I climbed into the driver's seat of Favonis, my Pontiac GTO, and, making sure our doors were locked, we headed over to Geoffrey's to plan out a war.
Geoffrey's mansion sat on two acres, and it was truly a manor, three stories high. Who knew how far it extended underground? As it glittered white with gold trim, a dizzying array of lights sparkled from inside the building and armed guards—all vampires since we were into the night—wandered the grounds.
Last time I'd been here, I'd unwittingly signed away my freedom, but there was nothing I could do about it, so I decided to let it go and move on. We drove up to the valet, who took one look at Leo and nodded us toward the entrance.
At the door, a tall, broad-shouldered guard stopped us. Like all of the true vampires, his eyes were jet-black, gleaming like obsidian with no patches of white or other color marring their surface. That alone spooked me about the Vein Lords: How could they see through those inky orbs?
He searched all of us, including Leo, and then opened the door. A maid—a bloodwhore by the look of her outfit and the fact that she wasn't a vampire—motioned for us to follow her.
I'd thought we might be heading into Geoffrey's office, but instead she led us to a room to the right of the grand staircase and opened the door, all without a word. Peering in, I saw Geoffrey—he motioned for us to enter, and the maid closed the door behind us.
A glance around the room told me that the parlor was really a royal hall in disguise. The room was geared for an audience, and the chair in which Geoffrey sat might as well be a throne, with its crimson velvet and placement.
The Vein Lord wasn't very tall, but the power he wielded hit me over the head like a brick. He reeked of authority. He wore his long black hair smoothed back in a French braid; a royal purple jacket with ruffled sleeves, open to show his bare chest; and leather pants.
As he leaned back in his chair, crossing his legs, a faint smile flickered across his lips. One thing I had to say about Geoffrey: Of all the vampires we'd met, he was the most polite and deliberate of action. Sure, he could rip your head off in a second, but he'd think it through first and say "Pardon me" afterward.
"Please, sit and be comfortable." He motioned to the semicircle of chairs, all facing his own. "Welcome. Our other guests should be here shortly."
Now that I thought about it, Geoffrey reminded me of a vampire version of Kaylin, only more seductive and dangerous. According to history, he'd been some sort of warlord during the Xiongnu period, in a region that would later become Mongolia.
I nodded and slipped into the seat opposite him. Leo and Rhiannon sat on my right. Just then, the door opened again and Regina and Lannan Altos sauntered in. Well, Lannan sauntered. Regina's heels clipped on the hardwood floor at a quick, steady pace. Twins and lovers, they were dangerous and both of them were freakshows, though Regina had more restraint than her brother. Regina was the Emissary to the Crimson Court, and she was top dog around here.
I opened my mouth to speak, but Geoffrey held up one hand and I quickly shut up. When the Vein Lords order silence, obey.
"We are waiting on Lainule; save your words for when she arrives."
And so we sat in silence for another moment until the door opened again and the Queen of Summer came gliding in. Even in the dim light, her brilliance shone against the others. Without thinking, I rose and knelt before her.
Lainule smiled down at me, then leaned down and cupped my chin in her hand. "Take your seat, Cicely."
I silently obeyed.
Geoffrey cleared his throat. "Welcome, Your Majesty. My home is graced by the presence of the Queen of Rivers and Rushes—"
She waved his words away. The three of us stared. Nobody ever cut off Geoffrey, unless it was Regina. Or the Crimson Queen herself.
"Save your chatter, Regent. We have no time for pleasantries, nor am I in the mood for small talk." She grew taller in her impatience. "Have you figured out whether the Consortium knows what's going on?"
He nodded. "I have, Your Majesty. They know nothing, as far as we can tell. And my sources are reliable."
Considering his words, she finally shrugged. "Very good. We must keep it that way. I cannot imagine what they would do should they find out about the Shadow Hunters. Especially considering what our plan unleashed." Turning to me, she asked, "Have you ever heard of the Consortium, Cicely?"
I blinked. "The Consortium? Of course, hasn't everybody?"
With a low chuckle, Geoffrey leaned back in his chair and stared at me, those glowing obsidian eyes following every movement I made. "Oh, Cicely, you can be amusing."
"Our Cicely is delightful, in so many ways." Lannan's voice slid warm and rich over my name, making me shiver as if he'd just stroked my body with those ice-cold hands of his. "She's also quite the vixen."
He leaned back against his seat, his legs outstretched and crossed at the ankles, his hand lightly resting on his crotch. Another moment and he'd be wanking off right there.
Regina laughed, rich and throaty, but she gave me a speculative look, which I did not return. Best not to let a vampire catch your gaze—especially one who might consider you set to woo away her lover. Even when you'd rather stake him.
Geoffrey gave Lannan a long, slow shake of the head, then turned back to me, ignoring him. "Not everyone has heard of the Consortium, and many who have wisely stay a good distance from them."
I pressed my lips together and clenched my fists. I refused to allow Lannan to get a rise out of me. I would not let him goad me. After taking a long, deep breath and exhaling slowly, I nodded. "The Consortium is a volatile and dangerous agency. I have no interest in making their acquaintance."
A worldwide organization to oversee the magic-born, the Consortium pulled strings behind the scenes and, together with the Vein Lords and the top yummanii officials, were the real power running most of the world. And as in most powerful organizations, corruption was rife, with magic used to remove those who opposed them.