Chapter One
A small fire glowed, pressing the shadows against the walls of the opulent study. A lone figure sat in a high-backed chair, staring into the depths of the humble flame, lost in thought. The eyelids of this unmoving thinker were interrupted by the faintest sound of footsteps halting outside the door.
"Come in," he called, his whispery voice a purr in the silence of the room.
The double doors parted just enough to allow one slender figure into the dark habitation before sealing again. Revealed by firelight, a woman knelt next to the gold hilt, scarlet velvet chair, her head bowed low enough for her chin to brush against her pale collarbone.
Silence enveloped the two for an interminable moment. Neither stirred a hair's breadth from their statuesque postures. Only the sound of the winter storm outside interrupted the quietude. Finally, the seated male motioned with a single finger on his left hand, signaling his companion. She rose to her feet fluidly, every nuance of such a simple act synchronized perfectly into grace itself. She kept her eyes lowered, respectful and obedient.
"What is the report Natalia?"
"My Lord, I'm afraid the rumor is true," Natalia answered humbly. Her voice was soft, melodic in its lower timbres. "One of our wayward kind has begun a romantic correspondence with a human." A slight pause punctuated the space before "human" crossed her beautiful cherry red lips. "I witnessed Edward Cullen fawning over a girl in her late teenage years. I followed their activities for fourteen days, as per protocol, and witnessed no attempts to sequester her from help and change her, nor did he seem to be laying elaborate plans for her consumption."
"And his coven?"
"Has accepted his decision." Natalia paused for a moment, piecing together her next words carefully. "There appeared to have been an argument over his involvement with the girl on more than one occasion, based on hints in his communication with the girl and his discussions with his coven at their nearby residence."
"I see. Where you seen?"
Natalia's eyes darted up sharply before returning in penance. "There is a small possibility that I was detected. One of their number is a psychic visionary much like yourself."
"Indeed?" the figure replied, his deep voice sliding up a half-step in pitch as he completed the word.
The following pause made Natalia afraid. Had she gone too far with her report by comparing the young Alice Cullen to her powerful master? She began to prepare herself mentally for the possible punishment. Death would be a mercy in contrast to other ways of enduring eternity.
Her master turned his head slowly, the dim light gradually illuminating his face. The high cheekbones, pointed nose with neatly trimmed white moustache beneath it, pomegranate red lips, slightly peaked ears, and bright red eyes were shown to very few vampires anymore. Her master had not ventured from his beloved domicile deep in the Carpathians for over 400 years.
Yet, his power was not to be mistaken. Even the mighty Volturi in Italy knew to respect the bidding of Natalia's master. Not that he was ever direct in his approach. No, he preferred to operate in the shadows, manipulating the tiniest of strings to watch his kind twitch and bend to his indomitable will. There were many reasons why Natalia's master was the oldest living vampire on the Earth, chief among them his skills with subterfuge and understanding the psyche of vampires and humans.
"And what is your recommendation Natalia?"
Natalia relaxed, though her body had betrayed no physical signs of her distress, she knew the Count would have seen the fear in her eyes. He never missed any detail like that, no matter how small. Taking an easy breath of air, she answered her master.
"My recommendation is immediate termination of the contaminate and forced relocation of the vampire coven. The fraternization puts our society at risk of exposure, and we cannot afford such a revolutionary group as the Cullens get away with such a blatant violation. This is my recommendation my lord."
The Count drummed his fingers once in thought. "Your actions are too rash for this situation Natalia, though I do not fault your logic. The situation must be dealt with swiftly, as you say. But it needs more finesse. If we push too quickly on the Cullens, we may inadvertently trigger what we fear happening. For now, simply pay the Cullens a visit and remind them of our laws."
Natalia curtsied low. "Yes, my lord." Head bowed, she quietly backed out of the room.
The Count rose from his chair, fed the fire another log on the stone hearth, and moved over to the solitary window. Silhouetted with powdered white, he looked out the reinforced glass onto the grounds to see Natalia sprinting through the courtyard, a dark shadow in the moonlit snow as silvery specks continued to fly on the bitter wind around the ancient walls. Turning to his desk, he removed a single leaf of paper from within the drawer and dipped a feather into the coal black ink.
My dear Hunter,
I give you my compliments again for your prompt services on the last assignment. Circumstances have arisen which may require your attention. At present, negotiations are under way to avoid any unpleasant ramifications. Keep yourself available should such action be authorized against any perpetrator(s).
Count Dracula
The Count meticulously folded the note and placed it into a simple envelope. Taking out a vial of golden liquid, he gently poured a small portion of the contents onto the letter, pressing a ring from his right hand into the center to finish the seal. Snapping his fingers once, he rose to gaze out the window again.
A male entered the study, moving to the edge of the desk and stopping to bow at the waist. "You summoned my lord?" the male asked with a warm tenor voice.
"Ensure that letter is delivered to our American operative promptly, Viktor," Dracula instructed without moving from the window.
"As you say my lord," Viktor replied with another bow before leaving the room.
Dracula gazed over the grounds of his keep with furrowed brow. Edward's actions puzzled him. What would possess a vampire to fall in love with a human? It was simply inconceivable.