Page 31 of Tin God

Humans were within listening distance, but that didn’t deter the vampire. “I am surprised to see you here,” he continued in French. “Don’t you remember me?”

“I meet many in the service of Signor di Spada.” Tenzin’s eyes remained on Giovanni. There was something familiar about the vampire, but she couldn’t place it and she didn’t care that much.

Underneath the restrictive masculine garments typical for servants of the day, she wore three blades, all of which she could access quickly and easily. Before this vampire drew a breath, she could have her dagger in his neck. If any of the humans saw anything, her amnis would wipe their memory, but it was more bother than she wanted.

“I would never have predicted seeing Elder Zhang’s only daughter in the service of any man.”

Her sire’s name made Tenzin turn her face to the arrogant vampire beside her. “I think you have me confused with someone else.” Who was he? A thread of smoke reached her nose before the vampire quickly pulled his amnis back.

It was enough. He was a fire vampire.

“Wouldn’t it be lovely,” the man whispered, “to tear their throats out, feast on their blood, and burn this wretched place to the ground?”

“A waste of time,” she replied. “Why bother?”

Humans like this were a mix of cattle and prey to her. The rich and powerful were prey. The others were harmless cattle, humble people trying to survive in a world that didn’t care about them. She had the same amount of concern for the cattle that she did for the winter fox or the deer hiding in the forest.

“We bother because we can,” the tall vampire said. “The count?”

“Ourprey, stranger. Not yours.”

He nodded slightly.

Giovanni rose, joked with the man next to him in Russian, and appeared to drunkenly stumble past the count’s table so he had to brace himself.

There!

The poison was in the vodka.

The count lifted the glass.

“Should I warn him?”

Tenzin’s eyes flashed to the strange vampire, her fangs growing longer at the threat. “This is none of your concern.”

“But it might be amusing.” The corner of his mouth turned up.

Tenzin’s hand moved to the dagger hidden just under her ribs as she watched the count from the corner of her eye. The dosed vodka disappeared down the human’s gullet, and Giovanni moved toward her through the room, keeping up the appearance of a drunk human stumbling through the crowd and pulling on his overcoat.

Giovanni brushed against the strange vampire, eyeing the man from his carefully set hair to his polished boots. His chin lifted and his gaze turned haughty, the internal aristocrat coming to life before her eyes.

“Is there a problem?” he asked Tenzin.

“None.” Tenzin glanced one more time at the stranger, then returned her attention to Giovanni. “Come, my boy. You’ve done well.”

Giovanni and the other fire vampire locked eyes for a long moment; then Tenzin tugged Giovanni’s arm and pulled him toward the door.

They walked out of the public house without another look back, crunching their way down the snowy streets of Saint Petersburg and dodging a carriage that rumbled past as it churned up icy slush.

“We’ll wait for a few days to make sure he’s dead,” Tenzin said. “No one will be able to trace it back to the duke.”

“I’d appreciate a bit of warmer weather,” her protégé said. “An escape to the Black Sea is just what I was thinking.”

“A nice relief,” she said. “I’ll be sure to fly ahead and check it out. It should only take you a month or so traveling by horse.”

He laughed a little. “You’re such a braggart, Tenzin.” He looked over his shoulder. “Who was that back in the public house?”

“No one.” Tenzin shrugged. “Probably someone I met before I knew you.”

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