Why? he asked quickly.
Just curious about how they got started going after you guys. “So, Rick, you’re a historian, right? You must know a lot about the origins of the Brotherhood. How do you like your coffee?”
“Black is fine,” he said, sitting down on the couch next to where I parked Mattias, giving me a bit of a bemused look. Kristoff sat gingerly on the chair next to him, eyeing long fingers of sunlight as they spilled onto the highly polished oak floor. “And I know something about it, but unfortunately not a lot. The archives dealing with the history of the Brotherhood really only included resources that cover the time after the Lodi Congress.”
The what?
It is the name given to the body that organized the first hunt of Dark Ones.
“Huh. I know they used to just deal with helping dead folk, but then something happened to switch their attention to vampires. What exactly was that?” I asked, giving Mattias a cup before taking one for myself and plopping down on the arm of Kristoff’s chair.
Kristoff shifted uncomfortably. The finger of sunlight was creeping ever closer to our feet.
“It’s a little hard to piece together precisely, but I gather that there was a Bavarian Zorya who killed a vampire’s mate in a jealous fit. The vampire, in revenge, slaughtered both the Zorya and her husband, the sacristan for that area. The Brotherhood was so outraged at their deaths, it started a movement to cleanse the darkness that threatened to consume not just Brotherhood members, but all who stood in the way of the vampires.”
“A vampire started it?” I asked, finding it hard to believe.
Kristoff swore in Italian, fortunately only in my head. I had to admit I agreed with his sentiment. What do you bet there’s more to the story than that? I asked him.
There is.
I peeked at him out of the corner of my eye. That sounded like more than just a general condemnation of the reapers. Do you know how the Brotherhood got started on their vendetta against you guys?
All who hunt the reapers are familiar with their history.
Good, then you can tell me what happened. “Are you absolutely sure that a vampire started it?” I asked.
“Without a doubt, yes. I’ve seen the primary sources.”
“I’m surprised primary sources survived so long.” Kristoff?
Why do you care how the war started? It’s ending it that I care about.
Rick said as he set down his coffee, “There is only one that I’ve seen. Or, rather, seen photocopies of. It is a diary that mentions the origin of the Lodi Congress.”
I was a bit surprised at Kristoff’s snappish tone but kept my smile serene. “Fascinating stuff. I wonder-”
“I have spoken to the director,” Janice announced with a dramatic wave of her hand as she entered the room. Judging by the gloating smile on her face, she was enjoying every moment of this. “The director, as I told you, has no desire to speak with you personally, and asked me to inform you that your agreement to the original terms is binding, and is not open to amendment. Further, he was appalled and shocked to hear how you’ve been abusing the priestess and sacristan, and asked me to tell you that separate charges may be made on those accounts.”
No surprise there, I said. But we got what we wanted.
They didn’t confirm that they have Alec, Beloved.
They didn’t deny it, either, and thanks to Rick, we now know where he would be likely to be held.
“We will take them now,” Janice said, gesturing to her husband. “I just pray to the goddess that they will survive your abuses without permanent damage.”
“Mattias, how would you like to go to Los Angeles?” I asked as she and Rick went into Kristjana’s room.
He thought for a moment. “Would I?”
“Yes, you would. You’d have fun there, and meet new people, and see new things.”
“New things are good. Are you going?”
I leaned forward to whisper in his ear, “Not right now. Don’t tell anyone, but I will be there soon, and I’ll see you then.”
“Piaaaa,” he said, his eyes filled with adoration. He turned his head to kiss me, but I jumped back. He smacked his lips a couple of times at me. “Good-bye kiss?”
“No,” Kristoff said, slamming Mattias’s bag into his arms, sending him staggering back a couple of steps. “Don’t let the door hit you on the-”
“Kristoff!” I glared at him. You don’t have to be rude to him! He can’t help being like a gigantic human puppy when he’s under the influence of my womanly wiles.