Chapter 27 #2
A breath passed before a boy with hair almost as dark as mine stepped closer.
His chin lifted, defiant in the face of his fear.
His lips trembled, if only slightly, and his hands gripped the bottom of his suit jacket so hard his fingers were almost white.
Yet his spine was straight, and his shoulders were back.
Just like he’d been drilled to do. Vampire children were rare, and our long lives often made it difficult to remember childhood, but that didn’t mean they shouldn’t have one.
And this child hadn’t. His father had made sure of that.
The shadows that he had hidden amongst had ended with the boy’s escort, as I suspected they would.
Such manipulation of the darkness wasn't something Stefan could control.
So he coerced those from ancient bloodlines who could do such things to serve him.
It was a deliberate move to send such a shadow manipulator into my territory without forewarning. His death was on Stefan, not me.
“Andras. Did your father not teach you that it is disrespectful, not to mention dangerous, to enter my territory without permission, and definitely in such a deceitful manner?”
“My father does not teach me. As king, he is beyond such things.”
I cocked my head. Even so young, Andras had learnt to be evasive.
I understood. It was a matter of survival.
His father was unpredictable, to say the least. Stefan always had been, and as often happened to those in power, it made his attitude towards others, not to mention his belief in his own self-importance, that much worse.
Perhaps I should take some of the blame for Stefan’s personality.
In my defense, I’d done what I could while he was young, but for those with weak minds, power often corrupted.
Look at Victor and even Nicolai. They were prime examples of weak and selfish minds.
It worried me that Stefan’s mind, not just his body, was being affected by his ailment.
I waited patiently for the vampire prince to continue. Andras was giving himself time to judge his interrogator’s mood and how much truth was wise. The boy looked me directly in the eye. His bravery was admirable, if not verging on stupid. Did he honestly believe himself untouchable?
His chin lifted a little more, and though he tried to remain haughty, his lip trembled. “Your king is tired of you evading his commands.”
My eyebrows twitched up, but I remained silent.
He’d clearly been sent with, or as, a message from his father, and even beneath his feigned arrogance, there was a sour scent of fear.
The poor child had been sent to do a job that even the most ancient Originals would not relish; to issue me a veiled threat and force me into action.
“And what is that command, Prince Andras?” I kept my voice light and non-threatening. Beneath his brave act, he was still just a frightened child.
His eyes flicked to where his escort's head rested before settling back on me. A slight sheen of sweat covered his upper lip.
“He knows the hybrid survived. You are to deliver it to him in person. He wishes to understand its potential and where it could be used in the war. He will not tolerate any further delays from you.”
It was on the tip of my tongue to point out that Stefan could no more make me attend him in Europe than Andras could put his escort’s head back on his shoulders.
Still, I had no wish to scare or embarrass the boy further.
A small reminder of etiquette had been necessary.
I didn’t blame Andras for arriving unannounced with a contingent of vampires at his heels, but Stefan knew better than to send delegates into my domain with no warning during a war.
The fact that I had indeed ignored Stefan’s summons was not of import.
I had wanted to wait until my plan was in full progress before I contacted him.
But the little prince didn’t need to know any of that.
I inclined my head and threw the towel over the severed head to block Andras’s view of it, though his lack of reaction to my violent act made me wonder how much bloodshed he’d seen in his father's court.
“Of course, Andras. I will soon visit your father. Now, you have travelled a long way. While I prepare to leave, which will take some time, I would be honoured if you’d stay with me. When was the last time you visited Scotland?”
An uncertain look crossed his face. “I have never visited.” There was a pause while he worried the skin of his lower lip with his teeth. “I would like to stay, of course, but I really should return home and give my father a message from you.”
He didn’t sound sure at all about that course of action.
Despite his princely attitude, or maybe because of it, I wanted to provide him with sanctuary from the machinations of court life, if only for a short while.
Stefan was, or had been, a good king. His talent for being a compassionate and understanding father, however, was sorely lacking.
Not that I was much better, but at least I was willing to try to give Andras a life that was more befitting a child of this century, not medieval times.
“I haven’t yet formulated my reply to your father. It is a delicate matter, is it not, to keep your father’s peace of mind while he is so unwell? I think it is perhaps best…” I glanced at the dead vampire. “…and safer for you, to wait and return with me.”
Once again, his chin lifted defiantly. “I have an escort. They await me outside the club.”
I smiled. “I’m afraid your escort has already been instructed to return to Bucharest and to leave you in my care.”
His escort had been instructed to do no such thing and was just as indisposed as the man at our feet. Andras swallowed, trying not to look like the frightened young boy he really was.
“You will be quite safe, Andras. Besides, you’ll be doing me a great service by staying, especially when an old vampire like me needs time to prepare for a visit to someone as important as your father. Perhaps there will even be time for you to learn how to relax and have fun, no?”
Silence.
I gave him a significant look, and he jolted, glancing around like the walls had ears. I hid a smile. He was a careful child. And he was right; even here, the walls could have ears. They didn’t. But he didn’t know that.
“O-of course,” he stammered. “I should like that.”
The leather office chair creaked under my weight.
I’d sent Andras to Dundean with an escort of armed guards, and had already spoken to Johnson about the arrival of an unexpected guest. My loyal and unflappable butler had taken the news in his stride, and I knew Andras would be well taken care of.
He was safer away from the royal court. And regardless of my plans, Andras would not be returning there until this war was concluded and I had destroyed everyone involved in instigating this destruction.
I had to move my plan forward. Too many innocents were dying because of the damned virus, and I couldn’t keep Shane from Stefan’s clutches much longer.
My stomach twisted painfully. I wouldn’t allow Shane to be turned into a lab rat, or worse, a weapon of destruction.
Stefan was losing patience with this war, along with any remaining seeds of diplomacy and interspecies relations he’d once had.
My spies had informed me that his mind was definitely as sick as his body.
I rubbed a hand over my tired eyes. He would escalate this war before he died.
Because I had no doubt that was where his illness was heading, especially when the extensive knowledge of the vampiric medical profession couldn’t figure out what was wrong.
No matter how much I detested the idea of destroying Sorcha and Shane, I had to stop this war.
I had to find who was responsible for the virus.
Not only was it my destiny, according to the old witch, it was the right thing to do.
I’d lived in this world for a long time, and I cared about what happened to it.
I wouldn’t let our race be responsible for the annihilation of millions of people.
We’d maintained peace for hundreds of years, and it was in danger of disappearing altogether, no matter how hard I, Walker, Connor, or anyone else worked.
I’d lived through wars and immense loss before, but the kind of destruction and chaos that would happen if all races started fighting would be catastrophic.
I glanced at my Patek Philippe watch, preferring the elegance of the timepiece as opposed to glancing at my phone screen.
Time always fascinated me, and to see it tick away without being affected by it was always a strange phenomenon.
Except now it did affect me. The more that passed, the closer I came to destroying my lovers.
It was late, and I wanted to get back to them.
Yet knowing what I must do almost made me want to hide here in my office forever.
The door opened, so I held back my scoff of self-derision. Since when did I hide from anyone?
Elliot passed me a glass. Thick red liquid clung to the crystal sides as I swirled it. “Thank you, Elliot.”
He smiled and nodded. “No problem. Would you like anything else?”
“No, this will suffice.”
“Okay.” He hesitated a bit, so I waited patiently, sipping the claret blood. “How are Shane and Sorcha? The castle is quiet without them.”
My lips tilted into a ghost of a smile. Elliot had always been supportive of my lovers, and I knew Sorcha trusted him.
He was a good vampire, and I was pleased Dav had met his mate, but Elliot was young.
Though he’d come from an abusive background and had adapted well to life in my House, he’d not yet seen a fraction of the darkness that invaded my world.
“They are recovering well. Though not yet well enough to return to Dundean.”