17: Protected

The Surge restaurant proudly held the title “Best Seafood” restaurant in Minneapolis. Customers picked their crabs from an elongated fish tank set up in the foyer of the building. Seafood wasn’t Veronica’s first choice, but she couldn’t persuade Murphy from not going.

He told her it was the best place in Minneapolis to eat. Besides seafood, they had the best salads, lobsters, clam chowder, and Buffalo wings on this side of the Mississippi.

But during dinner her mind wandered. She no longer wanted to wait or talk. The thought of meeting Nathan at Dark Sepulcher excited her to the point that she became restless. Going back also meant that Lambert would bombard her with more meddling questions about The Brotherhood and her father.

Murphy rambled about his family again, his interests, and his life. His father was a retired electrician living comfortably off his 401K in Pennsylvania. His brother was married with two kids and worked at a law firm in Florida. However, when he spoke about his mother, Veronica couldn’t help notice that she retired as a teacher and died just recently after a three year battle with ovarian cancer. Before, after they’d left Dark Sepulcher days ago, he told her she was a receptionist.

She didn’t question his mistake but she kept note of it. After dinner he drove her home and told her about his uncle Charlie who won the lottery and spent his winnings on Star Trek collector items and old vintage wear from the 1920s.

Once in her apartment, she felt relieved, but her disburden was short lived when she saw Sean’s note.

In a scribbled line he wrote: “If not back, don’t worry about me.”

Sean had taken all his belongings, only leaving the files he’d stolen from The Brotherhood. Confused and angry about why he’d left, she suspected that The Brotherhood coming back to Minneapolis had something to do with it. She tossed the note in the trash and walked back to her couch. She gathered The Brotherhood papers in a pile and waited for the night.

When night finally came, she headed for Dark Sepulcher.

The bouncer immediately recognized her before she approached the door.

He didn’t bother to check her ID. Instead he stepped aside to let her in. The cashier nodded at her and pointed to the black curtains.

‘Again she found the club crammed full with Deamhan, vampires, and humans. The way the crowds danced in harmonic rhythms to the music reminded her of ancient Dionysian cults. She straightened her black blouse and her dark blue jeans and walked toward the back.

Out of nowhere she heard a male voice inside her head call out to her.

To her right she saw Remy sitting in a maroon-colored booth with a dark-haired female. The female took a sip from her glass and giggled while his cold hand gently rubbed the side of her face. His brown eyes didn’t blink while he stared at Veronica. He wrapped his right hand around the dark curls in the female’s hair.

“You actually came.” Remy moved to the outer edge of the booth. He stood up, straightening his long, black shirt that he wore with his black jeans. He swiped his brown hair back. “I didn’t think you had it in you to come back.” He spoke loud enough over the music for Veronica to hear. “But here you are.” He approached her. “And my, my, don’t you look lovely.”

Veronica blocked her thoughts. “I’m here.” She cradled The Brotherhood files, in hopes that he wouldn’t notice them, but he did.

“You brought presents?” he asked.

The female in the booth let out a whimper and he quickly turned around. “I’ll deal with you in a minute.” He then turned back to Veronica.

“Don’t let me disturb you from your dinner.”

His cold hand clasped onto her wrists, halting her in her tracks. “Nonsense.” He raised his hand to her cheek. “She’s just a little midnight snack.”

Veronica removed his hand. She turned around but Alexis now stood in her way. Her sudden entrance stunned Veronica, making her feel caught in the middle . . . just like last time.

“Welcome back.” Alexis placed her hands on her hips and her eyes darted to Remy. “I hope this little flea didn’t frighten you.”

Veronica stepped aside. If they wanted to see who could out stare each other, they could do so without her standing in the way.

“This feels familiar.” Remy smiled. “Just like the first time you came to Dark Sepulcher, Veronica, except that Alexis isn’t forcing her sluttish persuasion.”

“Yes, but this time you’re not part of the conversation.” She pointed to the dark-haired female sitting in the booth. “And this time, Deamhan, make sure you dispose of your food in a more disguised manner.”

He laughed gently, then nodded. “Tell Lambert not to worry. I won’t place that burden on his vampire bodyguards this time.”

She waved at Veronica to follow her to the door and up the stairs to Lambert’s quarters. This time the walk felt shorter.

Veronica didn’t pay much attention to the stairs and the hallway. Instead her fingertips tingled at the mere thought of meeting Nathan and Lambert. When Alexis opened the door she saw them sitting across from each other on couches centered in the middle of the room.

She cautiously walked in. When Alexis slammed the door shut behind her, she jumped at the noise.

Lambert slowly motioned for her to sit next to him. To Veronica, he looked more relaxed than the last time. She believed that whatever Nathan said to him before she arrived calmed him enough to tolerate her. Still gripping The Brotherhood papers, she sat next to Nathan.

“I see you came prepared.” Lambert placed his hand over his chest. He wore his brown hair in his signature ponytail. His mouth remained open, stuck in mid-sentence. The room fell into a moment of silence. Nathan uncrossed his legs and glanced at her with a smile of encouragement.

Lambert pushed the bowl of grapes sitting on the coffee table toward her.

“No, thank you.” She dropping her guard. Vampires couldn’t read human thoughts, not as easily as Deamhan could.

“I’m glad you were able to make it safely,” Nathan said. His conservative outfit consisting of a gray casual suit with a white shirt underneath seemed unusual to what she thought he’d usually wear.

“We were just discussing the differences between the Ramanga and vampires,” Lambert said. “I personally believe that behavior is the major and only important difference between them. The typical Ramanga Deamhan tends to be pitiless and homicidal, while vampires tend to have a much calmer way of feeding. What do you think, Veronica?”

She shrugged, uninterested in his question. To her, the Ramanga and the vampire were pitiless and homicidal; their names being the only difference.

Nathan slowly slouched back into the couch, revisiting his comfortable position.

Lambert continued. “And you can kill a vampire easier than you can kill a Deamhan.”

“Some vampire historians claim that vampires have their age on their side,” Nathan added, “and that they’ve existed longer on earth.”

There were many types, different types of the undead that Veronica knew about. Besides vampires and Deamhan, there were demons, half demons and even vampire and werewolf mixed breeds. But as far as she knew, The Brotherhood wasn’t interested in researching their kind.

“My own maker was older than dirt when he made me a vampire.” Lambert crossed his hands. “She was a true beauty back then. Pity that I can only remember brief images of our time together before she abandoned me on an Italian beach.”

Veronica wanted to question him about his sire but that wasn’t the information she wanted to know. Not yet anyway.

Lambert spoke slowly. “What do you think?”

“I’ve never researched vampires,” she answered. “So I don’t know.”

“What about your researcher friend? Perhaps he knows?”

She shook her head. Here he goes again; about Sean. She didn’t play into it.

“Veronica”—Nathan held up his hand to respond—”there’s something you need to know about Sean.”

“I’m sure she knows he’s a researcher,” Lambert interrupted.

“He’s not a threat to me or to any of you.” She raised her voice slightly.

“They’re always a threat, my dear.” Lambert snickered. “You told me you had no affiliation with The Brotherhood but your friend Sean is a member, which makes you an affiliate.”

Nathan cleared his throat and Lambert stopped his attack. For the first time Veronica witnessed Lambert’s respect for Nathan. Like Deamhan, vampires showed it in crazier ways (murder being one of them.)

Nathan spoke up. “I was once an affiliate, Lambert. So according to your logic, I’m a threat.”

“Stop trying to turn Veronica into a harmless human,” Lambert interrupted him. “You know this is vastly different.”

Veronica felt her breathing increase. If Lambert already knew about Sean, what else did he know? She decided to back off from her defense. “He was my connection to The Brotherhood, but he left. I don’t know where he is now.”

Nathan exhaled slowly. “Lambert is partially correct, Veronica. Your friend may not be as trustworthy as you think. He’s working for your father.”

She didn’t want to show that she already knew Sean’s true reason for being in Minneapolis. She dropped the papers on the table. The bowl of grapes bounced gently to the side. She forced herself to exhale, and she looked to the floor. Her act was a lie and she was a fabulous actress.

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She sifted through the paperwork page by page until she came across the documentation on Lambert. Like the other information, the heavily inundated markings made it somewhat hard to read. She skimmed through what wasn’t blackened out, cursing under her breath that she should’ve done this before, the moment Sean gave them to her.

“Here.” She tossed it into his lap. “This is what my affiliation with Sean was able to provide.”

Lambert slowly lifted the paper to his line of vision and he began to read.

“Brotherhood files?” Nathan asked.

“I’m flattered. They actually have an interest in me.” Lambert skimmed over the information.

“Are all of them blacked out like this?” Nathan asked.

“Yes,” Lambert crudely answered for Veronica. He held one piece up close to get a better view. “This is nothing.” He placed the papers back on the table. “Should I be surprised about this?”

She stared at the documents on the table, thinking. The idea that The Brotherhood somehow came back into Minneapolis devoured whatever positive thoughts she had left of Sean. They overwhelmed her. Her breathing increased, and her stomach twitched.

Lambert gently pushed the bowl of grapes closer to Nathan with his foot. “Hungry?” He pointed to the grapes. Nathan grabbed a grape and popped it in his mouth.

“Eating is the one thing I miss about being human.” A caricature smile appeared on his face, revealing his fangs. “Grapes were my favorite food to eat when I was human.”

“I’m sure I wasn’t invited her to talk about grapes.” Veronica’s bold statement silenced Lambert’s fluffy thought. Suddenly the tension overcoming the room became gut wrenching.

She felt the blame, and it made her want to lash out, to clench her teeth and exert her anger by punching at random walls. This blame would never stop. Her thoughts gravitated to her father. He pushed Sean into spying on her, if it was true. Nothing in that organization happened without his say. Sean turned into an expendable researcher. She wasn’t going to let her father win, even if she had to endure Lambert’s pithy comments and his lack of trust.

“You do know you are protected.” Nathan leaned over to her.

“I’ve heard, but I don’t know what that means. What does it mean?” she questioned in an untroubled voice.

“It means that somewhere, out there, a Deamhan has claimed you,” Lambert answered. “And no one can harm or kill you.” He didn’t stray from his skepticism or from his continuing comments. “Oh, the pressure of being related to the Midwest Region Leader.” He began to mock her. “It’s just enough to make me heave up the blood I devoured earlier.”

“Only a Deamhan with power and age on their side could give out an order like that,” Nathan added.

Veronica thought about the mysterious woman she saw at the burnt home, the van, and the two Deamhan twins. Maybe it was Kei? Apparently not every Deamhan obeyed this order. She grabbed the pieces of paper on Blind Bluff Manor and handed it over to Nathan. He accepted the paperwork and slowly went through it page by page.

“Sometimes you have to play along with Lambert’s comments.” Nathan witticism appeared to finally cease the tension.

“Yes, yes, yes, ignore poor miserable Lambert.” Lambert motioned Nathan’s remark away by flicking his wrist. “I’m the vampire who doesn’t know anything, even if I’ve been around longer than most.”

“My old friend,” Nathan replied. “Your advice is always appreciated and needed.”

“Well, my advice for Veronica is to give up her search. Go back to your father and forget coming to Minneapolis. It doesn’t help that you’re the daughter of a man in a high position in The Brotherhood. It’s a stamp of disapproval. And now you want to find Kei? Oh, how the turns keep turning.”

“It’s crossed my mind,” she replied. “Unlike you, I’m not scared of him.”

“You say that now.” He laughed openly.

“My mother was assigned to research Lucius. She went missing when he went missing. Lucius sired Kei and Kei is involved in his sire’s disappearance. Why wouldn’t I not try to find him?”

“Maybe because he’s a psychopath?” Lambert answered. “Kei hosts what the Deamhan call a Gathering almost every weekend,” Lambert said. “Savage Deamhan feeding sessions mixed with dead and dying humans. If you find the location of his Gathering, you will find him.” He smiled deviously. “But humans are never invited, unless they’re the main course.”

The concept was farfetched. She’d heard about Deamhan Gatherings from Sean and other members of The Brotherhood. They were meetings, held in a secret location. It was one of the rarest times when you could find different Deamhan types socializing together without any bloodshed. Ancient Deamhan used these Gatherings to go over The Dictum or to call a Decretum. Some Deamhan either sired their loyal minions or killed their un-loyal minions in these meetings. Whatever the case, humans definitely weren’t allowed.

“You can’t go Veronica.” Lambert turned to Nathan with an enervated look.

“And you shouldn't encourage her.” He pointed at Nathan. “Your oddball ideas are going to get her killed.”

“I’m protected, right?” Veronica replied.

“Yes, but again, that does not mean that every Deamhan will respect that,” Nathan answered. “For example, you and Sean were followed to Blind Bluff Manor by a human. By the time I realized that, the human had disappeared. With news of your arrival spreading, any Deamhan with a grudge sees this as an opportunity to get their revenge on The Brotherhood.”

Veronica leaned her cheek against her right hand. “There is a woman I’ve seen twice following me. Once when I first came back here and just recently at the new fire in south Minneapolis.”

“A minion.” Lambert looked at Nathan. “Probably Kei’s minion. Seriously, Nathan, you’re going to get her killed.”

“Lambert,” Nathan said, attempting to calm him.

“No, no.” Lambert stood up from his seat. “I’ve known you for a long time. You are the only human that I trust. But if you decide to help her, even I can’t protect you from the Deamhan who want her dead.”

“I wouldn’t want you to but I understand and respect your decision.” He looked to Veronica. “And that’s why I brought you here. I could’ve told you this at my own home, but I felt doing it here, in this protected environment, was best.”

Veronica squinted. She didn’t know what Nathan referred to but she let him continue.

“I understand your need to search for your mother, but you have to understand that you’re heading into dangerous territory. You have to think this over carefully.”

“Is that what you invited me here for?” She reached into her pocket and pulled out her cell phone. “To tell me that I should stop looking?” She watched Nathan and Lambert stare at each other for a moment.

“No one can protect you here, even the Deamhan that claimed you,” Nathan continued. “If you go looking for Kei, you’re going to get killed.”

“I’m not going to just leave,” she replied.

“You might not have a choice, my dear,” Lambert said.

She flipped her phone open, glaring at the time. She felt her body tense. First Sean, now Nathan. She didn’t care what Lambert thought about the situation, but she expected Nathan to at least understand.

“I’m not going to stay where I’m not wanted.” She closed her phone and she stood up. “Thank you.”

“You shouldn’t be out there by yourself.” Nathan stood up from his seat.

“I’m not some weak girl who can’t take care of herself. I’m not leaving Minneapolis until I find out what happened to my mother.”

Nathan looked at Lambert, who sighed and slowly stood up in his chair.

“Fine,” Lambert sighed. “But I’m not bringing in any more drama to my dance floor. Having her in my club is enough.” He slowly walked over to his miniature bar.

“Veronica, at least stay here until morning,” Nathan said.

“I’m fine.” Without warning, she promptly headed for the door. She had better things to do than listen to Lambert talk about grapes and complain to her. She needed to know where Sean had run off to. Second, she had to find Kei. He was her ticket to Lucius. She sprinted down the hallway, down the stairs and out to the main room.

She walked through the club passing by Remy’s booth but he was no longer there. The air grew hot and her desire to be in Dark Sepulcher completely diminished. She stopped and stared at the entryway. Nathan was right about one thing.

It wasn’t safe for her to be out on the streets at this time of night. But her desire to leave the club clouded her judgment. She couldn’t think about what might happen. Like her mother, she had to be brave. She felt Lambert and Nathan staring down at her from above, and she took no notice. She walked toward the entrance and headed outside.

The wind picked up tremendously, scattering trash along the pavement. She turned the corner and walked down the desolate street; her pace slowed. A glaze of frost covered the front windows of the parked cars; overfilled garbage cans sat on the sidewalk, moving slightly left and right from the wind. She heard police sirens in the distance and the sound of a screeching car. The smell of urine fumigated her nose. Her body shivered and goose bumps appeared on her forearms.

She reached for her phone but stopped herself. Why leave Dark Sepulcher just like that? She told herself nothing would get in her way, but she didn’t think her own feelings could threaten her search. Both Lambert and Nathan knew more; maybe something that could help her.

She crossed the empty street, turning around to head back to Dark Sepulcher when a cold hand quickly covered her mouth. She felt an arm wrap around her stomach, pulling her from the street to a nearby alley. She struggled against this force, dropping her phone. She kicked her feet and tried to scream. Suddenly the strong force tossed her against the brick wall and she fell to the ground, landing on broken bottles and trash. She felt the sharp stings in her forearm from the embedded fragments of glass shards. Dizziness overcame her and she looked up, struggling to concentrate on who had thrown her like a rag doll.

Someone giggled.

Brandy flicked back her long brown hair, revealing a face that Veronica was all too familiar with. She recognized her immediately as one of the two Deamhan twins who attacked her in the bathroom at Dark Sepulcher a few nights ago.

“I just love it when I run across a free meal.” Brandy slowly knelt down next to Veronica and tilted her head slightly.

Veronica slowly stood up in shock, using the wall for leverage. Her eyes scoured the dirtied ground for anything she could use against her as a weapon.

Brandy jumped forward and Veronica slid back against the wall, feeling a warm trickle of blood draining from her forehead and down the side of her face. Brandy slightly covered her mouth and giggled again. She reached out with her hand and attempted to touch Veronica’s face. Her eyes began to twitch, and soon she busted out into a calm whistle.

“Please.” Veronica found herself gasping and stuttering.

Brandy wiped the blood from her face. A small throb of pain pierced Veronica’s forehead. She searched for the wound and when she found it, she discovered that it was deep and bleeding profusely.

“She killed her.” Brandy leaned up against the wall next to her with the same dark and mischievous look her eyes. “That Deamhan bitch killed my sister to save you that night.”

She didn’t know who Brandy referred to. “Please.” She felt the corner of the wall against her back.

“Please what?” The Deamhan grabbed Veronica’s wrists, pinning both of them to the wall. “I’m gonna rip you apart.” She slightly opened her thin lips. In a slow, shocking appearance, her teeth extended to three times the normal size. They were now sharp and materialized into the pointy teeth of a Ramanga. She moved her arms above her head and retook Veronica’s wrists with one hand while the other forced Veronica’s head to the side.

“I’m going to drain you into a pretty corpse.” Brandy’s raspy voice frightened Veronica. “And if you survive, I’m going to do to you what she did to my sister.”

“I don’t know who you’re talking about.” She tried unsuccessfully to pull her arms free. Brandy slammed her against the wall again, and she lost her breath for a second. She grabbed Veronica’s hair and yanked, throwing whatever strands she managed to tear from her scalp. Her strength was superior. She moved Veronica as if she weighed absolutely nothing.

“Or I could sire you,” Brandy whispered.

She flinched, feeling her sharp teeth sinking into her neck. The pressure of her blood being sucked was excruciating. She struggled and scratched, drawing blood from her attacker’s face. Her fighting did little, and Brandy refused to let her go. She felt her arms being the first part of her body to succumb. Her strength soon followed, and her legs buckled from under her. She became weaker, paralyzed, and on the verge of passing out.

In an instant, Brandy stopped and loosened her grip and her attention turned to the alleyway. “I knew you’d come for her.” She released Veronica who fell, landing on the right side of her body. She had little energy to look up at what made Brandy release her. Her blurred vision made it hard for her to see the shadowy figure at the end of the alleyway. Brandy snarled at it. The figure took a step forward and again there was silence.

“Why did you kill her?” Brandy shouted at the figure as it took another step forward. “You were her sire!”

The figure didn’t respond. Instead it disappeared in a blurred image only to suddenly reappear feet from them. Veronica heard Brandy gawk as she and the figure began to scuffle, throwing each other into the brick walls. Veronica attempted to raise her body and catch a better glimpse of this Deamhan squabble, but she fell back to the floor. The fight moved too quickly for the human eye to see. They streaked back and forth, crashing into walls and garbage cans. The fight paused long enough for her to witness the dark figure; a female, with her hands on the side of Brandy’s neck. The figure twisted.

Snap!

Brandy’s body went limp and the female moved the head aside and gracefully sunk her teeth into the base of Brandy’s neck. A considerable amount of blood spurted from the wound. Veronica focused her eyes. She’d seen this figure before.

The victorious Deamhan leaned her head back, vivaciously licking the remaining blood from her lips. Veronica panted, and her heart pumped frantically.

The woman turned her attention toward her. The white portions of her eyes were exorbitantly black and her Ramanga teeth began to retreat to the size of normal teeth. Splotches of blood covered her face and dripped from the ends of her dark hair. The dark figure was the woman at Nathan’s sanctuary.

Veronica struggled to keep her eyes open, but it seemed impossible. Slowly her eyelids grew heavy and she drifted into darkness.