“My dear, this is unexpected. And probably quite foolish. Livia has taken advantage of this reception to announce what she is calling a ‘partnership’ with a few other vampires. I’m really not sure this is the proper place to—”
“Hey, don’t look at me.” She raised her hands, palms-out. “Lucien insisted.”
“Lucien, your call this afternoon was very unexpected. What do you have to do with all this mess?”
Lucien took a deep breath. “It’s the elixir, Emil. They found the truck, and there was a box of elixir missing. She has it. I know it—it…” He drifted off and Emil looked between Lucien and Beatrice in confusion.
“Lucien? What are you talking about?”
“He’s taken it, Emil.” Beatrice took Lucien’s hand and held it as he drifted.
Emil’s eyes grew wide. “The elixir? Lucien has taken the elixir?”
“He drank from a human who had taken it. Now, he is… ill. We’re not sure how or why, but that is where Gio and Carwyn have been. They’ve been trying to find more information from the vampires who helped develop it. And hopefully, they’ll find some kind of cure for Lucien, too.”
She was still reluctant to detail Giovanni and Carwyn’s attempts to find Arosh and Kato. For one thing, she had no idea whether they were having any success. They hadn’t heard any news from them in weeks. For another, the vampires they were looking for were supposed to be dead.
Emil was staring at Lucien in confusion. “So, Lucien drank from a human who had taken this drug and now he is… what?”
Lucien blinked and came back. “I’m still here. For now. But my mind is not right. I must tell the court what this elixir does. I must warn them.”
Emil shook his head. “My friend, I know how trustworthy you are, but I can only vouch for you as my friend. Many of the younger Romans do not know you. They don’t know your sire or your reputation. There is no guarantee they will listen to you when Livia and her three associates have been telling them they hold the keys to a miracle.”
Beatrice’s eyes darted away from Lucien’s disappointed face. “Associates?” she asked. “What associates?”
“She has just announced that she partnered with Matilda from Germany—”
“She’s wind.”
“Bomeni from Ethiopia.”
“Earth,” Lucien said.
“And Livia holds water.” Beatrice’s eyes darted back to Emil’s. “Who else?”
“Oleg, the Russian.”
Lucien said, “Fire.”
Beatrice nodded. “And she’s got her four now. We knew she’d have to find willing donors.”
Emil asked, “Do you think they know the effects?”
Beatrice nodded, even though they were far from sure. “She knows. Lucien has tried to contact them with no success. They’re obviously avoiding him.” Though Lucien raised an eyebrow, he did not correct her.
He said, “Whether she knows or suspects, I must have an audience to speak to the vampires of the court. I must at least try, Emil.”
The Roman nodded. “I understand. And I will introduce you tonight so you may speak. Beatrice…” He looked toward her with an apologetic expression. “I think it would be better if—”
“Not on your life,” she said. “Lucien’s not going anywhere near that bitch without me. I don’t make the same mistake twice.”
Emil sighed. “I will introduce you. Please understand though, the matter of your friend—”
“Is a minor human problem according to these guys,” she said. “I get it.”
“I am truly sorry. It would not happen if I—”
“Not your fault, Emil. Let’s let Lucien have his say so I can get him home. The last thing we need is to be stuck here for the day.”
The three started toward the castle, and Beatrice couldn’t help but notice how many more guards were dotted around the grounds. “Are Ziri and Tenzin inside?”
“I believe so. Tenzin is with the remnants of the Chinese delegation, though I believe most of them are leaving or have left already. Ziri is… around.”
“Somewhere?”
“Yes, but I’ve only seen him once tonight.”
They sped over the grounds and, in no time, they were climbing the stairs toward another of Livia’s glittering parties. And once again, Beatrice was distinctly underdressed. She caught the stares of the vampires inspecting her jeans and tank top covered by her husband’s shirt, which draped her body almost to the knees. The stares didn’t bother her. However, the idea that a good number of these vampires could be going out of their mind if Livia had her way did bother her.
She glanced sideways and caught Emil’s frown. “What?” she whispered.
He spoke in a whisper. “Why does she want this?”
“Money? Power over her enemies? Who knows?” Beatrice kept walking through the whispering crowd. “Currently, she’s the one that has the knowledge, and knowledge is power. People have fought for this. Died for it, even.” She tilted her head toward Lucien. “What would you sacrifice to hold a power that could turn your keenest enemy into a shadow of himself?”
Lucien whispered, “I’d be offended if I didn’t agree with you so much. Emil, imagine a bottle of this in the hands of your enemy. They wouldn’t even need to attack you. They could influence any human you drank from and send that poison back to you with a healthy flush on their face. You would have no idea.”