His voice was no longer that of a bored aristocrat, but had grown almost coarse with some emotion. Could it be fear? Did Krystof know more about these missing women than he was saying and was that the real reason Raj had been called to deal with it?
"In any event,” the vampire lord continued, “you will be meeting the police this evening—"
"Tonight?” Raj demanded.
Krystof raised one eyebrow in disapproval at the interruption. “This evening,” he repeated. “At nine p.m. I told them—"
"Why talk to them at all?"
Krystof's patience snapped. His chair crashed behind him as he stood, his eyes twin coals of fire in the suddenly dark room, his power sweeping out to encompass not just the house on Delaware Park, but the entire city of Buffalo and beyond to Manhattan where Raj's own vampires would be feeling the swell of his power and wondering if they were about to die.
Raj sprang to his feet as, around them, the ancient mansion shuddered with the force of Krystof's will. Plaster dust filled the air as old wood groaned beneath the sudden pressure. Krystof's young donor had begun to whimper in fear, while in the outer room, crystal sang its death throes as something crashed to the ground and shattered into a million pieces. On the floors above them, all movement ceased as Krystof withdrew the very life force which kept his minions alive, demonstrating his power in the most cruel fashion.
Raj sensed their terror all around him as they fell to their knees, as their hearts grew still in their chests and their breath was sucked away. Not even he was completely immune to the pull of Krystof's will. But unlike the others, he fought back, releasing enough of his power to keep his heart pumping, his lungs drawing in air against the demands of his Sire.
In the silence that was the vampire lord's will, Raj's single heartbeat was a loud drumbeat of sound. Across the room, Krystof heard it. Their eyes met.
"So,” Krystof said finally. He blinked and the light returned. All over the city, Raj knew, vampires would be collapsing in relief, overwhelmed by the touch of their master, sucking new air into their lungs, feeling the stolen blood in their veins begin to pump sluggishly once again. The young woman on the settee coughed spasmodically, her face blanched white with fear, her lips tinged blue from oxygen loss. Krystof gave her an idle glance, then sighed impatiently and walked over, dropping to one knee at her side. He rolled up his sleeve and casually ripped open a vein with his fangs, holding his wrist out and allowing several drops to fall between the girl's gasping lips. She nearly choked as the viscous fluid dribbled down her throat, but her distress was quickly followed by ecstasy as the full richness of the vampire lord's blood hit her system. She moaned and rolled to her side, curling up on herself to lie there trembling.
Krystof licked his own vein shut and smoothed his cuff down, buttoning it with crisp, efficient movements, as he sat on the edge of the settee. A single drop of blood stained the pristine white cloth and he frowned at it. “I should have let you die, Rajmund,” he said without looking up. “To this day, I'm not certain why I didn't."
Raj remained silent.
Krystof gave him a dismissive glance. “I could kill you now, of course,” he continued conversationally. “They'd all die willingly if I called upon them.” He waved his hand over his head to indicate the vampires in the house above. “I could drain the city dry, if necessary, to defeat you, and what could you do?” His eyes burned again, but the fire was the cold of death. “Nothing,” he snapped, glaring at Raj. “I am master here. Do not forget that, Rajmund. You and I may come to a challenge some day, but that day is not today and we both know it.” He pursed his lips in annoyance as he contemplated the mess around him, bending slightly to straighten a fallen chair before returning his attention to Raj.
"You will meet with a Detective Scavetti and some others this evening at nine p.m.,” he said. He slipped his fingers beneath his jacket and extracted an ordinary-looking business card with the police department's logo. He held it out to Raj. “You will answer all of their questions within reason. I hardly need tell you to be discreet. Regardless of our personal animosities, I know I can trust you to handle this to the best of your considerable abilities.” He paused, his gaze never wavering. “Do you have any further questions?"
Raj studied his Sire for the space of a heartbeat, reminding the vampire lord that his heart no longer beat of anyone's will but his own. He took the proffered card and asked, “Is this wise, my lord? We have survived for so long by remaining beneath their notice."
For a brief moment, Raj thought he saw something like cunning in the old vampire's eyes and then it was gone. “The latest girl disappeared after attending one of those ridiculous vampire costume events,” Krystof said, his mouth twisting with distaste. “My lawyers have explained to the humans that we have nothing to do with those, but . . .” He shrugged gracefully.
Raj nodded. “I will keep you advised."
Krystof nodded and turned his attention to the shivering young woman, one smooth white hand stroking her bare thigh. “Close the door on your way out, won't you, Rajmund?"
"Everything okay, Raj?"
Raj spun away from the closed door to Krystof's office and found Jozef standing a few feet away, a sharpened stake in one hand. Raj gave the stake a pointed glance. “You planning to use that?” he asked, almost hoping the other vampire would say, “Yes.” He could use a good fight about now.
Jozef looked down as if surprised to find himself holding the deadly weapon. He swore and tossed it aside. “Some of the younger ones didn't make it,” he explained, and then he grinned. “Including Morales."
Raj's only reaction was a slight arching of one eyebrow. He checked his watch. “I'd like to catch up with you, Jozef, but it will have to be later. Krystof has asked me to look into—"
"I know about the cops,” Jozef snapped, his mood suddenly changing. “I'm his chief of security, Raj. I know why you're here."
Raj regarded the other vampire silently. Definitely some resentment there, he thought. And who could blame him. “Look,” Raj said, leaning in conspiratorially. “If I'm going to deal with this quickly, I'm going to need your help. These aren't my streets anymore."
Jozef studied him for a minute before nodding in agreement. “I'll tell you what I can,” he said. “Call me later. Now that I think on it, you should come by the house. Celia'd love to see you. She gets tired of the same old faces."
Celia was Jozef's human wife. They'd wed in the old way long ago, for the benefit of Celia's now dead family, who had never known the true nature of the man she married. They'd been together for more than a century, long enough that although Celia was still human, her life was completely tied to that of her vampire husband. If Jozef ever decided to put her aside, to stop giving her blood, she would die within days. But that would never happen. Celia was a diminutive ball-buster of a woman and completely dominated the bulky vampire. Raj would rather meet the sun than be saddled with someone like Celia for even a day, much less forever.
"I'd enjoy that,” he lied. “We'll set something up."
Raj went out through the front, glad to leave Krystof's nest of neurotic vampires far behind. The air outside was fresh, and for once he didn't mind its cold bite. It was a relief after the lingering miasma of the house, with its half-mad lord and pandering sycophants. He clicked the remote to open the BMW's locks and slipped inside, enjoying the smell of good leather, the smooth rumble of the engine when he turned the key, and the sad, gravelly voice of Leonard Cohen murmuring from his stereo. He picked up his cell phone and speed dialed Manhattan.
"Raj!” Em answered before the phone had finished its first ring.
"Is that how you answer the phone now?"