Would he need a formal introduction to Emil’s court now since he was under the aegis of Penglai? He buzzed Chloe.
She picked up after two rings. “Hey, sleepyhead.”
“Hey, yourself. Can you remind me when I’m finished in Bucharest to call Giovanni and ask if I need a formal letter of introduction to Emil Conti in Rome?”
“Are you going to Rome?”
“I thought I’d head over there after I’m done in Bucharest and give Fabia a visit since I’m on the continent. You and Gavin should come too. There’s plenty of room in the house, and you and Fabi could shop. She’d love to take you around.”
Chloe was suspiciously silent instead of enthusiastic. “Give me a minute.” She hung up and a knock sounded at his door a few minutes later.
“Hey.” He opened the door, and she immediately walked in with a frown on her face. “What’s up?”
“Tenzin is gone.”
“Yeah, I know.”
She looked like she was going to ask something and then changed her mind. “Okay, I have no idea what is going on, but she seemed really determined that you shouldn’t meet with Radu on your own. She thought Gavin should go with you.”
“Why?” He sat on the edge of the couch. “There’s not going to be any trouble with payment. He’s paid in advance. I’m going to drop off a painting. That’s it.”
“And I told her that, but she said not to underestimate him.”
Ben rolled his eyes. “Yeah, she likes to keep people on edge. At this point, I think she thinks it’s adorable, but it’s not. It’s just annoying. I’m going to fly to Bucharest tonight and I’ll meet with Radu first thing tomorrow night. Then I’m going to head to Rome.”
“I really wish you’d wait for Gavin.”
Ben stood and kissed Chloe’s forehead. “I’ll be fine. I’m not being rash. I’ve completely thought this through and there are really no dangers in meeting Radu at a club I’ve already visited in a city where I have a safe house.”
“But Ben—”
“At times like this, it’s actually convenient to be a vampire everyone worries about.” Ben started unplugging his devices and packing his backpack. “Trust me, Chloe. Radu is not stupid enough to mess with the son of Zhang Guo or the nephew of Giovanni Vecchio. He’d have vampires from half the known world pissed off at him over a minor work of art.”
She stared at him a long time. “I really don’t like this.”
“And don’t forget.” Ben folded a long-sleeved black shirt and tucked it in his backpack. “If anything gets too dangerous, I can just fly, fly away.”
* * *
Two nights later…
Ben woke in pitch darkness.
He smelled vinyl and leather.
Pine and the scent of fresh water nearby.
Fresh blood.
He touched his head, but the blow at the base of his skull had already healed itself. Scattered memories of jostling in a vehicle and heavy, unfamiliar accents. Flashing lights and the sound of truck engines revving.
He stretched out, searching for anything familiar. On his right was a ledge of some kind. He reached over. He was on a bed and there was a wall next to him, but it felt hollow. False. He slapped the wall and felt the edge of a familiar plastic fixture. It was the flat paddle of a light switch.
He pushed it and a small lamp turned on next to him, nearly blinding him with its low light.
In the newly lit compartment, Ben looked around.
Bed.
Small kitchen.
Square cupboards and plastic-covered bookshelves lined the walls. Was he on a plane? No, it was silent. He stood motionless and allowed the fear and panic to rise up so he could examine them clearly.
He took a deep breath and put his hands on the wall again.
Space. Some kind of insulation was packed behind the surface, but beyond that there was vast openness just on the other side. He reached up and felt the low ceiling. He felt the other wall and sensed the same.
In every direction, he was surrounded by air.
His panic began to calm. Just beyond these thin walls, his element waited for him. He could escape anytime.
A simple door stood at the end of the compartment, and as he walked toward it, he felt the floor swaying beneath him. It creaked and bounced.
What was this place? A mobile home? It was too small. A parked bus? Ben cracked the door slowly, reaching his amnis outward to sense any threats, but he was met by one single familiar energy signature a short distance away.
He pushed the door open and saw Radu standing alone on a hill under the swiftly darkening sky. The sun had set in the distance, and a lone Romani wagon was next to him, parked at the end of a cracked asphalt road where Ben realized his caravan had come to rest. That was the compartment where he’d woken, not a mobile home but a travel bus.
Radu turned and smiled ruefully. “I apologize, Ben Vecchio. This was not how I wanted to introduce you to the Dawn Caravan, but you left me no other options.”
20
Ben sat across from Radu, a bottle of blood-wine between them. He was trying to keep calm, but anger pushed at him. Tenzin had been right. He shouldn’t have met Radu alone. He’d been lulled into a sense of normalcy by Radu’s familiar face and the small number of guards with him.
He hated when Tenzin was right.
“I really hate to pull this one out,” Ben said. “But do you know who the hell I am?”
Radu smiled. “I am very aware.”
“Tell me why I shouldn’t fly away right now.” Ben leaned back and crossed his leg over his knee.
“Again, I deeply apologize for the unfortunate way I had to bring you here.” Radu opened
