Chapter 614: Evading The Inevitable
Was it a bad thing I felt relief to leave the party behind as I tore open the veil and slipped through?
Probably.
Didn't keep me from diving into a possible adventure. In fact, as I exited the veil on the front lawn of the vampire mansion, I dutifully admitted I was happiest when I had a problem to solve. Not like it was a big shocker or anything. Quaid hit the nail on the head when he said I went looking for trouble.
Well, not looking, exactly. But calm and peaceful didn't really do it for me anymore. And considering the fact every time I did fall into trouble there was an excellent reason for it with a so-far-so-good outcome, I wasn't complaining.
Evasion Tactics Level: Expert.
Seriously, though, I'd been very selfish letting this whole vampire silence thing ride. I loved Uncle Frank and Sunny, missed them with a pinch of regret so sharp when I thought about it I flinched. How had I let this go for so long without checking in?
Life was complicated, but family was everything.
As I approached the front door, I told myself next stop after finding out what was up with Sebastian was a trip to Europe to see my two favorite undead. Whether Council Leader Margaret Applegate liked it or not.
We'd parted ways not too badly last time, with Margaret admitting I was in the right when the Queens tried to steal my vampire essence from me. But who knew what kind of political maneuverings went on since then? Mom was under stress from her own Council power. I could only imagine Margaret had to be, too. And from what I knew of her, she didn't have half of Mom's strength.
Enough of that for now. I'd figure out the vampire mystery, no matter what it took.
My firm knock on the door was answered in moments. Stewart, Sebastian's butler, seemed relieved to see me, though a flash of something akin to fear crossed his face a moment later.
"Coven Leader." He bowed to me.
"Hi, Stewart," I said. "Mind if we come in?"
He hesitated. Okay then. Something was definitely up and I'd dropped the ball. When he backed away, he said, "Watch your step."
I had the distinct impression he wasn't talking about my feet.
The cool interior of the giant foyer loomed dark, only a few lights glowing in the distance down hallways running left and right, and deeper into the mansion. The gloomy feel of the place added to my unease, goosebumps rising on my arms as the door swung shut behind me.
"Just here to see Sebastian," I said as Stewart turned to face me.
"Ah," he said. "I'm afraid that won't be possible."
Alarm bells. Damn it, how had I just walked away from this and not looked into it before now?
"Mind telling me why?" The press of spirit magic touched me, some familiar, some not so much as the vampires in residence started to take notice. An undercurrent of fear ran through them, matching Stewart's.
So. Not. Good.
"I'm sorry to say," he told me in his precise tone as I spun to face him, "Sebastian DeWinter is no longer master of this blood clan."
Um, what?
"That is correct." I knew that voice. Hated it and the vampire it was attached to.
Turned slowly around. Glared with a viciousness I hadn't felt since the last time I laid eyes on Celeste.
The traitorous witch-turned-undead sycophant smiled at me, long braid swinging over her shoulder. But gone was the horse-hair quality of it, vampire magic turning it silky even as her man-hands now looked elegant and strong rather than burly. Her long, dark brown gown matched the color of her hanging braid, polished skin almost glowing in the low light.
Celeste had been an ugly witch. Vampire magic might have changed her outside to something more appealing, but she was still hideous on the inside.
"Says who?" I didn't have a leg to stand on here. Yes, I carried the vampire essence and, technically, I was actually invading another blood clan's space considering Sunny reinforced my membership in the Wilhelm family. But Sebastian was my friend. I'd gone to great lengths to rescue him from the very essence I carried and, truth be told, my fondness ran along the lines of lust as well as liking.
And I didn't abandon my friends.
Well, not forever.
Wince.
"Considering it's none of your business," Celeste said as she drifted closer, even as some of the vampires from the clan peeked in to watch, "I don't owe you an answer." Oh, but she was going to give me one, wasn't she? I could tell from the flicker of satisfaction in her eyes, the way her smile widened as she drew near. "But out of courtesy, I inform you now I've been placed in control by Her Majesty, Queen Pannera herself."
She did what? What the hell was Pannera thinking? Celeste was the enemy, or had been. Stood next to Batsheva, Pannera's opposing queen for a time, pulled her strings for the Brotherhood as far as I knew. And Pannera welcomed her into her clan?
"She's lost her mind." I didn't intend for those words to slip out, but they did. And I meant them.
Celeste merely shrugged. "Her Majesty understood I am a greater asset than enemy and offered me a place in her family." She smiled again, baring her fangs. "Explanation complete."
Not by a long freaking shot. "Where's Sebastian?" I couldn't feel him, couldn't feel much of anything. Celeste's power blocked me when I tried and, though I knew I was more than strong enough to break her wards, I couldn't risk it. Not with the Council's threat hanging over my head.
No, they weren't witches. And vampire laws were different. But I wasn't about to give Celeste the means to manipulate our laws to see me burn.
She just wasn't worth it.
But was Sebastian?
Celeste gestured at Stewart who bowed with a sad expression and opened the door.
"Sebastian is not your concern," she said. "As leader of the Blood Clan Oberman, I'm asking you to leave."
She was kicking my ass out. Shock and frustration tumbled around on high heat in my head.
"I have to go to the maji chamber." If Celeste didn't know about it, I just let the cat out of the bag. But her evil smirk told me she'd known all along. And was probably part of the reason she was here.
I was an idiot. How could I have missed this happening right under my nose?
"You are not welcome here," Celeste hissed as she stopped within inches of my face. Charlotte snarled behind me, Celeste's eyes flashing over my shoulder to my bodywere before locking on me again. "Or your filthy dog."
I'd taken worse insults from better enemies. She'd have to try harder if she was looking to provoke me into something stupid.
A moment later I found myself standing on the top step to the entrance of the mansion, turning to see Stewart watching me with fear and grief as he closed the door behind me. Charlotte chuffed, snuffling the air, baring her teeth almost like Celeste had.
"Evil lives here now," she said.
No kidding.
So now what? Now, nothing.
Defeat sucked. With no other options, I went home, nursing my anger and concern for Sebastian. Oh, and shall we pile on worry over being cut off from the maji chamber?
Perfect.
The edge of the park was quiet, the back yard empty, party over. I paused there a moment, gathering my thoughts. Okay, so Sebastian had to be in trouble for Pannera to depose him like that. But where was he? And did this have anything to do with Uncle Frank and Sunny's silence for the last ten months?
They had to be connected, didn't they? Because that would be just my luck.
The air beside me shuddered into deeper shadow. Charlotte tried to move me aside, her strong body sliding between me and the apparition, but she'd forgotten how much working out I'd been doing. I held my ground, power pulled tight around me even as a tall, blonde vampire appeared in the cool night air.
At first I thought it was Sunny until she looked up and met my eyes. One of Sebastian's most trusted lieutenants stared back at me with a hollow, haunted expression. Anastasia looked terrible, her face paler than usual, skin sagging and wrinkled. I'd met her ages ago, back when I first encountered Sebastian and, though I hadn't liked her much, irritated by her arrogance, she'd proven to be faithful and loyal and rather friendly once I took the time to get to know her. She'd been Sebastian's third, just beneath Sunny and, I could only guess, took Sunny's place at Sebastian's side when my friend ascended to the Wilhelm throne.
Gone was the stunning vampire I knew. She shivered and hugged herself, licking her thinned lips, eyes massive in her sunken face.
"Help us," she whispered. "Please, Sydlynn. Sebastian is in trouble. And she's starving us." No need to say who "she" was. But why would Celeste starve her own blood clan? Anastasia shuddered, eyes darting from side to side before she reached for me. Charlotte growled another warning, but I ignored her, horror growing as the desperate vampire allowed me feel her weakened spirit. I gave her some strength, watched her cheeks fill out a little even as crystal tears trickled down her face. She pulled away. "The Queens have gone mad." Her lips peeled back from her white teeth, fangs bared. "I beg you," she said. "You must help. Or we're lost."
Before I could stop her, speak, act, Anastasia jerked as though she'd been struck, shuddered into shadow and vanished.
***
