The Scent Of Vampires (Book 1)

Chapter 23: Tracking Zephora

"What do you want, Victor?" Rafael asked with obvious annoyance.

"Hello Rafael, I bring greetings from Micklaus." Victor said with forced politeness.

"Stop with the pleasantries, and tell me why you are here. I know it's not to bring me happy greetings." Raphael said impatiently.

"I'd be careful, if I were you. Micklaus is most unhappy with your lack of results. You have not completed your assignment. Not only haven't you aquired the girl, rumors are circulating about your involvement with a strange coven with mixed species." Victor informed Rafael, with a voice filled with superiority and a hint of glee at Master Micklaus' displeasure of him.

Rafael felt his fangs scraping his bottom lip and was sure his eyes were as red as blood. He felt his anger grow. The Council had never questioned him before, or his results. Now, not only were they questioning those results, but they were also adding insult to injury by sending an inferior vampire to chastise him.

"I do not answer to you! Tell Micklaus to speak to me personally instead of sending a cockroach." Rafael responded venomously.

Victor hissed, baring his fangs. "Call me what you will, but after the fire, only the cockroach remains."

"Not when I crush it beneath my boot." Rafael spat. Before he could lung for Victor, Jale held him back.

"He is protected by the council, if you kill him, it will only cause more problems for you." Jale tried to reason with Rafael, barely holding him back.

Victor laughed. "He's right, you know. That's the best part, knowing you want to kill me, but you can't."

"You better get to the point, or you will regret it!" Jale snapped, he too losing his patience with Victor.

"Micklaus demands your presence. In three evenings, the inter species gala is being held. He insists you be there, and with the girl. If you do not, you will be made an example of. Which is something I would relish seeing. I personally hope you do not succeed in finding her." Victor relayed his message, menacingly.

"Oh, I'll be there and with Amelie." Rafael promised. Then he stalked toward the smaller vampire. "One day Victor, you will not be protected by The Council, and when that day comes..." Rafael let his threat trail off. He then watched Victor swallow the lump in his throat. For all of Victor's talk, he truly was a coward. And he truly despised cowardly scum like Victor.

Victor didn't wait around for any more threats. Just as quickly as he had arrived he was gone again. Leaving Rafael, extremely pissed off. He and Jale stood in silence each left alone to their own thoughts.

Finally, Jale broke the silence. "Since when does the council threaten you?"

"They don't. I don't like what's going on." Rafael addmitted.

"Well, whatever it is, it really stinks." Jale said, then added as an afterthought. "Why do you think Draedyn left the council after so long? And what happened, that now he despises them?"

"That's an excellent question. Since he's more likely to open up to you, how about you see what you can learn?" Rafael requested.

"And what are you going to be doing while I get chummy with Drae?"

Rafael grinned. "I'm going hunting."

*******

"You're sure you saw her go in this shop?" Rafael asked the young man again. He had tracked Zephora to a spell caster trading post. After asking around he had come across the young warlock who remembered seeing a dark haired girl that fit Zephora's description.  While most spell caster's didn't have the bad history with vampires, like moon howler's, they still had their reservations about having dealings with his kind. In their trading markets, however, they were used to different species coming to trade and barter. This made his presence there less suspicious.