Dusk is unfolding behind the heavy curtains in my room and my limbs are still entangled with Tristan's. I know what is about to come. We can't pretend that the world stopped turning just because the two of us want to share our bed forever.
A sigh leaves my chest as I turn to unwind myself from Tristan's embrace and face reality. Both of our appearances show that we didn't sleep peacefully. At least I didn't have another nightmare. Silently starting to shave in front of the sink I see Tristan getting dressed in the corner of the little mirror.
It was a selfish request that he stays here. I hope nobody asks any questions or tried to find him. On the other hand, who would maybe question him if it's not me? Eve maybe...
A clap on my butt drags me out of my thoughts. Looking up into Tristan's eyes through the mirror he hesitantly brings his mouth closer to the soft spot where my shoulder meets my throat, "One last drink before we are back on duty, my moon?"
I turn around to face him. "No blood." His gaze is drilling in mine.
"Now, since when are you denying blood? Or is it just mine?" I'm not sure where this is going to, but I really don't want to have that discussion. I can't explain it to him. His gaze turns into an angry glare and I straighten out.
"If we are equal as you say, you'll need to accept my decision," I answer keeping my face straight before turning around once more to finish my shaving.
A deep angry growl from Tristan can be heard before he is leaving without another word of goodbye. I sigh against the mirror looking at the man I am about to become. His heart will heal. He is a good and kind man with a lot of people around him that truly care for him. He doesn't need me – the real question is: Can I live without him?
I proceed with my morning routine before meeting up with the people of the council in the big meeting room with the oak table once again. It doesn't need long to come to a decision for Charles Holmwood. With the knowledge about my own sentence, all terms are generally settled.
They thought I'll go on their throats, killing, kicking and screaming when they tell me in the full open that my vote means nothing anymore. However, they picked up my plan and declared it was the one from Jacque anyway. I don't need a pat on the back from them and keep silently listening.
They also decide they wouldn't want to wait for my sentence to take into effect. Charles Holmwood's ceremony will also be mine. I let them discuss my further fate even though Tristan is shooting me angry glances now and then. They are darting through me like bolts but I keep my face and body straight and tense.
They finally close the meeting by trying to give me exact instructions about what I'm supposed to do and tell Lyall when I will go for our negotiations with the Beasts.
Their plan is full of errors. First of all, they are assuming that I stick to it and secondly, they think they
are in control of me now when it's actually the quite opposite, right? What else do I have to lose? I keep my eyes locked with Tristan's and get up. He nods once and I know that I'm allowed to do this my way.
"My Lord," I slightly bow my head to Tristan before I leave to order getting a horse ready. After my experience with the carriage the last time, I'll see how this one works out. It's not my favorite thing to do as I always loved to be in the infantry more than to act in the cavalry, but it's faster and I don't need anybody with me like last time.
I can do this all on my own.
However, I find myself in the woods that cross the border to the beasts just about a few hours later. The nostrils of my black horse are inflating nervously as we come closer to the barrier that protects the center of the little village the beasts have established. The warm breath of the horse vaporizes as little clouds in the already chilly air. I clap the throat of it tenderly to keep it calm and under control.
This time nobody came to announce my presence but the bowstrings don't snap back at my sight but keep in caution position. They are waiting for my moves, I guess.
"My name is Ethan Vinge, ambassador from the Vampire Society of London and Lord Tristan Blackwood. I'm requesting an audience to Lyall," I speak up and the horse starts to prance at the spot.
Nothing seems to move first but then the barrier gets out of my way pretty fast and I dismount the still nervous horse. "Look who's knocking. Did you bring dinner?" Lyall says amused about my appearance and glancing at the horse. I follow his look and then stare back at him.
"Nobody touches my horse," a dry answer and he releases a chuckle.
"What are you doing here again, Vinge? I didn't expect you so soon again. Nothing's changed here or are you seeking for revenge?" he informs me openly and a smug smile plays around his features. He is not the only one who laughs.
Silent chuckles can be heard around us in the dark trees. A crooked smile slips on my face as well as I try to avoid shaking hands. This time he doesn't mind.
"What should I say? I couldn't fight the aspiration," I lead the horse inside and he shows me where to secure its reins. One of his members is even coming to it with a bucket full of water.
"I heard you had a rough ride home last time?" Lyall says noticing a new ax at my waist. I cross my arms in front of me.
"Yet I'm still standing here. Can we talk more privately?" I snarl.
"I already told you that we do not have secrets here..."
I sigh, not having the feeling that I need to hide my annoyance. The last hint of a smile slips out of my face. I really do not feel comfortable with so many eyes and ears on us.
"Today I'll only ask one question, but not before I didn't explain some things first," I glance at the line of trees that are leading into more dense underbrush. I listen more closely and can hear the leaves rustle and some muffled voices as the wind turns in my direction.
Lyall follows my look as he starts talking. "I'm listening," he simply says.
"Lyall, the mountain – I really need to insist as you are not the only one listening and the information I need to share is under non-disclosure directly from the council," I move my head to him and can also see him not hiding his annoyance.
He growls at me but waves, his eyes lingering on my ax one more time. I untie it and he nods as I bind it safely on the saddle of my horse. This is a silent agreement of respecting each other. I think I got it right this time.
The cave, in which we shared our fight last time looks nearly the same as before. We damaged over half of the interior but everything got replaced, chairs, tables...
Using the only resources they have en masse: wood, bones and to some extent fur. We both take a seat and I take a long look at him.
"There are some pretty worrisome and wondrous things going on in the city. We got more corpses. The armed assault on me and our staff on our way back from you aside, there are four more corpses. All defenseless newborns," I hiss the last words and it doesn't go unnoticed by Lyall.
I think what Lyall is doing with his facial features counts as raising his eyebrows first and then furrowing them.
"Newborns? Why newborns? Sounds more like an act just to raise terror between people, not like a political thing," he eyes me as I let the words sink in.
"Well, technically we had six new corpses with that assault."
"What about an assault? My letter stated that you had an accident."
"It obviously doesn't count as an armed assault when one ends up with a bolt between the eyes, but still survives," my anger shining through for a moment, "I had no saying in that," I state bluntly and totally aware that this is not how the council wants me to communicate our internal issues.
Lyall narrows his eyes at me, "...and why is that so, Vinge?" his voice dangerously calm.
"It is so, because it was just me with the bolt between the eyes. Trust me when I say that I missed my ax dearly that night," I have to smirk.
A silent growl on his side, "How many humans' life did you count in that?" his eyes are slightly gleaming for a moment.
I remember what Tristan told me about them. For them, killing a human is also a crime. Running my hand through my hair I sigh and correct my calculation.
"None of the humans with me survived either," I can nearly see his disgust to talk to me at all. That's technically not a lie. In the end, none of them survived, not even Henry.
I remove one of my black gloves showing him my bandage and the still missing fingers. He looks at me in confusion.
"I tried." It's an odd feeling to expose myself to him, but I need his trust now.
"I tested you, how come a bolt made it into your head? Didn't you hear it coming?" he scratches at my pride.
Trying to keep my upcoming emotions at bay I take my glove back on. "I did hear it coming, but my maid figured it was a good time to take a look at what happened."
Waiting for his reaction I see that he tries to figure something out. "You took a bolt for her?" he then asks and I nod shortly.
"Either way, I'm pretty sure it's not a 'him' anymore we are searching for but more of a 'them'," I switch to a more important topic, "The good thing is that it's not a complete witch's hunt anymore. We found the murderer of our murderer," I explain further. Looking into a puzzled face of Lyall I maybe make no sense to him.
"Sounds like you got the guy. This still doesn't explain why you are here now," he says and I have to grin as he reacts the same way I did, when Charles Holmwood approached me.
"He came to me to confess a murder. I sensed the death on him from afar, but you know best that one shouldn't judge too early. He came to me to confess the murder of his fosterling. His fosterling, on the other hand, obviously seems to have killed Warlow, because he was nuts and tried to get Tristan's place by bringing death and confusion. So much to the political statement but the newborns got killed afterwards," I make a short break to see if Lyall can follow. He nods.
"Charles Holmwood only came to me to confess, because he was afraid he will get killed by the companion of his fosterling. The Charlotte you mentioned, remember? She was his companion and I have no idea why she seduced Warlow but she seems to be good at this kind of games. Now it appears safe to assume she has some other rogue vampires on her side as Holmwood was already in our custody when the newborns got killed. With that said, your information was gold."
Lyall nods once again and I know that something starts to dawn on his mind. "How do you want us to help? We could patrol the borders if you need more men," he finally offers and I grin.
"You stole my punch line," I straighten out. "You can help, indeed – but it's not about border patrol. We had a trial for Charles Holmwood and we came up with a plan, yet this is why I'm here. What we need, is an open field, a row of reasonable occasions to lure those bastards out of their hidings. Charles Holmwood is their public enemy number one."
His animalistic features and eyes are drilling into mine. "Open field, huh? You mean the woods," he assumes and I nod.
"We can't risk a fight where humans are involved. I guess we can agree on that. The city holds more of them than the woods."
"You want my people to be involved?" he questions and I know that this is the point where I need to be careful. If I would be him, I'll send me away.
The council wanted me to remind him about the contract we have set into effect and that this will force him to take any given prisoner we ban. I lean back in my chair and cross my arms in front of me.
"I know what it sounds like, but if only half of your people are a bit like you, I bet they are strong enough. I wouldn't come here if there would be another good option. The idea was to exile him. We can't really estimate their numbers, but four of them killed recently. You know what this can do to a vampire and ―"
"― and it's better to have a dead beast than to have another dead fine, noble vampire under the council's protection," Lyall interrupts me.
"― and as I really don't care what happens to that bastard he is the bait. If Holmwood survives, the council will consider letting him go to leave for his old home in the
West Indies," I finish my sentence. I don't usually speak so much, but when I do, I don't get interrupted and I won't let that start now.
"Yes, you don't care about him, but what if my people get harmed?" he repeats his statement in a question.
"I cannot promise you that this won't happen, but I can promise you that I will bring my best men and that I will do everything to keep them safe the same way I would see to keep our people safe. I hold the position as leader of the royal guards and ambassador of Tristan and with both of these I give my word," technically I'm not lying, right?
He's not convinced, though.
"Sure. Speaking of which... What exactly would my people's benefit be from getting put into that danger and supporting your task? They are shunned and despised by most of your kind. I'd need arguments to convince them."
"What do you think will happen when we are not able to stop the upcoming rumors? It will destabilize the situation within our people. What if they succeed with spreading fear and chaos? Do you really think they won't bother your people here because you are further away? Did they already forget how war looks and starts like?" I blurt out slightly angry but Lyall stays calm and shrugs.
"We still can make it our war when it should come that far. Saving your unthankful butts will not convince my people," he answers my questions all at once and my anger deflagrates turning my lips into a sly smile. Unthankful, yes they are.
"What is it that your people here miss the most at the moment? There is always a shortage of something."
Lyall smirks as he sees that I don't just stick to any kind
of protocol. "We lack the advantages of the city life. Mostly that's cozy furniture, dry places to sleep... weapons."
I arch an eyebrow at him. "I can understand the dry places and the weapons but the furniture? Look around here - the things your people make are astonishing," I can't hide my admiration for a moment but then have to clear my throat and come back to my serious self.
An amused smile plays around Lyall's features. "Some things are better and more resistant when they are made of metal or porcelain, but we don't have access to that."
I wrinkle my forehead because I already know that what I'm about to say is clearly a transgression from my side. "Would you be interested to start trading with us? I can imagine some people who would love some of your handcrafted items or at least some of your resources. Of course, I would see how much of a 'starting bonus' you'd get for helping us out now."
"If you want to furnish your home with our stuff we can make a bargain," he laughs out loud about the thought.
"I don't think that people are aware of what can be made with the materials you have here. I couldn't believe what I was seeing when I came here last time," I compliment but have to add, "Honestly I can't tell how good that would go for you, but what I can tell you for sure is that I know a blacksmith who can help out with some materials to make your life easier. He made that beauty which sticks in the tree out there. Is that something you could tell your people?"
I'm relieved to see Lyall nod slowly. "We have our claws but sometimes an additional weapon could be of use. I'll see
what I can do, but in the end, it will be my people's decision," he finally says and suppresses a sigh.
More democratic tendencies, I see. A somewhat worried look on Lyall's face bothers me though.
"You are not convinced that it will work out well for us," I state and he looks at me.
"I just don't want to make promises I maybe can't keep. You will need to wait after I gathered and talked to all of them. We need to make a vote about that matter."
I keep on looking at him. So they all will know about the plan. "How will you vote?" I just need to be sure about that matter.
"You'd like to know, wouldn't you?" he grins.
I nod. "If they have the feeling, that they can't trust me for any reason, I see it as my duty to prove myself in any possible way," I'm not sure that I can hide my pride from shining through.
"Ah, that's really not about you. They like you," he all of a sudden says and I feel a bit taken back. They do like me? They don't even know me, how can they like me.
"You didn't hesitate to fight me, they appreciate that," he says and I shake my head slightly.
"I don't want to be liked, I want to be trusted."
"You might be surprised but a lot of the time this is the same thing," he shrugs at me and then grins. "You'd make up a great member of our tribe," the statement fades out and I can nearly feel how my stomach is flipping upside down.
"Speaking of a new member of your group, there is also a second criminal that will get banned along. Nothing too interesting, he'll cause you no troubles. Guess you don't mind?" I grin.
"I like the volunteers more than the criminals, but mostly we are able to get along. If not, I still have the right to execute them here, right?" he returns the grin with a sparkle in his eyes.
Oh my, this will become quite a fight here.