Breathe Under Water - Shadows of the Night 1

Chapter 10

"You may lie to anyone else, but you will not lie to me," he said. "I believe there was a misunderstanding about the details of our accord and this business relationship. If you were not pretending, as you claim, it would imply that you are clumsy. Remember that tripping over your own feet will get you killed in the world you entered. Remember that I have no use for weakness."

The change happened from one moment to the other. The air grew thicker, vibrating with power and unspoken words I didn't understand.

"I think, little witch, that you have underestimated the task ahead."

Humanly slow. Time stolen. I blinked and the head vampire was standing a few feet in front of me. I hadn't even seen him move.

He was staring down at me, packing a punch that carried the weight of centuries with his eyes alone.

"As long as we are in Pennsylvania you will fulfill your duties as a human servant with utmost devotion. If you show an ounce of defiance, even if mute, the consequences will be dire for you, I assure you. Do you understand that?"

I kept staring at him, knowledge of what he, of what the whole vampiric race was capable of, like a pulsating vein behind my eyes. Something inside of me trembled and hardened. I wasn't going to back away.

Alexander cocked his head. "I remember our conversation in Joe's Pub, little witch. You turned your back on me and walked away – just like that. Did you believe, even for a second, that you were the one in control? You walked away because I let you, little witch," He said, ever so slowly.

Oh, that. I almost forgot about that one. So this is what this is all about? Was this a vampiric pissing contest?

"Do you believe that you can enter this conference without the least bit of respect or manners, for that matter? Do you believe I will allow you to act as anything else than a human servant? Not a shadow of a doubt will remain as to the nature of our relationship. Remember that, and remember it well, little witch. Favors can be returned. Step out of line and I will walk away from you, leaving you to the other guests, ready for the taking," the vampire said.

Another change in the air – subtle, sweet, and suffocating. The beauty of the vampire was destructive and lifeless. Eyes the color of the most beautiful gems in liquid sub-terra were mirroring mine. Like his voice, they were filled with an emotion of a less human nature.

The blood in my veins staggered and froze as the past tried to overtake me.

I squeezed my eyes shut. Never give them the satisfaction of evoking fear. You are who you are. Let no one take that away. The memory made me open my eyes. I swore it to myself and to her. And I was not afraid.

"Go on, do it then. Right now. But if you do that, the deal with Brown will be off and whatever you two agreed upon on will be made public to the Council." The last words came out as a whisper. My throat didn't seem to work properly anymore.

I was sloppy in my reading of the lapdog files, but I knew something about the political set up of the undead. The Council was the highest authority of the Vampire League and an organ to guide the coalition of all American vampires.

Maybe the vampire council would not pose a death sentence on him, but, sure enough, working together with witches in an unauthorized operation would have consequences. It would make his life hell, maybe cost him something, like his position within the Vampire League – whatever it was. He would definitely have to answer threats to his power hold. After all he brought me to a gathering of the Vampire League. Technically speaking, I could kill a few of its attendees. Not that they could be killed by much.