Kiss of the Dragon (12 page)

"You're concerned for my wellbeing now, lass? That is something new."

"We are friends of sorts, Sebastian. Of course I care," I lied with surprising ease.

His deep chuckle was all I could hear down the line for a few moments. Then softly, almost a whisper, "I wish it were so."

It had been so softly spoken, I could have been mistaken. I decided, for the time being and the sake of getting this over and done with, that I would ignore what I thought I had heard.

"I am in need of your assistance," I announced, in what I hoped was a good imitation of what the Champion's kindred Nosferatin should say. I'd been Michel's kindred Nosferatin before, of course, but that was when he was just a Master of a City. Now he was the head honcho, the big wig, the boss. It carried a little more weight.

And I could feel it.

"I live to serve, my Champion's Nosferatin," Sebastian replied with equal pomp. I managed to stop the sigh that threatened to escape. I hated politics with a vengeance.

"Good. When can you get here?" I asked instead of caving and showing how inept at this I still was. You'd think I would have picked up a few tips, what with dealings in
Álfheimr
and such.

"If you care to look out the front window, you'll see I have already arrived."

A chill washed down my spine and I stiffened. The vampires picked up on the change of atmosphere immediately, all going on high alert. My eyes automatically sought the front bay-window of the house, but from my seated position I couldn't see anything, other than the house's second story windows across the street. I flicked my gaze to Matthias and nodded to the window. I wasn't going to jump up at Sebastian's command.

Matthias sauntered over to the glass, on the same page as me thankfully. No fast movements, everyone at ease. The fact that the dragon-shifter could probably feel the increase of
Sanguis Vitam
on the air was irrelevant. We needed to show, at least, that we were at ease.

"Two shifters on the footpath outside our gate, Mistress," Matthias announced calmly, and within seconds both Marcus and Nataliya appeared in the room. The fast and cohesive reaction of my security team always made me breathe a little easier. They were good at what they did, I'd give them that.

"Best you show them in, then," I said, slipping my cell phone away and checking my silver dagger was in place. My Svante sword was upstairs with my luggage, but I still wore two silver stakes and the dagger. Even in my own home I was usually armed.

Marcus went to the front door, while Matthias continued to watch from the window. Natalyia came and stood behind my chair, at my back. And Sergei took up a position across the room, so the shifters would be surrounded once they entered.

I wondered, not for the first time, just whose side Sebastian Cole was on. Yes, he worked for Michel, or at least the Champion of the
Iunctio
. But I couldn't help thinking he played a dangerous game of double sides. His appearance here could be easily put down to his link to the Champion, but my gut was telling me something else. Nero had always warned me to trust my gut instinct. And right now they were telling me Sebastian was up to no good.

But just what that would be I didn't know.

I stood, not wanting to be at a disadvantage when he walked in the room, and waited for Marcus to usher the dragon-shifter in. I didn't bother to tell my vampire guards to rein their
Sanguis Vitam
in, I felt a show of power was as good a greeting as anything. In fact, I let a little of my own Light out to bolster theirs. Sebastian would have picked up we weren't happy already, I didn't need to pretend things were all hunky-dory right now. I'd rather he saw the obvious, then maybe he'd behave.

He was the first to enter the room, his shifter mate at his back, with Marcus offering guard behind him. Tall, sandy haired, with electric blue eyes, he hadn't changed an iota since I last saw him. Which was when he last saved my life. A small kernel of doubt seeped into my mind. It wasn't the first time Sebastian had come to my aid. That last event had been a true lifesaver in all its guises. I'd been injured and under attack from Viktor Davydov, and Sebastian had gotten me out.

Only to end up delivering me back into Viktor's hands.

I pushed the doubt away and stared impassively at the leader of the local shifter pack.

"You look well, Sebastian," I said evenly.

"As do you, Lucinda," he replied. His voice just as level as mine. The battle lines had been drawn.

"Please, have a seat." I indicated the sofa across from me. The one Marcus would stand behind and Sergei would stand to the side of. Matthias was shifting to offer a buffer opposite my vampire. We were herding Sebastian and his comrade in. I could tell it went against everything in him to comply.

"This is my Second, Leonard." Sebastian indicated the large man on his right as he took a seat. I noticed Leonard did not sit with his boss, but kept a wary eye on my vampires, hovering within protection distance of Sebastian on the couch. His colour was the polar opposite of Sebastian's. Dark hair and complexion, green eyes that already looked too feral in his human body. That usually meant the shifter spent too long in his alternate form. Leo was clearly all dragon. Not much of the man was left behind.

I nodded, but didn't take my eyes off Sebastian. My assessment was made with peripheral vision only. I'd slipped into my Nosferatin hunting skills without even realising I'd done so.

Just why did I feel so threatened by this man?

I sat and made a show of looking relaxed, crossed my legs at the knee, carefully rested my open palms on the armchair's rests. It was an act I was sure he could see through.

I decided to cut to chase.

"What can you tell me about the rumours of an army being amassed here in London?" No doubt Michel's men had already had the
Nathair-Sgiathach
questioned about this, but I had a feeling that Sebastian would act differently around me than he would with vampire interrogators. I'm not sure why, but he always seemed to be in the mind to play games, where I was concerned. There was nothing playful about vampire inquisitors.

His deep chuckle in response told me I was right. Sebastian liked to toy with me for some reason, and I was betting I was about to feature in whatever sport he was playing tonight.

"An interesting question, lass. And one that is in need of a reply. But right now I would think you have more immediate issues to contend with than the possibility of a few vampires coming against the might of the
Iunctio
."

OK, I'll bite. "Such as?"

His rumbling laughter was beginning to grate on my nerves. And if the stiffening of spines around the room was anything to go by, it was grating on my vampires' nerves as well.

"Such as," he began, almost casually, "the imprisonment and impending deaths of the entire London Nosferatin community."

Silence met his statement. I couldn't even form a thought, let alone utter a sound. But that didn't mean I couldn't use my Light. In fact, my Light was bursting out of my body and wrapped around his throat before I even realised what had happened.

Marcus and Sergei had Sebastian's Second in vice-like grips several feet away. Natalyia had come to her feet as soon as I had - and I hadn't even realised that I had - and Matthias was already
on his cellphone trying to verify Sebastian’s words.

But I didn't need verification. The fact that I hadn't heard back from any of the messages I'd left my former colleagues was enough. And let's face it, just because we didn't get on, did not mean Arthur would never have my back. He always would, no matter what differences existed between us. He'd always return my calls.

Unless he couldn't.

"I think you have some explaining to do, shifter," I said in a voice that didn't sound at all like me.

Sebastian’s electric blue eyes met mine, and for a moment we held each other's gaze, neither willing to back down.

And then he simply shook off my Light-filled grasp of his throat and transformed into a fourteen foot high, green-scaled, fire-breathing monster.

Hello, dragon.

The dragon snorted. Fire sparked out of its nose. Matthias frantically stomped on a cinder, extinguishing it before it could ignite the carpet.
Sanguis Vitam
pinged around the room, electrifying the air, entwining with the magic that makes a shifter, and my own Light. I felt the little hairs on my arms lift off my skin. I was sure the hair on my head was doing the same thing. Any sudden movements and we'd set off a spark and the whole place would go up in flames.

No one spoke, I don't even think we breathed. Easy for the vampires, but the shifters and I needed oxygen, although none of us wanted to inhale the charged air right now. I craned my neck up to look the dragon in the eye. So similar to Michel's dragon-within, but also so different. Whereas Michel's dragon had magenta eyes that seemed to look right into my heart and soul, Sebastian's dragon had vibrant blue eyes; ice-filled, Arctic - freezing me to the spot.

Ma douce?
Michel's concerned voice in my head broke the frost I'd been stuck in, and I sucked in a much needed gulp of air. It tasted slighted burnt, a hint of ozone on my tongue.

I'm fine,
I sent back, never taking my eyes of Sebastian's dragon.
Just a little breakdown in multicultural relations,
I added for good measure.

I could feel Michel's tension inside me, as though it was my own. Maybe it was, I couldn't be sure. Sometimes it was difficult to tell where he stopped and I began. Right now we were both on edge, slightly alarmed and ready to fight.

Take care, ma belle
, Michel whispered softly in my mind. And then he was gone, trusting me to deal with the problem, but no doubt still keeping an eye on things from afar. Even if he'd pulled back from my mind, he could quite possibly be in either Marcus's or Matthias's heads.

"So," I said, breaking the strained silence in the room. The word sounded distorted slightly, as though I was speaking through a broken telephone line.

The dragon cocked its head, its eyes still holding mine. The odd spark coming out on a snort. I watched one float down slowly towards the carpet, but it faded away to nothing before it reached the floor.

"Would you mind changing back?" I asked, purposely toning my Light down. Keeping it close and ready, but not as obvious on the air. I flicked a glance at Sergei who nodded, having felt my Light withdraw. As soon as he began pulling his
Sanguis Vitam
back in, the other vampires followed. No doubt all on full alert still, but making an effort to calm the situation down.

The dragon waited until we were all contained, then after one more indignant snort, he began to change back to Sebastian's human form. I never could get used to shifter magic. I'd been up close and personal when the Taniwhas changed back in New Zealand, and every time I'd felt washed in supernatural tingles. Sebastian's change was no different, although perhaps due to his size - so much larger than a Taniwha and they had been large enough - the tingles lasted longer.

I rubbed both my arms as Sebastian's form finally took shape.

"That was very rude, lass," he said, his voice lower and a little gruffer than before.

"I'm tired of your games, Sebastian," I answered levelly.

His electric blue eyes held mine for a moment and then flicked away as though he was embarrassed. I hadn't expected the
Ceannard
of the local shifter pack to ever be embarrassed, but there you go.

"Now," I said, taking a seat again and giving the appearance of relaxed ease, "care to explain your rather inflammatory statement?"

"Inflammatory," Sebastian semi-repeated as he took his own seat opposite me. His gaze running over Marcus and Sergei, who had released his Second, but were sandwiching him in between their muscular chests in a blatant reminder to behave or else. "I'd hardly call it inflammatory, lass. More a shocking truth."

I didn't reply, just stared at him impassively. He waited me out for a few seconds, but when it was clear I wasn't going to play the game he wanted to play, he crossed his legs, leaned back in his
seat and chuckled. I had to work on the impassivity for a moment. This man just rubbed me up the wrong way.

"The new Master of the City is tidying up the streets," Sebastian finally offered.

"By imprisoning the Nosferatins?" I asked, incredulously. "How's that going to keep the streets clean of Dark vampires?"

"Oh, you misunderstand. He's not trying to rid the city of Dark. He's trying to rid it of opposition to him."

That did sound plausible. Amun Nadeem had a tendency to want only sycophants around him, anyone who challenged him was immediately placed in the "enemy" box. Which begged the question, how Dark had Amun become if he felt the need to cull all Nosferatins from London's streets?

He'd been pretty Dark when I'd first met him, but I was sure that had to do with the fact he was tied up with Viktor Davydov. Viktor was bad news, even if I couldn't sense the Russian vamp's Dark, I knew he was full of it. He was an enigma, and he had been Amun's puppet master for a time. Not necessarily his
Master
, in the sense that vampires have sires or a head of a line, but he had controlled the Egyptian vampire, demanded his compliance. Still, I had thought Amun had broken free. Clearly not.

This was concerning and left a bad taste in my mouth. If Amun was still tied up with Viktor, and Viktor was behind the army being amassed to take on the
Iunctio
, London was further in the crap than I had originally thought. Without the Nosferatins to balance things out, the city would indeed be getting Dark.

"How long has he had them?" I asked. The longer they'd been off the streets, the more Dark London would have become.

"About a week. They are scheduled for public execution the day after tomorrow. Your timing couldn't be better," Sebastian said casually, as though me being here would be enough to put a stop to the mess unfolding.

Well, he wasn't far from the truth. I certainly wasn't going to sit around and do nothing. I knew where Amun would be holding the Nosferatins. I'd spent a very small amount of time in the Master of the City's cells myself. I just needed to get in to see him, then break down the doors and free my comrades.

Easy-peasey.

Yeah, right.

I started tapping my fingers on the armrest of my chair, while I thought things through. I could call on the shifters' allegiance to the Champion. I could get Michel to send more vamps across the Channel to back us up. The more the merrier as far as Amun's fortified club went. I only wished I hadn't already formally announced my arrival by phoning Amun's secretary. He would have known I was in town, but not had it confirmed. Now he could quite as easily come straight here and attempt to imprison me. I had better security than Arthur and his group of hunters had, even if they'd all been with their kindreds. As far as I knew none of their kindreds were warriors. Marie's was an antiques dealer, Arthur's was a socialite, and Trevor's was a restaurateur. So, chances were they'd been taken with only their own wits to call on. Not exactly like taking candy from a baby, but if Amun's men had come prepared, they'd have had the upper hand.

Still, could I sit around and wait for reinforcements, knowing Amun would send a large contingency of his vamps to get me at any moment? No. Time was not on my side. I couldn't stage a surprise attack - well, not entirely. But I could force his hand, do things on my time-frame. Meet the challenge head on.

"OK," I said, straightening up in my armchair. "How many shifters can you spare right now?"

Sebastian’s face slowly lifted in a smile, it was a little evil, but right now I'd take evil looking shifter over no shifter any day.

"There are three of my
teaghlach
in London tonight."

Three. Not a great deal, but a dragon is impressive. Hell, I'd just had front row seats to Sebastian's dragon tonight. I'd been impressed.

"Good. I'll talk to Michel and see if there are any other vampires within the city limits who would be able to assist. We go in one hour. Meet us in Trafalgar Square then."

Sebastian nodded as he rose fluidly from his seat.

"Very well, lass," he said softly. His voice no longer as gruff as it had been upon changing back from his dragon's form. "I am so glad you have returned," he added. "It was getting a little boring without you in the city."

"Very funny, Sebastian. I live to entertain."

"Oh that you do, Nosferatin," he said quietly as he walked from the room. Almost too quietly to be sure I'd heard correctly at all.

I watched Sergei, Marcus and Matthias follow the shifters out of the room, then pulled my cellphone from my pocket. At the sound of the front door closing, Sophie slipped back in the parlour. My eyes flicked up to hers.

"Where have you been hiding?" I asked as I located Michel's number on the device.

"I thought it best not to announce my presence," she explained. "If the shifter cannot be trusted, then I'm an ace up the sleeve."

I smiled slowly at the young Nosferatin. I was really beginning to like this girl.

Michel answered on the first ring.

"
Ma douce
. What have you got for me?"

I sighed contentedly at hearing his velvet tone. He chuckled softly at the other end of the line, but unlike Sebastian's chuckle, this one did delicious things to my body, sending waves of delight across my skin.

"I can feel your emotions even from here,
ma belle
," he whispered, as though he didn't want anyone else to hear. And maybe they could, vampires were capable of listening in on phone conversations with ease.

Michel had lost the ability to feel my emotions when our joining had been broken by Lutin. Upon rejoining, much like my joined talents, his all came back and then some. Thankfully he was adept at blocking my emotions most of the time, just like my thoughts. They could become too overwhelming if not kept in check. Only when he wanted to, did he let himself sense my feelings and hear my thoughts.

He obviously wanted to right now. I smiled to myself, but attempted to get the conversation back on track. We only had an hour to gather forces and meet Sebastian outside Amun's club: the Vibe.

I explained the situation as succinctly as I could, then asked if he had any vampires nearby who could assist in a snatch and grab.

He was quiet for a moment, contemplating my request or communicating with his vampires, I'm not sure. Finally he spoke.

"None of my vampires are within close enough distance, although I have called a few in from out of town. They won't be there in time, but should things deteriorate they will be at the city's outskirts by dawn. You would only have to wait until tomorrow night, for their assistance."

Not perfect, but knowing there was backup within twenty-four hours was something of a reassurance. Not that I intended to need them. I had every intention of getting the job done and getting the Nosferatins out of there tonight.

"However," Michel went on, "The Ambrosia is in London this night."

Wow. An
Iunctio
Council member on our side would be a boon. I wondered what would bring him to London right now. For starters, something was going on in London and it would be unsafe for the
Iunctio
Councillors to be traipsing the streets. Although, the Ambrosia, as the oldest vampire alive today, would be hard to put down. Still, it was a risk.

"He has not divulged why he has chosen to be in London," Michel added. "But he arrived earlier this evening. Give me five minutes to get in touch with him and see if he would be agreeable to aid you in your rescue mission."

"That's great news," I said with feeling. Already starting to believe this would be a walk in the park.

"Be warned,
ma douce
. The Ambrosia, like most
Iunctio
Council members, tends to not interfere in Nosferatin issues."

"But this involves a Master of a City," I argued. "How is that not an
Iunctio
concern?"

"I don't disagree, Lucinda." Crap, he was using my full name. Never a good sign. "But it has always been the
Iunctio's
way to distance themselves from any situation that involves the Nosferatin."

"That's ridiculous!" I all but shouted down the line, really getting into the discussion now. "The
Iunctio
is for
both
the Nosferatu and Nosferatin. How can they stand idly by and let the entire London Nosferatin community go to their deaths?"

Michel sighed audibly. "I am not in disagreement with you, Lucinda. But the
Iunctio
has been Dark for some time now."

"And," I interrupted, finding my mojo now, "when the Nosferatins are killed, the
Iunctio
will lose their joining power, not to mention the vampires joined to the hunters as well. How can they ignore that?" I demanded.

"They can't," he surprised me by saying, but then ruined it by adding, "but they still wouldn't do a thing until after the event."