Page 128 of Vampire's Choice
The thought provided mild terror and amusement. Plus an unexpected relief that he refused any attempt to mold his behavior. She didn’t have to be responsible for it.
No, you don’t. Just guide me on the protocols that make sense. I’ll ignore the rest.
She suppressed a smile. “Since I’m here to assist him with vampire cultural norms, it was deemed a good idea for him to carry my marks. It helps our coordination and provides me protection as I navigate waters that may rub the Trad the wrong way. Since I’m barely an adult to most vampires.”
“Yes. A second mark would handle that adequately.” The question hung there. Kaela had a good stare, but maybe because of Merc’s reinforcement, Ruth held the Dominant female’s gaze with far less difficulty than she usually did. Also a relief.
Unless Kaela asked the question, “Is he third marked?” Ruth wasn’t going to volunteer the information. Before she left, she’d confirmed with Mal that he couldn’t detect the marks on Merc. But the body language projected during the mind-to-mind communication was a giveaway most vampires recognized, and had probably sparked Kaela’s interest.
“What can you tell us about the Trad?” Merc said. He’d chosen a cushioned bench instead of another guest chair. His knees were spread and feet braced. If they’d been visible, his wings would have likely been folded over one another, the tips crossed.
A servant entered with refreshments, a dish of chocolates and dried fruits, and crystal glasses of clear water with ice shaped like crescent moons. When Merc’s gaze turned to her, she faltered and would have dropped the water pitcher if he hadn’t closed his hand on it and moved it to the desk.
“My apologies, my lady,” she stammered.
Ruth gave Merc a narrow look as Kaela reassured the servant with a brief word and sent her on her way. He shrugged.
“It’s a hard energy to overlook,” Kaela said wryly. “I’ve attended the Circus and seen an angel there, but at a distance. No offense, my lord, but are all angels this arousing in close proximity?”
“I’m not full angel,” Merc said. “The other part is incubus. Sex demon. With a smattering of human blood.”
“Ancestry dot com is still trying to work it out,” Ruth said.
The overlord chuckled, but her eyes stayed thoughtful. Garron didn’t smile. Merc gave him a bland look.
Don’t pick a fight with the human servant, Ruth advised. It’s bad manners. He’s just protective of her.
Very.
Kaela laced elegant fingers on the desk and answered Merc’s question. “Are you familiar with Trads, my lord?”
“Ruth and Yvette have told me what little they know.”
“The Trads are very secretive. While we know some about their beliefs and how they live their lives, they’re very individual in their pursuit of that. We know of no coordinated efforts among them, beyond the acts of small clans. There are vampires in our ranks, like Lord Uthe, or Cai,” she glanced at Ruth, “who were raised by or among them, and they’ve confirmed that. It’s best not to extrapolate from one and place that belief upon all.
“We do know they live in forests, mountains, and other remote places. Many are nomadic. Even if they have what approximates a permanent home, they likely have several of them. They’ll stay at one for a while if they have a captured human they’re ‘storing’ as a food source.” Her lips tightened. “Or if they’re making a breeding attempt.”
“No female Trads?” Merc asked.
“None to date. We know of female vampires they’ve captured, for those same breeding attempts. When it’s discovered, the Trads holding them are hunted down, and punishment is meted out. The females are retrieved. If they are still alive. Some take their own lives.”
Her eyes flashed. “However, vampires can disappear for reasons of their own choosing, so it’s possible there are captive females who have been with them long enough to adapt and accept that life, as worn-down prisoners might. However, Cai and Lord Uthe never encountered any during their time among them.”
Ruth’s brow creased. “So the Trad meeting with us. How is he different?”
“I wouldn’t assume he is. Asva doesn’t preach the worst of their nonsense to me, though he supports their rejection of human society. For the most part, he keeps his thoughts to himself. Which is why him contacting me and asking for this meeting got my attention. That, and him asking for a Truth Vessel to be present. Why do that if you’re going to attempt deception?”
“He could have spellcraft that he believes can get him past Merc’s detection skills. My brother says anything can be hacked with the right magic,” Ruth glanced at Merc. “But I think this would be a pretty tough one.”
“Agreed.” Kaela nodded. “Let’s discuss our approach to the meet, to ensure we’re all on the same page and he can’t take advantage of our lack of familiarity with one another.”
Lady Kaela had put a great deal of thought into the possible issues that could arise at the meeting with the Trad, increasing Ruth’s confidence in her leadership. She encouraged Ruth and Merc to provide their own input, raising questions that tweaked tactics to extract as much information as possible out of Asva, if he chose to be cagey.
Garron’s contributions, many addressing the possibility of it being a trap, confirmed Ruth’s guess that he’d once been part of a special ops military unit. He also pointed out a target Ruth hadn’t considered.
“You’re an angel,” he told Merc. “If Asva’s working for someone, who’s to say they didn’t tell him to ask for a Truth Vessel? They draw you here, away from the protections at the Circus, and try to capture you.”
“To what end?” Ruth asked.