“Both. Sirdar, your operations in Europe are stalled. I fully appreciate the differences you face in population and climate, and I know you're hamstrung by political considerations. So I'm not trying to be critical, but it's a fact.”
Anhalt remained calm. It was a fact.
Clark continued with a remarkably reasonable tone, “And now Prince Simon is gone. There's no backup for the throne. And if anything should happen to Adele—” The sirdar began to interrupt, but Clark said, “Please, hear me out and try to see the situation with fresh eyes. Look at the number of times that girl has been close to death. And she's barely twenty years old. She's unpredictable. She's likely to take off on a lark, putting herself in danger. In that way, she's a terrible monarch. Of course, in other ways, she's magnificent. Even I can see that. But there's a question which side of her will prevail.”
This was a new demeanor, Anhalt mused silently, but the same old tactic. “What do you hope to bring to the situation?”
“Stability. And the chance of an heir.”
Anhalt cleared his throat uncomfortably. “Keep your voice down, if you please.”
Clark smiled, but nodded. “Sure. She needs a child, a son if possible. There is no clear-cut successor. If something happens to her, this Empire would shake itself apart.”
“Her Majesty has made her choice of companion rather apparent.”
“Oh yes. I was there when she did it.” The senator crunched through another lobster tail. “I'm not talking about love or any of that foolishness. I'm not interested in anything beyond a political arrangement. Marriage. Alliance. And a future for your Empire. It doesn't do me any good if I clear all the vampires out of North America, but they're still infesting Europe.”
General Anhalt finished off his beer. “Step onto the terrace with me, if you would.”
Clark tiredly held out his hands. “If I've insulted you or the princess somehow, I'd rather apologize than fight a duel.”
Anhalt shook his head. “Strictly business, Senator. But it requires privacy.”
The two men rose and crossed between tables through the lush dining room with many eyes on them. Major Naroyan opened the French windows to the terrace and closed them again after the duo, placing himself firmly against the door.
On the broad, tiled terrace, a soft evening breeze and long shadows were taming the heat of the day. The two men leaned against the stone balustrade, and Senator Clark pulled two cigars from his inner pocket. With quick work, he snipped off the ends and handed one to Anhalt. He flicked a wooden match with his thumbnail and lit both. The sirdar blew smoke into the air and regarded the cigar appreciatively.
“Cuban,” Clark said. “I'll send you a case.”
“Thank you.” Anhalt placed his helmet on his head, felt something odd, and removed it. He reached in and pulled out a one hundred pound note. He shrugged, pocketing the cash. “I have something of utmost importance and secrecy to tell you. The Greyfriar has given us detailed information about vampire society and strategy, and recently he has informed us of the death of King Dmitri of Britain.”
“Old Dmitri, dead?” Senator Clark looked up with interest from his glower at the mention of Greyfriar's name. “That is interesting. Any chance of a succession struggle that will throw the clan off its game?”
“Of a sort. According to Greyfriar, the clan will go into a meeting he calls a coven to select the next king. He assures us that the preferred candidate is Cesare.”
Clark spat. “The animal that slaughtered all of Ireland.”
“Exactly, and the primary author of the vampire alliance whom we are both fighting. But there is something more.” Anhalt proceeded to lay out what he knew of vampire succession ritual as well as the fact that all the British clan lords and visiting royalty would be isolated inside Buckingham Palace until a king was chosen, usually by tradition, a process taking several days.
The American asked sharply, “How could he possibly know this? What is he, a vampire?”
Anhalt adjusted his helmet and coughed. “If Greyfriar says it's so, it's so.”
Clark stared eagerly at the sirdar. “Well, all right then. The question is, what do you intend to do with this information?”
“I'm glad you asked, Senator.” Anhalt stared at the glowing tip of his cigar. “If I can make use of your steamnaught, I say we fly to London on the equinox and firebomb Buckingham Palace into a crater.”
Senator Clark stared curiously at the general. Then his mouth split into a wide white grin. “To be honest, Mehmet, I never thought much of you before. But damn it, you're growing on me.”