JAVIER (21 page)

“Imagine my surprise and delight when, so many decades
later I found out that his beloved little princess had turned into a thief. I
just couldn’t resist, I had to make you part of my plan. Oh, an immensely
clever and successful thief but a thief nevertheless. Shame you couldn’t have
put all that talent to better use. Would he have approved do you think? Your
brave and honourable father?”

“Don’t listen to him Cassia. He’s playing mind games
with you.” Harry said sharply then turned to Dion;

“I expect you learned techniques like that from your
father.”

Dion ignored Harry and smiled at Cassia.

“I truly feel your pain Miss Mathrafal.”

Cassia swallowed and wiped her eyes feeling as if her
heart was breaking. She had to stay focused; she had come here to rescue Harry.

“Oh please, you sound like one of those bogus
therapists that they wheel on for daytime TV programmes. It wouldn’t take an
Empath to see I’m upset now would it? Don’t expect finer feelings from me, as
you so rightly pointed out, I’m a thief so let’s just get on with it. You’ve
got me, let Harry go. He serves no purpose. What was all this really about?
What is this big plan of yours?  Slayers and daggers indeed! All that was just
a ruse, something you knew the Warrior’s Council couldn’t ignore.”

Cassia watched as Dion settled into his chair and
signalled to Cyrus for a drink. He was enjoying himself. She could feel the gun
tucked against her skin. Was Dion armed? She had to assume he was. If Cyrus
left the room she might stand a chance.

“I could do with a cup of tea, I’m parched. What about
you Harry? Dion, would you mind? And a biscuit?”

She was sure she had seen some film about a hostage situation
where the main negotiator had said it was important to use the hostage taker’s
name. Harry nodded and grinned, playing along;

“Earl Grey if you’ve got it. No milk, just lemon.”

Cassia smiled;

“Thanks so much. You know, I wonder how you’re going to
rebuild your operation. If you need a new set of ideas, I’m in. Though I’m not
sure how you feel about working with a Vampire. You see, as you so rightly
pointed out Dion, I have no morals. I’m open to offers.”

Cassia stretched sinuously and flicked back her long
black hair. That would do, she thought as Dion’s eyes swept slowly up and down
her body. Her flesh crept.

“Cyrus, get them some tea and see if you can find some
biscuits.” Dion ordered.

Cyrus glared at Dion and seemed about to protest then
compressed his lips and stalked out reluctantly.

Cassia waited a couple of minutes then casually
unzipped her jacket. She was quick but Dion was quicker. As she whipped out the
gun and pointed it at the Empath his gun appeared almost miraculously in his
hand aimed steadily at her head. For a moment they both froze then Dion
laughed;

“Nicely played but did you really imagine I was
fooled? It took teamwork to rescue that young Vamp. From the bikers’
description I would guess Javier of Seville accompanied by someone adept at
picking locks. You, my beautiful thief.  You are wondering whether you can
shoot me before I can shoot you. You would risk yourself for the Human,
wouldn’t you?”

Dion changed aim. Now his gun pointed steadily at
Harry;

“But would you risk his life? I thought not. I have
done my homework Miss Mathrafal and I know your name has been linked to this
Human for decades. Naughty naughty…doesn’t that break one of your laws?”

Javier shifted into the shadows beyond the perimeter
wall of Dion’s Surrey house and scanned his surroundings rapidly. Someone was
definitely at home; was it Dion? If so, why hadn’t he already left the country?
He scented the air. The dogs were not nearby but he had to be careful and move
quickly. Instinctively he knew that Cassia was here; they were bonded, they
were linked to each other through blood itself. He sensed her.

He shut his eyes for a moment to calm himself down. 
All his protective instincts had gone into overdrive. He wanted to storm the
house and kill anyone who was even thinking of laying a finger on her. He had
to stay rational, he had to think like a warrior and remember his training and
experience. Storming in guns blazing usually resulted in innocents being
killed. He had called for back-up. He just had to hold the fort until they got
here.

Shifting across to the house Javier moved stealthily
round the back keeping a sharp eye open for surveillance cameras. Nearing one
of the windows he took a careful look inside and had to suppress a gasp. It was
the room with the lasers and there were four people in it. His eyes homed in on
Cassia sitting almost casually in a chair apparently conversing with Dion
Erebus. Harry Marshal sat in another chair and Javier suddenly realized what
Cassia had seen in the picture Dion had sent; the Rembrandt on the wall behind
him. The fourth person in the room was obviously one of Dion’s heavies; he
stood close to Harry and openly carried a gun. Dion was armed too; Javier could
tell from the line of his jacket. He wondered if Cassia realized it.

He needed to get inside. How had Cassia done it?  He
doubted she’d ring the doorbell and the windows were all securely locked.
Speeding round to the back he tried the heavy kitchen door, also locked and he
had to assume the net was armed. The roof, yes, she seemed to have an intimate
knowledge of the landscape of rooftops. Looking up for a quick reconnoitre
Javier shifted up onto the roof and navigated his way across it quietly till he
spotted a flat terrace with a round window. Examining it more closely he
smiled;

“Well done Cass.” he whispered as he eased his head
and shoulders through the small space then squeezed into the tiny room. Looking
down at the floor his sharp eyes could make out her footsteps in the dust.  He
followed them down a small flight of steps and soon found himself standing on
the landing looking down into the hall he recognized from their previous visit.
Dion’s henchman was making his way across the hall towards the kitchen.

Javier waited, deliberately calming his emotions until
the Empath entered the kitchen then he holstered his gun and shifted straight
after him. The net stopped his kind shifting in or out of the house but not
within it. Time to even the odds. He materialized silently behind the Empath
who stilled instantly as he sensed Javier behind him. It was the last thought
the Empath had as Javier grasped his head and gave it a quick violent jerk to
the side then lowered the body quietly to the ground.

Now for Dion Erebus thought Javier as he crossed the
hall stealthily and unlocked the front door with infinite care leaving it
slightly ajar. He may as well give Gabriel’s team an easy way in. Crossing the
hall gun in hand he opened the door to the room Cassia was in just a crack and
drew in a silent dismayed breath. Dion stood behind Cassia with his gun to her
head as he prised the small gun Javier had taught her to use out of her hand.
She didn’t look afraid, just frustrated and he saw her eyes flick to Harry then
sweep the room rapidly and knew that her clever mind was racing as she tried to
think of a solution.

“You are out of options Cassia Mathrafal. You failed
to bring me Javier of Seville and now I have no further use for you or your
Human.” Dion released the safety catch on his gun.

“I wouldn’t write her off that quickly Dion Erebus.”
said Javier as he pulled the door open and walked calmly into the room. He
heard Cassia’s quiet moan of dismay but refused to look at her, keeping his
focus on the centre of Dion’s forehead where his gun was aimed.

“I could shoot her now. Do you want to risk that?”
asked Dion

“Are you willing to gamble your life on who is more
likely to get a shot off first? You’ll be dead before you pull the trigger.”
said Javier quietly.

Dion gave him a small glacial smile then tossed
Cassia’s gun onto the nearby table. Javier watched as he slowly engaged the
safety on his own weapon and moved his hand to the side. Something about the
Empath’s body language and expression didn’t fit with a man about to surrender.

“Show me both hands; slowly.” Javier rapped out as
every warning signal in his body fired into action;

“What, this hand?” said Dion still smiling and all
Javier could do was watch in horror as the Empath stroked Cassia’s hair with a
small black ornate dagger.

“Move that thing away from her.” Javier whispered as
Cassia went completely rigid.

“What is that?” asked Harry Marshal

“This, Human, is an obsidian dagger. Tell him what it
does Cassia.” said Dion then ran the tip of the dagger round Cassia’s neck.
Javier made up his mind. He laid his gun on the table, raised his hands
slightly and sat down calmly.

“Let them go. You wanted me, you’ve got me.
Personally, I would really like to know what is behind all this Dion. Your man
will not be joining us by the way.”

“No, Javier no!” Cassia cried desperately; “You
shouldn’t be here, you should be safe. How did you get out? I locked everything
down.”

“You’re in love with him. I sense it. The beautiful
thief has fallen in love with the handsome warrior and what about you Javier of
Seville? Are her feelings reciprocated? Oh, I sense that they are, you would
sacrifice yourself for her. Oh do not try to shield your emotions Javier, they
are leaking out of you all over the room. How very touching.”

Javier smiled. He was buying time. A man like Dion
Erebus could not resist talking about his greater plan.

“What can I say Dion, you are completely correct. She
is mine and I am hers. You have my thanks for bringing us together. Why did you
want me by the way? If I am about to die I would like to know the reason. Is
this retribution for that operation a decade ago? I remember your bullet in my
shoulder.”

Dion had picked up his gun and now stood behind
Javier. The obsidian dagger was pressed against Javier’s throat.

“You know Harry Marshal,” he spoke as though he was
exchanging news at a dinner party, “The obsidian daggers were made by our
people over three thousand years ago. They are the ultimate weapon against
Vampires. If I press this hard enough against Javier’s throat and break the
skin he will be vaporized. Quite literally. Shall I do that to your lover
Cassia?”

Cassia shook her head as a cold numbness crept through
her. When she finally spoke she knew she had heard these very words before;
been in this very situation before. This was what she had dreamt;

“Please don’t, please. He’s got a daughter, she needs
him. She’s already lost her mother. You could have me. Use the dagger on me if
you’re so desperate to try it out again. It was you wasn’t it? You killed the
young boy Spike and then you killed your own men because we escaped. Javier,
don’t move!”

Javier was shaking his head as she spoke and she could
see the despair in his eyes and the tip of the dagger digging into his neck. It
was Harry’s calm voice that broke the tension;

“You didn’t answer his question Dion. What was this
all about? Why the whole charade?  What was it you wanted? I confess I am
intrigued. Please, indulge me.”

Javier’s mind raced as he tried to think of a way out.
If Dion Erebus’s hostage had been anyone but Cassia he would have taken the
shot; he would have trusted his own skill with a gun above the Empath’s. His
emotions had got in the way; he hadn’t been able to take the risk, however
small. Once again he’d failed to save the woman he loved. Gabriel would have
just shot Dion in the head the instant he’d seen him. Well, he wished Gabriel
would damn well hurry up and get here. Harry had the right idea; keep Dion
talking. Strange, he would swear that Harry Marshal had moved closer to the
table.

“You cost me my whole operation Javier of Seville;
tens of millions of Euros. Well, I built it all up again. However when I saw
you in Venice in the summer outside that bastard Chronus’s place I got to
thinking that you owed me just as your father owed mine…”

Javier interrupted;

“Sorry, my father? What has my father got to do with
this?”

“Didn’t he tell you? No, I suppose he wouldn’t; it was
a highly secret operation. Even with the uneasy truce back then the Supreme
Commander of the Warrior’s Council of the Vampires co-operating with the new
Empath regime would not have gone down well with your people. Your father,
Alejandro of Seville hunted down my father after he escaped custody and
delivered him back into the hands of the new regime. Delivered him to his
executioners.”

“Except he wasn’t executed.” said Cassia, “He
obviously knew too much. Exile and a new identity…not much of a punishment for
the crimes he committed.”

Dion’s face darkened with fury;

“Exile, obscurity, our fortune confiscated and our
status and power gone. They might as well have killed him. When we came across
that biker gang it was a stroke of good luck. They had no idea about the power
of the weapon they unearthed amongst a dead man’s belongings. We wanted all the
daggers back in Empath hands where they belonged. Manipulating the gang was
child’s play; they bought into the whole slayer thing with enthusiasm and my
little demonstration of the dagger’s power really sealed the deal. I just
needed to capture your attention. There are so many stories about the warriors
on the Council aren’t there Cassia Mathrafal? Your sister is quite the expert.
The one the ladies all love however is the one about Javier of Seville, the
handsome romantic one who lost his lady love tragically and never got over her.
How easy it was to draw you out.”