Whatever It Takes (4 page)

He tried to calm the beast. What were supposed to be deep cleansing breaths came out as pants against my ear. The sound of his need had my knees going weak. The need for him rearing its ugly head before I had a chance to remember why being with Josef was a bad idea. Please Lord, let him get his beast under control, because we needed to focus on saving Sabine, not populating the world, or at least trying to.

“Get in the car, before I change my mind and chain you to a bed somewhere.”

Josef pulled away from me and opened the door. Once I was seatbelted in to his liking he got in the truck himself. Revving the engine he pulled back onto the road. Not sparing me a glance the entire trip. The sun was just cresting the horizon as we pulled onto the long drive of Castle Fabula, the ancient home to the Council of Elders.

I took in all the beauty of Castle Fabula as I made my way down the long hallway. It was built at the beginning of the third century, so its architecture was right up my alley. All sorts of stained glass works of art made up the windows and when the sun was shining their colors danced across the marble floor. If only I could spend time here for happier reasons.  Right now I was the only one in the halls to enjoy the beauty.

The echo of my bare feet off the marble floors was all that broke the silence. Vicktor had allowed me a restroom stop before our meeting, but he had strongly insisted that Josef stay behind. He said it was for a full debriefing, more like a good chewing out. Which I was more than happy not to have to witness.

Vicktor was very protective of his daughter, so Sabine’s abduction not once but twice was hard on him. Not just because she would one day become a prominent member of the Council, but because he loved her. From the moment he had known she was gone, he called me in. I knew he would spare no expense to get her back. He had gone as far as chartering a private jet to get me here faster.

I could hear the Quiet Man letting Josef have it. From what I could hear they were arguing about the Son of Perdition. Arguing that whatever this was about was meant to happen. That they were not to try and stop it. It would seem that this prophecy was going to happen and everyone involved would just have to deal with it. That was all good and well, but I had a feeling that not everyone involved knew what was waiting in the wings; like me for instance.

“Like hell I’m going to just allow…”

I stepped through the doors and all talk ceased. Josef moved to stand beside me, his hand reaching out to wrap around my waist. But the Quiet Man spoke up and Josef froze.

“Now is not the time for you to mark a territory you have no right to.”

I wanted to say hello I’m in the room, but thought better of it. After all I didn’t really know the Quiet Man all that well. Never anger a foe you weren’t sure of. Unless of course he pissed you off beyond your breaking point. From now on I’d watch and listen.

Josef pulled me against the shelter of his side and my thoughts quickly ceased at his nearness. “I have the same right as any other.”

There was a veiled challenge to his words yet I couldn’t quite figure out what he was eluding to. I mean why would he have to make a show of wanting me? I didn’t see anyone present to scare away. Victor was married with a family. The Quiet Man or should I say Lord Slade, didn’t seem interested.

My eyes darted toward the man in question as I tried to gauge the meaning of their words. Or should I say deeper meaning, because there definitely was something passing between them. Yet as always, the Quiet Man was dressed in his full highway man regalia. I had the urge to ask him if he was getting ready for Halloween. But something in his amber eyes told me to hold my tongue.

Whatever. I didn’t have all day to stand around playing games. If Josef and the Quiet Man wanted to act like children that was fine by me, but the adults were going to have to exclude them from the conversation. Starting now.

“Vicktor?”

I hoped that if I could divert the attention from me, the tension would dissipate. He just looked at his hands. I could feel his sorrow running deep, it had my heart breaking. Stepping out from under Josef’s arm I moved toward Vicktor’s throne. His head shot up when I touched his shoulder. His haunted eyes just gazed at me, not really seeing anything around him.

“Vicktor, where is Sabine?”

“Kristoff has her.”

That one sentence was enough to make my blood run cold. I knew that the Nocturns were run by Kristoff but I didn’t think he would get his hands dirty over a missing Pixie Dust source. No, if I knew him as well as I thought I did and believe me I did, I was right. There was something deeper than just a random draining going on here.

My breath caught in my lungs as I realized just what this was all about. Kidnapping Sabine was never about hurting Vicktor or making some trumped up drug. It was about getting me here from the states. Kristoff knew that with a child in harm’s way I would come running and then he would have me right where he wanted me; wriggling like a worm on a hook.

Of all the dirty low down things he could have done this took the cake. If Kristoff the Cruel wanted to tango with me so bad, well then I would just have to give the Vamp what he wanted. Believe me it was going to be far more than he bargained for.

“Where is he?”

He didn’t answer, just hung his head in shame and then with bloodshot eyes he looked at me once more. “I’m sorry Dara, we have no choice. He wants you in exchange for Sabine. You have to understand.”

He was sorry, for what? If I was in his position I would do the same thing. If it were Vicktor or a loved one I would be handing him over on a silver platter. No ifs, ands or buts about it. I would have tranquilized and delivered him myself. Nothing was worth more than a loved one’s safety. Anyone who didn’t understand that was S.O.L. Or just plain heartless. Take your pick.

Josef said that they wanted to trade, well I was all for it. Because believe me the Nocturns were going to get what was coming to them. I intended on making them pay for what they had done to Sabine. Retribution from me had been a long time coming. Them hurting Sabine to get to me was just another excuse for me to take my revenge. I just prayed that Kristoff was present at this little party, because if he was I was going to have his fangs for earrings.

“Make the trade.”

“She’s brave. An admirable quality in a mate, don’t you agree Josef?” The Quiet Man, or Lord Slade, whichever you preferred, seemed to have pride in his voice.

Josef threw his hands up in annoyance, “No it isn’t.” He turned to me, “Giving yourself up is not an option.”

I looked at him and the look he was giving me said I shouldn’t argue. That his word was final. Like hell I shouldn’t and like hell it was. My feet were moving before I knew what I was doing. I now stood toe to toe with Josef. There was no way he was going to cow me with his chest banging he-man act. So not what women of this century go for.

“Because of you, it is now the only option we have open to us.” I punctuated each word by jabbing my finger into the stone wall he called a chest. Damn, the boy was built.

The Quiet Man’s rolling laugh filled the stone carved room. It slid over my skin and dripped like poison through my veins. Crap! Now he had me quoting Alice Cooper songs. What was wrong with me all of a sudden? There had only ever been one guy I had pined for and he definitely wasn’t either of the two before me. Oh no, Pastor Ian Rathbone was nothing like Josef or the Quiet Man. My sweet gentle Ian wouldn’t hurt a fly.

“You cannot woo one such as Dara by telling her what to do.” Kudos to him for understanding I don’t like being bossed around.

Josef snarled, all teeth and curled lips. Man, someone needed to get the Discovery channel in here, because I’m sure I had either found Bigfoot or the missing link. I wondered how much they’d pay me to shoot a feature. Forget it. Focus Dara.

“And what do you know of wooing her?” A clear challenge.

I looked at Lord Slade who had come out of the shadows and into the light. He was dressed in the most beautiful frock coat I had ever seen. Believe me with my Goth obsession I had seen my fair share. It didn’t hurt that he cut a gorgeous figure in it. I shook my head to clear my chaotic mind.

“What I know, is not your concern. Suffice it to say that I am very observant.”

Josef snarled a second time, the sound right behind me now. When had he moved? Maybe it was when I was checking out the Quiet Man’s clothes. He placed his hand on my shoulder and I turned to look at him. There was something there in his eyes. Something that said there was a little more to this discussion than I might ever know.

“Do you not care what happens to her?”

Ok, random but whatever. I was going to roll with this and see just what the hell they were playing at. I turned just in time to see something slide behind Lord Slade’s eyes. Was it frustration or annoyance, I really couldn’t tell. I mean with only his eyes exposed to me, there was no telling if he was smiling or frowning. I just couldn’t read his emotions, frustrating for an empath.

One elegantly gloved hand waved in my direction, “I care not what the girl chooses to do with her life.” His piercing amber eyes locked with mine. “You think she is something to you. I on the other hand know just what she is to me. Sabine’s life is non-negotiable.”

At his words there was a wrenching in my heart, as if it had broken. Why would I care what he thought about me? He was just another member of the Council, nothing more, nothing less. It was high time I stopped taking rejection to heart. I knew you couldn’t please everyone all the time, not if you wanted to still be true to yourself. So to hell with the Quiet Man and what he thought.

Why was Josef giving him such a dirty look? Was it the fact that he accused him of putting his desire before his duty, or something deeper? There seemed to be a lot of tension between the two. There was a deeper meaning behind the Quiet Man’s words, something that I was missing, but right about now I didn’t care. Since coming to Scotland, some weird crap’s been going down. From Josef’s misguided claim that I’m his alpha. To my annoyance with them for their coded conversation.

“You two need to learn to excuse yourselves when you want to have a private conversation.”

The Quiet Man’s amber eyes flashed, “Perhaps next time we will. You are too perceptive for my liking.”

“Yeah, and you’re too damn….” I was going to say covered up, but thought better of it. That would have sounded too much like a come on. So I lamely finished with, “secretive for mine.”

I turned to Vicktor, “Set it up. I’m going to prepare.”

Josef’s hand shot out and halted my movement. “Do not play the martyr.”

I looked from his hand on my arm to his face then took a deep breath and my anger faded. In his own way he was worried about me. Was his way of expressing it wrong? Yes, but the sentiment was still there. I guess I just couldn’t fault him for worrying. Everyone knew facing Kristoff wouldn’t be a piece of cake for me. Sure I said I wanted to lock horns with him, but it wouldn’t be easy.

“I cannot let Sabine take my place. I know firsthand that Kristoff takes no prisoners. I won’t let it happen again.” I pulled my arm free and left the three men in my wake.

Martyr? He thought I was trying to play the hero. Well, I could assure him I wasn’t. It has never been about saving the day it has always been about a promise. Ten years ago I had made my last visit to my grandfather’s graveside. I knew he was no longer there; that to be absent with the body was to be present with the Lord. I had heard enough of his sermons to know that, but I had still needed to see where he was laid to rest one last time. On that day I made a vow, a promise that I wouldn’t rest until I rid the world of scum like Kristoff the Cruel. It was a promise I intended to keep even if it signed my death warrant.

I marched down the halls intent on getting to the bottom of whatever they were hiding from me. If they wouldn’t tell me what I wanted to know I’d find someone who would. I had an ace up my sleeve that the Council didn’t know about. All it would take was a phone call to the states and then we’d see just how deeply in the dark they could keep me.

Back in the safety of my rooms I pulled out my cell phone. I wasn’t sure if the Council tapped their phones as a safety measure, even if they didn’t, it was better to be safe than sorry. I didn’t want Josef or the Quiet Man putting me on lock down because I didn’t want to be left out of the loop.

Two rings. Three rings. Oh where the hell was my informant when I needed him? He was a stool pigeon, he didn’t get days off. Fink was in high demand, just one of the hazards of his trade. Besides, he was always poking around when I was trying to keep a low profile. Now, when I needed some info he wasn’t picking up his damn phone.

I was so frustrated right about now that I wanted to hit something. Between an overbearing werewolf, a prophecy no one wants tell me about and the Nocturns getting the upper hand, I was seriously pissed off. If that lowlife, Priest, was here right now I’d slap him silly. Or at least I’d try. Oh who the hell was I kidding? He would take one swing at me and I’d be down for the count.

“Hello.” Fink answered, breathless.

He sounded like he had just finished a ten K. Or could I have interrupted him in the middle of… eww gross don’t go there mind. Please, just don’t go there. I had enough crap I was dealing with; I didn’t need to picture my troll informant taking a roll in the hay.

“What have you been up to?”

His breathing evened out just enough for me to hear the humming of a lawnmower in the background. “Dara, that you?”

I rolled my eyes. I guess he was too busy to check the caller ID. I hoped he would be able to catch his breath after doing whatever yardwork his mother was forcing on him.

“Listen, Fink I need some info. My regular fee applies.”

In informant speak that meant depending on what he knew, he would get paid. There were no freebies between us. I didn’t want to owe Fink anything. If there’s one thing this business teaches you, it’s never owe a troll a favor. Because they just might ask you for your firstborn.

“What’ch need?” He was still huffing and puffing. Damn, he was out of shape.

“The Son of Perdition, who or what is it?”

There was a long pause on his end of the phone. The motor shut off and I could hear Fink entering his house. He mumbled something to his mother about her being the best. Then I heard the closing and locking of another door and knew that whatever he was about to tell me wasn’t going to be good.

“That’s some nasty shit you’re dealing with.”

I wanted to ask him to tell me something I didn’t already know. You see, if Kristoff and his goons were involved in this prophecy then it was going to be some dark business. I knew better than to underestimate anything the beings of the Mythos could dish out. Especially when that being was a vampire bent on death and destruction.

“Do tell?” I tried to keep the bite out of my voice.

“Now is not the time for sarcasm.”

I wanted to ask what would be a better time. Maybe he’d like to rearrange his schedule so he could fit my snark in at a later date. But I didn’t want to spend my anger now when I would most definitely need it for later.

“Just tell me what you know.” I drummed my nails on the desk, my plum and black French manicure flashing in the low light.

“There’s not much to tell. No one knows exactly what the prophecy says, but everyone is guessing.”

Guessing? I growled in frustration. He had to be bluffing. There was no way a prophecy could be hidden in the Mythos, not when most of its being were chattier than old maids at bingo. As a matter of fact half of them are probably able to tell you what color the Pope’s underwear was on any given day.

“What do you mean they’re guessing?” I began clicking a pen open and closed as my patience began to run out like sand in an hourglass.

“There’s very little out there about it.” I huffed as he continued, “It has something to do with the End Times.”

Dammit! I didn’t need a big End Times prophecy hanging over me right now. Sabine needed to be rescued; nothing else could get in the way of saving her. I needed to focus on the endgame here and nothing else. Not crazy mating werewolves or some even crazier Armageddon prophecy. Besides, I thought that whole Mayan Calendar, end of the world thing was a flop. Were people still crazy enough to see End Times prophecies around every corner?

As an afterthought Fink added, “Oh, I almost forgot people are placing bets too.”

Okay, I knew that the beings of the Mythos love to bet but this was ridiculous. How could you bet on a prophecy you knew nothing about? What were the odds they were giving, slim and none?

“On what exactly, you said no one knows the prophecy.”

I could hear him shuffling papers around on his desk. “I said no one knows it word for word. We all are smart enough to grasp the main idea.”

I had no clue what Fink was going on about, but I was sure of one thing, if the Mythos bookies were taking bets Fink was placing them. He was the type of troll who never met a bet he didn’t like. Football, baseball, hockey, basketball, and now End Times prophecies. What will Fink get into next? Never mind the less I knew the better off I was.

“Well excuse the ignorant Inbetween. I’m a little behind so give me the Cliff Notes version.”

My eyes darted to the clock, 8 AM. I still had plenty of time to do my own research. I would get as much info from Fink and then go from there. If this was a real prophecy and not some mumbo jumbo cooked up by a wacko, then it would be on the net and I was going to find it or die trying.

“We’re betting on who exactly the prophecy is about.”

Now he was just being vague and it was pissing me off. With Fink you could never really tell if he was holding out on you or not. For all I know he could have a book with the entire prophecy in it open in front of him as we speak. I had to wonder if he was vague on purpose or if he had his nose in too many people’s business. Maybe that was why he didn’t know which end of this prophecy was up? 

“How in the hell can you do that?” I was growing more annoyed by the second.

“All I’m going to say is I’m pulling for you kid.”

With that the line went dead. Obviously, that was all the info I was going to get from him. If that was how he wanted it, I would just have to surf the net for answers and forget to pay him his going rate. Then we’ll see how closed lipped he is the next time I want information.