Vengeance by Drucilla Malfoy

Chapter 4

A/N: Yeah, it's been a while since my last update. This whole real life- post college thing kinda sucks. So it might be a bit before I get a chance to update again so here's at least something.

Disclaimer: I own neither Blood Ties nor Forever Knight. I'm just playing with them for the moment. And even if you sue me, all I have are student loans, which you're welcome to.

Henry sat on the edge of the bed beside her. Even lost in sleep Emma seemed troubled. He gently traced the side of her face and down her jaw before pushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

She drew in a short breath and slowly opened her eyes. She studied Henry's face a moment before settling back against the pillows.

"How long have I been asleep?"

"A little over an hour. " He pulled his hand back and leaned against the pillows next to her. "There's someone I want you to meet."

"The mortal in the living room?"

He nodded.

"You're finally going to let me meet your beloved Vicki?" She leaned forward and stretched.

"Yes." He answered, a slightly proud note slipping into his voice.

"It's about time. And don't be so pleased with yourself you should have let me meet her ages ago." She sighed and looked over the room. "I need to get a shower and then I'll be out."

He grinned and quickly left her to her tasks.

Vicki was uselessly attempting to be secretive as she looked over the drawings on his desk as he slipped silently back into the room.

Within a heartbeat he was behind her. Vicki jumped but relaxed back against his chest when familiar hands came up to stroke her throat.

"I thought I said no peeking." He whispered into her ear.

"You did. When was the last time I listened? I was just curious."

"You know what they say about curiosity." She gasped lightly as his lips brushed over a particularly sensitive spot on the side of her neck.

"Well, since I'm not a cat I don't really have anything to worry about huh?" he voice became breathy as Henry began to lightly nibble her ear lobe. "Or do they get bitten by vampires too."

"Only if they're good." She gasped and pressed her head harder back onto his shoulder as his fangs lightly scraped across the flesh on the side of her neck.

There was a sharp knock on the door and Henry tore away from Vicky with an angry snarl. Vicky leaned heavily on the desk panting. Henry squeezed his eyes shut for several long moments, pushing the hunger down. There was another knock on the door and he gave another growl in it direction. "I swear if it's that damned doorman I'm going to kill him." He stomped toward the door.

He heard Vicki call back. "I'll help."

"This had better be good." He pulled the door open, the hinges creaking with the strain of staying attached to the frame.

The young vampire in the hall jumped and almost dropped the boxes he was carrying.

"I'm sorry." He answered quickly. "Jeanette sent me."

Henry slumped against the door and shook his head. "The kitchen's through there." He gestured into the apartment. "Leave them on the counter and get out." He waited for the vampire to drop the boxes in the kitchen and slammed the door behind him.

"What's going on?" Emma emerged from the bedroom still toweling her hair. "I heard growling and slamming."

"Jeanette sent you a present." He waved toward the kitchen and joined Vicky, slumped on the sofa.

Emma watched their body language with a small knowing grin before heading toward the boxes.

There was an envelope taped to the top of one of the, now that she saw them closer, crates. She opened it and pulled out the crisp, white note card. She read it over and laughed lightly.

"What's funny?" Henry called.

"It's not from Jeanette." She crossed into the living room and tossed it into his lap before tuning her attention to Vicki. "Hello, I'm Emma."

"Vicki." She answered politely.

"Henry's told me so much about you."

"We can't read this language." He held the note out to Emma.

"Honey, you were never, technically, even a prince. You don't get to refer to yourself with the royal 'we'. And I'm sorry I forgot you can't read common Latin." She looked it over. "It's says 'Stop showing off before you kill someone.'."

"From Lacroix then? An apology?"

"Basically. Do you have a corkscrew?" She swept back toward the kitchen.

Henry sighed and stood, helping Vicki up before following Emma.

"It's even from his private vineyard." She was examining a bottle when they entered the area.

"Who's Lacroix?" Vicki took at seat at the bar.

"Lucien Lacroix." Emma answered handing Henry the bottle and rifling for two glasses.

"That name sounds so familiar."

"He used to have a radio show. He owns a nightclub down in the warehouse district."

"Yeah, that decapitation murder. That was at his club wasn't it? I worked it before I made detective."

"Yes, well… If only we still had the connection in the police and coroners office we did then. Those two covered up damn near every vampiric murder than came through the city for, what was it ten years?"

"Eight." Henry popped the cork from the wine bottle and poured it out before recording the bottle and placing it in the refrigerator and pulling out a bottle of white wine for Vicki.

"You had connections in the city."

"Oh yeah," Emma came around and sat on the bar beside Vicki. "Lacroix's son was a cop. And Nick's girlfriend was the coroner. So…"

Vicki was silent a moment thinking as a small smile began to grow on her face. "Nick?"

"Yeah, Nick Knight."

"He was a vampire?"

She beamed when they both nodded. "Oh, you have got to let me tell Mike. Nick Knight was his idol."

"He's hardly a vampire." Henry leaned against the counter. Deep down he couldn't deny the little surge of pleasure at the though of Celluci finding out that the cop he had looked up to so much had been like him.

"Just because he's beaten you at cards every time you've played is no excuse to be bitter." Emma smiled.

"He cheats."

"So do you. He just cheats better."

"So you cheat at cards?" Vicki smiled. It was so strange to see Henry like this, completely open, so casual about his condition.

"Not often. And just so you know, Celluci will never believe you."

"True, but I know and that's what matters." Vicki turned back to Emma. "Maybe you can explain why Henry felt the need to lie about pretty much everything he's ever told me about vampires."

Emma looked from Vicki to Henry and back again. "I've really made it a point to maintain myself completely outside of Henry's relationships."

"Alright." She turned to Henry. "Why did you lie to me?"

"I swear you weren't this angry a moment ago." He stood and began pacing. "How do you switch moods like that?"

"Stop avoiding."

"Because… I… I was protecting you, honestly." A defensive tone crept into his voice.

"Really, protecting her? That's a horrible excuse." Emma observed. She raised her hands when his glare focused on her. "I'm not interfering. I'm just curious how you're going to dig yourself out of this."

He sighed and sat beside Vicki again. "When I met you…"

"Kidnapped me." She corrected.

"Semantics. I didn't know that it would end up like this. I gave you an explanation that would keep you as far from the community as possible and, yes, that may have included some blatant lies. I promise I was planning to tell you everything eventually."

"Like when you got caught?"

He smiled. "Probably."

Vicki shook her head at his attempts to charm her. "So vampires have communities?"

"For the most part, especially in larger cities. It's a complicated."

"How many vampires are living in Toronto?"

"Of which kind?" Emma interrupted as she took a seat across from them.

"Which kind? There are multiple types of vampires?"

"Of course. Two main 'races'. Us, double fanged vampires and single fanged vampires. Then several dozen other races."

"O.K." she took a breath and closed her eyes. "All together, about how many vampires are there in Toronto?"

"About 1000 give or take."

Vicki shot out of her seat and began pacing the room. "1000 vampire? There are 1000 vampires in the city?"

"Yeah, about." Emma answered casually sipping her bloodwine. "You see that's the thing about our community. If I hadn't told you, you would never have found out about it. We police ourselves fairly well."

"Yeah, well, what about when you don't?"

"Vicki, the vampiric murder rate is far, far below the mortal one. We, generally, don't kill anymore. It's bad for politics, it draws attention. Attention is a very bad thing for us."

"So how do you feed that many vampires without getting noticed?"

She smiled. "A few follow Henry's route. A few sips every night or two from a willing, grateful and unaware donor. Or very aware but still grateful in your case. But most go for the delivery method."

"Delivery? You have got to be kidding."

"It's the modern world. Get your blood delivered to your door step either as hospital grade blood packets or diluted with wine. Makes life so much easier. And a city like this, a person can easily make a living, be a productive part of society and never look at the sun."

"You guys just seem to have come up with an answer to everything."

"We've had to. The world has evolved, changed, either you change with it or you die. That's just the nature of things."

"What about the territory thing? Henry said vampires were territorial, they couldn't stand another vampire in their hunting range."

"That issue is even more complicated."

"Then it's a good thing I'm smart."

"I don't have time to explain it now. Let's just say it's a matter of species specific traits."

Vicki looked to Henry, who simply shrugged.

"So you made Christina?"

"Yes, in 1402."

"And when were you…"

"About 3000 years ago."

"Roman, then or Greek."

"Neither. But close enough to Greek."

Vicki looked between the two vampires. "Ya know, I don't know why this stuff surprises me anymore. I just don't." She sighed and shook her head. "So what happens now?"

"He won't come tonight." Emma stood and walked over to Vicki.

"How do you know?" Henry stood and took Emma's glass before returning to the kitchen.

"He wouldn't have sent a note if he was coming. You know Lacroix prefers to chide in person."

"Jeanette said he was talking to Nick when I stopped by."

"Then he definitely won't be coming over tonight."

"And this vampire we're waiting for?" Vicki walked back toward the kitchen were Henry stood. "He's what, in charge of the city?"

"No, but he used to have some control over the Enforcers?" Emma followed her, leisurely.

"The Enforcers?"

"Vampire police." Henry supplied. "They make sure the secrets of the community don't make it to the general public. They are largely the reason I've avoided telling you everything."

"Ah. So they… yeah." She sighed and sipped her wine. "So what do we do since your connection isn't coming?"

Emma shook her head, choosing to ignore how Vicki had automatically included herself in their plans.

"Well, maybe Vicki can fill us in on her investigation." Henry slowly walked around the counter.

"What investigation?"

He handed Emma her glass. "Her investigation on you."

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