Vengeance by Drucilla Malfoy

Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I own neither Blood Ties nor Forever Knight. I'm just playing with them for the moment. And even if you sue me, all I have are student loans, which you're welcome to.

"I'll be by later. I just need to check on something for a friend." Henry drove through the nighttime streets quickly.

"Everything ok?" Vicki asked through the phone.

"Yes, fine."

"You have other friends?" she asked sarcastically.

"Yes, I have other friends." He answered.

"Well, I have a new case when you get finished and I need you to ask around about something."

"You mean use my supernatural connections?"

"Something like that. Alright. I'll see you later. Love you."

"Love you, too." Henry smiled as he hung up the phone. He thanked God once again for having Vicki, hard headed though she may be, in his life.

Emma's state of mind was still bothering more than anything she had said. There was such an overwhelming terror in her eyes and in her voice. Over all the years he'd had fallen in as almost an older brother to Emma despite the fact she was almost 3000 years older. She was always so calm and independent. He supposed living that long forced someone to just become stronger but whatever was happening was breaking all of her long built defenses. Whatever this thing was had to be bad.

He pulled his car into a spot along the grimy curb in front of the night club. During its previous time open, The Raven had been the axis of the vampire community in Toronto. Nearly every vampire that passed through the city during the club's 10 year run passed through its doors. Since it's re-opening it had quickly reclaimed its place.

He sighed and looked toward the stark brick façade. Honestly, he hated this place. There were just too many vampires in too small a space and too much competition for feeding. Of course the upside of a vampire bar was the particular vintage it served. The bouncer at the door sized him up and waved him past the line of mortals waiting in the chilly October night. The bar was exactly the same as he remembered it the one time Emma had brought him when he had first considered moving to Toronto. The dark hazy atmosphere and heavy music were distracting as he walked through the dance floor toward the bar. The vampire bartender gave him a look and walked to where Henry stood at the bar.

"Can I get you something or are you looking for something a little fresher tonight?"

"No, thank you. Actually, I need to speak to Lacroix."

The bartender looked shocked for a moment before he shrugged. "He's in the office. Back hall." He gestured to a door off the side. "Oh, and kid, be careful. He's in a mood tonight."

He nooded and turned toward the door in the back.

The door snapped closed behind him drowning out the sounds of the night club. The hall was long and narrow; he could see a few side rooms and a set of double doors at the opposite end, which he assumed belong to the office. A tall dark haired woman came through the doors and closed them quickly behind her and leaning against them eyes closed.

Henry smiled and walked toward the end of the hall. "Hello, Jeanette." He leaned against the wall as he came within a few feet of the woman.

"Henry Fitzroy," she slowly opened her eyes and fixed her gaze on him, "I haven't seen you in ages." She pushed away from the door and came to give him a kiss on the cheek. "How are you, darling?"

"Good. Last I heard you we're off west playing human."

She waved the comment away, "It passed. And things must not be that good if you're here."

"I'm here for Emma."

She nodded. "I heard about Magnus. She doesn't think Lacroix?"

"No," he cut her off, "nothing like that. There have been others."

They both cringed as the sound of glass shattering against the door resounded through the quite hall.

"Well, you picked a hell of a night for a visit. He's been on the phone with Nicola half the night."

"I tried to get Emma to come herself, but she refused. You must have some idea what their fight was about."

"Christina did some things, Nicholas did some things. He thought she was too lenient, she though he was too strict. It dissolved into a vicious argument in some arcane Latin dialect and in the end she broke his jaw and stormed out." She answered as if it was nothing.

"It must have been something for her to not even speak to him for 50 years."

"You didn't have to listen to it. Do you think he might have something to do with her latest predicament?"

"She's afraid it's the enforcers. He used to have some say in their actions, I wondered if he could look in to it."

Another crash, which sounded eerily like a phone hitting the door, rang out.

Jeanette sighed heavily. "Wait here." She instructed turning and heading back into the room.

She returned a moment later, a pad and pen in her hand. "Leave me your address and I'll try to get him to stop by tonight or tomorrow."

He took it and began to write his address a small smile playing on his lips. "How do you know she's staying with me?"

"Honestly, Henry. I know Emma. I know how much she relies on you. It's obvious."

"Good night, Jeanette." He took her hand and pressed a kiss to it before heading back toward the main floor of the club.

"Henry?" she called.

He paused and turned back.

"Has she been feeding, in the midst of all her sun walking and emotional crisis?"

"Not regularly."

She sighed and whispered something very insulting about Emma's parentage in French. "I'll send someone over with a case. She needs to go into a frenzy and tear someone apart. That would make things so much better."

"Thank you." He called, thankful that he wouldn't have to continue being Emma's only source of blood.

Henry exited out into the cool night air and leaned against the car for a moment savoring the feel of the night. His reverie was broken by the muffled chime of his phone from deep in his pocket. His insides cringed when he saw Vicki's name on the call ID.

"Vicki. What's happened?

There was a slight pause. "Yeah, Henry, I'm over at your place…"

He sighed heavily. He had hoped this wouldn't happen. "I'm on my way home. Believe it or not there really is a very good explanation."

"Oh, I'll be waiting for a very good explanation." She abruptly hung up.

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