Page 8 (1/2)

~ Of Trying and Thinking and Doing ~

"And so you are ready to take on the vis bulla," said Sebastian in his velvety voice He smiled at her, his amber eyes warm and intimate

Macey found it difficult to s She was both nervous and a little intimidated by hiel

A golden angel with an air of deviltry

"I will try" she began, but the words stuck in her throat

"Try? One cannot try to be a Venator"

Macey spun at the sound of the condeh the door, dark and slick and glooun to pour rain just as Macey and Temple arrived at The Silver Chalice

"If you are called as a born Venator, you acy, or you deny your Calling If you do, your norant oblivion"

Macey stared at Chas "You said that beforebut do you mean that literally?"

"Of course I told you yesterday"

She turned to Sebastian, whose sensual, angelic appearance had turned black and furious Chas sauntered past the table that had been set up in the center of the room and took a seat in a plu He crossed his legs and gave Sebastian an amiable smile

"It is true?" she said to Sebastian, knowing this was her last chance to change her mind

"It is" The words sounded as if they rung fro, taut, in the roorab hold of her thoughts Teh Cookie&039;s Smart Millinery and down into a hidden cellar, which led to a tunnel connected to Sebastian&039;s quarters Once she delivered Macey, Te Macey with Sebastian-and now Chas

She looked around, taking a moment to examine the space as a way to clear her mind This was a chamber she&039;d not seen on her previous visit to the Chalice Attached to Sebastian&039;s private quarters, the rectangular area wasroom

There were two doors at opposite ends of the rooh the parlor in which she&039;d originally met Sebastian Filled bookshelves lined one wall Two ar-were arranged in front of a desk, sporting stacks of books and papers, a lalass-doored cabinet on the shortest, far wall held a variety of curious objects-odd statues, unusual jewelry including a tarnished e, shiny black splinter made of some material she couldn&039;t identify The iteed in a e book that appeared to be a Bible sat on a shelf in the center of the cabinet Arranged on a bookstand, the toe Macey would swear had been hand-lettered by a twelfth-century ers itched to examine the book, and she could hardly keep her eyes away She didn&039;t work at a library for nothing

The tension in the rooh, and Macey hadn&039;t formulated her response when the far door opened Ilass wall had shattered and allowed air to flow freely

A woh the door and Macey stared She&039;d never seen anyone dressed like her: in a siown that reminded her of illustration plates of Lady Guinevere, rist-length sleeves that had cuffs long enough to d sooner rather than later, and 7Vrag on the ground Her waist was cinched with a simple chain belt-silver-and her pale moonbeam hair reached well below the links Two sets of three narrow braids at her teether to hang down the back of her hip-length, loose hair Despite her arb, the woman carried a modern leather satchel

She smiled at the three of them, and Macey felt another wave of unexpected warmth and comfort settle over her She looked at Sebastian, hat could only be described as an expression of chagrin-as if he&039;d been caught with a hand in the candy jar Chas stilled and seemed to sink deeper into the embrace of his armchair

Neither of theray-blue eyes toward her Macey considered, but couldn&039;t decide how old she thought the new arrival was Certainly older than she, but not old at all It was as if she were ageless

The woman inclined her head "Macey Denton You are very nearly the irandrandfather&039;s eyes" Sebastian spoke at last, his voice low Then he addressed the newcoht for sore eyes you are, race us with your presence ever again" He gave a short, tight laugh

She turned a bemused smile on him, and Macey watched in fascination as Sebastian&039;s show of irritation eased Once again she thought he rese by someone he adored and yet feared And Chas looked as if he wished to be anywhere but here, yet was afraid to get up and leave

Macey, intrigued but not intimidated, spoke to her "You seem to know me-and you&039;re the only person so far to call me by my real name But who are you?"

"I&039;lanced at Sebastian and Chas "I&039;m not certain whether I should be pleased or offended neither of these two fine gentlemen have spoken to you of me"

"Since you haven&039;tto have to introduce you to Macey anyway," Sebastian said "Aside from the fact that no mere words can do you justice, of course Even I dared not atteenuine sht she detected a definite sense of relief

"It was tiaze, though iven naacy is Gardella Have you made your decision?"

"Ithink so"

"First it&039;s try, and now it&039;s think? For God&039;s sake, there can be no hesitation for a Venator You either take up the stake, wed it, and live with it, or you exist in ignorance!"

To Macey&039;s surprise, Chas&039;s outburst elicited nothing but a glance from Wayren Not even a lifted brow for punctuation She returned her attention to Macey "Perhaps I should send them away so the two of us can speak without interruption"

At that, Macey smiled "That&039;s the ed me out of The Gyro and tried to force me down the stairs to ine how thatlittle crinkles appeared at the corners of her eyes, which had turned to a clear cerulean blue

"I pushed him down the stairs"

"Of course you did"

She must have seen Macey&039;s eyes flicker toward the ancient book in the cabinet, for the next thing she knew, Wayren was going over to it and then opening the doors "This is the Gardella faes have been in the family since the mystic Rosamunde recorded her prophecies in them at Lock Rose Abbey in the twelfth century"

Macey couldn&039;t keep froes, then snatched back her hand before she touched them She looked up at Wayren, who nodded pers to you, Macey Gardella If you choose to accept the call Your name will be added on the frontispiece below that of your father&039;s, where are listed all of the Gardella Venators who have descended in the direct line fro the story in The Venators "The first Venator-a gladiator in first-century Rome"

Wayren nodded "He was called on a quest to protect mankind and rid the earth of the immortal half-demon creatures descended froiven their imel Lucifer" She turned to the back of the book, showing Macey the writing there "See you herethe list of all the other Venators froht into the fold: Max, Sebastian, Michalas, Brioes on to the present day Martinus David Ranetti Alphonsus And Chas Woodmore"

When Macey touched the Bible at last, a shock of awareness, of vibrating, sizzling energy shuttled through her Yes

The word reverberated through hernot soin her ears, but within her Yes

Then she remembered the voice in the church: You can

She looked up at Wayren, atching her with steady eyes Macey was hardly aware Sebastian and Chas were still present; all of her attention was on the book and the serene blond woed to swelled in her, warm and full and peaceful Certainty Serenity

"Yes I&039;ll do it"

At her words, it was as if the rooreat sigh of relief

Or perhaps it was so for the chance to blossoo been planted

"Very well then," Wayren said, her gaze still calm and warm "Sebastian, do you have the vis bulla?"

He handed the blond woer than his thulinted, as if the wax had been mixed with silvery dust The small bottle was filled with clear liquid and inside was a delicate silver cross suspended from a hoop that wouldn&039;t even fit over the tip of her ser

Macey&039;s heart thumped harder as Sebastian broke the seal She noticed for the first tier on his left hand, the hand on which he wore the red-stoned signet ring But she was distracted fro how and when the accident occurred when he opened the bottle As he poured the contents into his cupped palm, there was a small puff, followed by a bit of stea from his expression "One of the many hazards of my condition"

He could easily have avoided touching the holy water, as well as the vis bulla Macey didn&039;t knohether he meant to show off for her-or Wayren, perhaps-or whether he had other reasons for exposing himself to the pain It occurred to her then, also, that if he was a Venator, he too must wear a vis bulla Did it cause hiainst his undead flesh?

Sebastian handed the tiny cross to Wayren, who turned to Macey "Steeped in holy water from beneath the Vatican from a font in the private quarters of the Venators-a place known as the Consiliued of silver Every undead is repelled by this pure metal because it represents the thirty silver coins for which Judas sold Jesus The aive the full benefit of its power Only one who has been called to the Gardella Legacy, and who has also slain a vampire on his or her own, may wear and feel the effects of the holy amulet"

"But" Macey frowned and looked at Chas, reht you weren&039;t Called"

"I&039;htly less caustic than usual, due, she suspected, to the presence of the mysterious Wayren "Perhaps someday I&039;ll tell you how I cainally from a much different time"

Wayren continued "Chas is correct-there is that rare exception If a acy so chooses, he or she may attempt what is called a Trial If he or she succeeds-and there have been many who tried and only six in all the centuries who have succeeded-then he or she is given a vis bulla"

"With all the sarandmothert -

"Indeed There is no difference except the new Venator has actually sought the chance to beco called to it And he has accomplished a task that could only be completed with the help of divine intervention"

Macey hesitated But she had to ask "What about my father?"

"Max Denton was a born Venator and an incredible warrior He and his father before hiestured to the table in the center of the room "Now, if you are ready, Macey Denton, I shall arm you with the vis bulla"

Her pal dae with her legs dangling off "Where do you put it?" She reached for her earlobe, where s

"You may wear it wherever you wish, but h the upper lip of the navel In that way, not only is it out of sight and protected froht use it to identify you, or worse, disar it away, but it is also very near the center of your body Its power can h every liree That would be the best" Then, realizing what she&039;d just agreed to, Macey sed Not only would it be uncomfortable, she would also have to bare her rew hot and, withoutso, and, his lips twitching into a devilish saze turned dark and warolden velvet He didn&039;t even need the flare of his glowing thrall to capture her

Macey tore her eyes away, her insides fluttering inged creatures, heat rushing through her body as she i over her bared flesh

"If you will recline" Wayren&039;s direction waswoman for fear she&039;d seen the interplay with Sebastian

Instead, she hoisted her legs onto the table and lay flat on her back, taking care not to expose any hs than necessary Fortunately, she&039;d worn a skirt and blouse today rather than a dress, so it was simple business to work the top free from the waistband into which it was tucked

The air was cool on the uncovered skin of her belly, contrasting with the war her face and throat and Wayren&039;s easy touch on her abdomen The blond woman paused to retrieve a pair of spectacles with square lenses from her satchel and she put them on as Macey tried to relax

She drew in a deep breath, arms flat at her sides Her attention fell on Chas, who stood next to Sebastian on one side of the table He wore an inscrutable expression, soht fists, hanging at his sides Was he reht had her wondering where he wore it, and the ie of a bare torso rose in her mind

Would you like to see asped at the sudden, sharp pain at her belly But Wayren&039;s movements were sht, cool weight of the tiny cross settling into the hollow of her navel

At the saht flooded her She felt it She truly felt it

Before she could do it herself, strong hands helped her upright-it was Chas-and she nodded her thanks to him

"It&039;s done," he said simply, then stepped away His hand settled on his own olden brown eyes soft and warm "Thank you"

"Welcome" Wayren handed Macey the empty bottle, its cork stopper back in place "You may keep this if you like"

"Thank you" She took it Then, very conscious of the sharp throbbing at her belly led with a sizzle of awareness, Macey tucked the shirt tail back into her waistband "Ernohat happens?"

"You hunt varinned

There were speakeasies and ga houses and brothelsand then there was The Blood Club

Chas didn&039;t think much of the establishment&039;s nan over the door Ah, no Access to this exclusive club was limited to those who knehere to find it and how to enter

Thus, he knew to patronize a tailor shop named Rico&039;s, and to ask for the trousers he&039;d dropped off a week ago "To be double-stitch hemmed over the back of the heel," he told the man behind the counter

It was a different person every day

Nevertheless, the estured to the back as whoever was behind the counter always did "Third dressing rooo try &039;e roo open the floor-length e, di sensation deep in his belly confirmed there were lance, the place looked like any other saloon or cabaret Tables were scattered about, soh, rounded sides Decorated with red-swathed lamps, the space was unusually warm in temperature as well as appearance Sent, metallic aro counter with bottled options lined the short end of the room

Outside, the sun was still up, but that didn&039;tChas&039;s eyes, which were still becoh the tables While there were no waitresses per se, there were other club e woh heels, and boas, and handsome men in spats and tailored suits with bloodred ties Soainst the side of a shoulder-height stage, others wandered fro into an offered seat

"Welcome to The Blood Club," said a throaty voice

Chas turned, the gnawing in his belly very strong now, and took in the woman&039;s appearance Slender, blond-haired, with the paper-white skin of an undead, she was nevertheless an attractive creature with generous curves and full lips No surprise, for the Club&039;s proprietor, Count Alvisi, offered only the best service-whether fro upon the patron&039;s choice

"What&039;s your pleasure, handso from behind dark red lips

Too soon for that yet, so he jerked a thumb toward the bar "For now" He did allow his attention to linger over her before pushing on past, just to keep the option open Sliding onto a stool, he ordered a whiskey When it came, he tossed it back in one motion, then ordered a second before the bartender even walked away

Vioget would say it was a waste to sla it, but Chas had his reasons And though the drink was sed, and pure-unlike the vastto have any success tonight, he had an impression to make

A short time later, he fumbled into his pocket to withdraw a bill to pay for four whiskeys Then he slurred his thanks to the bartender andoff the stool, he staggered and clunked his hand cluainst the bar as he turned

The blond vareeted him watched from across the way, despite the fact that she&039;d seated herself at a table hat appeared to be a less interesting rayer than him That was no surprise; Chas attracted women as easily as a stake slid into an undead heart-a benefit of which he took great advantage The blonde&039;s eyes narrowed into obvious invitation, and Chas knew she&039;d ditch her current "custoement

But he didn&039;t Not yet Not until he decided on his own target

The whiskey warmed him, made him a little too aware of his needs and desires-particularly with a sensual wory look At least she was blond Blond was easier Yet, every time he stepped into this place, it re with the rav sooner rather than later, and 7Ven-haired, incomparably beautiful Narcise, of memories he&039;d tried to leave behind-his troubled past, falling in love with a vampire

Wayren had offered him a way out, but even she couldn&039;t eradicate history

He continued on his path, and despite the amount he&039;d imbibed, Chas found he was still horribly steady and clear-headed

Fuck Perhaps he should have had five shots

No He didn&039;t have the luxury of being i deeply into his cups as he wandered a for him to differentiate the undead froa one who could give hie in the air had the hair at the back of his neck lifting a little, and the gouging sensation in his belly grew stronger Chas pretended to trip, and as he righted hiainst a table, he looked over and saw Alvisi entering the roo been turned a va undead and cloistered froht, he remained olive-skinned He had thin, lank brown hair and a dapper personality: slender, lithe, and bordering on effeminate

Every bit as in control as Al Capone would be when he walked into the Four Deuces, Alvisi captured the attention of every patron and worker as he surveyed the saloon Instead of being accouards, on his arms were two attractive wo strawberry-blond hair and almond-shaped eyes Other ladies surrounded hi a blue frock and headdress, each one tall and y From his distance, Chas couldn&039;t tell for certain which of the escorts were mortal and which were undeada fact it was i his et

He navigated his way toward the large curved booth where Alvisi and his entourage settled in And he caught the eye of one of the blondes as he slipped, still clumsy, into a seat at a nearby table He didn&039;t want to appear too sauced Just enough to look like easy pickings

The blonde noticed hiement He ss at him, he felt a repulsive shudder of attraction But just as she was about to ease away froroup to join hiazes Thus distracted, Chas allowed his attention to shift around once , inky hair that hung sleekly past her shoulders She had a delicate, oval face, indistinct because of the smoke and the distance, but it didn&039;t ut, and he met her stare He felt a little clammy; the effects

As the brunette stood, their connection broke, giving hined to clear his head Too late now His pulse pounded, and his insides sloshed hiskey, revulsionand, goddam him, anticipation

"I&039;ve never seen you here before," she murmured as she slid into the chair next to his Now she was close, and other than the long, straight fall of shining hair, she didn&039;t look anything like Narcise

"I&039;ve never been here before," he replied, easier now It was always good when he wasn&039;t recognized "But I thought I&039;dtry so new" He smiled-a balance of seduction and hesitance

She licked her lips, showing the tips of her fangs "Soht place" She was nearly in his lap, her hand placed intih

"Do you have a name?" Chas asked casually, then leaned in to cover her lips One cold, one warmbut he was used to the odd sensation

After a long, thrusting kiss, he eased back, keeping his eyelids heavy as he traced a finger over her exposed collarbone Even as he played the seducer-or the seduced, depending upon how one looked at it-he had one ear fixed on the conversation co from Alvisi&039;s table He could only hear bits and pieces, and hoped the woman in his lap would fill in the rest

"Valia," she replied, sliding her hand over his chest then up to play with his long hair Her other hand slipped over the growing bulge of his cock "My"

He nibbled on her neck, then murmured, "Another whiskey first?"

"Of course" She snaled the bartender "And thenwould you prefer to stay here, or find so, slow shted "That&039;s perhed, low and husky, and unbuttoned the top button of his shirt, pulling the cloth away froed in his veins, but Chas eased back slightly Not yet, darling

"The count allows us to do whatever our patrons wish Whatever ish," Valia told him, her attention focused on his throat The drink appeared at his elbow, and when heout his money, she waved him off "My treat"

"I certainly hope so"

She flashed a glow of ruby approval in her gaze and began to unbutton his cuff Chas allowed her to do so, but he had to work quickly His pulse was beginning to speed up, and she seemed determined

"Hethat man over there? Is that the owner?" he asked

She began to roll up his sleeve, baring his wrist The marks from previous bites had all but faded, and she wouldn&039;t notice the faint scars in this diht "Count Alvisi Yes, he is the owner"

"He looks as if he could give Al Capone a run for his ave a husky laugh, lifting his arm in her two hands as if it were a silver platter "Capone? One of us? Not yet But soon" She slanted a look up at hie

He licked his lips, hishis hand around the back of her neck, he dragged Valia up against him and covered her h The undead were violent creatures

She arched her breasts into his chest, releasing his arm in order to cli, thrusting tongue with her own Then, giving a sharp twist, she nicked his lip with a fang Chas tasted blood as their ether, and felt the deep shudder tra in a bit of his life