according to Sebastian… and the reason he, Michalas, and Brim had slipped into their cups. Every time a vampire walked into the place, all four of them noticed, of course. And then the wagers began.
“He’ll go for the young man over yonder. Easy, and near the door.”
“I think not. See how he’s watching the server girl? It’ll be her.”
“No, no… see how he’s looking at the ones throwing dice? He’ll slip into the game and lure the winner away later… Then he’ll get the winnings, too.”
And then…
“She’s got her eye on that big guy by the wall.”
“No, see how she’s looking at the two over by the counter? The one with the red hair, mark my words.”
“She’s just dropped something-the bald one’s going to pick it up, and that will be his death wish.”
Coins of all denominations clanked and clinked into a small pot on the table until the vampire made a move to lure his victim out of the pub. Then the winning Venator collected his spoils, slipped them into his pocket, took a stake out… and followed.
The rest drained their glasses and poured another round.
After a while, vampires stopped coming into the eatery. Perhaps word had spread that those who did found themselves quickly turned to ash.
“It’s still early,” Michalas said, digging out a pair of dice. He tossed them on the table. “Who’s first?”
“Vioget and I,” said Brim, raising the eyebrow through which his
Sebastian sighed, rolled his eyes, and sat up as though quite put-upon. Yet Victoria saw the gleam of challenge in his gaze. “I accept.”
Victoria watched with interest-all of these pastimes were as new to her as visiting a men’s club and watching them at cards.
Michalas rolled the bones. “Ten.” He laughed and looked up at the other two. “Good luck.”
Brim and Sebastian shoved to their feet, sending glasses clinking, and rushed out.
“Where are they going?” Victoria asked.
“I rolled a ten… Now it’s a race to see who can get ten vampires and get back here first.”
“Ten? Each?” Her eyebrows rose, and she stifled a laugh. “Are there that many undead left in Prague? We’ve been a bit busy.”
“Ten each, and the last one back buys a round.” Michalas settled back in his chair and sipped from his beverage of choice-wine. They chatted amiably for a time, and after a while he said, “Ah, here’s another one.”
Victoria felt the telltale chill on the back of her neck and saw the undead come through the door. “Yours or mine?” she asked.
“I’ll take him.”
“No, wait,” she said. “I’ll do it.” She stood, feeling the gentling effect of the wine, and made her way casually toward the vampire.
He stood near the counter of the bar, sipping something from a cup. Even though she was innocently looking away, Victoria felt the moment she caught his attention. She could imagine the picture she made-clearly a woman who was dressed in men’s clothing, for she’d left her hair unbound and removed her jacket in the warm evening.
The vampire stood tall, nearly as tall as Max, she realized as she came closer. His shoulders were broad, and despite the scar that cut along the edge of his jaw, he was a handsome man. And, she was fairly certain, a Guardian vampire. But she wouldn’t know for certain until his eyes began to glow.
“Well, well,” he said in a liquid voice that somehow penetrated above the dull roar of the eatery. “What is a lovely lady doing in such an ugly place?”
Victoria resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Instead, she gave him large, innocent ones and replied, “I was supposed to meet my brother here, but he hasn’t arrived yet.”
“Your brother?” The interest in his voice ebbed.
“He was supposed to meet me yesterday evening,” she said. “But he’s late.”
The vampire laughed, showing normal teeth. “I should say that is the case. How much longer do you intend to wait for him?”
“I don’t think he’s going to come after all,” she said ingenuously. “I’m thinking it’s time that I went home.”
“By yourself? The streets are dangerous at night,” he said, leaning a bit closer.
What woman didn’t know that? “I’m not afraid.” That was the truth.
“Perhaps you might like an escort?” he asked.
“I think not,” she said, giving him a coy smile. “I don’t usually walk with strange men.” She rested some coins on the counter to give the impression that she had approached so as to settle her account. “Good night, sir.”
She was nearly out the door when she felt the chill at the back of her neck intensify. A knowing smile tickled her lips, and she slowed her pace so that he could catch up to her.
But just as she stepped onto the crooked street, she saw Sebastian and Brim approaching. Both were moving quickly, obviously to see who could win the wager.
“Victoria,” said Sebastian as they slowed next to her. She felt the scarred vampire move past her and slip into the shadows. Neither Brim nor Sebastian made any attempt to follow him. Instead of going into the pub, they stopped at the entrance next to her.
“I’m very sorry,” said Brim. “I’ve made a mistake.”
“A mistake?” Victoria frowned.
“I was looking for my tenth vampire, so I could win this wager with Vioget,” Brim explained. Victoria felt Sebastian’s eyes on her, and an odd chill went up her spine. Why was he looking at her that way?
Max. It had to be about Max. What had happened?
She swallowed and realized Brim was continuing his explanation. She forgot about the vampire and listened.
“I couldn’t find one, or sense one anywhere, and so I kept looking. I’d found the first nine rather quickly. But then, nothing. At last, I came to a small boarding-house and felt an undead was nearby. I found him. In one of the rooms, sleeping. Just as I staked him, I realized he was-”
“Tied up,” Victoria finished, her heart sinking.
“Tied up,” Brim repeated.
So Antonнn was gone.
She glanced toward Tэn and nodded slowly.
That, she supposed, was what she deserved for attempting to interfere with divine will.
The gentle hand on his shoulder brought Max to reality.
He blinked, focused, swallowed, then breathed. A long, shuddering, deep breath.
The stones beneath his knees had long ceased paining him, but the moment he moved, the agony screamed along his joints. His legs felt leaden at first, and then as he moved them, nasty prickles traveled up and down and into his buttocks and down into his toes.
Colored light beams of red, blue, and gold glowed in the massive church nave, shining through stained glass and spilling over the altar and arches and pews. By their angle, he surmised that dusk was near.
The end of the third day.
Always knowing, always perceptive, Wayren had touched his shoulder to draw him from the deep meditation, then eased away to allow him time to come back to himself. Now he turned and saw her sitting in a pew beneath a low arch, where the only illumination was a few alms candles. For a moment, he saw a shimmer of light around her in the dusky church, and then it was gone.
He moved stiffly next to her and sat for the first time in three days.
“You’re here,” he said.
“I am indeed.”
“Do we have the third ring?”
She gave a brief nod. “We do. Now to finish here and to retrieve the other two from Lilith.”
He couldn’t think about that now. Not yet. One moment at a time. One task at a time.
Wayren seemed to understand, and she touched his hand, her fingers soft and cool against his rough ones. A
