I believed him. ‘I met Dusty on the way here. He seemed … pleasant.’
William smiled slightly. ‘He is.’ His eyes took on a distant gleam then he shook himself. ‘We are placing a great deal of trust in you in allowing you this freedom.’
An odd weight settled in my chest. ‘I won’t break that trust.’
‘I certainly hope not.’ He sniffed and his blank expression returned. He passed me a second piece of paper. ‘This is a standard blood contract that all non-vampires must sign before they can enter the Understream.’
I scanned it. It was straightforward enough: I couldn’t tell anyone about the tunnels’ existence; I couldn’t imply they werethere, and I had to respect all local bylaws and customs. Any breach of the contract would result in pain and suffering. All perfectly reasonable.
‘My partner is already aware of the Understream,’ I said.
‘Thane Barrow.’ It wasn’t a question.
‘Yes. May I discuss what I’m doing with him?’
‘He is a werewolf.’
I wasn’t sure what that had to do with anything. ‘Yes, but he’s a lone wolf. He won’t share his knowledge of the Understream with his pack because he doesn’t have one.’
‘We are aware.’ William paused as if considering, but I sensed he had already prepared an answer. ‘Yes, you may discuss your experiences with him but he cannot come here with you, and if he repeats what you tell him to anyone else there will be severe consequences.’
That was good enough for me. I knew that Thane was trustworthy, more so than I was. I withdrew my curved dagger from my bag, nicked the tip of my index finger and pressed a bead of blood onto the paper.
‘Finally, I must mark you,’ William said. ‘This will discourage other vampires from challenging your presence.’ He pointed at my arm and I reluctantly held it out. ‘This is a magical mark. It is only temporary and will vanish after seven days.’
Translation: I was not welcome in the Understream once this week was over. I could live with that.
‘It might itch a little but it will not hurt.’
‘Is it binding in any way?’ I asked.
‘No, though it will allow us to track your location as long as you do not venture beyond the boundary on the map. It is a safety precaution for your benefit rather than ours.’
Presumably that precaution was in case any over-enthusiastic vamps took umbrage at my presence. It was obviouslynon-negotiable, and I was now so intrigued and interested in all things vampire that I pushed up my sleeve and indicated he could continue.
Seemingly out of nowhere, a small wooden peg appeared in William’s hand. As he pressed it against my forearm, the air buzzed with magic. I felt a tiny jolt like an electric shock and then it was over. I looked down at the small red mark. I’d been expecting a circle, like Trilby’s but this was merely a curve. It reminded me of an arched cat’s tail.
‘You look surprised,’ William said. ‘I told you it wouldn’t hurt.’
I rubbed the mark gingerly; itdiditch. ‘I was expecting a circle.’
He blinked. ‘A circle? Oh no. Nobody gets a full circle apart from…’ His voice faltered and his red eyes flicked to mine. ‘What you have now will more than suffice.’
I examined his expression but he was giving nothing away. Hmm.
‘Now,’ he continued briskly, ‘you are free to come and go as you wish for the next seven days. Your permission will lapse next Friday at exactly 11.59pm. I must warn you that although you are free to move around and talk to whomsoever you wish, no vampire will be forced to speak to you. While we all hope that the mystery of the missing worms is revealed and there are no further disappearances, you do not have any authority here. If you uncover information, you will convey it to me or to Alan before you speak to the MET. And no vampires are to be harmed in the course of your investigation.’
I held up my hands. ‘Wouldn’t if I could.’
William didn’t miss a beat. ‘You killed Lord Brassick.’
‘That was a fluke,’ I lied.
‘If you say so.’ He paused. ‘There are to be no further flukes.’
‘I’ll do my best.’
‘Do better than that, Ms McCafferty.’
