There was silence for a moment. Witchcraft? Suddenly the conversation had turned dangerous.
"Why has she needed to consult her?" asked Ulrich quietly.
The three vampires stared at Sascha who looked rather embarrassed. "Ah! It's nothing!" he said "just a rumour."
"A rumour of…" prompted Ulrich.
Sascha sighed and glanced around the terrace. "Okay, but you didn't hear this from me!" he muttered in a low voice. "Francesca began hearing rumours a few weeks ago that a woman, a human woman had moved into our territory. A witch, calling herself Lucilla. We didn't pay much attention until we heard that she practised necromancy."
The vampires froze instantly. "What?" whispered Alex turning to William. "Why is that important?"
"She doesn't know about witches?" I asked.
"It appears not. It's never come up before."
"You know what that is?" he murmured to her.
"Well" she hesitated for a moment, apparently unsure, "it's…..raising the dead. Isn't it? Why is that a problem?"
"Necromancers strive to obtain power over the dead" said William. "Think about this Alex…if she can control the dead, then she can control us!"
Everyone stared at Sascha. "We can't cancel the visit" said Ulrich. "All the arrangements are in place, to cancel now would be an unimaginable insult!"
"We'll just have to be extremely careful" said William.
"Well, it's only a rumour after all!" said Gerry. "We don't know that this woman has any real power at all, that she is even a sorcerer let alone a necromancer. Maybe she just likes dancing around naked!"
Sascha let out a great bellow of laughter and William and Ulrich glared at them both disapprovingly. "Oh, come on!" said Gerry. "I'm just trying to lighten the atmosphere a little."
Ulrich smiled. "Well, I guess we'll just have to see what happens" he said.
"This witch, will she be a problem?"
"I have no idea! As Gerry said, we don't even know for sure that she is a witch. Or that, if she is, she would have the slightest interest in us."
I thought for a moment. "The Kings and Queens that are here tonight, they are the leaders of our people in this country, is that correct?"
"Well technically, yes. They each rule their own territory but are appointed by the Authority."
"And who appoints them?"
"I have no idea. I imagine that the Authority appoints new Chancellors as they are required..."
I looked up to see that Ulrich had got up and was looking out into the main ballroom. William followed his eyes and sighed patiently.
"Let's get this over with" said Ulrich gesturing through the double doors of the terrace to where two men stood in close conversation. One was small and slim but carried himself with the assurance of great age and power. The other was taller and had an air of determination about him. William recognised both.
"Who are they?"
"Russell Edgington, King of Mississippi and Felipe de Casto, King of Nevada. He also took over both Louisiana and Arkensas after the deaths of my Queen, Sophie-Anne and her husband, Peter Threadgill."
He put out his hand to help Alex to her feet and we walked over to them.
"How is it that he has three territories?"
"A good question."
"How is it that de Castro has managed to get away with taking over Louisiana and Arkensas?" he asked Ulrich casually.
"It's not something I've ever enquired about" he answered quietly. "It's none of my business since I'm not one of the US Chancellors. I would imagine that in the chaos after the summit meeting in Rhodes they felt that they had enough to occupy them and were just relieved that someone was prepared to take over the running of the vacant states."
"Hmm...It seems to me to be dangerous to give too much power to one man. You should not permit this."
"Lilith does not approve!" he said.
Ulrich glanced at him and gave him a look which said clearly, "don't mention it."
We paused a little way away and Ulrich said "wait here" and strolled casually over to the two Kings. William slipped his arm around Alex's waist and smiled down at her. "Everything okay?" he asked.
"Oh I'm fine" she said. "How about you? What's happened between you and these guys?"
"What makes you think anything has happened?"
She laughed softly. "Bill, I can feel the tension in your arm, never mind through the bond!"
"She's very perceptive. Do not fear them William, they cannot harm you, not now that I am with you."
Ulrich was approaching with Edgington and de Castro. He stopped in front of us and turned to them. "I believe you have both met Mr Compton previously?"
"Yes indeed" said Russell, ignoring William and taking Alex's hand. "But not his charming companion!" He bent to kiss her hand and I noticed him pause and sniff at her curiously, he could sense the fae blood! This could be dangerous.
"This is Alexandra Morgan" said Ulrich. "Alexandra, this is his Majesty Russell Edgington, the King of Mississippi."
"I'm very pleased to meet you your Majesty" said Alex calmly and politely. Russell glanced up at William and I caught his eye. I stared out into his mind for a moment.
"This one is arrogant William, he believes himself to be better than others, including you, because of his age."
"Well I could have told you that myself!"
"Russell" he said briefly, giving him a nod. From his expression he did not consider it sufficiently obsequious.
Ulrich gestured at Felipe. "And this is his Majesty Felipe de Castro, King of Nevada, Louisiana and Arkensas" he said.
Alex smiled as he kissed her hand. You could have cut the atmosphere with a knife. Felipe bowed politely to Alex and then turned to William. "Indeed I have met Mr Compton before" he said coldly. "He was one of my subjects in Louisiana. In fact he left without asking my permission or even notifying his sheriff."
"Oh William! This one is even more arrogant than the other! He should be made to understand my power!"
William smiled at him. "I didn't feel that it was necessary at the time, and anyway, we are far beyond that now." He leaned towards him a little. "You may dislike me personally Felipe..." his eyes flew wide with shock at the familiar use of his personal name rather than his title "...but you will show me the respect due to the Goddess."
"Keep your eyes on his William. Hold his gaze!"
He gave a cynical little smile and I could see that these two were among those Eric had mentioned, those who did not believe in the resurrection of the Goddess. Well, they would learn. William stared him down. I focussed on De Castro's eyes and, after a moment, they went blank as my power drove into his mind. I felt him struggling weakly against me.
"You would dare defy your Goddess?"
He gazed blankly at William, open mouthed as my voice echoed in his head and I forced my way into his memories, deliberately demonstrating to him his helplessness against me. I felt Edgington turning to look at him, but I held him and he was unable to tear his eyes away from William. After a few more seconds I released him and William turned away. He staggered for a moment and took Russell's arm.
"He believes now my friend!"
As we strolled back towards the bar, I could feel the eyes of everyone following us as we went and sensed that a great many were not watching William but Alex.
"You must be aware that many of the males here are interested in her William."
"Yes Lily, I see that."
"And are you not concerned?"
"Not in the slightest. I know that she loves me and is not interested in anyone else and, thanks to you, I need not worry about losing her. It's ironic really, as much as you dislike her, you yourself have given me the strength and authority to be able to walk through a room full of powerful vampires with her on my arm with no concern that someone might try to take her from me. As you yourself pointed out, they would not dare!"
"I do not dislike her William. Admittedly I did at first, I was jealous of your feelings for her. But now I can see that she is useful to you and not merely for food and sex."
"That is not why I love her and you know it!"
"Yes, I know that. I see now that you are not so unusual as I had thought in your choice of a human companion. It appears that many others do so, and you have chosen well, she is very beautiful and appears worthy of you, of us."
"So you appreciate her purely for decorative purposes?"
"I am interested in how you appear to others William, it reflects well on me if they admire your companion. My host should be a vampire that others look up to and admire. Besides...I feel sure that there is more to her than she has allowed me to see."
William was silent for a moment, thoughtful. "Well, I'm glad that you have come to appreciate at least one of her many good qualities."
"The two Kings we met just now, you don't trust them do you?"
"No indeed I don't."
"You show considerable wisdom for one so young. They did not believe that I live in you did they?"
"Oh I think Felipe does now! Although he didn't want to. What did you do to him?"
"It is similar to your glamour, but much more powerful, he could feel my presence and my anger at his disbelief. He will pass on this knowledge to others who do not wish to believe. They will accept you as their leader my friend. I shall make sure of this!"
Alex put a hand on William's arm. "Is everything okay?" she asked.
"Lilith doesn't trust Edgington or De Castro" He answered quietly.
"How very perceptive of her!" she said, "I've only just met them and I wouldn't trust either of them further than I could see 'em…if that far!"
She evidently had remarkably good judgement for a mortal. I was considering this and my concentration lapsed for a moment. Suddenly I caught a reference to dancing...
"Waltz? What is this waltz?"
"Relax Lily, just relax and go with it!"
William swept her out onto the dance floor, his hand in the small of her back, the smooth satin of her dress cool under his fingers. He held her close, her small warm hand on his back just above his belt as the music carried us across the floor. There were other couples dancing, including Gerry and Susie, but he had eyes only for Alex. I became gradually aware that the crowds on the edge of the dance floor were becoming thicker but William didn't appear to notice. When the music stopped we swept to a halt at the edge of the floor. There were a few desultory claps and then we walked off the floor to a swelling roar of applause.