“I don’t really want to find out,” Sandy said. She shook her head, turning slowly. “I feel like we’ve landed in the worst B-movie ever. I mean, really, this might have been the fashion in eighteenth-century Scotland out on the windswept moors, but give me a break. Unless Essie’s a closet goth girl.”
“It does seem a little too on the nose, doesn’t it? I wonder what she’s like?” I glanced around. “Rachel didn’t seem to be all that—” I froze at the sound of swishing from outside the door. Holding up my hand to forestall Sandy from saying anything, I said in a loud, clear voice, “We’ll just find out what we need to know and then be on our way.” I gave Sandy a studied look and she inclined her head to say she understood.
“What are you making for dinner tonight?”
“Making? Me? Nothing. But I think Aegis is frying up a chicken.” I cocked my head, straining to hear anything else.
A moment later the door opened and Essie, Queen of the Pacific Northwest Vampires, stepped through. She was wearing a long red and gold dress that looked like it was made out of a Persian rug. Her vibrant red hair was piled high on her head in an elaborate coif of swirls and curls. It must have taken hours to achieve that look, and I wondered if it was lacquered into place with a bottle of hairspray. Even the tendrils coiling down the sides of her face were motionless.
“Good evening, Ms. Gallowglass and Ms. Clauson. I am Essie Vanderbilt. How may I be of service?” She motioned to the sofa. “Please, sit. Would you like some tea? I can have one of my servants fetch you some.”
As she took her place in a black velvet wing chair, I sat on the sofa, Sandy sitting next to me. “No, thank you. I appreciate you seeing us on such short notice.”
She smiled, but there was no warmth behind those cool brown eyes or the rich crimson of her smiling lips. “Of course. Remember, it is the law of your coven that I be available if you have need to ask me questions. I cannot refuse.”
She was correct. The Moonrise Coven could make things extremely uncomfortable and unsafe for the local vampires if need be. But Linda continually reminded us that we should work with the vampires, but never, ever trust them. Of course, I was caught between a rock and a hard place when it came to Aegis, but I preferred to overlook that issue.
“I’ve come to ask you about a possible member of your nest. I need to know everything I can find out about her. Her name is Rachel. Here’s a picture of a painting that was done of her.” I held out my phone, the photo of the painting pulled up.
Essie glanced at it, a cool smile on her lips. “Ah yes, Rachel. She is, I believe, the ex-paramour of your boyfriend, Ms. Gallowglass?”
I tried not to blink or show any emotion. “Yeah, she is. Is she a part of your nest?”
“No. She’s not allowed in my nest. She’s a rogue, coming and going as she will, but not protected under rights of any treaties I make. She’s unwelcome in my court.” Strictly all business. With perhaps, a touch of warning behind the words.
Well, that was clear enough. No love lost between the two.
“Do you know if she’s currently on the island?” I caught Essie’s gaze and held it, even though I knew that wasn’t exactly the best idea.
Her eyes pierced my thoughts and I had the sudden feeling she could read right into me. After a brief pause, she said flatly, “Yes, she’s around. She asked for an audience, but I refused.”
“You refused to even talk to her? May I ask why?”
“I don’t like rogues, for one thing. Your boyfriend is also a rogue but he doesn’t cause trouble for the Fallen. Rachel, on the other hand, has been a problem in the past. A word of caution, Mad Maudlin.”
I must have looked startled because she let out a snort.
“Of course we know who you are. Who you were. When one of the most dangerous vampire hunters from the past shows up to live in our neighborhood, it pays to know all we can. I’m well aware of what you and your…friends…were capable of. Though that may be in the past, I advise you to watch out for Rachel. She’s aligned to no one but her own desires. And when she decides she wants something, she’s like a crazed rottweiler.”
Her dark eyes flashing, she leaned toward me, placing an icy hand on my own. “Rachel is obsessed with Aegis. I warn you because she’s likely to stop at nothing to win him back. And I do not want my nest indicted along with her. We have no truck with her.”
I studied Essie. Even though she was cooperating, it was obvious she wasn’t happy about doing so. There was something more there, though I doubted we could pry it out of Essie. But when she said Rachel’s name, there was a flash of ruthlessness there that I recognized. It was the ruthlessness when one talked about a hated rival. Essie reminded me of a snake in a cage—coiled and ready to strike if given the opportunity. But so far, she was smart enough to play by the rules.
“Thank you for your candor.”
“Have you been having problems with her?” Essie flashed another one of her cold smiles. “Perhaps we could help?”
I decided to forgo the offer. Something told me to keep quiet about Ralph trying to steal my hair, and Rachel putting him up to it. No sense in giving out any information that might be used as a weapon against me, and I had no doubt Essie could figure out how to twist it.
“Nothing to speak of.” Motioning to Sandy, I stood. “We won’t take up any more of your time. Again, thank you for your help.”
Essie’s eyes glittered as she stood, her long skirts swishing with every movement. “Any time you feel the need, drop in for a visit. And tell your beau that he’s welcome here in my nest. Aegis would be a feather in any nest’s cap.” She tilted her head to the side, a cunning look on her face, then glided out of the room.
Sandy was about to say something but I shook my head as the butler showed us out and walked us back to our car. “Thank you, Madame Gallowglass. Madame Clause. Both of you have a good evening.” He shut Sandy’s door for her, then stepped back on the sidewalk, shading his eyes to watch as we drove away.
I let out a soft breath as the house vanished behind us into the gloom of early dusk. “What kind of freaky-assed bitch is she? I felt like we were one second away from becoming dinner.”
“Yeah, she did seem ready to bite at any minute.”
“So, the rumors about Essie and Rachel not getting along seem true.”
“Yes, but she’d jump at having Aegis in her nest. You heard her. Aegis would be a feather in any nest’s cap… I wonder what makes him so special.” Sandy paused. “Not that he isn’t special. But—oh, you know what I mean.”
“I think because he has a record of leaving his victims alive, and he’s also got a lot of sex appeal and charm.”
“You’re right. He would be a good front man for them. You know, We’re not so scary after all. Look at the hunky guy. He may drink off you but he’ll leave you alive.”
“Good point. But I doubt that Essie could ever lure him into her court. For one thing, Aegis has been around a lot longer than she is. For another, he’s not so much into the goth look except when it comes to his leathers for the band.” Although I sounded confident, the truth was that I wasn’t so sure of myself. Given Aegis had entirely neglected to tell me about Rachel or that she was back in town—and I couldn’t help but believe that he knew she was around—it led me to wonder just what else I didn’t know about him.
“What now?” Sandy rested her forehead against the window, staring out into the gloom. “I’d rather not hang around her house. I don’t trust Essie any more than I trust a warlock.”
“You think she’s an oath breaker?”
“I think she skews the truth to suit her. And I know she was holding back something. You don’t hate somebody as much as she hates Rachel without a reason. I wish Linda would have given a lot more consideration to the possible dangers before writing up the treaties with her.”
I found myself agreeing with her. Essie was a slippery slope, and I wasn’t looking forward to any future dealings I had to have with her.