Rises The Night (The Gardella Vampire Hunters 2)

The Consilium? A jolt of excitement ran through her at the realization that she was to be introduced to it. Victoria knew very little about the Consilium, other than that it was the formal entity that oversaw the Venators.

When Aunt Eustacia had mentioned it once more than a year ago, Victoria had been surprised there even was such a group. But her aunt explained someone needed to report to the pope, and that there had to be a way to manage and pass on the knowledge of the Venators over the ages. There had to be some way for them to share what they learned, and to band together if necessary.

Now, as she descended in her aunt’s wake, Victoria felt that same renewal of energy she’d felt upon entering the church, and thought she understood why. This was the center of the Venator world, the place where decisions were made, where the vis bullae were forged and blessed, where the leaders met and prayed and discussed.

“Anyone could come in here,” Victoria whispered to her aunt, somehow feeling as though a normal-toned voice would be blasphemous. “The door wasn’t locked.”

Aunt Eustacia stepped from the last stair onto the stone floor and turned to look back at her. Her eyes were dark and lively in the glow from the lantern. “Indeed not. Did you not see the others in the church? They are our trainers, our Comitators, every one of them.”

“I saw only a man praying.”

“Si, and two beyond him near the door through which you entered. And another in the apse across from the statue at the top of these stairs. You did not see them, for they were meant not to be seen, but they were there.” She smiled, her elegant face creasing in slender lines next to her mouth. “Wayren and Santo Quirinus have ensured we are well-protected here. Even if the vampires or Tutela learned that this tiny, simple church led to our Consilium, they would not be able to cross the threshold. The doors are lined with silver and covered with crucifixes. Holy water is sprinkled throughout several times a day. And our Comitators, though not Venators, are well equipped to deal with any intruders.”

Victoria nodded in understanding and anticipation. Her palms tingled as her aunt drew off the dark veil under which she’d huddled. She smoothed her sleek black hair, which was caught into an intricate, curling coiffure studded with pearls and emeralds, giving her a queenlike look. When she slipped off the heavy black cloak, she revealed a magnificent green gown under a tight-sleeved, long pelisse of brocaded forest green so dark it was nearly black.

In a matter of moments Aunt Eustacia had gone from the image of a hunched, prayerful crone to an elegant, powerful lady.

It made Victoria glance at her own attire in rueful dismay. Certainly her hair was done, the thick, dark curls pinned up in their own pretty mass, but not studded with jewels or pearls. Not even a ribbon, come to think of it. Although Verbena had slipped in one slender stake, just in case. Nor was Victoria’s gown anything more than a simple afternoon calling dress, made of pale yellow silk with a basic cream lace overlay.

She felt like a little girl still in pinafores.

Aunt Eustacia bundled up her veil and cloak and rested them on a small table near the door at the bottom of the stairs. Tall and regal, she opened the door and walked through.

Victoria followed.

She found herself in a vast chamber that brought to mind how a cathedral would look if it were circular. The walls and floor were marble; heavy, shining, black- and gray-threaded marble. Around the entire room were columns of the same marble, and between them pointed arches that gave way to smaller alcoves or doorways. It was through one of these arches that Victoria and her aunt had entered the space.

The chamber was large, and the center of it was broken up by a large round pool, with water cascading down a fountain in the middle of it. The space was so cavernous Victoria could not see what was on the other side. There were chairs and tables, benches and desks scattered throughout the room, which, though it was underground, was exceedingly well lit by torches and lamps. The tables held books and papers, inkwells and pens, even some stakes and other weaponry. Except for the fountain and the churchlike arches, it felt rather like the gentleman’s club in which she’d had to stop a vampire raid last year.

And there were Venators. Or, at least, men who looked as though they belonged there, and Victoria presumed they were either Venators or Comitators. As they became aware of the presence of the two women—for there were no other females Victoria could see—the occupants of the room put aside what they were doing—reading, writing, talking, fondling stakes—and rose if they were sitting, and turned if they were not, and looked at them.

There were perhaps a dozen in all, and, Victoria noted, none of them any older than forty, perhaps fifty at the outside. The youngest was likely about her age. Some of the men had the swarthy skin of Italians. Others had even darker skin, perhaps from India or Egypt. There were others who were fair enough to be Celtic or English.

Wondering if they were all from the far-reaching branches of the Gardella family, or if they were Venators who chose their profession, as Max had, Victoria watched as her aunt greeted each of them by name and in various languages. They were deferent to her, kissing her hand and making little bows as though she were some kind of royalty.

Victoria had always known that since her aunt was the most direct living descendant of the first Gardella, she was special in the world of Venators, but this display of affection and respect toward her elderly aunt made her heart swell.

“Signora Gardella!” A voice carried from around the other side of the pool, over the rushing noise of the fountain, and drew Victoria’s attention, thankfully, from the others who stood watching.

“Ilias,” Aunt Eustacia said, a warm smile stretching her lips, even as she clasped the hand of a man who had approached her in welcome. “How wonderful to see you again!”

The man was nearer her age than any others there, but she still had him beat by a generation. He was perhaps sixty to her eighty, and he looked distinguished enough to be someone of importance.

Victoria watched as he came to her and they embraced. “And this is your niece? The new Gardella?” he said, turning from A

unt Eustacia to face Victoria. “The one who sent Lilith back to the scourge of her mountains?”

“The very one. Victoria, may I present to you Ilias de Gusto. He is the keeper of the Consilium, and has been for many years. Ilias, please meet Victoria Gardella Grantworth de Lacy.”

Victoria made a curtsy, and found herself looking into twinkling gray-blue eyes. His brows, bushy gray-and-brown spiders, lifted and arched as he looked upon her with pleasure. “We are honored to have you here today, Signorina Gardella.” He smiled wider as she began to correct him. “No, no, to us you will always be a Gardella, signorina. And someday, you will be Summa Gardella.”

The Gardella. The most direct connection to the original Venator. A leader, a decision maker, a figurehead for all the other Venators, regardless of where they fell in the worldwide family tree. The one around whom they rallied when great threats descended.

There was a blur of introductions as Victoria met the others. She’d been correct—most of them were Venators visiting the Consilium for training or other reasons. Three others were studying and training to be Comitators. Kritanu was a Comitator, of course, and his nephew, Briyani, was Max’s. Or, at least, had been. Victoria had been working with Kritanu, but eventually she would be assigned her own trainer.

Victoria had rather expected to be met with suspicion or condescension by the others, as she had been upon first meeting Max last year. He’d believed she would be more interested in dance cards and gowns and beaux than hunting and killing vampires—and he’d been wrong. But he’d finally come to accept the fact that she was a real Venator, and committed to her legacy.

She wasn’t even going to contemplate what could have happened, what could have changed Max in the last year since he’d returned to Italy…especially after last night. There would be time for that later. In fact, she suspected that was part of the reason she and Aunt Eustacia were here today. If indeed Max had defected, the other Venators would have to be told.