Chevalier's phone rang softly as he lie in bed, thinking about what had transpired. He hesitated, then answered, “Yes, Storm?”
She sounded nervous, very uncharacteristic for her, “Sir, are you in trouble?”
“No, why?” He sounded tired and still strained from the pain earlier.
“I had a phone call from one of the Old Ones.” She paused to see if he responded, but then continued, “It's Lord Ulrich von Weiskgaard, from the Valle. He wants to meet with you immediately.”
Chevalier frowned slightly. He was one of the Old Ones, so why did she seem so nervous? “About?”
“He won't say, Sir, but he did mention that the meeting need not include any of the rest of the Council.”
He thought that sounded odd, but agreed, “Very well, where shall we meet?”
“Lord Ulrich is in Great Falls.”
He shook his head, wondering what could be up now, “Ok, tell him to meet me in the conference room at my hotel in 1 hour.”
“Yes, Sir…” She hesitated, and then hung up.
Chevalier tried to clear his head, but his thoughts kept turning back to Emily. She had unknowingly tried to kill him tonight, yet he still felt the urge to protect her. He noticed, frustratingly, that even as his thoughts were trying to focus on the upcoming meeting, they still held her image closely as if trying to bring her to him. The very thought of her brought his instincts forward and he longed for another taste of her blood.
The concierge booked the room for him easily. It was always amazing what a simple $100 bill would do to a mortal. He sat at the head of the table and watched the clock, anxious to get this meeting over with so he could get back on track at the ranch.
The doors opened and in walked Lord Ulrich. He was obviously one of the Old Ones, and as he looked at Chevalier, his eyes were scrutinizing. He wore the black suit and conspicuous black cape that had long been abandoned in the new world. Behind him were six well-dressed heku, obviously the top ranks of his coven.
He stood at the table and one of them removed his cloak and pushed a chair up for him. As he sat down, they formed a semi-circle of protection around him. Last to walk in was Sam. He was still dressed in denim overalls and looked quite out of place with the others in the room. He shut the door behind him and sat down at Ulrich's right.
Chevalier eyed Sam suspiciously.
“I am Lord Ulrich von Weiskgaard, head of the Debalih Coven. I know who you are… so now I ask a simple question… What are you doing with Emily Russo?”
Chevalier narrowed his eyes, “Seven of you, how remarkable. So tell me, how long have you known of the existence of this killer here in the middle of North America?”
Ulrich's eyes widened, “How dare you address me so!”
Chevalier grinned mirthlessly, “I dare much. I was burned at the stake with the Templar. I enjoyed a Bloodbath in Jerusalem. I have been around much longer than any of your whelps in attendance here. I daresay that the insolence, if there is such, lies on the part of old world covens that've apparently hidden a violation of the Pact into some place where they believed that they could hide it indefinitely.”
Ulrich glared at him.
Chevalier sat at the conference table and propped his feet up, “Nonetheless, we must take this opportunity to deal with the issue.”
One of the young heku slapped Chevalier boots off the table, “You will not address Lord Ulrich in that manner!”
Chevalier stood up, his hands in fists, “I will address him in any way I see fit.”
Ulrich smiled with a gleam in his eyes. Chevalier tried to remember where he had seen those eyes.
Ulrich motioned to his coven, and they left without a word, except Sam, who stayed in his chair, “Enough with the frivolities. I come seeking answers, so I'll ask you again, what do you want with Emily Russo?”
“What I'm doing is of no concern to you, its Equites business,” Chevalier said bluntly.
“It has everything to do with me, I assure you.”
“What you did makes you no better than Keith!” Sam yelled, standing up.
“I am nothing like Keith!” Chevalier yelled, pounding his fist on the table and splintering it. “Drinking Emily's blood without permission was necessary. Keith finds it fun to beat on someone who relies on him.”
“Sam… let us be,” Ulrich said calmly. Sam turned into a small cat, jumped off the chair, and ran out the door, “My familiar can be very protective of her.”
“Apparently”
“I know that you are part of the Council, and I also know the Elders have been after Elizabeth Winchester's family for years. I've been able to keep them safe, it seems, until now. What do you want? What can I give that will get you to turn around and leave Emily alone?”
Chevalier noted the sorrowed expression on Ulrich's face and thought carefully before speaking, “I don't want anything from you. I'm not here to destroy her.”
“Then what do you want?” His eyes narrowed as he grew angry.
“I still don't think it's any of your concern.”
“It is my concern when my family is involved,” Ulrich said, clenching his jaw.
The eyes, they were familiar, they were Emily's eyes. The truth hit Chevalier. Ulrich was the heku with which Elizabeth Winchester had fallen love.
Ulrich sat back in the chair. He seemed exhausted, “I've watched over my family for hundreds of years, and during that time, the heku blood was almost bred out of the line. I was so close to having my descendants fully mortal, no longer sought by the Councils as murderers.”
Chevalier waited, trying to wrap his mind around what he was hearing.
“Emily's mother had almost no power at all, and then he found her. Elizabeth Ann married Allen Flynn and had a son. Elizabeth's father was Irish, and she had his temper, but had yet to display anything beyond that. None of the powers are held by the males in the family, so I couldn't tell if the hundreds of years of torment had come to an end. For one brief period of time, I sent Sam on an errand, away from the Flynn family, and another heku found her.” He paused and pain crept into his voice, “He had the power to clear the mind, Elizabeth Ann didn't even know what was happening.”
Everything was becoming clear, “Then Emily was born.”
Ulrich nodded, “I wasn't sure if the baby