I am absolutely delighted that Crash and Burn has been nominated in three categories of the YouWant BloodAwards, incliuding All-Time Favorite. Thank you! Voting is open, and closes on the 22nd. There are lots of amazing stories on the ballot, some I haven't read, so I have that pleasure to look forward to as well as voting for my own favourites.

And today is the last day to vote in AmericanAndroid's Historical Fiction contest over on Area5BloodyPen. There are some amazing stories there too.

Now on with the story.


The Best Revenge


I rose in a pitch black coffin and immediately checked my blood for Pam. She was there, dimmed by distance. I lifted my phone off my chest and hit a button to light the screen. No signal. Nothing since the last message, from Pam shortly before dawn: Gone to ground. With no guarantee it was safe to emerge into the Weres' room, I had some thirty minutes to wait out the sun trapped in a steel box. I hissed in frustration.

Someone knocked once on the steel lid above me and I froze.

The tapping continued. In Morse, spelling out: Magic Flute, you are safe to rise.

Very funny. I disengaged the lock, opened the lid and cautiously sat up. I was in the lounge of the suite, over to one side, Neb standing a respectful distance away.

"I had you moved," he said. "There is much to do. And I knew you would appreciate not rising to the scent of wolf."

I had risen to the scent of death instead.

And Sookie. I was out of the coffin in an instant, examining the corpse in the middle of the room. A female true shifter, laid out on the rug. "Who is this? Why do I smell Sookie?"

"That is the assassin. Sookie was kind enough to read her, but the bitch took cyanide before–"

"Is she alright?"

"She's dead. Can you not tell?"

"I meant–" I caught the amusement in his eyes and muttered, "Never mind." Settling myself on the couch furthest from the stench I said tersely, "Report."

"Bubba's warning was accurate. Yuri and two wolves attacked three hours before sunset. Our wolves chased them into Jephson's waiting ambush, and the dead shifter broke in while the door was unguarded. She got into your room and fell neatly into our trap."

I nodded, resisting the urge to ask how Sookie was involved.

So far, as expected.

Except for Neb having a way to resist day-death.

That had surprised us all as we scrambled to act on the news from Vegas. Bubba, due to loyalty or plain stubbornness, had refused to give his message to anyone but me and unfortunately it was close to dawn when I returned from meeting Iowa.

Bubba stood up from the couch, swept his thick hair out of his eyes and greeted me in that famous drawl. "Mister Eric." He eyed Oskar and Neb warily.

"He has a message for you, Dono," Goro said, bowing politely.

"Go ahead, Bubba," I said encouragingly. He was wearing fatigues, but they looked to be a stage costume.

"It ain't good news. Mr de Castro is planning on ending you, in the day." He shifted uneasily on his feet in the tense silence, watching my face. "You gotta believe me, Mister Eric. You gotta hide. Find somewhere real safe."

"When? Who is he sending?" I asked, careful not to sound as angry as I felt. It took a delicate touch to extract information from the pea-soup Bubba called brains.

His face fell. "I don't know rightly know the when of it." He brightened. "But I know who's coming."

"Who's that Bubba?" I said patiently, waving Oskar quiet. I could tell he was about to bark out a string of questions that would only agitate the halfwit.

"That bear of yours – the big fella, the Rusky, never trust a Red I say – he's real pissed at you for firing him. Wants a piece of you."

"Are you sure it's tomorrow Bubba?"

"Yes sir, Mister Eric," he said firmly, giving me a salute before adding contritely, "But I don't know the hour. I had to leave real fast to get here in time."

"You have done well, Bubba." I was impressed he'd stayed coherent this long.

The fool beamed at me. "That's mighty kind of you, Mister Eric. Y'all wouldn't happen to have a cat, would you? I'm mighty peckish."

I gestured to Salvatore to get him some blood and sent Goro across the corridor to rouse Jephson. I turned to Neb and Oskar and began to sketch out a strategy. Jephson arrived blurry-eyed with sleep and muttering he could take Yuri with one hand behind his back, just as Neb suggested I should rest in a coffin with the Weres as it was the last place anyone would expect to find me.

"Neb, I will be safe enough if I double up with you or Oskar. The suite is warded at least, the Weres' rooms are less secure. Jephson is right, he can handle Yuri."

"We don't know how many the bear is bringing," Neb cautioned.

"Unless he brings an army, I will be fine here."

Bubba broke in, agitated. "Mister Eric, y'all should listen to the little fella. I don't know what all Mister de Castro is plannin', but I heard him say the Rusky was just a distraction."

I bit back my impatience with him and asked evenly, "So who is the main threat Bubba?"

He dropped his eyes and rubbed the back of his neck. "Don't rightly know, Mister Eric." He looked up again. "But Mister de Castro was real sure he'd getcha. The Rusky is s'posed to bait your guard doggies, and it'll work too. On account of the witch givin' him that potion."

"What witch? What potion?" I asked, trying not to sound exasperated. Honestly, he lack the mental coherence to relay the simplest of things. It was like talking to a child.

"I saw 'em test it on a wolf in Vegas. Sent him real wild, all out-a control soon as he got a whiff of it. They didn't know I was watching," he said proudly. "But I saw it."

"Shit," Jephson said, rubbing his face. "He means something to force a shift."

"Does such a thing exist?" asked Oskar.

"Yeah. If you base it on the right pheromones." Jephson rolled his eyes when Oskar smirked. "Yeah, yeah. Take the piss after this shitfest is over. I have some military kit that should protect us from anything scent-based."

"If Yuri means to have our wolves give chase, why don't we turn that against him?" Neb suggested. "Chase him into an ambush."

"That's not a bad idea," said Jephson, rubbing his chin. "Yuri won't come alone though. It'll take all five of us to be sure of subduing him. That'll leave the suite wide open for whoever de Castro is sending."

"I can take care of that. I fancy laying an ambush of my own," Neb said, his fangs dropping. He went on to reveal he had a way to resist day death and offered to lie in wait in my room. We refined our plans, and took our places for the day.

It had worked like clockwork. Although a three thousand year old vampire had turned out to be overkill, I thought looking at the dead shifter. I felt insulted.

"The assassin was a professional," Neb assured me and I realised I'd allowed a sneer to cross my face. "She came equipped with a way to jam the cameras and open the locks."

"And cyanide."

"Yes. I must apologise for that. My inattention cost us any further information she might have had."

"Further?"

"Sookie had time to retrieve the phone number of whoever hired her, probably of little use to us, but Mithradates is checking that and various other leads. Sookie also identified the shifter's contact here: a human called Finch."

"Finch?" I repeated as Oskar came out of his room. He'd had chance to shower and change. Bastard. I was still in last night's clothes.

It was Oskar who answered me, as he headed to the fridge for blood. "A procurer, from Memphis. He's been asking questions about you."

"He has?" I asked sharply. "How do we know that?"

"Martha from Magical Moments. She emailed me after she left," Oskar said, pulling two bottles out. I nodded when he waved one at me. I needed something to take the edge off. "Finch was asking about your appetites."

"Pam heard something to the same effect the night she was here," Neb added. "She told me on the way to the airport."

"Why I am only hearing about this now?" I said, irritated. Fucking Bardulf. It was no surprise he wanted a piece of my hide, but I wasn't aware he and de Castro had banded together. Lucky me, uniting that pair.

Neb shrugged and said mildly, "No need to spoil your night with every tiny rumour."

The pulse of heat in the signet ring did nothing to help my mood. I growled, "You should have told me."

"Told you what? That Tennessee is your enemy? You knew that," Oskar said dismissively, opening the microwave when it beeped. "Trust us play our fucking parts, Eric."

"Yes, let us share the burden. Have we not proven loyal?" Neb said.

Neb had, most definitely. I was bordering on insulting him: no vampire let others know of an ability to resist day-death lightly. I closed my eyes for a second, reigning in my temper. "I am not used to…"

"Giving up control," Neb supplied helpfully.

I opened my eyes to see I had finally gotten a smile out of him. Pity it was at my expense, not at my wit. "I was going to say relying on others. I owe you for this, Nebhotep the Reckoner."

His smile widened. "You do not. My motives were entirely selfish. I am not stepping into a king's boots. Especially yours. They stink."

I barked out a laugh despite myself, and took the warm bottle Oskar passed me. I drained it while Neb, serious again, repeated things for Oskar's benefit, adding the shifter's price.

"A million?" Oskar whistled. "De Castro wasted a bundle on your sorry ass. He's going to be furious nothing came of it."

"One can only hope," I said bitingly. "We need to question this Finch."

"Already accomplished," Neb said. "With the lovely Miss Stackhouse's assistance."

I was eager to know how that came about, but it was Oskar who said sharply, "The telepath? Is that who I smell?"

"Yes," Neb answered. "Hotel security were investigating the malfunctioning cameras. She was with them, Jephson asked for her help, She proved most useful. Finch had been primed to resist glamour."

"Oh really," I said. If that was Bardulf's doing, perhaps Finch could link him to the attack. And now I had an explanation for Sookie's presence without having to ask. An explanation that left me faintly disappointed, but I didn't have time to examine why.

Oskar was displeased too. "Neb, surely your glamour would have been sufficient to break Finch," he said, scowling. "No need to involve outsiders."

"I wished to see the telepath work," Neb said coolly.

Oskar's eyebrows shot up. "You allowed her to see you? In the day?"

"She is sworn to secrecy and I judge her trustworthy," Neb said. "She was effective, despite the fact Finch had been glamoured to shield his mind from her."

"Someone was serious about their precautions," I said, frowning. Someone who knew Sookie would be here.

"Yes, but I found a way round it. Finch was a veritable fount of information. Miss Stackhouse confirmed Bardulf was involved, most definitely. But the telepath said he feared de Castro would frame him, so proof may be scarce on the ground."

Neb was probably right if that was the case. Hugh was a conniving bastard. "What else?"

"Bardulf wants you gone for multiple reasons: revenge for Nadia, interference in his affairs, a clear path to the telepath. And to weaken Bartlett's alliance. I believe he is after Mississippi."

I stiffened. Sookie. And Mississippi. Bardulf was becoming a giant thorn in my side.

Oskar hissed. "Eric, I told you an alliance would only gain you more enemies. Their enemies have become yours."

"Bardulf was already my enemy," I said tersely. And he would be a bigger threat if he took Mississippi. "Neb, where is Finch now?"

"Released so no-one will know he is compromised. I thought to use him to flush Bardulf out."

"You think you got everything from him?"

"As much as we could in the time. Others may be involved," he warned. "Wisconsin and Kentucky."

"This human, this Finch knew that?" Oskar asked doubtfully. "That is far too convenient. It smacks of Bardulf shifting the blame."

Neb shook his head. "That didn't come from Finch. Sookie put that together. She has a rare ability to make connections, one beyond her years." He looked straight at me. "She is quite remarkable."

"She is," I said evenly. Was he complimenting my taste or commiserating my loss? Both?

He explained Sookie believed Wisconsin had set up a diversion for her, and her suspicion of Kentucky's out of character generosity to his donors.

Oskar swore. "We should have neutralised Wisconsin."

"Too late to whine over spilt blood," I muttered, equally pissed that four fucking kings had joined forces against me. I fidgeted with my signet ring, annoyed by its warmth, annoyed that I couldn't vent my anger on those responsible.

Yet.

"Wisconsin and Felipe were enough challenge," Oskar warned darkly. "But to have a second group ranged against you…"

"It is only Kentucky and Bardulf," I snapped.

"Add in Ohio and that's formidable opposition," he countered. "It is as I feared, they are banding together in response to Bartlett's group."

"Even if Ohio is with them, we have Texas on our side. We outmatch them," I insisted. Oskar was ever the pessimist, and this was a discussion I had had with him already. Several times. "If Amun will not unify, monarchs will look for strength in numbers. It's a natural consequence of Amun's weakness."

"I am not so sure," Neb said, surprising me. "As you say, we outmatch them. That makes us a threat to the status quo. Fear may be pushing other monarchs to act in concert. Even Illinois is looking for strength outside his borders, and that is unheard of."

Before I could reply, there was a rap on the door. Neb checked the camera on his laptop before he got up to let Jephson in.

"Good. You're up," the wolf said when he saw me. "Want the bad news?"

"Spit it out," I ordered, folding my arms.

"The donor whose room Yuri hid out in is dead, Finch's ugly hand-prints all over her neck. That fucker kicked the bucket too – they found him in his room, with a half-packed suitcase."

We looked at each other. Fuck. Neb cursed softly under his breath, echoing my sentiments in his mother tongue.

"There's more," Jephson said. "The place is crawling with cops. Geiszler kept us out of it, but he had no choice with two bodies on his hands."

We all looked at the one on the rug.

Shit. Well, we had a coffin…

"Did you see Finch's body?" I asked, a plan beginning to form.

"Yeah. Geiszler's been as helpful as he could. Poor bastard's tearing his hair out over this." The wolf rubbed his face. "Finch's room was locked, no sign of forced entry. Poison I reckon, something odourless. There was an open water bottle by the body."

"Bardulf covering his tracks," Oskar said sourly.

Neb shook his head. "I hoped Finch would last longer. He must have outlived his usefulness."

"You weren't to know," Jephson said charitably. "Plus everything I'm hearing about how this went down … She knew where the cameras were, how to bypass security. Had to be someone on staff helping them."

I exchanged a grim look with Oskar and Neb.

Jephson cleared his throat. "What's that look about, boss?"

"Kentucky," I said quietly.

"Great," he said sourly, looking at the corpse. "All hell is gonna break loose at sundown. What you want to do with that, boss?"

"Is Yuri intact?"

"Yep. Bruised, a broken collarbone. Nothing much."

"Good. Has New Mexico arrived?"

He cocked his head. "Yeah."

"In that case, I have an idea."

Beginning to smirk I outlined my plans, and by the time Jephson left to run his errands, he was grinning too.

At sunset, two things happened. Goro, grim-faced and wearing his sword, shot out of his room. And all our phones began to chime with calls and alerts.

I answered Pam first. "I am here."

"Thank fuck. What happened?"

I hadn't had time to do more than warn her to go to ground before dawn. "Felipe sent an assassin. I am intact. There?"

"Nothing." I heard her phone chime. "That's Maxwell. The phone tree." A second later: "Area 5 is solid."

I could hear the relief in her voice. "Be cautious tonight."

"Please, am I newborn? Besides, I'm spoiling for a fight. I have dirt in my hair."

"I must go," I said, smiling.

"Don't you dare hang up, Pam!" said a second voice. There was fumbling as the phone changed hands and Rory came on the line. "Eric, do you have need of me?"

"The situation is under control."

"You call someone with a stake in your room under control?" I heard Pam hiss in the background as I pulled the phone away from my ear. Rory was loud and getting louder. "Why didn't you call me? I'd have stood guard over you, made that bitch rue the day she was–"

"Rory," I interrupted firmly.

I heard her take a breath. "Sorry. Sebastian told me. The thought of–"

"I am busy."

"Of course. Be safe, deartháir." She hung up.

Goro was ignoring his phone and watching me, a puzzled look on his face. "The fairy offered to guard you?" he asked.

I nodded and looked down at my phone, scrolling through it. I called Bartlett next. He picked up straight away.

"Eric. We must meet. A war council, my suite. In half an hour if that suits?"

"I have meetings scheduled at eight and ten."

"You will go? Ah, business as usual. Of course. Yes. Later then, midnight?"

"Midnight it is."

I hung up and scrolled rapidly through the rest of the messages, replying to some with a short text confirming I would be attending tonight's meetings, and trashing the ones that were just fishing for information. Iowa sent a picture of a burning cape that made me smile. By the time I finally pocketed my phone Salvatore had joined us.

Oskar was still speak to his second, but Neb had finished his calls. He asked, "You are going to the meetings?"

"Yes. The best revenge is living well, they say. Let us show Felipe how little we care for his threats."

Oskar tucked his phone away and joined the conversation. "Excellent plan. Neb can accompany you."

"Regretfully I cannot," Neb said. "I must feed and enter day-death."

I blinked. "Now?" I asked. At night, in a hotel full of vampires?

"Within the hour. I do not anticipate rising again until sunset tomorrow. Magic has a cost, and defeating the sun is taxing."

"You guarded Eric when I could not. I will watch over you, old one," Goro offered, eyeing the body on the rug.

"Is that acceptable?" I asked and Neb nodded. "Very well. I will attend to business. Oskar will handle Kentucky and the hotel people, and keep Bubba out of trouble." Oskar gave me a sour look but I ignored it. "Goro will stand guard here. Salvatore."

He came forward. "Yes, your majesty?"

"Do you know…" I searched for the name of the vampire Maxwell found so talkative at the last Amun summit, while I was still stuck in Zeus with Freyda. "McKinley, from Oklahoma?"

"Yes."

"He's here, with Kentucky. Seek him out. He likes to gossip and he was loyal to Darius, no friend to Freyda. Play that angle, see if he'll let slip anything about Kentucky's role in this."

Goro hissed. "Kentucky was in on it?"

"Very likely. Be careful, Salvatore. Don't let on that we suspect his king." I hoped Salvatore would prove as cunning as he'd been with Isabel. "Neb, fill Goro in."

After a hot shower I was marginally more relaxed. Drying my hair, I caught sight of the heavy gold band on my hand and sighed.

Last night had been piss poor timing for my new ability to manifest. Once I was home, Rory could teach me to control it, hone it into something useful. For now, we hoped the signet ring would function as a sink for it, as long as I kept reasonably calm…

Some fucking hope, with two more nights of summit and at least two kings out for my blood. Speaking of which…

While I was alone I checked the email drop I'd given Yasmin. Nothing since the message from last week, the one that said her 'uncle' was so pleased with the way his business was going he was taking her on a trip, but she worried about the rattlesnakes in the desert and the lack of wifi.

Translation: Bardulf was smug and planning something; she would be out of touch at the summit.

With hindsight, that desert comment meant Nevada. I was fairly confident Yasmin hadn't double-crossed me, and her lack of a direct warning just meant she was still being watched. With luck, her reaction to this might cement her in Bardulf's confidence.

I got dressed and found Mithradates waiting in the lounge. The body and coffin were gone. Conveniently for us, the hotel cameras covering the corridor were still out, so there was no problem squirrelling the dead shifter away into an empty room. Just in case any of my multitude of enemies thought it would be a good idea to point law enforcement our way.

Oskar got off the phone and announced, "The Amun council is convening at midnight. Emergency meeting."

I grunted an acknowledgement and turned to the lawyer. "Mithradates, what news?"

"As expected, the phone was a burner," he said, launching straight in. "No id on the shifter yet, and no way to trace her payment back to Nevada until we find out who she was. And as I understand from Miss Stackhouse's information she was paid in cash," he looked at Neb, who nodded a confirmation, "so that might be a dead end."

"Any leads on the shifter?" I asked.

"I made a point of running into Elaine Randall this afternoon," the lawyer answered. "I provide her with a description and she is making discreet enquiries. She was displeased to hear one of her people was involved. From her reaction she was worried it might affect your working relationship."

I shrugged. I didn't hold the Caucus responsible for every mangy cur in existence.

Mithradates continued, "I checked with the airlines. Finch had a return ticket to Memphis for after the summit. But he also had a ticket to Vegas tonight, purchased a week ago, online. With his personal credit card, the same one he's been using at the hotel."

"Ah," I said.

Oskar shook his head. "Someone laid a trail of breadcrumbs all the way to de Castro."

"Yes, they did," Mithradates said solemnly. "There's more. That card was also used to make some online purchases that were delivered to an address in Vegas. And there are some interesting deposits in his checking account that originate in Nevada."

I raised an eyebrow, but I didn't ask how he found that out: demons had their ways of extracting information, and they didn't generally share them with vampires.

"I sent all the details to Sanjay for him to work his magic, but it looks like Tennessee covered his tracks well." His face became even more serious. "I also learnt something interesting from the detectives attending the scene of Finch's death."

"Go on."

"They know it was murder – poison in a water bottle from the mini-bar, to be precise – but they are covering it up as a heart attack. One of the detectives was most unhappy about that, vocally so. He blamed corruption higher up in the police department."

"It seems Kentucky has friends on the force," I said dryly.

"Yes," Mithradates replied. "Friends who told the officers what to expect before they arrived at the crime scene this afternoon."

Either Kentucky had planned for all eventualities with impossible foresight, or he knew before dawn exactly how Finch was going to be … disposed of. He was in this up to his fangs.

I looked at Neb and then Oskar. "So we are supposed to buy that Felipe used Finch and then killed him to ensure his silence."

"It would appear so," Neb agreed.

"But in reality it was that arsehole Bardulf," Oskar said.

Mithradates pulled a sheaf of parchment from his briefcase. "We have enough to begin proceedings against Felipe. I've prepared a formal complaint against Nevada to present to the Amun council. I kept the option open to add a complaint against Bardulf later, should we find proof against him."

"The council will be only too happy to forward a complaint to Narayana," Oskar sneered. "The members are furious at another attack on Amun from that quarter. Although I expect they will be calmer by the meeting." He shot a glance at me. "Iowa is already expressing her displeasure at Felipe's interference."

"I think we can confidently expect a ruling in your favour," Mithradates said, "assuming de Castro thought it better to ask for forgiveness rather than permission. From what I've heard it is unlikely Narayana would back an attack on Amun anyway. Not to mention he broke the treaty on summit neutrality."

"It's been broken before," Neb said, looking at me.

"Sophie Ann was careful to cover her tracks, and Jennifer Carter was not a queen," I pointed out, sitting forward. "A fine for something of this magnitude will be a blow, though. Felipe's casinos have been haemorrhaging dollars as of late."

"Let's hope for the death of many cuts then," Oskar said.

"Yes, let's." I took the complaint and skimmed it. It was all in order. Mithradates handed me a quill and I signed it with a flourish, slumping back against the couch. I could extract a pound of flesh from de Castro, but it was galling not to have an avenue to hit back at Tennessee.

Yet.

I would come up with something. I turned to the lawyer. "Do you have the paperwork ready for tonight's meetings?"

"Of course."

"Thank you, Sebastian. You have been most helpful."

As he got up to leave he said dryly, "As Rory stopped blowing up my phone at sunset, I take it you spoke?"

"Yes. Feeling neglected?" I said lightly.

"Enjoying the peace." He flashed that wicked smile of his. "But don't tell her that."

Neb was halfway through his second donor when Thalia arrived. She gave me a cursory nod and said gruffly, "Zola released me to you. An extra sword to guard your back."

"Ah." I held up a hand before Oskar could start. "I know. It would not be wise to look like we need Alabama's support."

And it might complicate things with Iowa. One jealous woman was enough to deal with. I pushed the errant thoughts of Sookie away. Now was definitely not the time.

Goro cleared his throat and gestured at Neb, who was drinking deeply.

Good idea.

"Thalia, my sheriff needs a bodyguard more than I. Are you agreeable?" She shrugged. When I called his name, Neb looked up from the brunette, his eyes unfocused and his mouth bloody. "Would you object to Thalia as your guard?"

His eyes sharpened. "No. I would be honoured." He gave her a bow, from the waist and she nodded back. Then she gave me a look that indicated we needed to speak.

"Come," I said, gesturing her towards my room.

Once we were inside I asked quietly, "You think Diantha is not enough?"

She scowled. "Worry about your own skin, not the telepath's."

"So what is it then?" I asked testily. I didn't like her tone.

She switched to Greek. "A little bird sent to gather gossip sang in my ear."

I raised my eyebrow and she nodded. Yasmin.

"He was furious at sunset. Definitely disappointed."

"Did she know?" I asked.

"She says not." She met my eyes. "She was apologetic. Seemed genuine."

I nodded. "He is not a fool. He would not let someone untested in on this. Is that all?"

"The dead human, Finch, was a frequent visitor in Memphis. Dropped like a hot cake once they got here. That puzzled our bird. She says look there first. She will find out what she can."

We returned to the lounge. Neb was drinking from the last human. He pulled away from her neck sluggishly, and Goro ushered the donors out. Thalia lifted Neb bodily off the couch. His eyes were already closing, but he mumbled, "Ah, such soft hands to tuck me in."

Thalia froze momentarily and then glared down at him. "Watch your tongue old man, or I'll put you outside at dawn for the crows to feast on."

Grumbling under her breath she slung him roughly over her shoulder, and disappeared into his room. Goro raised his eyebrows at me and I shrugged. I had no idea what that was either. Foreplay possibly. Rather Neb than me.

Oskar looked at his phone and growled. "Kentucky is on his way.

"Not looking forward to wading through his bullshit?" I asked.

He snorted. "Or minding that halfwit Bubba. How did I draw that short straw?"

"Because you're not king," I said with a grim smile.

"Fuck you," Oskar muttered. "Kentucky will be here in five. How rude do you want me to be to the treacherous prick?"

"As rude as you like without actually staking him. And that is my cue to leave. Come Goro, I want to see New Mexico before the meeting."

I might actually stake Kentucky if I stayed.

New Mexico had taken the last free suite in the hotel, on the unpopular ninth floor with Missouri – unpopular because many of those on the highest floors at Rhodes perished in the sun. Of course, many on the lowest floors were crushed so it was the middle floors that were most favoured. That was why I was on the fifth floor – the lowest to have light-tight rooms in the main wing.

On the face of it, New Mexico was here to hawk his wares. His high-tech company, Smoking Mirrors, had cornered the market in super-fast security cameras. That is, cameras fast enough to catch vampires. They had a stall at the trade fair, staffed by some of his subjects.

I suspected Tezcatlipoca was here to kill two birds, but I wasn't privy to nature of the second.

Goro and Marie were with me. The shifters outside the suite, two of Tezcatlipoca's jaguars, had us wait for a moment while they spoke to their king. Surprisingly, they allowed all three of us inside. The room smelt strongly of big cat, smoke and offal. From the altar set up on a table opposite the couches, I assumed.

New Mexico was alone and stood to greet me with a nod. He was short but stocky, and powerfully built. The neatly pressed jeans and white button-down he was wearing made him look like a Mexican farm-worker, down to his tan. Without feathers and face paint I'd seen him sporting at Nadia's trial, he looked particularly unassuming.

For a god.

I didn't know if Tezcatlipoca believed his own hype, but he was enough of an unknown quantity that I intended to treat him with respect. Plus, I was here to ask for a favour. Consequently, I nodded back a little deeper than he had.

"Eric the Northman. Rumours of your final death are exaggerated." He had a Spanish accent, but it was slight.

"Tezcatlipoca. I hear you arrived in a private jet, but then, not all rumours are to be trusted."

"That one is true," he said cautiously.

"Then I wish to beg a favour. I need a parcel delivered, if it suits you. To Nevada."

His dark eyes lit with interest. "I am flying west tomorrow. How big is this parcel?"

"Two parcels, in fact. Both about six feet long."

A sly smile cracked his face. "In that case, it will be no trouble. Deliver your parcels to my plane before dawn."

"Thank you. One is … delicate. It must arrive in Nevada still breathing. With witnesses, if that is possible."

His smile widened. "That can be arranged. It will be my pleasure to rub Nevada's nose in his failure. You are meeting with Indiana later?"

"Yes."

The smile disappeared. "I may see you then."

That was … ominous.

Marie crossed herself as we got in the elevator and Goro laughed at her. "What?" she snapped. "That … whatever the hell he is freezes my blood." She grumbled, "Did you smell that stench? He's not natural."

I chuckled. "Neither are we."

"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy," Goro said sagely.

"She is only young, Goro. No need to point out her ignorance."

"I'm not as ignorant as that fool who turned the nineteen year old. Who'd be stuck with that brat for eternity?" Marie shot back, then she grinned. "Didn't think I'd see you two smiling tonight."

"What can I say? Revenge is sweet." I winked at her.

"Blood would be better," Goro said, patting his belly. "More satisfying."

"Alas, we can't have everything." Felipe head on a silver plate would be very satisfying about now.

Marie shook her head as the elevator opened on the first floor.

"Show-time," I said, smirking widely as we disembarked.

And because fate was not my bitch, but she was a bitch in general, Sookie was coming towards us across the lobby, with Quinn right behind her.

One of us faltered slightly, but she was human. She threw her shoulders back and raised her chin as we approached.

"Ah, Miss Stackhouse," I said smoothly. "Thank you for your assistance this afternoon." In the background Quinn clenched his jaw, but I was focused on her. She looked tired. Her eyes were bloodshot, but they met mine this time – a fact that pleased me more than it should.

"No need to thank me, Eric." There was the barest trace of irritation in her voice. "I was only doing my job."

I leaned just a little closer, and smiled warmly. "A job you are very good at. Remarkable was the term used."

"That's very kind of … your staff," she said, tensing slightly, as if she was waiting for the other shoe to drop.

"It is the truth," I said simply. "You were magnificent at the trial too."

She shifted awkwardly. She never could take a compliment. "Well … I'm afraid I have an appointment."

"Ah, same here. No rest for the wicked. Have a good evening, Sookie."

"You too, Eric. I am glad you weren't hurt." She stiffened as soon as the words were out, but I merely nodded and walked on before she could take them back. Quinn was scowling as I past him but I could not care less.

A civil conversation. That was progress. Definite progress.

As we walked towards my first meeting, heads turned, necks craned and whispers followed us. I wondered if Lazarus got a similar reaction. Vampires should be laid back about miraculous resurrections – we had all risen. Surviving an assassination was really not that exciting.

The meeting was purely business, with not many from the hierarchy in attendance, instead mostly investors interested in pursuing new technologies, new markets. However, once the presentations were over, I found the mingling afterwards was only marginally productive. Many vampires approached me with the events of the day in mind, not potential profits to be made. I hid my irritation at the attention and joked about cheating death without giving anything away about how I'd done so.

Nobody pressed for details. Not with Goro standing behind me, scowling the whole time, the outline of a stake wrinkling his suit.

When it wound up, I crossed the first floor to a larger conference room, where the seven southern most states in Amun were convening on security, Marie and Goro behind me. Glancing towards the lobby, I was pleased to see Kentucky suffering his own grilling at the hands of Iowa and Alabama, no doubt less than impressed with his supposedly secure hotel. Michigan was waiting to speak to him too.

Good. Kentucky wouldn't be hosting another summit any time soon. Treacherous bastard.

We were almost late to the meeting, because I was stopped repeatedly by other monarchs.

Illinois gave me a deeper nod than I'd been honoured with previously and got straight to his point. "Louisiana. Continued interference from Narayana is neither welcome or tolerable. I trust your retribution will be swift."

I allowed myself a small smile. "Swift, but not as deadly as I might wish."

"Of course. That is the way of the times. There will be a film crew at the ball tomorrow." A slight crease between his eyes gave vent to his displeasure.

"I was unaware."

"Yes. That was a decision I had no part in. Unfortunately, Isaiah has a bad habit of putting dollars before sense." He looked me in the eyes. "I will be speaking to him later. He must account for this afternoon's events."

I held his gaze for a beat longer than necessary. "He must."

His eyes widened, and his jaw tensed. "Siding with clan outsiders against our own is not acceptable, It weakens Amun. But Kentucky is not the only one who could be accused of that." His eyes flicked over my face. "Feeding the wolf at the door only makes it bolder."

I got his point. "My arrangement with Texas is mutually beneficial. But it does not conflict with my loyalty to Amun."

He watched me leave with narrowed, assessing eyes. I may have leapt higher in his estimation by surviving the day, but that only meant I was on his radar as a threat to watch.

Maude waylaid me next, making a show of kissing my cheeks to cover her whisper: "Thank God! Pam would have been a bigger bitch than ever."

"Maude, trying to make your husband jealous again?" I teased quietly.

Winking she raised her voice for our audience and said loudly, "You always were a lucky swine Eric. And de Castro is a bumbling idiot. I was right, summits will be thrilling with you around."

Ohio interrupted us, congratulating me as heartily as Maude did without kissing me. I knew Maude was sincere. Ohio, not so much. My bullshit meter was well in the red. Maybe Oskar was right about him.

I extricated myself only to run into Missouri.

"Eric!" he said enthusiastically, and I thought he might clap me on the back for a second. "You are a site for sore eyes. Well played, well played."

"Missouri," I said curtly, trying to dismiss him as quickly as possible.

He ignored the brush off, and leaned closer. "Was it an inside job?" His eyes slide to Goro and Marie. "You must have a gift for spotting the enemy within. How did you root out the viper at your breast? Do tell."

I raised an eyebrow. "My retinue is loyal."

"Oh," he said, sounding faintly disappointed. He was probably more concerned for his own neck than mine. If anyone was going to get staked in the back by one of their own while we were here, my money was on him. I excused myself, but then my evening got much more entertaining.

Tennessee was ahead, walking towards the meeting room at a brisk clip with Yasmin on his arm.

"Ah, Bardulf," I called, loud enough that he couldn't ignore me. "How goes your night?"

I watched with amusement as his shoulders tensed slightly before he turned to face me. Yasmin was stiff besides him, hackles up. His hand tightened on her arm in warning, and she relaxed. She was acting her part well.

"Louisiana," he said, smiling. "It is good to see you."

Lying through his fangs, as usual. "We have an enemy in common, it seems," I said, smirking.

"Oh? And who might that be?" A few creases around his eyes betrayed his tension.

"Why, Felipe of course. I hear he poached one of your humans." I turned to Goro and asked carelessly, "What was the pimp's name again?"

"Finch, your majesty. A piece of excrement on the shoe of humanity."

"Ah, yes. Finch." I turned back. "You really should take more care of your assets. But I assume he is no great loss."

"No," he said stiffly. "Felipe has been most … impertinent to us both."

"Yes. What is it they say? The enemy of my enemy is my friend. We find ourselves on the same side, it seems."

"Of course." He smiled, but it was thin. "Come, Yasmin. Let's take our seats."

As he was so eager to get away I decided to delay him by tossing the ball into Yasmin's court. "How generous of you, Hugh, taking in stray orphans."

Yasmin's head snapped around and she hissed, "My maker was worth ten of you."

She was really quite good.

"You should keep her on a tighter leash Hugh. Someone might snap that pretty neck." I stepped closer, staring into her eyes and was rewarded by both of them tensing. Good girl. I lowered my voice. "You had no choice in Nadia, Yasmin. Now you are free, pick your allies with care. Anyone with my enemy," I slid my eyes to Bardulf, "is against me."

There. I'd delivered a subtle message. It would make Tennessee wonder if I was onto him, improve Yasmin's cover, and warn her not to double-cross me. I stepped back and watched Bardulf leave with a smile on my face.

The boot was on the other foot, and it felt good to do some kicking, albeit metaphorically.

Kentucky met me in the doorway of the meeting room. He hid any annoyance at my continued existence better than Bardulf, but knowing Isaiah he'd done his part for money rather than sheer spite. He pulled off sounding apologetic as he blamed weaknesses in the security systems. He assured me he'd be up-grading and going through his staff with a fine tooth comb to root out any traitors.

Presumably he was skipping himself.

But it was too late: his reputation as a host had been damaged.

The meeting that followed was tense, and not just because Bardulf, Kentucky and I were in the same room. The Fellowship and their hangers-on were still our main security issue in the South. Russell, Zola for Alabama, and I all argued for greater co-operation and information sharing. It was good sense – the Chosen had no problems co-ordinating their actions across state lines, and we put ourselves at a disadvantage if we did not do the same.

Tennessee and Kentucky argued that now the Fellowship were targeting the furred over the fanged – the wolves in sheep's clothing that walked among them, as it were – we should leave well alone. Let the two-natured take their share of the flack, as we had suffered it alone when we were the only ones living openly with the humans.

Red Rita and Missouri vacillated, on the fence, and the meeting broke up without a formal agreement covering all seven states. Politically, that was disastrous. We needed to work together, there was no way we could contain the situation acting separately.

But in the strictly personal sense, it was an enjoyable ninety minutes. Every time I spoke it irritated the fuck out of Bardulf. Every time I smiled he stiffened as if his fangs might drop.

And when I got back to the suite, I got the satisfaction of sending de Castro a clear message not to fuck with me.

Jephson opened the store room with the key Geiszler had given him. "All set boss."

There were two coffins on trestle tables inside. I opened the one with the air holes punched in it.

"Hello Yuri." His eyes were so wide the whites glowed in the dim light. He was wrapped in silver, but it didn't obscure his outfit. I looked down at him and smirked. I was impressed Jephson had come up with a costume in the time – Yuri was hardly a small man, and what he was wearing was aimed at children. Or the simple-minded, so that worked. "Nice bear suit, Jephson."

"Couldn't find a Yogi one his size," Jephson said sadly. "But I guess a picnic basket wouldn't fit in there with his fat greedy ass anyway."

"This one should keep him warm in the hold."

It wouldn't. It was cheap and thin. And yellow. That cartoon bear with the ridiculous name – the one who is fat and incredibly stupid and likes honey. Named for shit.

Very appropriate. Yuri had shit for brains if he thought he could attack me and live.

Not that I was going to kill him myself. Oh no. He would arrive in Nevada alive and well, but all that was waiting for him there was a demonstration of Felipe's fury followed by a cold grave in the desert. Quickly followed if he was lucky.

Not that I wouldn't have enjoyed killing him, but Yuri was my ex-employee. This was known, and on record with the BSA. It wouldn't do to be linked to his death, that bitch Lindenberg would have a field day with that, so I was washing my hands of him.

De Castro could deal with his own trash. Yuri and the dead shifter both. Speaking of which…

I grinned and said, "I want you to take a message to Nevada for me, Yuri."

He began to squirm, grunting against the gag. Good. He had a long flight to anticipate all the painful ways Felipe might vent his anger on him.

I bent over him and spoke slowly. "Tell de Castro he should put his affairs in order before he meddles in mine again. I will content myself with ruining him for this, but should there be a repeat I will have his head."

I held my hand out and Jephson passed me a thick envelope and a roll of duct tape. I taped the envelope securely to Yuri's chest, careful to avoid the silver.

The envelope contained documents, and footage that Neb had taken from our camera. Poppy's camera, the one the assassin had missed, the one that caught it all.

The footage showed Yuri and his henchmen attacking my guards, and the assassin breaking into the suite.

There was a copy of a California state driver's license, showing the assassin's real identity, courtesy of Elaine Randall. I must have impressed her.

And also copies of the records Sanjay and Mithradates had unearthed in record time, showing the burner phone had been in Nevada when it was used to hire the assassin. Plus bank records showing Finch's payments from Vegas, his plane ticket, his credit card statement showing his purchases sent there.

The smoking gun Amun would be presenting to Narayana.

I was going bleed Felipe dry.