Page 2 of The Vampire and the Ravens

It was lovely to watch seeing two people so in love and so devoted to one another. Liam soon excused himself, allowing them the semi-privacy of their back table, and continued onto the kitchen and staging area connected to the dining hall.

Once he was satisfied, he left it in the hands of his capable staff and headed up to his quarters. It was a warm evening with just a hint of a breeze, so he took his glass of wine and retired to the balcony. His balcony had a pleasant view of the rose gardens, and the evening fragrance was lovely.

He sat back and relaxed, clearing his mind of the day's efforts and of tomorrow's demands. His thoughts drifted to Easton and Ismael and then to all the unions he had witnessed over the years, and he wondered when Fate would cast her gaze onto him. He was not a young vampire, having lived many centuries, and he was yearning for the day he could share his existence with another.

Master DuCane was well over nine-hundred years old when he found Ezra, so he figured there was still hope for him. He smiled and breathed in the heady scent of roses. His day would come, he had not lost hope.

Luke and Riall Lightfoot brothers, raven shifters, agents of Lord Fenrah arrived in the town of Mt. Pleasant enroute to Coven DuCane. They drove a classic 1950s Cadillac Eldorado in midnight black. The dark sleekness of the car complimented their own dark looks which some found dangerously attractive, and others found simply dangerous.

Luke was older by two years and slightly taller than his brother, although their builds were similar, slim but solid. Riall tended to keep to himself and let his brother lead in social situations, but he missed nothing and could read a room in seconds. They were a perfect team of fighters raised and trained by Lord Fenrah himself.

Now, they had been tasked with delivering an enchanted object to a Coven in Mt. Pleasant and putting it into the hands of Master Louis DuCane. They weren't usually given delivery assignments unless there was a high expectation of violence or trouble. Coven DuCane had a reputation for being ruthless and severe but also fair, so Lord Fenrah must have been expecting the worst.

"What are we looking at, do you think?" Riall threw out the question he always asked before engagement. They were only a few miles from coven territory.

“I’m shocked Lord Fenrah is dealing with vampires, so honestly, I don't know what to expect." Luke glanced over at his brother sitting in the passenger seat. "We got some looks going through town, especially that cop standing on the corner. They will be expecting us just as we planned. If they intend to try to betray us, we will know when we arrive."

"Things have been so slow lately I'd like for them to try something. I could use the practice. I like to keep my skills sharp." Riall did not smile. He was deadly serious.

"We can only hope," Luke responded with a wink.

They drove through the first gate and a mile later at the second gate were pulled over and two guards began to question them. This was not part of the arrangement. One guard stood at Luke’s window and the other stood at Riall’s. Riall lowered his window in hopes of trouble brewing he was a quiet man but could stir people up with a look.

“What’s your business?” The vampire at Luke’s window barked at him. Luke rolled his eyes up to him with a look of restrained contempt and did not answer.

"Answer me or leave; we don't have time for your games." The vampire stepped back and spat on the ground. The one standing by Riall was about to reach in through the window to grab him and Riall, with an excited glint in his eye, was preparing to do things to that arm from which the man would never recover. But unfortunately for Riall another man dressed similarly but with more clout yelled for the men to step back and let them pass.

They raised their windows and drove onward toward the large palace-like structure they called their Coven house. It was ostentatious but also beautiful in its own over-the-top way. "That place is massive," Luke commented as they pulled up to a parking area they were directed to.

The man directing them came over to the car and asked them to follow him. He was not demanding or condescending, so they exited the vehicle and followed him at a distance.

“Finally, someone with a few manners.” Luke stated loud enough for the man to hear. He knew that vampires of this breed valued manners and protocol and he wanted to give him a subtle dig.

They followed the vampire inside through a side door that brought them to a large entryway, and there he handed them off to a more intimidating vampire in a suit that was cut a little sharper.

“I will take you to Ismael Patronne, the Master’s second in command and he will take custody of the package.” At that point both Luke and Riall stopped, and the vampire turned to regard them. “What’s wrong?” He asked both pleasant and commanding.

“We put it in Master DuCane’s hands and only his hands, or we leave . . . now," Luke stated very clearly as he started to turn around.

"Wait." The man called as he pulled out his phone and, after a few seconds, added. "Okay, he will see you."

"If it's too much trouble, we can take ourselves back home." Luke shot back, not liking the insinuation that he was doing them a favor by seeing them.

“It’s not too much trouble.” The vampire insisted. “Please come with me.”

CHAPTER TWO

Liam Reid finished his dinner at Le Bouchon and was on his way back home. He considered doing a little shopping at the fresh market but changed his mind when he saw how busy it was. He wasn’t in the mood for crowds or too much conversation. He was in the mood to sit on his balcony and go through some event planners to get some ideas and direction for the anniversary party scheduled for next month. He tended toward royal aesthetics, so his resource volumes were primarily English, with a few French.

He parked in the public lot because it was closest to the kitchen entrance, although he didn't use the kitchen entrance but rather the entrance to the main house, which was just a few steps further. It gave direct access to the stairwell, the upper floors, and his quarters. He was eager to sit with a nice glass of wine and start planning next month's menus. He always prepared a month in advance to make sure he could source the items required.

As he walked through the door and stepped into the entranceway, he stood there for a few seconds, looking around at the polished wood walls and the lovely mosaic tile floor. Something was different; he didn't know what it was, but he could feel a shift in the atmosphere. He had never felt this energy before. It was subtle, but it was also forceful, demanding to be noticed. He shook his head, smiled at himself, and started for the stairs when the feeling hit him again.

Just beyond the door and before the stairway, the sensation of scintillating familiarity came over him. It brought his vampire to the surface and sharpened his awareness. He continued up the stairs and periodically felt the rush, but it didn't sustain and gave him no clue as to where it came from or who was causing it.

Maybe he was overthinking this and making it more than it actually was. He hung out at the top of the stairs for a few minutes, taking in the scent and trying to follow it, but it was too faint. He ended up back at the head of the stairs, where the scent seemed to be most concentrated.

Something in the back of his mind was telling him it was important, and he wanted to believe it, but his rational mind insisted that it was impossible. He couldn't let himself hope like that because the truth would be too disappointing.

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