Daysider

“So he worked for the Expansionists,” Alexia said, continuing to play along, “and you work for the Council, like Damon.”

“Didn’t he tell you? The Council would hardly make the mistake of sending only one operative on such a crucial mission. And now that I know you have been attacked, the wisdom in that policy is apparent.”

“What did this man mean when he said ‘they’ wanted to destroy the colony? Why would the Expansionists turn against the settlement when extending the Citadel’s reach into the Zone is exactly what they’re after?”

The Nightsider sighed. “This traitor,” he said, “was about to tell you that the colonists, whom his masters secretly hoped to control, were determined to keep their independence and refuse to cooperate with any party in Erebus.”

His candidness caused Alexia an uncomfortable moment of doubt. Would he admit all this if he was with the faction most hostile to the Enclave?

He might if he planned to kill her after he made her think he was on her side. “Why would the colonists’ lack of cooperation be enough for the Expansionists to want the settlement eliminated?” she asked.

“They will brook no possible threat to their ambitions,” the Nightsider said. “They could create considerable trouble if they attacked the colony, and turn that trouble to their advantage. Of course, the Council would wish to prevent any action that might suggest bad faith in their dealings with Aegis.”

All very tidy, Alexia thought. But this Nightsider had said that his victim hadn’t yet made his report to the Expansionists. How could he, or the double agent, be so sure what the Expansionists intended to do after they received that report?

Because they already knew. The supposed “traitor” was going to tell the Council that an attack was coming.

Was that what Michael had been trying to tell her when he’d given her the strange communicator and spoken those few, ominous words?

Coming. Signal. Attack. Warn.

War.

Instinct told her to run on the chance she might actually escape and get the message to Damon. But she knew she had to keep the vampire talking in case he carelessly revealed the nature of the Expansionists’ plans. And what the other vampire had meant about the

“drugs.”

“That makes sense,” Alexia said belatedly, lowering the rifle. “But how did your double agent get caught in the sun?”

The Nightsider shrugged. “Once I learned what he was, I detained him. He escaped and was severely burned, but obviously not enough to prevent him from trying to provoke your sympathy and catch you off guard.”

Alexia kicked at the dirt with the toe of her boot. “Considering that Damon and I have been attacked several times by Nightsiders, why are you so sure I would have believed he was on our side?”

“Because both you and Damon have strong prejudices that would make you inclined to believe exactly what this one told you. The Expansionists want war, and they despise Daysiders more than any other faction in Erebus.”

“And that’s enough to make Damon discard his training and all common sense?”

“Perhaps you have observed that he is of a passionate nature, not unlike humans or your kind. He also has an inordinate amount of pride.”

“Like Opiri?” she asked.

The vampire ignored her mockery. “He is even more driven by irrational impulses than most of those you call Daysiders. That is the very reason he was sent to work with you.

But it also makes him, shall we say, more apt to act according to emotion rather than intellect.”

“And to believe a man who tells him what he wants to hear. But you still haven’t told me what that is.”

He hesitated very convincingly and sighed. “The colony,” he said, “was founded by a Bloodmaster named Theron. Theron’s philosophy—” he nearly spat the word “—

encouraged the concept of full equality among all citizens of Erebus, from Bloodmaster to the lowest vassal. It seems he has put this idea into practice.”

“And that’s the real reason the Expansionists want the settlement destroyed.”

“Perhaps,” he said.

She wasn’t going to push him. He’d given her a great deal more information than she’d expected to get already.

“That sounds like internal politics to me,” she said. “Once I get back to the Enclave, I’ll advise that we should continue to observe from a distance unless it becomes imperative that we interfere.”

“You ‘advise’ your superiors?” he asked mockingly.

“My opinion, as well as my partner’s, counts for something, yes,” she said. “In fact, I was on my way to rendezvous with my partner when I stumbled over this man.”

“I will gladly stand by to protect you until he arrives.”

Sure you will, she thought. Now that it was down to the wire, she had very few choices about what to do next.

“I’ve been wondering,” she said idly, as if she were reluctant to end a pleasant conversation, “how do you think the Council will stop the Expansionists?”

“I am not privy to their decisions. In any case, you and your partner need no longer be involved.” He reached inside his sleek black jacket. “When I located Damon, I was to present him with his new assignment, which is to escort you back to the Border and return to Erebus for further instructions.”

His new assignment? This guy said he’d just found out about the double agent and had been chasing him, but he’d had time to return to Erebus and get new orders for Damon before Damon had reported back himself?

She frowned slightly and met the vampire’s gaze. “I think you’d better come back to camp and repeat all this to Damon,” she said. “You wouldn’t want him working in the dark.”

The Nightsider grimaced at her weak joke. “Of course,” he said, bowing like a courtier.

“It’s that way,” she said, pointing east.

He hung back with a knowing smile. “Please. A lady should always go first.”

“I didn’t know women had any special privileges in Erebus,” she said.

“I merely defer to your human customs,” the Nightsider said, pressing his hand to his heart as if he had wounded her. “We regarded males and females as equals long before your kind dreamed of giving your women the right to vote. Equals,” he said, showing his teeth, “in their freedom to compete for rank and power.”

“And you really think that we humans—” She broke off, sensing Damon long before the Nightsider was aware of his approach.

She didn’t know why her senses were so much keener than a full vampire’s, but she wasn’t about to question her unexpected advantage.

Unfortunately, Damon made no attempt to sneak up on them. As soon as he walked out from between two bigleaf maples with her VS in hand and saw the Nightsider, he began to run toward Alexia. He stopped between her and the vampire, his anxious gaze raking up and down her body. He glanced at the dead Nightsider and turned to face the living one, head slightly bent and shoulders tensed to repel attack.

The Nightsider didn’t move. “Damon,” he said.

“Lysander.” Damon’s voice was so utterly cold that Alexia could almost feel ice crystals form in the air between him and the vampire. “What are you doing here?”

Lysander looked at Damon’s ragged clothing, his bare chest under the dirty jacket and the shadow of a beard on his jaw with unconcealed contempt in his deep purple eyes.

“The same thing you are,” he said.

“I doubt that very much.” Damon glanced again at the body. “Who is this Opir? What happened to him?”

“Lysander killed him,” Alexia said.