Children Of The Night by Dan Simmons

Author:Dan Simmons [Simmons, Dan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Occult, Romania, Vampires, Horror, Fiction, Vampires - Fiction, Romania - Fiction, Thrillers, Large type books, Horror tales
ISBN: 9780399137174
Publisher: Putnam's Sons
Published: 1992-07-14T23:00:00+00:00

For a long moment Amaddi did not blink. Finally he said, "And why . . . in this land of too many unwanted children . . . why would anyone, Nomenclature or peasant . . . steal another child?"

Kate held the young man's gaze. The light made it seem as if his irises were completely black. "I'm not sure why. My son . . . Joshua . . . was born in Romania a year ago. Although he was an orphan, someone wanted him back. Someone important. Someone with the money and power to send their agents to America. If you have heard about a child brought back here, I will pay for the information."

Amaddi steepled his fingers. The two men seated beside him stared impassively. The room was very quiet and smelled of cooking spices and strong after-shave lotion.

"I know of no such child," Amaddi said slowly. "But I have a client who is very high in the . . . how shall we say it? The unofficial Nomenclature. If anyone had knowledge of such an improbable event, my client would be that person."

Kate waited. She was marginally aware of Lucian trying to catch her eye, but she kept her gaze locked with the young Arab student's. He spoke first.

"My client is a very powerful man," he said softly. "Giving you his name would entail much risk on my part."

Kate waited another thirty seconds before saying, "How much?"

"Ten thousand," Amaddi said, his face impassive. "Ten thousand American dollars."

Kate shook her head almost sadly. "This information is not the commodity I need. It guarantees me nothing.

This man may know nothing about my child."

Amaddi shrugged.

"I would pay five hundred American dollars for his name," said Kate. "To show my willingness to do business with an honest man such as yourself. Then, if other information became available to you . . . information of some real value . . . we would discuss such serious amounts."

Amaddi took out a matchbook, opened the cover, and cleaned between his side teeth. His gaze darted toward his companions for an instant. "Perhaps I have understated the importance of this person," he said. "Few others . . .

if any . . . know that he is a member of the Nomenclature. Yet he is so highly placed that no action of the Nomenclature occurs without this person's approval. "

Kate took a breath. "Is this man then a member of- the strigoi as well as the Nomenclature The priculici?" She struggled to keep her voice level. "The vrkolak?"

Amaddi blinked and lowered the matchbook. He snapped something in Romanian at Lucian. Kate heard the word strigoi. Lucian shook his head and said nothing.

"What do you know of the Voivoda Strigoi?" Amaddi demanded of her.

In truth, Kate knew nothing. When she had asked O'Rourke the meaning of the Romanian and Slavic words he had used when bargaining with the Gypsies for their money and lives, the priest had answered, "Strigoi translates roughly as warlocks, although it also implies evil spirits, vile ghosts or vampires.

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