New Kingdom: European Court Ch. 03

"It's difficult."

"What?"

"Loving a human woman."

With a sharp laugh, Antony smiled and shook his head but offered no verbal contradiction to his brother's comment. The brothers continued to talk about the Third Creation, the war and Kingdom Investments. After a few hours, Gabriel stood up from his chair and walked to the large window viewing the atrium.

"It's quiet here," Gabriel commented.

"Yeah, some have been out or late today and I supposed everyone is now on lunch break. I think Sophie must be out. Emma may be in but the little mouse is very quiet."

"You don't have a link to her?"

"I'm trying to break my link to her. I hope Edward will arrange for her to be transported back to the states and remain under his protection."

"Who do I hear just outside the door?"

When the brothers walked to the door, no one was in the main area so they continued to the foyer where the elevator doors were closing. Turning back to the office, Antony noticed the large container that had obviously just been delivered to the office. The container was metal drum approximately half the height of an oil barrel.

The label was addressed to his attention, so he opened the sealed document holder to verify the contents. Instead of a packaging slip, a greeting card had been tucked into the plastic sleeve. Opening the card, he scanned the handwritten text and then looked at the drum. Handing the card to Gabriel, Antony reached for the metal band that sealed the container air tight.

"Wait," Gabriel said. "Let me do this."

"No," Antony said in a whisper. "This is their message to me."

With a quick snap of his wrist, he removed the metal band, releasing the stench locked inside the container. Both men took a step back unprepared for the distinct odor that belonged exclusively to the early stages of decomposition. Not just death but a violent death had created the contents of this package.

With a shake of his head, Antony looked at Gabriel unwilling to confirm what or who was held in the drum. Stepping closer, Gabriel held his breath and lifted the metal lid and stared into the eyes of horror. Without looking, Antony surmised that the drum contained rotting flesh, blood, vomit and feces. The ingredients could only begin to allude to the terror this victim had suffered.

"We need to catch that delivery man," Gabriel said placing the lid on the drum but dropping the card to the floor.

Together the men ran from the executive offices, choosing to leap down the various stairwells instead of waiting for the elevator.

*************************

The handsome man was smiling when he exited the Kingdom Investments building. The task was hardly a chore in comparison to others the master had required of him. Killing a stupid woman was not even a challenge but the effect their deaths had on some men were priceless. As he continued leisurely down the street, he stopped so abruptly that several people walked into him or tripped trying to avoid collision.

Her scent was very near. Did he snatch the wrong woman? Impossible! He was told that she worked in the executive suites of Kingdom Investments. After feeding from his master's generous gifts last night, he was able to contact his mole and find out which female worked near the European king. Now, he could smell another female that had his scent.

He had not been given a name, only a description. Blond, female, works at Kingdom Investments in the executive suite. But now he realized his error. It was not the woman whom Antony worked with in close proximity but it was the woman whom had gotten personally close to the king that he had been ordered to take.

Quickly finding the proof of his failure, he struggled to search through the throng of pedestrians until he located her. Her? The mousy little blond? Of all the women this city had to offer and Antony was attracted to this? Maybe the king was just weary of competition, but this human girl was plain at best. Her eyes were pretty but her tits were completely hidden beneath that black shroud. Readjusting his game plan, he walked into the woman's path and smiled seductively.

"Good afternoon," he greeted with a wink.

"Good afternoon," she replied.

"Ah, American?"

"Yes. You too?"

"Yep. Working on an international studies course for my grad degree at NYU."

"No way. Do you work at Kingdom Investments?"

"If I could only be that lucky. No, I'm over at ... wait ... do you work at Kingdom?

"Yeah, I do."

"Oh, I'd love to hear about that. Sitting at the feet of that master will give you the edge in a career. Hey, would you like to have drinks or dinner with me and we could compare horror stories?"

"That might be nice sometime."

"How about tonight? It's Friday and, if you're like me, you've been counting the minutes until the weekend. Give me your address and I'll pick you up."

"I don't know. My week has been pretty exhausting and I was just going to crash."

"I'm coming on pretty strong, right?" he asked with a smile. "Sorry, it's just great to hear a language I can understand. I know what we can do. I just received some complimentary passes with a bar tab at one of the new clubs downtown. We could meet there around eight tonight and that way we'll be at a very public place, have our own transportation and have no out of pocket expenses."

"A pass with a bar tab? That's a pretty nice gift."

"Yeah, one of the perks of being in a graduate program. What kind of stuff are you getting at Kingdom?"

"A nice office," she said after hesitating a second.

"Aren't all of the offices nice over there?"

"No, but when I say nice, I mean expensive furnishings located in the executive suites and right next door to the ... what did you call him? ... oh yeah, master."

"Sounds like you might have caught the big dog's eye. Something going on there?"

"Ha! You've seen the women here. The thought that I could catch his eye is hysterically funny."

And yet his venom lingers in your blood, the man thought to himself.

"Look, I came on too strong, which would earn me a swift kick in the pants from my mother. So let's make a deal. I won't ask any personal questions unless you decide to join me and see if we hit it off. Ok?"

"I don't think I can dance."

"Then we'll just eat. This place has an aperitivo time which serves a buffet. C'mon, help me experience the taste of Italy with some American spice."

"Ok, give me the name and address of this place and I'll try to meet you. But don't be shocked if I'm a no show. This suit is probably the flashiest thing I own."

Walking out of the building with Gabriel, Antony stopped in his tracks. The vision down the street created a shock to his system. First he was thrilled to see her standing there alive. Second he was bothered at just how thrilled he was. Next, he was jealous of the easy smile she shared with the man when she spoke. And finally, Anthony was terrified when he realized that the scent left on the greeting card came from the man talking to his Emma. His Emma?

"If you don't accept the fact that she is yours, you may lose her," Gabriel said standing beside him.

"I'm not sure."

"You are sure. You're just scared."

"For her life."

"You can give her life. You are scared of the commitment required to make it work."

"Do we have to discuss this ... ," Antony paused as he watched the man lean over and kiss his Emma on the cheek.

As Emma stepped away from the man, she smiled in confusion at his actions. He was giving her directions that she never planned to follow and then suddenly he was pressing his clammy lips against her cheek smiling like he was participating in some joke. Well she was hardly that gullible. A smile with a wave goodbye would bring an end to this crazy encounter.

Turning to finish her walk to the office, she felt more than saw the angry glare coming from her boss. Apparently, he did not approve of her meeting on the street anymore than she did but he hardly had a right to judge her. Maybe company policy required modest behavior or maybe the encounter offended traditional Italian decency. Either way, she had been uncomfortable talking to the strange man but now she was mortified that the encountered had been witnessed by Antony and his large companion.

Refusing to look at him, Emma kept her eyes straight ahead and set her sights on the entrance, thereby failing to notice the chase that ensued when she was safely within the building. As she exited the elevator on the fifteenth floor, she covered her face to avoid gagging. A sewer line must have broken since she left for lunch. Walking into the office, she noticed the large drum on Sophie's desk that apparently contained the source of the awful stench. Before she lost her lunch, she turned back to elevator in hopes of finding someone in maintenance to deal with the problem.

Feeling something at her feet, she looked down and saw the greeting card lying face down on the carpet. Without thinking, she picked up the card and jumped into the elevator car hoping her clothes would not reek of the smell. As soon as she stepped into the foyer, fire alarms started screaming throughout the building. An announcement through the intercom advised everyone to vacate the building immediately.

Taking advantage of the opportunity to breathe fresh air into her lungs, she hurried outside and crossed the street as advised. She stood alone wondering what would happen if there were a real emergency. Maybe the alarms were pulled because of the canister on Sophie's desk. Mentally reviewing the state of her office, she was comforted to know that all documents had been filed and her computer had been shut down. She almost yelled for joy when she realized that, in one hand, she held her purse which contained the keys to her apartment.

In the other hand, she was clutching the greeting card that she had found on the floor. Not wanting to invade anyone's privacy, she questioned whether or not she should look inside for a name. Obviously it could not be that valuable if it had been thrown on the floor. But maybe a breeze had blown it from a desk and the recipient would appreciate having it returned. Turning the card around she read the odd message of condolences on the front and then opened it in search of a name.

"Please accept our apologies that the clumsy whore had to call in late. This is our promise that it will never happen again," the handwritten note said.

Contemplating the meaning of the words, Emma was interrupted by an intercom announcement stating that several plumbing lines had broken and, although there was no chance of contamination, employees were being ordered home until the repairs could be made.

Emma could hear the other employees cheer in response. They were ready to begin the weekend a few hours earlier than usual. Unfortunately, she would probably stare at the walls in her apartment for a few hours longer than she had planned. She considered touring the city to see some historical sites but hours later found her stretched across her bed staring at the ceiling.

To say she was discouraged would be an understatement. Emma had tried to decide where she had failed this week. Then she tried to review her life and decide what she should have done differently. Finally, she groaned aloud and refused to continue the pity party. Standing up she picked up the suit that she had worn to work.

"Did I really think this would earn some points in respect or seduction?" she asked as she returned the suit to the closet. "As far as respect goes, I'm pretty sure my boss thinks I'm a whore."

Standing by the closet, she glanced at her reflection in the full length mirror. She was still wearing the lavender blouse with her bra and panties as her remaining garments.

"Maybe I should have just worn this to work," she said and then laughed when she lifted the hem of the blouse. "Ah yes, Signor Melchiorre's eyes would have popped out when he saw this. I just bet the man doesn't even know that white, cotton briefs even exist."

Leaning against the wall she remembered what the guy on the street had proposed. He said the club was a public place with food and drink and she could arrive and leave whenever she wanted. Looking at the clock, Emma saw that it was already after eight o'clock and figured the guy might find another chick to bestow his lukewarm, sloppy kisses.

Reaching into her closet, she found a black skirt that she had never worn. Part of a business suit, Emma had been disappointed to find that the skirt was much shorter than it had appeared hanging on the rack. As usual, she had made the purchase while it was on sale and there was no chance of refund or exchange. So far, she had coordinated the jacket with slacks so the purchase was not a total loss.

Slipping the skirt up her legs, she cringed when noticed the slit on the side revealing her leg and thigh. When she finished zipping it, she laughed at herself.

"Even with the length and slit, I still look like a librarian."

Tugging the hem of her blouse out of the skirt, she thought there was a small improvement but not nearly enough. Reaching back into her closet, she removed a black, lace camisole that had spaghetti straps and a shelf bra. Removing her blouse and bra, she pulled the camisole over her head and arranged her breasts to rest comfortably in the support band. Slipping her arms back into the lavender blouse she opted for leaving it unbuttoned.

When she looked at her reflection again, Emma inhaled sharply. The woman in the glass would have never passed for the same woman who had started this fashion show. The black skirt and camisole created a dramatic contrast to the pale skin of her legs and cleavage. Cleavage? Good lord, where did that come from? With a smile, she made one final withdraw from her closet and slipped on the black leather heels. They were uncomfortable as hell but did wonders for her calves. She had purchased the shoes on sale, not knowing that the distance from her apartment to her job would make the shoes impossible to tolerate.

"Ok, Emma," she said to her reflection. "The guy was a freak but he had a good point. You're going on your terms. Let's take a big girl step and walk in and walk out. Who knows? We might try thongs before you turn thirty."

Before she could change her mind, she walked out of the building and onto the busy sidewalk below. Even at this time of the day, the streets were busy with residents seeking some place for amusement after a long week at work. She looked at the crowd, fell into step and walked along making the necessary turns to arrive at the address given to her earlier.

In a sudden rush of shyness, she stopped at the entrance and looked around at the other patrons either entering or exiting the club. Everyone looked harmless enough so she stepped over the threshold.

Unseen by Emma, a man across the street picked up his cell phone and dialed a number. When he heard the line connect but no greeting was given, he simply said, "She just walked in."

"There you are!" Emma heard the beautiful woman exclaim. "He was so afraid that you were not coming."

"Are you talking to me?" Emma asked hesitantly looking over her shoulder.

"Of course! You are both American, no?"

"No. Yes. I mean, yes. Yes, we are both American."

"Come, he had to go to men's room but I will take you to your table."

"I wasn't really sure that I would stay," Emma said halting their progress through the club. "I don't even know his name."

"Ah, I understand," the woman responded. "If you want to leave, just excuse yourself to the ladies' room and I will watch and show you the back door. Ok?"

"Ok," Emma quietly agreed. "Ok, I can do this."

Walking across the room, she noticed that everything seemed incredible dark. A strobe light was flashing across the dance floor but the tables and booths were tucked in the corners and under balconies. With only a small candle lighting the table, the other patrons remained hidden in the dark.

Once she heard a shriek that made her blood run cold but when she stopped to look at the source of the sound, loud drunken laughter erupted so Emma figured they were re-enacting some scene from a cheesy horror film. When the hostess arrived at their table, Emma was relieved to find it separated from other people but close enough to the entrance. She did not need to climb out of bathroom windows when she was this close to the front door.

**********************

When the club had opened that evening, two guests entered not through the door but through the roof access. They sat crouched in the rafters watching the activities below. Prior to arriving they had agreed to be spectators and not interfere until the third person in their party arrived. They stayed at their posts watching in horror as the vampires below seduced and destroyed the humans lured into the club.

After a couple of hours, one moved closer to his friend. Without speaking a word, they communicated their disgust at the scene playing below. Every time the door would open, some poor human would become a meal or a newborn. Unfortunately for those humans, there were never any leftovers.

When another person joined them, their communication continued in silence. Since the previous night's events had already been shared, they only needed to repeat the day's activities. After a few moments, they began contemplating their attack. They had hoped to be even more effective than the previous evening but in the end, they were just burning buildings and people. They needed to reach the enemy's heart and soon.

"Oh, god," one of them suddenly said aloud. "Oh, god, no."

Following the path of their brother's eyes, the other two visitors watched as a human girl was led to a secluded table in a dark corner of the club. Even in the low light, her hair glowed like a halo and her pale skin beckoned to be tasted. The conversation between the girl and hostess was short but effective. It was a simple, coercive plot to lead the lamb to slaughter.

"She knows this is bad," Gabriel commented. "Why is she here?"

"What the fuck is she wearing?" Antony demanded from his perch.

Edward's white teeth glowed as he chuckled at his brother's outrage. With a look at Gabriel he shook his head and tried to contain his amusement.

"What's so fucking funny?"

"You. In love with the little human," Edward answered.

"Not true," Antony declared.

"Really? Are you willing to leave her as bait so we can see what they have planned for her?"

"No," Antony simply said.

"Does she have a clue?" Edward asked.

"About what?"

"About anything!" Edward answered with his rising anger evident in his tone. "Does she have a clue that the scent of her lovely blood still runs through your veins?"

"No."

"You are feeding on the innocent," Edward said simply and then turned to Gabriel. "And you knew this and allowed it."

"It hasn't happened again."

"Are you defending him? It is forbidden! He is no better than the leech that has lured her here."

"That particular leech is dead," Antony answered in a weak defense.

"And yet, they were ready for her. Another will destroy her," Edward responded and then stopped and looked at Antony. "Explain yourself."

"I can't."

"Why would you allow this, Gabe? You view every little human female as though she were your little Alena. Since when have you allowed a brother to break our laws?"

"Because it's not forbidden among mates. He has a difficult decision to make," Gabriel said and then turned to Antony. "Remember what I told you today. Can you allow someone to harm her? Can you exist without her? If yes, then she dies here tonight."

"She could reject me," Anthony whispered watching the young woman look around nervously.