AN: Here goes chapter two... Feedback will get you chapter three... ********************** Curiosity Killed... Chapter Two *********************** Okay, so I’m petty and a bit vindictive. The Council is scary stuff. They even freak ME out and I’m fairly unflappable. Anyway, cruel trick, the number and stuff. Guess I’m sorta a wicked child too. Who would have guessed? Well, me, for one, but, in other news… I’m sitting in a hotel room, tied to a chair, with five angry and somewhat frightened Vampires ringed around me. They also happen to be Backstreet Boys and the darkly tattooed one, AJ McLean, has the world’s only ruling body of the Vampire Community on his cell phone because I dared him to dial the number. Ain’t I a stinker? I’m kinda of surprised at his reaction, and it really is quick thinking, mortal, immortal, saved or damned. He does the only logical thing when faced with something worse than death. He makes the helpless victim tied up in ropes deal with it. AJ shoves the cell phone at my face, eyes wide and dark and no little afraid, and barks, “Talk.” Now, there is a method to my madness. Sort of. So I shrug the best I can through the ropes and do the only polite thing. I say, “Hello.” There’s a bone chilling sigh on the other end of the phone before that cold, artic voice speaks. “Catherine Roberts, I was so hoping you’d be dead by now.” I grin, pleased. “Now, now, that isn’t playing nicely. I’m actually playing with some of your subjects right now. Or they’re playing with me I guess is the more accurate depiction since I’m the one tied up whose fate they’re deciding.” There’s an indelicate snort from the phone as the speaker remarks mildly, “If you’re in their presence, tied up or not, they’re the ones being played with. Who dare I ask have you cornered this time?” I look up at Kevin, whose green gaze has bled black and starless as a lightless night, and wink impishly. He glowers. “Guess.” “Catherine, I have hardly the time nor the inclination for your games. Dracula might have been on this earth centuries enough to be amused by your dubious charms, but I’ll require several more lifetimes of dullness before I’m ready to appreciate your peculiar brand of humor.” “Show me the meaning of being lonely…” “You’re bluffing.” My grin grows. “I, dear Vampire Lord, never bluff. You more than anyone knows that Marquis.” There’s a heart beat of silence before the command comes, clipped and barked. “Give the leader the phone. Now.” Uh oh, we’re in trouble. Marquis just used his adult, authoritative voice although, come to think of it, I’m not sure he has another voice. He always sounds pissed off, though maybe its just me.” Despite Dracula’s glowing recommendation, Marquis still would have preferred to slit my throat. He finds my youth irritating and my manners appalling, even for an American. I tried to explain the general barbarity of my home state of Texas once but he, ever the French Revolutionist, always maintained that acknowledging America was enough. Learning fifty states that wouldn’t exist a century from now was pointless and hell, who was I to argue? Kevin, who has grown more and more pale with the phone to his ear, rises and leaves the room with the slam of the door. “So…” I drawl, “anyone want Dracula’s number too?” AJ frowns as he stares at me. “You’re a very, very lucky woman. I don’t know of a single human that has knowledge of the Council without being turned or killed. You have their number memorized.” I stare back, brown eyes bland. “Maybe I’m just that good.” “If Kevin gets hurt because of you, I’ll kill you,” AJ says conversationally. I wink suddenly, good mood restored, “It’s a deal.” “Jesus…” he breathes, exasperated. All four of them turn as the hotel door opens to reveal a thundering Kevin Richardson holding an off cell phone. His face is frightening to behold, terrifying even, brows drawn down over a penetrating green glare. Brian takes one hesitant step forward, arm outstretched. “Kevin? You okay?” Kevin ignores his cousin and strides into the room, kneeling before me again. He locks eyes with mine before reaching deliberately into his jacket and pulling out a switchblade. I manage not to flinch but it’s a close call when he flips the blade out. I can tell he’s waiting for me to back down but I don’t play that way. I square my jaw and raise my chin in defiance as raises a single dark brow in silent question. My dark eyes follow the blade as he raises it and touches the tip to the end of my snub nose. There’s a slight prick of pain and a single drop of my red, red blood falls to the white carpet of the hotel room floor. Kevin holds the knife there for another heartbeat as his band mates wait in silence before snarling in inarticulate rage as his green eyes bloom midnight and his hands move with superhuman speed, slicing my ropes off with inhuman quickness and unerring precision. In another fluid, catlike motion, he rises and backs away a pace, flipping the knife shut and pocketing it with the ease of one familiar with the weapon. I’m left free, but hardly safe. My life has yet to be decided. So I cross my legs, getting more comfortable, gingerly touch my nose, smile my best smile at the five brooding men, and do what any self respecting Backstreet Boy fan would do in this very situation, “Can I have your autographs?” Kevin growls and grabs another chair, drawing it up so that its facing me backwards. He straddles it and rests muscular forearms on the top as AJ sinks bonelessly to the floor next to me, Nick perches on the desk, and Brian and Howie claim the edge of the bed. “We’re going to have a little talk that goes something like this. I’m going to ask you a question and you’re going to answer and while trying to keep your smart ass comments to a minimum, okay?” “Yes sir, Mr. Drill Sergeant Sir,” I snap and salute. AJ snickers despite himself as Kevin pinches the brow of his nose, probably trying to ward off a headache. “See, that would be an example of the said smart ass comments.” “Gotcha. All right, ask away. I’m going to miss my plane anyway. Might as well assuage ya’lls curiosity.” “Thank you for your indulgence,” Kevin snaps with bitter sarcasm. I grin and slouch some in the chair, trying to relieve the ache in my back from when they slammed me into the wall. I’m going to be black and blue tomorrow. If I live to see tomorrow. Black and blue, bad pun. “Okay,” Kevin continues, tone deceptively mild, “Lets start slow. I was just talking to…” “Marquis. Well, Marquis de Leonce is his official title but Leonce doesn’t actually exist anymore. It was a small province of France before the Revolution. He was turned during the Revolutionary War actually. Did you know the French kings were actually vampires? Its why the peasants incorporated the guillotine. It was a hell of a lot neater and easier than aiming for the heart with a wooden stake. Of course, the meaning kind of got lost and they started killing hundreds of innocent people but… “Anyway, I’m rambling. He’s the head of the Vampire Council for Europe.” “So I just got off the phone with one of the ten most powerful Vampires in the world?” “Umm, yeah, although Marquis probably ranks third or fourth in terms of real power. He’s really coming up in the ranks.” Kevin sighs, deeply. “All right. Would you care to explain how you know him at all, let alone his personal phone number?” I fidget a bit, crack my knuckles, and answer, “Dracula.” There’s another sigh, this one slightly more pained. “And would you care to explain the whole Dracula connection?” My fingers creep up despite themselves to twirl with my shoulder length ash blonde hair. Its one of my more obvious nervous quirks and I’m trying, rather unsuccessfully, to break myself of it. “Not really.” “Well, that’s really just too bad because I’m not giving you a choice. Tell me about Dracula.” “You’re annoying,” I spit out, as I glower at him from under the fringe of my too long bangs. “And you,” Kevin hisses, “are trying what little is left of my patience. I want to know about Dracula and I want to know now!” “Jerk,” I mutter darkly. AJ laughs till he cries. Then I relunctantly start talking.