28__Off to England England

Kamilla squeezed her eyes shut and gave her head a quick shake. She looked at Viktor as he continued to pace around his library.
“Can you sit down? You’re making me dizzy.”

Viktor glanced at her as the door opened. “Stop staring at me then.”

Kamilla scoffed as Viktor turned to speak to Damon who’d walked in. Staring at him? When had Kamilla stared at him?! Hah. Talk about being conceited.
Damon led Grace into the room and closed the door behind her.

“It’s Rogan, isn’t it?” he asked Viktor.
Viktor pursed his lips. “Definitely.”
“Say the word and I’ll kill him, V.”
Viktor ran a hand through his hair and made a sound of frustration. “Fuck, I want to kill him myself, but I’m holding back. Rogan is what holds most of those Elders together. Over the years, he’s made them dependent on him. He controls them. That’s why the bastards didn’t look into my father’s death.” He glanced at Grace who was looking at him with wide eyes. “You may sit over there by Kamilla. She used to be human too, so I assume that you two will find plenty to relate to each other.”

Kamilla made a face at Viktor as Grace headed her way. What the hell did he mean by “used to be” human?! Why she ought to—

“Hello,” said a quiet voice.

Kamilla blinked herself out of her thoughts of violent revenge and looked up at Grace.
She smiled. “Oh, hi. Sit right here.” She patted the space on the sofa and Grace lowered herself onto it, smiling shyly.
Kamilla studied her. “Yup. You’re definitely turning. I see your eyes getting a bit of green in the grey. You got fangs yet?”
Grace blinked. “Pardon?”
“Kamilla, don’t terrorize her, please,” Damon called from across the room.

Kamilla innocently put a hand to her chest. “Me? Why would I ever terrorize anybody?” With a huff, she turned to Grace and smiled. “So, have you heard about Witcher’s Cliff?”

“Kamilla!”

“Okay!” she yelled back at Damon. “Geez, I’m just trying to introduce her to the culture of Onyx! Isn’t Witcher’s like a tourist attraction or something?”

Viktor walked over to his desk and started rummaging through the drawers. “When I send you there, you’ll find out,” he said. Kamilla glared at him and silently mimicked his threat, not in the least bit scared. “For now, though,” Viktor continued. He looked up at Kamilla. “Pack a bag. We’re going somewhere.”

Kamilla jumped up. “What? Really? Where?”

Viktor put the documents in a briefcase and glanced at her with a sigh. “Where the killing took place. I need to do damage control.”

Kamilla nodded impatiently. “Yeah, where is it?!”
“You’ll find out when we get there!” Viktor said sharply. He closed his briefcase with a bang and carrying it, stalked out of the room.

Kamilla pouted and tugged at the hem of her large hoodie. “Sheesh. I asked nicely, didn’t I?” she asked Damon.
He gave her a reassuring nod. “Yeah, you totally did.”
Demetrius suddenly poked his head into the room. “Hi, Grace!” he called with a smile.
Grace waved at him. “Hi!”
“How’s your arm?”
Damon turned to him. “Why do you care so much?”

Demetrius gave him a look. “Relax, bro. I’m just nice like that.” He looked back at Grace. “Hey, remember that recipe you wanted to learn before Sasha dragged you off the other day? I’m making it today. Wanna watch?”
Grace nodded enthusiastically. Demetrius waved her over, but Grace didn’t move. Kamilla watched as she turned to Damon with wide eyes.

Damon smiled at her and nodded. “Go on.”
Excitedly, Grace ran off with Demetrius.

“Woah,” said Kamilla, shaking her head. She waved a finger in the air. “So, what are you? Her Dom or something? Are you guys kinky?”
Damon made a face. “What the f— No! It’s not like that. She’s just… a little obedient to me because of the bond we formed when I turned her. I should be asking you that, Viktor’s more a Dom than I am!”
Kamilla gasped. “Geez, okay, don’t turn it on me! I was just asking.”
With a huff, she looked down at her toes, wiggling them in her socks before slowly looking back up at Damon. “So… Viktor’s… he’s a…?”
“Yes, he has Dominant tendencies!”

Kamilla shook her head in rapid denial. “Th-that’s not what I was trying to ask! I don’t care about that! Hah. I only wanted to ask if he… uh, really saw a sorceress in Cassius.”

Damon thought for a bit and nodded. “Oh, yes. Yeah, he did. He told you about it?”

Kamilla blinked. “Hm? Oh, yeah. Uhm, he did. Wait, he actually said that she saw another him?”

Damon nodded rapidly and sat on the sofa, pulling Kamilla down beside him. “Yes! That woman is the aunt of the Queen of Cassius! If she somehow saw Charming within Viktor because of her powers of sorcery, they could use it against us! I got Viktor out of there as quickly as I could, but I can’t be certain that she didn’t see Charming.”

Kamilla frowned as she listened. Damn, this was actually trouble. Their biggest concern was keeping Charming a secret. If an enemy Kingdom found out about him…

She looked at Damon. “Did you know that Viktor’s been getting himself checked out? I mean medically.”
Damon blinked. “What?! That’s impossible!”

Kamilla nodded. “He has. He’s realized that he has abnormal symptoms so he’s been getting himself checked, but from what I’ve seen, they haven’t made a diagnosis. I thought it was bad and his finding out like that might cause problems, but what if it doesn’t? What if we really can figure out why Charming exists and how to help Viktor through science?”

Damon shook his head. “No way. The science of humans’ medical treatment can never work on us. Especially not on Viktor. He’s a Vampire King, there couldn’t be anyone less human.”

Kamilla tilted her head. “Well… yeah, but… lately, I’ve been thinking that… maybe in his soul, because of Charming, Viktor’s half. Like me.”

Damon didn’t answer but the look he gave Kamilla let her know that at that moment, he was sure she herself needed mental help.
The doors opened and Kamilla shut her mouth right up.

Viktor looked at her from the doorway. “What are you two doing? Kamilla, where are your bags? Did you give orders for your clothes to be packed?”
Kamilla’s eyes widened and she glanced at Damon. “Uhm… I … well, I…”
Viktor closed his eyes and breathed deeply, clenching his teeth. “Kamilla…”
“I’m going, I’m going!” She darted out of the room to find one of the servants who all seemed to be invisible unless called for.

In fifteen minutes, she was seated in a carriage so comfortable, Kamilla could have traded a Porsche for it. The door opened and Viktor swung in, closing it behind him. He sat on the cushion-stuffed bench across her, just as the carriage began to move along the smooth roads.

Kamilla blinked. “And Damon? Is he staying?”
Viktor nodded. “Yeah. He’s the Elder who’s my second in command. Plus he has to keep an eye on Rogan.”
She nodded quietly as Viktor lounged back and closed his eyes with a sigh.

He seemed to be asleep, so Kamilla forced herself to turn away, staring out at the passing Kingdom until they left it behind, riding on a road flanked by tall, dark trees.

Maybe a few hours had passed in silence with nothing much as scenery when Kamilla looked back at Viktor. He was still in the same position.
She watched him for a moment, unable to stop marveling at his beauty. Shaking herself out of it, she leaned over. Was he asleep?

“Viktor?” she whispered. He raised one brow. Kamilla took this to be a response and leaned over further. “Uhm… where are we going?” she asked in a whisper.

Viktor didn’t open his eyes. “England.”
Kamilla’s jaw dropped open. “Really?! Like, England England?”

Viktor made a face. “No… just England. Where the hell’s England England?”

Her smile fell as Kamilla scowled at him. She opened her mouth to respond but could do no more than gasp as the carriage suddenly lurched to the side.
Viktor jerked upright. “What in the hell—”

The carriage swerved violently over to the left, throwing Kamilla out of her seat. She screamed in alarm as she flew across the carriage. Reacting instantly, Viktor reached forward and caught her, pulling her onto his lap.
“Try not to break your neck, will you?!” he scolded as she secured her arms around him.
The carriage swerved to the right and they heard the horses neigh loudly.
“Yeah, I’m not particularly fond of breaking my neck either!” Kamilla shouted back. “What’s happening?!”

Viktor held onto the seat. “Fucking horses are out of control. Shit, we’re still an hour away from the car.” He slammed his fist against the roof of the carriage. “Hade!” called Viktor to the driver. “What’s going on out— Sonofabitch!”

Viktor jerked Kamilla against him when out of nowhere, an arrow shot into the carriage.
Kamilla stared at the thing wide-eyed. Two more tore into the carriage, getting stuck in the sides.
“Oh, my God!” Kamilla gasped, practically climbing Viktor like a rope.

She screamed when Viktor suddenly swept her beneath him. He pushed her down against this seat and covered her body with his.

“Viktor!” she gasped. “What are you doing?! Now is not the time—”

Viktor placed a hand over her mouth. “Will you keep quiet?!”
The horses sounded like they were going insane. The carriage swerved in a wide arch and slammed against something, coming to a halt. Viktor tightened his hold on Kamilla.
“We’re under attack.”