Dancing Dragon (4 page)

“
Hey, yourself. Um, I'm heading away for a couple of days, so take care of the place OK?”

He finished wiping off his handsome face with his towel and threw it into the hamper in the corner. Nothing but net.

“What's up, Luce? Are you running away?” Even Samson, having only known me for six weeks, knew me pretty damn well. I always run, it's what I do best. Other than staking evil undead creatures of the night that is. I just don't handle emotional confrontation well.

“Not at all. I need a rest, a vacation. I'm going to visit Amisi for a couple of days. Do some girlie stuff, you know, paint our nails, stay up eating chocolate ice cream all night, talk about boys, maybe pick up a stray one along the way.”

Samson huffed in response. “Yeah. That'll happen. What does Michel say?”

“Say about what?” I asked, picking at a thread on my jacket that had come loose and was suddenly very interesting.

“You haven't told him. Don't you think he'd like to know if his kindred Nosferatin is leaving the city?” he asked, gently.

“What are you, Samson? My mother? Michel could give a rat's arse about what I do right now. Fuck Michel!”

Samson suddenly stood up and then froze. It's not that he comes under Michel's influence, but Michel is his employer and the only reason he can stay in this city to be near me. Piss Michel off and he could get evicted, lose his night time job and income, and be made to stay away from his mistress: me. The one who makes him feel safe and warm and happy. So, I knew instantly what Samson's reaction was all about.

“He's standing behind me, isn't he?” I said, casually.

“Yes mistress, he is.”

Ah crap.

“Leave us, Samson, if you would.” Michel gave it as an order, but because Samson is not one of his vampires, he didn't lace it with
Sanguis Vitam
, just the menace of his office as Master of the City.

Still, Samson is not a total weakling and he is mine. His loyalty is bound by the Light I washed his soul in.

“Mistress. Do you wish for me to leave?” He always did go formal when the shit was about to hit the fan.

I sighed. Loudly. “Just go, Samson. He can't kill me, he'd only be killing himself.” Handy that little proviso of the joining. If one dies, the other dies too.

“That is not entirely reassuring, mistress.” But he left quietly anyway.

I walked further into the gym and sat down on one of the benches, turning to look at Michel.

My heart did a flip-flop. Damn that wayward heart. How could he still take my breath away? He was gorgeous, even when angry, even when flashes of indigo and violet speckled the deep blue of his eyes. Dressed in an off black made-to-measure expensive suit, pale blue tie, gold dancing dragon cuff links at his wrists. His cream coloured skin looking almost translucent under the lights of the room. His chiselled face, striking.

With his hands thrust deep in his pockets, the broadness of his shoulders stood out. I wanted to run to him. To wrap my arms around him and beg him to take me back. I straightened my shoulders and took another fortifying breath in and lifted my gaze to meet his. He had an eyebrow raised, obviously waiting for me to finish my perusal of his body. He always knew instinctively how he made me feel.

“Are you running away,
ma douce?
”

“You don't want me here, Michel. You've made that perfectly clear.”

“When? When did I make that perfectly clear? Please tell me.”

His voice was quiet, so smooth, so beautiful. I suddenly realised he was using it on me. Calming me, wrapping it around me, stroking it down my arms. He doesn't usually have that kind of sway over me anymore. Since we joined, he can only use his vampire powers on me if my shields are down. I checked them now and found them in shatters. Some still holding, others crumbling. A total mess. I was normally so much better at keeping them maintained than this. Shit. I really was a lost cause.

I hesitated, before I started rebuilding them, I didn't want his touch to stop. In the end, pride won over sentiment and the shields went up, his power no longer surrounding me, touching me. I felt so bare.

He smiled sadly at me. “You do not normally make such a mistake,
ma douce.
”

No, I didn't. He'd done this to me. Making me fall for him, then when I finally capitulated, admitted I loved him above all else, he cast me aside. I was a wreck, a mess. I needed to get away from him before I collapsed in a puddle at his feet and begged him to take me in his arms.

“It's just a holiday, Michel. I wanted to catch up with Amisi. I haven't visited since she left. You said I could use the jet at any time. Are you taking that back too?”

He cringed slightly, then recovered himself, replacing the emotion with his normal mask. The one that said nothing. Nothing at all.

“By all means take the jet, but I need it the day after tomorrow. I have a flight scheduled to Paris. Business I must attend. I'll be gone one week. So make sure you are back by then so we can... commune with one another. It may be some time before we can reinforce the joining after I leave.”

He spun on his heel, after delivering those instructions and disappeared out the door.

Paris. Business. There was only one thing in Paris that could require his attendance. The
Iunctio.

And he was facing them without me at his side.

Michel. Just what are you playing at now?

By the time I had found Marcus and Matthias, my two vampire bodyguards, it was close to five in the evening. Still daylight out, but it would mean my arrival in Wellington would be close to dusk. Perfect. I could do with a little night time action in the capital. Of course, M & M tried to convince me to wait until sunset, so they could tag along too, but as they were a
gift
from Michel, I had little desire to bring them with me on my escape from Crapsville.

Auckland was not much fun anymore, somehow it had lost all of its gloss, all of its shine, all of its intrigue. I still hunted, I still went through the motions of a busy, young woman in the city, but nothing felt alive anymore, nothing felt exciting or worthwhile. I hadn't even been to
Sensations
for over two weeks. I used to go there every evening, now I avoided it like the plague.

It's no wonder, when Michel is there and he barely acknowledges my existence. I would have no idea what was happening in the line if it wasn't for Samson and to a certain extent, Marcus and Matthias keeping me abreast of the latest gossip. Michel used to confide practically everything in me, now we hardly talk.

I wrapped a little Nosferatin Light around myself as I boarded Michel's jet, a
Gulfstream G650
and banished all the thoughts that led to pain. I only had myself to blame, I had lowered my guard, I had let him all the way in. A vampire. I should have known better.

It's not like I had a choice to join with him. He was the only option really, or die. I chose life, I chose him, but I shouldn't have given more than that. It's hard now to think of an eternity without him in my bed, right by my side, but as only the other half of a barely platonic joining. Together because we're stronger that way, not because we love each other.

The trouble was, I hadn't stopped loving him yet and I wasn't sure if I would any time soon. I'm a pretty loyal person. Once I give my friendship, or in this case my heart, it's for life. Sometimes that has come back to bite me on the arse, but I deal with it when it does and I move on. I have absolutely no idea how to move on from this. None. I am lost, adrift, completely devoid of happiness. I'm not sure how to breathe anymore.

And it hurts.

It really hurts.

I had phoned ahead for a rental car, so there was no delay when I landed and the jet taxied to Gregor's private hangar. I didn't bother to say hello to his lackeys, they'd no doubt pass on to Gregor that Michel's jet had made an unannounced landing in Wellington, but I think the Master of Wellington City and I are good enough friends for me to be able to pay a visit without phoning first.

The car was a
Toyota Corolla
, I have a strict budget, but it drove well and before I knew it I was parking up on Lambton Quay in the city. Amisi has a small apartment in the same building as her boss. That would be Gregor. I have issues accepting handouts from Michel, Amisi has no such qualms with her business relationship with Gregor. The apartment is provided at a low rent and she just makes herself available to him whenever he calls. Sounds a bit medieval, but Amisi can hold her own with the creatures of the night. She was raised in a Nosferatin community that lived in harmony with a vampire line.

She knows vampires and their habits better than any Nosferatin I know alive today.

I slipped into the elevator, suddenly a little fearful that Amisi would be out. I hadn't even phoned her to say I was on my way. I hadn't been to her apartment before, but I knew what number it was, so before long I was standing outside her door and knocking. I could hear music playing on the other side of the door,
The Beatles
. Amisi's catching up on pop culture, she missed a lot during her strict upbringing in Cairo.

The door swung open and there stood my best friend. My Nosferatin sister. Amisi is younger than me, twenty, but you'd think she was fifty years older, she just has a graceful ancient knowledge that makes you think she's been around a lot longer than her youthful looks would attest to. She's tall, almost six feet, with long straight brown hair and the most beautiful almond shaped chocolate brown eyes, high cheek bones and full pink lips. She's gorgeous, there's no two ways about it, but her beauty is far greater than skin deep.

She has a wonderful soul.

“Luce! What a choice surprise!” She is also making it her goal to pick up as much Kiwi slang as she possibly can. Sometimes she gets it ever so slightly wrong.

“Hey, you! Fancy some company tonight?”

“Absolutely! Although I do have to work later, but you can just sit at the bar and watch.” She motioned for me to enter. “Welcome to my humble home.”

I stepped past her into a delightfully colourful main room. It reminded me immediately of her home in Cairo. Lots of colour, lots of cushions on the floor, lots of bright light and happiness. So Amisi. So Nero. So Egyptian. I loved it and couldn't stop the smile on my face growing bigger, the further I ventured into the apartment.

“Wow, Amisi! This is fantastic. It's so you.”

“I know, Gregor teases, he says I should be branching out and trying different decoration styles now that I am away from Egypt, but he can talk. Have you seen all that French antique furniture in his penthouse? You can take the man out of
Paris
, but you can't take
Paris
out of the man.” She said
Paris
like Gregor did, with a French lilt to the words, making it sing.

I placed my bag on the floor in the corner and threw myself onto a pile of cushions. I'd picked up the technique of lowering yourself properly to the ground to lounge, whilst training in Cairo with Nero. Before he gave me some tips, I always seemed to look like a floundering seal on the rocks at the beach. It was not at all styley.

“So, Gregor come here often does he?” I asked, innocently.

Gregor has been chasing Amisi for some time now, but she has somehow managed to stay out of his grasp. No doubt her defiance and refusal to bow to his desires is only adding fuel to the flame for the vampire, but my girl is strong. I have faith she'll make him work for it.

I hope she doesn't give in too quickly, like I did with Michel.

Amisi flashed me a look from under her long dark eyelashes. “He always calls right on dusk. He should be here soon to drive me to the club. For work.”

“Now hang on a minute. You're working at
Desire de Sang
?” Gregor's club is what you would call rank vampire, a little bit too base for my liking. It's all red and black with lots of leather and vinyl and skimpy, tight outfits in a dark and extremely creepy environment.

Needless to say it is the most popular bar in the city and Amisi had always shown such distaste for it. The idea of her working there, let alone working for Gregor, just blows the mind.

“I needed a job that would allow me to drop everything and go hunt. Most of the Nosferatins in Cairo work for the vampires. Of course we don't have clubs, but we have tea houses and the like over there. It makes sense to work for the Master of the City. I'm surprised you don't get a job at
Sensations
.”

Well, I'd never really thought about it and it did make sense, but still, working for Michel, was just about as bad as taking a handout from Michel. And right now, that was the last thing I wanted to do.

“Yeah. I guess it makes sense.” I had looked away when I answered, I didn't think it was an obvious movement, but suddenly Amisi was crouched down on the floor on a cushion in front of me.

“What's going on, Luce? Why am I picking up such sadness from you?” She paused and looked at me, her focus wasn't on my face or body, but rather around it.

I had forgotten that Amisi had been trained by Nero, my master Nosferatin trainer and friend, who had also been very good at reading auras. Nosferatins can read the aura or
glow
of other Nosferatins, if they concentrate hard enough. I have a Nosferatin glow and a Bond glow. Both would be looking decidedly sad right now.

“Oh, Luce. What has happened?” Tears sprang to my friend's eyes and trickled down her face. I was surprised at her compassion, her empathy, her tears, this was a little new.

“Why are you crying, Amisi?” Best I try to divert the conversation from things that could make
me
bawl.

She swiped at her eyes with the back of her hand and cleared her throat. “I've, um, recently discovered a new talent. I can not only see other's auras and glows, but if I concentrate hard enough I can receive their emotions too.”

Hell, that was new. Almost like a Nosferatin power, but Amisi is only twenty, she shouldn't get her powers until she is 25, or there about. I came into my powers a little earlier than my 25
th
birthday, but that was unusual.

“Is it a Nosferatin power?” I asked.

She shrugged, a delicate movement of her shoulders. “I'm not sure. I guess so, but it didn't come in a blaze of Light, like others do. I just woke up one day and could do it.”

I thought about that for a while. “Nut does work in strange ways. She must have a reason.”

“That's exactly what I thought,” Amisi answered.

Nut is our goddess. We are all descendants of Nut.
Children of Nut
. She is the Light that shines in us, she is our mother and sometimes she bestows powers on us without giving us the manual first. Hell, all of my powers have come without an easy-step-by-step-guide.

Just then there was a firm rap on the door.

“Oh,” Amisi said in surprise looking at her watch. “Oh. I'm not ready, he'll be angry.” She jumped up and ran into what had to be her bedroom and shouted over her shoulder. “Grab the door, Luce and let him in, would ya?”

Okaay. Amisi flustered. Another new.

I sprang up from the floor and thanked my lucky stars no vamps were around to see the unladylike and clumsy moment. I could already tell who was on the other side of the door though, not that it would have been hard, what with Amisi's flustering and sudden loss of her normal well maintained cool. But I still had a connection to the man on the other side of the door, even though I had successfully removed his
Sigillum
, so the pull I could feel as I swung the door wide felt familiar.

“Master of the City. How nice of you to pay a visit.” I smiled up at the undeniably handsome face of Gregor Morel.

His eyes shone a quick flash of silver, then reverted back to their usual lazy grey. The
Sigillum
surrounding them making me have to fight not to lean forward and touch his cheek, run a finger down his scar on the right side of his face. He didn't half look good tonight. Impeccably dressed in an Armani suit, dark grey with a light grey shirt, high collar, no tie. He towered over me as he casually leaned his muscular bulk against the door frame, crossing his arms over his chest.

“
Sanguis Vitam Cupitor.
What a pleasurable surprise.” His voice sounded delectable, like something you could eat.

I doubted it was a surprise though, he would have known the instant I entered his city limits.

“Would you like to come in? The lounge is over there,” I said, pointing to the cushions. “Oh, that's right, you know your way around, don't you?”

He just growled, a mock angry vampire sound and pulled me unexpectedly into a hug. His strong arms going around my shoulders, his chin resting on my head.

“I have missed you,
ma petite chasseuse,
” he whispered in my hair.

I don't know why, but I suddenly felt like crying. God dammit, but my eyes filled with tears and my nose got all snotty and my throat closed over. Crap.

Gregor pulled back and leaned down to look at me. “Lucinda. What is wrong?”

Oh, and here we go again. Couldn't I just hold on to some semblance of professionalism? Couldn't I put on a brave face and keep a few heartfelt secrets to myself?

The answer was obviously no, because the tears kept coming and I sniffed in an undignified way and Gregor just led me further into the apartment and sat me down on a cushion, sliding onto one himself next to me, with all the grace of a sleek jungle cat.

“
Tell me,
ma cherie
. Why the tears?” His hand held mine and I felt his thumb tracing swirls over my wrist, above my pulse. So calming, so warm, so longed for from Michel. But this wasn't Michel and even if Gregor and I had been more than just close in the past, I didn't want him. I wanted my kindred.

More tears. Shit.

“Oh dear, Lucinda. What has Michel done.” He said the words under his breath, but I heard him.

“How do you know it's about Michel?” I asked between sniffs, still trying to deny the obvious.

“I have yet to see you cry like this over someone else. You are one of the strongest people I know and even when Nero died, your tears were not as heart wrenching as these.” His finger came up and softly brushed my cheek, wiping away only a fraction of the moisture that had appeared there. “Tell me. What has he done?”

I hadn't expected to have to open up my heart to someone. Even with Amisi, I thought she would provide a distraction and I wouldn't have to go where my heart was so raw. But to talk about this with Gregor, I couldn't. I just couldn't.