Krystof seated himself on a delicate chair and folded his soft-looking hands on the leather-trimmed blotter. His long, dark hair was bound with a black, velvet ribbon, framing an unlined face and brown eyes which were remarkably clear, showing no signs of stress as he gazed up at Raj expectantly. Raj was reminded of an old, Russian saying about a person whose face was untouched by the wind. It referred to someone unmarked by the hardships of life, and it wasn't a compliment. Here was a vampire lord who had lived for centuries, who had enslaved hundreds, if not thousands, of both humans and vampires, who killed brutally for no reason but his own convenience. And yet, there he sat, the picture of a pampered young aristocrat whose hands had never been soiled by anything so crude as blood.

Raj stared at this creature who had so changed his own life and was nearly overcome by the urge to leap across the desk and choke the unnatural life from him.

"Why am I here?” he growled.

Across the desk, Krystof's lips tightened and he cocked his head in rebuke. “Do not presume too far, Rajmund. I am still master here.” His eyes went abruptly flat, and Raj realized they could do it right now, decide this thing between them once and for all. But not with all of his own supporters hundreds of miles away in Manhattan, while Krystof sat beneath a house full of minions whose very lives depended on his continued existence. They would defend him to the death out of a raw instinct to survive, no matter their feelings about him personally.

Raj lowered his eyes and bent his head briefly. “My apologies, my lord."

Krystof smiled graciously, the benevolent lord with his servant. Raj ground his teeth so hard he thought the old vampire could surely hear it.

"So,” Krystof began in the bored, dulcet tones of a born aristocrat. “Tell me what Raphael wanted."

Raj looked up and shrugged carelessly. “A holiday in Manhattan for his mate."

Krystof frowned. “Why New York?"

"Shopping, I suppose. That's what she and her friend did all day. “

"Is there no shopping in Los Angeles?"

"The friend works in New York, here in Buffalo, as a matter of fact. She teaches at the University. As for Raphael's mate . . .” Raj hooked an uncomfortable-looking chair over with one foot and slouched down onto it. “She's a rich American and clearly used to having her own way. Raphael indulges her."

"Does he?"

Krystof's note of interest sharpened Raj's attention, although he was careful not to show it. “To a point,” he clarified. “She's quite beautiful."

The old vampire lord laughed. “So even Raphael has a weakness. I never thought I'd see the day."

Raj didn't say anything. If Krystof wanted to believe Raphael's mate, Cynthia, made him weaker somehow, that was his choice. Raj had seen enough this weekend to know that while the Western Vampire Lord clearly loved the human woman, he hadn't let down his guard at all. If anything, he might be more secure now than ever. Having finally met her, Raj was inclined to believe many of the rumors he'd heard about Cyn's determination and her willingness to kill if necessary. And he had no doubt she'd defend Raphael to her death, if that's what it took. As for Raphael, only a fool would think to bring harm to Cynthia and survive.

"Well, this is all very interesting, but that's not the main reason I wanted you here, Rajmund. We have something of a situation involving the humans and you know I've never been comfortable dealing with them. One doesn't talk to the livestock, after all.” He chuckled at his own jest. “Still, this is America and one must adapt."

Raj ignored him. Krystof had been in this country for nearly three hundred years and he still spoke as though he'd only arrived a month ago.

"I'm afraid the human police are concerned, Rajmund."

That got Raj's attention. “The police? About what?"

"Apparently some women have disappeared. As if that's a rare occurrence in a human city. They butcher each other so casually, we're far less of a threat to them than they are to themselves. Unfortunately, an influential man has become involved—his daughter is among those missing, and he's convinced the police we've something to do with it. Ridiculous, of course. The girl is no doubt fucking her minimal brains out with someone unsuitable and will come home pregnant and diseased when she realizes her mistake. But in the meantime, we are all forced to play this silly game."

His voice was no longer that of a bored aristocrat, but had grown almost coarse with some emotion. Could it be fear? Did Krystof know more about these missing women than he was saying and was that the real reason Raj had been called to deal with it?

"In any event,” the vampire lord continued, “you will be meeting the police this evening—"

"Tonight?” Raj demanded.

Krystof raised one eyebrow in disapproval at the interruption. “This evening,” he repeated. “At nine p.m. I told them—"

"Why talk to them at all?"

Krystof's patience snapped. His chair crashed behind him as he stood, his eyes twin coals of fire in the suddenly dark room, his power sweeping out to encompass not just the house on Delaware Park, but the entire city of Buffalo and beyond to Manhattan where Raj's own vampires would be feeling the swell of his power and wondering if they were about to die.

Raj sprang to his feet as, around them, the ancient mansion shuddered with the force of Krystof's will. Plaster dust filled the air as old wood groaned beneath the sudden pressure. Krystof's young donor had begun to whimper in fear, while in the outer room, crystal sang its death throes as something crashed to the ground and shattered into a million pieces. On the floors above them, all movement ceased as Krystof withdrew the very life force which kept his minions alive, demonstrating his power in the most cruel fashion.

Raj sensed their terror all around him as they fell to their knees, as their hearts grew still in their chests and their breath was sucked away. Not even he was completely immune to the pull of Krystof's will. But unlike the others, he fought back, releasing enough of his power to keep his heart pumping, his lungs drawing in air against the demands of his Sire.

In the silence that was the vampire lord's will, Raj's single heartbeat was a loud drumbeat of sound. Across the room, Krystof heard it. Their eyes met.

"So,” Krystof said finally. He blinked and the light returned. All over the city, Raj knew, vampires would be collapsing in relief, overwhelmed by the touch of their master, sucking new air into their lungs, feeling the stolen blood in their veins begin to pump sluggishly once again. The young woman on the settee coughed spasmodically, her face blanched white with fear, her lips tinged blue from oxygen loss. Krystof gave her an idle glance, then sighed impatiently and walked over, dropping to one knee at her side. He rolled up his sleeve and casually ripped open a vein with his fangs, holding his wrist out and allowing several drops to fall between the girl's gasping lips. She nearly choked as the viscous fluid dribbled down her throat, but her distress was quickly followed by ecstasy as the full richness of the vampire lord's blood hit her system. She moaned and rolled to her side, curling up on herself to lie there trembling.

Krystof licked his own vein shut and smoothed his cuff down, buttoning it with crisp, efficient movements, as he sat on the edge of the settee. A single drop of blood stained the pristine white cloth and he frowned at it. “I should have let you die, Rajmund,” he said without looking up. “To this day, I'm not certain why I didn't."

Raj remained silent.

Krystof gave him a dismissive glance. “I could kill you now, of course,” he continued conversationally. “They'd all die willingly if I called upon them.” He waved his hand over his head to indicate the vampires in the house above. “I could drain the city dry, if necessary, to defeat you, and what could you do?” His eyes burned again, but the fire was the cold of death. “Nothing,” he snapped, glaring at Raj. “I am master here. Do not forget that, Rajmund. You and I may come to a challenge some day, but that day is not today and we both know it.” He pursed his lips in annoyance as he contemplated the mess around him, bending slightly to straighten a fallen chair before returning his attention to Raj.

"You will meet with a Detective Scavetti and some others this evening at nine p.m.,” he said. He slipped his fingers beneath his jacket and extracted an ordinary-looking business card with the police department's logo. He held it out to Raj. “You will answer all of their questions within reason. I hardly need tell you to be discreet. Regardless of our personal animosities, I know I can trust you to handle this to the best of your considerable abilities.” He paused, his gaze never wavering. “Do you have any further questions?"

Raj studied his Sire for the space of a heartbeat, reminding the vampire lord that his heart no longer beat of anyone's will but his own. He took the proffered card and asked, “Is this wise, my lord? We have survived for so long by remaining beneath their notice."

For a brief moment, Raj thought he saw something like cunning in the old vampire's eyes and then it was gone. “The latest girl disappeared after attending one of those ridiculous vampire costume events,” Krystof said, his mouth twisting with distaste. “My lawyers have explained to the humans that we have nothing to do with those, but . . .” He shrugged gracefully.

Raj nodded. “I will keep you advised."

Krystof nodded and turned his attention to the shivering young woman, one smooth white hand stroking her bare thigh. “Close the door on your way out, won't you, Rajmund?"

"Everything okay, Raj?"

Raj spun away from the closed door to Krystof's office and found Jozef standing a few feet away, a sharpened stake in one hand. Raj gave the stake a pointed glance. “You planning to use that?” he asked, almost hoping the other vampire would say, “Yes.” He could use a good fight about now.

Jozef looked down as if surprised to find himself holding the deadly weapon. He swore and tossed it aside. “Some of the younger ones didn't make it,” he explained, and then he grinned. “Including Morales."