Blood Double (God Wars #1)(11)

*

My next off-day was a repeat of the previous one, except for one thing—another photograph had been sent by a machinery repair crew from the agricultural city of New Veshtul. One face out of forty caught my attention, and I knew I had to act quickly before the unthinkable happened.

*

"Breanne, why are you calling me on off-day?" I hadn't been able to reach Grant, but Heathe answered the call.

"Because I want to visit Roff's winery," I said. "How do I arrange for transportation? There isn't any information on my comp-vid."

"Just call Radomir. His code is in your comp-vid directory. If he can't take you, he'll find someone who can."

"All right. Thank you." I ended the communication and looked up Radomir's number.

"I'll have a driver at the side door in ten minutes." Radomir seemed to be a decent person. He'd certainly been polite when I asked for a car or whatever they had.

I walked through the side door less than ten minutes later, where a solar-powered vehicle waited outside. What I wasn't expecting to find was Cheedas, sitting in the back seat.

"I need three cases of oxberry wine for a reception next week, so I'm coming along," he said. He hadn't even bothered to ask if he could come—he'd just shown up instead. I didn't answer him; I climbed into the back seat and huddled as close to the door as I could so he wouldn't come in contact with me. He hated that I wore the Queen's face. He hated that she was away from the planet. In other words, he may as well have hated me. I could see it in his face.

*

I was treated as the Queen I resembled as I was led to Roff's office. Once the door closed and we were alone, however, I knew how he felt about me, too. "It wasn't my choice. Any of it," I said, refusing to apologized for something I had no hand in. "And I hope you won't take your anger and prejudice out on this one," I pulled the comp-vid from my jacket pocket and showed Roff the photograph I'd received.

"What do you expect me to do?" His voice and honey-brown eyes held a bit of frost.

"I see two futures for this one," I tapped the face in question. "One, she comes to work for you in the tasting room. The other, she dies and her child suffers."

"You must be joking? You expect me to believe this?" Roff's gaze raked my face, betraying his incredulity.

"I was hoping you'd take the chance that I'd be right. I see now how foolish that was. Thank you for your time." I pulled my comp-vid away and slipped it into my pocket.

"What is the name?" he sighed, turning away and staring at the wall. A strong hand combed through black hair as he waited for my answer.

"Croft. Her name is Croft. She works for the machinery repair crew in New Veshtul. If you hire her, it has to happen in the next two weeks. After that, it will be too late."

"For curiosity's sake, why is she in danger?" Roff asked, turning his eyes on me again. At least he was considering my request. Gavin would have sent me away and likely have cursed while he did it.

"They're bullying her, because she isn't as strong as the others. Thank you for seeing me." I nodded to Roff and walked out his door.

*

After loading silently into the vehicle for the return trip to the palace, Cheedas decided to speak. "How do you like being a vampire?" he asked.

"I don't."

"Gavin can be somewhat abrupt."

I wanted to snort at his comment. I'd settle for abrupt. Hell, I'd settle for his presence now and then, if only to answer the questions he promised he'd answer. Well, he'd lied. No surprise.

"My sire is Oluwa, and he is the best father anyone could ask for. Many years have passed since my turning, and I can still ask for his time and advice."

"That sounds nice," I said. It did sound nice, and it only aggravated the chasm that existed between Gavin and me. "I believe Gavin doesn't like me," I said. "And he didn't want a vampire child."

"Oluwa assured me from the beginning that I was the child he'd waited for. He has only turned two, you know. My elder vampire sibling died in the race war on Earth."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"I never met him. Oluwa still misses him. He was his first child."

"It must be difficult to lose a child."

"He loves me. My sire, that is."

"I'm happy for you."

Cheedas couldn't have planned his attack better if he'd had months to plot. I'd never had parents of any kind. Now I didn't have a sire, either. I had Gavin Montegue, who never wanted a vampire child.

"Do you need help with you cases of wine?" The vehicle pulled to a stop outside the palace, and offering to help was the polite thing to do as I opened my door.

"No, I'll have some of the comesuli carry it in," Cheedas waved away my offer. I got myself out of the car and walked inside the palace.

Later, I flipped the card Trevor had given me in my fingers before laying it on the bedside table. Striding into the Queen's closet, I sorted through more clothing than anyone ought to own in a lifetime before settling on jeans and what looked to be an older shirt. I found a pair of shoes that didn't look new and stuffed my feet into them after dressing in the outfit I'd selected. Squaring my shoulders, I walked out to the Queen's balcony and lowered myself over the side.