Текст книги "Bloodbreeders: Lies Beneath London"
Автор книги: Robin Renee Ray
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Текущая страница: 14 (всего у книги 18 страниц)
“Would you like to do it? I could let you dress the others, since I am to bossy and you seem to know so much more about it,” she replied, putting her hands on her hips and waiting for him to answer.
“No, I don’t want to dress everyone. I don’t even wanna dress myself.”
“Then I suggest you let me do what I have done for the last fifty years of my life, and keep your tongue to yourself.”
“I would listen, young Derek. Females that hold a govern over your heart use it to wield a large hand,” Cates said, getting to his feet. “Come woman. I wish to wear these binding contraptions no longer.”
“I like what I’m wearing and want to see Renee when Tanda’s finished with her hair,” Tammy replied. “But, no one’s stopping you.”
“What say you, young Derek? Will you join me to rid ourselves…of these monstrosities called clothing?”
“I can’t. Tanda wants to make sure this jacket’s gonna fit right,” he frowned, moving his first two fingers up and down, quoting in silence what he had already been told.
“He may have to wait for the artist,” Garvin grinned, speaking about, Tanda. “But, I do not.” Then he got up to join Cates who was already in the double wide doorway.
“I must agree,” Jacob added, standing, then stretching his arms above his head. “I too will retire from this wear.”
“You may have a seat next to Derek, Sydney. I have to find you another set of leggings,” Tanda smiled, still standing next to me, and Sydney sat back down without argument.
Chapter Twenty Two
Fala was the only one who seemed fitting in his gala attire. He was Native American Indian, and going as my personal body guard and dressed like a eunuch. The only difference between Fala and the others was that he stood proud. His black hair hung free over his dark, tanned skin and the outfit that Tanda had found him wasn’t much different than the one he was wearing when we first met him. His wrap went around his waist and down just above his knees. The color was different; it was almost the same burgundy color of my dress, only darker. His torso looked like a rippled river flowing up into the mountain of muscles on his chest. The burgundy wraps around his wrists gave just enough to catch the eye when he moved his arms, which were impressive all on their own. Fala had strong features but they were always softened when his hair hung free because the contrast of black strands with the ‘V’ shape coming down from his forehead hid the masculine square of his jaw line. He was everything like what my parents had talked about when they told stories by the fire. Stories of them and their families traveling by wagon and encountering the likes of Fala’s people, who did not like sharing their land.
Tanda was explaining that it was best that a lady did not sit at one of these functions when Jacob stepped back in the room in his cloths that were most comfortable to him; black silk, wide legged bottoms that covered his feet and wrapped tight around his waist. Jacob’s nationality was unknown to him but the slant of his dark brown eyes showed he was at least part oriental. His body structure was half the size of Fala’s but his frame was covered in the same rippling waves that, to me, were not in any waytypical for the normals in my neck of the woods. Jacob’s skin was even paler when he wore his black wear and with the same color of hair to match Fala’s and mine, he was almost porcelain. All of my younger boys were soft in their features and I believe it was due to most of them becoming breeders before their bodies had a chance to change into manhood.
I was thinking how different Jacob and Fala looked standing in the doorway when something smashed into the front door, spinning them around as if they were standing on a floor that moved them. I jumped up and knocked Tanda backwards as I tried to get to the entrance of the foyer. Sydney and Derek were out of the room before I could take another step, and Cates’ massive form darted by the opening. “Damn this dress!” I yelled, and picked the bottom up and ran. Derek and Fala stood on one side of the door while Jacob and Cates took the other. I slid around the entrance of the study across the hall and looked around as Jacob pulled the lock back. He opened the door about two inches and then flung it back with Sydney grabbing it. All of my boy’s stepped out, holding a blade, from where I had no idea, at a cloaked figure in the breezeway on the porch.
My first thought was ‘assassin’ until the figure moved, and it wasn’t like the movement of any man, other than Felicia and we had him upstairs. The figure stepped in the room as if it didn’t notice, or care, that four men had weapons ready to strike. We were all shocked to see a beautiful woman underneath. She lifted the wide hood off of her head and asked for the mistress of the house. “Who’s asking, lady,” Derek said, taking a step forward, with Jacob putting a hand on his chest. She had reddish hair, pulled back from her face and done in tight ringlets that spilled over the neck of the dark gray cloak. She was a small woman with delicate features; small round nose, oval shaped pale green eyes, with ruby red puffy lips. Her face looked like she wore some kind of powder, because I could see the faint color of her freckles under it but she was without doubt a beautiful woman, until she opened her mouth a second time.
“I am Inara, Mistress of Castle Montclair, second highest in London.”
“Yeah, well you're nothing here, so the first name is all ya get,” I said, stepping out, pulling the wig off my head, letting my braid fall down the front of my dress.
“You must be the one my Bernard has told me so much about,” she replied, putting far too much emphasis on the last word.
“And your point is?” I raised my right brow and stepped right up to her. “We don’t have all night. Can’t you see we're getting ready for a party?”
“I do, and that is why I am here; that, and to see my Alex with my own eyes. If he is dead and I do not return in one hour…this house will fall.”
I grabbed her around the throat and back walked her right into the door that Sydney had swung closed behind her. “Don’t you ever step in my home and threaten me or my family.” Her eyes were wide with shock, thinking the announcement of her name would have been enough. I yanked her head to the side and sank my fangs in as she started screaming. Jacob grabbed me by the shoulders and I fought him, drinking her blood, letting her know who was running this particular show. I pulled my head back and she grabbed her own neck. “Let ‘em come lady…haven’t you heard? We love a good fight.” I growled as close to her face as Jacob’s hands on my arms would allow. She had said the wrong thing and pissed me off.
“I mean you no disrespect, I merely wanted to protect myself,” she said, looking back at me with a noticeable trembling in her body. “I have wanted my sister out of power for years, we all have.”
“Then go out and tell one of your men to take the message back that you’ll be home before dawn. What we have to discuss may take more than an hour. He can use one of our horses.” I replied, yanking my arms away from Jacob’s bruising grip.
“May I please see my son after?”
I nodded my head toward Jacob and the others, walked back into the study and took a seat behind the desk. A few minutes later, after she had come back inside, Inara looked in at me and lowered her eyes as Cates took her elbow and led her up the stairs. Alex did have marks on him, nothing of substantial damage, and it would show her that we stood on our word; not like herself and those she wished to be rid of. I could hear Alex cry out from where I was sitting. I saw Tammy look up the staircase as she and Tanda walked in to join me. Garvin came in and sat on the edge of the desk with a worried look on his face.
“Something on your mind?”
“I wish to speak to you but I do not wish for you to take it in the wrong meaning.”
“Just say it Garvin, you can tell me anything,” I replied, getting a little worried about what he had to say.
“What you did just now…was the very thing that I had seen Yvette do a hundred times,” he glanced back at me. “I heard her tone in your voice.”
“That wench had it coming,” I swallowed, running my fingers over the desk, “undermining me in my own home.”
“That too sounds like what she would have said,” Tanda added, holding herself at the entrance.
“I’m fine, Tanda. I didn’t mean to scare you. I don’t even know what came over me. I just heard her say that our house would fall and I lost control.”
“You will always have to fight the urges of the ancients, Renee. But, to be honest, I was very proud of your leadership.” Garvin’s words made me feel better about what I had just done.
“Yeah, I bet she thinks twice about giving you an ultimatum,” Sydney added, leaning on the door as Tanda came closer.
“Pretty little thing, wonder how much she looks like her sister?” Tammy said, stepping back into the foyer.
“Well, that’s one more thing to ask dear old Alex after she leaves,” I snickered, hearing the ill tone of my own voice. “Sorry, that just slipped.”
“I can barely imagine what runs through her thoughts at seeing you dressed in that gown, along with the rest of us,” Jacob smiled, walking into the room, “hearing you were a demon and all.”
“She tastes weak. I can’t feel any power in her blood, not like I did when…” I let my words trail off.
“It was Angelica that took the power of London, Renee. Her sister gained status by name alone. And as to your question about their appearance, they are identical.”
“How we gonna tell them apart at this gala thing?” Derek asked.
“Does it matter?” Tammy replied.
“One will be watching for us, the other will be entertaining the crowd,” Jacob explained, sitting down on the other edge of the desk. “I am more than sure that Inara will make sure we know the difference, thinking that she would be mistaken could be disastrous for her campaign.”
“Like I said…does it really matter?” Tammy raised one brow looking back into the room at us, then turned and went into the family room across the hall.
“Her pain shows deeply,” Jacob said in a low voice.
“You should have seen what we saw. I can understand why she hates these breeders so much and knowing women are behind it makes it even worse,” I cringed at the thought of Tammy lying face down in a puddle of her own blood. “I’m glad she’s on our side.”
Cates had Inara’s elbow up at shoulder level, as she gripped the banister as they came back down the stairs; the look on her face was not too happy. He brought her into the study and sat her down in a chair that Jacob had slid in front of my desk. He and the others stepped a few feet behind her. “How dare your servant treat me so poorly! I merely wanted to hug my son.”
“And how rude of you to allow my maker to suffer like an animal. He would have joined us but his feet are bothering him somewhat,” I replied, adding a snap to the ‘somewhat’, and watched her face pale under the powder. “Would you like to see Martin as well, Inara?”
“No, that will not be necessary,” she laced her hands in her lap, looked down, gathered herself, then looked back up at me. “What can I do to help you?”
“First, never take for granted that I will not do exactly what I say. Second, never, and I mean the word never…step in my home and think that you are better than anyone in here. I’m no mistress to those behind you. I am their friend and they have free will, not like those who are beat down at your feet. If you do not swear to change your ways of leadership, Inara, we will cut you down just like we’re going to cut down your sister. Do I make myself clear?” She nodded once. “We will need entrance to your sister’s castle the night of the gala, but we won’t be coming through the tunnels. We'll be coming through the front door.”
“That’s impossible. She’ll kill me if she knows I had anything to do with your arrival.”
“And I will kill you if you don’t,” I replied, never blinking an eye.
“How do you expect me to get you through her guard? They check everyone and have since before your rage began.”
“I suggest you think of something or Alex will come home looking like Martin, or worse. I keep my word to the very end, Inara,” I responded by leaning up on the desk with my elbows and smiling down at her.
“You’re as crazy as she is,” she said, turning her head to the side. “She doesn’t pay heed to all who pass under the threshold, not if they are peasant to her. I suppose a name could be given as a guest of long past, if you keep yourselves covered.” Then she straightened, proud of her attempt, and looked back at me with her chin snobbishly in the air.
“See, now that wasn’t too hard, and it didn’t take too long. Jacob is the main leader of our ranks and the one who knows this land best. He and Cates will accompany you home, followed by my other men, of course. You are to give them the count of Angelica’s guard, as well as Lord Cheree’s. Send back the information that we will need the night of the gala, and please do not provide anything that will hinder us. I would hate to see your son pay for your stupidity.” I stood, offering her my hand. She got to her feet and daintily placed her hand in mine. “A woman’s word is her bond, Inara. Don't make me regret taking yours.”
“I will do my best not to fail you, Lady…”
“My name is Renee, Renee Lebrun. Martin is not only my maker, he is my husband,” I replied, squeezing her hand just enough to show her that I noticed the widening of her eyes.
“A pleasure, Lady Lebrun. I hope that all will end on a pleasant note and you will see that I am not my sister and can run London with a firmer hand, as you see fit.” She did a small curtsy and turned with Cates taking her arm. “I believe I know the way to the door.”
“My boys are gentlemen, Inara. Like I said, they’ll be escorting you home.”
She didn’t turn around, just lifted her cloak over her head and nodded once before leaving the house with Jacob and Cates on each side of her, and Garvin, Derek, and Sydney right behind them. Both Sydney and Derek in their old clothes, having changed sometime in between her being upstairs and in the study with me. Fala closed the door and slid the lock in place, then stood by the door. I told him he didn’t have to stay there, but he said that Master Jacob told him to guard the entrance on the chance that the woman was followed and they saw them leave. It wasn’t planned that they go, the idea was to have her let those she had waiting the hour for her return to be told she would be staying longer, but my temperament was just too unstable around her. Taking a chance of her setting up a plan with her sister to trap us once we entered the castle was too big to take because of my big mouth. So we told her what we wanted and kept our key plan to ourselves.
Inara had agreed to help us get through the front door, believing she would inherit her sister’s seat of power, doing what we asked of her in keeping order. It meant nothing to me because there would be no order in their slave-trading world. All breeders would know after the gala, that London would not be a place that one could stop to change their goods of the two legged kind. That is, if we succeeded in our plans. My country was already on the run and all breeders that had an established slave-trading ring were closing down shop, thinking they would be next. As for the ones west of the east coast, they were either moving across the ocean or going further northeast to out run us, due to the fact that the word was spreading in the direction we were moving toward, if the word hadn’t already reached every trader out there. ***
No words were said as Inara was taken back to her castle-like home. Jacob would glance back to make sure the three younger boys, who all refused to ride inside, were still holding on to the back of the coach. Inara’s men were made to ride on the front seat of the coach with the driver so that they could be watched at all times. Cates made sure to keep his eyes on the surrounding landscape so that he would know the direction they were being taken, in the event that they were given false information and we needed to come back the same way.
“We are to the gates, Mistress,” the driver announced.
“Stop here. I will be walking and you will be taking our guests back home.”
“Have your men leave the coach and wait for you inside the gate. I do not care for them to hear what you have to tell us. No need to have one of them run to your sister, now is there?”
“I can assure you that none of my people would turn their backs on me,” Inara replied. “But I will do as you have asked.”
Cates cleared his throat, and chuckled. “I do not wish to sound so harsh, My Lady…but me thinks you might look at the boots under your own bed before you jump to making such claims.”
“Speak your mind and leave the riddles, big one.”
“How do you think we found out so much about your sister?” Jacob asked.
“He is correct. You can see by the marks, that it was not your son who gave up the information at the order of our lady’s punishment. Nor did he tell us that you wished your sister dead. If Bernard could speak to us so freely over a simple slap here and there…” Cates paused.
“What more would he tell a woman who allowed him to help in that same torture,” Jacob continued. “And then allow him to have his way with her? Something I gather he is not privy to with you, my sweet lady?”
“He is most certainly not. I have no use for a man. No offence.” Inara dusted off her skirt as if it was dirty.
Jacob looked over at Cates with one brow lifted. “All we are saying, Lady Inara, is that you may want to test the water before you lay your complete trust in your son’s whipping boy. As the head of many strategic battles, I personally would never want to place the words of my plans onto the ears of those who would make haste to share it with my enemy.”
“I thank you for your concern, but I can tend to my own. See to it that you send my driver back safely. I am more than sure that you have plenty of coaches that belong to the one you follow,” Inara spoke as she stepped out of the closed in, black, leather covered coach. “You shall hear from one of my men before this night ends. You will have what you need.” She then turned and walked off into the darkness of the opening of the gate to her property.
“Even in the face of adversity, she still believes she is in control,” Cates shook his head.
Derek and Sydney got in with Jacob and Cates, but Garvin chose to ride on the back of the coach to keep a watch just in case they were followed back to Martin’s estate. Cates continued watching the opposite side of the landscape as the driver brought them back and Jacob filled the boys in on what they had talked to Inara about.
Chapter Twenty Three
It was getting close to dawn and we needed to find a few nights worth of food to fill our barn, and Tanda was back to working on our outfits. The only thing she had left to do was make sure we all had tights that fit. Our wigs fit perfectly. The boy’s shirts and pants looked as if they were made for each of them and the shoes were no more than one size off and could be worn without too much discomfort. Derek had already torn one pair of leggings, as the boys liked to call them, and Sydney two. But, Tanda found a few more and made sure to show them how to put them on properly.
“Now put your pants on and whatever you do, do not pull up on those tights!” Tanda scolded as she handed Sydney his pants.
“Okay mom,” he snickered.
“You too Derek, and for Renee’s Pete’s Sake…turn around if you are going to fiddle with your man bits.”
Tammy burst out laughing, “Yeah Derek, no one wants to watch you play with your man bits.”
“I hope everyone in here heard them. They said man bits. Not boy, but man,” he laughed as he turned around.
The whole room erupted into a volcano of laughter that we all needed. It was wonderful to see a small part of our old Derek shine through and I was hoping there would be more to come. Maybe we were all healing, somewhat, or it could be that we knew we were going into an ordeal where we realized that death was only a breath away. After the sounds of joy died down, Tanda finally announced that other than our make-up, we were as ready as we were going to be. We undressed as fast as we could and with bloodbreeder speed redressed in our black clothes and ran for the back door. ***
We now had less than one hour to find a few pigs or goats to bring back to Martin’s overly large barn; which, to me, looked more like a smaller version of his home. It was twice the size of our barn back in Texas and there is no comparison to the look. My whole family and our livestock could have made a fine home out of what Martin called his stables; with its iron gate stalls and stone walls. It had floors that resembled brick roads and large rooms with solid doors on brass hinges that held bags of feed. It was built far better than our home but I couldn’t even imagine it holding the love that the Crocker barn held.
“You okay?” Derek asked, bumping my arm with his.
“Yeah, just thinking about home.”
“Come on, let’s go find some supper. I’m starving and I know Sydney is too; he was sucking on the end of his club.” I heard him snort out a little laugh.
“I know what you mean, I saw Tammy gnawing on Cates’ nub.”
“Excuse me?” Tammy cleared her throat from behind me. “I have never gnawed on Cates’ nub.”
Derek and I both started laughing and without knowing our full conversation, Tammy joined in. We took off toward the back left side of the property the way the others had gone. Cates was waiting on us at the far corner of the wall where wood had been stacked halfway up.
“Wow, this looks like it will be much easier to go over,” I smiled as Cates pushed himself off of the wall.
“Oh, but our Master Jacob has figured out another way.” Cates reached down and grabbed the wood pile and pushed it forward and revealed an oval shaped hole.
“Thank the stars,” Tammy looked up, then walked over and hugged Cates. “I could just chew on your nub, sweetie.”
“My lovely lady, you can chew on anything of mine that you would like,” Cates wiggled his brows and lifted Tammy with his good arm and kissed her full out.
“Look what you got started,” Derek shook his head and hurried through the hole in the wall.
“How is that my fault?” I asked as I followed him.
“I wonder where Garvin and Jacob went?”
“Really, how was them two kissing my fault?”
“You started with the gnawing,” he winked at me.
“And I ran with it,” Cates laughed.
“The big brute did and I love it,” Tammy slapped him on the backside then came and stood by me.”
“They will return shortly. Jacob knows of a small farm not far from here.”
“Isn’t it a little too dangerous for them to be out there alone, Cates?” Derek asked.
“Two can go through the trees and brush much more quietly than six.”
“I wonder what Tanda is doing to poor Sydney? I bet she has him trying on the shirts she’s sewing up,” I guessed, just making small talk as we waited.
“Sydney is a good sport. He didn’t seem to mind helping even when it came to putting the rollers into the wigs that you and Tammy will be wearing.”
“Cates!” Tammy lightly swatted him in the stomach.
“It is true.”
“It is. I was watching him hand Tanda the pins when she was hemming Tammy’s dress. I think he may have helped his mom or something?” Derek added.
I would have told them that all of my brothers, but Johnny, could do almost anything that I could, from cooking to mending their own things. But Garvin came running around a group of trees as fast as he could move. “They have him,” he yelled with what little air he had.
“Who has him?” Cates asked as he grabbed Garvin under the arm.
“Angelica’s people?” I asked.
“No, worse,” Garvin replied, leaning heavily on Cates.
“Worse?” Derek looked back at me.
“Normals… normals have Jacob at gun point and the sun will rise very soon.”
“We must hurry. Find your feet and show us the way,” Cates pushed Garvin upright and gave him a sharp nod.
With that said we moved with a solid purpose; to find Jacob and get back home before the sun came up. I saw the top of the farm house before we ran around the last of the trees and out into a plowed field. Two men stood in the opening of a barn that looked very much like the old one where I came from. A pale light came from inside where I was guessing that Jacob was. The closer we got it was easy to tell that one of the men had a shotgun and he had it pointed at the open barn door.
“Hello!” I called out.
“Renee,” Cates scolded much like Jacob always did.
Both of the men looked our way and you could see their fear as the shotgun swung our way. “Don’t take another step or I will pull this trigger.”
“Yes sir, I have no doubt about that. We just came for our friend. I think that you must have thought he was trying to steal your livestock.” I had both hands in the air as I spoke.
“Neither of the two that came here…not the one in me traps, or the one that stands at your back, are right. They be dead walkers of the night and they come to take our very souls.”
“That’s down-right hogwash. They’re both my kin and may be a bit ill, but they sure ain’t no whatever you just called them, and damn sure didn’t come to take anyone’s soul. Only God can do that, so if I were you, I would be holdin’ off on that trigger. You kill an innocent person and He’ll be coming for your soul for sure.”
“Then what are they doing in me stalls?”
“I was needin’ some goods for me…my stalls, and I had them out lookin’ for someone who might sell to me,” I lied as I slowly walked closer.
The man turned back to the barn door and waved the gun and Jacob walked out with his hands in the air much like mine. He walked by me and stood where I had left the other. I gather he was leaving this ordeal up to me. “Well, would ya mind selling me a bit of your livestock? I could sure use a few good hogs, a few goats for the lawn, and maybe a young bull. I can pay top dollar.”
“I gather ya got your own chickens?”
“No sir, I just didn’t wanna push the issue,” I winked, stopping on the edge of the barn’s shadow.
“Old Tink here has more hens then he’ll ever be needin’ and plenty a hogs as well. I can sell ya two, maybe three, of me best goats and a milk cow. Got to keep me bull.”
“If you find yourself in need of the hens, I can fetch ya ten and at least four wee hogs. Unless you’d rather have the bigger ones? Makes a better bacon but a tougher butt,” Tink explained.
The one holding the gun walked over and stuck out his hand and I took it. “Names Daniel McGale and we have an accord…if the price is right. Though, I don’t normally do business before the crack of dawn.”
“That I understand but we just got off the ship this night and have no supplies at the new place, if you can call it that. You name your price, Mr. McGale, and I will see that you have it. But, I will need to take one of those goats back with us now. You have my word that you’ll get your pay.”
“I don’t know…”
“This should cover the cost nicely.” Jacob walked up and handed the man two silver coins.
“I’ll be right back.” He turned and he and Tink disappeared into the barn.
“Where did you have that hiding?”
“Tammy took it from a ladies pouch that she had between her breasts. I believe I will never grow so old that I do not learn something new from this younger generation. So tell me, should we not mark these normals for our own safety?”
“You can if you have a problem when you and a few others come back first thing tomorrow night to get what they offered to sell. That is, unless we can get them to deliver?”
The two men came back out with Tink pulling a not so willing, healthy goat between them. I noticed Jacob looking up, and then he rushed over and took the rope of the goat from Tink and shook his hand. Jacob spoke a few moments with the men and then we said our goodbyes and hurried back the way we had come. The sky was changing to a faded grey; telling all that dawn was on its way. One by one we rushed through the oval shaped hole in the wall, with Cates being the last. I looked back and saw him pull in a dried hedge to cover the outside view of the hole and once inside push the wood pile back in place.
Once inside, Jacob held the goat still by the cabinet with its neck pulled tight, while Garvin slid his blade quickly across. Tanda was there with the big bowl to catch the stream of steaming blood and all I could do was watch and lick my lips. The more I stared at the red flow, the more my mind went to the gala and what we were going to do to the sick of the city. I wanted to take the heads of Angelica and her twin and I wanted to sit back and watch as Tammy had her way with Bernard and Alex. I could envision Jacob and Cates slicing through flesh and bone as bodies dropped in solid to ash form. My mind was swimming with the visions of Sydney’s club coming down and crushing a breeders’ skull. All of the sudden I could hear Derek calling out my name.
“Renee, open your eyes!”
“Everyone just step back and give her some room,” I heard Tammy say in the distance, but then she too went away.
Chapter Twenty Four
Memory told me I had been in the sandstone wall room before, only the figure in the bed was not the same dark haired man that I had seen the last time my visions had brought me here. Yvette lay curled on her side, her lower half covered by a sheer white blanket of sorts. The rest of her was nude. I wanted to walk over and choke her to death again, but I didn’t seem to have a body. All I could do was watch whatever I was here to see.
“Bring me my drink, will you, love?” Yvette said, raising her hand lazily.
“You said you would help me take him down this night, Yvette.”
“And I will, my beautiful man, but you must trust me if you wish to have his throne. I do not care to have another ancient in my body. You will have to take him if you wish to have all that he owns. Of course, giving me half if I help trap him for the kill.”
“He is my father,” Martin replied, sitting on the bed beside Yvette.
“And you want to be free, do you not?”
