"Now, may we get back to the business at hand?" Wlodek straightened his tie a little and lifted the gold pen, glaring imperiously at the rest of us. Jovana had remained where she was; Kifirin hadn't allowed her to move. Paul and Deryn slid to the floor beside Tony's chair so our discussion could resume.
Wlodek questioned Jovana that night, making a thorough job of it. She'd killed Lucius, her vampire companion, at Saxom's urging—he'd recognized her Dark Elemaiyan roots, although she wasn't aware of them herself. Kifirin admonished her to tell the truth and that was what we got from her. She'd been oblivious of the reasons Saxom wanted her turned. Paul and Deryn were getting a lesson, too, on things the vamps had only recently discovered.
"What is Xenides' ultimate purpose?" Wlodek asked Jovana finally. She laughed.
"To kill you all," she replied. "Vampires and humans. Saxom's orders were very clear—if he died, then all of you must pay. Of course, I didn't hold with that; his ability to control me died with him. I like this world too much; it is amusing to me. Besides, if we kill the humans, who will feed us? Xenides has not thought past the destruction, I do not think."
"He is under Saxom's compulsion, still. He did not have the ability you were born with, little dark Queen," Kifirin made the reply. "He will most likely be unable to link the destruction of the planet to his own death." Kifirin snorted, a curl of smoke floating from his nostrils. I wondered yet again how he did that. He turned a beautiful smile on me. Yeah, he's not connected to my head or anything. Too bad Flavio wasn't here; he could be the second most beautiful male in the room for a change. Kifirin's smile became wider at that point.
Charles, in his usual efficient manner, set up a temporary workstation near the door and dutifully tapped away on his computer. He was recording notes from Wlodek's interrogation. Jovana wouldn't leave the room alive; she'd already admitted to killing Lucius and several others—names I didn't recognize, but several of them had Wlodek growling and that was truly out of character for him. Lucius' death had been first on that list. Jovana's status as a Queen would warrant the immediate execution, I knew; it would be too dangerous to attempt to keep her in a cell until the Council might be convened.
"Very well," Wlodek sighed eventually. "Does anyone else have questions?"
"Have you had dealings with Rahim Alif?" Tony was standing now, still acting in his former capacity. Jovana snorted.
"That plaything?" Contempt was in her voice. "Xenides plucked him from the streets in Afghanistan after Rahim managed to bomb a few U.S. installations. Xenides has him under his thumb and they are two halves of a whole, I think. I do not speak with that drecksau," she muttered.
"Do you have any idea where he might be?" Tony continued his questioning.
"Find Xenides and find Rahim," she replied.
Tony was disappointed, I could tell. "Where is Xenides, then?" I asked.
"He was in France, the last I saw of him. He said you would come to investigate his hotel room after his target was killed. He promised me a large sum of money if I would go and wait for you." Jovana turned and gave me a nasty smile. Well, that smile, along with her head, was going to be removed shortly. Xenides had targeted Tony, because not only was Tony a major irritant to him, but also because he'd somehow learned that I wouldn't let Tony's murder go without an investigation. I schooled my face into the vampire non-expression.
"Where in France?" Tony demanded.
"He was leaving Paris when I spoke with him; he has plans to take Rahim back to the U.S." Jovana replied.
"Flying or driving?" Tony asked.
"Driving out of France and possibly other transportation past that. He does not make me privy to his many secrets and I do not wish to know them anyway."
"When did you see him last?"
"Two hours before I was captured." Jovana wasn't happy about that fact, let me tell you. She'd been led to believe she was the top of the dung heap, after all.
"Plenty of time to get out of the country," Tony grumbled. We'd been at this for more than three hours, from capture to questioning. Xenides could be anywhere.
Wlodek asked again if there were other questions. This time there were none. "Gavin," Wlodek nodded to his Assassin.
"No," René said, holding out a hand. "I ask that you allow me or my newest child to perform this service, in partial retribution for my Aubrey."
"That is acceptable," Wlodek nodded. Gavin, who'd risen, seemed content to sit down again.
"Child, release your claws," René was instructing Tony, who slid his claws out easily. They were quite large and long, as nearly all the males' were. "Do not make your target suffer, one quick swipe across the neck here," Rene indicated the best spot on Jovana's neck. She was hissing, now, although she still couldn't move. Tony nodded his understanding, so René stepped aside to allow him room. Tony was fast, exceptionally so. Jovana was decapitated swiftly, in mid-hiss. Her head and body dropped to the floor and began to flake away on Wlodek's priceless, antique Persian rug.
Tony was now staring at his claws. This was his first kill—as a vampire, anyway. Wlodek was eyeing Tony speculatively and I could almost see the little wheels turning. Wlodek was down an Assassin. Tony might be a quick study. I wasn't sure how I felt about that.
"Get ready," Griffin stood up. I was bewildered at this sudden turn of events.
"They are coming," Kifirin agreed, rising as well.
"Who?" Merrill was used to Griffin and didn't question, really, he just wanted to know who they were.
"Xenides has sent an army, little Queen," Kifirin turned to me. "They can only come so close, however. The Saa Thalarr and I have the home shielded. We will go out to them instead."
"Prepare for a fight," Merrill announced and went to follow Griffin, who was already walking toward the door. Wlodek didn't ask questions either; he merely removed his suit coat and tie, preparing to go with Merrill, Griffin and Kifirin. Well, they weren't leaving me behind, and Gavin was right behind me, followed by René, Tony, Deryn, Paul, and then Charles.
Rolfe was standing at the open door to Wlodek's mansion, looking out over the hundred vampires lined up outside, a hundred and fifty feet away from the walls of the manor. Kifirin and Griffin had used power to keep them at that distance and I could tell the rogue vampires were well and truly pissed about it. They'd planned to swarm over Wlodek's manor, killing everybody inside. The plan might have worked, too, if we hadn't had so much firepower at our disposal. Even so, we still had a fight brewing and one we could still lose. I had no idea how much assistance Griffin and Kifirin were prepared to give, once we engaged the enemy.