Page 67 of The Agent and the Outlaw
“I daresay weallneed answers,Général, but you haven’t even asked me a single question yet. Imagine that! How can I be of help to you if you don’t elucidate what you need in the first place? And to be sure, I ammosteager to be of service to you. You do seem frightfully important.” I nodded as earnestly as I could.
In addition to the tightening muscles in his jaw, a sizable vein on the side of his head began to throb. With my supernatural senses, I could hear the blood pumping through it.He must have a splitting headache.
“I came to ask where my son is,” he said through gritted teeth.
“Mon Dieu!Have you truly lost him? You know, when I lose things, they’re often in the last place that I look for them. When did you see him last? Oh, I offered you tea, but perhaps you’d like something to nibble on instead? My chef makes the most delicious pastries, but I think probably plain bread for you,non? You seem like a plain bread sort of man.”
His face began to turn a mottled sort of red. The vein throbbed.
“Now, don’t take offense,Général! I just meant that you seem the type to deny yourself certain pleasures in order to live a more ascetic lifestyle. Truly honorable. I imagine a life waging various wars would lead one to such simplistic tastes. Provincial, if you will. Forced to enjoy things that you couldn’t get on the frontlines of wherever the king sent you. If I were in such situations, of course I would develop a healthy resentment for the king, but as such, I haven’t. He’s such a dear, you know. I don’t think I could stay mad at him for long.” I prattled on, reaching for the tray of pastries in front of me. I looked up, expecting to see steam piping out of his ears, but instead, he was eerily quiet. He smiled coldly at me.
“Is he here?” he murmured quietly.
“His Majesty? Of course not. I imagine he’s at Versailles. Why on earth would he be here?” I bent forward to pick up a tart, and his fingers clamped onto my wrist in a vice-like grip. He squeezed, which perhaps would have hurt without my supernatural strength. “Goodness, if you wanted a tart, you simply had to ask. Lemon or cream?”
His eyes flashed with rage and his voice was deadly calm when he spoke. Each word dripped with venom. “Listen to me, you damned, spoiled, ridiculous little slut. I know you lied to the Order. I know you were somehow responsible for what happened to my men. Antoine is too stupid and weak to have dispatched them. I’m certain you know what happened to him and quite possibly where he’s hiding. It would be easier if you told me now,” he said, twisting my wrist as if he would break it.
“Général,” I sighed. While I could have easily pulled free of his grasp, I let him retain his grip, and his illusion of control, for a moment longer. “You must not be thinking clearly. You came into my home to threaten me for information? You’re sitting before acomtesse, who you know to be connected with the most powerful people in all of France, who youactuallywitnessed transform into a werewolf—and you’re going to break my wrist if I don’t tell you what happened to the adult son who left your command? Forget the tea, do have yourself a brandy and a lie down.”
I considered changing then and there, biting his arm off and then delivering it to Antoine as an early Christmas gift, but I restrained my more feral impulses. Obviously, thegénéralwas suffering from some kind of brain fever. One thing was clear, however—he knew far less than I suspected. I wondered how much information his remaining men had been able to impart to him before their demise.
Apoplectic, he released my arm and stood abruptly. “I know Antoine is responsible for the death of theMarquis de Sade. I know why, as I suspect you do. If he returns to me, we will work things out in our familial sort of way. If he doesn’t return to me, I’ll see him hanged for being a deserter. Perhaps when you see him, you will tell him that.”
“As I told you before, after Gévaudan, we parted ways. If you wish to send your son to the gallows, I’m afraid that’s your business. It would make for an awkward family reunion, since I’m sure you’ll be joining him for treason.”
“Treason? My only aim was to protect my country. I will do so at any cost and the king knows that. If you think he wouldn’t sanction a few vampire soldiers to further his foreign ambitions, then I daresay you don’t know him as well as you think.” He straightened and brushed off his coat.
I smiled frostily. “We’ll see about that. Charles will show you out. I would say that it’s been a pleasure, but it hasn’t, and I’m sure you wouldn’t know pleasure if it slapped you across the face, so I’ll just sayau revoir.”
His face twisted with anger, and he strode to the door, pausing with his hand on the knob.
“I know my son. Whatever happened between you, I’m certain he’ll come here. I’ll be waiting. You think you can protect him from me? You have no idea who you’re dealing with,” he threatened.
“Oh? Wait—you aren’t a washed up, double dealing, traitorous blackguard who sacrifices his own family to further his warped political ambitions? Hm. I must’ve thought you were a wholly differentGénéral de Vaux.” I laughed.
His hand flew to the sword at his side and a low, wolflike growl vibrated from my chest.
“You could try it, you know, only I wouldn’t. I’m still picking your pet vampires from between my teeth. Do you think you stand a better chance?”
His hand fisted but left the vicinity of his weapon. “I’ll be watching you,” he hissed.
“Of course, you will,Général!” I shot back. “But if I ever catch your scent around my home again, I will rip out your throat and eat every part of you but your black heart.ThatI will send to Antoine in a little box for him to bury with his sister. A life for a life—a heart for a heart.”
He did not reply, but his posture tensed, and I knew my message had landed. He turned to go without another word, disappearing down the hall. I heard the front door close behind him.
I sat back down and reached for my abandoned tart. “Antoine,” I called to the other room. “You may come out now. He is gone.”
I waited, knowing full well he had been listening in the library next door.
“Antoine?”
I went across the hall to the library and peered in. It was empty. His scent lingered, so I knew he had been there for at least part of my conversation with thegénéral, but at some point, he’d left. Looking around, I saw the wide-open French doors that faced the side of the estate, directly opposite the stables.
A small square of parchment fluttered from the top of a table to the ground. I stooped to pick it up.
Charlotte,
I know what I must do to lay my ghosts to rest. Do not follow me—I’ll only endanger you further.
