Chapter Thirty Six

Caius

Everything had been going so well, exactly to plan until I hired those two idiots to kill the human girl who had spotted the kidnappers stalking the Professor. First off they can't find her and then one gets himself killed and the other rings me to tell me they failed and that he was badly injured by her bodyguard! It took some time but he admitted that they had been bested by a female vampire and described her to me but it rang no bells. Was there a vampire mercenary out there I was not aware of? If so why was she protecting this human female? I was missing something but for now my prime target was The Major and with Maria refusing, saying she didn't have the manpower, didn't operate north of the border, and had her hands full with training The Major lookalike I was left with no alternative but to push Aro into action against him. With our gifts it would be easy to wipe him out but Aro needed a good reason to act. He'd always left The Major be up to now.

I hadn't been able to believe my luck when the very instrument of my success had landed in my lap from my own co ruler Marcus. I'd always thought his work in the archives was a way of escaping Aro and no more but it seemed he was genuinely fond of collating all the random bits of information that filtered through from his many spies and one piece had enabled my plan to finally have a chance at success.

I hadn't been looking for anything in particular when I wandered into the archives, Aro was on one of his usual trips to meet Chang, our emissary in Asia. I don't think Aro entirely trusted him but then it took a deceitful bastard to recognize another! Marcus was pouring over a computer print out running to several pages and I went over to see what had caught his attention.

"You seem deeply absorbed Marcus. Have you found El Dorado?"

He looked up and his face cracked into what, for him, was a smile.

"Not unless you consider the discovery of a second Major of that importance."

My ears pricked up, a second Major? How could that be?"

I tried to act casual and laughed,

"A second Major Marcus? I think you need to get out more. Some fresh air will clear your mind of such fancies."

"You may scoff Caius but I have here a paper written by one of his descendants accusing him of being a coward not a hero."

So? That hardly merits your assertion, besides if The Major ever read it I imagine there would be one less human roaming the Earth."

"Ah but this is no ordinary writer brother, his name is Jasper Whitlock."

You mean he's writing papers calling into question his own bravery? I knew animal blood would addle his brains and now here's the proof."

"No, this Jasper Whitlock is a human as I said. A descendant Caius you should listen more carefully."

"So someone named him after the original, it's not unknown."

"True, but I happen to have a photograph of the author, see for yourself."

He turned over one of the sheets and I looked open mouthed at the revealed photograph.

"This is a joke Marcus, a ploy to draw in more readers."

"Really Caius? When there are no photographs of the real Jasper Whitlock, now that would be clever wouldn't it?"

I studied the photograph more closely, it was the image of The Major, almost exact, in fact as a vampire it would be almost impossible to tell the difference.

I tried to act nonchalantly as I put the paper back down,

"Well a pretty coincidence but nothing more. what will you do with it?"

"File it in the archives along with everything else, who knows it might come in useful one day."

He spoke more truly than he knew.

A double for The Major, this was a gift from the gods. my associates thought they had set me an impossible task but it seemed they might be mistaken. I thought it highly unlikely that they would have this information and it could be gold to me. All I needed was someone to transform and train him and who better than she who had done the very same to the original?

That's how Maria had become involved and her payment was a mere bagatelle, so I gave her the task. Through an intermediary at first of course, without telling her why. Unfortunately I'd been forced to reveal myself when she proved reluctant, I needed her more than she needed me for now.

Of course I should have known things wouldn't go smoothly, they rarely did. The two bounty hunters I employed to snatch the Professor had failed to notify me that they had been spotted, how would a human spot a vampire unless they knew what to look for? I didn't know but whoever it was they needed to be eliminated, I didn't want anyone around who could throw any unwanted light on the professor. Now, not only was the girl being protected by a vampire but I had to persuade Aro that The Major was a danger to us and that he must be eliminated.

I went through to the courtyard where it was his usual routine to sit and read while in Sulpicia's company. Athena had tried to persuade me to join her in the same pursuit but I had made my apologies, I was much too busy, at least for now. Once I had what I wanted she could have all of my time but for now it was impossible. Luckily for me Aro was alone, and then I remembered Sulpicia and Athena had gone to Pisa for the evening to the Opera with Chelsea, Alec, and a couple of the Volturi guard. This was a special treat so they would make the most of it.

He looked up and smiled a little surprised to see me I think.

"Brother what a pleasant surprise, you look concerned. Is it something I should be aware of?"

"Actually Aro yes I believe so."

At my sombre tone he closed his book and put it down gesturing for me to join him at the wrought iron table. I pulled a chair up and steepled my fingers talking very low, I didn't think Marcus was anywhere about but it never paid to take chances, not when I was this close to my goal. I also thanked the Gods I had learned a way of circumnavigating Aro's gift should he touch me but we had made a pact many years ago to trust each other and never use our powers against the other. Of course it really only applied to Aro and he had never touched me and I know he hadn't touched Marcus since the day of Didyme's death. If he had done so I know Marcus would have torn him limb from limb.

"Pray speak brother, you are making me nervous."

"I know you do not see The Major as a threat to us."

He leaned back, sighed and smiled at me,

"Your bogeyman rears his head again? What is it this time Caius?"

"I have heard disturbing rumors concerning him, that he is speaking of plotting our demise."

"Caius really, there is always someone plotting our demise although I grant this is the first time I have heard his name involved. Who do you hear this from?"

"You know I have my own spies out in the world, they tell me he has been incited by friends to consider overthrowing us and setting himself in our place."

Aro snorted,

"I think your spies are perhaps listening to fairy stories. Do you have any evidence of this being true?"

"No not yet but I think you should at least consider having him, let us say, disappear. Unless of course the thought of his friends make you cautious."

"My dear brother, The Major himself makes me cautious and along with his many friends he could be a serious threat but he has never once involved himself in politics and I doubt he is doing so now. If you can furnish any proof then speak to me again but I doubt you will. You should have killed him when you had the chance seventy years ago. Don't expect me to do your dirty work for you, not without proof of wrongdoing. I have to justify my actions after all, especially when such a high profile member of our world is concerned."

There was nothing more I could do, one way or another I needed to find proof of law breaking or treason in order to gain Aro's help because without his gifted friends in the guard I could not remove The Major and my plans would come to naught.