Six: Demons and Deals
A/N: Okay, please, please, please forgive me. I know, I'm severely late on the update, and I apologize for that, I got really busy and sidetracked and so…yeah, I fail, and I know it. I'm really sorry, I know I didn't reply to everyone's review, so I will try and fix that on this chapter! Thank you all for being so patient!
I was not impressed with the security around Julius Santino. In fact, I found it downright laughable, looking at the four of the five people supposed to be guarding him. Anita and Annabella were easy to handle, but Human Huntresses always are. Nathaniel Stewart—the vampire who had originally offered me the job—struck me more as an observer than as an actual bodyguard. I'd landed on my back one too many times however, to discount him just yet. Zachariah Rinehart, on the other hand, was the only one who seemed to be capable of doing his job.
And if what Anita and Annabella had said was true, it really wasn't going to be that hard to deal with him.
"This is a security force?" Shiri voiced my opinions, one ear flicked back, the other standing half erect. Anita wrinkled her nose at that.
"It's not supposed to be a formal thing." She argued, and Shiri raised an eyebrow.
"Really? 'Cause even for a casual one, it seems fairly…inadequate, to say the least." Nathaniel smiled.
"Yes, well, Miss Aurelia, we weren't chosen to strap ourselves down with weapons, save for Ana and Anita." He said, deferring to Annabella first. I could tell those two were up to their old tricks just from that one sentence.
"Instead you were chosen to keep him alive from what? You're all to lean, it's ridiculous. None of you have enough stamina to keep up several days of fighting." Shiri laughed. "Face it, you're nothing more than a pack of worthless lap dogs." She spat.
"Is something wrong out here?" I sensed Vampire, directly behind me, and turned on instant reaction, half swinging into a crouch and knocking the Vampire to the gound in a smooth motion from my foot. He winced as he hit the ground. "Never mind, Nathaniel, I can tell that once again you have done you job just a little too well." He said as he straightened up. I regarded him coolly out of narrowed eyes. He frowned at hem, then followed the faint line of an old scar showing above my collar to somewhere in my shirt.
His short black hair was long enough to flow just past to top of his ears. Deep, sapphire eyes moved constantly, taking in my appearance, then flicking over my shoulder to where one of his 'guards' had moved slightly. A faint head shake warned them off, and they settled once more. Clearly, a strong leader, clean-shaven and with smooth features. His eyes locked with mine, and I felt my gaze narrow even more automatically. Vampires have two talents, I couldn't tell what either of his were, but I was not taking chances with hypnotism here.
"Bethany Hamilton I presume?" It might have been a question, but we both knew it wasn't. This was bad, especially since I was no good at word games.
"Perhaps." I answered.
"I apologize for Nathaniel's stubborn crudity on my behalf." Liar. I thought harshly,
"I'm sure you do." I said instead, and a faint smile curved his lips.
"Perhaps we can clear out some of this animosity between the two of us, Miss Hamilton. Zachariah, Nathaniel, Anita, Ana, you are all dismissed. Nathaniel if you could please entertain Miss Aurelia for a few moments while we clear some things up?" I glanced behind me. Neither Nathaniel nor Shiri looked happy at the suggestion.
"Of course, Sir." Nathaniel said with a faint bow as the silver-haired Zachariah slipped past and into some other room. Talking quietly between them, Anita and Annabella slipped up the stairs.
"If you'd like to come into the kitchen, Miss Hamilton?" He asked, gesturing to a door just behind me. I stepped aside and motioned for him to go first. He smiled at me, and I could see him noting my prudence at not leaving a Vampire at my back.
I stood at one end of the counter; from there I was able to watch everything in the kitchen, and part of the two hallways leading out. I wanted this conversation to be over so that Shiri and I could go back to working on the Ring. He smiled faintly at me, looking worn and tired for an instance. I blinked once, slowly, knowing the key to dealing with any Vampire is never to blink unless you are forced to.
"Miss Hamilton, I understand that Nathaniel was slightly abrupt with you, correct?" I gave a short nod, and he settled himself, leaning against the other end of the counter, near the refrigerator. "I apologize, again for this. I was not aware that he would attempt to hire the famed Bethany Hamilton, top of the Network Huntresses."
"I'll admit I'm good, but I'm far from the top." I answered curtly, cutting across his flattery. His smile quirked, and I could practically read his thoughts on his face. This was about to turn into a quick display of word games, something I have rarely been good at.
"And yet, out of all the Huntresses, you are the only one that even the Prince's guards fear to encounter in some dark alley."
"If they fear me, then clearly they are idiots." I answered. "I'm just a Huntress, helping out a contact."
"I notice you don't say 'friend,' though that is what you mean."
"I'm a Huntress, friends are luxuries I don't have." I responded, and his smile quirked a little higher. My eyes were starting to feel uncomfortably watery, and I knew that if I didn't blink or move my gaze soon, I was going to be at a serious disadvantage. He gave me no reason to blink or to shift my gaze however, locking his sapphire eyes on my silver ones instead, testing my determination.
"Yet that is what you consider Miss Aurelia."
"Is there a reason you wanted to discuss this?" I asked abruptly, cutting the formalities sharply.
"Surprisingly, no, but I like to know who I'm hiring before I enlist their aid." I almost blinked at that.
"Excuse me?" He smiled, shifting to the other end of the island, finally allowing my gaze to move.
"I require your aid, Miss Hamilton, in shutting down a slavery ring. Leah, a dear servant to my brother, has become a target to this ring, a threat they don't dare allow out int the streets much longer. We know this ring is covering something else, however, we don't know what. Since you and Miss Aurelia seem to have already come across this ring, there seems to be no problem for either of you to help my staff and I take care of this problem." He sounded over confident, as though this was not something to discuss.
"No. I already told your bodyguard I wasn't taking his offer, that remains."
"We can discuss any manner of payment you'd like." He countered.
"No."
"Upwards of eight thousand dollars.
"No."
"A car, perhaps a permanent residence?"
"No."
"A new identity, away from Hunting?"
"No."
"What would you like in that case?" His eyes flicked to the hallway on the other side of my head. I turned, and stared down the hallway, seeing nothing. I turned back to him.
"The only thing I want is for you to leave me alone." I answered.
"Sure that's not the only thing, Miss Hamilton." That was starting to get on my nerves, the way he spoke my name, as if it wasn't rolling off his tongue quiet right. .
"Surprisingly, it is." I snapped.
"Fine then, I'll make a deal with you. If you help me on this one task, I'll leave you eight thousand in your account, the keys to a new car, and you'll never hear from anyone I know or employ unless you come asking."
I was sorely tempted. I could almost taste it, smell the interior of the car, and easily see the new numbers on my depleted account. I was horrifyingly tempted to take that offer, so much so that it took me a minute to realize I had blinked, just once.
He was closer to me, and I took a startled step back, hitting the wall. "And in addition, I can arrange for a copy of certain medical records to be sent to you concerning an Isabelle Hamilton."
"I've never heard of her." He smiled, his slightly elongated fangs gleaming in the fading moonlight.
"Then I suppose you'll have to take my offer, won't you?" He asked. "After the job is completed, if you decide you would like to make a clean break from the Network, say the word and I will personally find you a new identity, Bethany Hamilton." That sent chills down my spine and I knew he could see it, despite wearing long sleeves and a jacket. He smiled.
"Deal."