Yue Gui nods. ‘When a French vampire turned up in Shanghai demanding an audience with the Jade Emperor, Yan Luo Wang thought he had come to kidnap you. Of course, he had no idea whether the vampire actually had any connection to you – themere fact that he was French was enough to frighten Yan Luo Wang into action. He commissioned Zhong Kui, the Minister of Rites, to create a talisman that would protect you against vampires. He had them placed discreetly in your home and other places you frequented. And when he discovered the vampire lived in Paris, he established this outpost so we could learn more about them and determine if they posed a risk to you, Lady Jing.’
Big Wang knew all this time. I’m angry he kept me in the dark, and yet, the way he stumbled over his words, wanting to share and clearly afraid to do so, pinches at my heart.
‘The loyalty House Durand commands is impressive,’ Yue Gui continues. ‘No one speaks out of turn, so our intel is limited. We know there is a core family – Aliénor, Romain, Maximilien and Marianne. The family is incredibly well connected – with allies in the highest echelons of power. The rest of their number are vassals whose identities are kept hidden via a vast and complicated network of offshore companies and trusts. Finally, they are served by a large community of pursuivants – who we surmise are blood donors. We have yet to be successful in getting any of them to speak candidly about the family. Please tell us what happened while you were with House Durand.’
Gigi begins recounting the events since the hijack. Tony, Ah Lang and Lord Aengus interject from time to time, adding a detail or an observation.
Lord Aengus and Yue Gui keep saying they know very little about the vampires, but what they know is worlds more than me and it’s my own rotted family. Big Wang may be a demon of few words but he should have told me there were vampires in Paris.
Snippets of our strange conversation float back to me:Have you never wanted to know more about your vampire heritage?If I’d made more of an effort to understand why he was behaving so strangely, I might have put two and two together. It was unlike Big Wang to say things likeYou might be surprised byhow much you like ParisandDon’t have so much fun you forget to come home, to be so unsure of himself. But, as usual, I was too self-absorbed to think beyond myself.
Why am I like this?
‘Lady Jing?’
I start, realising the others are waiting for me to speak.
Yue Gui repeats herself, ‘Could you tell us what happened after you were separated from your friends?’
“Of course.” I recount my part of the story, how our captors noticed my fangs and we discovered that we were long-lost family, about the room full of naked vampires.
‘Tell me you looked away immediately,’ Tony says, voice hoarse.
Glad I omitted the fornicating and marine worms, I shrug. ‘It’s just skin. We all have it.’
‘Did you see many...’ Gigi waggles her finger with a cheeky smile.
‘Petal!’
Under her breath, Gigi murmurs to me, ‘You can tell me later.’
I can’t help laughing at Ah Lang’s horrified expression. Only one of us is neither titillated nor scandalised by my account. ‘You don’t seem surprised, Lord Aengus,’ I say.
His expression – pursed lips, raised eyebrows – is the facial equivalent of a shrug. ‘The Tuatha Dé have a similar approach to nudity. Clothes are merely a convenience; we often go about naked when the weather is good. We believe it gives us a closer connection with nature. I’m not sure if the same beliefs hold true with vampires, but from what we have observed, they are very comfortable in their skin and in expressing and acting upon their desires.’
‘Interesting,’ Yue Gui says. ‘We’d heard about the parties, but put it down to excessive indulgence, not cultural preference. Thank you for enlightening us, Lord Aengus,’ Yue Gui clears herthroat. ‘As for House Durand being your family’ – Yue Gui and Ahn both shake their heads – ‘we never knew the truth of their connection with you. They have kept this information very close to their chests.’
It saddens me that all this time pride and fear kept Big Wang and Mémère from making a connection. What might have happened if Marianne had found the Celestials first?
‘What’s your assessment of the vampires?’ Yue Gui looks around the table, making clear the question is for all of us. ‘Are they a danger to Lady Jing? To us?’
‘As a bystander who has some insight to both House Durand and Tian,’ Lord Aengus says, ‘I do not believe Mémère poses a threat to Lady Jing or Tian. It is obvious how much Mémère adores Jing. However, I am less certain about Marianne. And as for Maximilien – I think we should take precautions to protect Lady Jing. It’s quite clear he detests her.’
Tony’s mouth is pressed in a grim line. ‘I do not trust Maximilien one bit. Marianne seems to tolerate Jing for the sake of finding her father. Whereas as soon as Mémère understood Lady Jing was her granddaughter, her whole demeanour shifted.’ His expression softens as he glances my way. ‘Your grandmother couldn’t stop saying how beautiful and precious you are, Jing. When Maximilien refused to kowtow in apology, Mémère told him House Durand owes a great debt to the Jade Emperor and Yan Luo Wang for keeping Lady Jing safe and raising her into a fearless, loyal vampire with heart. She told him he wasn’t fit to head House Durand and that she would cast him out if he didn’t drop to his knees and do what was right.’
‘She said that?’ I think back to Maximilien’s shocked expression as he staggered to Mémère’s side. ‘What does she mean, “not fit to head House Durand”?’
Yue Gui leans forward. ‘This is a major development. Maximilien was chosen specifically as heir of House Durand. It seems he is being replaced.’ All eyes are on me.
I frown, unease prickling at my back. ‘No, no. I just want to get to know them. I have no interest in being heir.’
Yue Gui nods. ‘We will never allow them to force you into something you don’t want. It is worth preparing a way out should they propose this to you.’
‘Surely exile can’t be worse than La Grande Morte?’ Gigi says.
Ahn shakes her head. ‘To a vampire, La Grande Morte is like a well-earned rest. They call it “eternal sleep”. But to lose your house...’ Ahn shakes her head. ‘For the vampires, their House is everything. To lose your House is to lose not just your identity but your very soul.’
‘I wondered why he looked so stricken,’ Ah Lang says, not without a note of satisfaction. ‘I bet that was the first time that pompous brat has ever been corrected, and with such public censure. Aliénor de Durand is not someone I would wish to cross.’
