what young women do to their admirers,” Arra sniffed. “But I’m older. I’m not interested in games now. We would be good together, so it’s time we stopped fooling around.”
“Do I have any say in the matter?” Larten growled.
“Not much,” Arra said.
Larten could do nothing but laugh. When he’d finished chuckling, he sat close to Arra and took her hand. Her nails were sharp and jagged, and he was reminded of Evanna’s nails when she’d scarred his face. He thought he might get scarred again tonight, but he didn’t shy away from Arra as he spoke.
“I am fond of you, and once I was much more than fond. But I will not divide my loyalties. I love Alicia – the woman of whom I spoke – and I can think of no other while she has my heart.”
“Have you been reading poetry?” Arra frowned.
“I never learnt to read,” Larten said.
“But others have read poems to you?”
“On occasion,” he admitted.
“Damn poets,” Arra snarled. “They complicate everything.” She squinted at the orange-haired vampire. “How old is your woman?”
“It would not be polite to state her age,” Larten murmured.
“Is she in good health?” Arra asked. “Does she have twenty years left? Thirty? I don’t mind waiting a few decades until she dies, but if it’s more than that I might get restless.”
“Be careful,” Larten growled. “I will not have you speak so lightly of such grave matters.”
“Nonsense,” Arra huffed. “Humans lead short lives. That’s the way it is. Don’t tell me you plan to mourn for the next few centuries after she dies and remain true to her memory?”
Larten reared back and prepared a stinging insult. But before he could deliver it, somebody knocked on his door. As he stood, glaring at Arra, the door opened and Mika Ver Leth entered.
“Am I interrupting?” the Prince asked, sensing tension in the air.
Larten almost told Mika that he was, but then he smiled tightly. “No, Sire. Arra was just leaving.”
“No, stay,” Mika said as Arra rose. “You should hear this too.” He closed the door and stepped closer to Larten. His expression was as guarded as ever. “You said a lot with few words tonight.”
“I spoke honestly, Sire, as you bid,” Larten responded.
Mika nodded. “I was aware of your dislike of our German suitors – you haven’t learnt to hide your emotions as artfully as I have – but I didn’t know you felt so strongly about them. Do you stand by everything that you said?”
“Aye,” Larten said evenly.
“Good,” Mika grunted. “The Nazis disgust me. I’m pleased you feel the same way. They’re creatures of destruction and hatred. I had to be diplomatic and give them every opportunity to present their case. But I’ve been drawing closer to my decision all the time, and tonight settled matters for me.
“I’m sorry I asked you to speak your mind in front of such vile animals,” Mika went on, “but I needed to bait them, to give them one last chance to deny such foul accusations. If they weren’t monsters, they would have argued when you criticised them. But since they are, they could only threaten violence. I couldn’t be the one to enrage them, so I used you. Again, my apologies.”
Larten smiled. “You have nothing to apologise for, Sire. It was a pleasure to tell them what I thought. If I had known of your intentions, I would have treated them to even more of my mind.”
“No, that was enough,” Mika said. Then he sighed. “Franz was truthful about one thing — a storm is coming. But it’s a storm of their making. Humanity is in for a rough ride, I fear. They are heading towards another Great War, and this one could be even worse than the last.
“We must play no part in the atrocities. We cannot even afford to observe, in case the Nazis capture and manipulate us into doing their bidding.”
“No human can catch a vampire,” Arra snorted.
“These might,” Mika disagreed. “They’re cunning. It will be best if we don’t give them the chance. I’m leaving tonight to spread the word — I want every vampire out of Europe. If some are determined to stay, I’ll urge them to keep deeper to the shadows than ever. We probably have a few years before war erupts, but the sooner we slip free of this spreading net of fascism, the better.
“I need you and Gavner to distract them,” he said to Larten. “When you meet with Franz tomorrow, tell him I’ve left to discuss the matter with the other Princes. Make it seem as if you think I’m angry with you, that I plan to pledge our forces to the Nazi cause. String him along. When he realises he’s been played for a fool, flee. Take to the hills, but don’t flit. Let them track you. I think the Nazis will trail you in the hope that you’ll lead them to Vampire Mountain. Keep that hope alive for as long as you can. Stretch it out for months… years if possible. The longer they focus their attention on you and Gavner, the more time the rest of us will have to evacuate.”
“We will lead them on the mother of all wild goose chases,” Larten promised, eyes alight. He would drag them through the harshest, most uncomfortable corners of the world. He doubted that Franz would smile so much then!
Mika clasped Larten’s shoulder and squeezed. “Stay alert,” he warned. “These men are dangerous. They might try to trap you if they suspect that they’re being led astray. If that happens and they block all avenues of escape, you’ll better serve the clan dead than alive. Understand?”
“We will do whatever we have to,” Larten said steadily.
“I trust you completely,” Mika said, “but Gavner is young. Maybe I should send Arra with you instead.”
“No!” Larten yelped. When Mika looked at him strangely, Larten forced a weak chuckle. “I have faith in Gavner Purl. This will be a good test for him. If I think that he is struggling, I will send him back to Vampire Mountain. But I believe he will prove himself.”
“Very well,” Mika said and covered his face with his right hand, placing the tip of his middle finger to his forehead and spreading the adjoining fingers. “Even in death may you be triumphant.”
Mika departed. Arra followed, but paused at the door and glanced back with a veiled smile. “This isn’t over,” she purred. “We’ll discuss our relationship in more depth later.”
Before Larten could protest, she slipped out, leaving him alone in the large, ornate suite, to marvel at the fact that he was more worried by Arra than he was by the army of Nazis which would soon be hot on his and Gavner’s trail.
Larten was ready to strangle Gavner. He had endured more than three months of his assistant’s snoring and it was driving him mad. He’d tried herbal medicines, pegs on Gavner’s nose, even a gag, but nothing worked. He rarely got more than a couple of hours’ sleep most days.
