The Dark Edge Chronicles - Clan War

Nordstrom

Keeping his posture parade crisp, Lash nevertheless let his eyes dart this way and that to examine the liliths where they stood, talking in low voices amongst themselves as he passed, every last one of them pausing to favor him with a long look before returning to their conversations. With that scan, he located Faidh's fiery hair hair, and Meredith's straight blonde, and even Jerisa's curly brown. Then he was closing in on the floor and he had to focus on the eight liliths that now stood there.

As soon as his booted feet touched the tiles of the floor, he paused and carefully bowed. He wasn't sure why he did. Only that it felt right to do. Ignoring the rushing wave of whispers the bow triggered, he straightened up but didn't move. Only when all eight waved him forward, did he advance.

As he stepped to the floor's very center, the eight encircled him, eight separate pheromone tendrils carefully curling around his body. Teeth silently grit, he mentally focused on keeping his body and mind under his own control.

"Do you know who we are, Lord Lash?" a pale lilith with curly black hair and robin's egg blue eyes, asked, her voice melodious and husky.

"No," he answered truthfully.

"We are the eldest amongst our sisters on the continent," another spoke up to say, her skin burnished copper with jade green eyes and straight black hair. "Our deeds in support of our holy purpose have granted us the right to speak first."

"And with that right, we command you to speak freely," a third lilith said, sporting a head shaved on the sides and with the rest in a long, thick braid mohawk-style. Her eyes were coal black, her skin swarthy, with the high cheekbones and finely etched features of the Nosferatu, Europe's second oldest clan. And long time rivals of the Ventru.

Lash looked from her to her sisters, each waiting expectantly for him to voluntarily speak. Yet, without knowing what they wanted to hear, he knew it was likely better if, for the moment at least, he stayed silent.

"The good Lord Commander instructed you to not speak unless spoken to, didn't she," a lilith with golden skin, luxurious auburn hair tumbling in waves over her shoulders, and intense hazel eyes, said with a raised brow. "And to only answer direct questions?"

Considering those both direct questions, Lash nodded.

"I was so instructed, Night Mistress," he confirmed.

"Ha!" the golden skinned lilith said triumphantly. "I knew she would! Pay up, Gazzy, you old crone!"

"My factor will contact yours after conclave to get your transfer code, Narilla," the lilith with the jade green eyes said with a wry smile.

Then Lash was unconsciously stiffening as the Nosferatu lilith pressed up against him, her arm around him to put a hand on his hip.

"In Heathrow, Lash, you told the Lord Commander you found White Flames attacking Meredith," she asked in a low voice, her expression intent as Narilla and the one named Gazzy exchanged barbs. This close he could pick notes of rose and calendula in her pheromone cloud, a delicate touch for a clan known for its heavy-handed brutality.

"Yes, Mistress," Lash respectfully replied.

"Did the Hand fight beside them?" she then asked, leaning in to look up into his face with characteristic Nosferatu directness.

"Yes, Mistress. And the Hand agents were using irradiated munitions in their weapons along with their car'dieth that were previously restricted only to the human faction."

"Fah!" the Nosferatu lilith spat in equal parts dismay and derision, pushing away from Lash to do so. "Bad enough that we deal with those blades slashing from the shadows. Now we have to worry about bullets that can ash us out on contact as well??" She turned to address her fellow elder queens.