Part 38 (1/2)

'A terrible thing happened at Llyn Gwyr I don't think atrocity is too stark a word for it I saw the afterrave by the lake, not even a headstone to honour his memory We buried your father next to hi? The entire ti watched Sixth sense, perhaps I'd bet randmother's bones that Jakab descended out of those hills the moment we left Which is why I left hi, with clear instructions how to find it And which is why, Hannah Wilde, we have a wonderful opportunity to help each other I want Jakab Balazs, and I i est that places us in partnershi+p'

'You think he's going to walk in here and let you grab hi with Jakab'

'You're using us as bait'

Vass considered this, and then his s But please don't feel demeaned by it You can consider yourself the very finest bait, used to catch the most elusive of fish We hunt Moby dick, no less, and I offer you my services as Captain Ahab'

'Ahab died,' she spat, outraged by his casual mockery, unsettled by the lifelessness in his eyes when he smiled at her

'Then I beseech you, Hannah Helpconclusion for us both' He walked back to the french s 'I think noould be a good tilass and er with the two Vizslas to come inside While he waited he pulled a phone from his pocket He dialled a nu the faces that watched hiht and into cover Far away from the house I want the cars off the drive and away from the entrance road Get the helicopter out of here This place needs to look like a ue in exactly one minute'

He terue Hardly the ning sheepishness, Vass turned his attention to eva and Gabriel 'Now that I've finally had the pleasure ofHannah Wilde, and I've reacquainted myself with the irascible Sebastien, I'ood people are'

'They're just friends of hers, Benja them into this'

'I see Just friends Still, I'm curious nonetheless'

'The devil take your curiosity'

'I'm i for an introduction Are they so fragile they need an old neur lurched upright in his wheelchair, breath rattling in his throat 'Benjah of the theatrics! We're here to do a job That's all There's no need to add to the growing list of people who find you offensive'

Vass had turned to face the signeur, but now he returned his attention to Hannah Rather than showing any resentment at his rebuke, he looked aht, you know Despite my best efforts, sometimes I justtrample on people I really don't s'

Behind Vass, the stranger with the two Vizslas appeared by the french s, the end of each chain wrapped around his fist The first dog was the ed coat and a er, with clear eyes and a sleeker coat It froze the instant it saw the two hosszu eletek, one front paw suspended above the ground When its co held aloft and absolutely still

Hannah's chest grew tight She found she was holding her breath She re Gabriel and eva not to reveal the? She burned to see his expression, but wouldn't give in to the teer Vizsla took a half-step into the rooainst its head, it began to growl, low and ed towards eva, jaws snapping at the air The ani, the lance at Vass He had been watching the Vizslas' display, and now he returned his attention to Gabriel and eva The hoods of his eyes retracted He licked his lips

He knows

Vass smiled 'Wellwellwell I really should have worn a dinner suit Such esteemed company' He put a hand into his pocket and drew out a revolver It was an ugly thing a grueso behind hi from their jaws, Vass took a careful step towards the hosszu eletek He examined their faces 'Just like us,' he said 'Just like us Please, sit down All of you'

Gripping Leah's hand, Hannah hter on to a chair beside her Gabriel and eva took the e to Vass's forehead A single bead dribbled down his te have I prole hosszu elet?' he asked 'And now I find us two'

The old'Are you sure?'

eva surprised Hannah then by rising to her feet The woarded Vass When she spoke, her voice rang with power 'My nadalena Szollosi I'm honoured to be named as orokos Fnok to the hosszu eletek I'm likely to serve as the last You're Eleni, which makes you responsible for the enocide of our race'

Vass held her gaze He shook his head 'Oh, no, I'm not responsible for the massacre of anyone, eva The cull you speak of occurred nearly a hundred years before I was born But I aneur, he said, 'This changes everything We don't even need to wait for Jakab'

'Then let's do it,' spat the old et out of here before he arrives'

Vass raised his eyebrows at Gabriel, who had risen to stand alongside his mother 'This is, I presume, where you introduce yourself?'

Gabriel's voice was flat, dangerous 'I', Benja You're not You think you understand the nature of your adversary You don't You think you'll prevail here today because you coreater firepower You won't I promise you this: the way you conduct yourself over the course of this day will have great bearing on how you complete it'

Vass rolled his eyes He pointed out Hannah and Gabriel to the Eleni lieutenant who had accompanied hiirl and the woman upstairs Secure theled so casually froers How had it come to this? The monster that had destroyed her mother, her father and her husband was on his way here, to this place she hadAnd before she could even focus on that, she had to confront this far more immediate threat

Your only concern is Leah Vass is unpredictable, unhinged, and he's arht, not yet Choose your o of her hand and get her out of this room safely

As Hannah tried to extricate herself froirl cried out, and the sound of it nearly broke her Ruthlessly she peeled back Leah's fingers 'Go with the man, Leah I promise you, it'll be OK'

'Mus I ever taught you Think about everything I've said Keep your eyes open, OK? Be brave Trust your instincts Everything will be all right if you do that, I proo'

Eyes as wide and scared as Hannah had ever seen them, Leah rose to her feet Vass's associate approached Gabriel with a length of rope and bound him to the chair

When he advanced on Hannah, Sebastien shouted, 'Benjamin, this is barbaric! Karoly, surely you can see there is absolutely no need-'

'Sebastien, please,' Hannah pleaded, terrified that the old man would risk his life for her She could not bear to lose hi rash' Sitting back in the chair, she allowed the stranger to bind her His rope bit into the flesh of her wrists but she refused to let Leah see her pain

After testing his handiwork, the man led Leah and eva from the rooetting somewhere I hope we're all still friends?'

His voice low, Gabriel asked, 'What is it you want?'

Vass beanorance at a time like this? You hosszu eletek! You're like the spoilt children who get all the best toys but steadfastly refuse to share Now, I can understand why you're suspicious of us The actions of my antiquated predecessors were really rather crude, even if they were acting on the orders of the Crown But they envied you, you see All of therew distrustful of your ability to conceal yourselves a them To make matters worse, you just wouldn't share'

'Share what?'

'Why, the secret, of course'

'Secret?'

'Soain if I' you've been unwilling to share with us since before the Eleni caevity'

Gabriel opened his mouth to respond but Vass raised his revolver and waved it left and right 'Yes, yes I've heard the argu as you, we'd be in crisis Population explosion The stability of our society would fracture Chaos Anarchy And perhaps there's a shred of truth in that' Vass shrugged 'Luckily for all of us, I don't want you to share your secret with a wider audience I just want you to share it with ht appeared to occur to hiive neur And, of course, you'

Hannah heard a scrape and a thud from the room above Would Vass's man tie eva first or Leah? Probably eva Which meant Leah would be next, in a different room

Vass withdrew a slim velvet case from his pocket and took it to the kitchen counter He placed his revolver beside it, looked sideways at Sebastien, then retrieved the weapon and thrust it into the waistband of his chinos 'I hope you wouldn't be silly enough to try,' he said He gestured at the Eleni lieutenant holding the leashes of the two Vizslas The man withdrew a pistol from a holster beneath his jacket He stared impassively at Sebastien

Satisfied, Vass returned his attention to the velvet case He lifted the lid and withdrew a stainless steel and glass syringe 'Consider me, Gabriel, the teacher who persuades you to share your toys'