“Stay where you are,” Clive ordered. “You don’t open your own door.” He got out and opened my door, while the guards opened Cadmael and Vlad’s.
Take no chances, love, and stick to my side. Clive wrapped his arm around me and the four of us made our way to the nocturne entry, Fergus on my other side.
Unlike most vampires, Audrey, Russell’s second in command, didn’t wear black. I loved that about her. My guess was she knew it was too harsh against her pale English complexion. Instead, tonight she wore a soft dusty rose blazer over a silver top and charcoal slacks. Her long blonde hair was coiled into a perfect chignon at the back of her head. Big blue eyes assessed our group as we approached where she stood by the open front door.
In life, Audrey had been a lady’s maid. She’d been turned about two hundred and fifty years ago when the lady in question didn’t want to lose a servant and so killed and turned her. Audrey had no idea she’d been working for a vampire, and one with the strong mental skills to keep Audrey mesmerized, chained to her and under her power. Audrey had only recently shaken off the shackles and was now living a more independent undeath, which included choosing her own clothes in colors and designs she enjoyed.
When Russell became the Master, he’d asked Audrey to be his second. Godfrey didn’t want the job. He much preferred being a third. Less was expected of him, which suited him just fine. Russell had recognized in Audrey someone he could trust. Her integrity made her an easy choice for second. Though she was not new to being a vampire, she was new to exploring her own innate skills. Like others in her line, she too had strong mental gifts. In her case, she was able to sense the emotions of those around her.
Audrey inclined her head to our party. “You are welcome to the San Francisco nocturne. Our Master Russell is inside. Please join us and slake your thirsts.” She smiled at me, touching my sleeve and whispering, “This dress is gorgeous on you.” She fiddled with my hair. “It’s lovely, ma’am, though I want to put it up for you. I think that would look better with the line of the dress.”
We were whispering, but I knew all the vampires could hear us, so I said, “Maybe once they start their meetings, you can fix it for me. You know I can’t do fancy things with my hair.”
“I’d be right pleased, ma’am.” She started to walk ahead and then paused, leaning into me again. “Oh, and Godfrey has a soda for you.”
“Thank you.”
One of the nocturne’s vampires appeared with a tray holding goblets of blood for the vampires. Clive had been handed a poisoned cup of blood in Budapest, so this whole situation made me nervous. He sniffed the blood and then glanced at me, letting me know it was safe.
Godfrey appeared at my elbow. “Good evening, missus.” After passing me a glass of soda, he leaned in, scratched behind Fergus’ ears, and said, “I found a new one of those unexplained mystery shows for us to watch tonight.”
“Oh, good. We can do that while Audrey fixes my hair.” I took a sip and glanced around. Audrey and Godfrey had done what they could to make me seem harmless. It was my turn to try to discover if any of the many vampires surrounding us were plotting against me or mine.
“Good evening, my lady,” Russell said, his deep voice settling my nerves. Russell, a tall and very handsome Black man, was now the Master of San Francisco. He had been Clive’s second for at least a hundred years. Relatively speaking, he wasn’t as old as many of the vampires present, not as old as his second or third, but he had a strength of character that made people want to follow him.
“Is it okay to hug the Master?” I asked.
His face broke into a heart-stopping smile. He opened his arms, and I walked into them. I’d missed him. It was a short hug. Vampires didn’t really do displays of affection. The way Clive always kept his arm around me was unusual for vamps.
Speaking of which, Clive’s arms wrapped around my waist. “Russell, it’s good to see you. May I steal my wife? I’d like to introduce her to some people.”
Russell inclined his head and moved back to confer with Audrey.
Clive walked us over to two people standing together. Gesturing to a rather severe-looking man with dark hair and almost black eyes, he said, “Ahmed, this is my wife Sam. Darling, this is my friend Ahmed.”
I beamed. “Hello. It’s lovely to meet you.”
He smiled and his resting I’m-going-to-rip-your-heart-out expression transformed into an open, handsome face, complete with a dimple. “It’s good to finally meet you. I think we have all heard about the little wolf who tamed the ancient vampire.”
Laughing, I whispered, “Shh. He’s very sensitive about the ancient part.” I turned to the woman beside him. She was a stunning Black woman in a dark silvery gray dress that went to the floor with an elaborate gele head wrap in the same color.
She held out her hand to me. Vampires don’t shake, but she knew I wasn’t one and so was being polite. “I am Adaeze.” She smiled and I felt warmth run through me. She had gifts I needed to think about and prepare for. “Even in Nigeria,” she told me, “we have heard stories of the little wolf.”
In these heels, I was close to Clive’s height. “I think you mean the very tall wolf.”
Chuckling, Clive kissed my temple. “They mean one who is young and new to our world.”
“Oh,” I said, tipping my head back and forth. “Fair.”
“I hope your journey here wasn’t problematic,” Clive inquired.
Ahmed nodded. “Travel is always tricky, as you know. It is our winter, but your summer. A fifteen-hour flight is difficult to coordinate, though, at any time of the year when trying to avoid the sun. We ended up spending most of the day in a hangar until the sun went down.” He glanced at Adaeze. “This is important, though. We have quite a mess to clean up.”
“We had that problem flying to Budapest,” I told them. Vampires are quiet talkers, but the room got even quieter when I mentioned Budapest. Godfrey and Audrey were right. All these vamps were on edge about Hungary. “We left at night, flew all day, and then landed right before sunrise. It was touch and go as to whether the driver could get us back and inside on time.”
They’re all thinking about it, I told Clive. We might as well bring it up.
I agree.
