Chapter 10

The walk to my room in the Dracul mansion was calming. Though, the girl, Lilac in front of me was an A class vampire, it wasn't as frightening as Nick. Hatred seems to be radiating off her, as she would glance at me over her shoulder now and again, but no words were spoken.

I kept humming in my mind the waltz so in case she was a mind reader she would get nothing. Each of the Five Great Clans had a specific ability. The Dracul were known for their impressive ability to read minds, so if she did have the blood of the Dracul, I would keep a steady static in my mind. So even as I hummed the waltz, my thoughts were internalized. So a group called The Silent Phantasma were the cause of my torture, the Elrics oldest vampire, Dominic was dead, and I was tangled into the middle of a blood war between the Five Clans and this Silent Phantasma, great.

Lilac stops and gestures to a door saying in the slow murmuring Russian accent, 'These will be your rooms, should you need anything, a servant will be stationed outside your door.'

I nod my understanding, and just as I'm about to step inside the room she says with an edge in her voice, 'I don't trust you clanless.'

Stopping, I turn my eyes to her saying with a slight edge in my own voice, 'Believe me, it's mutual.'

'I do not understand why Nicholas would be so interested in someone so powerless. So watch yourself, I will not allow you to hurt him. He gave me life and I owe him for it.'

So it was a backstory moment. Vampires say they were brought to life once they loose their humanity. So when she opened her eyes to the world of the phantom, she was a new being enterly. It was likely she had been terminally ill when Nick found her, thus the 'owing' side of her argument. Not only that, but she was planned, meaning she was considered 'family' in the main branch of the Dracul Clan.

I stare at her for a moment, then something pops into my head and I ask, 'Is there a phone in my rooms?'

'Nyet.'

'Do you have a cellphone I can borrow?'

For a moment she hesitates, but finally nods and hands over her own. I quickly dial a number I had memorized some seven year prior and listen as it rings. It rings for some time until finally a hesitant hello came from the other end.

Jerry was alive. I let out a relieved breath, having not realized I had been holding it through the ringing. I say soothingly, 'Jerry, it's me.'

'Jesus, Jesus Christ!! Nina! Holy...'

But I cut him off before he starts his monologue of sailors tongue saying, 'I'm glad you are alright. Are you safe?'

'Yes, I'm in...'

But I cut him off, not wanting this sharp faced woman to know, saying, 'I know where you are if you followed the instructions.'

'You know the New York Times are saying you were kidnapped.'

'Good, the last thing I need to worry about is being considered a murder suspect.'

'I'm not going to even ask if you are. But Nina...'

'Yes.'

I could hear the determination in his voice as he said, 'I need to know what's going on, all of it.'

'I might not be able to give you all of it, but I will give you what I know so far. Have you contacted Wilson.'

'Yes.'

'Have they executed the plan.'

'Yes.' I could hear the nervousness in his voice.

'Jerry.'

'Yes.'

A smile comes to my face as I look at Lilac who now frowned at me and say, 'Take a vacation.'

'What?! How can I take a vacation with all this going on? I mean, you have got to be crazy?!'

He sounded frantic and I chuckle. He goes silent at that, as I say, 'Jerry, there isn't anything else you can do. I need you to be clear of mind when the time comes, so take some money out of the account and rest.'

There was a deep silence on the other end. I could hear his breathing, but that was it. Finally, I hear a calm tone on his end of the line, 'Are you sure about this Nina?'

'Yes.'

'Ok, I'll talk to you later.'

With that I hear the line go dead and hand the phone over. Lilac takes the phone with a suspicious look and asks, 'Who is Jerry?'

'My assistant, a human.'

She scoffs and walks away, leaving me with a grin on my face. Stepping inside my room, I can't help but want to laugh. Vampires thought of humans as nothing more than cattle, incapable of deep thought. But I knew they could be just as cruel and heartless. The rooms I had were spacious, a bedroom, receiving room, bathroom, and another room that looked like a private study. Sitting behind the ild oaken desk, I lean back and smile wide.

Lilac had no idea what the conversation had really been about. Jerry had been my assistant for three years and in those three years, I had given him a very large responsibility. If I ever said the word 'rest', he would liquidate my company. In less than twenty four hours, all my assets would be in cash, and deeply washed by 700 different bank accounts until no one could find the end of my paper trail. Then the Wilson's would come into play, they would have the final bank account in a secret coded letter that would be sent to my last known relative with a letter telling them to keep it until a young woman would come for it. The Wilson's of course did not know what was the envelope, but that it was in their care and keeping till instructions were given.

Of course that young woman in tge secibd letter was me and with that I would have all the cash related to my company and rebuild. I had only done this twice before in my life, but could always sniff out the times I should prepare for it. Jerry would wait for further instructions and enjoy a paid vacation until then.

I could still remember the conversation. How confused Jerry had been, but without hesitation agreed to do what I ask. He hadn't known the extent, but knew when the time came to execute it. Leaning back, my smile turns down. Now the question was how to escape the Dracul castle.

Standing up, I walk back to the door, and open it. To my surprise, two guards stood on each side. Across the way, a man stood. His eyes were jet black and dangerous. He couldn't be an inch over five feet tall, but everything said death. His stance though seemingly uninterested was tense. However, beside him was a flouncy blonde that stood a good foot taller than the dark one beside her with wide green eyes. She bows and says in a crisp Dutch accent, 'Hello, I'm Daisy, I'm your personal servant. Is there something I can get you, blood, a fresh pillow, a book of your choice?'

That's when I fully understood, I was a guest, in word only. In reality I was a prisoner in nice surroundings. Smiling, I say, 'Just wanted to see what was going on, heard a lot of movement outside the door.'

She nods her understanding, but I can see the smirk on the dark ones face. He knew my true intentions as I step back into the room. This was going to be a long wait, and I would be hard pressed in my escape.