Kindred (18 page)

Rick came running over from his house and clasped me too, it was one big hug-fest. It's great to be loved. I glanced up over Rick's shoulder and spotted Jerome. He had a strange look on his face, contemplative, but when he noticed me looking at him, he just smiled and waved and went back to chopping some firewood by the shed.

After everyone had calmed down and gone back to whatever they were doing before they heard my car and scampered into hiding, Rick and I sat on the swing seat over by Celeste's. She was out at the moment, but due back soon, he said. He got a wistful look in his face when he mentioned her, I grinned at that.

I always thought that I wouldn't want to share Rick. He's my best friend, we do everything together, but my life has become so complicated lately, that I haven't wanted him to be pulled into the whirlpool that is devouring my world. Seeing him a little removed, in a bliss with Celeste, someone I had a lot of respect for, had me surprisingly relieved. Who would have thought I could be so magnanimous?

We spent the next hour catching up, but my mind was elsewhere and he could tell. My stomach had started churning over what I was about to do and my concentration on the conversation had be waning.

“
Luce? Luce? Are you even listening?” He didn't say it angrily, but more with concern, his eyes crinkled in worry at the edges.

I sighed. “Sorry, Rick, I'm just a bit wound up over everything right now and I really need to talk to, um, Jerome, OK?”

He nodded, his eyebrows furrowed in query. For the first time ever, I didn't want to spill my guts to him. I needed to get this over with Jerome and talking about it with Rick was likely to get me sidetracked to the point of not completing the real reason why I came out here at all. I hugged him and stood up, brushing myself down, my usual calming move before facing a daunting prospect.

It's not that I am afraid of Jerome, not really, he is a little rough around the edges, but he's only ever been a gentleman to me. Welcoming me on Hapū lands, greeting me with respect and open friendship, but what I was about to ask of him was a lot. And a big part of me so did
not
want this to happen, but I saw no alternative. People's lives were on the line. My city was threatened.

Rick watched me walk over to Jerome, who had stopped chopping wood to wipe his brow with the hem of his checked shirt and take a swig of water from a bottle. Even in winter here in Auckland, you can work up a sweat in no time.

Jerome nodded in greeting as I approached and screwed the lid back on his bottle, placing it to the side on a stump of wood he used as a table. He looked at me, as though he was assessing me, but didn't really smile. There was a sadness to his eyes I hadn't seen before. Was everyone as down as me right now?

“
Hi, Jerome,” I said quietly. For some reason my voice and courage seemed to be failing me, he picked up on it and smiled reassuringly.

“
Hey, Luce. Come and have a seat.” He indicated a couple of deck chairs out on their own under a gnarled old Rimu tree.

The chairs creaked as we both sat down and the wind swirled a few of the tree's needles at our feet around in mini tornadoes, then abated.

Neither of us said anything to begin with, content on watching the younger
mokopuna
play fighting in the distance. He could obviously sense my reluctance to start the conversation, so he took the lead, bless him.

“
I knew it wouldn't be long until you came to me. I've felt the change for some time now.”

I looked at him then, unsure of what he was saying, but aware his choice of words mirrored mine. I had been feeling like everything had been changing too.

“
Lucinda. It has been a long time since my kind have had anything to do with yours, but we have not forgotten our
kupu taurangi
, our promise to you.”

“
You said the other night at the
Hangi
, that the Taniwhas would fight along my kind's side, should we ever ask?”

“
We would be proud to serve.”

I wrung my hands together. “What I'm asking is dangerous, Jerome. Some of your people may get hurt,” - I swallowed - “killed even.” My voice barely a whisper, but he heard.

“
We have always known this time would come. We have been lucky, Luce, to have had so long to thrive and grow unhindered, but from a young age, our
mokopuna
are made aware of our pact with your kind. They have been schooled from birth to be ready. You need not worry that we cannot, or will not, heed your call. This is what we have lived for. The chance to return the favour your kind did us so long ago.”

I looked into his dark brown eyes and saw he meant it. Unflinchingly. “How did you know it would be soon.”

He laughed out loud at that. “From the moment Rick brought you to us. If the
Kaitiaki
had returned, then our time was due. Besides, your powers have been growing stronger and stronger, most noticeably so today.”

Huh. Even the Taniwhas had been able to see it. I guess it was all the time I spent here. Jerome didn't miss much, being the Alpha of the Hapū. I had always thought he was a little removed though, polite and welcoming, but never having more than a few words to say to me and never being in my company for long. I guess he'd been watching from the sidelines though. That's definitely a shape shifter thing. They hunker down in the undergrowth and watch.

“
So, when do you need us?” he asked softly.

“
Tomorrow night, in the city. The vampire we fight wants me and he's going to use any method possible to succeed. He has 100 ghouls from Australia and an untold number of vampire. Michel has made an accord with our ghouls and here I am, asking you to honour ours.” I smiled ruefully and Jerome reached out and took my hand. His hands were rough and calloused, not the smooth fine hands of Michel. These were working hands, unafraid of getting dirty, but they were reassuring all the same. “We will be there.”

I wasn't sure where “there” would be, but it was a safe bet it would happen in and around the CBD. I didn't think Maximilian would fly in, Ghouls don't do aeroplanes, it was more likely they would come ashore at the docks or wharves downtown and head up towards K Road. That's the centre of vampire business in Auckland, Vampire Central and that's where Max would expect to find me and Michel.

I looked out across the expanse of lawn and gravel area where my car was parked and noticed Celeste was back, sitting on the swing seat with Rick. My heart ached at the thought that these fine, strong, but caring people, could get hurt because of me. All of this was because of me and it killed me slowly inside to know it.

“
We are strong, Lucinda,” Jerome said, almost reading my mind, as he stood from the chair. “We will be all right.”

Somehow, I wasn't so sure.

I bade everyone farewell then. Jerome wanted to call a Hapū meeting and get everyone prepared. I didn't want to be there when they heard the news, see the looks on their faces as they learnt of what I had asked them to do. Cowardly, I know, but I needed to protect my heart from any more damage than it was already receiving in droves.

I headed back to the city in silence. I couldn't face music, there was too much static in my mind. I was just pushing open the front door of my apartment, after returning the keys to Mrs Cumberland and making her promise to stay indoors tomorrow night, when I felt it.

A vampire had been in my home.

He hadn't tried to hide his signature, on the contrary, the
Sanguis Vitam
reached out and grabbed me, wrapping tendrils of his scent along my arms, neck, body and legs. Power tingled over my skin in a caress, the scent intoxicating, enveloping me in a molten lava of bliss. I took an involuntary step inside.

If I didn't know better, I'd have thought Michel was marking his territory like some determined and possessive dog. His power and scent were everywhere. I glanced towards my bedroom, nothing seemed disturbed but I was guessing the power signature had not left my bed alone. Over on the dining room table was an enormous bouquet of flowers. Bright orange roses, more than a dozen. He knew my favourite colour and from teenage years, I knew what orange roses meant: Desire. The flowers filled the room with a further scent, slightly fruity and deeply floral. The colour sprang around the room, lifting my cream on cream interior and making a glow extend across the lounge.

Michel never did things by half. I sighed and tried to push that distracting scent and sense of power aside, pulling up any shields I could muster to block those feelings evoked out. I stomped over to the table and snatched up the folded note resting in amongst the blooms.

The writing inside was in a flowing and neat style, slightly old world. No one alive today would have this type of penmanship.

If you are not too busy, ma douce,

I would delight in your company tonight.

The note was on
Sensations
letterhead. I guess I was being summoned. I had to admit, reluctantly though, that this beat Shane Smith as a message delivery service any day. Michel was improving.

I'd spent the better part of the day at Whenupai with the Hapū , but there was still another hour or so before sunset, so I freshened up and grabbed a bite to eat. Even with a churning stomach you get hungry sooner or later if left long enough. And I really wasn't sure if I'd make it back home 'til the wee hours tonight, there was going to be a lot of preparation going on, I didn't doubt it.

Once I was all satisfied, I checked my pockets. I grabbed a second stake from the case under my bed, tonight just felt like a second stake kind of night, and headed out the door. Still plenty of time to take a leisurely walk towards
Sensations
and be there in time for vampire start of business day.

It's not that I was overly eager to come running on Michel's command, I was just practical. Delaying it would only frustrate him and although we had come a long way from the good old days, Michel was still not one to be left waiting. I wasn't sure my new status as
my Lucinda
would grant me much protection on that.

Surprisingly, Shane Smith was bouncing on the door when I walked up. No queue at this time of night, people would be freely able to get inside, but Shane is not your bouncer type of physique. He's a little skinny on it and most definitely doesn't have the snarl. So he looked more than a little out of place.

He smiled openly when he saw me walk over.
Oh, Shane, when would you ever grow up and be a big vampire?
I smiled in return though, you just can't help it with this guy, he's so sweet.

“
Good evening, Luce. The Master's waiting inside.” I didn't really need to know that, but Shane was trying to be professional and competent in his new role as doorman.

“
Thanks, Shane, have a great night,” I said as I walked past into the darker lighting of the club. The room was about quarter full, even the vampire groupies don't turn up 'til later, so it was a small crowd of local daytime Saturday business owners checking out Happy Hour at the club.

There was another vamp on the door to the private area out the back. Dillon Malone was of Irish decent and a regular in Michel's group. About 200 years old and reeking power. Other than Shane Smith, Michel's vampires were usually impressive on the scale of vampire power. I'd seen him around but not had much to do with him, he was more of a satellite in the Durand power structure. I was guessing Michel had called all of his vampire
protégé
close right now. There'd be more vamps in the CBD than normal this weekend, all of them out to protect Michel to the end.

He inclined his head and opened the door without a word. I was expected, so it wasn't a surprise. But the wall of foreign
Sanguis Vitam
that greeted me in the hallway to Michel's office was and it was not at all friendly.

I swallowed hard and pushed against the barrier the power had made, it whipped around me, making my hair lift off my shoulders and my short skirt fly up in a sad attempt at imitating Marilyn Monroe. It started nipping at my sides, my arms, my legs and I felt myself hunch over to protect my stomach and chest.

It was unrelenting and continued for a good five minutes before I heard Michel's soft, but firm voice say, “
Che
è
abbastanza, Alessandra. Avete fatto il vostro punto
.”

It didn't stop straight away, but lingered in a caress that left my nerve endings screaming for release, sharp and brutal in its pursuit of a response. When it finally abated I almost stumbled to the floor.
What the fuck?

I took a few deep breaths in and straightened up, brushing my skirt back down and trying to flatten my now tangled and birds-nest of a hairdo. Great, I looked like I'd just rolled in a haystack on the farm. And not in a good way.

All right, so I was warned. Whoever, or whatever, was in the office with Michel wasn't playing nice. But there was also more than one power signature there, so my heartbeat did rise just a little at the thought of facing more than one of that powerful and unforgiving force. I braced myself and put on my best vampire hunter smirk as I walked through the door.