Blood Double (God Wars #1)(7)

"Council meeting tomorrow morning," Gavin said. "We'll be at your suite at six bells." He left, then, just as he always did, without waiting for questions or providing further information. I was left wondering who we might be.

*

"Well, how did you get in here?" I asked. The snake (a very large one, with silver-gray scales patterned in black) lifted his head as I entered my bedroom. He had to be at least twenty feet in length and I had to step over a rather large midsection to get to the bed. He followed me (as much as a lengthy snake could), then dropped his head on the edge of my bed and blinked forlornly at me as I climbed in.

"Hey, you can blink. That's outstanding," I told him. He blinked again.

"You look sad," I said as he offered me the most pitiful look any snake was capable of giving. "What's wrong?" His head moved closer. I sat still and watched as he cautiously approached, until his head rested on my thigh. And then he blinked at me again.

"I'm probably going to regret this," I said, as I tentatively reached out and ran a gentle finger over his head. He closed his eyes in pleasure as I continued to stroke smooth scales. "This is a nice pattern," I said after a while. He wasn't moving, much like a cat wouldn't as long as the petting continued. "Did you do that yourself?" I traced the pattern in question. His eyes opened and I heard an intake of breath, as if he were snorting at my statement.

"Only teasing," I assured him and went back to stroking his head. Eventually, he lifted his entire body onto my bed and coiled up beside me. I watched the whole process in fascination.

"Are you a cover hog?" I asked. "I can get an extra blanket if you are." He lifted his head, placed the upper portion of his body against my shoulder and pushed me down onto the bed. I'd been about to rise and get a blanket from the closet; he was lying on most of what I had already.

"Look, maybe this is normal for you, but I've never slept with a snake before," I said as his head settled on my shoulder. "And I sure don't want to be breakfast in the morning." Another snort followed that statement. "Fine," I grumped and waved off the solar lights.

*

When I woke at five bells the following morning, the snake was gone. Choosing the best outfit inside my closet, I was dressed and ready for Gavin's arrival at six bells. At least I thought I was. Gavin didn't bother knocking; he swept inside my bedroom, followed by two comesuli and two blue giants.

If I thought I'd seen strange the night before with a snake in my bed, my bedroom was now crowded with two blue men who were more than eight feet tall. Both had blond hair, bright blue eyes and sky-blue skin. Did they think they could hide what they were from me?

"Larentii," I breathed as the information came. That wasn't all I knew about them, but I didn't want to tip my hand. Their race was eternally curious and I had no desire to become the object of their scrutiny.

"Get those clothes off," Gavin commanded. Well, the command held compulsion. I blinked at him in confusion. One of the comesuli held an expensive, raw silk tunic and slacks over an arm, and he now extended the clothing to me, albeit unwillingly. He knew what was happening and he didn't like it.

"Hurry, you still have to get your hair done before Connegar alters your appearance."

"What?" The word was out before I could stop myself. Gavin was already seething as it was, and a misplaced word displayed a lack of proper obedience.

"It will not be painful," Connegar the Larentii assured me.

"But," I wanted to shake my head and refuse, but Gavin had given compulsion. Did I want him to know it didn't work? Of course not. Instead, I snatched the clothing away from a fuming comesula and rushed into my bathroom to change.

What came next happened in a whirlwind, and I am still at a loss to explain any of it. I was dressed as the Queen; my hair was styled as hers might be and then a nine-foot Larentii knelt beside me and took my face in his hands. When he drew back, my face, hair, everything—looked exactly like that of the Queen of Le-Ath Veronis. My voice too, had changed slightly, and I could only imagine I now sounded like the Queen as well.

A hurried trip to the Vampire Council chambers came next, and I blinked in terror as I was shoved onto a seat before more than six hundred vampires—after they'd been commanded to Rise for the Queen. Eventually I focused on shoes, hands and clothing, as the images that came presented an overload of long lives, deeds and misdeeds, loves and losses.

Many times during that prolonged, tedious day, I wanted to scream the word why as I was told where to sit or stand, to whom I should speak and how to greet them, and then told to sit quietly while topic after topic was discussed at length by the Vampire Council. Several people followed us as I was led away after the meeting—not to my bedroom but to the Queen's suite.

"That went well." One of the handsomest men I'd ever seen in my life heaved a relieved sigh as the door to the Queen's suite was closed behind us. I'd been forced to wear the Queen's gold coronet all day and now wanted more than anything to remove it from my head. That wouldn't do; Gavin was frowning deeply at me.

"Flavio, if we hadn't ever allowed the media inside the Council Chambers," another vampire offered.

"Father, it is almost a requirement by the Alliance." I blinked at the one called Flavio—he'd just addressed the older vampire as his sire. It didn't matter; I knew it as I stared at them. They were old—very old—but Flavio's sire was nearly twice as old. I couldn't begin to describe what I saw in Wlodek's face, however. That would have to wait until I had time to puzzle it out.