North American Vampire Council & Past Calling (Hypernaturals 12 & 13)

Not Like We Have Records

Oh.

Fuck.

Me.

I looked at Denise accusingly. She shrugged. 'None of my business'. Lying... grrr. I felt anger rise and stuffed it back down. My mad is not at her specifically. Denise is just in the blast radius. She is Crew Lead, but she would have no part in this. She was doing as she was told, and by the co-conspirators that promulgated what is about to come.

The screens looked like Victoria just dropped a stink bomb in numerous laps, PacRim particularly. It was obvious EuroCouncil knew beforehand, though. NorthAm and Euro work much more closely than average. Jacqueline and Victoria are close.

Victoria waited for the buzz to subside and then went on presenting her case to the fucking Vampire world. "You all know who I am referring to of course, but this is a complete surprise to him. No easy thing to achieve around him. He knew something was up, but not this."

"No. Fucking. Shit." Denise whispered. Helen and Rachel nodded their agreement to her sentiment.

"Adrian? I put you on the spot here, because I know you well. As Liaison, I have worked with you for a while. With all the things here now like Ninovan, I have had the pleasure of getting to know you even better. If I didn't do it this way and put you on the global spot, you would have said 'No'. I know you. Now if you are going to refuse me my wishes to have you on my Council, you have to tell the entire global Council you are not stepping up. I know. I suck. You knew that already. Well. Actually, that was you. Never mind."

To the screens, Victoria said: "He fanged me at a wedding once. It was lovely. Not why I want this though. As we all know, in our tiny world, you can fraternize and work together. In fact, you kind of have to do it that way after a few Conclaves."

General nods of agreement on the screen, except for PacRim. Those faces were frozen. I am pretty sure that is not a computer glitch too.

I saw the look on Helen and Rachel's faces and scented them. Fear mixed with excitement. Victoria is right. If she had asked me this one on one, I would not have said not only 'No' but "Hell No'. Stronger than that even. A string of expletives, ending in 'No'.

I started to figure out what might be up during the Bethany announcement, so I had a few seconds to compose my reply. The general announcement mayhem giving me added seconds as I desperately searched for my way out.

Fucking Victoria! What an asshole! I mentally meant that is whatever the meanest possible way is. After being anally raped, that is pretty dark indeed.

The expressions on the face of the Global Council were about what you would expect. Shock. Chagrined. Intrigue. What the Fuck? One lady that was looking offscreen when the announcement was made had an 'Oh shit, what did I miss?' expression. There were a few smiles: Mostly people I know in Europe.

PacRim faces remained frozen. I would really have suspected computer issues, but one was sitting outside in some kind of garden and her silks were ruffling in the air.

Having a few seconds, I turned those into virtual minutes. I used Hypertime to be able to have a good long debate in my head about it. To think about how I was just painted into a global goddamn corner. How it would be for male Vampires from here on if I did NOT take this dubious honor.

I looked at Helen in my peripheral vision because in Hypertime shifting attention is easier than actually moving. Also as a Vampire, my peripheral vision is way better than a human.

That smug expression Helen wore. For all that Victoria just said, I know this is her idea. Why in the hell did I marry a politician? She thinks this is grand. Just lovely. Oh, look! Another Council critter in the family! She has probably been working on this for a while.