Chapter Eighteen
I'd always thought that guards were reserved for important people. I'm not talking just plain old guards, I'm talking like, a detail trained to target and kill anyone who gets in your way. I don't know if, just because I was hanging with the Master Vamp now, that made me important, but suddenly I found myself with my own guard detail. That night, once all the vampires were out and about, Stavros introduced me to my guard. Oh, did I mention that I had a day guard and a night guard? Yeah.
The only members of the day guard I actually knew were Chase and Morgana (what had Stavros been thinking? Morgana?). The other two were also werewolves. Broderick was tall, dark, and silent. His face was always utterly blank--the ultimate bodyguard face. He was about an inch taller than Chase, and where Chase was all lithe muscle, Broderick was broad and just...not small at all. He made Chase seem almost unhealthily skinny. He wore the traditional bodyguard clothes--black T-shirt and jeans. That's what they wear when they don't want to be conspicuous. I counted two guns and three knives, and that was only the stuff on him that I could see. My other werewolf guard was Frithick. He was from Iceland, and you could tell it, too. He had shoulder-length blonde hair, and crystal clear blue eyes that held laughter in them. He was all ease and carelessness, but I had a feeling that when something serious went down, Frithick would be all business. He was only slightly smaller than Roderick, but still very, very muscular.
The only one of the night guard I knew was Vaughn the vampire, whom I had almost blinded with my cross a few nights back. As Chase was the captain of the day guard, Vaughn was the captain of the night guard. The night guard had six people instead of four, because Stavros thought I was more likely to be attacked at night. I agreed, because bad things just generally seemed to happen at night, anyway. There were three vampires in the night guard, including Vaughn. One of the others was Ardian, an Albanian vampire. He was handsome in a dark, mysterious, wouldn't-want-to-meet-him-alone-in-a-dark-alley kind of way. Ardian, like Broderick, seemed like he wouldn't talk much. That was kind of disappointing, considering I liked to talk. A lot. The final vampire was Bashkim, Ardian's brother. He looked like Ardian in every way--oh, no, twins--but his attitude was more up-beat. I had a feeling I was going to like Bashkim more than Ardian. The other three in the night guard were lycanthropes, but not of the wolf variety. Shadow, Thorn, and Tempest were probably the most interesting-looking people I'd ever met. Shadow had black hair and eyes the color of heather, a light yet rich purple. Thorn, the same black hair, only with eyes of the purest emerald green. Tempest with the same hair as the other two, only eyes that were a charchoal grey color. There were other things besides their uncanny eyes that signaled to me that they weren't human--namely the large bat-like wings and tails. I couldn't even begin to guess what they were until Stavros spoke up. "These are my dragons."
"Dragons?" Forgive me if I sounded skeptical.
"The dragon is my animal to call," Stavros explained. "And Shadow, Thorn, and Tempest are all...well, I don't think weredragon is the appropriate term..."
"Woah, woah, woah," I said. "Are you telling me they can turn into dragons?"
"No--we stay in this form all the time, caught between the human and the dragon," Tempest said. She had a gentle voice, which didn't seem to match her great, black wings or the tail swishing back and forth behind her. "We don't actually change, which is why weredragon wouldn't be an appropriate term."
See, it's true--you do learn something new every day.
We--we being Stavros, Winter, Antonio, Chase, me, and my night guard--were now on our way to Eternity, the night-club from the beginning of our tale, remember? I hadn't known it while chasing Vera, but Eternity was actually one of the only vampire-owned clubs in Los Angeles, with Stavros as its proprietor. Chase had been there simply to have a good time, and because Eternity catered to the supernaturally-challenged, it had been a prime place to do so. It was quite by accident that he had gotten caught up in my fight with Vera.
It was hard to believe that only six days ago, not even a full week, I had been at this very club, so bitter, so angry, hunting down Vera Donna for revenge. I was willing to bet there was still a puddle of my blood in the back alleyway. The limo--yes, we took a limo, and all eleven people fit quite comfortably, thank you--came to a stop at the front of the club, and the people who were waiting in line to get in turned to stare, because, hey, whoever pulled up in a limo must be important, right? As we got out, I leaned into Stavros and said quietly, "If I had known this place was yours, I wouldn't have picked a fight with Vera here."
"It's quite all right," he answered, smiling more for the people that surrounded us than for my benefit. "I'm just glad that we are rid of her."
Once we all stood on the sidewalk the night guard surrounded us. Stavros, Winter, Antonio, Chase, and I were in the middle. Vaugh and Shadow were in front of us, Ardian and Bashkim behind us, and Tempest and Thorn, the only females in the guard, were on either side. We all moved as one sleek, solid unit. I would have thought it was cool, if it wasn't me being guarded. We all ascended the concrete steps leading to the front door and the bouncers didn't even look at us as we passed through. No weapons check or anything. Yeah! Sorry, but that excited me--I hate being searched for weapons. It just makes my job that much more difficult. As soon as we were inside I felt kind of self-conscious--I mean, my jeans and T-shirt weren't exactly club attire, you know? But since Stavros wasn't letting me out of his sight, so he said, I had been forced to come with.
Stavros' office was on the second floor of the club. I had never made it to the second floor the last time I had visited Eternity, and so I hadn't known what was up there until Stavros ascended the stairs, Vaughn and Shadow flanking his sides, the rest of us following behind like good little ducklings. The second floor was just a bunch of doors in a brightly lit corridor. Most of the doors read, "Do not disturb," or, even better, "Enter at your own risk." I was just dying to ask what was with the rooms, and just as if Stavros was reading my mind he answered, "These doors are for our more well-paying guests who wish a little privacy." The way he said the word sent a shiver down my spine. Eternity was a club for things that weren't quite human--I wasn't sure I wanted to know about what things something not-human would need privacy for.
The music, so loud downstairs, was barely a dull roar up here. It was nice. I like loud music, but only if I can understand what's being said. Screamo is just not my thing. Stavros took a seat on one of the many leather couches, all in earth-tones, just like in his penthouse. We all sat with him, while the guards took up posts in various places about the room. I felt kind of bad and almost invited them to sit down, I mean, they didn't have to guard us all the time. We were in Stavros' office--what could happen? I answered myself, a whole damn lot.
"Well, Kayla," Stavros said, taking my mind off the guards. "What can you tell me about this woman?"
I knew who "this woman" was, and I went through everything I knew about her. Vann Anderson, mid-to-late thirties. Father American, mother Brazillian. Tall, leggy, with tanned skin and brown hair, matching eyes. Had slayed monsters so long that I was pretty sure she wasn't entirely human anymore. Used a magical chain that only she could control to kill. Generally a very scary lady. Stavros took it all in stride, bully for him. The others sat, listening, probably taking mental notes about Vann. She was officially a threat now, Public Enemy #1.
"But this still doesn't make any sense," Chase said after I was done describing Vann. "Why would she wait five years to come after you? And why is she alone?"
"Excellent questions," I said. "I heard a rumor once, that no one could leave The Legion alive. There were stories about what they called 'the abandoned,' people who had left The Legion for one reason or another. The slayers who were left would hunt them down and kill them for leaving."
"No one leaves alive," Chase said, and he sounded bitter. "That sounds familiar."
I looked at him, wanting to ask, but then not wanting to. "Be calm, my wolf," Stavros said. Chase took a deep breath and let it out slowly. For some reason, he had become angered. What had I done this time?
"But even if this rumor were true," Antonio said, "why would she wait five years to carry out your punishment for abandoning them? That's just ridiculous."
I shrugged. He was right.
"I think we should look into Claudiana," Winter said. "If she is not hiding Mikhail, she probably knows who is."
At the mention of the name "Claudiana" Chase paled considerably. Either Winter didn't notice, or he chose not to care. I took Chase's hand. He jumped a little, and stared down at my hand, as if I had taken him totally by surprise. Maybe I had. Either way, he took my hand, and squeezed so hard I thought my bones would break. Whoever Claudiana was, she was upsetting to him, and I wanted to know why. "Who's Claudiana?" I asked.
It was like the room had gone silent, as if everyone had stopped breathing. Even the music from downstairs seemed less loud. And all because I had asked who someone was. Well, excuse me if I didn't have every single vampire in the country memorized. It was Winter who answered my question: "Claudiana is over two thousand years old, and by far the oldest vampire in our country."
"She's Mikhail's master, isn't she?"
"But of course." This said with the hint of a smile.
"So," I asked, "what city is she master of?"
Stavros and Winter shared a look. "She is not the master of any city," Stavros finally said.
I was a little shocked at that. "What do you mean? If she's two thousand, how can she not be the master of a city? Surely she's powerful."
"Oui, powerful indeed," Winter said. It was the first time I'd heard him say something in his native tongue, even if it was just "yes."
"Then...?"
"Claudiana was once the Master of San Francisco, and the most powerful master in the country." I was surprised to hear Chase speak, especially about Claudiana, when I had gotten the distinct impression that she was not a good subject for him.
"Then how did Mikhail come to be Master of San Francisco?" I asked. "He didn't overthrow his own creator, did he?"
"He didn't have to overthrow her." This from Antonio. "She stepped down about fifty years ago."
"Step--stepped down?" I sounded incredulous, and with good reason. I knew enough about vampire politics to know that a master of the city stepping down and giving their title to someone else was just plain weird. "Is she even allowed to do that?"
"Technically, no," Stavros said, "but rules have never mattered to Claudiana."
"Never a good thing in the vampire world," I said. "So, where is she now?"
"Still in San Francisco," Chase said. I was shocked, again.
"You mean she didn't even leave the city after she gave her throne to Mikhail?"
"No, and get this: Mikhail wasn't even her first child, either. He was her third."
Jesus, this Claudiana chick just went against all vampire code and regulation. A vampire who broke vampire laws, and was powerful enough not to be punished, from the sound of it. The whole concept just blew my mind. But why wasn't she being punished for her obvious breaking of the laws? From what I had seen in my nine years as a vampire slayer, vampires really didn't like the naughty little vampires who broke the laws. With this thought came a question, one I voiced aloud: "Do the other masters not punish Claudiana because she is not worth their time, or is it because they are afraid of her?"
No one answered me at first. Stavros and everyone else in the room exchanged looks. Finally Stavros said, "It is because we are very, very afraid of her."
I don't know if he thought admitting he was afraid of Claudiana would make me feel better. It didn't. If possible, it made me feel worse than probably anything else this week had. My boss, who was one hell of a powerful master vampire, was frightened of Claudiana. But he hadn't just said he was afraid--he had admitted they were all afraid. All of the masters were afraid of Claudiana. That made me really hope I never met Claudiana myself.
"But...why?" was all I could think to say. It was probably rude, but I needed to know why she was so frightening. Just what was it about her that had all the other master vamps tuck their tails between their legs?
"Why, what?" Stavros asked.
"I need a history lesson, here, Boss," I said. "What is it about Claudiana that makes Chase squirm when he hears her name? What is it about her that puts that sheen of worry on your face?" Yeah, it was a little too poetic for me, but it seemed to get through to him. He opened his mouth as though to speak, but then thought better of it, and then turned to Chase.
"My wolf, would you mind giving our monster slayer a...history lesson, as she put it?"
Chase squeezed my hand again. "I'm sure she doesn't want to hear it."
I probably didn't, but... "I need to know, Chase."
He sighed. "I know." I held his hand gently. I realized that this, for some reason or another, was painful for him, but at the same time I was dying to know about the mysterious Claudiana.
"Like they said," Chase began, "Claudiana is over two-thousand years old. Just being in her presence is enough to make you frightened of her. Her power is so much that she cannot control every bit of it--it is always creeping out to play along the powers of the ones surrounding her."
"All right, she's uber-powerful," I said. "What else?"
"She was always the Master of San Francisco, from the time of its birth up until 1955, when she just suddenly stepped down. When asked why, she only said that she was tired of humans, and wished to turn her attention to less mundane things. Everyone thought that Nicholas would become the new Master of San Francisco, since he was the first vampire she had made, but instead Mikhail became Master, which made plenty of Claudiana's people angry. The tear between Claudiana and Mikhail became so great that finally they became two separate powers, occupying the same city--"
"How in the hell is that supposed to work?" I interrupted. This sounded just way too weird.
"I don't know, but they made it work," Chase said. "Mikhail created his own bloodline, and those who wished to follow their old master went with Claudiana."
"So, what, did they just have two lairs in the same city? Do you know how messed up that sounds?"
"It wasn't two lairs, per say. Mikhail kept the warehouse lair, the one that belongs to the city's master, and Claudiana took up residence in the House of Horrors." As Chase fell silent, I think he expected me to have some sort of reaction that the mention of the name, but I didn't. In fact, I had never even heard of the House of Horrors, just like I had never heard of Claudiana before tonight.
"I believe," Vaughn spoke for the first time that night, "that Kayla does not know about the House of Horrors."
At least someone got it.
"You truly do not know?" Stavros sounded genuinely surprised. I felt like I had missed some serious hours of Vamp 101.
"No, I truly don't. Now will someone please try explaining?" Yeah, Kayla, get angry with everyone, that'll make them want to help.
"The House of Horrors," Winter said, "is in a warehouse on the waterfront--"
"--Why does everything have to be in a warehouse?" I interrupted, but he didn't answer me.
"On the waterfront," he repeated, seemingly only slightly annoyed. "It is a place that was never meant for humans. It is a legend among us, even now, that if a human dares to tread upon the grounds of the House, they will be driven mad by the evil in the very air there."
I didn't have anything to say at first. Finally, I said the first thing that came to mind. "That sounds exciting."
"Claudiana runs it, and has for the past five decades," Winter continued. "There are things that go on there that even the most sadistic vampire would not touch. I do not think I have the words to make you understand just how terrible that place is. Even today, we are still not sure exactly what goes on inside."
"But lucky for you, you have a direct line in," said Chase. I looked at him, with my eyebrow raised as was my habit. I sent a silent question to him: Just what did he mean by a direct line in?
He looked at me, and gave me a smile--so sad, yet bitter around the edges, like sadness could only sustain him for so long before he had to turn to deeper, darker things. "You asked me how I got my scars," he said. "I lived in the House of Horrors until I turned twenty-one, and Claudiana let Morgana and I leave."
Now I was really shocked. A place so terrible that humans were driven mad just by being there? A place so secretive that even other vampires didn't know what went on there? And in the midst of it all, Chase, who had lived there for years with his sadistic older sister and some of the scariest vamps I had ever heard of? That didn't sound good at all. I squeezed his hand, and he seemed to read my mind. "You want to ask me about the scars again, don't you?"
Yeah, actually, I kind of did. I licked my lips, because suddenly they had become oh-so-dry. "How did you get your scars, Chase?"
It was his turn to lick his lips. "Those wounds were Claudiana's idea of foreplay."
I said the only think I could think of, again. "Fuck."
"Not exactly."
"What does that mean?"
He sighed. "It means I don't fuck someone who looks like they're seven years old, even if they are two thousand."
