Kindred (31 page)

Part of my mind was yelling at me that I was in trouble, the other part was calmly saying,
but this is Bruno, he won't hurt you
. Right then, as I watched him glance around my tiny apartment, making it feel even smaller than it normally was with the huge bulk of him, I wasn't sure which part was right.

“
Nice place you got here, Luce? You decorate it?”

The breath I was holding went out and the cloud his influence had had on me lifted. The last suggestion still so deeply buried in my mind I didn't even register it. The thought of rescinding his invitation no longer existing as an option in my mind. I felt normal and this was Bruno, come to pay a visit. How nice.

“
It's a rental. You get what you pay for.”

“
Hmm,” he simply replied and went to sit on the three seater couch, taking up most of it. “Got any DVD's?” He had started flicking through the magazines and usual crap adorning my coffee table, searching for the remote control to the TV. Once he found it, he switched it on and started channel surfing.

“
You're just gonna watch TV?” I asked incredulously. “When Michel has gone to face Max?”

He shrugged. “Enrique, Jock and Alessandra are with him. He'll be all right.” And when I raised my eyebrows at him, he went on. “They're going for stealth. Small party, hit him when he doesn't expect it, at the joining, take him out.”

“
You really think it will be that easy? You're mad. Max will be unstoppable when he joins.”

“
He won't join. They'll get him before that.” Then he chucked the remote down and said, “Crap. Nothing on the box. How about a game of poker?”

I was starting to get angry now, the fear of Michel being away from me quickly replaced with a white hot rage. How could Bruno sit here so calmly when Michel could be heading to his death? Did he not care at all?

“
I gotta get some fresh air,” I said and headed for the door.

For a big guy Bruno can sure move. Of course if he wasn't a vampire, I don't think he would possess that sort of agility, his body is made for brute strength not speed. But because he is a vampire, he appeared in front of me in a split second and pushed me back towards the room.

“
Don't even think about it, Luce.”

I just glared at him and felt my fists shake at my sides. He sighed. “Don't make this harder than it needs to be. Michel doesn't want you going anywhere, so you'll be staying right here with me.”

“
I'm a prisoner then?”

“
Nah, just think of it as temporarily detained.” He went and sat back down on the couch.

Now, I know it was stupid, but I just couldn't help myself, I wanted out of there, so I had to try. I took a running leap for the door again, only this time Bruno's push when he appeared in front of me was a lot firmer and I went flying back towards the dining area and landed in a thump against the table and chairs.

“
Ouch! That hurt, you brute!”

“
You asked for it, Luce. I'm trying to be reasonable here, but if you insist on fighting me, I will fight. I could do this all night and not even break out in a sweat and you know it.”

I actually pouted at that, it was just so unfair. “I could stake you.”

“
And I could just influence you again to not. You really want me in your mind, Luce?”

Arghh! This sucked and was so not right. “What am I supposed to do, Bruno, when I know he is about to face Max and may get hurt? What am I supposed to do?” I noticed the pitch in my voice going higher and higher as I said that, the panic returning slightly, crushing my chest and making it harder to breathe.

Bruno actually looked a little sad for me then. “I'm sorry, Luce, I've been given orders, there's nothing I can do.”

“
You could break them, you're strong enough. You're worried about him too, aren't you? You could let me go to him in my sleep.”

He ran a hand over his face, a movement that took me so much by surprise I actually blinked back in shock. Bruno never came across as emotionally in turmoil. “It was a command, Luce.” And then at the blank look on my face. “I could not ignore Michel's command if my life depended on it. He is too strong for me now.”

And that was that. I knew then that I was trapped, that Bruno would fight to the death to contain me, to keep me awake and unable to enter the dream-state that would allow me to go to Michel. There was nothing I could do, but sit here like some sixteenth century wife and wait for the noble knight to return, or not, from the battle. Of course, if he didn't return, I guess I'd soon know about it, wouldn't I? Or at least Bruno would, as I crumpled to the ground dead.

I stayed on the floor not saying a thing, just wringing my hands frantically in my lap. If you've ever found yourself in a situation you so desperately wanted out of, but were unable to achieve, you'd know what my state of mind was. Panic, fear, anger, desperation, hysteria - you name it, I had it.

After about half an hour of sitting there and feeling my backside get numb and my legs begin to tingle underneath me, I decided it was time to just join Bruno on the couch. He'd been skimming through a
House & Garden
magazine, throwing glances in my direction every now and then. I damn well knew he wasn't getting any landscaping tips, he was trying to appear relaxed and at ease. Obviously my silence and frantic hand wringing had not gone unnoticed.

I slowly stood up and stretched my back, loosening all the knots that had festered there. I took a step towards him when I was hit by the most tremendous wave of pain, interlaced with adrenaline and a grim determination. I doubled over and fell to the floor.

Bruno tensed, but didn't immediately get up to aid me. He was obviously thinking I was trying something on, but when I grunted and proceeded to dry retch, trying to heave up the non-existent contents of my stomach, he was at my side immediately.

“
What is it? What's wrong?”

I heaved again, and again nothing came up. I stayed with my arms about my waist, leaning forward, waiting for the nausea to pass for a moment and then when it finally did sat back and looked at him, registering from the look of his widened eyes, just what he must be seeing on my face. Fear.

“
It's Michel. He's in trouble.”

“
But, but he's so strong now. This should be a walk in the park for him.”

I swallowed back bile. “Max is already joined. He must have done it as soon as the sun set, or even last night, but he's powerful. Oh God, Bruno, he's so powerful.” I started shaking and a small sob escaped before I could stop it. Bruno looked tormented, unsure what to do.

“
I have to go to him, Bruno. You have to let me sleep.”

He just kept shaking his head back and forth, back and forth. “No. No. No. I...I can't let you, Luce. I just can't.” Still shaking his head in protest.

“
Arghh! This isn't funny, Bruno, he's being hurt, I can feel it. Everything. His astonishment, his disbelief, rage, fear. It's all here inside me too, I can't stand it, Bruno! I can't breathe.”

Bruno just kept shaking his head, like one of those clowns at the Easter Show, you know the ones with their mouths open, waiting for a ping-pong ball to be thrown in, rolling their heads from side to side. Although, I didn't have a ping-pong ball and there was no big fluffy Easter bunny waiting for me to win.

“
He'll be all right. He has Alessandra, Enrique and Jock with him. Three first level masters. He'll be all right.”

“
Jock's dead.”

I saw it then. The realisation hit him that this had been a mistake. That his world was about to be upended and whatever it was that had kept him at Michel's side for so long; loyalty, love, affection, whatever it was, was tormenting him now. His master was in trouble and he couldn't help.

“
I'll try, Luce. I'll try to let you sleep.”

I breathed a sigh of relief and went to the bedroom to lie down on the bed. Centring myself again, blocking out the fever pitch of emotions coming from Michel and homing in on the beat of my heart. I felt myself start to drift towards that nothingness. That complete and utter blankness. I could feel it up ahead, getting closer, just within my reach.
A little further, just a little further. Almost there.

And then I was being shaken awake by a big brute of a vampire with the most anguished and conflicted look on his face. “Can't let you sleep. Can't let you sleep. Can't. Let .You .Sleep.”

I was so angry. I had been so close, almost there and now I was awake and feeling everything that Michel was feeling all over again. So far away from him and so close at the same time.

I reached out and grabbed Bruno by his stupid thick shoulders and stared him in the eyes. He met mine and didn't look away.

“
You are going to let me sleep, Bruno and you will NOT interfere!”

He just nodded. “OK.”

What the? He was getting up and walking out to the couch, sitting himself down and looking into space like a lobotomised bodyguard on sentry duty.

Bloody hell, I'd just glazed a vampire.

You see, here's the thing. A vampire can glaze a human. Duh. But he can't glaze another vampire. He can command a ghoul, no need for glazing, but he can't glaze another vampire. Oh, and did I mention, vampires don't get glazed. Ever.

Until now.
I can glaze a vampire.
Wow, this was big, but I didn't have time to celebrate. Michel although much more stable now, was battling hard, I could feel the effort required, the concentration it demanded. His heart rate was up at an alarming speed and his breathing was rapid, too rapid. I could sense all of this as if I was standing right in front of him. He wasn't hurting any more, thank God, but he was working hard and I could also tell he was worried
about Alessandra and Enrique, who were battling other vampires, trying to cover his back.

This sensing him was wicked, so vivid, technicolour in its imagery. I might as well have been sitting on his shoulder, I could see it all. But I knew I could do better than that. I could help him too.

I lay back down on the bed and centred myself, falling into that nothingness with such ease. I was suddenly standing on a street, the sun had not long set, I could tell it was still early evening. Sydney's a couple of hours behind us, but still, Michel must have tried to approach Max at twilight, maybe to get the jump on him. It hadn't worked.

I couldn't hear any signs of battle, but I pulled my stake out of my jacket pocket anyway. Always be prepared. I glanced around to get my bearings. I was in The Rocks. A part of Sydney near the Harbour Bridge. Tall terraced brick buildings stood like sentinels on either side of me. The typical red Aussie brick. The gables at the top of each building were arched, with a circle carved out in the middle of each one, some five stories up. There were surprisingly no humans around, but it was early and the whole area had a sense of foreboding to it. Maybe the vamps had bespelled the place to repel Norms. How considerate.

What do I do? I pushed my senses out to find Michel, but only got that void I do when I'm sleep walking, or whatever the hell this is, but I could sense Max, Alessandra and Enrique, plus about twenty other vamps nearby. I started heading in that direction. It was near the end of this first row of terraces, down a dark alleyway, how appropriate. I paused at the entrance to the alley and then slowly slid into the shadows and crept down. After a while I realised I didn't need to hide like a cat burglar, no one could sense me here, so I started jogging down the centre.

It came out into a courtyard with arches all around and covered walkways beneath. All brick of course, The Rocks is known for its old brick buildings. That and pubs and parties.

I could see Alessandra and Enrique battling all the vamps. So fast, so swift, working as a demonic tag team. One would go forward and make a strike, then fall back just as the other took point. It was fast and furious, but coordinated and controlled. They had established a rhythm and it was almost beautiful to watch, but my eyes had already left them and were fixated on the battle in the distance.

If I had been bowled over by the energy on display in the basement of
Sensations
or at that warehouse in Parnell, then I was dumbstruck and in utter awe of what I saw now. Not just a large coloured ball of energy swirling and sparking and zapping in the air, but now tornadoes of colour spinning and striking and bouncing all over the place. Somewhere in amongst all that power and energy and mass of untold electricity were two vampires. Hadn't they fried themselves yet?

Bricks were raining down on them and then being thrust out at such a force they exploded against whatever they hit. The odd vampire taking the brunt of that force when getting too close. The roof had collapsed in one section, just off to the side and Max and Michel were simply dancing and spinning over the top of the rubble, creating gusts of mortar dust and brick splinters. The noise was deafening, cracking lightning and booming thunder, with a high pitched frequency that pierced the ears and threatened to burst the eardrums.