Note: Please see Prologue for warning, copyright and disclaimer information.

Nashville

We landed about twenty minutes later. Mac and I quietly gathered out things and piled them near the door.

"Were you expecting a lot of people?" Jax asked when he came out of the cockpit.

"Yes," Mac assured him, picking up most of his luggage and exiting the plane. Jax grabbed his own bag and the rest of Mac's before following him.

When I grabbed my things and stepped off the plane, I saw what he meant. There were at least twenty people standing there, most of them watching the perimeter looking for trouble. Parked nearby were two vans, a large Cadillac, and a Porsche, surrounded by six very large Harley Davidson Motorcycles, the kind Mac used to ride.

I mentally counted off the vamps in the crowd, then turned to Mac. "Did we really need eight vamps and a lot of other things?" I whispered.

He ignored me. "Evening Brenda," he said as she approached with two teen-aged Kindred.

"Cormac," she replied politely, turning to look at the girl next to her. "Faith, this is Cormac Brennan. Cormac, this is Faith Scott."

The girl held her hand out, but Mac lifted his filled hands apologetically. She gestured at a few of the ghouls and right away they came and took our luggage from us. Mac gave his usual warning about the sword before turning to shake hands with Faith.

"How was your flight?" she asked. "Any problems?"

"Nothing to concern yourself with," he said respectfully.

"And how did you find Paris?"

"It truly was the most romantic city in the world," he told her.

"Is this all of your things?" she asked, gesturing toward the ghouls who were taking the luggage to one of the vans.

"Yes."

I watched the crossbow get loaded with the rest of our things and hoped we wouldn't need it any time soon. From the corner of my eye I noticed that Mac was looking longingly at the motorcycles.

"If you'll follow me," the young girl said, "we'll head to the Chantry. We don't want to spend too much time in town, it's not safe. Yet."

"You will explain, of course," Mac murmured.

"Once we get into the van," she agreed, moving toward the vehicles.

Mac put his arm around my waist and led me to the van, where Faith was opening the side door. She noticed where his arm was and looked a little closer at my face as Brenda got into the van. Jax seemed to know some of the other ghouls and the last time I saw him he was headed to the Porsche with a young woman.

A male and female vamp got into the front of the vehicle and Faith climbed into the seat behind Brenda. Mac got in next to her, pulling me with him and draping an arm across the seat behind me. A ghoul shut the door on us and once the other vehicles were loaded, several motorcycles took the lead and we left the airport.

"We've had some problems with the Brujah," Faith explained as we went, "and its unsafe for a single Tremere or even several Tremere to be alone in Nashville. We'd planned on taking care of this earlier this evening, however it was a trap so we chose not to go."

"A wise choice," Mac agreed.

"Hopefully we can take care of this matter tomorrow evening," she added.

Brenda shifted a little on the seat, making me think she was eager to help.

I noticed as we went through town that it seemed a little run down, like a city on the edge of a long slide downward. I've seen a lot of places like that, lived in them mostly. Actually, Salem was one of the nicest towns I'd ever lived in, other than Bar Harbor.

"I understand that you are looking for information about Dougal Galloway," Faith said after a few minutes.

"Yes," Mac replied. "I have linked the person I believe that killed Dougal to what Brenda has informed me is as it turns out a Brujah friendly organization. Bruckman's?"

"Yes," she murmured dangerously. "We know about Bruckman's. Unfortunately we haven't been able to eliminate Bruckman's, but we know its there."

"Specifically Earl Hardy," he added.

"Yes, I have met Earl," she drawled slowly. "I've seen him a few times."

"In town?"

I could tell by the coldness in his voice that Mac was pissed. He wanted a piece of Earl, there was no doubt about that.

"Yes," she replied, seemingly unaware of the emotions seething beneath Mac's calm face. "This is the one you think killed Dougal?"

"Yes," he answered calmly. "I know he killed Dougal."

She glanced at him. "Can I ask how you know?"

"Auspex," he replied. "I have seen it, or rather, others have seen it and I have seen what they have."

She nodded, apparently familiar with the ability. "Well I don't know if he's in town right now, but given the problems we've had with the Brujah, we'll probably find out."

"He's mine," Mac said, his voice ice hard. "He caused the death of my sire."

She studied him for a moment, then nodded again. "Fair enough."

"I'd like to see a blood hunt called against him," he added.

"If he lives that long," she said softly before changing the subject.

The vamps exchanged pleasantries and introductions while we drove through town, although Mac didn't introduce me. Soon we'd left the city behind, and the driver followed a motorcycle through a very heavy gate that had opened when we approached.

We went almost a mile through thick trees before we came to a big area of cleared land. Sitting in the middle of it was a house on what looked like an artificial hill. A high fence surrounded the house and a few other outbuildings, and when we got closer, this gate opened for us too.

The vehicles pulled around and stopped in front of a long garage. The ghouls piled out of the other cars and one of them stopped to open the doors of the van for us. Some of the servants had our luggage and they carried them toward the back of the house while Faith led us to the front porch.

Parts of the house and fence looked like they had been repaired and painted recently, and once we got inside, it smelled like new paint and fresh wood. Faith and the black Kindred led Brenda and us into a cozy library and asked us to have a seat. Brenda walked over to an overstuffed chair and waited for Faith and Aviva to sit down before she did.

"Your luggage will be brought up shortly," Faith told us as she sat down. "When it is you will be shown to your rooms."

Mac dropped his hand from my waist and took my hand, pulling me down on the couch opposite them.

Faith watched us sit down and smiled. "So you've been to Europe looking for Dougal?"

"Yes, we've visited the Berlin and the Paris chantries."

"How is Eduardo?" she asked.

For someone who'd never made it to America, he sure knew a lot of vamps here.

"Good."

"It's a shame he won't come visit," she said softly.

"Something about the colonies not being fit for civilized Spaniards."

"Yes, I think that's exactly what he says," she drawled, "though not usually to 'colonists'. Did you spend some time with Jurgen?"

"I did spend a little time with him," he told her.

"And how is the boy?"

It was weird hearing her refer to Jurgen as a boy, he looked like he was a good ten years older than she was. Of course her being a vamp, she didn't show her age.

"Well," Mac replied.

"Did you find everything you were looking for in Europe?" she asked. "I heard you were looking for some of Dougal's things."

"Yes, I believe I found all I'm going to of his," he told her. "I came across his grimoire in Paris."

"Oh, he left it there?" She sounded surprised, I guess Tremere didn't normally just leave their spell books lying around.

"I believe he left it for me to find, but he placed a ward upon it."

"Against…?"

"Kindred."

"That would make it hard to read the book," she admitted with a smile. "Although your friend could help you with that."

I think she was angling for an introduction, but Mac didn't seem to notice.

"I was wondering if you knew the proper ritual to break such a ward," he said seriously. "I am most interested in reading it."

"Of course I do."

"Would you mind?" he asked respectfully.

"Of course not."

Immediately he picked up his bag and opened it in my direction. I glanced at Faith, then reached inside for the book.

"Oh, you wanted it done now," Faith murmured.

"At your convenience," he told her.

"Well, just have the girl put it on the desk," she said dismissively, "and I'll take care of it some time tonight."

"Very well."

I got up and put the book on the desk, then walked back to sit next to Mac again. I could feel Brenda's eyes on me the whole time, but I didn't give her the satisfaction of looking her way.

"You followed Dougal's trail here?" Faith asked.

"Yes." He took the invoice from his bag and half stood to hand it across to her. "I found this at the Bruckman's Imports in France."

She looked at it for a moment. "I wasn't aware that the Paris one was still open," she murmured.

"Its not."

"I wasn't aware it was open in July either," she added, glancing up at him. "I thought it closed down a few years ago. I had heard rumors that Earl was in town in late July, but like I said I don't know if he's still in town." She held the invoice out and Mac half rose again to take it from her.

"I do remember seeing Dougal, though, was it five years ago? Five and a half maybe?" she asked Aviva, who shrugged. "He refused to stay in the chantry. I'm not sure where he stayed."

Mac's fingers closed on my hand. "I don't know where he stayed either, he never contacted me on his way back through."

Faith seemed surprised. "Was that unusual?"

"Yes."

The door opened and a young man stepped in.

"Ah, your room is ready," Faith told us. "If you will go with John-Robert, he will show you to the rooms we have prepared upstairs."

Rooms? I tried not to look disappointed as Mac thanked her and pulled me to my feet. We followed the ghoul upstairs. He opened the door of a very nice bedroom that had Mac's luggage piled on the bed.

"This is your room sir," he said politely. "The young lady will be just down the hall."

"Thank you," Mac replied, stepping inside.

"If you will accompany me," John-Robert said firmly, leading me down the hall. He showed me into a much smaller bedroom where my things were on the bed. I thanked him and he left.

The room was nice, it just wasn't where I wanted to be. I waited until the ghoul's footsteps faded away, then opened the door softly to check the hall. When I saw that it was empty, I slipped out and walked toward Mac's room. I reached up to knock on the mostly closed door, but his voice stopped me.

"Come in luv."

I didn't even want to know how he knew it was me. I went into the room and closed the door behind me.

"How's your room?" he asked.

I looked around at his much nicer accommodations. "Let's just say you got the nicer one."

He glanced at the bed. "I have a large enough bed," he told me.

Was he saying what I thought he was saying? "Large enough for what?" His look told me all I needed to know. "You mean for both of us. I just figured they were going to make me stay down there." I walked over and sat down on the edge of the bed and ran my hand down the bedpost.

"Would you like me to inquire?" He seemed irritated.

"If you think they'll let me stay here, I don't care." But I did care. I didn't want to stay down the hall alone when he was so close.

"I'll ask in a little bit," he told me.

"Okay," I agreed, relieved. "So what are we doing the rest of the night?"

"Probably just settling in," he said. "I imagine you're very tired, aren't you?"

What was his first clue, the bags under my eyes? "Yeah, I'm kinda tired. Coffee would be good."

He held his hand out to me. "Lets go back downstairs and find someone."

"Just find someone," I murmured as I put my hand in his. "Grab the first Tremere we come across by his ear and say 'give me coffee'?"

"If he finds us the kitchen, yes," he replied softly.

I laughed. "I must be tired."

We went downstairs and caught John-Robert coming out of a doorway off the hall.

"Excuse me," Mac said.

"Yes, sir." John-Robert glanced at our hands then looked at Mac expectantly.

"My companion would like a bit of coffee, could you show us to the kitchen?"

He nodded. "Of course sir. Right this way." He opened the door he'd just closed and led us through a storage room of some sort and into a small kitchen. He showed me where the coffee was and took a mug down from the cupboard and poured a cup for me. He took the time to show me where the food was too before he turned to go.

"One more thing," Mac said before John-Robert could leave the room. "My traveling companion and I would prefer to be in the same room."

He didn't seem surprised. "Oh, of course."

"My room is more than ample sized," Mac added. "Would it be a problem at all?"

"Not a problem," he said quickly. "I'll send someone up to move her things."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome," he replied. "Is there anything else I can do for you?"

"No," Mac assured him. "You've been more than helpful."

"I believe that Faith, Aviva and Brenda are still in the library if you needed them," he told us.

"Perhaps we will join them," Mac murmured as the ghoul left us alone.

I drank the coffee quick, not wanting to make Mac wait for me or carry the cup through the beautiful house. I didn't think Faith would like it if I spilled coffee on her white carpets.

"Shall we go back up or head to the library?" Mac asked, watching me drink.

"Hey, I'm just here for the ride," I reminded him. This was Kindred stuff, his territory.

"We'll stop by the library," he told me. "Care for another cup?"

I finished what was left. "No, this should keep me awake for a couple of hours," I told him. Good thing it wasn't caffeine free, I'd never be able to stay awake. I rinsed the cup and set it down in the empty sink, not sure where else to put it.

We went back to the library to find Brenda and Aviva where we'd left them, talking. Faith was standing by the desk, looking down at the book intently. She didn't seem to notice when we came in, but Aviva did.

"Oh," she said. "How are your rooms?"

"Fine," Mac assured her.

"Did you need anything else?" she asked, as if she'd expected us to stay upstairs the rest of the night. Maybe she had.

"No, we were just checking in," he said. "Seeing if there was anything we could do with what's left of the night."

She looked at him questioningly. "Was there something you wanted to do with what's left of the night?"

"No, no, I just didn't know if there were anything that needed taking care of."

What was he volunteering us for? I didn't like being here, but I knew better than to show it. These Tremere had been nice and helpful, not quite what I expected. This close to home I figured they'd know who I was.

"Not really," Aviva replied. "You could check out the lower levels, I guess. The park or the pool. Brenda was talking about doing some target shooting."

"Is there an arsenal on the grounds?" Mac asked.

"Of course." She made it sound like every good southern house had an arsenal.

"I'm going to re-attempt to teach my traveling companion to shoot properly," he told her.

She glanced at me in surprise. "Re-attempt? She forgot?"

"We encountered some difficulties," he explained.

"What kind of difficulties?"

"She can't do it," he said simply.

"Well then, maybe you should work on other things," she suggested. "You know, maybe knives, or stakes."

I tried hard not to smile.

"She's quite proficient at that, I assure you," Mac replied.

"Is she?" The girl looked at me again, interested this time.

If she wanted, I could show her just how proficient I was with a stake.

"Yes," he told her, then looked down at me. "No."

I tried to look innocent, although I hadn't even said anything. Okay, so I'd been thinking it, but I hadn't said it.

"If you wanted to go with Brenda, she could show you," Aviva said.

At that moment, Faith looked up from the book. "Cormac, a moment please," she called across the room. He let go of my hand and went over to her.

I had to strain to hear their conversation, but I did hear a part of it.

"I understand that your companion tends to be a bit aggressive," Faith said in a low voice.

"I have her well under control," Cormac assured her.

Oh, he did, did he?

"Are you sure about that?" she asked.

At that moment, Brenda stood and walked over to the doorway, and I lost my concentration. I tried to look at her pleasantly although I was irritated that I couldn't hear the rest of Mac and Faith's little chat. "Miss Thompson."

She glanced at me briefly. "Eliza."

By that time, Mac was coming over to stand between us. "Ladies," he said pleasantly before turning to Brenda. "I'd like to look at the arsenal, I'm looking for a rifle."

Brenda nodded. "Faith, I will talk to you later," she called across the room. "Aviva. "

"Brenda," Faith replied, still looking down at the book.

"Have fun," the other vamp told us before she walked across the room to Faith's side

Mac took my hand and we followed Brenda into the hall. Before we reached the stairs, he said, "If you would wait just a moment, Brenda, I would like to retrieve something from upstairs and I need a few words with Eliza."

What'd I do now?

"That's fine," she replied politely. "I have a phone call to make."

"Very well." He led me up the stairs and as soon as we were out of earshot, I looked up at him.

"I didn't do anything," I whispered. "I was nice to her."

"And you're not going to either," he warned me.

Did he expect me to stake her in the middle of the chantry? Just because I wanted to, didn't mean I would. "Who said I was going to?"

"You are allowed free run of the second and main floor," he told me softly. "You are only allowed on the lower levels if accompanied by me."

"Why do I feel like a puppy?" I mumbled to myself.

At top of stairs he stopped and turned to look down at me, his face deadly serious. "I have guaranteed Faith your good behavior on my life," he said sternly. "Don't disappoint me."

I studied his face for a moment, trying to read him. Did he really have that much faith in me? Hell, if I wanted him dead, this would be the way I could do it and not have to kill him myself. He was putting his life in my hands, just as I had put my life in his hands when I'd asked him to bite me. He really trusted me that much. I was touched.

"Gotcha," I said softly, trying to make light of it as we went into the bedroom.

I grabbed the crossbow and a quiver of quarrels from my carryon bag while Mac grabbed a few boxes of regular ammo from his things. We went back downstairs just as Brenda was hanging up her phone.

"The range is downstairs," she said, gesturing toward the left.

She led us down one flight of stairs and through what looked like a large dining room, then down a second flight and into a much larger gathering room of some sort. There were several Kindred in the room and some ghouls. Brenda greeted them and Mac nodded as we walked through and out into the hallway.