Blood Life Seeker (13 page)

I took a breath in to settle my nerves. Whatever way I looked at this, I was going on a hunt to kill something, something that really didn't deserve to die. Yeah, Gregor had wronged me, but that doesn't mean I have the right to kill him, just because I'm pissed off. There are rules to be obeyed when you're a vampire hunter and I was pushing them to the absolute limit. Not that I thought for a moment that the
Iunctio
would accept his death easily. I knew I was opening up a can of worms and I knew Michel knew it too. Yet, he backed me completely, unfailingly. This could mean war on a massive scale for us, yet he wasn't tempering my mood or desire for revenge one little bit. That thought alone really did scare me a little right then.

“All right. Let's do this.” I wasn't sure what Michel was meant to do. Try to sleep, try to think of a black nothingness like I do? I settled on, “Just relax and close your eyes, hopefully I'll do the rest.”

“Hopefully?” came his sardonic reply.

“Yeah, well, I haven't exactly taken someone along on a Dream Walk before, but Nero said you should just appear in it if you are nearby and the Dream Walk thinks it's necessary for my protection. So, let's see.” I shrugged as I said the last. What else was there to say really, this would either work or it wouldn't. I didn't want to dwell too long on the negative. So I concentrated on my heartbeat, letting myself fall towards the black nothingness that called to the Nosferatin within me and allowing me to
seek
out Gregor and Dream Walk to him.

I became aware of noise around me at first. Music, softly playing. Bellini perhaps? My Dad had an extensive opera collection back on the farm, I vaguely recognised the
Bel-Canto
. The room came into focus around me, just as I had expected. Gregor's chamber in Rome, where I had visited before. I turned around slowly getting my bearings and released two things at once.

One, Gregor was not here.

And two, neither was Michel.

Damn. The Dream Walk couldn't have thought it necessary to bring Michel along for the ride. Or he needed to be asleep, fully relaxed in order to do so. We'd have to practice that one, but now what?

I settled back into that nothingness again briefly and
sought
them both out. Michel was back at
Sensations,
agitated. No wonder. And Gregor was down the hall in a room with several vampires. Shit, shit, shit, shit. Now what? I could just abort the mission, as it were, allow myself to simply drift back to Michel. That would be the sane thing, the safe thing to do. Or....or I could wait to ambush Gregor here or on the way back here.

I glanced at the windows to his chamber. The curtains had been pulled back and wooden shutters were open on either side. His chamber wasn't underground like Michel's, but with the shutters in place it would be light-tight during the day. Now there was an expanse of glass illuminated by the street lights outside which clearly showed a dark and clear Italian night.

Shit again.

OK. So, it's night time, that would mean he probably wouldn't come back to his chamber. That would mean, if I was to do anything, it would have to involve me going after him and avoiding all other vampires. My spidey sense told me there were quite a few in the area, but not all of them were with Gregor now. Just three.

Would they stay or go? I started pacing, trying to think things through. This was not good. I should just return to Michel and try again at another time, but - and I know I shouldn't be thinking of a but - Gregor wouldn't be expecting me now. He wouldn't think I had it in me to come after him at all, let alone in his night. A second Dream Walk in quick succession. This would be the element of surprise I was going for. All I had to do was wait until he was alone.

I sat down tentatively on the end of his bed and allowed my mind and senses to wander. Most of the vampires were heading out into the dark, hungry, seeking their dinners. There wasn't too much evil floating off them, they had intent to feed, but only in so much as it would allow them to sate their thirst. These guys weren't breaking any rules. I moved away from them and back to those still inside the building.

Gregor was down to just one vampire with him in the room down the hall. I couldn't tell what they were doing, I can't sense quite that level of accuracy. There was no evil, that's about all my powers of
seeking
will allow me to judge. They could have been dancing a Tango for all I knew. So, do I make a move now or not?

If I wait, Gregor may go out into the night as well, then I really would be hunting, but hunting in unfamiliar territory. Never a good thing. If I head in the general direction of the room he was in, I could be ready if the chance arose. If not, then simply Dream Walk back to Michel and try again another day.

Part of me did not want to waste this opportunity. I was going to be out for three days after this second Dream Walk. I had to make this count.

Right, I knew what I wanted to do. I hadn't come this far to turn around at the first hurdle. I grabbed a stake out of my pocket and headed out the door.

The corridor was empty as suspected and I made my way Dream Walk quietly towards the room where I could still feel Gregor within. The door was slightly ajar, a bonus, but I couldn't see enough inside to get a visual on where Gregor was, or where the mystery companion vampire was either. I'd have to bide my time, but at least I could listen to their conversation.

It was in Italian, surprisingly. Somehow I had forgotten that Gregor was based here, not in Paris with the
Iunctio
and as such he would speak Italian on a regular basis with his vampires. I'm not so good with Italian. I understand a smattering of French, a hint of Maori and a little of German. Italian, not so much.

What I do understand, or more appropriately recognise, is a particular phrase. An endearment I had heard once before in Michel's office at
Sensations
. An endearment I
really
did not like. So, you can understand my reaction was justified, if a little unfortunate, when I firstly recognised the voice and secondly recognised the phrase.

Alessandra's dulcet tones drifted out of the room Gregor was in as she said, “
É sempre un piacere,
mio caro
”
.

And I gasped out loud.

The door swung open immediately and there she stood in all her slutty grandeur. She had poured herself into yet another slinky short-short dress, barely covering her arse and not nearly covering her décolletage. It was red. Blood red. Her favourite colour and matched her lipstick and nails to perfection. Oh, and her three inch high stiletto heels.

I took her all in, every inch of her tall-tall frame, you can't not be mesmerised by Alessandra. Her blonde curls hung down to her waist, covering more of her body from behind than her outfit did. Her face was made up to exquisite perfection making her pale blue eyes stand out and her high cheek bones cut a fine line across her face. Her mouth was set in an accomplished pout. I'd no doubt she practised it in front of the mirror.

All of this had taken me a mere second to comprehend, a mere second too long. Her slender, but very strong, hand came out and clasped around my throat and she dragged me back into the room.

Mother fucker! What is it with these vamps being able to find my throat so unerringly whilst I'm Dream Walking and supposedly invisible! It's just not fair.

The door slammed shut behind me, but I couldn't turn to see if it had happened on its own or if there was someone else there. I couldn't concentrate enough to use my senses, Alessandra's hold was too firm, painfully so.

Alessandra. What on earth was she doing here? She had an accord with Michel, an agreement that was binding, it could not be broken. Their accord was to come to the aid of each other when asked and also because Michel is so much more powerful than her, she has pledged her undying allegiance to the Durand line. Hell, she even pledged her undying allegiance to his kindred Nosferatin. That would be me. But, I'm sure it grated on her nerves to do so. So, she was either unaware of who I was, or treading a very fine line between pleasure and pain, because to break the accord, would be to call down the wrath of Michel. Not a pleasant thing at all. Plus, he would have the full backing of the
Iunctio
. He'd probably be able to enlist Gregor's talents as the Enforcer to track her down and be done with her too.

That was of course, if Gregor could be bothered. Somehow I thought perhaps not.

“So Gregor, you are courting danger with New Zealand's finest Nosferatin? Whatever have you done to deserve this?” Her thick Italian accent curled around the room but didn't settle against my skin. I'm guessing it's target wasn't me.

But, I hadn't missed the
New Zealand
reference. She knew who I was. So, treading that fine line between pleasure and pain then. At least I knew where I stood. I just couldn't fathom why.

Sure, Alessandra had tried to use every female wile she had to seduce Michel into her bed, right in front of me, in plain sight. But I had never thought she would be this stupid. To break an accord would not get Michel on her side. Stupid.
Blonde and stupid.
Go figure.

Gregor laughed out loud, a short chuckle that had more of an affect on me than Alessandra's voice could ever have. I was puzzled briefly by his response to her and then realised he had picked up on my thoughts. For some reason that didn't frighten me as much as it should have.

“You would be surprised what dangers I court, Alessandra.”

I glanced at him then and realised he looked a little different. Not that I had really studied him the last time we met. But, I did notice a shine to his eyes now. No, that wasn't quite right either, it was a shine
around
his eyes. Not overtly obvious, but definitely not there before. It made his beautiful platinum and silver eyes stand out even more than usual. The shine or
sparkle
around his eyes seemed to complement them and enhance their otherworldliness, it was hard to look away. I felt an undeniable pull towards that beautiful light around his eyes and then I realised what I was seeing. My mark, my
Sigillum
, he wore it on his face. Other than wearing sunglasses, something a creature of the night did not normally do, my
Sigillum
would always be obvious. He could never hide it. I laughed out loud at that.

“
You find something amusing,
bambina
?”
Somehow Alessandra's use of a pet name for me did not sound endearing. She knew I felt like a child in her presence. She seemed to always have a way of making me feel small,
bambina
did not sit well with me, but it did make me realise I could do something about it, but would I?

I fingered my stake cautiously. Could I stake Alessandra? She had me in a threatening hold, was that enough to slice through her heart and end her life forever? Let's see.

My stake slipped through her thin blood red slinky dress just above her heart and bit into her flesh ever so slightly. Just a hint, a threat, a little like her firm grip around my throat. Her eyes opened wide, her breath caught. I could feel her heartbeat racing beneath the silver tip of the stake.

“
I don't know,
bambina
, what do you think?” My voice was low and steady, just like my hold on my stake. I didn't tremble, I didn't shake. This was what I was made to do, slide my stake home and end the evil.

That thought was enough to make me realise I wouldn't stake Alessandra here, right now, not unless she really intended me harm. I may have come here to stake Gregor, but collateral damage was not something I could readily accept. There had to be a line drawn in the sand somewhere.

“Let me go!” I demanded.

“Remove the stake,” came her cool reply.

“You first, bitch.”

Gregor did laugh out loud at that. “This is most entertaining. I see you two have both met. No need for me to introduce you then.”

“Oh, I don't know Gregor,” I said dryly. “I
am
interested in why Alessandra is here.”

She bared her fangs at me. It doesn't work, she should have known better. “That is none of your business,
piccola
”

“I'm sure Michel would find it very much part of his business.”

She glared at me then, her breath becoming rapid. Then she smiled, a truly unpleasant grimace that looked completely out of place on her beautifully fine features. “I could just break your neck. It wouldn't take much.” Her grip tightened, making it difficult to swallow. “Your throat would crush in on itself, your larynx squeezed through my fingers, your breath unable to flow. It would hurt,
cucciola
, very much I think.”

Alessandra always had a penchant for the dramatic and for over using pet names. I didn't really go for it myself, wasted too much time, too much effort, that could be used in far better pursuits. Like slicing her face open with silver.

She hadn't even felt my other arm shift, she couldn't see it reach inside my jacket and she most definitely missed the slim slender silver knife I pulled out. Her attention was completely on the silver stake protruding from her chest. I had no intention, for now, to stake her; hurt her maybe, make her bleed, that was another thing altogether.

The knife arced through the small space in between us and slit a sleek line down her left cheek, over those impossibly high cheekbones, right down to muscle. The blood began to flow immediately followed instantly by her shriek. She released her grip on my throat pushing me away from her hard and used both hands to stem the blood flow on her face.

“You shall pay for that!” she spat at me.

I moved silently away from where she had thrust me and calmly said, “That's what they all say.” Moving again as soon as I uttered the words. I wasn't letting anyone
guess
where I was standing. Fool me once, shame on you and all that.

“Ladies, ladies. Please. Is it really necessary to resort to such tactics over me?”

I laughed, I couldn't help it, Gregor was just so damn cocky. Then I moved again to a new position.

“You have learned well, my little Hunter. You seem to be everywhere and nowhere. Not so blonde, I am guessing.” His lips quirked in a small smile at that last comment, but he reschooled his features as he reached out and handed Alessandra a handkerchief to stem the flow of blood. It had slowed and was already beginning to reknit itself. Silver could hurt, but it takes more than a slender knife to inflict permanent damage on a vampire.

“So, what do I owe this unscheduled visit to, Lucinda? It is, if you remember, outside of the rules.”

Rules, schmules. “So I gather is exchanging
Sigillum
.” I moved again to the other side of the room.

He smiled, it just made the sparkle of my mark shine even more vividly.

Alessandra found her voice. “The
Sigillum
is hers!” I gathered then, that this was not the first time she had questioned him on it. Was Alessandra jealous? “You said I would not know them. You never mentioned it was
hers
!”

“
I never knew you were acquainted with one another. What have
you
been up to, my dear?” He said
my dear
just like Michel did, it was so similar, it made me blink.

“I have known Michel for centuries, this is no secret,” she replied haughtily.

“Yet I do not believe it is the whole truth.” I felt his
Sanguis Vitam
as it rolled towards Alessandra, it brushed passed me in a solid wave of sharp spikes, leaving me gasping for breath and doubling over.

I have no idea how Alessandra was able to stay standing once it finally found her, but the effort required looked tremendous. I couldn't take my eyes off her, my chest felt tight at the elevated power circling the room. I was fighting to still my breathing, fearful it would lead to hyperventilation. That was probably why I hadn't noticed that Gregor had moved. And I hadn't. Alessandra was taking up all of my concentration, so much so that it was only as his hand tightened on my arm that I actually sensed him.

He pulled me against his chest, my back to him, my sight still on Alessandra. Then he brushed my hair from my neck, leaning in and running his nose along the length of me, inhaling deeply, like a drug addict getting his daily fix. I didn't stay frozen in shock for long, but turned out of his grasp and placed my stake against his chest in a move so quick it would have been a blur, had he been able to see me. I pushed a little harder than I had intended, the adrenaline rush from being caught still pumping through my veins. The tip of the stake slid in a centimetre or so, it must have hurt like hell. He simply took a step back, trying to dislodge the stake, but instinct took over and I paced after him. Step for step. Not letting the stake slide out, but remain where it sat.

He didn't try to reach up and grab me or the stake. He didn't try to dislodge it at all. Just kept taking one step back after the other until finally his back was to a solid wall and I actually made the stake go a little further in by mistake, my momentum still carrying me forward. Oops.

He cringed slightly, a small shine of sweat appearing above his lips and across his forehead. He licked his lips and closed his eyes, shifted slightly beneath the stake as though trying to get comfortable, but only succeeding in grinding the stake further in. He let a gasp out then and stilled. We stood like that for a minute, maybe more. Alessandra was still battling his
Sanguis Vitam.
How he could continue to expend that kind of energy and concentration on her and be faced with near death and excruciating pain of silver in his chest, was beyond me.

“Are you going to slide it home, Hunter?” His voice was strained, but even.

“Would you let me?” Mine was slightly surprised. He had kind of shocked me, this was way too easy.

“Would you prefer a battle? Is that what turns you on?”

Huh. I frowned at him, it did no good. He couldn't see me and his eyes were still closed. He was laying himself so bare, so open for attack, all it would take would be for me to push a little harder and he couldn't do a thing to stop me. My goal for the evening would be met. I felt myself leaning in ever so slightly, the stake sliding a millimetre more towards his heart. He didn't move, just caught his breath and held it.

This was not how it was meant to be. I had expected a fight, resistance, a reason to justify what I was doing, but not this. Not this inaction, this blatant call for his own death.

“Do you wish to die so much, Enforcer?” This time my voice was soft, a whisper against his skin.

“
I am already dead, Hunter, there is nothing in this
life
for me.” He spat the word
life
out as though it tasted foul, something bitter on his tongue.

Well, I'll be. He wanted to die. He wanted out of this life, this existence as a creature of the night. Is that why he was chasing me? Is that why he set the challenge, hoping I would do just that, end it for him? Suicide by Hunter. Huh.

Now what? I couldn't stake him. Nero was right. This was not me. I may have been able to finish the job had he resisted, had he threatened my safety or life, but we'd never know now, would we? And now, could I kill him? Not a chance. I am not a murderer, even if I kill for a hobby. All my kills have been deserved. This, despite whatever reason he seemed to have, was not deserved. Not by me.