A Dozen Black Roses by Nancy A. Collins

Author:Nancy A. Collins
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media
Published: 2015-05-18T16:42:45+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

Sonja lurched uncertainly along the topsy-turvy corridors of Esher’s stronghold. It was difficult enough navigating the House while Esher was in residence; when he was away it was as close to madness as she wished to tread. All the doors seemed familiar and strange at the same time, mocking her sense of direction. Some of them she had opened revealed empty rooms, while others seemed tied to a menacing void. Those were the doors she wasted no time slamming shut. Who knows what lurks in the corners of a house where space has been folded in on itself like a child’s paper hat?

If the vampire lord had not fallen victim to Sinjon’s forces, he would be back any time now. If he found her searching his private chambers, then it was all over; she’d be forced to duke it out not only with the Noble but his entire brood as well. Although she was willing to take risks, she wasn’t suicidal.

She tried yet another doorknob, expecting it to open onto blank nothingness, only to find herself peering into Esher’s private chamber. The suite of rooms was spacious and decorated similarly to the audience chamber, with tapestries draping the walls and candelabra the only source of light. A bewildering hodgepodge of antique furniture, from Late Renaissance to Jugendendstil, cluttered the bed-sitting room. Finding the Chinese Box was going to be considerably more difficult than she originally imagined.

After several minutes’ search, she finally found it tucked inside an alcove, hidden behind a curtain of multicolored glass beads. It was a black lacquer chest shaped like a pagoda, with bronze feet and a grinning dragon’s head decorating the uppermost rooftop. Lifting the lid, she saw two five-pound bags of Jack Frost brand sugar. Esher had certainly wasted no time in repackaging the stolen drugs.

She quickly stashed the purloined cocaine in special pouches sewn into the lining of her jacket. She’d done her fair share of smuggling over the years, although the contraband she normally dealt in was far more esoteric than mere narcotics. When dealing with demons and other unsavory paranormal elements, the body parts of convicted murderers and similar dark totems were far more valuable than money.

After making sure the packages were secure, she pulled a lace handkerchief from her pocket. The hanky was unremarkable, save for its distinctive perfume and the Masonic emblem embroidered at its corner. How careless of Sinjon to leave such personal items lying about the Black Lodge. With a smirk, she dropped it inside the Chinese box and closed the lid. Now all she had to do was hurry back to the audience chamber and await Esher’s return. Something told her he wasn’t going to be in the best of moods when he got home.

The doors to the audience chamber flew open, slamming against the walls hard enough to make the very building quake.

“Where is she?!?” Esher thundered. “Where is my Nikola?!?”

“She’s gone, milord,” Sonja replied as she hurried to greet him.

Esher’s right hand moved faster than the human eye could track, clamping tight as a vise around her throat.

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