Blood Queen (Page 20)

"Does Gavin remember her, now? Or any of the others?" Radomir’s voice was quiet and thoughtful, his dark eyes searching Kiarra’s face for answers. He’d cared more for Lissa than any of them realized.

"They don’t remember," Kiarra sighed. "Belen did give me these, though." She held Lissa’s engagement and wedding rings in her hand. "I have no idea what to do with them."

"I will hold them for now," Wlodek came forward and took the rings.

"So, not only are some of her friends dead and gone; the others don’t remember her? What kind of blow do you think that will be?" Russell observed. He’d leaned a hip against Kiarra’s kitchen island, arms crossed over his wide chest.

"Perhaps it is an opportunity for her to start fresh with them and only accept the ones she wants without any past history," Adam suggested. "After all, wasn’t Gavin forced on her as a mate? Isn’t that what happened?" He offered Wlodek a pointed glance.

"Yes," Wlodek nodded. "But she did love him, I think. I will check with Flavio and perhaps arrange a meeting—will Lissa be brought to us? When will we see her? Gavin and Anthony are still employed by the Council as Assassins; if she wishes to see them, I will convince Flavio to bring them in."

"I’d ask her, first," Merrill muttered dryly.

"Perhaps Pheligar knows if Lissa will be brought to us," Kiarra said, turning to Merrill. He pulled her against him and kissed her forehead.

* * *

Gavin knocked the attacking vampire away with a vicious blow. Anthony was backing him up, but they’d found four rogue vampires instead of two and now they were in a real fight. Gavin already had one down and turning to ash, now another of their adversaries was attacking. These four that he and Anthony had tracked were killing in the Seattle area, and the murders hadn’t come to light until one of them had slipped, killing a relief worker among the indigent, homeless population instead of one of the homeless. Until that time, not many had noted the indigent were disappearing upon occasion.

Tony sliced the head from one of his opponents, slipping in under his guard. Now, the odds were better. Gavin snarled and went after his target again.

* * *

"I wish we could go to a bar and get a beer," Tony grumbled as he and Gavin loaded into their hover rental afterward.

"You may go to a bar and get a beer. It will not have any effect unless you drink from a drunken patron," Gavin pointed out.

"Thanks for the reminder." Tony slumped in his seat. He was now three hundred thirty-seven years old, and Gavin was nearing two thousand. Something seemed to be missing from both their lives, however, and Tony couldn’t put a finger on it. Wlodek offered Tony a position as Assassin for the Council when he’d been barely six months old as a vampire. Tony continued his training with Gavin as time allowed through the required five years, but he’d been sent on many assignments alone, long before that time was up. He and Gavin only went out together now if they were hunting a pod of rogues. René’s wealth was also his—Tony inherited when René died. He remembered little of René’s death, and that troubled him. The memory was hazy in his mind.

"Maybe it’s because it was so soon after I was turned," Tony said aloud without meaning to.

"What was so soon after your turning?" Gavin turned to Tony, curious now.

"René’s death," Tony said. "I only have vague memories of it."

"It is the same for me; that time is quite blurry in my memory, while all other memories are very clear," Gavin agreed. "It was an emotional time for both of us."

"Do you ever feel as if something is missing from your life, Gavin? Something important?" Tony asked, looking out his window. Rain was falling in Seattle, as it so often did. Gavin directed the hovercraft between buildings, turning toward their hotel.

"Yes. I feel an emptiness at times. Perhaps it is because René is missing from both our lives."

"Maybe." Tony wasn’t sure that was all of it, though. "What do you think about the new blood substitute?" he changed the subject.

"Tasteless, just as the others were, but it does feed us. That is all that is required, I suppose." Vampire scientists developed the substitute more than one hundred fifty years before and the vampire community was dependent on it for sustenance. Improvements had been made, but it still came no closer to actual blood. Seldom did they get real blood, and getting blood directly from donors was no longer acceptable unless it was an emergency. Gavin snorted. Gavin was one of the oldest now; he’d been turned in an era when taking from donors was the only option. "Call Charles and let him know our hunt was successful," Gavin ordered. Tony pulled out his tiny communicator.

"Recording the information," Charles informed Tony from the other end, tapping the button on his personal communicator to insert the information into Flavio’s computer. "Anthony, does the name Lissa mean anything to you?" Charles asked while he and Tony waited for the transmission.

"Lissa? Who is that?" Tony asked, curious.

"Nobody. I was wondering if you’d ever met anyone with that name." Charles had the answer to his question, now.

"Not that I recall. Gavin is shaking his head, too," Tony passed off the additional information; Gavin was listening in.

"Transmission done," Charles said. Tiny cameras, attached to every Enforcer’s clothing, made recording data so much easier. The microscopic devices were incorporated into clothing in ingenious ways; front, back, high and low, and were difficult to detect. Cleaning the clothing failed to harm them, they were built so efficiently. The cameras were also quite expensive; therefore, the Council provided them and had them installed. Enforcers and Assassins faced a heavy fine if they hunted their quarry without the appropriate clothing, unless it was an emergency. Charles terminated the communication and went to report the successful hunt to Flavio.

* * *

"And just where do you intend to take me?" I jerked my arm from Kifirin’s grasp. He was attempting to persuade me to come away with him, rather than traveling with the High Demons and the comesuli. Honestly, I wouldn’t mind getting away from the comesuli. They were following me now wherever I went, Breth included, many with pure adoration in their eyes. Breth wasn’t high on my good list right then. My hair still looked like a mess, although Kifirin offered to use his power to grow it out again. I’d refused. Kifirin brought in clothing for me, though, that actually fit. At least he hadn’t brought dresses or skirts; we were still traveling over ash and with the rains on the Southern Continent, it was hardening and causing problems.