Count

25. A Really, Really Old Guy Gives Me the Creeps

"Welcome, brethren of the night, to our biannual gala," announced the man in the crown in a carrying voice. After holding my gaze for several terrifying seconds, he had turned his attention to the vampire elite gathered en-masse. At a wave of his hand, we all rose. "To those who have traveled far to be here, and to those whose homes are nearby, we thank you for your attendance.

"It is our duty in times like these to hold fast to traditions. Modern entrapments can seem at times desirable, but we must remember that we have survived for so long by worshipping the old ways."

He drew in the crowd, his voice like honey. "We are ancient beings resurrected with ancient powers. We have witnessed the rise and fall of empires, and the blood of generations runs in our veins. Remember this when your resolve is tested—for it will be tested. When you tire of lurking in the shadows, out of sight of the world, remember that puppeteers hide behind curtains, yet they command every action onstage. Chess players move not just pawns, but kings and queens.

"As long as the world does not know it is a chessboard, we can continue to play. But if we reveal the truth, the pieces might develop minds of their own. Be content, my friends, with being unseen—for this is our strength.

"And now," he finished, "enjoy the remainder of the party. Dance, drink, and deal with one another. I understand that several advantageous agreements have already been struck."

A chuckle rose from the crowd.

Sergio pursed his lips together as the king finished speaking, and the party resumed. "That was quite a political speech," he muttered to me. "For some reason, the king is worried that we are becoming too modern, wishing to come into the open. I have a bad feeling about this."

A man in leather armor, weapons hanging from his belt, approached. "Count Genovesi and guest, the king would see you both now."

Sergio clutched my arm. "Intending no disrespect to His Majesty, Inari and I were just leaving."

"That wasn't a request," the vampire guard said.

I didn't want to speak to the king, not at all, but it didn't look like we had any choice. At least Sergio and I would be together.

"One at a time," the vampire said. "You wait here." Then he escorted me through a door, leaving a tense Sergio behind.

The guard joined another similarly dressed vampire standing at the side of the room.

We were in an office of sorts. Shelves covered the walls, and I could spend hours examining everything that filled them, but after a skull turned its metal eyes to look at me, I decided I didn't want to see anything else.

The king stood behind a desk. It was impossible to tell how old he had been when he died, so unnatural and unsettling were his features. "So," he said. "Inari, is it?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," I said.

He tossed a thin, handleless blade into the air and caught it. "You and I could perform the whole dance where I threaten you," he said, "shake you up, and then you agree to do as I say out of paralyzing fear." He spoke offhandedly, as if he didn't care how I responded. "But that charade is tired. So let us skip to the part where I tell you why you're here."

I honestly had no clue how to respond to that. You'd think with a lifetime of fantasy and adventure movies under my belt, I'd be more prepared for this situation; but watching a screen was as different from being here as plastic party tiaras were to the crown jewels.

"You are here," he continued, "because a respected vampire, centuries old, has made a fool of himself over a mortal. The Conte di Genovesi is one of the old crowd from the days when every new vampire was given a title and lands, when our numbers were small enough that we could all drink from the same carcass." He spread his arms. Every gesture he made looked wrong, as if he'd forgotten exactly how humans were supposed to move. "Yet he was reborn at the end of that age, and he always harbored the kind of liberal attitudes particular to the younger vamps."

"Like that humans have feelings?" I asked snarkily.

"Among other things." He approached me and stood on my right side, but I didn't look at him. "Picture it," he said, his head tilted, "a vampire with the notions of a youngling and the advantages of an ancient. A vampire like that could do some damage."

I tried to see what he saw. "So, you think Sergio is a threat."

"Not a threat so much as a wild card, a piece on the board that could be one thing and could be another."

"Why are you telling me this?" I asked.

"Oh, I don't care about you one bit." He sliced his blade across my shoulder so fast I could barely process the motion. The cut was thin and shallow, but it shocked me. "I do, however, care about Sergio, and for some unfathomable reason, he has latched himself onto you. So if you want what is best for him, little mouse, you'll do everything in your power to keep him from stirring up trouble." He brought the knife, wet with my blood, to the height of his face. "And if you don't, I can think of several ways you could be put to better use." And he licked the blade. "That was a threat."

I stumbled out of the office, clutching my shoulder.

"Inari! Are you all right?" Sergio asked.

"I think so," I said. I was still processing the insane behavior of the king. Was he genuinely crazy or just pretending? Was Sergio in danger?

"Find something to bind that with," Sergio ordered of a guard before entering the king's office himself.

The guard brought me a bandage that I wrapped around my shoulder, hopefully stifling the flow and smell of blood. The last thing I needed was to be tempting all the mad vampires at the party by walking around bleeding.