Void City 01 - Staked by J. F. Lewis

Author:J. F. Lewis [Lewis, J. F.]
Format: epub, mobi
Published: 2010-04-21T22:43:29.718000+00:00

18

TABITHA:

AN AUDIENCE WITH INFAMY

It kind of bothered me that Phillip hadn’t offered Talbot anything, but once I tasted the “wine” I knew why. It wasn’t exactly wine. The texture, taste, and smell of it were like wine, but my body knew that it was blood. Surely if Eric knew about this, he would have had some at the club; especially with all the bitching he did about not being able to taste anything.

“This is nice,” I told Phillip. “Is it a family secret? Because I’ve never heard of it before.”

“Begging your pardon, Lady Tabitha, but you were born yesterday.”

I must have blushed because he almost dropped his wineglass and I felt a familiar warmth in my checks.

“Extraordinary! A blush response. You have no idea what a priceless jewel you are.”

My cheeks grew warmer and I looked away. Part of it was real and the other part was a test. I wanted to know how he would react. He touched my cheek briefly and then withdrew his hand.

“To answer your question, it is not a family secret, at least, not my family. Most of my stock is made up of gifts from other creatures, tokens of respect or appreciation…an occasional peace offering. What we’re drinking, for example, was made from the blood of Carmella Goshaunt’s late lover, Emil. She interfered with my most recent attempt at ascension. The poor dear failed, obviously, but her machinations did prove a distinct inconvenience….”

“Ascension?” I asked, taking another sip of the blood wine.

“Of course, my dear…from Master to King, or Vlad, if you prefer.”

Talbot pretended not to react, but I could see him stiffen.

“I didn’t know that you could do that.”

“One can do many things with the correct ingredients. Why, I was commenting on a similar subject some months ago to a young Master vampire who has rather amusing ideas regarding werewolf souls. I think perhaps you may know him.” Phillip smiled a genteel smile and put the cork back in the bottle. He hurried off again and Talbot and I shared a look.

“Roger?” I mouthed.

Talbot nodded, but before he could say anything Phillip returned with a small black container roughly the size and shape of a cigar box, made of some kind of stone. “Volcanic glass,” he informed me. “Percy made it for me when we were…on better terms.”

He offered me the box and I handed my wineglass to Talbot. The box itself felt warm to the touch, but it wasn’t real heat. It felt more like what I imagined magic might feel like. Inside the box, six items were carefully arranged on black velvet: a thumbnail-size red crystal, possibly a ruby, with a crack in it; a silver ring molded in the shape of a snake; a golden amulet; a pair of yellowish dice; and a small black stone.

“Each of these items was a part of a ritual or ceremony that allowed me to become a vampire or to grow in power.”

“Become a vampire? Didn’t you have a sire?”

“Not everyone travels an identical path to immortality,” Phillip explained.

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