The Cold Kiss of Death

‘Malik al-Khan,’ a woman called, her voice sounding right by my ear, ‘where is she, Malik? You told me you would produce her tonight. The audience is gathered and they will require some explanation if they are to wait for their entertainment.’

‘She?’ I asked, narrowing my eyes suspiciously at him. ‘Which “she” is she talking about?’

‘Genevieve, please take hold of my hand,’ Malik ordered urgently in my mind. ‘Now,’ he insisted. ‘Flesh to flesh will make it easier to trick her. You are not who she means.’

I hesitated, then placed my hand in his outstretched one, his fingers closed over mine in a cold, painful grip, and an icy chill slipped through my veins until it lodged itself like a jagged lump of ice at the base of my throat. I swallowed past the pain and mentally sighed. Figured! As he turned us to face whoever, he pulled me closer to his side, my arm bent up behind my back, our joined hands hidden as if he’d captured me in an embrace—or intended dislocating my shoulder.

A dainty blonde vampire in a twenties-style dress strode towards us, hiding her lower face behind a black lace fan, the jet beads swinging on her dress clicking loudly as she moved. Elizabetta, head of the Golden Blade blood family. Some of the humans, with puzzled, even frightened expressions on their faces, were almost jumping over each other to get out of her way. Others stood and gaped in awe. What the hell was she doing to them?

‘They will see her as Medusa, or maybe a glorious winged angel, or even leading a tiger,’ Malik said. ‘Those are her favourites. Elizabetta does not care for humans, but she is an ally, and is willing to assist me this night.’

‘You heard me?’ I glanced at him as I thought the question.

‘If you think directly at me,’ his voice shivered through me, ‘then joined like this, yes, I can hear you.’

Okay, so at least that was something on the positive side.

Malik squeezed my hand in reply as the dainty vampire halted in front of him. She was small, a few inches under five foot, and she’d been young, maybe sixteen or seventeen, when she’d accepted the Gift, but the disdainful expression in her odd colourless eyes was centuries old, and the power rolling off her made my Glamoured ponytail bristle like a scalded cat. I shook my head to rid myself of the irritating feeling.

‘Where is she, Malik?’ she demanded, her voice reverberating like an overloud bass speaker through my chest. I flinched, then clenched my free hand to stop from rubbing there. Damn vamp, using her mesma on me ... I tried to block her out, but the lump of ice in my throat wouldn’t let me. Then I realised her mesma wasn’t just directed at me; the humans nearby were rubbing their chests, some were even clutching their heads.

‘She really doesn’t like humans, does she?’ I muttered to him in my mind. ‘I mean, I heard she was against all this celebrity stuff, but does she want to go back to living in the dark ages or something?’

‘Try and keep your expression as an adoring human, please, Genevieve, it will make things easier.’ Malik’s hand tightened warningly on mine as he said, ‘Rosa will be here soon. Elizabetta.’

Ahh. So old Liz was looking for Rosa. Somehow I didn’t think it was to have a girly chat.

‘I hope she will.’ Elizabetta snapped her fan shut. ‘I am doing this only as a favour to you. If it was my choice, I’d be the first to sink my fangs in her throat, depraved bitch that she is. Why you want to prolong her existence when she is the cause of so many problems is beyond me.’

Yep, no girly chats for Rosa. I pasted on a smile, only it felt more like a goblin’s warning grin.

‘Rosa has always been troubled, Elizabetta,’ Malik answered her calmly. ‘I am sure it was not her intention to cause you any inconvenience.’

‘Pah! She has no care for anyone other than herself. She has hunted in all our territories without permission, and she has stolen choice morsels away from our tables. It is not often that fae blood, even diluted with human, comes our way. The bounty should be utilised wisely, not kept for one’s own gratification then disposed off.’

‘You have been busy rescuing your faelings, haven’t you, Genevieve.’

‘Damn right I have!’ Then I wondered how he knew.

Elizabetta’s next words put that thought from my mind. ‘And then this appropriation of the sidhe in secret.’ She threw her arms out in disgust, the beads on her dress clacking as they swung. ‘Did Rosa think that no one would discover it, that she would be able to stand against the Autarch? We do not need him to turn his attention to us.’

‘Rosa will have no dealings with the Autarch, nor will anyone else in London, once you have witnessed her offer of fealty to me, Elizabetta.’ His fingers squeezed mine again. ‘I will await Rosa’s arrival upstairs, and I will have someone inform you when we are ready.’

He inclined his head, then turned to me, gesturing towards the double doors leading to the interior of the club. ‘We will go now.’

‘Wait!’ she commanded, the word digging into me like a hook. ‘What is that?’ She pointed a lace-gloved finger accusingly at me.

‘My apologies, Genevieve,’ Malik’s voice came wearily in my head as he turned back to her. ‘It is nothing, Elizabetta.’ He gave an elegant shrug. ‘I found myself in need of some sustenance.’

Sustenance? Nice! Still, at least he’d said he was sorry in advance.

‘Do you not require your usual tithe?’

‘Of course, the human is but an appetiser.’

‘She’s not to your usual taste, Malik.’ She stared at my tabloid breasts, curling her mouth in a sneer. ‘A tad obvious.’

‘Her body is strong.’ His words were distant. ‘Her blood is healthy and she is willing, which is all that matters in a snack.’

Huh! I was a snack now?

‘I hope you’re not planning on draining her.’ Her nostrils flared in disdain. ‘Because if so, you should know that the facilities here are not the best for disposal. It would cause difficulties for me.’ She gave him an assessing look. ‘Difficulties I might not be able to keep from the human authorities.’

‘My plans are not your concern.’

‘Of course they are! Now the Earl is gone, I am head of London’s High Table.’

‘That decision is not finalised until after tomorrow’s gathering, Elizabetta.’

‘Pah! There is no one who can stand in my way. Hearts and Diamonds have none strong enough and while Declan’s personal power may be on a par with mine, his Shamrocks are too small in numbers to overcome my Blades. Tomorrow or today makes no odds.’ She gave a superior smile, showcasing longer-than-normal needle- sharp fangs. ‘So it is now within my jurisdiction to deny you your blood-tithe, Malik. In fact, should I decide that you have succumbed to the curse of your abomination of a bloodline, I am within my rights to demand your death.’

‘That doesn’t sound good,’ I murmured in my head.

He stilled, a line of concern creasing between his eyes. ‘Do not pursue this course, Elizabetta.’

‘In all the centuries I have known you, Malik, you have never picked up a snack.’ She flicked open the fan with a flourish. ‘So this one must be of some importance to you.’ Her pink tongue slipped out and licked her fangs. ‘I’m curious as to what that is.’

‘She knows who I am!’

‘No, she does not; she would not be talking if she did—she would be trying to tear my head off to get at you.’

‘Good to know she’s a friend then. I’d hate to meet one of your enemies.’

‘Ally, not friend. Elizabetta needed my support to ratify her elevation tomorrow; now, for some reason, she feels she does not.’

‘I am here surrounded by humans, and have yet to kill one.’ Malik waved a dismissive arm. ‘I have evidently not fallen to the curse as you can see, Elizabetta.’

‘But you are wrong, I cannot see.’ Her odd pupils contracted to nothing, leaving her colourless eyes even more nondescript. ‘I think you should show me that you can control your curse.’ She touched a finger to her lips in parody as if a thought had just struck her. ‘Take your snack now.’

‘This is not the place, Elizabetta.’ He spoke calmly, but his hand crushed mine. Pain burned in my fingers,