"That...didn't go how I thought it would," Eon remarked still watching the door. "She wants you
but she doesn't want to be with you. How exactly are you going to make that work?"
"In time," Vlad said with a grin as he walked over to toss the folder into the fireplace.
"Time is not your friend," Eon told him. "People want her dead. Setting her free wasn't a good
idea, to begin with."
"It's good for her, that's all that matters."
"Technically...it's not!"
"Can the men not keep her safe?"
"They will do their duty, you will have no problem on that score."
"But there's something bothering you." Vlad guessed. "Out with it!"
"I was just wondering if keeping men out of her bed will be part of their duties."
Vlad frowned, shoving his hands in his pockets. That was one of the concessions he wanted from
her but if he truly wanted to give her her freedom, she must be free to choose him as well. "No."
He whispered finally, releasing his hands and returning to the chair. He wished he could take the
word back.
Eon knew him and prodded. "Are you sure? You rarely share your women and only if you're done
with them. And you're not done with her."
"It has to be done this way Eon." Vlad sighed and collapsed in the chair.
"Alright," Eon conceded. "then we have another matter to discuss."
"I know."
"We can't put it off any longer," Eon spoke as he paced, hands clasped behind his back. "The
American has sent his emissary. He will meet you at the Breidenbacher Hof, in Altstadt."
"I guess he either wants to negotiate or make a threat. And by now he knows my cousin is using
him."
"So, I'm guessing, threat." Eon concluded, shoving his glasses back in place. "Should I make
myself available for this meeting?" He asked with a deadly calm.
"No." Vlad decided. "From now on your top priority will be keeping the Czarina and my heir safe.
Ensure the men do their jobs. Let them know if either one gets a scratch and they'll be seeing me
for retraining."
Eon nodded, knowing full well the threat extended to him too. The Prince's version of boot camp
involved surviving a hunt in winter with him and his wolves. No one ever came back.
***************************
Vladimir watched the pudgy man in distaste. He stood out against the opulent surroundings like
a load of shit on a silver platter. He wasn't a soldier or even a former one. He was an ordinary-
looking fellow with average height and thinning brown hair. He was someone anyone would
think harmless until you saw the depraved light in his watery hazel eyes. Vlad felt insulted
having to deal with him so he listened with half ear as the man made his boss's displeasure
known.
"Your father wasn't the only powerful man involved in this and these men wouldn't like evidence
walking around flaunting itself in public like that. You kept the girl and we allowed that. After all,
all men have needs. Then you married her, publicly I might add, another slap in our face. Now
you expose her to the world, are you testing us, Your Highness?" The man asked.
So, this is why he was sent, Vlad mused, he was clearly an expendable idiot. "What I do is none
of your business..."
"This has everything to do with our business!" He growled then calmed as he threatened. "In
Russia, you may be untouchable, but Russia has always been an enemy of the world, in our eyes
murder is still murder..."
Which is why he didn't dare make his little threat there. "And so is slavery and kidnapping." Vlad
countered, stepping closer and staring him down. "I have the blood of the Boyars and Czars
flowing in my veins, no peasant will bring me to heel..."
"And your wife is what?" The man questioned, not backing down. "Yet she seems to have done
just that. Maybe we sold her for too low a price if her pussy is that...ah..." he gasped the last as
Vlad grabbed him around his throat.
"She is the Czarina. MY Czarina. You peasant, only speak of her in that respect. As to the other
buyer's concerns, I know of them all. And I know of them and I know of your family. I know all
about your disgusting business. If anything you should be paying me for my distress for having
to touch one such as yourself!" Vlad finalised as he threw him across the hotel room. Then
pulled out his handkerchief and wiped his hands. "She is my concern and my concern only. She
will keep your little crime quiet to protect the next Czar but not because we fear any weak
American, German, Persian, English..."
"I understand." The man cut him off quickly when he realized Vlad was naming all the countries
where his buyers resided.
"Get out of my sight!" Vlad commanded, and the man rushed out. He released the fists he made
and exhaled, bringing his emotions back under control. When he had just discovered where
Azura's sellers came from he was afraid they would come for him but after years of collecting all
their secrets, he knew them for what they really were. A bunch of sick perverted rich men and
women who had more money than morals.
There were also former trained soldiers, police officers and public officials who used the cover of
wars, unrest, and crime to cover their tracks. Families would be left thinking their loved one was
just a victim of war or ran away when in fact they stole them for body parts and sexual pleasures.
That particular parasite volunteered at a boy's club and had used some of the boys to lure young
girls like Azura. His family thought all his wealth came from him being a good salesman in their
front operation.
He was VP of Operations in their 'computer software company'. It had locations in some
form or another in all the buyer's countries. Under the cover of a normal executive lunch
meeting, those monsters bought black market body parts and entertainment using established
codes, so they wouldn't get caught. To become a member, it required a blood initiation, the
potential member had to kill a member of their own family. Then you were set for life.
He only knew that because he was offered his father's position. They thought he killed both
Boris and his father and, so he was invited to join. It also required monetary dues to be paid
yearly as their lawyer calmly listed to gain regular access to the special codes he could use for his
purchases. Vlad had no doubt his yearly contribution would've been going to that parasite's
wages. How he was able to sit through that meeting and not kill his cousin's envoy was beyond
him. Maybe it was because of the shock of it all happening so soon after his father's death. His
father was their last Russian client, or so he was told and if he were not interested, any
recommendation of his would be considered.
They made it sound like a job interview. A normal business dealing, done in elegance and luxury.
He was simply signing up for a new club, one that was ultra-exclusive, serving only exceptional
beings such as himself. The envoy had casually sipped tea in his custom-made designer suit as
he laid out all the benefits of joining their little circle. These demons treated people like
products on shelves, not living breathing individuals that had lives and loved ones.
Remembering his conversation with the envoy had him wondering, when did they hook Slava?
How long was his father a member? And just who did he sacrifice to join? According to Charles
and the envoy, the organisation was centuries old with the founding members dating back
centuries. Initiation wasn't as strict then as it is now, but with recording devices and the internet,
they wanted to be assured of a new member's level of commitment.
He had asked the envoy then about his father, but he said that the information was beyond him
but once he was a member, he would make it his duty to inform him. Vlad got the impression the
man was lying, but something twisted in his gut and told him he didn't really want to know the
answer, so he let it drop.
He had another meeting to attend to. He was going to see the German heiress. Wanting to live
longer was her reason for joining and she wanted no part in what was coming. All she asked was
that he left her name out and she would not be buying again. His visit wasn't necessary, but
Vlad just wanted to make sure she knew who she was dealing with. And let her know that he
had the actions to back up his words.
Once he was done here, he would check in with Azura's security detail as he did every day.
Missing her was like having a ghost limb. He knew she was gone but still felt her presence every
day. He missed their daughter too but Azura had promised he was welcomed to see her anytime
he wanted, and he intended to make good use of his 'fatherly' visits.
The issue of the blood sacrifice stayed with him. What had his father sacrifice, he had a feeling
he knew who Charles sacrificed but who did his father sacrifice? Was it his mother? Was she
really sick? Or did he make her sick? You didn't have to do the sacrifice until you made your first
purchase, so when was his?
The thought of his mother and father refused to leave him. It was a mystery he wanted solved
and now he had the means to get the answer. Stepping out onto the balcony of the
Breidenbacher Hof, a Capella Hotel, overlooking Altstadt, he called Charles.
"To what do I owe the pleasure?" Came the droll reply on the other end.
"I need to know...who did my father sacrifice?"
For a few minutes, Vlad thought the line went dead then Charles replied. "This is not an answer
you want."
"So, you do know!"
"I've already destroyed the recording as is done when a member dies."
"Just answer the question, Charles!"
"You really need to stop that high handed tone of yours! No wonder the girl can't love you!"
Vlad was onto his game and demanded fiercely. "Stop talking out of your arse and tell me!"
His voice was soft and remorseful as he replied, "The boy was going to die anyway..."
The phone fell from Vlad's hand.
On the floor, Charles's voice shouted through the phone. "HELLO? VLAD? VLAD! Oh, bugger it!"
He cursed then hung up.
Vlad staggered and then fell to knees. He had helped him. He had helped his father make his
sacrifice. He had helped him kill his own brother.