Masquerade

 

In a hidden alcove deep within the underground stacks underneath the Repository of History, Mimi Force was leaning over an old leather-bound book. The same book her father had confiscated several weeks ago. The Repository might keep it under lock and key, but it was only a matter of figuring out which key was used to liberate it, and that had taken minimal effort--the human librarians being no match for the rage of an angry vampire.



The book was open to the final page, a black page, whose words were etched in a luminous blue--the same color as the blood that ran in Mimi's veins.



Kingsley Martin stood next to her, and the two of them read from the page by the light of a lone tapered candle. Around them, the stacks rows and rows of six-foot-tall bookcases that seemingly stretched to infinity--were silent and shrouded in darkness. The Repository held approximately ten million books. It was the largest library in the world, and the stacks went far under Manhattan, several stories below the sidewalk. No one was even sure how far down the old, rickety caged elevator went.



They had decided to perform the incantation on the sub- basement level. The spell had mandated a "location of primal power," and Kingsley had suggested the Blue Blood headquarters.



"It says only one who is of like mind can call it," Mimi said, reading from the text.



"That means it has to want what you want, because only then can it answer your call," he explained.



"Okay."



"First you have to draw your victim," Kingsley said. Mimi drew a pentagram around the two of them, making sure they were within the chalk lines.



"Dark Prince of the Silver Bloods, heed my call; I Azrael, command you to bring my enemy forward," Mimi ordered in a loud, clear voice.



On the top level of the Repository, Schuyler Van Alen arrived in the main reading room, looking for Oliver. After sitting in the hotel suite for an hour, she decided she couldn't just hang around and do nothing, or wait for him to calm down. She had to find Oliver and apologize. What she had asked for was wrong. She knew it now. She had asked for too much, and she wanted to ask for his forgiveness. He usually spent his weekend nights holed up in his cubicle at the Repository, which was the first place she decided to look after he didn't pick up his cell phone or answer his BlackBerry text messages.



Bliss Llewellyn was sitting on one of the shabby couches in the main reception area. "Hey," Schuyler said. "Have you seen Oliver?"



Bliss nodded. "I think he's back there. He just arrived a few minutes ago."



"Cool."



After what happened in Montserrat, Bliss had been a little embarrassed around Schuyler. "I'm, uh, waiting for Kingsley," Bliss said. "He asked me to meet him here."



Schuyler nodded, even though she hadn't asked Bliss to explain her presence. She left Bliss by the entrance and walked quickly through the quiet room to find her friend. The Repository was crowded for a weekend night. Almost all the carrels were filled. Librarians were cataloging books on the shelves, and several senior members of The Committee were walking in for their weekly meeting. Schuyler saw Priscilla DuPont's elegant white head among them, the Chief Warden was talking animatedly to a fellow Conclave member. The Elders disappeared into a private conference room, and Schuyler noticed Jack Force was sitting in his usual chair by the fire, reading a book.



Inside the pentagram, the flame on the candle flashed, and showed Mimi a vision of the Repository upstairs. Yes. Just as the spell had promised. There was Schuyler Van Alen, standing in the middle of the room.



Her victim had been drawn to the site.



Mimi felt a gladdening of the heart. This was it. This was really going to happen. She was going to be rid of that little cockroach once and for all. Schuyler had of course made a beeline for Jack as soon as she had entered. But no matter--it wouldn't be long now. Kingsley handed Mimi a silver knife.



It was the only way the spell would work: blood for blood. Mimi held out her right wrist; the blade felt cold on her skin. Her heart was thumping and she felt the first quivers of fear. Even though she was immortal, and the blood sacrifice would not hurt her, she still felt queasy thinking about what she had to do.



But the sight of Schuyler Van Alen reminded her what was at stake. The bond. Jack. Abbadon. She had to stop this before it was too late.



"I give thee my blood for your blood. 0, Prince of Darkness. Hear me, hear my call. Destroy my enemy, once and for all," Mimi chanted.



"NOW!" Kingsley called.



Mimi took a deep breath and slashed her wrist with the knife, opening up a vein and spilling her blood upon the candle, causing a black flame to shoot upward.



The last thing Bliss remembered was a massive explosion that ripped through the floor of the library, splitting it in two, a crack in the earth itself, and her nightmare came to life. Right in front of her was a dark mass with crimson eyes and silver pupils, roaring, struggling, leaping into life, covering the entire space with the buzzing of a thousand hornets, the agonies of a thousand tortured souls, and the ugly laughter of a deranged lunatic.



Bliss screamed and screamed and screamed.



Then everything went black.