. I'd been called many things and not all of them nice, so if he chose to use my name, so much the better.

“What do you want from me, Viktor?” I decided to stick to the obvious. The sooner I found out what this vamp wanted, the sooner I could
depart.

“I have already told you. I want Alastair dead. So do you. We could help each other.” He replied, crossing his long legs casually and still resting an arm outstretched on the back of the seat he was on. The picture of relaxed ease.

OK, I'll bite. I'm not above considering all the help I could get right now. “How?”

He looked at me intently, I kept my eyes slightly adrift of his gaze, but I don't think he was trying to glaze me, he was looking more at my aura, or more at me. It was hard to say, but it was unnerving. I forced myself to sit stock still and breathe.

“Let me ask you this first, Lucinda. Why do you think there are no other Nosferatins in London right now?”

They know something I don't? “I have no idea.”

“The fairy has made it impossible for them to remain. Fey magic is powerful and the imp prince has an affinity with Nosferatins, it appears. He has been able to repel them rather successfully. That is why he was the chosen royal to accompany Alastair.”

“He hasn't repelled me.” Stating the obvious, but I couldn't help it.

“No, but that is more by luck than design. You are now more important to him than the Fey accord with Alastair. You are his
elska
, he would break any alliance necessary to have you. That is why you remain in London.”

Hang on a minute... “The Fey have an accord with Alastair? Why? What is it?”

Viktor sighed, a little melodramatically I think. “Your advisers have been woefully neglect, have they not?” He didn't wait for an answer. “Alastair is the key to opening the portals, the Fey know this, they need him. They agreed to offer protection from Hunters on his return to this realm while he recuperates from his exile and in return he will assist them in opening the portals permanently. Their one true desire is to return to this world. They are dying out, they are incapable of breeding among themselves, they need humans. They need
mœðr
like you.”

Maybe I was missing something here, because it just didn't make sense. Why was Alastair even involved with the Fey? How was he the key to opening the portals? What was the connection between an ancient vampire that was supposedly brought the final death nearly five hundred years ago and the Fey? I knew I was getting more information than I had managed to acquire to date, but also, niggling in the back of my mind, was the fact that I didn't know Viktor Davydov at all. Could any of what he was telling me be true?

I decided I'd have to take a little leap of faith on this one, but I'd remain sceptical.
Always stay on guard.

“OK,” I said, tapping my finger on my knee thoughtfully. “You seem to know an awful lot about Alastair and the Fey, even though they have both been absent from our world for some time - the Fey even longer than Alastair. Let's start with this, how do you know so much?”