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“Why have none of the others survived infancy?”
“I understand that procreating with humans has been forbidden for a very long time, and the former king, Nikoli, enforced that rule with death. There have only been a handful of souls brave enough to risk it, and all of them met disastrous ends.”
“What do you want from me?” Maksim asked.
“I was sent by Nadya, the progenitor and ruler of all vampires. She wishes to ally with you and your father. Vampires have been vastly misunderstood throughout this long war. We have been persecuted and hunted nearly to extinction by the Therians. Confined to small areas like animals in a cage, we’ve been forced to fight for every handhold and enough to survive. My queen heard about your father’s exile and thought he might like to hold a position of honor in her court.”
Maksim knew nothing about vampires or the war that had raged for so long, but he heard only truth in Jean-Pierre’s explanation, and his confusion deepened. Timofey’s rants focused on his people. The little he’d said about vampires painted them as a generic enemy incidental to the tale.
He hung on Jean-Pierre’s words, desperate for information about the world beyond this valley and the other life his father had lived. Had the fateful ambush that had gotten him exiled been against vampires? There was so much he wanted to know.
They talked for a long time. Maksim asked questions about the history between vampires and Therians, and Jean-Pierre asked pointed questions interspersed with tales. Maksim felt safe and relaxed, and he allowed the alcohol to loosen his tongue. When the conversation went back to the meeting Nadya wanted, he grimaced. “My father isn’t likely to be interested in helping anyone. He has no need for allies since he prefers his solitude.”
Jean-Pierre didn’t react. “How do you feel?”
Maksim took a sip of his vodka and considered that. As meager as his knowledge was, his father had said nothing positive about the clans. Maksim was grateful that he’d taken after his human mother. He wanted nothing to do with the treacherous Therians.
Does that mean I should treat with vampires? “I’m curious. Isolation has its appeal, but life can be incredibly dull, and he won’t tell me anything about his former life. I won’t deny the lure of an adventure, and it sounds like those Therians need a swift kick in the ass.”
Jean-Pierre chuckled. “Oh, my queen will like you.”
“What help does she think I could provide? What does she want from me?” Maksim asked.
The vampire shrugged. “I am merely the messenger. Nadya did not inform me of her plans, and I would never presume to know what she thinks. I was only told that she desires a meeting to hear her out with no further obligation.”
Maksim considered that. “When would she want to meet?”
Jean-Pierre flashed fang as he grinned. “I must return to her tonight. I can take you with me if you like. You can tell your father about the meeting when you return. Perhaps he’ll be more likely to join if you’ve made a commitment.”
Maksim’s father would never agree to leave, and he would refuse to help the vampires without more information and proper motivation. However, there was no reason Maksim couldn’t listen to what the vampire queen had to say.
“Now? My father will worry if I don’t return.”
Jean-Pierre shook his head, his expression grave. “I must leave within the next few minutes to reach safety before the sun rises. If you wish to come with me, it must be now.”
He was torn. On the one hand, he longed for adventure and burned to learn what the vampire queen could offer. On the other, Timofey would be furious if he went. “Aside from information, what can your queen provide?”
Jean-Pierre’s grin was chilling. “Nadya will offer you an opportunity to get revenge on the Therian royals who exiled and shunned your father.”
Damn. It was like the vampire knew exactly what words would capture Maksim’s interest. He found himself nodding. “I will go with you, but I can only promise your queen a conversation.”
The vampire’s smile widened, and he gestured at the door as he retrieved his luggage. “That is all I ask, good sir. Shall we?”
Maksim left the village with Jean-Pierre, heading for an unknown destination. Forces far beyond his understanding were at work. As he sped away from the valley in the vampire’s Aston Martin, he hoped this course of action would let him right the wrongs his family had endured.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Therian Palace, Saturday, December 15, 2012
Niletean’s contacts had come through. Luca had scheduled meetings around the planet during the following month. He and a handful of delegates would meet with world leaders to lay the groundwork for coming out to the public. His efficiency left him with a few minutes of free time at the end of a long day, and he aimlessly wandered through the palace. The moon hung high in the night sky.
As much as he’d like to talk to Ash, she was not available during the day. Being a world away from his mate grated against his protective instincts. He focused on the reasons for their separation, which were no less valid because he missed her.
When he passed from one corridor to another, Luca heard children laughing and followed the sound. He’d heard far too little of it lately, and he welcomed it. Little girls’ chortles were joined by adult females’ voices. Ash’s vampire mentor Zia and her human daughter Adrianna were with the palace seamstress. Galina, one of the humans Ivanna had rescued, sat nearby. Her daughter Mika was spinning in circles, giggling with delight as the frilly dress she wore twirled.
Luca lingered in the doorway. It was close to midnight, but he wasn’t surprised to see the children awake. His people had developed an accommodating schedule that supported the vampire mother while giving her daughter a reasonable routine. Galina had adopted the same schedule and took on Adrianna’s care while Zia worked.
The vampire was still a mystery to him, but he’d come to trust her. He was grateful that someone reliable was teaching Ash about her new nature. Nadya had turned the woman to punish her for defiance, then left her in her car with her seven-year-old daughter. She wanted the girl to be the new vampire’s first meal when she reawakened.
