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I heard it ringing. She’d put it on speakerphone.
“Kirsten. Everything okay?”
“I’m fine. Hunky Dory. Ryan is in my room. He arrived at eleven twenty-one. We’ve been talking. He’s ready to leave.”
“Someone’s on the way up.”
She opened her bedroom door, and within seconds, two large wolves stepped into view, both in human form, dressed in all black with plenty of weapons.
“He isn’t a danger to you or me,” Kirsten told them. “Don’t search him. Don’t take his weapons. He was nice enough to test our security, and we clearly have at least one big hole. Thank him for pointing it out while you nicely escort him from the property. Ryan is a friend. He’ll leave quietly, won’t you Ryan?”
“My car’s at the base of the mountain. I don’t suppose I can get a ride?”
She shrugged. “We’ll get you out to the main road. If you want your car close, next time use the damned driveway like everyone else.”
Chapter 2
Etta
I walked through Marco’s Long Island home, into his largest gathering room, and breathed in the fear of the vampires as I passed them, each with their own flavor of fear. The little blond vampire who managed the illegal betting arm of Marco’s empire. The suave vampire in the custom-made suit who was usually in Jersey, since he managed one of Marco’s casinos. The twins, Gabriella and Isabella, known to their friends as Ella and Bella. Together, they ran an art gallery and auction house — one twin focused on legal sales, the other on illegal sales. They were also experienced art thieves, if the price was right. I had no idea what those two would do in Chattanooga. My guess was he’d put them in Atlanta or Nashville. Maybe Charlotte.
I couldn’t help but feed from everyone’s fear, and I knew most could feel the depletion of their magic. Their life force. I walked to the front of the room, and Marco motioned for me to take the podium. Marco’s people had removed the sofas and chairs usually in this room and replaced them with rows of folded chairs, so it was like looking out at an audience. Not my preference, but I needed to get used to it, if I was going to successfully pull off being Marco’s Secundo.
I’d only been in town a handful of days. Enough time to meet the most powerful vampires in Marco’s organization, but not enough time to get to know them. I’d looked through everyone’s dossier, and I figured everyone in the room had heard the gossip about me.
I took three seconds to breathe in the energy of the room again before I spoke. “We fear that which we don’t understand, so perhaps I should explain a few things. If I’m walking through the room and you’ve done nothing to challenge or anger our Master, then you have nothing to fear. However, if you find something to fear, I will breathe it in. It’s like a human breathing oxygen, or a fish taking in water through its gills.” I looked around the room at the three dozen vampires who ran Marco’s various nearby establishments. Not all of them would be coming with us. He wanted me to meet them all and give him input on who I thought should go with the advance team, who should follow later, who we should trade off to another territory, and who we should leave in place for new Master Vampires who’d take over the states Marco now ruled.
“Marco and I were made by the same creator,” I told the room, “and we know each other of old. We are siblings, of a sort. I know the rumors you’ve likely heard about me, and most of them are probably...” I hated this part. “If not true, then close. I’m an expert at torture, pain, and creative ways to bring about death. Trying to pretty it up is pointless. However, Marco isn’t a cruel Master, and he’s assured me life can be different for me in his territory. As the Abbott has Kendra, he will have me. She’s allowed to be fair and just when it’s called for, and to only pull her cruelty out when necessary.”
Marco stepped to my side and wrapped his arm around me. “Chattanooga has an unusual supernatural society. The metro area is home to three large, powerful werewolf Packs, to one of the largest RTMC chapters, to the Dragon King and Swan Queen, and to the Amakhosi. I’m friends with Kirsten and Nathan, and — of course — with Cora, Alpha of the Homewood Pack. Etta will function as liaison between my vampires and the other supernaturals. It's imperative we do not go in acting as if we’re the top dogs. We are, of course, but we have to act with politics in mind This isn’t going to be about walking in and throwing power around.”
Marco looked around the room twice before explaining, “Abbott draws wolves to him, and he has ties to the community we do not yet have. I draw lions to me, but I’m choosing not to bring my lions to Chattanooga, in deference to it being the Amakhosi’s home city. I’m negotiating to acquire hawks and eagles for our main security forces.”
“We control New York, Master,” a vampire six rows away from us said. “There’s no reason we should have to handle a small city like Chattanooga with kid gloves.”
I looked in the vampire’s head and knew immediately that unless Marco needed him for something specific, this one wouldn’t be coming with us.
Shall you excuse him from the meeting, or shall I, I asked Marco.
Neither.
At first, I thought this meant the vampire was staying, but then someone I didn’t recognize walked in a side door. I easily identified the power, however.
The individual pointed seven vampires out and told them their presence in this meeting wasn’t necessary. None of them argued. All left, including the one I’d been about to dismiss.
When they’d gone, Marco told the room, “This is Josef. He was Abbott’s head of security, and he will retain his position once I’m installed. He’s married to a tiger who happens to be a local detective. His tiger is a favorite of the Amakhosi. It’s one of many ways the groups are intertwined.”
Every eye in the room focused on me. I’d been my former Master’s head of security as well as his boogeyman, and they’d clearly assumed I’d do the same for Marco.
However, I was pleased with my new title, and I was thankful Josef had the headache of security.
The screen behind us had shown a picture of the Tennessee River with the four downtown bridges over it, and it changed to a list I’d seen before — the businesses Abbott had sold us as part of the transfer deal.
Until I’d understood the power structure in Chattanooga, I’d advocated for Marco to take up residence in Atlanta or Nashville. Financially, Marco was taking a huge hit with this move. However, he wished for power, and this was his attempt to grab for more, so he wasn’t worried about the expense. He’s a billionaire many times over, but he isn’t perceived as one of the strongest vampires in the overall hierarchy, despite the fact he’d controlled so many densely populated states. He’s certainly not seen as anywhere close to Abbott’s strength, Kendra’s, or even Gavin’s. He’s stronger than most know, but he doesn’t want to broadcast how he accesses the power. If he can hold the same territory, he’ll perhaps prove himself without giving away the source of his strength.
The monitor showed a four-by-four grid, but one of the squares was black, so only fifteen images showed. Josef made the first square larger and told the room, “Abbott kept a personal office and sleeping quarters at The Billiard Club, also known as TBC — specifically, the location near the mall. He was only part-owner, his business partner an imperator crocodile. Isaac handles the daytime, we handle the night.” He looked to me and then back to the room. “As liaison, Etta will need an impressive office. She’ll begin here, though she’ll be making her rounds to all of Marco’s new businesses, so it’s possible she’ll land at another establishment. The choice will be hers, once she knows the lay of the land, but placing her in Abbott’s old office right off the bat will send a signal as to the importance Marco places on her.”
Josef looked around the room, and I sensed worry edging on disapproval coming from him. “There are a few of you I’m not certain will live if you follow us. If you do not believe you can stand up to the scrutiny of the slayer known as Ryan, you shouldn’t make this move.”
