"The Queen approved my application to visit the palace personally and then helped me with my bag." Galene was still in heaven.
"What did you think of the Queen?" The reporter asked.
"Quite lovely. The photographs don't do her justice—her skin is beautiful. She was shorter than I imagined, but you can never tell from those magazine pictures anyway."
"She approved your application personally, you say?"
"She wrote a note to the owner of the Chessman, telling him so. A lovely man," Galene gushed.
"And there you have the truth," the reporter took over. "A guest gets the royal treatment while the news crews are held at arm's length. This is Rowan Alder, for News Nine."
"He's named after two trees?" I couldn't believe it.
"And he just sent a bullet your way, since you insisted that the media not be allowed inside the palace," Tony was eating spaghetti we'd been served for dinner. It was good—Cheedas used my recipe for meatballs.
"I have no desire to have those people crawling all over my home," I grumped. "Grant will faint from the stress and pressure." Grant was sitting nearby and nodding at my assessment.
"Grant is a vampire," Gavin pointed out. "He will survive." Well, Grant wasn't about to argue with Gavin. Gavin scared the bejeezus out of him.
"You want me to do this?" I couldn't believe it.
"If it will keep them from taking shots at you in the future."
"Now see, this is the flaw," I pointed my fork at Gavin.
"We will be with you, if you choose to give an interview," Connegar and Reemagar folded in and sat down at the table. After enlarging the chairs, of course.
"As yourselves?" Larentii seldom placed themselves on display like that.
"Of course. There is no reason to alter our appearance. The Reth Alliance knows we exist. We visit their worlds often."
"But you don't talk to anybody," Shadow pointed out.
"Talking means we have less time to observe," Connegar defended himself. "So we ignore any overtures."
"Well, you're welcome to be with me during my interview," I said. "When can we set this up? The sooner I get it over with, the better I'll like it."
"I will go now to select your dress," Giff rose from the table. Little Toff was sitting in a high chair between Giff and Roff, eating spaghetti. Roff was doing his best to teach his youngest to eat with a fork, but it wasn't working very well. Toff could get more in his mouth using chubby little fists.
"I'll set this up before she changes her mind," Flavio whipped out his communicator. I was set up for a mass interview in two hours. Eighteen news crews were on the planet at the moment and they were all coming, including tree guy.
I was dressed and primped, my hair piled up and wearing my dressier gold band with the Tiralian crystal solitaire (six carats) in the center. Both my tall, blue Larentii were sitting on either side of me when the news crews were ushered into one of the larger meeting rooms.
Photographers were already snapping photographs that were transmitted instantly and the 3-D digital cameras were recording. I wore a blue gown trimmed in jeweled lace that complimented my Larentii quite well. If nothing else went right, at least we were color-coordinated. Flavio, Wlodek, Adam and Merrill had come; Drake, Drew, Gavin and Tony were providing security. I saw Hart and Nima standing discreetly in a corner, helping the others. Roff was attempting to keep Grant from hyperventilating—they stood near the door in case Grant did faint.
"When did you become vampire?" That was the first question? I thought they wanted to talk about the casinos.
Wlodek had to supply the information; I couldn't remember. Thankfully, it was sent mentally. Now I knew why he and the others were all here.
"Three hundred four years ago," I replied, doing my best to look queenly and regal. No sense in explaining that three hundred of those years I'd skipped over, with a little help from dear old Dad.
"How old were you when you were made vampire?" someone else asked.
"Forty-seven," I replied.
"What were you dying of?" Oh, Lord, here it came.
"I wasn't."
"But it is my understanding that the Reth Alliance requires that all vampires be near death before they may be turned." That was tree man.
"That is true for nearly all vampires, not just the ones from the Reth Alliance," I replied. "I came from a world that did not belong to the Reth Alliance. The vampire who made me broke the law. He was punished for his crime."
"Did you love him? Is that why he turned you?" Tree man wasn't giving up.
"You—come," I crooked my finger at him. He gulped nervously but came forward anyway. All the cameras were trained on him and then on both of us as he stood before me.
"The vampire who turned me," I wanted to hiss, but held it back, "was making a bet with another vampire over how long it would take me to turn. No love was involved; I was a stranger to them. Someone they found in a bar. I was there because my husband died only a few hours earlier and I wanted to numb the pain. When I turned against their expectations, they attempted to hunt me down and kill me. Now, do you still think there was love involved?" I made a shooing motion with my hand. He scuttled back to his spot.
"How did you become Queen?" someone else asked.
"Do you know what makes a Queen Vampire?" I asked.
"I heard that a Queen was stronger than the others," one of the reporters offered.
"Not necessarily," I replied. "A Queen is not susceptible to the compulsion that an older vampire can place. Which leaves her in a dangerous position. If she is not duty-bound to uphold the laws and justice for her race, she has to be destroyed."
"I see you're still alive," one of the reporters joked.
"I stand before you now as a strong proponent of justice," I nodded slightly at all of them.
"What will you do if a vampire attacks a guest?" Tree man was back at it again. Watch him, I sent to Drake, Drew, Gavin and Tony.
"You all have copies of the new laws, do you not?" They should, I had to get them ratified by the Alliance Council. They were nodding.
"The law will be enforced," I replied, "if the vampire is found guilty."
Garde, can Jayd come? I sent. Garde was in a far corner, watching everything closely.
"And how will you determine whether the vampire is telling the truth?" Tree man, again.
"Are you familiar at all with High Demons?" I asked sweetly.
"I have studied their race, since their planet is now applying for Alliance membership."
"Are you familiar with the Guli—the Truthsayer for the High Demon race?"
"Yes, I found that fascinating," he replied. "They know when anyone is telling the truth or giving you a lie."
"Very good," I said. Jayd folded into the room, wearing a carved gold band on his head and looking like the king he was. "This is Jaydevik Rath, King of the High Demons and a Guli. Say something to him. He will tell you if it is true."
All cameras turned to Jayd, who had as good a non-expression on his face as any vampire I'd ever seen.
"I have been married twice," tree man declared.
"Lie," Jayd proclaimed. I was enjoying this—I'd never seen Jayd work.
"I have been married four times," tree man went on.
"Lie," Jayd said, crossing arms over his wide chest and glaring at tree man. I just hoped Jayd could keep his Thifilathi in check—if he started blowing smoke, we might all have to leave.
"I have been married six times."
"Truth."
"It really does work," tree man was obviously impressed. "And you're not worried that the vampire will use this compulsion on him?"
"No spell or compulsion works on High Demons," Jayd answered. "We were made that way. We will have the truth from any criminal."
"Ask him why he's here." I nodded toward tree man. Tree man backed up and swallowed hard. He hadn't expected things to turn in his direction.
"Why are you here?" Jayd smiled nastily. He smelled it, just as I did. The guests had to undergo rigorous screening to come to Le-Ath Veronis. The media didn't.
"I am here for the same reasons the others are," tree man pointed around him.
"Lie," Jayd pronounced. "Why are you here?"
"I don't have to answer that," tree man whined. Now all cameras were on him, including those of his crew.
"I think it would be wise if you did." Gavin was there quickly, standing before tree man. Drake and Drew were backing him up.
"I took the money—it seemed harmless enough," tree man quavered.
"Truth," Jayd said. "What money and from whom?"
"They didn't tell me, they said it was a secret society that wanted to learn about the vampires."
"Partial truth," Jayd proclaimed. "You have a guess. What is that guess?" Damn—Jayd was good at this. Well, he was nearly a million years old. He ought to be.
"I think Solar Red is reforming," the man whimpered.
"Fuck," I muttered. All the cameras turned back to me. "Detain him and ship him to the Reth Alliance," I said. Solar Red was supposed to be out of business. The Reth Alliance had outlawed them two hundred years ago, according to Gabron. Anyone having information on the sect was held for questioning. If they practiced the religion, they could be imprisoned for participating in or condoning human sacrifice. Gavin, Drake and Drew hauled the reporter from the room.
"Thank you, Jayd," I said. He gave me a regal nod and skipped away.
"This is the most exciting interview I've ever done," a reporter chortled.
We were back to business after that, with normal questions pertaining to the new gambling district. Until we arrived at a tricky area.
