A small smile twitched up the corner ofCorbin’s lush mouth. “As you see—she is still in one piece.”
“You must have surpassing control. That Iwould like to see.” Roderick was looking at me with much moreinterest now, as though I might do a clever trick if he watchedlong enough.
“Sorry, we don’t do private shows,” Isnapped.
Roderick frowned. “It appears your consortneeds some discipline, Corbin. She hasn’t enough respect for herbetters.”
I wanted to say tell him to fuck off or askhow being a rapist and a torturer made him better than me butCorbin was suddenly between us. “My apologies, Inquisitor. She is anon-glam and so a bit more difficult to control than mosthumans.”
“I see. So you are unable to control hermind?”
“I said it is more difficult, notimpossible.” Corbin put an arm around my shoulders and I forcedmyself to hold still though I wanted in the worst way to shrug itoff. “I could break her to my will completely if I wished, ofcourse. But I find that a broken mind makes for a boring bedcompanion. Do you not agree?”
“Not at all, actually.” Roderick sniffed.“Although in my estimation it is the breaking itself that gives themost pleasure, not the end product.”
I thought of how he’d been “breaking” Taylorand wanted to shoot him so badly I could almost taste it. OnlyCorbin’s heavy arm around my shoulders and his hand gripping myupper arm kept me from reaching for my Glock.
“As I was saying, Celeste’s treatment of herlatest fledging is most upsetting to my consort. She and thisfledgling were friends before Celeste took her and turned heragainst her will.”
“Celeste, is this true?” Roderick turned toher, frowning. He spoke softly but there was a vast depth of menacein his voice. “You know turning a human without their consent isheavily frowned upon now that we are in the public eye, do younot?”
“The old ways were better.” Celeste soundedsulky. “One never had to ask who was willing and who was not. Wejust took what we wanted.”
“I remember that well.” Corbin’s eyesflashed. “A fine time for our kind. However, it was not always sopleasant for those that were taken.”
I looked at him in surprise. Had Corbin beenbrought over against his will? He had always seemed like the typeto volunteer for vampirism to me but maybe he hadn’t. Maybe somevampire somewhere back in Scotland or Wales or wherever it was hecame from had seen a big, strong, handsome man and decided he wouldmake an excellent part of his or her entourage. It was something tothink about—if we got out of this alive. The situation seemed likeit could go either way.
“Cease this bickering.” Roderick lookedirritated rather than enraged, which I cautiously hoped was a goodsign. “Celeste, you have committed an illegal act. And you havemade me party to it by giving me the fruits of your illicitactivity as a tribute. I should kill you here and now.”
“Inquisitor, no…please.” Celeste’sdark eyes grew wide and terrified.
“Calm yourself. I said that I should, notthat I would—yet, anyway. We must have a trial to determine yourfate.” Roderick turned to Corbin. “We can hold it in your club. Youwill close tomorrow night in order that we may do so.”
Tomorrow night was a Saturday and I had anidea of the vast amount of revenue Corbin would lose by closing buthe only nodded. “As you say, Inquisitor. But what of the fledglingI came for?”
Roderick sighed. “I will cede her to you. Iwas growing tired of her relentless sniveling anyway.”
Corbin inclined his head. “You are mostkind.”
The other vampire snarled. “Do not be soquick to count me kind, Corbin. You may have gotten what you wantbut I will be looking into your affairs next. I hope you will havesomething suitable for me to bring back as tribute.”
“I am preparing something as we speak,”Corbin said neutrally. He turned to Celeste. “The fledgling. Whereis she?”
She crossed her arms over her flat chestsulkily. For someone who was facing a trial and possibly thevampire equivalent of the death sentence, I didn’t think she lookedtoo concerned. “Danica will show you,” she said. A vampire with asingle red star tattooed under her left eye nodded at Corbin andwalked down a hallway toward the back of the house.
I hurried ahead of him, trailing rightbehind the one-star vamp who had long black hair and a perfectfigure a lot like Taylor’s. Obviously Celeste had a type and thiswas it. We came to a bedroom door and Corbin reached over my headto push it open.
“Carefully,” he murmured, putting arestraining hand on my shoulder to hold me back when I would havegone rushing in. “Celeste is capable of great cunning. Let the oneshe sent to guide us go first.”
I thought he was being a bit too cautiousbut I slowed down reluctantly and let Danica enter the room aheadof us. Then, when Corbin nodded, I walked in behind her, lookingfor Taylor.
At first, all I saw was a vast expanse ofblack satin. A huge four poster bed with strangely carved postsdominated the room, drawing the eye immediately, and it was spreadwith satin sheets. Walking closer, I saw that the carvings on theposts were some kind of never-ending orgy. But not just any orgy—avampire orgy. The carved figures all had fangs and they weredisplaying amazing levels of flexibility. I hadn’t even known someof the positions shown were possible and I supposed theyweren’t—for humans, anyway.
Then I heard a soft whimper from the vastbed. It was Taylor, curled up in a corner near the far right post.She had the black satin sheet pulled up to her neck and her longdark hair was hiding her face.
“Taylor, it’s all right. I’m here for you.I’m going to get you out of here and you’ll never have to comeback.” I climbed up the high side of the bed onto the slick satinsheets, almost slipping in my haste to get to her. “It’s okay. It’sokay,” I crooned, gathering her into my arms.
Taylor leaned her head against my shoulderand sobbed. I held her tight, not minding that the arm she wrappedaround my waist was just about squeezing the life out of me. Iwondered
