Vengeance by Drucilla Malfoy
Chapter 3
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.
Vicki was waiting on the couch in the living room when he slipped through the doors. He watched her carefully as he entered the room.
"Well? I'm waiting." Her words were clipped. He could feel the irritation radiating off her in waves.
"Emma is an old friend." He answered carefully.
"Define 'old.'"
He smirked.
"I know that look." She sighed. "Ex-girlfriend?"
"Not remotely." He sat beside her.
"Can you explain why my suspect is sleeping in your bed?"
"Suspect? What? How is Emma a suspect in anything?" It was his turn to be irritated.
"Oh, no. I get to ask the questions. How about I rephrase it for you. Why don't you explain to your girlfriend why an 'old friend' is sleeping in your bed." She actually used air quotes that time and he cringed. That was the heart of it all.
"Something is hunting her. Killing all the people she cares about. She's been awake for days. She was exhausted and starved and I told her to sleep in my bed while I went and asked some questions for her." He held up his hands. "And to stop the next question that I know is forming in your head. Yes, I fed her. But nothing inappropriate happened because I am involved in a committed relationship as well as the fact that Emma is like a sister to me and that would be purely disgusting." He finished his rant and took a breath.
"You done?" she watched him skeptically. "You could have stopped after the first part. I trust you Henry. I know you wouldn't do anything bad."
"I thought you liked it when I was bad." He leaned close and placed a tiny kiss on the side of her neck.
She smiled but stopped him with a hand on his face. "You are the most confounding man I have ever known." She pushed him away playfully, showing that her anger had finally dissipated. "So how long have you known her?"
"Emma?" he sighed. "Almost 500 years. She was the one that turned Christina."
"Ahhh. Her boyfriend's brother hired me to look into his death. All the roads kept leading back to her. To answer your earlier question. We always seem to end up on the same investigation don't we?" Vicki ran a hand down his cheek.
"I wouldn't have it any other way." He answered leaning into her touch.
"I thought you told me vampires avoided each other like the plague. And it turns out you have family and everything."
"It's complicated. I don't think we should introduce Emma to your mom."
"Why? Think she'll eat her?"
"No, I think they'd get along and make our lives hell."
She laughed but came back to seriousness quickly. "Do you think she had anything to do with the boyfriend?" she held her hands up. "You know me. I have to ask."
Henry shook his head. "She didn't do this. She's terrified. She's not that kind of person. She loved him, she would never…"
"Why did she come to you? It's not like you're particularly close to Christina or anything."
He shrugged. "She's family. She's the only family I've actually stayed close to."
She leaned away from him and back against the back of the sofa. "You told me two vampires couldn't even stand to be in the same city. You never even let on that vampires considered them selves as families."
"We even have conversion days." He shook his head. "After Christina and I split Emma was the only one I stayed in touch with."
*flashback*
He could feel the horse tiring. They had been riding hard since sundown. Christina had been adamant that they get to her sister's home before sundown. No, not sister, he corrected himself. Her maker. She said it would be the safest place for them. She could sense her worry but he felt invincible, more than ever before in his life. Henry reveled in the new sensations and experiences. The feel of the wind on his face, was as nothing he had ever felt before. The stars in the sky were so much brighter. There were so many smells and sounds as they rode through the forest. It was as if he was experiencing everything for the first time.
The trees soon began to fall away and they were quickly on the grounds of a large manor house.
"We're home." Christina sighed and smiled as he pulled the animal up beside hers.
She led them slowly toward the stable and once the horses were safely tied she took his hand and pulled him toward the back of the great house.
Christina laughed at his annoyed look as she lead him through the empty kitchen. "Why so sour, my prince?" she whispered turning to caress his cheek.
He leaned into her touch but did not change his expression. "I am not accustomed to creeping about. Why did we not enter properly?"
"I need to tell Emmalina about this in my own way. Come." She pulled him farther into the house. She turned back and held a finger to her lips as the entered the entrance hall. They crept silently across the floor as sounds of conversation carried out from a room off to the side.
"Christina?"
She froze as a female voice carried out from the drawing room.
"Come in here you silly girl, we all know where you've been."
She squeezed his had and stepped into the doorway. From the shadows he could just see in to the room. He recognized the young-looking woman that he had always believed was Christina's sister seated near the hearth. The tall man that leaned against the wall, almost overseeing everything, had accompanied the women to court many times. The other three he vaguely recognized, likely from some courtly activities.
"So," the woman looked to Christina. "How is our, soon-to-be crown prince this night?"
She stood silently, staring into the fire.
"Christina?" she rose from the chair. "You are usually so eager to discuss this topic. Why are you silent?"
She took a deep breath and reached back into the shadows for Henry's hand before pulling him into the doorway beside her.
The woman on the sofa gasped and the two men beside her stood, abruptly.
"Emma, what is…" the blonde man burst but quieted with her raised hand.
She crossed the distance between herself and Christina quickly. "I forbade this." She whispered.
"I love him. I…" his speech was cut short as Emma's hand contacted her face and she fell hard to the ground.
"Do you realize what you have done you stupid, stupid child." She breathed heavily for a moment before composing herself. "Lucien, you will have to forgive me." She called over her shoulder. "It would seem I have family matters to attend to."
The trio hustled past them into the entrance.
"You will deal with this, Emma." The tall blonde man spoke again.
"Do not question me in my own household, Lucius." Her words were short. He started at her defiantly for a moment before following the others out the door.
"Magnus."
The man who had been standing near the fire came foreword.
"Take the boy elsewhere."
He nodded and passed her grabbing Henry's arm and pulling him away. Henry fought but the man pulled him close.
"Leave it be boy. You know not the depth of what has happened here."
He stared into Magnus' eye a moment before relenting and allowing himself to be led away.
"Why is Christina being punished?" he followed the older man through the labyrinth of the house.
He looked back but continued leading Henry.
"I asked a question." Henry declared, stopping. "I will not be ignored."
The older man turned to face him a cruel smirk playing on his lips. "Ahh, now that is what I would expect from the bastard son of a scoundrel king."
"It is treason to speak of my father in such a disrespectful manner."
"And who will turn me in? You little duke? You are dead to that world."
"I will not tolerate this."
"You will tolerate whatever Emma decides you will tolerate."
Henry swung but the blow was quickly deflected and he quickly found himself pinned to the floor.
"Enough of this, boy." Magnus released him. "Come, let us have some wine." He reached his hand down.
Henry eyed his hand dangerously but accepted the offer and followed the man into a dining room.
Magnus dug about in a cabinet and produced a small cask, pitcher and goblets. Henry watched from the fringes with vague interest. Finally, he took the glass that was offered.
The drink was different than anything he had tasted before. "What is this? I've never…"
"You wouldn't have. It's blood wine."
"Blood wine? I've never heard of such a thing."
"No one outside our community would. The human blood mixed into the wine preserving the blood."
"What do you mean community? Christina said vampires cannot live together." He drank slowly.
Magnus laughed low and deep. "I'm not surprised, that spoiled little vixen…"
"Magnus."
Both turned to see Emma blocking the doorway.
"Take Christina to the dungeon. I wish to hear nothing more from her this night." She stopped Magnus as he moved to pass. "None of your sentimentality, Magnus. I will not tolerate it." He nodded and left them. Her eyes rested heavily on Henry. He couldn't help but fidget under her gaze. She smirked and swept across the room to pour herself a glass of wine. "And now I must decide how best to handle you. You provide quite a predicament to me."
"I have done nothing." He rested his goblet on the table. "I love Christina. That is no crime."
She was silent a moment. "No, I don't suppose it is. There are some that would have me destroy you both. The gentleman earlier, in particular. Your status in this country makes your entrance to our community even more perilous. You know of the act in parliament at the moment, to make you the heir to the throne? That is so dangerous to us. So many of the community are active in court. If you we're ever seen… It would place us all in grave danger. Do you understand this?"
"Yes." He thought over her words a moment. He had been short sighted. His love had blinded him to the realities of the situation. "You have many decisions before you."
She was silent again, appraising him. "You sound so resigned to your fate." She crossed the room to stand near him. "Do not fear, Henry. I will not send you to your eternal rest quite yet. Now," she set her goblet down, "I understand there are many things Christina has told you that may have been more in her interest than your own."
*End Flashback*
"Wow. I… just wow." Vicky watched Henry pace about the living room as he told her of his first night as a vampire.
He stood and began to pace. "I should go see if she's awake." He whispered but delayed.
Vicky stood and walked to him. "You've never told me anything about your past before."
"Maybe I should have." He looked up. "I'm going to have to tell you about why I didn't tell you about the community and all too, aren't I?"
"Ya think?" she punched him lightly on the shoulder before leaning in to kiss his cheek. "You better come up with a very good reason."
He nodded and studied her face. "What would I do without you?"
"You'd be lost." She answered, cheekily. "Go wake up your friend."
Henry smiled and turned back toward the bed room.
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