The Summons

              12 Names of the Ancients

 

 

 

Cline - 1^st chair

            -French territories.

 

Carver - 2^nd chair

            -Keeper of the Czech fortress

 

Hephaistion - 3^rd chair

            -German territories

 

Roberto - 4^th chair

            -Spanish territories

 

Cleitus - 5^th chair

            -Romanian territories

 

Alexandros - 6^th chair

            -Baltic territories

 

Cato - 7^th chair

            -Belarusian territories

 

Darius - 8^th chair

            -Turkish  territories

 

Justus - 9^th chair

            -Italian territories

 

Dane - 10^th chair

            -Greek territories

 

Elmar - 11^th chair

            -Norwegian territories

 

Mather - 12^th chair

            -Ukrainian territories 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                  Families

 

 

 Conner’s Family Members:

            -Conner - Governor of the Northern Province of the New

                        World

            -Gloria - Conner’s wife

            -Emma - Gloria and Conner’s adopted daughter

            -Sebastian - soldier from the Nephilim wars and Conner’s             

                        second in command

            -John Barleycorn - North American emissary   

            -Tabitha - John Barleycorn’s wife and Gloria’s best friend

 

   South American Vampires

            -Pablo - Vampire and leader of the South American family

            -Juan - vampire

            -Maria - vampire and Juan’s wife

            -Jesus - vampire

            -Louie - vampire

            -Mary - vampire (deceased)

 

  Cline’s Family Members:

            -Cline - Ancient vampire

            -Augustus - vampire and soldier

            -Ava - vampire and witch of Cline’s family

            -Eric - vampire, slave

            -Frank - vampire

 

  Roberto’s Family members:

            -Roberto - Ancient vampire

            -Horatio - vampire, servant and soldier

            -Stephen - vampire, servant and soldier

            -Rudy - vampire, servant and soldier

 

  Queen Mother’s Family:

            -Queen Mother - 1^st vampire

            -Hider - Nephilim human

 

  North American Vampires:

            -Butch - The strongest of the North American Vampires

            -Jason - vampire

            -Ed - vampire

            -Trevor - vampire

            -Allen - vampire

            -Tom - vampire

            - Chloe - vampire and Tom’s wife

            -Andrew - vampire

                      The Summons

 

 

   ’What? We have to answer for someone breaking into our house?’ Gloria yelled at Horatio.

   ’No my Lady, you must answer for the maiming of Augustus.’ Horatio explained.

   ’Well if he wasn’t in our house he wouldn’t have gotten maimed!’

   ’My Lady, it is not I that you must answer too.’

   ’Damn it Horatio!’ Gloria shrieked.

  I walked over to Gloria and touched her shoulder; Gloria looked up at me and smiled without humor.

   ‘Horatio, did Roberto give you any instructions for us?’ I asked.

   ‘My Lord, his Grace asked that with all haste you come to him at the Castillo de Arevalo. He wishes to speak to you before you appear before the Council.’

   ‘I’m sure he does.’ Gloria snapped.

   ‘My Lady please.’ Horatio said raising one hand trying to calm Gloria.

  Gloria looked at me, I could tell she was getting angry. I shook my head at her to not say anymore.

   ‘What is it that Roberto wishes from Conner?’ asked Sebastian.

   ’Roberto has instructed me to be at Conner’s disposal.’

   ’Which means?’ asked Sebastian.

   ’That if the Lord and his Lady wishes to accompany me back to Spain, his Grace’s privet jet will be at their disposal.’

   ’Thank you Horatio, when do you need to return to Spain?’

   ’His Grace instructed me to be a service to you my Lord until you are ready to go to Spain.’

   ’We’ll need to put some things in order before we leave.’ I looked at Gloria, she looked upset. Sebastian looked tense; I knew he would fill me in on what ever was on his mind after Horatio left.

  Horatio handed Sebastian a card, ’When you are prepared to leave you may reach me at this number and I will send a car for you.’

  With that Horatio turned and left, after we heard the front door shut, Gloria said, ‘Conner what are we going to do?’

   ‘Emma, go next door and get John and Tabs over here.’ Emma bolted next door, ‘Sebastian, what do you think?’

   ‘I think we go to Spain and see Roberto. Then in a month we go before the Council.’

   ‘This is bull s**t Sebastian!’

  Sebastian just shrugged at Gloria, ‘Yeah, but it doesn’t change the fact that we must appear before the Council.’

   ’You mean me and Conner must appear before the Council.’

  Sebastian frowned at Gloria, ’Gloria I will share yours and Conner’s fate.’

   ’What do you think Roberto wants?’ I inquired.

   ’Well, my first thought would be he wants to educate you on the protocols of appearing before the Council but I doubt it.’

   ’Why?’ Gloria asked.

   ’Because Roberto knows I could do that. My second guess would be that Roberto has some kind of a hope for a certain outcome, and he wants you to be aware of it. Or, there’s something he wants you to look out for once you’re before the Council.

   ’It could be he has a hope of a certain outcome and because of something that he is afraid of he wants you to act or say something. Perhaps he worried that you will act a certain way and that will interfere with the outcome he’s hoping for.’

   ’Okay Sebastian, you’ll give me a head ache chasing those rabbits in your head. I think we need to go to Spain, and go as soon as we can.’

  John and Tabitha walked into the Great room, they looked very concerned. I didn’t know if Emma had explained anything to them, but they could tell something had happened.

   ’I agree, and that brings me to you John.’

   ’I don’t want to hear anything you have to say Sebastian.’

   ’You and Tabitha will need to round everyone up and anyone that’s not native to this country needs to be run out of here. But if you find anyone that works for the Council you need to kill them on sight. They don’t get a chance to return home.’

   ’I’m not killing the servants of the Council, don’t you know the penalty for just hindering one?’

   ’Yes I do, and it will be the same as pissing me off John.’ a dark shadow seemed to cross over Sebastian’s face.

   ’Sebastian, what’s happened?’ asked Tabitha.

  Sebastian handed John the summons. John read the letter, turned it over looked at the back then handed it to Tabitha, who took a quick glance at it.

   ’What does it say?’

   ‘It says that Conner and Gloria must go before the Council.’ John explained.

   ‘Is that bad?’

   ‘We don’t know yet Tabitha.’ explained Sebastian.

   ‘Oh come on Sebastian, anyone that’s call before the Council, the Council is planning on killing.’ John snapped.

   ‘That’s not always the case.’ Sebastian said looking at Tabitha.

   ‘Oh yeah, name one time that someone hasn’t been called before them and wasn’t been put to death?’

   ‘This is different.’

   ‘Oh yeah how?’

   ‘John have you not seen Conner, do you not remember what he did to Augustus? Second he’s a governor, you don’t summon a governor to kill them.

Well, at least I don’t think so.’ Sebastian laughed at his own joke.

   ‘Damn it Sebastian, this isn’t funny.’ John snapped.

   ‘What are you kidding me? Conner’s the funniest thing that’s happened in; I don’t know a thousand years. Look, don’t worry about it you aren’t going with us you have work to do here.’

   ‘Waste of time if you ask me. Once everyone hears that the so called governor of

America has already been sent for; no one will care if Conner tells them to come to Washington. They won’t listen because who comes back from being summoned Sebastian? And that’s exactly what they’ll say.’

   ‘That’s fine. They’ll wish they did when I come back John.’ I said.

   ‘Conner…listen to me, no one comes back from a summons.’

   ‘Watch me.’

   ‘Conner you’re not listening to me. The Council has already made up their mind. Once the summons is sent, the decision has already been made.’

   ’Maybe that’s what Roberto wants to talk about.’ We all turned and looked at Emma, ’I mean, maybe he wants to warn him.’

   ’Roberto aside Conner, the summons is a death warrant.’

   ’You let me worry about that. I’m going to go at least as far as Spain and talk to Roberto. From there I’ll decide whether or not I will go before the Council. But to tell you the truth I would like to look Cline in the eye, to at least tell him I’m going to kill him to his face.’

   ’To do that in open counsel will mean instant death Conner; or at least a fight in counsel.’ Sebastian laughed.

  Gloria touched my arm and went up stairs; Emma chewed on the inside of her lip for a second and then followed Gloria up stairs.

   ’Come John.’ Tabitha took John’s hand in hers and started towards the front door.

  At the door John stopped and looked back at me, ’Good luck.’

   ’I don’t need luck. Just do as I ask please.’

  John just shook his head and left with Tabitha.

   ’He better do what I told him to do Sebastian or I’ll wring his neck.’

   ’John will, he’s too afraid of me not too.’

   ’I hope so.’

   ’He will, he knows even if you get killed I might come looking for him just for the fun of it.

   ’Why is John so afraid of you?’

   ’Because he has good sense, John has a talent of staying alive. When all else is going to hell and everyone around you is getting killed, look for John. He’ll find a way to survive. Plus, I’ve been ordered to kill John on more than one occasion.’

   ’Really?’ no wonder John is scare of Sebastian I thought.

   ’John is a trafficker of information, he hears things. And some things others don’t want heard. John has no alliances with anyone other then what benefits John. He makes having secrets dangerous.’

   ’Could he know something about the Council that we don’t know?’

   ’I don’t think so, he would have told us. But that’s why it’s so important for him to blind the Council to what’s going on here. John knows everyone that’s anyone, if there are spies here, he’ll be able to root them out.’

   ’Sebastian, can we trust him?’

   ’Well, he fears the Council, but they’re in Europe, he fears me and I’m here, so yes I think so. He’ll never betray us to the Council.’

   ’Do you think any of the American vampires will come?’

  ’No, but that works to our advantage.’

   ’Really, how?’

   ’John’s right, the summons is a death sentence, and if you survive and come home, they’ll be more afraid of you then the Council.’  

  I walked out onto the balcony, Sebastian followed me. The sun was starting to set, I could hear Tabitha and John quietly arguing over whether they should go or not. John wanted to run for his life. Tabitha was saying that if he chose to run, he would run by himself and she would go and find the American vampires alone.

  I looked at Sebastian then yelled over to Tabitha’s house, ’You all need to leave tonight. Call Horatio, I’m gonna pack.’

 

  Looking at Horatio sitting there like a statue irritated me for some reason. I felt like opening the door and throwing him out the plane. To the best of my knowledge, John and Tabitha got off to spread the word that I wanted all the American vampires in Washington. I know at least Tabitha would go, but that gave me little comfort.

  Gloria bitched about flying and being around Horatio the whole way to the airport and Emma tore to up two dresses. Sebastian had endless amount of energy to laugh at my irritation. I seriously though about flying outside on the wing of the plane for trip to Spain. I hadn’t fed in almost two months and John and Tabitha had helped themselves to our supply of blood, what was left we had been giving to Emma. Sebastian reassured me that we would feed when we got to Spain.

  Stupid Spain. Stupid Counsel. Stupid Augustus coming into my house. Stupid

John Barleycorn not wanting to do what he’s told. Stupid Tabitha becoming a stupid vampire…

   ’Conner!’

  Gloria saying my name brought me back from my rant, ’What?’ Everyone was looking at me.

   ’What’s the matter?’

   ’What do you mean what’s a matter? Nothing’s a matter.’

   ’Well I had to say your name three times you goof.’

   ’Sorry, I was elsewhere.’

   ’I know that, that why I was asking you what’s a matter. You were just sitting there turning grey, I was worried.’

   ’I’m just irritated, irritated and hungry.’

   ’My Lord, we shall be on the ground in about an hour.’

   ’Thank you Horatio, but I don’t think I’ll wait that long, I think I’ll just go up front and eat one of the pilots.’

   ’Conner!’ shrieked Gloria.

  Sebastian smiled at my comment.

   ’My Lord, I do not think that would be advisable.’

   ’I wasn’t serious Horatio. But the first herd of anything I see on the ground you’re stopping the car. I’m sure Emma’s hungry too, aren’t you?’

  Emma, who was sitting next to Gloria, nodded enthusiastically. Emma love to hunt, and she had an incredible appetite. I wondered how much of it was out of hunger, or just for the killing. Emma could sure be ferocious when motivated.

Emma laid her head back down on Gloria’s lap and closed her eyes. Emma did that sometimes, closed her eyes and acted like she was asleep. I wonder why she did that. The cover story that we had with Emma was that she was Gloria’s sixteen year old younger sister and there was some trouble in Emma’s home life with her parents. I had no idea what we were going to do about the whole school façade, there was no way we could fake that one.

  We had landed in the same airport that we did the last time we were in Spain.

But this time we did not go through the terminal. There were two cars waiting for us. One was Roberto’s Rolls Royce; the other was a black stretch limo. Horatio opened the back door to the limo for us, the airport ground crews loaded up the luggage into the back of the limo and the Rolls Royce. Once everything was

loaded up Horatio got in the front seat of the Rolls Royce and we caravanned to Roberto’s castle.

  After we had been on the road for about an hour I figured it was about time to stretch my legs.

   ’Sebastian, if you would keep an eye on Gloria, come on Emma. I opened the back door and jumped out, Emma was right on heels. We ran off the road and straight across a field, in a flash we were in the trees. I didn’t know if Horatio saw us jump from the car, it would be nice for him not to know we were lost. Not that

I really cared, but the less I had to worry about the better.

   ’What are we hunting Conner?’

   ’Ancients.’

   ’I don’t understand.’

   ’Have you ever played with a mouse trap Emma?’

   ’Yeah.’ laughed Emma.

   ’So you understand how the trap works?’

   ’Yes.’

  Emma ran up next to me. We ran more or less to the right of the highway that we had been driving on. I could hear Roberto’s Rolls Royce the mile or so off behind us to the left.

   ’Just because you know how a mouse trap works, doesn’t guarantee that the damn thing can’t bite you.’

   ’So we’re running ahead to the castle to make sure we’re not walking right into a trap. And if we are?’

   ’Then I’m going to smash the traps head.’

  Emma laughed as we ran. I think she liked the idea of smashing stuff.

   ’Conner do you smell that?’

   ’Yeah, smells like cow poop.’

   ’And were there’s cow poop…’

   ’There’s cows.’

   ’I think it’s off to our right somewhere Conner.’

   ’Lead the way little lady.’

  Emma veered right towards the smell of the cow dung. Damn I hoped there was some cows, I was sure hungry. As we ran I became more focused on the smells around me. I was starting to taste the rust taste that blood has. Instantly my mouth started to water.

  Emma threw it into high gear; she too could smell the blood. I had never seen Emma on a hunt before, I wasn’t sure if Emma was ever aloud to hunt while she was a prisoner of Cline. Emma had never talked about her feeding habits while imprisoned. Since Emma had come to live with us, she was not allowed to openly hunt. She was okay with that, but she went through a great deal of our purchased blood in the week or so that she had been with us.

   I had no idea where we were, I knew that the road that we were on was off somewhere to our left. I knew nothing of the country that we now ran in, except for what we saw from the car windows.

  As we ran the smell of blood was getting stronger and stronger. I could feel the frenzy in me starting to burn. It reminded me of the first time I fed back in the mountains of Washington. I could taste the blood in my throat, it was causing a fierce burn in my stomach. I could see why Gloria attacked that women back in that homeless shelter back in Dallas many years ago.

  There was a steady stream of snarling coming from Emma as we ran. Emma was completely out of control, if we saw humans now there would be a massacre.

There was no way I could control Emma, I don’t think there would be a way to control me.

  I couldn’t believe the smell of blood, I had never smelled anything like this before. I had been in crowds before as a vampire, surrounded by people. The blood never was like this.

  Off through the trees in front of us I could see lights from what looked like a building. Emma had been right, I could not only smell cow dung, but I could smell the cows themselves. Emma reminded me of a large dog on a choke chain, she was breathing in and out harshly. Every breath of hers was filled with a large snarl. I could see now as we came to the edge of the woods there across a small field was what looked like a large warehouse.

  The warehouse looked somewhat like a large two story airplane hanger. The sides of the building had aluminum sighting on it. The building had windows around the top, the sighting was somewhat rusty. Out front, the building had a fenced in field that was full of cows. They all had tags in their left ears with a number on it. A slaughter house, I could hear the night shift’s voiced inside.

  Oh s**t.

  Emma had pulled a few strides in front of me, just beyond my reach. As soon as we cleared the trees Emma when airborne; it was at least forty or fifty yards from the edge of the trees to the side of the building, Emma cleared the space with ease. Whether or not she misjudged where she was planning on hitting the building I do not know, but she hit the building right between two windows.

  Emma went right though the wall. The windows on either side shattered because of the force of Emma going through it. I had stopped right at the edge of the trees to watched Emma fly through the air. I hear a huge crash inside the building as she landed.

  The building was deadly quite. There were no machines running, and no one talked. I found it hard that Emma was hurt in the building, but I couldn’t move. I just waited for the carnage to begin.

  Several things happened at once. The first was there was a great deal of yelling that quickly turned into screaming. The second thing that happened was the noise of things being destroyed which made the yelling and screaming louder.

The third thing that happened was all of the noise caused a huge panic amongst the cattle which in return started a stampede. The cattle broke down the gate of their fenced in field.

  The large herd of cows ran for their lives off into the woods that was near the gate. I looked towards the front of the slaughter house, there at one of the front doors a man came out of the building. He had a look of panic on his face He was covered in blood and his right arm was torn off. He stumbled away from the building, but Emma was on him in a flash. She hit him from behind like a freight train. Emma was in a total frenzy, she bit the man on the neck viciously, Emma drained him of his life within seconds and then tore him to pieces.

  Emma was up on her feet in a flash; she was completely naked and covered in blood. Emma looked around and sniffed the air, she caught my scent turned towards me and went into a crouch, snarled at me and took off in the direction of the cows.

  The sight of Emma ripping that man apart brought me back to my senses. I ran over and looked in the slaughter house door; I could hear no heart beats. I stepped in and looked around; Emma had killed the entire night shift.

   ’Wow.’ I could hardly think.

  A slaughter house is bad enough but if Emma had done the same to all these people that she had done to the man outside, I didn’t finish my thought.

  I turned and headed out of the building, it was not hard to follow Emma scent. I ran as fast as I could after her, she was on the trail of the cows. As I ran here and there I would see a cow torn apart, I could hear the herd running in front of me. I was gaining on Emma; I could hear her taking down another cow. As I ran up on her I could tell she was not feeding, she was just tearing the cow to pieces. Hearing me run Emma jumped to her feet and went into a crouch to defend herself. Emma lunged at me, as much as I didn’t want to hurt Emma I couldn’t have her this out of control.

  I balled up my fist and punched her right in the face. Emma went flying and struck a tree about twenty feet up. The tree broke right in half where she hit it.

Emma land on her feet, but I could tell she was in a daze. I was on her in a blink of an eye; I grabbed Emma by the neck with both hands and tried to squeeze the sense back into her. Emma thrashed violently in my grasp. She clawed at my arms and started kicking like crazy. I just squeezed her neck as hard as I could.

   ’Emma stop! That’s enough!’

  Emma’s eyes were black and bulging, but slowly I could see the sanity starting to return. The red was coming back and I could see she was focusing on my eyes. I slowly loosed my grip on Emma’s neck, trying to see if she was going to fight me.

  When she didn’t fight me and asked her, ’If I let you go, are you going to attack me?’

  I could feel Emma trying to shake her head no so I very carefully let go of her

neck.

   ’I’m sorry Conner, I couldn’t help myself.’

   ’It’s okay, you didn’t hurt me. But you really made a mess back there at the slaughter house.’

   ’I’m so sorry.’

   ’It’s not me you have to apologize too. Honey, we can’t act that way. Imagine what would happen if you did that back home.’

   ’I know Conner, I just couldn’t help myself, I smelled all that blood.’

   ’Here put this on.’ I unbuttoned my shirt and gave it to Emma.

  Emma looked down at herself, ’Oh.’ she put my shirt on and very carefully buttoned the shirt back up, ’I’m sorry about getting blood all over your shirt.’

   ’Don’t worry about it. Stay here for a minute. Don’t go nowhere Emma, I mean it.’

   ’Okay.’

  I took off after the cows. I still needed to feed, and then get to Roberto’s castle before the cars did. I knew we could get there faster than driving. I took down a good size cow and fed and quickly ran back to where Emma was waiting.

  Emma was sitting on the ground with her back up against a tree. When she saw me she jumped up, I nodded for her to follow and headed back towards the road.

  It only took about fifteen minutes to catch up to the cars. We stayed well clear of the road in a hope not to be seen by Horatio.

  Emma and I cut across field after field. Now and then we would hear a dog bark in the distance. We tried as much as we could so stay away from the villages that lined the highway to Roberto’s castle. But I knew that the closer we got to castle the more populated the area would become.

  We approached the castle wall opposite of the gate; I really did not have a plan on approaching the castle. I wasn’t planning on attacking Roberto, so I didn’t know if I should sneak or just jump right over the wall.

  I figured that Roberto would know when we would be arriving, there was no way that he would be taken by surprise with us just showing up. I could wait for the cars to show up and see what would happen, but I didn’t like the idea of using Gloria as a guinea pig. I figured that the cars we still about two hours out.

  Emma and I were several hundred yards from the castle when we heard a racket from within the courtyard of Roberto’s castle.

   ’Let’s go.’ I said to Emma.

   I ran at the castle wall at a dead sprint. I was never a fast runner as a human, though I could run faster than any human, I was slower then Emma. She was right beside me as we ran towards the wall. Without making a sound I jumped over the wall and was heading right for the middle of the courtyard. Emma was a little smarter in her jump over the wall; she had aimed for the larger castle turret. She landed on it about half way up it like a spider and quickly looked back towards the courtyard.

  The racket that we were hearing within the courtyard was Roberto assembling his guard. He was out in front of the twenty some odd vampires. They had not heard me jump or flying through the air, all of their attentions were on Emma hanging from the turret. I was going to land right in the middle of them.

  I yelled right before I hit the formation, everyone’s head whipped around right be for I crashed landed on them. Some were fast enough to move, others were not. I slammed into them all and was on my feet in a half of a second.

  The vampire guards that I knocked down were scrambling to try to get away from me, the others drew Roman looking fighting swords and were ready to strike. In a second flat, all the vampire guard had recovered from my surprise and were up with swords drawn.

  Swords, what the hell are they going to do with those I wondered? Jack-asses.

   ’Looks like we’re right in time for the party.’ I said looking around at Roberto’s guard.

  The guards looked at me and started to growl, ‘Hold.’ commanded Roberto.

  Immediately the guards took a step back and sheathed their swords.

   ‘I didn’t interrupt anything did I your Grace?’

   ’Horatio called. He said that you had run off, we were concerned for your safety; Emma can you please come down from there.’

  Emma jumped down from the wall and in defensive crouch walked over to me. She had a low growl in her chest as she walked between the guards. Roberto looked over Emma; the blood that covered Emma had dried and was starting to flake off. Emma’s hair was a mess; she had dried flesh and blood tangled into it.

My shirt that Emma was wearing had soaked up a lot of the blood that was on her body so it looked like it had been used to mop blood off of a floor.

   ’Young one, I smell human blood on you, and something…less satisfying.’

   ’Your Grace, we got to close to a slaughter house, there was an incident.’

   ’An incident?’

   ’Well, a massacre would probably be a better word for it.’

   ’Hmmm, oh dear. Rudy, Stephen, take a few of my guard and please go deal with whatever slaughter house they got into. I am sure that it will not be to hard to find.’

  Rudy and Stephen stepped out from within the guard and headed towards the gate. Five of the Roberto’s guard followed them, when the got to the gate I yelled out to them.

  ’We came from the other way.’

 The group stopped and looked at each other. Then, they turned and headed back towards the other wall. They all quickly jumped it and were gone into the night. Roberto just shook his head.

   ’It is quite unfortunate that you left Horatio and the car Conner, now you are without a servant to show you to your rooms.’

   ’Unfortunate indeed. But that’s okay your Grace, I’ll just take the room at had last time. Don’t worry your Grace, I know the way. Let’s go Emma.’  I turned and walked away from Roberto. Emma quickly followed me towards the tower door. I could tell Roberto was surprised with my lack of respect in front of his subordinates, they too were unhappy with it. I could hear a low grumble from his men.

  I led Emma up the stairs to the room that we had the last time we were here. It’s hard to believe that that was less than two weeks ago. I remember that our room had a full working bathroom, when Emma and I entered into the bedroom I just pointed at the bathroom door. Emma went into the bathroom without an argument.

   ’Emma you better make sure you get all the blood out of your hair or Gloria will be put out with you.’

   ’I will Conner.’

  I just didn’t get Emma; sometimes she seemed like any other person. Normal, lucid and kind, and other times not so normal, lucid and kind. I was still in somewhat of a shock when I thought about the slaughter house. Damn, I had never killed a person as a vampire. I had never even seen a dead person since

Iraq. How the hell was I going to tell Gloria about the slaughter house?

   ’Emma, I’m going down to talk to Roberto. Make sure you get completely clean, Gloria is going to have a cow when she sees that you ruined another dress.’

  Emma laughed at my use of the word cow, she would find that funny. I wondered what she really thought about the carnage of the slaughter house.

  I walked down to Roberto’s large museum office. He was sitting at his desk, he had four of his guards standing around him. I knocked on the door slightly to get his attention, which I know seemed ridiculous because I’m sure he could hear me tell Emma I was going to come down her to talk to him.

  Roberto looked up from his desk and waved me in. ’You all can go.’ Roberto’s guards nodded to Roberto and walked quickly out of his office shutting the doors on their way out.

   ’This business with your summons is quite unnerving Conner.’

  I just nodded to him.

   ’Ridiculous, Cline knows that there is no case against you. He will try to convince the Council to order your death and Gloria’s imprisonment.’

   ’Which I will not let happen your Grace.’

   ’Yes, yes, yes, yes. I know. Cline will probably take three different strategies against you. Please Conner sit; you make me uncomfortable standing like that.’

  Stand like what I wonder? ’Yes your Grace, my apologies.’

  I sat in the leather chair that Roberto had in front of his desk.

   ’First, he will simply try to get the Council to put you to death. When that fails which I promise you it will because I will not find you guilty. Then he will threaten to leave the Council if we do not find you guilty, but when that fails he will balk at leaving and fall back on trying to provoke you. He will insult you and

Gloria.’

   ’Your Grace may I ask you a question?’

   ’Yes Conner.’

   ’It’s about Emma.’

   ’Ah the wild child.’

   ’Her mind your Grace, sometimes she seems like a normal teenage girl, other

times like tonight.’

   ’She suffered greatly at the hands of Cline. Augustus abused her more than removing her skin at the bidding of Ava, she envied Emma’s beauty.’

   ’I have something special planned for Ava, if our paths ever meet.’

   ’Ava never leaves the safety of Cline’s lair Conner, and you are not to go near his lair ever. Do you understand me? Never.’

   ’Yes your Grace. But this I will promise you, if she ever leaves his lair it will take the Council’s strength to stop what I have in mind for her.’

  Roberto and I stared at each other. I could see his strength leaving him, he had no will against me.

   ’Conner you are not to go to France. We cannot have a Governor taking on a member of the Council. Ava, though she never leaves Cline’s lair may choose to appear at the Council because of what you did to Augustus. If she is there you are not to harm her Conner.’

   ’Your Grace, I wish to have no trouble with you. I will always honor you and respect you for what you have done in the past for Gloria, but if I see her…’ I did not finish my thought. ’Will Emma ever become normal again?’

  Roberto sighed heavily, ’I would not have thought Gloria could behave civilized. But look at her now, that my young friend will work to your advantage. But to answer your question, in time and with love I believe so.’

   ’How will Gloria’s behavior work to my advantage?’

   ’Do you remember when Hephaistion called Gloria vermin? That is how all the

Council knows her, out of control and violent. She made everyone crazy, no one could catch her, and everyone wanted her dead.’

   ’How was it you were able to catch her?’

   ’Sebastian. Sebastian is very unique, I was sad to hear that he wanted to leave. There is something I must warn you about if Sebastian has not, the Council in the past issued a warrant for Gloria’s death. That business will need to be discussed be for you go before the Council. I will make that warrant void, so do not worry.’

   ’Sebastian had not made me aware of it.’

   ’Do not worry Conner, Sebastian must not have thought much about the warrant if he did not speak of it. There is your proof that there is nothing fear.

   ’Because Gloria’s warrant slipped Sebastian’s mind?’

   ’I assure you it did not slip Sebastian’s mind. I need to instructed you in the proper conduct when you go before the Council. To break protocol in counsel is punishable by death. Gloria is not to speak, the Council sees Gloria as your property. Only nobility can speak before the Council, because you are a Governor you may speak, but Gloria is not seen as your equal so she may not. If Gloria speaks the guards of the Council will not wait for an order, they will kill her without hesitation. Do you understand?’

   ’Yes.’

   ’Another thing, you do not argue with any of the Chairs, that includes Cline.

Also you must be beyond respectful to all Chairs, and as much as you will not like it, that also includes Cline. If you can just ignore him, anything that is put forth in counsel must be unanimous, and I will not side against you or Gloria.’

   ’Does the voiding of Gloria’s warrant need to be unanimous?’

   ’No, just in passing the warrant, but if one of the Chairs withdrawals their support, it is void. But remember, Cline does not want Gloria dead, just you. As sick as that may sound to you, you should take heart in that.’

   ’You know your Grace, all I want is to be left in peace in my house back in Washington.’

   ’As much as you wish that to be true, I am afraid that those days are gone for you. Alas, the cars are here. Let us go meet them.’

  Roberto and I had beaten the cars to the courtyard. As we walked out into the yard the gates swung open. The Rolls Royce pulled in first, then the limo. Roberto’s Rolls Royce pulled right up to Roberto. The unknown vampire driver walked to the back door of the limo and opened it up for Gloria and Sebastian. Sebastian walked around to the back of the limo and grabbed Gloria’s two humongous suitcases. Gloria had backed enough for her and Emma. Well at least I hoped she packed enough for Emma.

  I met Gloria by the back of the limo and gave her a huge hug and a kiss. She could tell I was upset.

   ’What’s wrong? Where’s Emma?’

   ’Nothing’s wrong, she’s up stairs in the same room we had before. She’s going to need something else to wear, she ruined her dress again.’

   ’Damn, what did you two go do?’

   ’I rather not talk about it right now.’

   ’Conner, what happened?’

   ’Gloria I need to talk to Sebastian, and Emma is sitting up there completely naked, could we not talk about it now please?’

   ’Okay, but if something’s happened I would like to know about it.’

   ’Nothing has happened that you need to worry about.’

   ’Okay, how long are you going to be gone with Sebastian?’

   ’I don’t know.’

   ’Hurry back to me. Oh, did you get something to eat?’

   ’Yes.’ I turned and looked at Sebastian, ’Let Horatio carry those. We need to talk.’

  Sebastian turned and smiled at Horatio and set the suitcases down on the ground. Sebastian and I headed towards the gate. We did not wait for it to open for us, we just jumped over it. It was still dark out, but I figured it would be light in a few hours.

   Sebastian and I walked in silence until we were sure we were far enough away from the castle that we would not be heard.

   ’When we got here, Roberto had twenty some odd guards formed up in the courtyard. He told me that Horatio had called him and said that Emma and I had ran off from the car. Roberto said that he had been concerned about us.’

   Sebastian smiled, ’I’m sure he was. Roberto has become afraid of you, it’s written all over his face. I think Roberto is just about in a panic over what’s going to happen when you go before the Council.’

   ’You saw that in the few seconds that he was there at the cars? Or do you know something?’

   ’I’ve know Roberto a long time Conner, I could tell by looking at him that his mind is racing. He’s damn near in a panic over this convening Council.’

   ’Does Gloria’s warrant have anything to do with it?’

   ’He told you about that did he?’

   ’Yes. Oh by the way, that would have been nice to know about.’

   ’Would it have stopped you from coming?’

   ’No, but…’

   ’Would it have stopped you from fighting in counsel if they tried to arrest Gloria?’

   ’No.’

   ’Then what was there to tell?’

   ’Sebastian, these are the things I kind of need to know.’

   ’Okay, I knew Roberto would not have left that warrant unchecked, there was no way he would have let you walk in there with Gloria with that warrant. He knows it would mean a fight, and a bad one at that, you, me, Gloria and Emma going after Cline. It’s too bad they don’t leave the warrant in place. Not that I want anything to happen to Gloria, but it would be a good fight.’

   ’Sebastian, should I be worried that Roberto had his guard assembled?’

  Sebastian shrugged his shoulders and said, ’Conner we’re on the verge of war. You had best get used to seeing the Ancient’s soldiers. But for the immediate future, no. Why is Emma upstairs naked?’

   ’When we were out running she smelled cows and wanted to hunt, I was hungry so I was like sure. Well it wasn’t just cows we were smelling, it was a slaughter house.’

  Sebastian started laughing.

   ’Yeah go ahead and laugh, Emma went crazy.’

   ’How bad was it?’

   ’Bad, real bad. She killed a bunch of people. Tore them to pieces, then went on a cow killing spree. She wasn’t even feeding on them, just tearing them to shreds. Sebastian she jumped right through the wall of the building and while she was tearing the joint apart and killing everyone, it started a stampede.’

  Sebastian laughed, ’How many people did she kill?’

   ’I don’t know, thirty or forty I think. It only took a few moments. I’ve never seen anything like it. One guy got outside and she tore his head right off in front of me, it was horrible Sebastian.’

  Sebastian looked at me and shook him head, ’You know your something else Conner. In all my long years, I have never and I mean never met a vampire like you. You do know that you are a vampire right? And that your food source is humans?’

  I glared at Sebastian.

   ’Conner have you ever fed on a human?’

   ’No. I’ve never even hurt one since becoming a vampire, I’ve tried my best not to scare them.’

   ’You are a one of a kind Conner, you truly are.’