Blood and Mint Chocolates by Adrianne Brennan (summer books .TXT) 📗

no, it's nothing like that. They're not disabled or deformed or anything. They just can't go out in the sunlight and they ... well...."

Sunlight? KALIA, IS SHE PUTTING US ON? SERIOUSLY, I THINK WE SHOULD TRUTH-SPELL HER.

WAIT, MERI. LET HER FINISH.

"Anyhow ... I've been acting as a helper for them. They need certain, um, resources."

"Blood," supplied Kalia.

Merideth gave her a glance she hoped was piercing. This woman had to be delusional, and she didn't approve of the magistra encouraging her. Not a single vampire whom they knew of would ever admit what they were to another human. At least she only knew of their own order which shrouded themselves with oaths of secrecy, spells to hide under, and one single, horrible but effective method of punishment threatened those who would reveal their identity to a human without either some sort of memory removal afterwards, or permission from the Grandmagus.

That method was a swift death sentence.

Erin blinked at them. "Oh. Wow. You believe me. You know what I'm talking about." She reached into her bag. "Anyhow, I belong to this magickal order and I managed to learn this spell that enables me to be able to tell whether or not I'm dealing with a vampire. See, I have this stone, and when it glows red that means I'm in the presence of a v--" As she took it out, it glowed a brilliant crimson. She fell silent, and even under her makeup Merideth saw her face grow ashen.

Erin looked up at the two women and gulped. "Well ... that wasn't supposed to happen. But that explains ... quite a bit." Her hands shook as she put the stone back in her bag.

Merideth's insides turned to ice. Shit, Kalia. Now what?

YOU KNOW THE RULES. EITHER WE'RE DEAD, OR WE TURN HER. UNLESS WE CAN MANAGE TO WIPE HER MEMORY--BUT GIVEN SHE'S A MAGICIAN TOO, I DON'T KNOW HOW EFFECTIVE THAT WILL BE. WHAT I WANT TO KNOW IS HOW THE HELL SHE MANAGED TO GET A HOLD OF SUCH A SPELL, AND WHAT VAMPIRE OR VAMPIRES ACTUALLY LET HER KNOW WHAT THEY WERE. IF THEY'RE FROM THE ORDER, THEY'RE DEAD.

"So ... was Steve right after all? Were you guys sent to spy on us because of what he wanted ... us to do?"

Kalia's brow furrowed, but she said nothing. For once, the magistra appeared to be lost for words and a plan. Seeing no other alternative, Merideth struggled to speak. "No ... we ... I mean ... we didn't even know that you knew. This has been a horrible coincidence."

"If you drank Steve's blood ... don't feel bad about it. He honestly deserved it after what he tried to make me do. I have no desire to see anyone get killed, let alone people whom I care about."

"Unfortunately, that's what we face now because of you," Kalia said. Erin's eyes widened in alarm, but Kalia continued. "We belong to a group that forbids us to speak of what we are to outsiders. If we get caught for talking to you--and it becomes known that you have knowledge of who and what we are--we are dead."

Erin's hands flew to her face. "Oh, shit. Oh no. I had no idea. The vampires I know--they're my friends--but they never mentioned belonging to any groups or orders or anything. If-if they're with you, would they be killed?"

Kalia nodded.

The goth woman groaned. "Figures. Well, I'm their donor--I don't mind, honestly. Maybe if you guys had donors, it'd be easier."

Merideth agreed, but decided to keep her mouth shut about it. Ordo Draconis et Rosae in its stubbornness stuck to traditional methods of obtaining blood, and while she often got food by sneaking into blood banks, she had blamed that on her lack of time to go out and hunt. Now she wondered if she had been avoiding the whole process altogether, but never before admitted it to herself.

None of that mattered now, however. A bigger dilemma loomed over their heads.

KALIA, WHAT DO WE DO?

YOU KNOW THE RULES. THE ONLY WAY AROUND THEM IS TO GET SPECIAL DISPENSATION FROM THE GRANDMAGUS, AND I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT HE'D MAKE OF A HUMAN AND MAGICIAN WHO KNOWS OF OUR EXISTENCE. WE HAVE VERY FEW PEOPLE ON THE DAYSIDE WHO KNOW ABOUT US, AND THEY WERE CHOSEN WITH GREAT CARE AND ONLY AFTER A LONG EXAMINATION OF THEIR CHARACTERS. ERIN HAS THE POTENTIAL TO EITHER BE A VERY USEFUL ALLY AND LINK TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD, OR A HUGE INCALCULABLE RISK THAT NONE OF US CAN AFFORD TO MAKE.

I SEE YOUR POINT. BUT EVEN WORSE, WHAT OF THAT OTHER ORDER? COULD THEY BE--OH NO--

MERI, IF SHE KNOWS OF THAT ORDER SHE'S ALREADY IN DANGER--JUST AS MUCH AS WE ARE NOW. WE NEED TO FIND OUT EXACTLY WHAT SHE KNOWS.

"That other order," Merideth blurted out, "are they called Ordo Aureae Crucis, by any chance? I mean, the Order of the Golden Cross? Please tell me they're not."

Erin's jaw dropped. "You know of them?"

"Course we do," Kalia cut in, her tone showing a degree of irritation. "We're vampires. They've hunted us and our order for over a century. Some claim they were doing it in orders in the past long before they even existed."

Merideth couldn't believe it. Was she dreaming? Were they spilling their guts to a mortal about their order and its history? Must be the champagne. Dammit. Janius's words about moderation rang in her head, and she cringed.

"And further," Kalia went on, "how do we know you're not a member of the Golden Cross?"

Her hands shaking, Erin poured herself more champagne. Some of it spilled on her lap, but she didn't appear to notice or care. "Good question," she answered, her voice unsteady. "I have no idea how to prove that to you. I mean, that I'm not."

"Well, I do--and I happen to like you, so I hope for your sake and mine that you're telling the truth. And not only that, but you need to know whether or not you