“Haven’t you cast this scene with a plethora of extras?”
asked Alex as he scanned the ring of vampires that encircled not only him and
Kendra, but also the entire koi pond.
“Regis requests that both of you join him.”
“Why would he imagine that I might resist?” Alex asked, and
looked more worried than Kendra had seen him since they’d arrived.
No one answered.
The circle of vampires tightened and Kendra found herself herded behind
a clump of what looked like giant houseplants. A door in the side of a mound of moss slid open, and she
followed a line of vampires down a ramp and into a dimly lit corridor. Kendra could hardly see, but before she
could even stumble, she felt Alex’s cool hand under her elbow. He guided her smoothly, and once more she
felt cheered by his chill touch.
She blinked when they emerged into what seemed to be a
ballroom, though just then it had been appointed to resemble a king’s audience
chamber. She glanced behind her,
but could not see the door through which they had just come. It blended perfectly with the tall,
mirrored wainscot that made the large room seem unending. At least this bunch of vampires did not
seem overly fond of the gothic period.
She remembered the cavern to which the vampires who rescued her from American
Missile had brought her.
The crowd had swelled to nearly a hundred. Regis sat in front of them on a large
ornate chair. Throne, just call
it what it is.
“Kendra Tanagawa,” Regis said softly. The marble floor and mirrored walls
magnified his voice. He might as
well have shouted. Kendra noticed
that some of the vampires near her massaged their ears, each doing his best to
make the gesture seem casual.
“Come forward.”
A space opened in front of the throne, and Kendra could see
then that it was raised on a dais.
Do vampire rulers all have a fondness for pomp and ceremony? The somewhat disparaging thought
fortified her as she stood alone in front of Regis.
“You have been brought without your consent to the heart of
our community.” Regis studied her
face. “Many beings, whether human
or vampire, would seek retaliation for such treatment. Do you harbor such feelings?”
Kendra remembered Alex’s warning about the gravity of vampire
oaths, and chose her words with care.
“Though you have removed me from my home without my consent, you have
treated me well thus far. I feel
annoyance and some trepidation,” she glanced at the vampires to either side of
her, then looked back at Regis, “but I feel no need for revenge.”
“Very well. The
manner in which you answer my next question will determine to a great extent
how we treat you from this point forward.” He waited.
Kendra nodded once, overly aware that hers was the only breath
that she could hear. She was
fairly sure that everyone in the room could hear her heart beat, and promptly
wished that she hadn’t had that thought.
It did nothing to slow her pulse.
They must all think she was lying.
How can one check the findings of a group lie detector?
“Do you swear never to speak of the existence of this community
to any being other than those you meet here?”
Careful not to be so rude as to turn her back on Regis, Kendra
did her best to see every vampire in the room. She would never remember them all, but if she only ever
spoke of the community to those she remembered, she would be safe. That decided, she turned back to
Regis. “I do.”
Regis raised an eyebrow, and waited.
Kendra tried again.
“I swear not to tell anyone, human or vampire, about this community
unless I met him here.” Though she
generally avoided use of the universal ‘he’, the situation did seem to call for
it.
Her diction seemed to pass muster. Regis went on.
“Do you swear never to discuss anything having to do with
vampires or our interests and welfare with any human outside these walls?”
The only beings with whom Kendra could imagine having such a
discussion were Elle and Alex. She
didn’t think that talking to her younger self would count against her. She took that oath of silence.
“Do you swear not to discuss the affairs of this vampire community
with other vampires?”
Kendra did not want to know any other vampires, and swore that
oath so quickly that Regis hesitated.
“You do understand that means you must maintain your silence even if
tortured,” he said.
Kendra looked at Alex, who started forward, but was restrained
by the vampires on either side of him.
He stared at her as if willing her to read his mind.
“I will do my best,” she promised Regis, “but I have never
been tortured, and cannot predict my power to withstand it. I am only human,” she murmured.
Regis considered for a moment. “I accept your vows.
As for your human frailty, this community promises to protect you from
those situations wherein other vampires might torture you.”
Kendra thought Regis place a slight emphasis on ‘other’. His smile seemed cold too, but she had
little option other than to thank him.
She then turned as if to join the crowd, but Regis called out, “I have
not finished with you yet, Kendra Tanagawa. Alexander, you will please step forward as well.”
Alex stepped to Kendra’s side. To judge from the swift, puzzled look he shot her, he knew
no better than she what might happen next.
“Alexander Sterling, do you renew your allegiance to me and to
the vampire community of northern California?”
“I remain in your service, Regis, and true to this community.”
“Excellent.”
Regis stood. “The rest of
you will excuse us. Please enjoy
yourselves,” he announced to the room.
“Come with me,” he motioned for Alex and Kendra to walk with him. Thomas moved to follow.
Regis stopped the handsome young vampire with a look. “You may not attend this meeting,
Thomas. You know that.”
“But she—” Thomas whined.
“Enough,” Regis cut him off sharply. “Entertain our guests.
I will rejoin you as soon as I am able.”
‘I’, not ‘we’.
Kendra glanced at Alex, whose face looked grim.
