“Gentlemen,” Brandon said with a nod of his head. He took Beatriz’s hand and kissed it. “Lady Beatriz.”

“It’s like going out to the Medieval Times in Jersey,” I whispered to Connor.

Aidan laughed from where he stood across the room. “Hey, dick. Vampiric hearing in the house. Remember?”

Brandon shot him a look, and the laughter died on Aidan’s lips as his face turned somber.

“Am I interrupting something?” Brandon asked.

“I’m remembering parts of my past,” Aidan said, excited.

Brandon raised an eyebrow. “Really, now? How?”

Aidan nodded. “Well, Simon’s doing the remembering for me,” he said, “but he’s triggering some things for me. I remember parts of the day I was taken, for instance.”

Brandon looked confused, then pointed at me. “He did that?”

“I did,” I offered. Brandon turned his full attention to me, his eyes engaging mine to the point I almost felt like he was trying to glamour an answer out of me.

“Mr. Canderous,” he asked, “forgive me, but what exactly is it that you do with the Department of Extraordinary Affairs?”

“I’m a psychometrist,” I said, holding up my hands and wiggling my fingers. “I read the history of objects by touching them.”

“I see,” Brandon said, steepling his fingers in front of his lips. It looked like he was holding back a laugh. “Interesting.”

Connor stood up, looking a little defensive. “What’s so funny?”

“It seems we may have been so busy concentrating on the brothers Christos in all our prophecy-related endeavors that a very intriguing piece of data may have been overlooked. I believe that Mr. Canderous may be part of what the prophecy spoke of. I believe he might be the one sent to save us all.”

“Hold on,” I said, perking up. “Go back there a second. It sounded like I’m a part of this grand plan of Lord Vampire here.”

“Oh, yes,” Brandon said. “I think the council would say that you’re quite important.”

“Me?” I said, laughing. “Why the hell would they think that? Because I’m good at dragging my girlfriend and my work partner into a vampire lair? The only one who’s going to think that’s important is the Enchancellors back at my office when they kick me out on my ass for fraternizing with the enemy.”

Connor put his hand on my shoulder to calm me. “Why do you think Simon’s important?” he asked.

“Our people have this book,” Brandon said, his face growing a little dark. “I keep it in this safe in my room. It’s older than dirt and a lot of what it tells us covers these prophecies I’ve mentioned. I ignored it for centuries, so intent on living a hellacious vampiric life, but all that changed a couple of decades ago. After the passing of my beloved companion, Damaris-the woman you saw in the painting in my chambers-I found myself wanting answers, so I turned to the book. Some of its pages are missing or have gone missing over the years, making it a bit more cryptic, as if prophecies weren’t cryptic enough to begin with. I studied it, trying to ascertain what the future held for me and my people. From what I was able to divine, it told how taking Aidan all those years ago would ensure that someone would come who could help us. It spoke of someone who would be able to read our book in ways we couldn’t, but the prophecy gave no clue as to who that person would be. When I saw Connor and he looked just like Aidan, I naturally assumed he was the chosen one… but hearing about your power, Simon-the ability to ‘read’ objects-the book makes more sense to me now. You were the one the prophecy meant. You can ‘read’ the book for us. You’re the one who’s here to help us.”

I shook my head, my brain unwilling to take it in. “I think maybe you’re reading your book backward, then,” I said. “It’s not that I’m helping you. You vampires are helping me… to get Jane back.”

“Yes,” Brandon said, “but I believe you can help us with our book. I shall get it.”

Before I could argue, Brandon blurred out of the room.

Connor walked over to me and I looked over at him. “You know I don’t do the whole prophecy thing,” I told him. “I think they’re all bullshit.”

“Hey,” Aidan said, getting defensive. “You can’t fight the lord of the vampires on this one. If he says you’re supposed to help him, you’re going to help him. As it is written, so shall it be.”

I turned to Aidan. “Shut the hell up,” I said. “I have half a mind to just walk out of here and not look back just to disprove Brandon’s prophecy.”

“You can’t,” Aidan said, looking nervous. He grabbed me by the arm, his grip viselike.

“Hey!” I said, trying in vain to pull away.

“Aidan!” Beatriz shouted. “Let him go!”

“I will,” he said. “Just as soon as I take him up to Brandon’s chamber.”

19

Had I been wandering the halls of the castle, no doubt taking several wrong turns, I would have spent a good half hour finding Brandon’s private chambers. With Aidan dragging me by the arm at vampiric speed, however, we were there in seconds. He threw open the old wooden doors leading into them at the top of the stairs and entered the main room.

The lights were low, candles being the only source of illumination I could see being used. Several figures were at the far end of the room, sitting by the unused flat-screen. They turned to look at us and then returned to their conversation. Evidently, a lowly human being vamp-handled around the castle wasn’t much of a concern for them, which only angered me further. Aidan let go of me. I crossed the floor, pulling out my bat, extending it. I swung at an ebon dancer figurine sitting on one of the many pedestals throughout the room. It sailed end over end across the room, but never hit the ground. One of the vampires blurred into action as he crossed the room, catching it like a football in both hands. In the next instance, one of the other ones was standing in front of me. He looked like a man in his fifties, a tall man who had seen a lot of life… or taken it. His hand flashed out and he grabbed my bat, twisting it until something inside one of its three extendable sections popped with a metallic clang.

“What is the meaning of this?” he demanded, his eyes full of fury.

There was a commotion behind me as Beatriz and Connor arrived via Vamp Express. The vampire menacing me didn’t even turn to look at them. His eyes remained on me.

I spied Brandon over by a large tricked-out safe with gears all along the outside of it. He turned to look at us, and the vampire in front of me chanced a look at him while keeping me in his sight.

“Shall I dispose of this one, my lord?” the vampire said, the vehemence in his voice digging into me. I could feel the tug of his eyes as he tried to put me in his thrall. Thanks to some of my Fraternal Order of Goodness training, I was able to pull my eyes away, but the fact that he had tried it only increased my fury. I let go of my bat and shoved at the vampire instead. Hitting his chest was like shoving at concrete. The vampire didn’t move, but he seemed absolutely surprised that I had even gone there.

“You can’t dispose of me,” I said, pushing at him once more, again not moving him. “You dicks think I’m some sort of chosen one.” I pushed again. “Which means you need me more than I need you, so I don’t think you’re going to do shit to me.”

The vampire raised his eyebrows and gave an evil smile. He looked to Brandon. “Is he truly part of the prophecy?” the vampire asked. “Does it say anything about needing all of him? Surely he won’t need both of his arms!”

My hands were in midpush, but I let them fall to my side as the implication of what he was suggesting hit me. I felt the fire of my fury die a little and turned to look at their leader.

Brandon smiled at the vampire, his eyeteeth thankfully retracted. It did worlds to calm me. He looked to the vampire directly in front of me. “That will be enough, Gerard. Give the man his toy back.”