Chapter 26

According to Justus, the Red Door was a private, members-only club. He arranged to meet with his friend, Remi—someone he consulted with when he needed sound advice. I rode with Justus while Adam and Simon tailed behind; they had to wrap up their training, which had been going on all day.

I did find out where Justus had acquired the photo of me that was on his desk in the hidden room. Not because anyone admitted it, I just put two and two together. When Adam first arrived, he had a satchel with his newest photographs that he wanted to give me copies of. Adam was frustrated to find that particular photograph copy missing.

Simon admired the original photo (which I insisted Adam keep) and showed Justus, who seemed curiously disinterested as he raised his brandy glass and cleaned the bottom.

Justus had gone through Adam’s things without his knowing and stolen that picture for himself. I don’t know the reasoning, or why he couldn’t just take a picture of me himself, but I didn’t ask.

My hair was tied back with a few stray pieces hanging in my face. I chose a long black skirt with a modest slit, an amethyst-colored blouse, and a simple pair of flats. Justus purchased these expensive items, and he was extremely proud to see me in them, even though he didn’t admit it.

There were customs I had to get used to, one of which included being escorted by my Ghuardian at all times when I went out in public. While it wasn’t a concern I had now, I was fully aware that I would begin to feel the pinch at my privacy in the future.

We approached the side entrance of a large brick building lined with people hoping to get in.

Justus pulled a pair of mirrored sunglasses from his coat and slid them up the bridge of his nose. He leaned over and whispered, “Humans aren’t usually allowed, but we have a pass for Adam.”

“A pass for what?” I looked over the crowd again. “Is this a Mage club?”

His laugh was more of a growl. “No, Learner. This club welcomes all Breed. It’s neutral ground. It’s social, indeed, but many come here to do business or favor trade. You’ll find that you fit right in here. These clubs are all over, but they are very exclusive—Breed only. This is what you’ve been missing out on, Silver.”

Justus gave the bouncer a nod. The big meaty guy with the shiny bald head turned his mouth up in a crooked smile as he pulled open a large red door.

“Haven’t seen you around, Mr. De Gradi—the ladies have missed you.”

I snorted as we stepped through the door; my senses were getting hazy and I began to feel jittery all over. I stopped and grabbed Justus’s hand. “I don’t feel right.”

He leaned down and whispered, “Give it a few minutes to adjust. You’re feeling the energy of the Breed. It feels confusing the first time but you’ll get used to it. Come on, we’re down this way.”

Justus secured his arm around my back and escorted me through the club. Women were turning their heads with extreme precision to follow Justus as he tunneled through the crowd. I didn’t particularly think it was his winning smile that was pleasing the ladies—it was the charm he was throwing out like beads on Mardi Gras.

Some even called him by name, and I realized his talents must have been legendary.

I began to soak in my first glimpses of other Breed. One gentleman nodded and winked at me, flashing a brilliant gold glimmer behind his lashes. His features were so gentle and yet I had to look away as those golden eyes locked onto me, unblinking, as if I were prey. Two men lingered by an open doorway; their skin was phenomenally smooth and beautiful. The one with the long straight hair tipped his head in my direction and grinned, and I caught the gleam of a sharp tooth lowering.

“Are those…”

“Vampires. Yes, and don’t stare. If he lowers a fang at you again, it’s coming out of his mouth.” His eyes glared back at the Vampire as if he had been giving him a warning, but they were too far apart for him to have heard.

“I feel like I fell down the rabbit hole.”

“Just remember not to make human assumptions when you meet anyone, because it only shows ignorance.”

“Like Mages being wizards?”

“Mage,” he corrected. “Not Mages, not Magi, not Magaree. Different rules, different world, different word. And you don’t see me carrying a wand, do you?”

“Well…”

“You’ve always got a counter for everything, don’t you?”

I giggled and caught his eyes smiling at the corners behind the shades because of the way they crinkled at the side. It felt good to laugh again.

We stepped up to a private booth area. The oval tables were surrounded by lovely red seats, all of which had tall glass frames for privacy behind them. Each table was adorned with crackled glass votives, glimmering on the polished wood from the candlelight.

A very marvelous man in appearance stood up and bowed. “Justus, we must meet more often.”

I noticed a few eyes near us fall on him fearfully. Nothing about him struck me as menacing. He had a tall, slender build and could have easily been my age, but his regal stature made him seem more mature. Soft brown hair fell to the square shoulders of his black coat. When his eyes lifted to greet us, I thought they were a pretty shade of hazel until he looked at me and the color shifted to a deep orange. But what really caught my attention was the frightening tattoo of a dragon, prominent on his neck. I could only make out part of the claws and head from his raised collar, but it was enough to see its sinister smile around the gnashing teeth.

I timidly clasped my hands together, which he noticed.

Justus bowed back. “Remi, it is good to see you again. Still keeping the mane, I see.”

Remi lightly touched the ends of his hair and arched a brow.

“I would like to introduce you to Silver, my Learner.”

Remi gave a slow nod without breaking eye contact and I returned the gesture.

“I wondered when I would receive an introduction, as I have heard much about you,” Remi said. “It is with great pleasure.” He stepped aside and made a sweeping gesture for us to join him. “Do sit.” There was something odd about him I couldn’t put my finger on. There was something very off, very detached behind his expression. It was as if he were going through the motions without feeling.

I took a spot at the edge of the booth as Justus and Remi moved to the curved bench on my left at the end.

“Room for more?” Simon and Adam finally graced us with their presence. Simon was also wearing sunglasses, but he looked more like a rock star incognito.

“Remi, you know Simon. This is Adam Razor.” Justus made a small hand gesture to the new additions.

“Ah, so you are the one.”

Adam nodded, taking the seat across from me and I eased over, giving Simon some room. I caught a faint whiff of his cologne but kept my focus on Remi, who hadn’t looked away from me. I didn’t like the intensity of his stare, so I squirmed in my chair and waited for Justus to speak.

Remi was a Gemini. It was very interesting to hear of other non-humans outside of the ones I’d read or seen movies about. There was a whole world that existed that I’d never even imagined. Some were immortal, while others led shorter life spans. Some were born into their Breed while others had to be made.

Gemini are a very old Breed of immortals who are only loyal to the very few that they trust. All Justus reiterated was that I should never provoke a Gemini. Ever.

Gemini learned to shut off emotions of anger, jealousy, and revenge, as they considered them a weakness. Particularly since they had a raging beast inside of them that, once provoked, would not rest until they killed their intended victim or otherwise. He did mention that most carried the gift of intuition, not the same as premonitions, but just an ability to assess a situation and understand the outcome. They were often employed as advisors.

Remi had also had a brief relationship a long time ago with Hannah, which made Justus think he might have some specific insight as to the decision the Council might come to.

Adam suddenly reached across the table and took my hand. “You’re not well,” he insisted.

“I’m fine, I can’t get sick, remember?” I smiled weakly. “It’s just the energy here.”

I became more acclimated to the energy with each passing minute. I guess it takes a while to get your sea legs.

“May we begin?” Remi looked to Justus and I pulled away from Adam.

“Remi, I’ve asked you here to gain your intuition. You know Hannah, our intention, and Adam being the challenger. What I didn’t explain—”

“Yes, that it is to the death of course. That intent is quite clear.” Remi waved a hand as if he had already seen the elephant in the room before we even came in.

“You must know then the outcome is not certain, Adam is well-trained but Samil has centuries of technique. If Adam wins, we do not know what they’ll do with Samil’s power.”

A waitress came to our table and set down four small glasses filled with a milky-green liquid. As the men began to slowly sip their drink, I dipped my nose in the glass, smelling something sickly sweet. I took a small taste and turned my nose as I set it on the table.

“Not to your liking?” Remi asked, watching my reaction with mild interest and a blank expression.

“No it’s fine. Just reminds me of kryptonite.” I caught a smile hovering at the corner of Adam’s lips as he lifted his glass in a toast to our inside joke.

Remi tilted his head and his straight brown hair fell away from his face, allowing me to see his eyes more clearly. They were pronounced with a wonderfully rich orange hue and a well-defined black rim around the outer edge of the iris. I looked down at my drink; he was very charming in every gesture but something about him intimidated the hell out of me behind the façade of being calm and collected. It was not unlike having a conversation with a grenade.

“Justus, friend, what I can tell you of the outcome is this: there will be a decision made on Adam’s fate. The Council will deny a proposal.”

“Will Adam be the victor?”

“That I cannot tell you.”

“So you do know.”

“I may. We both know that fate is not without its sense of humor and its cruelty. To intervene with fate can bring consequences, if not change the path entirely. I must be selective in what I reveal. This is one situation where I cannot offer much.”

“Fuck, mate… what can you tell us?” Simon blurted.

Justus cleared his throat and Simon protested. “I’m sorry, but what the hell was the purpose of coming here if we can’t get a little edge on this? If I knew it would be a total waste of time I would have knocked boots with that sweet little blonde standing over by the—”

I hit Simon on the arm with the back of my hand and he slouched in his seat, glancing away.

Remi leaned back and his lashes softly kissed as he looked between all of us.

“All of your efforts for this Mage are not in vain. She will save many lives in the course of her life.” His eyes washed over me with strange familiarity. “Silver, the Breed do not live an easy life. You must be strong for it, but never harden on the inside or you will lose your humanity. It would be a great loss.”

The table quieted, it seemed as if everyone was afraid to interrupt that thoughtful piece of advice. But I needed a real drink.

“Excuse me, I’ll be right back.”

Elbowing Simon to move his ass, I hopped up out of my seat and noticed Remi was standing up as a gentleman might. I smiled, and Simon suddenly flew up out of his chair, followed by Adam.

“Too late now,” I said, rolling my eyes as I walked off.

The wall behind the bar was shelved with liquor bottles illuminated by blue lighting inside the paneling. The bar top was a rich mahogany, and underneath there were soft lights that lit up the stools and floor. I tried to capture the bartender’s attention with my eyes as he mixed a cocktail for an older lady in a black hat. I heard a woman laughing so loud it reverberated off the walls.

“Over here!” someone shouted.

“That one is itching to mark me. See how he looks at me?”

“You are a new one.”

Ignoring the conversations around me, my fingers tapped on the wood as I admired the display of alcohol bottles.

“Learner, I’m talking to you. It is impolite to not look someone in the eye who is speaking to you.”

Who the hell?

I turned to my right and my eyes raked over a man with a cool and steady gaze. His inky black eyes appreciated every inch of me, and he was taking the scenic route.

“Bartender, vodka and tonic?” I asked. He nodded and gestured he would be with me in a moment.

I realized the man next to me was a Vampire as I spied another glimpse of him in the mirror. Unlike the stories, he did cast a reflection. I recognized him from when we came in; he was the one with noticeably long, straight hair who showed me his fang.

The very edge of his pinky brushed against my hand as he cupped his glass, and I felt no sensation of energy as I would with anyone else, including humans. I was unnerved and looked down at his drink to see the contents were not thick and red in color, but amber.

“Shy?”

“No, I’m just not interested in conversation.”

“Well, then… that makes two of us,” he implied suggestively as his tongue traced the corner of his lush mouth.

He inched closer and I stepped to the left, bumping into a pudgy woman sitting on the stool. The bartender was busy stirring a tall glass and I leaned over impatiently.

“I can guarantee that you would not forget a night with me.”

This guy wasn’t flirting, he was propositioning.

“That’s a little direct. I’m not sure what kind of women you usually pick up, but I’m not one of them, so you’re just wasting your time.”

“I am a direct man, and let me assure you that no time would be wasted with me. What we can do together goes beyond any binding you have felt. I can make you curl from your hair to your toes.”

My fingernails impatiently tapped on the bar. My first impression of a Vampire and I wasn’t impressed; if they were all egomaniacs I wasn’t going to have any problem staying away from them. Good thing they cast a reflection because if I didn’t know better, I’d guess the mirrored ceiling above his bed was providing him with daily affirmations.

I turned my back to him and watched a blonde fuss with her hair as a very handsome man stepped closer as if his intent was to cage her in the corner.

“I’ve never seen eyes quite your color, would you mind if I had another peek?”

The woman next to me was listening with bated breath and her painted brows rose as she was anxious to hear my answer.

“Tell me, what brings you to the Red Door, if not for coupling?”

There was something disturbing about his eyes—I wasn’t sure if they were naturally black in color or if his pupils were fully dilated, but it gave me the creeps. I caught a whiff of perfume when the woman next to me leaned in.

“Someone told me the cheese fries are out of this world.”

His eyebrows lowered, perplexed.

I was leaning over the bar when a blast of wind came up behind me. I jerked my head back and saw Simon holding the Vampire’s wrist. It hovered over my arm as if he meant to touch my hand to gain my attention.

“The lady isn’t interested.” Simon growled, but his tone changed abruptly to non-threatening pleasantries. “Hands off, like a good vamp. Run along now. Plenty of lovely lasses to go around. Or did I mean… asses? Either way.”

The man merely shrugged and gave me a long, teasing smile as Simon released his grip. He found a new victim—a woman sitting alone at a table twirling a long straw in a short glass. For a fraction of a second, Simon gave a hateful look at the Vampire before he turned away.

A tap on the wood made me jump when the bartender set my drink down. “Oh, thank you.” I nodded at him. He winked and went to another customer.

I took a fast sip as Simon leaned in. “I seem to keep coming to your rescue. You should stay away from those blighters—nothing but trouble.”

I reached around and tugged at his collar. “Sure you don’t have a red cape in there?” I asked facetiously.

“Let’s find out, shall we?” His dimple winked and I took a short sip from my glass.

“I’m a big girl, Simon. I can handle myself. I would have put him in his place.” I bumped the corner of a table with my hip as we walked back to our booth, spilling some of the drink on my wrist. Simon concealed a laugh.

“Did you flash over there? Justus said we aren’t supposed to do that,” I said, remembering his warning about public display.

Simon slipped his hands into his jean pockets and gave me a crooked smile. “What happens in Red Door, stays in Red Door. Breed-only club, there are exceptions to the rule.”

My glass slid over to my spot at the table as Remi once again was on his feet, waiting until I was settled. Once he took his seat, his conversation with Justus continued. That man would undoubtedly get some exercise if he had lunch with the ladies’ auxiliary.

Adam was unusually quiet and his eyes roamed around the room, observing some of the patrons. When they stopped just over my shoulder, I turned in my seat to see what caught his eye. A shapely woman with short blond curls stood in front of a tall, lanky man. Her hands were placed directly on his chest beneath his shirt, where I could make out a soft red glow.

“What are they doing?” I whispered to Simon, who took a quick stretch to look.

“Well that’s completely inappropriate. Those are Sensors, they lift your emotions. Eh, they also sense the ones left behind, which makes them particularly good trackers,” he said, facing front again. “Of course their specialty is recall.” He took another disapproving glimpse. “They really should be doing that in private quarters.”

The vodka passed my lips as Justus and Remi were laughing in their own conversation.

“In English?” I insisted.

Simon threaded a finger through his hair to enable him to see me more clearly through those glasses.

“They retain emotions. Ever wished you could relive that one great orgasm? Oh no, don’t give me that shocked look, Silver. They can pull any feeling from you that you experienced and allow you to live it all over again. For the right price, of course. Because they store those feelings, they also sell them to others. But most go to them as sex traders. It can be fairly intense.”

“Ohhh,” I said, my lips making a round O. “Well, guess it cuts down on STDs.”

Adam spit out some of his green swill, shaking his head.

I touched my fingers on the tip of my cold glass and slid the vodka toward him. “Here, need something to wash it down?”

He took the glass and Remi followed me with his eyes. Nothing went past him unnoticed.

“Silver, there is something you want to ask me,” he said. “Please speak.”

All eyes at the table shifted gears and rolled in my direction. I adjusted my skirt apprehensively. “What about the second Mage?”

“What second Mage?” Adam ground through his teeth before Simon cut him off with a raised hand.

Remi’s eyes admired his empty glass before he replied. “I’m afraid the benefactor is where your concern should be. Samil plays an important role; I would be curious to know if the other potentials are like you. But the benefactor, gentlemen, that is who you need to find. He is playing with darkness. Silver, you will never be safe now that he knows what you are. He is powerful and protected.”

“Who is he?” Adam demanded.

I took the drink from him and gulped down a swallow, feeling the burn as I swallowed my nerve.

“There was a guy who came in and stole my light every night. I don’t know his name. I only know what he looks like, maybe what his energy feels like.” I gripped the glass so tightly that I wondered if I had the strength to shatter it. “With Samil, I always knew what to expect. But with him…” I bit my lip as my mind flashed back to the basement during his nightly sessions. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

My fingers pressed into the table, reaching for the keys Simon had been playing with a few inches away. I curled the tips inward and pulled back my hand; as I did the keys jingled and began to slide toward me. When I heard a gasp, my attention diverted.

“What?”

Remi gave a knowing smile while Justus blurted out, “That’s impossible. Silver, we can manipulate energy from living objects, but a Mage cannot move them.”

“Ever? I thought you said everyone has a gift?”

“Not this kind.”

“Try the glass,” Remi suggested.

I raised my hand, focusing on my glass, willing it to move, but nothing happened.

“You see,” Remi confirmed, “she only has the ability with metal. Although I suspect there may be limitations you will need to test.”

“That could come in handy,” Simon muttered.

“He could do it too, you know. The other Mage, after…”

Justus’s hand went over his mouth and the crease in his eyebrow deepened; he had a habit of rubbing his chin whenever he was thinking. “You think he can retain that ability, or will it fade?” His head turned to Remi and his inquisitive voice was low.

“The energy would increase one’s power, but the gifts rarely transfer. The retention, of course, is temporary. However, I wonder—” His voice cut off as he pulled his glass closer. “Gentleman, let’s be aware of our surroundings.”

Justus and Simon gave a nod as they withdrew from the topic. I realized they never used the word Unique and were careful as to how much detail was discussed—prying ears, I suspected.

Remi looked to Simon and leaned in our direction. “A piece of advice I would give you—look to Novis. He is very clever. I always sensed a little rebellion in him.”

Justus let his hand fall on Remi’s shoulder. “You’re a trusted friend.” He gave it a hard squeeze; Remi raised his glass to him and knocked it back before the waitress brought another tray of kryptonite.

We whiled away the rest of the evening in friendly conversation. There was one moment where I fell away into my thoughts, feeling hollowed out. Laughter pealed around me and Simon’s hand suddenly squeezed mine.

I tapped on Simon’s frames. “So, what’s with the mirrored glasses?”

“Vamps. Got to watch out for those ones, love. They’ll steal your secrets.”

“I thought they just controlled your mind.”

“Oh, humans and their movies! They can suggest you to do things—those who are weak-willed will comply while others will if just a small part of them wants to. A weaker mind is more susceptible to suggestion. Vamps can get you to talk; their eyes pull it from you. Not the kind of thing you want, someone invading your mind.”

“They read minds?”

“No, only make you speak your mind, whether you want to or not. Their gaze is like a truth serum.”

“So why didn’t you make the rest of us wear glasses?” I made a circular motion with my finger between myself and Adam.

“We didn’t come here for social mingling, did we? Leave it to you to wander off for five minutes and run into a vamp.”

“What would have been the worst that could happen, him getting me to confess my disapproval for his tacky wardrobe that was channeling 1892?”

“I was thinking more 1915, let’s give him the benefit of the doubt.” Adam snorted. His face relaxed into one of the sexiest smiles I’d seen. He had classic features that were ruggedly handsome as his hand ran across his forehead. I liked the easygoing side of Adam.

Simon shifted in his seat and dropped his left arm behind me with the other on the table. “Vampires by nature can uncover secrets. All secrets have a price, some which others are willing to pay for. Not a respectable way to earn a living; I much prefer those who guard.” He pinched my chin and softly said, “I don’t think I told you before, but you look very smart this evening.” I smiled and fumbled with a strand of hair.

Adam made a deliberate journey, sliding down the seat until he was directly in front of me; there was a silent showdown for my attention happening right before my eyes. While I knew Simon and Adam respected each other, it was also clear they perceived the other as some kind of a threat. And Simon never turned down a challenge… he was always in it to win it.

“Vampires trade information for money?” Adam asked.

“Humans trade for money. Other Breed, we’re more… creative.”

“So,” I hinted playfully, “you didn’t want him to plunder my secrets?”

Vying for my attention was sliding into dangerous territory. His mirrored gaze was lingering on me. Adam didn’t look too comfortable with where our conversation was headed, but Simon was eating it up.

“Simon, I think he would have been sorely disappointed to have wasted his time with me. I’m afraid I don’t have any good secrets worth giving up.”

Simon’s finger made a slow journey across my shoulder blades as his arm retreated back to his side. I shivered at his familiar touch. “Never underestimate the power of a good plunder.”

He grinned and my body responded with nine million goose bumps standing at full attention.

“Well, what do we have here? If it isn’t Justus De Gradi, in the living flesh,” a voice interrupted.

My eyes rolled up to a hard-looking man somewhere in his forties. He had a silver tooth in the front and an almost albino appearance. Silence chirped around us and I glanced at Justus, who looked like he just saw a ghost. The man slapped Simon on the back with a gravelly smoker’s laugh.

Simon’s tone was leery. “Cedric. Been… well, not long enough.”

The man laughed and Justus rose up from his chair.

“Let’s make room; two of us were just leaving. Adam?” Justus looked over Adam to be sure he wasn’t intoxicated. After the green swill and sip of vodka, Adam had been nursing on a glass of water all night.

“We’ll catch you guys later. Remi, good to meet you.” Adam leaned across the table with an outstretched hand and Remi deliberated a moment before he took it, suppressing a smile. Most Breed did not shake hands—that was a human custom. I didn’t know if Adam was aware or if he even cared.

Justus reached around and took his light jacket from the seat, draping it over my shoulders. “You’ll need this. You really need to dress more appropriately for the weather.” I slipped my arms into the brown sleeves, rolling up the cuffs so I could use my hands. The lining was warm like it had just come out of the dryer. One of these days I was going to ask Justus about that little trick.

Cedric appeared annoyed. “No, no, why don’t they stay? No need to rush off so quickly. I’d especially like to chat with this one, is she new? Well of course she is. You can’t keep the newbies all to yourself, Justus; that just wouldn’t be gentlemanly.”

I looked at Adam in time to see a small, black device being slipped in his pocket by Justus.

“Sit, Cedric. Tell us what prison let you loose this time.” Simon’s mouth curled to one side of his face as he sat back, defeated, looking like a man whose plans were ruined.

“Since when do they allow humans in here?” Cedric complained.

Justus put his arm around Adam, moving us away. “Keep her safe, we’ll return later.”

“She’s always safe with me,” Adam damn near snarled.