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“We need to talk.” Sara barges into my office. “Who’s the tall asshole hanging around The Mill? He has keys to our supplies, and has been making changes to blood prices.”
“It’s Vincent,” I reply, shutting the lid on my laptop.
It was only a matter of time before the coven started questioning who he is. He’s been hanging around The Mill, and here at The Shard for a week now, getting a feel for things. He’s quiet, and I don’t trust him. But I can’t question Selene’s choice. She has basically commanded me to show him the business.
“And I told him to increase prices. He’s going to be dealing with the vigore distribution from now on. Until he’s settled into the role, and is shown respect, prices are up five percent. Once he has loyalty, the prices will be lowered by ten percent as a show of good faith. It’s basic strategy.”
“And again, who the hell is he?”
“You know I’m going to be leaving. He’s my replacement.”
“Really. I thought you’d choose someone with a little more charm.”
“I did not choose him Sara. This is all Selene.” I’m now annoyed with this conversation. “Look, I’m busy today.” I stand up and push my chair beneath the desk. “Is the apartment ready?”
“Yes,” she snaps at me. “As well as organising your secret wedding. Oh, and helping with the invites to the masquerade.”
“Sara, you are appreciated.”
“The keys for your new apartment are in the envelope on the kitchen island.” She turns her back to exit my office.
“Sara.” I stop her leaving. “Vincent will be a good executive. When I step down, we can put our resources and time into the property market. Just give him time. Okay Sara?” She doesn’t answer, so I shake my head as I pass by her and head into the lounge. “Oh and Sara.” I sweep my car keys and the envelope up from the kitchen island. “I don’t want to be disturbed for the next forty-eight hours.”
I leave her in the penthouse. I have one thing on my mind and have been on edge all day thinking about it. Elizabeth has no idea of the surprise I have in store for her tonight.
“Wait!” Sara flits to me as I stand by the elevator. She takes hold of my arm in a firm grip.
Why is she flitting? This is the average working day, and I will not tolerate it.
“Sara, what the hell are you doing?”
“You have to call Gwen. She said it’s a matter of life and death.”
“Gwen?”
“You know... the witch.” She hated saying that, just as much as I hated hearing it.
Gwen is a middle-age witch from Fallen Springs, back in the States. I’ve known her since she was a child, and before that I knew her mother well. Her mother however was a lot less dramatic. The last time I heard from Gwen, was when she needed my blood for a spell nine years ago. She had me sitting in a circle of candles, chanting shit from some old dusty book, wanting some goddess’s influence to protect her sister. It was all so strange.
Just like vampires, witches have evolved. Though they never flew around on broomsticks in the first place. To me, witches are humans who mess around with things they shouldn’t be messing around with. It is as simple as that. Nothing magical about it.
“I don’t want to know. And if she calls again, do not give her my number.” I turn my back on Sara and enter the elevator.
***
I STROLL ACROSS TO my Land Rover in the garage. I open the door and toss my jacket in the back, when a gold BMW screeches down the ramp and toward me. It’s Leanna. I know without looking. This is about Vincent putting up the price of blood.
Unruffled, I turn as she storms out of her car. “Leanna,” I grumble.
“I suggest you find another executive!” Her boots stride toward me.
This is why I was all for a price hike. These damn vigore throwing their weight around. It is we sang that go out and do all the work. The recruiting. The collecting. The payments and testing. We run the blood in this city. And when I’ve gone, I know that the vigore will push the new executive as far as possible. They’ll have us making nothing but a loss.
“Is there a problem?” I ask, looking at my watch because she’s already taken up too much of my time.
“Yes there’s a problem. You’re supposed to keep the peace aren’t you? So tell me why the hell you have put the prices up!”
“Leanna. You should take this up with Vincent. He’s in charge now.”
“I already have. And he said nothing. Like literally, he said nothing at all.”
“It’s only five percent, and only for a short time until everything settles.”
She snickers at me, huffing and puffing. “More like twenty percent, Adrien!”
I remember explaining the rules, how things work, and the maximum we can increase blood prices with Vincent. He listened to my every word. So why the fuck would he do this?
“I lost friends helping you because of that girl. If you have made some deal with Selene so you can live happily ever after, and we have to start looking for other means to feed, then now’s the time to say something,” she says, pointing her damn finger at me.
“Don’t point your finger at me. And I have made no deal. You will have a problem with any executive put in charge. Shit, it wasn’t long ago you wanted rid of me. So fuck-off and deal with it, Leanna!” I open the car door, knowing it was over the top telling her to fuck-off, but I won’t apologise.
“Well, I hope you have a nice life with the human girl. And you better watch yourself as we search for other means to feed. Things may get ugly for the sangs in this city!” She turns and stomps back to her car.
This is all I fuckin need. Guilt. I told Elizabeth we’d be free, and I meant every word. But I can’t allow my legacy to be this goddamn mess.
“Leanna,” I call out. She stops and looks over her shoulder at me. “I will talk to Vincent.”
“Yeah. I have great faith in you,” she replies sarcastically.
I watch her car skid back up the ramp and out of my sight. “For fuck sake,” I murmur.
I slip my hand into my pocket and take out my cell. I scroll down to the last name in my phone book, and press call as I sit down in the car.
“Adrien,” Vincent’s droning voice answers.
“I’ve just had a visit from Leanna.” I try to keep my cool. “I’m just wondering if you have a hearing problem, because I said that five percent would be acceptable. Not the twenty you have concocted in your head.” With each word my anger and cynicism grow. “For now, I am still the executive. So you go and beg for the vigore council’s forgiveness, and put the prices back down to the original. No in fact, a five percent discount for a month.”
“No increase then?”
What the hell is wrong with this sang? Did Selene find him on a farm milking cows or something? He doesn’t know a thing about how things in the city work.
“No... no increase!” I hang-up and toss my cell on the dashboard.
I arch over the wheel, counting to ten. But hell, I can’t even have a minute to calm down now my phone is vibrating across the dashboard.
I reach over and look at the screen. It’s Elizabeth. I’m not answering. I’m too tense. I’m on my way to her anyhow, and hopefully the drive will clear my head.