I raise my eyebrow in curiosity on what has him so adamant. I lean over Remiel’s shoulder, placing my hand on him for support–and to show these arseholes that we are close enough for him to want to kill any of them for looking at me funny. What can I say? No matter how strong I am, I do like a man to fight for me. It must be instilled in me from centuries ago when women were weak and needed a man.
My eyes go wide as I read the first point in a page full of points and my blood runs cold. I open my mouth to speak but think better of it when Dmitri fixes me with a challenging stare. This is aimed at me, clearly. But why?
“The law that was forced upon us centuries ago was unjust. Creating Rogues is a part of being a Vampire, Constantine. You cannot expect us to want to live eternal with all of those we sire,” Dmitri says.
“Nobody said you had to,” CK grits out. “But Rogues are not only a threat to both Vampires and humans, it is a cruel and undeserved punishment for those you abandon.”
“Are you saying that you have never created a Rogue before?” Dmitri scoffs, but his eyes are on me to see my reaction obviously.
“I have tended to every single Vampire that I have sired,” CK roars, slamming his fist down and standing up. “How dare you cast aspersions onto my responsibility!”
“Even so,” Dmitri says calmly. “The rest of us do not have your…responsible side.”
CK shakes his head and sits down, visibly calming himself. “Aefre, I need you to leave,” he says to me quietly.
“What? No,” I say, but he turns to glare at me, and I see something in his eyes that makes me decide to go. I don’t know why, but I feel myself heading towards the door. Did he just use magick on me? I turn back around furiously but it makes no difference. I am outside the dining hall and the door has been closed in my face.
Arsehole!
I try to move but I am held in place for a moment until I stumble forward, the spell, or whatever it was, having been lifted. I, of course, reach straight for the door handle, but it’s useless. The door is wedged shut and even the blast of magick I throw at it does nothing. That tells me my traitorous sire has something to do with this.
He will pay later.
They both will!
Ponte, Italy, November 2014 - Constantine
Constantine glares at Dmitri. “I know you are trying to get under my skin, but it won’t work, my boy.”
Dmitri flinches at the derogatory term. Constantine knows he will hate it, being as old as he is, but there is no one older than him in this room. Oh, wait. He shifts his shoulders in annoyance and casts a small glance to his right.
“I have no idea what you are talking about,” Dmitri says mildly. “However, the Rogue law will cease, or the deal is off.”
“Oh, please,” Remiel scoffs. “You want to be able to run amok, turning left and right with no thought to the well-being of the charge? It makes absolutely no sense, and this is clearly just a ploy to either stall us or to annoy your sire for some reason.”
Constantine gives him an approving look. Say what you like about him, but he has a business head on his shoulders.
“Agreed,” Constantine says smugly, now happy to have an ally. He was worried that his past indiscretions would be dredged up, but more importantly, Aefre’s. Under his own law, she should have been put to death for leaving Gustav the way she did, extenuating circumstances notwithstanding. That is why he wanted her to leave. So, that she wouldn’t come under fire and feel guilt over something that wasn’t her fault. She will be so angry with him for forcing her out, but it was for her own good.
“Let’s just say some of us have been around long enough to know the secrets that have been buried,” Dmitri says to him with a pointed look.
Constantine gives him a mild look back and sits back in his chair, adopting the same casual air as Remiel, who is still perusing through the folder.
“Most of these we can be in agreement with, but the first one is out,” Remiel says, slamming the folder closed.
Constantine has no idea why he would back him up on a topic he clearly knows nothing about but supposes it wouldn’t do to squabble amongst themselves when they are supposed to be united.
“Non-negotiable,” Dmitri says through gritted teeth.
“For fuck’s sake!” Ethan, one of the newer Master Vampires at the table, blurts out. “They have us over a barrel, Dmitri. They know it. You know it. We all know it. They have something that we want so why are we fucking about with all this posturing? Just agree to the deal and be done with it. I have a sensual young being that is sick of being in the dark and quite frankly, the sunlight suits her complexion better than the moonlight.” His lips are pursed, showing his distaste.
Dmitri glares at him but he doesn’t waiver. He turns his eyes to Constantine and says tightly, “We have a deal.”
“Excellent,” Constantine says. “Have your offices send over the files and we will pick up where you have left off.”
Dmitri nods in agreement. “So, do we get to meet the heir?” he asks slyly.
“Not in a million years,” Constantine replies calmly. Over his dead body will any of these filthy creatures get near his precious daughter.