Dancing Dragon (6 page)

“I know this will be hard for you, you hate emotional confrontation, but I'm telling you now, Nosferatin, this is more important than your pride, more important than your queasy stomach, your ragged nerves. Look to your heart, find the courage you need and do this.”

“He's flying out to Paris the day after tomorrow.” I don't know why I said that, I wasn't considering this crazy-arsed idea of hers, was I?

She flicked a glance at her watch and then stiffened slightly. I studied her, puzzled, then Gregor appeared at her shoulder.

“You rang,
ma ange de lumière
?” he whispered in her ear.

What the...?

“Can I borrow your car?” she asked, flashing him a dazzling smile and a flick of her eyelids.

Gregor's lips quirked. “You do not need to seduce me, angel, I am already yours.” Amisi's face brushed red. “Of course take the car.” He placed the keys in her palm, lingering there for a moment, then lifted his gaze to mine. His eyes were burnishing platinum as he held Amisi's hand. “Give my regards to your kindred, little Hunter.” He smiled broadly then, a hint of mischief flooding his eyes. “Remind him well.” And then with a light kiss of his lips to Amisi's forehead he was gone. Again.

Bugger. He'd figured it out too. Was I that readable?

“You can throw thoughts at each other?” I asked her, trying to get myself back on a level footing.

“No. But he can hear my thoughts if I shout them. It's fun, yelling at him in my head.”

I couldn't help laughing at that. Gregor had always been able to hear my thoughts as well, when loud in my mind, or if I threw them. I can throw my thoughts at Michel, because of our Bond, maybe because I could do that, I could throw them at Gregor, who obviously had a talent for picking up thoughts. But Amisi wasn't Bonded, so couldn't throw thoughts. But yelling them, yeah, I could picture her doing that.

She stood up, leaving most of her drink untouched and I followed her out the side door towards Gregor's car. The two vampire goon shadows peeling away from the dark and slinking along in our wake.

“He's given you guards?” I asked, a little surprised.

I mean I have guards, but that's because of the
Iunctio's
fervent desire to see me dead and because, as the
Prohibitum Bibere,
I had a lot of unwanted visitors, most of which I could handle, but it never paid to be over confident. Marcus and Matthias were my backup. They tended to stay in the background and only did what I asked of them. It was a concession I was happy to make for Michel at the time. Now, I would love more than anything, for him to show his over protective vampire side.

“So he thinks,” Amisi answered, opening the car with a push of a button on the key pad she held.

We slid in and she started the vehicle down the side alley to the club. The vampires bleeding into the shadows and no doubt just happy to follow on foot. Vampires could go at incredible speeds if necessary, these guys would keep up. But, we weren't going far. We pulled in to Gregor's apartment complex and I turned to look at Amisi.

“You needed the car to drive here?”

“No. We're stopping here to get you dressed and grab your bag, and then I'm driving you to the airport to catch your flight back to Auckland. I'll organise your rental car's return, but I want to drive you there, OK? I think we'll have you back at
Sensations
before it closes at four, easily. You're facing him tonight, Luce. I won't argue with you on this.”

“You're chucking me out? You won't let me stay for even one night? Some friend,” I muttered in reply.

She just ignored me and led the way to the elevator humming a tune.

“Strip,” she ordered as we entered the apartment and dashed into the bedroom.

I bristled, but there was no fighting Amisi when she was in this mood and began stripping to my underwear. Luckily it was lacy and matched, not too embarrassing, even if Amisi is my best friend, no one wants to stand exposed in faded and worn knickers.

She came out holding a strip of deep blue fabric draped over her arm and took in my underwear.

“The knickers will do, but take the bra off.”

I just stared at her and she sighed, opening up the fabric and displaying the most gorgeous dress in her hands. It shimmered and shined in the lights of the apartment, showing off a deep cowl neckline and absolutely no back. The draping fabric obviously pooling at the base of the spine in a puddle of material. No bra. She hadn't been joking.

“I'm not as tall as you, Amisi, this will swamp me,” I said, removing my bra and letting her pull the material over my head and settle it in place.

“This dress is designed to come to my mid shin, a Marilyn Monroe knock off, except hers had been cream, so on you, it'll reach your ankles.” She was right, it did and everywhere else it fitted like a glove.

There were no long slits on the side, it was all wads of glorious fabric, designed to flow with the wearer, entice the admirer, but not give too much away. Exactly what Michel would adore. The colour couldn't have been more perfect either, it matched the colour of his eyes, a deep, deep blue like the ocean, bottomless. I turned in front of her mirror and admired the effect of the dress swaying in my wake. It was mesmerizing. Dresses had no right to look so damn good.

“How much did it cost?” I asked, fingering the soft, silky fabric at my sides.

Amisi adjusted the cowl neckline, exposing way too much flesh and then went around the back to do the same. “I have no idea, Gregor bought it for me. I have never worn it. Nor the fifteen other dresses he has gifted me and are hanging in my closest.”

That's my girl,
never give an inch
.

She curled my hair and applied a smattering of make-up briefly then stood back to survey her work. All of this had taken no more than fifteen minutes. Amisi could work fast.

“Where's your dancing dragon necklace?” she asked, cocking her head at me.

Michel had given me my dancing dragon necklace, it's beautiful, on a long platinum chain. It has a blue diamond as an eye and white diamonds slicing a lightning bolt across its heart. It's Michel's family crest, with my Light through his heart. It was a precious gift, one I didn't wear much anymore, but I always carried it on me. Fool that I was, I couldn't let it go.

I pulled it out of my discarded jacket pocket and numbly handed it to Amisi. She didn't say anything, just took it from my hands and then clasped it about my neck. Turning me around slowly to face the mirror and see how utterly perfect the dragon looked against my skin, complementing the colour and shape of the dress.

“There. You're ready. Go claim back what is yours, sister.”

If only it were that easy.

I spent the entire flight back from Wellington spinning my wedding band around my finger. Michel and I weren't married, not in the human or Norm sense. We'd never visited a Registrar's Office, of exchange vows in front of a Minister, there was no paper to proclaim we were man and wife. No, we were just joined, Bonded and shared
Sigillum
, to vampires we were kindred, mates and husband and wife. There was no denying it, that's how they perceived it to be.

Michel, however, had insisted on me wearing a wedding band, so the humans - and in particular my parents - would know we were together, married. It was a plain white gold band, but covering the entire internal circumference was Michel's blue diamonds, hidden from prying eyes. It was his way of reminding me that what we shared was between us, personal, sacred, ours. No one else's. Time to put that theory to practice.

The plane taxied to a stop at Michel's hangar. I glanced at the clock on the wall of the cabin, just after 2am. Still early in vampire terms. It seemed like this night was going to last forever. I'd arrived in Wellington right on dusk, spent several hours with friends and then somehow made it home to Auckland with hours to spare. Enough time to get the deed done or make an utter fool of myself.

I slowly walked down the stairs after the co-pilot had opened the door and was met by the grinning faces of my own personal shadows.

“What are you doing here?” I asked with a sigh, already guessing where this was going.

Matthias held up his cellphone and waggled it at me between his fingers. “Amisi,” he offered, nothing else.

Great. She was mothering me now. Super. But if they were here, then Michel knew I was back. No chance of sneaking up on him unawares then.

I stiffened my shoulders and walked across to my waiting car, all shiny and sleek black. Another gift from Michel, this one I would never give back.

“Well you can follow, I'm not fitting you two in the back of my BMW.”

“We've got a Land Rover, we'll shadow you in.”

I stopped before I slid into the open door of my car. “In?”

“
You're going to
Sensations,
aren't you? Showing the boss who's boss.” This from Marcus, a devious grin spreading across his broad face.

Both vampires looked like line-backers, big broad shoulders, muscles everywhere and fiercely hard eyes. Matthias was dark and brooding, Marcus blonde and cunning. Both though, handsome, in that vampire way, but laced with unbridled energy, danger screamed whenever they were near. But, they were loyal to Michel and as such, in theory, loyal to me. I didn't need to fear them. Well, as long as I didn't intend on harming Michel, that is.

“Did Amisi tell you that?” I'd kill her, I really would.

“Nah,” Marcus answered and then ran his eyes over my outfit slowly, returning them to look me in the face. “You're dressed to impress and wearing his dragon. You either have a death wish by looking as hot as you do while courting someone else, or more likely, you've finally woken up to the fact that Michel needs a stake up his arse and you're going to do something about it. About fucking time.”

Matthias sighed, a pained sound. He was most definitely the more diplomatic of the two.

“What he means, Luce,” - he flashed fang at Marcus and then turned a smile to me - “is we are glad our mistress has returned and will support you in any manner you choose fit.”

What was he saying? They'd back me over Michel? Not bloody likely.

He must have seen the look of disbelief on my face, because he added, “We've been waiting for you to... put some sense back into the master. He's needed you and we will assist you in whichever way you require in order to reach him.”

He was serious, no joking, no teasing and by the look on Marcus's face, they both felt the same way. Things had not been good in the inner circles of the Durand family line and I had been too busy nursing my broken heart to notice. If I had felt the weight of the task on my shoulders before, I sure as hell felt it now. This was more important than mending a rift between me and Michel, this may well be essential to the survival of the line. If Michel was compromised in any way, challenges would arise.

I nodded at them both and then said, “Matthias you travel with me, Marcus follow behind in the Rover.” I needed some answers and Matthias wouldn't sugar coat them or flirt through the discomfort.

They both nodded in acquiesce and Matthias slid into the BMW next to me.

“So, how bad is it?” I asked as we left the airport behind us and headed toward the city.

“He's left all the day to day running of the business to Jett. He attends meetings, but contributes nothing. If one of us offers up an opinion, he simply stares at us as though we've sprouted horns. We're the devil or something.”

Fuck.

“Why haven't you told me about this before?” I asked, negotiating a slow clap-trap of a Holden and speeding up to merge with motorway traffic at the on-ramp.

“He commanded us to not divulge any information to his kindred regarding day to day business of the line.”

“He what?”

What the hell? Why not tell me? I guess if they told me, I would have interfered, he obviously didn't want that. He wanted me kept in the dark, at arms length, away from him. My heart ached at the confirmation of his rejection all over again. But this was more than just about my broken heart, this was now about his line, my line. I'm as much a part of the Durand family as the vampires. This was still personal, but it went further than what Michel was doing to me. I had to interfere or he could lose the line. The city.

“Why tell me now?” If it was a command, he was breaking it.

“Michel forgot, he also commanded us to obey you, to assist you, to answer any of your queries should the need arise. That command was made before the latest, it has precedent.”

“So, if I had asked about what Michel's problem was sooner, you would have told me?” Man, was I feeling blonde right now. Stupid self absorption.

Matthias flashed me a toothy grin. “We have been waiting, Hunter.” And from the sound of that, none too patiently either.

“So?” I ventured. “What's his problem?” The sixty-four thousand dollar question.

Matthias didn't answer straight away, just looked out of the windscreen at the passing traffic. That's the traffic I was passing. For some reason getting to the club fast was my top priority all of a sudden. Stuff being unable to face confrontation, I was feeling pretty much compelled to confront my kindred right now. Go courage, don't fail me now!

“If I was to hazard a guess,” - huh, very proper our Matthias could be - “I would say he has a trust issue right now.”

I laughed, Matthias just turned a blank stare at me. A creepy, show nothing vampire mask. OK. He didn't like me laughing at him, but come on! Michel unable to trust. Don't all vampires have the same problem?

“Matthias, Michel has never been one to give his trust willy-nilly. Is this really something new?”

“This is different, this is all-encompassing.” He paused and took a deep breath in. “Has he shown any trust in you lately, mistress?” I guess he added the mistress to soften the blow of the outright challenge in that question. It hadn't worked, I bristled, my Light already started to add an ethereal glow to the inside of the car. Matthias held himself very still.

I swallowed past the automatic retort on my lips and dimmed my Light, bringing it back under control. Losing it now, would not help when I faced Michel in front of the entire friggin' line.

“I guess not. So why? Why has he got trust issues?”

Matthias shrugged. “Michel has never been one to wear his heart on his sleeve. You would have a better chance of uncovering that than one of his line.”

And there you have it, throwing the ball back in my court. They may offer up their support and
assistance
in whatever it is that I now had to undertake, but the solution was only mine to grasp. I was his kindred, not them. This was
my
job, to bring Michel back towards the Light.

I knew Michel had Dark in him still, nowhere near as much as other vampires, Michel has always appeared more Light than Dark, even before we joined. But,
where there is Light, there is always Dark and where there is Dark, there is always Light.
My job, as his kindred, was to keep him away from the Dark, to call him back to me and the Light. I had failed him recently. Too hurt to consider he needed my help.

I shook my head at those thoughts. He had hurt me, he had broken my heart, but my promise to him when I joined with him, was that I would be by his side for eternity. I would not abandon my role as his Light. I had failed.

Man, I felt like crap.

I pulled the BMW into the underground car park at
Sensations
, finding my usual spot by the internal door empty, sitting waiting for me directly below the security camera.

“Black out the camera, would you,” I said to Matthias, before I opened the door.

He sent a mental signal to the device and I heard it pop. If Michel was watching the security screens, he now couldn't see how
hot
, as Marcus had put it, I looked. He would know I was here, I could feel him down the Bond connection, he would be well aware of me. Plus, he would also know I was nervous, but determined and also a little angry. At him for letting this get so far and at me for not realising how damaging this had all been.

I slid out of the low vehicle and straightened my dress, turning to look at Marcus as he approached.

“Looking good, boss,” he offered, opening the door for me.

Yeah, wish I could say the same about how I felt. I hesitated at the internal door to the club. I could feel Michel in his office, but I wasn't going to confront him there. Amisi had said public, so public it would be. I let myself sink into the black nothingness of the void that takes me Dream Walking, not allowing myself to venture too far, but just enough to
seek.
I felt all of the vampires on the other side of the door. Most of his line.

I flashed a look at Matthias over my shoulder and raised my eyebrows in a question.

He cleared his throat quietly and whispered, “We may have sent out a text or two, to say you were on your way.” When he saw the discomfort on my face at that, he went on quickly, still whispering so no one else could hear. “They need to see you, Luce. It's been two weeks since you last came here. It's not just Michel we need, it's his kindred too.”

Pressure much? Crap.

I pushed the door open and took in the scene in a second. The great thing about being a born vampire hunter, is the natural ability to assess an environment in a split second. You can take in the numbers of threats and the potential hazards as well as the possible victims in little more than a heartbeat. My gaze told me there were some fifty vampires in attendance, but also that there were some fifty humans too. All Norms, all out enjoying the night at one of the most popular clubs in the city.

I could also feel the electric pulse of
Sanguis Vitam
in the air, excited, anticipatory, aware. Michel's vampires knew something was about to happen and they liked that idea a lot.

I took a deep breath in and walked to the centre of the dance floor, not making eye contact with any of the familiar vampires I passed, or registering their hungry looks as they took in my ensemble. Sure, I belonged to the boss, but that wouldn't stop them salivating over me. I suppressed a shudder. When I made it to the middle of the dance floor, some bodies still swaying to music around me, I turned slowly and faced the door to Michel's private quarters.

I knew the vampires would keep the Norms entertained, or simply glaze them if they saw too much, I also knew they would make space when the time came, herding the humans like sheep off the dance floor. I didn't need to ask, or show my intention, I could feel they were completely and utterly on the same page as me. All of them had been waiting for this confrontation. Their wayward mistress had been absent a tad too long.

I didn't send a thought out to Michel, I wasn't going for crude and obvious, but I did send emotions, an awareness.
I am here. Here for you. I come to claim what is mine.
I immediately felt a pang of anticipation down the other end of the connection we shared and then resounding silence as his shields wrapped around him. I smiled. I had him. Any response was a good response at this point in time and he had just slipped up.

I waited patiently, standing still on the dance floor. It occurred to me that he could just stand me up, I mean that was why I hadn't come here in the past, but those times I had always pictured it a private affair. This was an open challenge to his challenge. Public. Loud. Demanding. As a vampire he could not ignore it. It gave me strength, where before I only had pain.

The door to his private quarters opened and he stepped through. Despite the music pumping through the building, all I heard was a collective intake of useless and unneeded air from all the vampires in the room. I allowed myself a slow and careful and obvious perusal of his body and didn't hide my desire and hunger at all. The
Sanguis Vitam
in the room doubled.