Page 71 of Blood and Bone
“No offense taken,” Ari said. “How about…a vampire?”
“What are you thinking, Ari? What vampire?” Eoghan asked.
“I’m thinking about John Townsend and his clan,” Ari said. “Perhaps John and his clan will pay the dragon’s back in kind if they help with his situation. It’s why we wanted to talk with Severin and Invictus to begin with. Now that we know what’s going on here, maybe we can enlist the vampires to join their cause.” The more he thought about it, the more he liked the idea.
“You may have something there,” Eoghan said, smiling at him.
“Please, follow us back out to the fire and tell us of this plan,” Invictus said.
Ari and Eoghan both nodded and followed the dragons back out to the great hall where the fire warmed the room. Ari glanced out of the cave’s entrance. It was still hard for him to imagine that there was magic happening all around him but at least it was keeping Invictus and Severin’s enemies out. Just when he’d gotten used to shifters and their magic, there was a whole new thing he was expected to swallow…something like a merman healing his neck and head…and magic infused jade keeping dragons safe.
His life really was weirder than he’d ever expected it would be.
The dragons offered them seats at a large, wooden table and they sat down. Ari watched as Severin walked over to a large, iron stove which he hadn’t noticed before. A low flame burned beneath a cast iron pot and he realized that he was looking at a vintage turn of the century wood stove. Severin opened the door to check the level of the fire that burned within before closing it. Seconds later, he opened the lid of the pot and the scent of something delicious filled the room. The dragon picked up the cast iron pot and brought it over, setting it on a metal trivet already on the table.
“You must eat a meal,” Severin said, picking up a long, wooden ladle and dishing the food into four bowls. “While you tell us of this plan, you should have some stew.”
“That’s very kind of you,” Eoghan said, accepting a bowl filled to the brim with a meaty stew.
Ari’s stomach growled as he looked at the bowl Severin set before him, remembering they hadn’t stopped for breakfast.
Invictus retrieved a loaf of bread from a cupboard and cut thick slices, handing them to Eoghan and Ari before pushing a covered butter dish toward his partner. How oddly civilized. Eoghan immediately buttered his bread and then pushed the dish toward him. The bread was as soft and fragrant as if it had been baked just that morning. Once they were all seated, Severin glanced over at Ari.
“Please tell us what you had in mind.”
“The reason our chief emailed you was to see if you’d helpushelp King John Townsend get his Flagstaff clan back,” Ari began. “It’s been taken over by an evil man who’s seized John’s throne.”
“Yes, she said as much in her email.” Invictus reached into a pocket and held up his iPhone. “Email, the Internet, and a whole lot of other useless and annoying bullshit. I don’t like to even carry the thing which is why it took a few days to exchange emails. I apologize about that. It wasn’t an intentional snub.”
Ari nodded. “No need to apologize. I get it. Anyway, in the email, did she explain why she was reaching out to you?”
“Yes,” Invictus said. “She believes that someone at the Agency is not being honest with her and is working with this new king of the Flagstaff vampire clan. She wanted our help and we agreed to meet with you.”
Ari was a little shocked that the chief had been so candid with the dragons but now that Invictus had said it, it almost made sense.
“I’m a little surprised that she told you all of that,” Eoghan said. He pointed at his nearly empty bowl. “This is amazing by the way.”
“Have some more,” Severin said, grabbing the ladle and filling Eoghan’s bowl.
“Yes, thank you,” Ari added. “It’s delicious.” He wasn’t about to ask what kind of meat was in the stew. It wasn’t beef but it had a similar texture and was paler in color. Then again, what did it really matter? He trusted the dragons enough to hope they wouldn’t give them something not fit for human consumption. Still, it did beg the question.
“It’s lamb,” Severin said, answering the unasked question. “And it came from a local supermarket in Redding. We don’t hunt wild game other than a few rabbits and goats that we find here on the mountain.”
“How did you know I was wondering about it?” Ari asked, feeling incredibly embarrassed.
Severin smiled. “I guessed. You’ve poked at the meat a few times. I just figured you were wondering, and I wanted to set your mind at ease.”
“Thank you,” Ari replied.
“Tell us about this vampire king and what you think we can do to help him,” Invictus said.
“Thank you for hearing us out,” Eoghan said. “The Tahoe shifter clan told us you might be willing to help, and we’d certainly do whatever we can to help you with your enemies.”
“Go on, then,” Severin said, sitting back in the chair and crossing his muscled arms over his chest as Invictus also set down his spoon.
Ari finished his stew and the delicious homemade bread as Eoghan told the dragons the whole story. From when the fugitive notice first went out stating that John Townsend was a criminal trying to escape tribal justice and the part about Bradshaw asking the I.S.R for help in his capture. Eoghan detailed his capture and his interrogation with the vampire in their interview room.
He explained how they’d listened to Townsend tell them his story and about how his family had been wiped out when Tillis Bradshaw had come in and stolen his throne. Townsend had not only lost his family and his clan but he’d nearly lost his own life. Finally, Deputy Chief Priest believed her contact at the Agency was in bed with Bradshaw after finding listening devices in her home and her office.