Chapter 20

Words …

"So, what have we here? Crucifixion made of long rusty glandules … LaSalle was put on it …"

Alex separated the glandules, covered with blood and wastes of flesh, and gave one to Selina.

The troop 'C' stayed in the pub to look for anything could help them to find out who were the murderers. Werewolves took the corpse, but there still was enough to explore.

"It wasn't the Holy Order …" she said thoughtfully.

"Why do you think so?"

"Look: here's the word, scrawled in a hurry. 'Evil' … Understand now? The Holy Order couldn't make this sacrilege. They devoted to their faith and won't profane the holy crucifixion."

"Who could so?"

"I don't know but …"

Her eyes fell on the letters; she knew this handwriting … and very well…

"Continue searching, guys, I leave you for some time."

"Leave? Now! But where are you going? And when will you come back?"

"I need two days for my trip. Mirek! You're in charge before I'll back!"

Gloomy man nodded, but Alexander was more curious:

"Selin, don't you hide anything from us?"

"Hey, who's the boss? I'm the boss! I have right to tell you things I think you must know, not more, not less."

With these words Selina turned into her hell-beast form and flew upstairs, and then into the dark sky.

"I still think that demons did the crime." Lora broke the silence.

"Demons? No, it's not their style." Mirek replied seriously. Others just nodded; they knew he was right: demons use very cruel methods of murdering, but not in such way; their process is longer and could be called a kind of mad art.

"Not the Holy Order, not demons. So who?"

"Selin will find out. She's smarter than everybody used to think."

On the next day Selina Cale was standing opposite the door of Terri's number. She knew: Maya is on the meeting with her foreign colleges, but still Sel wasn't sure if it's right to be where she was now.

'Come in, I sensed you long ago' Terri's voice sounded in her head. The door opened, and she stepped in.

"Nice, very …" she said as a greeting, while looking around.

Terri was on the sofa, drinking something white and turbid – vodka as Sel understood.

"What do want?" he asked sharply, swallowing the very strong liquid.

"Let me to speak my mind." she tried to be polite in the company of the very ancient older man.

Terri gave her a glance: 'I can't forbid you, but if I could …'

Selina decided to be more impudent: she collapsed in an armchair opposite him and started speaking:

"I know that your guys from the Sun Circle are guilty in all those murders."

The older man stopped drinking, it was clear that he was nervous.

"Can you prove it?"

"Yes. Your brave command left a trace on LaSalle."

"Trace?"

"John … is a real master … he murders in his own style – I've always adored it. But the artist couldn't not to sign under his 'masterpiece'."

Terri's face stayed impervious.

"I recognized his handwriting … and I can prove it easily … I hope you don't need the Great Court meeting."

Descartes smirked on her words:

"Are you blackmailing me?"

"No. I just want to hear the truth."

"Truth?" he rose from the sofa and started walking around the room. "One word – Maya."

"I knew it!" Selina clicked fingers.

Terri smirked again and put hand on her shoulder.

"I allowed Maya to join the Circle, yes, it was a big mistake."

Selina was looking at him, trying not to lose a word.

"She somehow reminded them the taste of murder, and John with Rachel and some other hunters started killing older men."

"For what!"

"First she let them to kill those who were known as sadists."

"The first victim – Liam Purl traded alive goods – slaves-humans and used to have sex with mortal girls. The Council wanted to get rid of him, but Purl was too powerful."

"Yes. But after it Maya ordered them to kill all Victor's allies."

"But as I know John …"

"Yes, he understood what's wrong, so Maya gave him and his friends another order – LaSalle."

"LaSalle didn't know anything about the situation in our Council. As I know, he supports Luka."

"Supported … LaSalle is Frenchman, so I think Paris Council of werewolves will arrive soon. You see, Maya keeps trying to become the head of the Council. Valdemar should be very afraid."

"But we protect him well! By the way! Why do you need this?"

Terri made a gulp and answered:

"I created the Sun Circle to keep peace between mortals and immortals, but if John and others want to fight, I can't forbid them."

Selina rose from her seat and came closer to him, so their eyes were on one level.

"You're an older man, damn you! Terri, Dracula have chosen you to help us, to protect us! Vampires, whom nobility call the riffraff. But you became a toy of Maya! Not the one or two will die, you know it! There'll be a war, another internecine war where such guys like Maya will send such as me and you to fight! Not their clear blood will be soaked by the land, but ours! Don't you care about it?" she breathed in heavily after the long and fiery monologue. Terri looked so exhausted that seemed he got older on five, six years.

"You should be in the Council instead of me, Miss Cale. But it's not my war … Leave me now," he showed her the door with a gesture.

Vampiress turned back to him and hurried to go away, she was afraid that could give him a good slap.

"Wait!" he called suddenly and Sel faced to him.

"That child – the Ancient power has already been sentenced in a narrow circle of older men. And as I know, not only we want to see her dead. Mind this …"

As soon as Selin was out of the hotel, she climbed to a roof of one of the high buildings and set there on her knees to think. Her hand ran through her fair hair and rested on her lap.

'They don't want Diana to grow and open the Gates of Hell - it's clear. Maya has always desired to get as more power … Oh, why couldn't I to kill her? Stupid laws!' she thought and then remembered that she need to phone Lora. Sel took her mobile:

"Lora, how's Valdemar?" she asked instead of greeting.

"He's alright. And tomorrow we'll be in Washington so wait us there."

"I expected him to stay in San-Francisco."

"Well, guys from the capital wanted to meet the head of our state. I guess they are already tired from Maya!"
"O.K. So I'll tell you everything I got to know when you'll arrive then," she turned off the mobile and decided to find the only one who could calm her …"

While Selin was talking to Terri, Dracula met with a woman in long close-fitting red dress with corset; woman's face was covered with red hood of her cloak. She appeared in his number in the same moment he came in and not through the door.

Vladislaus first thought it was Selina as they were of the same height, but he wronged. The voice was too sweet for his bride.

"Who are you, miss?" he asked politely.

The woman curtsied and he bowed to her.

"Dark prince …" she said, and Vlad understood: the woman is a demoness, as only demons called him 'dark prince'.

"What do you want? Is it Lucifer who sent you?"

The demoness laughed, and her laugh reminded a silver bell falling into a grass.

"No, Dracula, Lucifer has no power over me to order me anything. My visit – my own initiative. May I sit? I'm so tired, the road was hard." she started speaking Romanian, his native language, and had a very good pronunciation.

Vampire nodded, but as he knew demons had never called the devil by name, it surprised him; in addition, he was so tired from English that was glad to turn back to Romanian.

The woman lowered on the chair gracefully and put one leg over another.

"I know you're very busy, my prince, because of all these murders, but I hope you'll find a minute for me?"

"Yes, of course, but you'll tell me your name and open your face."

The demoness laughed again and took off her cloak. She was really very beautiful: long dark red curls, in tone to her dress, aristocratic pale skin, deep violet eyes with long lashes, plump cherry lips, and a figure: breasts, waist, thighs - like a bouquet tied with a corset.

Vladislaus found himself gazing and hurried to hide this from his dream-like guest.

"My name is Marinette …"

The dream melted … 'A whore,' he thought with contempt.

"Lucifer told me about you. You're one of his … lovers, the only who decided to conquer hell. Right?"

Marinette shook head, smiling sadly:

"Oh, my easy inspiring child, Lucifer told you the half of the truth."

Dracula raised a brow, he didn't like when anyone spoke with him in such manner.

"Yes, I was his lover, his property, but I'm free now. My sole is free. As I know, my prince, your sole is still under his control."

"I know as well. What do you want, miss?"

"I heard you hate Lucifer as strong as I do."

"So what?"

"Speak more polite, please, I like you, don't make me sad."

Vladislaus didn't know what to reply: he was too surprised simply to think.

"If you'll guarantee me the vampires' support in my fight, I'll release your sole, deal?"

Vlad laughed loudly, making the walls to shake:

"You see my dear Marinette, Lucifer offered me more, much more. Farewell."

The door opened behind him. Marinette rose, walked to him slowly and put hands on his chest:

"I think my offer will be better than his. Hmm, you seem to have gipsy roots: dark eyes, black hair, even the manner you speak."

"My grandmother was a gypsy," he said, standing like a statue, while she was caressing his chest, lowering hands slowly.

"Proud, ah? But so strong and … very handsome, I must add."

"Leave, please, we have nothing to talk …"

Marinette smirked, curtsied again and disappeared.

Vampire set on the chair, breathing heavily. But only five minutes passed and Selina covered his eyes with her hands:

"Guess who."

"Jeanette? Valerie?"

"What Jeanette!" she asked with suspicious. Vlad laughed at her words, he has always caught her on this joke. He kissed her hand gently:

"Hello, my love, haven't seen you so long."

Sel settled on his lap. He started kissing her deeply, thinking that, somehow, this woman always knows when to come. Like it was a kind of attraction between them.

"I love you, my angel, my queen."

"I love you, too."