‘But of course I’m needin’ to be here on such a momentous occasion, Eliza.’ He turned his smile on her. ‘Now that the Earl is gone, I’ll not be trustin’ any other’s decision on any concerns but me own—especially when it comes to dealing with Rosa, the nasty wee bitch.’
Surprise winged into me. Declan didn’t like Rosa either? It was beginning to look like nobody did. Was this why Malik hadn’t wanted me to change earlier? Still, more important, our ‘witnesses’ were standing there grinning, so ... time to make our exit.
‘Well, all this gum-flapping is fun, but to be honest, it’s just holding us up.’ I hugged Malik’s arm and gave him an inane, adoring look. ‘Malik here has promised to take me somewhere special after the business bit of the night is done with. So we’ll just toddle off and catch you all later.’ I waggled my fingers at them all. ‘C’mon, lover boy, let’s go.’ ‘ Now!’ I shouted inside his head, and pulled at his arm. ‘This way,’ I muttered, heading for the front doors. ‘I don’t know what you ever did to upset her, but it doesn’t seem like a good idea to stick around—’
The world around me went hazy, stuttering horizontally as if bands of interference were scrolling up and down in front of my eyes. The background hum of excited chatter cut out. And I realised Malik was taking us both into his shadows, hiding us from sight and smell and hearing, if not from touch, so we could make our escape. Relief sung through me, then as the nothingness that surrounded us crept into my mind, I stumbled and started falling, Malik’s hand my only anchor ... ... and I blinked as my own startled blonde reflection stared back at me from a foxed silver mirror.
Chapter Eighteen
We were in a lift; the foxed mirrored panels lining the sides gleamed with polish. I recognised the lift—I’d spent an uncomfortable twenty minutes in one just like it with the Earl when he’d still been London’s head honcho vamp and not the scattered ashes and star of my morphine-induced nightmares that he was now. That lift allowed VIP patrons to bypass the crowds to get to the private bar above the Blue Heart’s foyer, so it looked like we were still in the Blue Heart, although I wasn’t sure where. I checked the control panel and the small key in the lock and the dimmed lighting confirmed that the lift was shut down. We weren’t going anywhere until that key was removed, and until then no one could find us. I looked from my own wide-eyed reflection to Malik’s shadowed darkness behind me, both our images reflecting into the distance.
The myth about vamps and mirrors is just that: a myth. Although I had no doubt Malik could hide his reflection as much as he could hide anything else if he wanted to. I turned to face him.
‘The idea of a distraction was so we could escape,’ I said drily.
He gave me one of his impassive stares. ‘Leaving would not help us achieve our objective.’ The last of his shadows dissipated, leaving the blue veins standing out in stark relief under his pale skin.
‘And staying to get made into shish-kebabs by old Liz out there isn’t going to achieve much either.’
‘Elizabetta is a setback, but not an insurmountable one if we keep within sight of the other blood-families until matters are settled.’
‘You know, I’m really beginning to hate being moved around like some pawn on your own bloody chess board,’ I muttered.
‘I did not want to involve you in this, Genevieve.’ His expression turned pensive. ‘I only wished to find Rosa and have her resolve this state of affairs with me. But we both agreed the necessity of bringing this business to a quick close. I did inform you it would be dangerous.’
‘Yeah,’ I sighed, accepting the rebuke. ‘I know, but I didn’t think they’d try and kill you, just that there might be the usual vamp grandstanding.’
‘But they fight to gain a sidhe’—in other words, me—‘as their prize. I am the obstacle to them accomplishing that, so of course they will use any excuse to try and kill me.’
When he said it like that, it sort of made sense. ‘But you said no one would go against you?’
‘And none would if I were at my full strength and there were no benefit, but while I am depleted like this, they can smell the weakness in me.’ As he pushed back the wing of black hair I saw a slight tremor in his hand. ‘As Elizabetta said, if I were to die before Rosa bowed to my hand, she would be left vulnerable, and you would be ripe for the picking.’
‘I don’t understand that.’ I frowned, unease slipping down my spine. ‘Why does Rosa doing the fealty thing make a difference? I mean, they can still kill you both, or us both afterwards, can’t they?’
‘Rosa has gained her autonomy. Under our laws, should anyone desire her property, they would have to challenge her and defeat her before witness. If one of us gives up our autonomy, then it is our master who takes up the challenge.’
‘Yeah, which brings us back to Square One,’ I sighed. ‘They’d have to challenge you, and old Liz looks like she’s ready to go for it.’
‘No, not me,’ he said quietly. ‘The Autarch.’
‘What?’ Shock and fear and disbelief sliced through me. ‘You mean that if Rosa bows to you, I effectively become the property of that psychotic sadist again?’
‘It would seem that way—’
I grabbed handfuls of his jacket. ‘I am not going back to him, do you understand me?’ I spat out. ‘You had your chance at making me and you threw it away. Try it again, and I will kill you, or anyone else who tries, or I will kill myself. I will not become Bastien’s property. Not. Ever. Again!’
He covered my hands with his own and my fear receded under his icy touch.
‘Genevieve.’ His voice was soft, insistent. ‘Calm yourself. I said it would seemthat the Autarch would be the one to challenge over your ownership. It is believed that I still owe him my oath.’
‘But you told me once’—when I’d thought he’d come to take me back to the Autarch—‘that you hadn’t called him master for the last twenty years,’ I said, jerking my hands from his icy hold, rubbing them together to warm them. ‘And stop manipulating my reactions like that.’
‘I apologise. I wished only to assuage your fears.’ He inclined his head. ‘It is true that I do not call Bastien master any longer, but publicly it still suits us both that the blood-families think I bow to him. It boosts his status that others think he can force me to his hand, and I do not have to concern myself with challenges from others. And all would think carefully of his displeasure before attempting to assassinate me.’
‘Slight problem then! Old Liz doesn’t seem too worried about his displeasure just now.’
‘She no doubt thinks that if she could court the Autarch’s favour by offering you to him, he would take expediency’s hand and congratulate her on my removal,’ he said calmly. ‘Of course, she may believe, like the others, that sidhe blood brings with it enough power that she could survive any challenge, including his.’
‘Let me get this crystal-clear.’ I narrowed my eyes. ‘Once Rosa is seen to have done this bow, all the other vamps will think I belong to the Autarch except him and you?’
‘That is so,’ he agreed.
‘So if he wants me back, he has to challenge you, or you can give me to him?’
‘Yes.’
My gut contracted as I briefly wondered if Malik would fight for me if challenged, or just hand me over if the Autarch came calling. Then I decided it wasn’t something I wanted to worry about right now. I had more immediate fears, one of which was getting out the other side of this mess alive. And the vamp leaning tiredly against the side of the lift didn’t look like he could swat a kitten, let alone another vampire swinging a five-foot blade, so I wasn’t sure how useful he was likely to be.
I pursed my lips and asked the question that was bothering me. ‘If you knew Liz or someone might have a go at you because you’re weak, why didn’t you feed before coming here?’