Hi,
Oh, I can see it clearly. Alexander has an agenda - only what exactly does he have in mind? Let me know if you have any theories! I don't know why, but I really really liked writing this chapter. Maybe because there are so many vamps in one place... ;-P
Lara
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Chapter 41
I followed George into the post-warish-zone and walked right into the street. The scent of the vampires' power hit me head on, the cold of the grave a clawing ripple of sensation along my skin. It was like walking into an electromagnetic minefield. Total overkill.
All vampires were staring at me, the head vampire included. He was still in the middle of his face-off with Victor and from the looks of it he wasn't done yet, by far.
The head vampire wanted something. Only what? I gave him a grim nod, watching him. Giving nothing away. If Alexander thought I was feeling cornered by his presence, he would gain the upper hand faster than I could say fuck you.
Some criminals get off on scaring people. Fear not only becomes their weapon of choice. It turns into an addictive drug that invests their daily grind. Makes them believe they're someone.
True for some vamps too. Manipulation through fear ranks high on their list of essentials and comes right after blood. Only difference to humans? Vamps can smell fear on your skin â literally.
No matter if they're human or undead, they have something in common: they're all bullies and it unsettles them if you don't cower and break. Bully or not, I wasn't giving the head vamp an ounce of fear.
"Andy Varner," Alexander said. "Would you mind giving us a taste of your version of events when we were attacked? After all, you were there."
A smile in the blankness of the head vampire's face. In it the determination of a highly intelligent killer.
So he knew I was there. I'd hoped my presence would go unnoticed in the ensuing tumult. It looked like a commotion of wolves and vamps fighting in the street wasn't enough to distract Alexander. What would he do if he knew I had a deal with Fabrice?
I released a slow breath. My feet were perfectly balanced, shoulder width, arms loose at my sides. I was ready for a fight in case this went downhill fast.
"I don't know what exactly this is about. Whatever this is, I'm not gonna be a part of it," I said.
Victor laughed, a soft sound that made the hair on the back of my neck lift. His eyes were on me.
"You knew Fabrice, boy. You are already part of it," Victor said.
Adrenaline spiked, roughened my skin like a wet dog's tongue behind my ear.
Fuck.
Alexander cocked his head. "Did he now?"
I mentally saluted to Victor. For now Alexander's full attention was on me. A tactical move to distract. And it worked.
I shrugged casually. "He provided me with information from time to time. Nothing you don't do. Or so rumors say."
Alexander raised an eyebrow. "Careful, Varner, I'm not working together with criminals. I asked for your cooperation in shedding some light on what happened that night. What did you see?"
I rolled my neck, arms flexing at my sides, riding the rush of adrenalin. This could go one way or the other.
"You want the information. You pay for it," I said.
"Reminds me of someone," George said from behind. "Fucking witches."
Alexander smiled. "Let's assume you were in a position to trade. What would you trade the information for?"
"I have to find Anna. There's something she needs to know," I said. "I think you can help me find her."
For a long moment the head vamp didn't move, didn't seem to breathe.
The motion was so minuscule, for a moment I believed I imagined it. Alexander nodded.
"Tonight wasn't the only time I saw Fabrice. Occasionally we exchanged information. He terminated the deal we had a while ago. I tried to get in touch with him a few weeks ago, but I couldn't. Never found him. It looked like he vacated one of his usual hiding places in a rush. No one knew where he was. Or maybe they refused to tell me. Still, there were rumors that a few anathema vamps were missing."
"Your point, Mr. Varner," Alexander said.
"I'm assuming these are parts of New York you don't control, or look at too closely." I shrugged. "I'm saying maybe you missed something."
Alexander stared at me. The weight of centuries slammed down on my shoulders like a jackhammer.
"Go on."
"When I saw Fabrice tonight... I don't know. Something was off about him."
"Clarify." The head vampire didn't move or blink.
I crossed my arms in front of me.
"From a strategic viewpoint it doesn't make any sense. They went in without a plan or concept when they attacked. What was their goal? Major destruction? To what end? Fabrice's been hiding within your territory for years. Why attack now?"
"You know nothing about vamp politics, boy," Victor sneered.
Boy.
I ignored him. Alexander was calling the shots here. His opinion counted.
"There's more," I said. "Something about the way Fabrice was looking at me. It was wrong. Just wrong."
Alexander took a step forward. A slow, inhuman move. "You seem to forget, Varner, that I pronounced Fabrice anathema for a reason. What exactly do you mean when you say wrong?"
I shook my head. "Fabrice never outright attacked me before. Not like this. He liked to play mind games, like most of your kind, but I've never seen him like this."
I hesitated. There were things I didn't want the head vamp to know.
Fuck this. I had to find Anna, fast. I licked my lips. "I guess I felt it when Fabrice drank my blood. Something about him was different. I just can't say what."
For a long moment the head vampire stared at me.
"Then what do you make of it?" Alexander said softly.
I glanced at Victor, stared into his eyes. The weight of them made me want to take a step back. I stood my ground, holding his gaze.
"I may not know enough about vamp politics to judge this, but I know Fabrice and the way he thinks. And this wasn't like him at all," I said evenly.
Victor turned to Alexander, clear blue eyes awash, blazing with what might have been amusement. "The boy's got quite the guts for a mortal of his age."
Alexander was still looking at me. "Do not fool yourself. You know nothing of Fabrice or why he was anathema."
"Maybe you're right. Maybe this wasn't about him being anathema." I shrugged. "So, what about your end of the deal?"
He blinked, eyes darting to George. "Come with me."
* * * * * * *
The diary of Anna Johnson :
"The night is fierce.
It's the time when secret thoughts and dormant consciousness join hands, melt into vague shadows and nightmares.
It's the place where predators hunt for their prey openly. You can get lost in an alley, pushed against a wall; run over by the dark machinations festering in the city.
Still. These days it's the daytime that scares me most. In open daylight, things look rarely the same as they do in darkness. Nightly shadows cloak the flawed and blemished. They trick the mind into believing there is nothing to see, or that it's all part of your imagination. Just the flicker of a shadow, a trick of the human mind.
There is no tricking or cloaking during the day. In daylight what you see is what you get. All the nightmares become real, because you can finally see them. They're walking among you, staring straight up your face. And they're not going away."