Read Online Vendetta (Legend of the Ir'Indicti #4) by Connie Suttle - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Connie Suttle
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have to tread carefully. We can't allow the truce between the races to fail because we disagree over this."
"I know. If we resume the war with the vampires, we'll all die. Grand Master, I have to go—the candidates for the Principal's position are waiting at the airport. I'll call back when a decision is made."
"Good enough. Let's put some thought into this. If Ashe goes to London, we'll likely never see him again except as vampire."
"Yeah." Winkler ended the call and walked out of the house, nodding to Ace and Andy, who waited outside. They climbed into the van with him, Ace driving. Trajan, Trace and Buck were still with Ashe and Adele.
* * *
"Mom, what are we going to do if they make Dad go to London?"
"Honey, that's complicated," Adele said. Trajan, Trace and Buck walked around them, giving them enough space to have a conversation while guarding them. Ashe and his mother had arms about one another as they strolled slowly down a deserted stretch of beach.
"Can't we go to London with him?"
"We could, but that's the complicated part, Ashe. Your father still has a home outside London—he's kept it all these years and has somebody taking care of it. Think of it this way—Enforcers are always busy. You'll likely get to see him just as much here as there. In an entire year, he might have two weeks when he's free to do as he likes. Even then, he'll be on call. Your father and I have talked about this in the past, Ashe. When he was willing to answer questions. Radomir went straight from Cloud Chief to the Council to make his report and then went right out on another assignment. That's the way it works."
"I think I hate the Council."
"As do I. We just can't make this harder on your dad than it already is. If he has to go, then he has to go. I think our home is here, Ashe. Perhaps we might visit London sometime if we know Aedan is free, but we have no way to know if or when that might be."
"Mom, this is the worst. The Council knows that not everybody has time like they do. Are they that nasty and vindictive?"
"They're used to playing a very long game and it's usually to get what they want in order to protect the race. It's one of their fundamental laws—one of the things that drives them as a whole. The race war killed off more than half of the population on both sides, werewolf and vampire. So of course they'll be very interested in whatever will preserve and protect what is left."
"But can't they make more vampires?"
"That's a very difficult proposition. There are specific rules to follow before a vampire makes another vampire. They have laws governing how many others a single vampire might make. They're immortal unless someone manages to kill them or they walk into the sun, so that's another reason. They're very powerful, Ashe. They can't turn just anyone—imagine what would happen if a criminal was turned. He would continue with his crimes but as a vampire, he could cause all sorts of trouble. That's why there is such a need for Enforcers or Assassins—at times even the best of them succumb to the thrill of power."
"They don't turn women?" Ashe was very curious as to why there were so few female vampires.
"They try. Most of them don't live through the turn for some reason. Those who do usually don't live long—Aedan said once that a lot of them walk into the sun before they reach one hundred years of age." Adele looked troubled over that. Ashe watched her face—his mother looked very tired. Suddenly he knew that his parents had discussed this—the possible turning and how that might come out. Ashe knew without asking that his mother had already considered the idea and decided not to allow the attempt; it would likely fail anyway.
"So they're going to separate us. No matter what." Ashe stopped and kicked at a clump of dried seaweed. Piles of the stuff littered the beach on most days. Tractors came and raked up much of what washed up on the public portions of the beach early in the day, but more was
"I know. If we resume the war with the vampires, we'll all die. Grand Master, I have to go—the candidates for the Principal's position are waiting at the airport. I'll call back when a decision is made."
"Good enough. Let's put some thought into this. If Ashe goes to London, we'll likely never see him again except as vampire."
"Yeah." Winkler ended the call and walked out of the house, nodding to Ace and Andy, who waited outside. They climbed into the van with him, Ace driving. Trajan, Trace and Buck were still with Ashe and Adele.
* * *
"Mom, what are we going to do if they make Dad go to London?"
"Honey, that's complicated," Adele said. Trajan, Trace and Buck walked around them, giving them enough space to have a conversation while guarding them. Ashe and his mother had arms about one another as they strolled slowly down a deserted stretch of beach.
"Can't we go to London with him?"
"We could, but that's the complicated part, Ashe. Your father still has a home outside London—he's kept it all these years and has somebody taking care of it. Think of it this way—Enforcers are always busy. You'll likely get to see him just as much here as there. In an entire year, he might have two weeks when he's free to do as he likes. Even then, he'll be on call. Your father and I have talked about this in the past, Ashe. When he was willing to answer questions. Radomir went straight from Cloud Chief to the Council to make his report and then went right out on another assignment. That's the way it works."
"I think I hate the Council."
"As do I. We just can't make this harder on your dad than it already is. If he has to go, then he has to go. I think our home is here, Ashe. Perhaps we might visit London sometime if we know Aedan is free, but we have no way to know if or when that might be."
"Mom, this is the worst. The Council knows that not everybody has time like they do. Are they that nasty and vindictive?"
"They're used to playing a very long game and it's usually to get what they want in order to protect the race. It's one of their fundamental laws—one of the things that drives them as a whole. The race war killed off more than half of the population on both sides, werewolf and vampire. So of course they'll be very interested in whatever will preserve and protect what is left."
"But can't they make more vampires?"
"That's a very difficult proposition. There are specific rules to follow before a vampire makes another vampire. They have laws governing how many others a single vampire might make. They're immortal unless someone manages to kill them or they walk into the sun, so that's another reason. They're very powerful, Ashe. They can't turn just anyone—imagine what would happen if a criminal was turned. He would continue with his crimes but as a vampire, he could cause all sorts of trouble. That's why there is such a need for Enforcers or Assassins—at times even the best of them succumb to the thrill of power."
"They don't turn women?" Ashe was very curious as to why there were so few female vampires.
"They try. Most of them don't live through the turn for some reason. Those who do usually don't live long—Aedan said once that a lot of them walk into the sun before they reach one hundred years of age." Adele looked troubled over that. Ashe watched her face—his mother looked very tired. Suddenly he knew that his parents had discussed this—the possible turning and how that might come out. Ashe knew without asking that his mother had already considered the idea and decided not to allow the attempt; it would likely fail anyway.
"So they're going to separate us. No matter what." Ashe stopped and kicked at a clump of dried seaweed. Piles of the stuff littered the beach on most days. Tractors came and raked up much of what washed up on the public portions of the beach early in the day, but more was
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