A Hunt Among Vampires (The Angel Series) (2 page)

“Fine, then I shall report back to the Vampire Council that Christien’s get would not allow me inside to see him.” She starts walking towards her car.

In a panic, I open the door and call out to her as she is walking towards the driveway. “Wait! He really isn’t here.”

Out of nowhere, Christien floats from the sky and lands silently in front of me. I breathe a sigh in relief as I watch him land awestruck.

I didn’t know vampires could fly. I wonder if I can fly.

I watch as Christien approaches Jolene from behind.

Jolene spins around when she detects his presence and looks just as startled as I am by his sudden appearance and unexpected entrance.

“Who are you?” Christien asks with anger in his voice. “Why are you bothering my vampires?”

Jolene frowns before blanking her facial expression. “You must be Christien Aleran. Your vampires wanted me to believe that you were not here.”

“I have only just arrived. Again, I am asking, who are you?” Anger creeps into Christien’s tone.

“I am Jolene. I am a representative from the Vampire Council. I have been sent here to summon you before the Council.” She replies in an arrogant manner.

“Why does the Vampire Council wish to see me?”

“A complaint has been filed by your sire, Hassan, stating that you have become a rogue vampire. He also states that you are unmanageable and dangerous.” She answers arrogantly.

“I am not a rogue vampire. I only choose not to follow in my sire’s chosen path.”

“That is not for me to decide. The Council expects you to appear before them for judgment immediately. If you refuse to appear, the council will take that as an act of defiance and have you executed.” Jolene announces, daring Christien to defy their summons.

“I cannot appear before the Council immediately. I have a new fledgling that I have sired less than a week ago. I require at least 6 weeks for his transition into vampirism as demanded by vampire law. It would not be safe to move him in his condition.”

The woman considers his request for a moment. “If you show me this new vampire, I could return to the Council with your response.”

Christien nods while he telepathically communicates with Kayle to bring Tyler outside.

I am still standing on the porch watching Jolene and Christien stare at each other in the driveway.

A few minutes later, Kayle appears escorting Tyler to Christien. As they pass, Tyler’s eyes flash silver and he smiles at me. Tyler tries to move closer to me, but Kayle grabs him by the back of the neck and leads him towards Christien.

Jolene reads Tyler’s surface thoughts then looks back at Christien. “I will inform the Council that you have a new fledgling. The Council will expect you to appear before them within 6 weeks. If you do not appear, you will have an execution order issued on you for turning rogue.”

“I will attend the meeting as the Council requests.” Christien replies diplomatically.

Jolene nods in satisfaction and starts walking towards her waiting car.

Christien interrupts her retreat issuing a threat. “If you ever threaten another one of my vampires again when you know they are telling the truth, you will answer to me.”

Jolene lashes out at Christien using her power, but he easily brushes off the attack. Her eyes widen in fear and surprise.

Christien looks back at Tyler and Kayle. He telepathically tells Kayle to take Tyler inside and back into solitary confinement to keep everyone safe from Tyler’s blood thirst.

Kayle’s eyes lock with mine for a brief moment before he escorts Tyler inside. I am not sure what the hidden message he is trying to convey to me might be, but his expression sends my defenses up and puts me on guard.

Jolene watches them return to the house.

“Is there something else you would like to discuss with me before you return to the Council, Jolene?” Christien begins circling her slowly.

A cold drop of sweat snakes its way down my back. I am getting the feeling that something is very wrong. Looking around anxiously, my hands itch to pull out my dual daggers that are snug in their sheaths against my ribs under my arms. I can feel the hilts brushing the waistband of my pants as I shift my stance.

“I don’t know what you are talking about.” Jolene replies, turning her head around to keep her eyes on Christien.

“If you are done with your tests, I would like you…” Christien’s gaze flicks over the trees near the front wall surrounding the property. “And the Governors you have brought with you, to leave my property and return to the Council.”

“I … how did you know?” Jolene asks with wide eyes and a shocked expression.

“I have a security system.” He shrugs, dismissing her question. “The question I have for you is… why would the Vampire Council send this many Governors with you to inform me of their request?” Christien asks Jolene in a curious tone and looks back at me. His face is completely void of any emotion.

As I start moving closer to Christien, his eyes flash to concern so I stop moving. Only a slight nodding motion confirms that he does not want me to come closer, but I cannot figure out why.

Vampires drop from hiding in the trees all around the property. I grab the daggers from under my arms instinctively.

“That will not be necessary,
ma chatte petite
. They are only revealing themselves to me. They cannot attack me without the expressed permission of the Vampire Council.” He smiles knowingly towards Jolene.

Jolene’s face tightens in anger. “The Governors were only brought as a precautionary measure to secure my safety.” She says smugly.

“No one here will attack you without just cause. If you are looking for a fight Jolene, it will not be with me unless you are the one to start it.”

“Look Jolene!” I interrupt their argument. They both look at me, anger building up between them. “You can’t just come here and accuse Christien of being a rogue vampire. You have no proof and it is not your decision to make anyway. You have delivered your message from the Council. Now it is time for you to leave.”

“And who do you think you are?”

“She is not your concern.” Christien replies heatedly.

Jolene watches me move closer to Christien as the Governors begin to surround us. The tension level is rising when I feel a cool electrical wash of Christien’s power spread outward, making my skin tingle. The Governors pause in mid step and stare at Christien in surprise.

Jolene asks in an alarmed tone. “What are you doing?”

“You have no right to provoke me and mine! We have done nothing to warrant this threatening behavior.” Christien stares directly at Jolene.

“We will return to the Council with your request.” She motions to the Governors and they all move away, disappearing into the tree line. Jolene gets into her car and drives away.

Chapter 2

Christien sighs in exhaustion. “They are gone. I apologize for taking so long to get here. I left as soon as Roman told me what was happening.”

“I’m just glad you got here when you did.” I walk up and kiss him softly in greeting.

“We should go inside and … talk. Or, perhaps we can do something else?” He hints in a whisper with a devious grin on his face.

“There won’t be anything else happening until we talk about what we are going to do about this Vampire Council issue.” I joke half-heartedly.

We walk inside the house and join Kayle in the living room. After everyone is sitting comfortably, Christien, Kayle, and I begin discussing the events of the evening and decide on what to do over the next several weeks.

Kayle crosses his legs in the seat across from us. “Did you find out any more information from Hassan’s vampires tonight, Christien?”

Christien settles his arm on my shoulder, relaxing. “I was able to read some of their minds and I found out that the attack last week was staged by Demetri and Jacques to give Hassan time to escape without detection. If they were able to capture Jessica in the process, they were going to deliver her to Hassan before joining him wherever he may be. Unfortunately, none of the vampires left in the building know where Hassan went. It would be safe to assume that he left sometime that afternoon, after my escape from the warehouse, to somewhere in Europe. Apparently, he has met with the Vampire Council already and they have sent an envoy to bring me back or possibly have me terminated.”

“How much time do you have before you are scheduled to appear before the Council?” Kayle asks.

“I have managed to gain up to six weeks before I have to appear. Tyler’s fledgling status gives me a legitimate and legal reason, under their own laws, not to answer their summons immediately. For now, I will need to finish the blood oaths of Hassan’s vampires. Their additions will strengthen my own get and allow me to prepare for Hassan’s next attack.”

I raise my head that I am resting on Christien’s shoulder. “Do you think he is going to try to attack us again?”

Christien rubs my shoulder soothingly. “He will not attack us anytime soon, but we must stay vigilant. We cannot allow our guard to drop for even a moment in regards to Hassan. He is a powerful vampire with a cruel disposition. I have my reasons for wanting him dead, but many others would consider him a formidable challenge in power alone. I strongly believe he is not here in America anymore, but I cannot be entirely sure.”

“I do not believe he is here either. Our best trackers would have found some trail by now if he were.” Kayle agrees.

“Tell me about what happened tonight with the Vampire Council’s representative, Jolene, before I arrived.” Christien turns his focus on me.

I give Christien the details of Jolene’s visit from the Vampire Council. Christien reassures me that I did the right thing by not allowing Kayle to invite her inside.

“Why is it so important that she not be allowed inside? I know about the vampire needing permission to enter, but she is part of the Vampire Council? The Vampire Council is the law, right? She wouldn’t be able to do anything to us would she?” I ask, showing my ignorance.

My lack of knowledge of vampires and their politics really sucks.

“The Vampire Council was founded by old vampires a very, long time ago. The law that the Council works under is often bended to their will since they are the ones that create and enforce the laws we abide by today. There are properties inside a vampire’s blood that binds all vampires to the Vampire Council through their
tête de ligne de sang
. The instinct to obey all of the Council members and their representatives is profound. All
têtes de lignes de sang
, or heads of bloodlines,
must swear their allegiance to the Council or die. Therefore, all of the fledglings, underlings and masters under blood oath to them, automatically have to obey the Vampire Council. If a
tête de ligne
chooses not to swear their allegiance by blood, the Council hunts and destroys their entire
ligne de sang
, their bloodline. A Council member could blood oath those vampires, integrating them into their own get, after killing their
tête de ligne,
if they choose to. This is the only way the Vampire Council can remain our ruling body. They have very old and highly skilled assassins, called Governors, which work for them, carrying out their judgments. You saw many of them outside. You should consider them the Vampire Council’s police officers. A
tête de ligne de sang
is responsible for all vampires in their
ligne de sang
. It is the responsibility of the
tête de ligne de sang
to maintain control of their subordinates. If they allow their vampires to break the law, the council punishes the
tête de ligne
in order to keep the rest of the vampires in line. For Hassan to go to the Council and claim that I am a rogue vampire, he has in effect, requested that the Vampire Council send assassins to kill me. As
tête de ligne
, he has every right to ask the Council’s assistance in terminating me. At the same time, he is announcing to all other
têtes de lignes de sang
that he is no longer strong enough to control his
ligne de sang
. Masters from all around the world will start to challenge him. Now that we have killed Demetri and Jacques and I have taken over most, if not all, of his remaining vampires, he has no chance of defending himself from their attacks unless he aligns himself with another strong vampire.”

“He must have known that we would defeat his vampires when they were sent to attack us.” Kayle voices his thoughts aloud.

“Why would he sacrifice his vampires? That doesn’t make any sense.” I ask the question Kayle hints at.

“Hassan has most likely found someone in Europe to ally with. He is also hiding behind the Council since he is unable to eliminate me himself.” Christien suggests, slightly amused.

Christien rolls his eyes at Kayle. “I would like you to meet up with Phedora in Paris and find Hassan. Since his power base began there, I imagine that is where he will return. After you find him, I want you to follow him and tell me whom to which he has allied himself. The moment you have that information, contact me and I will join you in Paris.” Christien demands.