February 14, 2001
Coralis sat beside Andrew, her mentor, in the middle of a room. They had to attend a meeting with three EBEE elders in London. She was hoping that the meeting wouldn't last long, as she promised Frank that she'd spend the evening with him and would try to ignore work calls. Victoria was going to be out for the day, so she told him to be at her place at 17:00.
Elder agents Alfredino, Rolland, and Phraton were sitting behind a table by the windows.
"Blue Thunder, I must say, your track record with us is stellar. Your mentor only has praises for you," said Elder Rolland, a fire mage.
"Officially, you're an apprentice with us. However, it has come to our attention that your contract with The Northerners will be ending soon. When your flyball career ends, in a few months, we are going appoint you formally as an agent," said Elder Phraton, an elf.
"In all due respect, Elders, my flyball career will not be ending after this season. My contract with the Northerners is currently being renegotiated."
"With the rise of extremist groups among all factions, we need you focused on your work as an agent for the European Bureau of Elemental Energy," said Elder Alfredino, a wind mage.
"During the past year, we have overlooked your relationship with Princess Veronica of Chicago. This relationship must end now: do not get attached to people who could betray you," said Elder Phraton.
Coralis steeled her mind and kept a blank face on, as she wondered about why they suddenly cared about her fake relationship with Princess Veronica. Agents were discouraged from pursuing romantic interests, but it wasn't against the rules.
"When I agreed to sign as an apprentice for the European Bureau of Elemental Energy, I specified and had it added to my contract that my flyball career had priority over my apprenticeship with you. As of now, my flyball career is not over and I will be renewing my contract with The Northerners. If you are going to appoint me as an agent after this flyball season, so be it, but know that my flyball career will not be over."
"Is that all, gentlemen?" said Andrew, getting up and gesturing for Coralis to do the same. "We all know that Blue Thunder had been doing the work of an actual agent for the past few years so this formal appointment would be quite useless, in my opinion. If there is nothing else, then we shall take our leave."
The three Elders looked at Andrew.
"That is all, for now," said Elder Phraton, gesturing toward the door.
Coralis and Andrew left the meeting room.
"I am not one to tell you what to do in regards to your relationship with Princess Veronica, you know very well that I would never give up on Lalima. All I can tell you is to be careful. I don't think that they will be stupid enough to try anything against the royal vampire family of Chicago… but stay close to them," said Andrew when outside of the EBEE Headquarters.
"I'm not planning on cutting ties with Princess Veronica, and I think I will fly to Chicago right now."
"I have suspicions against some of our elders, I think some of them are working for rogue vampire clans, but I can't prove it," said Andrew.
"I don't trust them, and I think they're up to something. I'll see you at combat training Sunday morning."
Coralis took off on her stick and headed to Chicago. Calculating the time difference and the flying time, she knew she had time to make a quick stop in Chicago before she met with Frank. She hated using portals but didn't exclude using the fixed portal network to get home quicker if needed.
The Chicago ruling vampire family stronghold was in an old theatre that had been converted into a nightclub and condominiums. The Bloody Velvet occupied the main floor and mezzanine, clan members resided on the middle floors, and the royal family members lived on the three upper floors. The building itself was 7 stories, plus two basements.
Coralis landed in the alley behind their stronghold in the early afternoon. Although it was technically a nightclub, it was open all day within legal opening hours. The royal vampire family didn't want human authorities looking into their business, so they ensured that their club would abide by all human laws and city regulations. There weren't a lot of people at this time, so she was able to get the bartender's attention as soon as she reached the bar.
"I'll have a double scotch," said Coralis and the bartender nodded.
She looked around and spotted Prince Hendrick sitting in a booth on the left side of the bar. She paid for her drink, chugged it, and then went to where Prince Hendrick sat. She sat across the table from him.
"Blue Thunder," he said, looking at her. "What brings you here today? I haven't talked to the EBEE lately, I didn't know you were coming today."
"I just spoke with them. Trust, they didn't send me. Is Princess Veronica around?"
"She's somewhere in the building, I believe. You know she'll have your head if she hears you calling her Princess in here. It's Veronica to you, I think she made that clear."
"She did, but I'm currently in the middle of your family headquarters, so I will keep observing protocol."
"She'll be down here in a minute, I just mind-linked her," said Prince Hendrick, closing the ledger book he'd been working on. "Mind to tell me what brings you here, if the EBEE didn't send you?"
"I certainly don't mind, but it might be better to discuss it in private, with Princess Veronica."
Just as she finished her sentence, she felt someone slapping her behind her head. She turned and saw Princess Veronica smirking.
"How often do I need to repeat that it's Veronica for you?" said Veronica, sitting next to Coralis.
"Eventually, I'll get the memo. I don't have much time, as I promised Frank I'd see him tonight, and I don't think he'll ever forgive me if I get to him a few hours late. Can we talk somewhere private? Never know who's listening."
"Sure, let's go to Father's study," said Veronica.
They got up and walked to the service elevator located next to the bathrooms. Prince Hendrick slid his keypass and pressed the button for the 5th floor. When they reached their floor, Coralis and Veronica went to sit on chairs surrounding a round table in the middle of the room while Prince Hendrick grabbed a bottle of brandy in a cabinet across the room.
Coralis told what was said at her EBEE meeting while Prince Hendrick poured them drinks.
"Wait, the EBEE believes that we're a couple? I mean, I never cared about that rumour, but we only played it out at the Swamtons mating ball," said Veronica.
"Isn't that interesting? I didn't deny it to them, I hope you ain't mad about that, but what I wonder though, is why they suddenly care about it. It sounded like they wanted me to cut all ties with you immediately."
"It implies that these EBEE elders are close to the Swamtons," said Prince Hendrick as he was sitting down on the chair beside hers, to her right. "If you don't mind, I'll relay that information to our father."
"Please do, I think that's something that he should be aware of. He needs to be careful of what he says to the EBEE. I think they're up to something."
"Are you sure you can't come to the club tonight? We should feed the rumour mill. The mating ball turned out fun after all."
"Nah, actually, I think it'd be best to let that rumour run as it is. You two have only been seen making out in public at that mating ball, so I want to make some inquiries about who believes that rumour and where they've heard it from, and I am not planning on denying it either," said Prince Hendrick.
"I'll admit, that rumour is also helping me keep Frank safe. They can't find out that I'm seeing a human, especially if we think they're close to the Swamtons. If they want me to break up with Veronica, they could be planning something against your family and don't want me interfering or seeing things I shouldn't."
"I'm starting to like you more," said Prince Hendrick, pouring another round. "Don't worry, sister, I won't steal your beloved from you. I will make sure that the Swamtons and other questionable clans remain convinced that you two still have the hots for each other."
Coralis looked at the clock above the liquor cabinet: 15:45.
"I need to go before I'm late for my Valentine's date," said Coralis, chugging her drink.
The siblings' eyes turned white for a minute, and they bolted toward the service elevator.
"There is a situation at the club. Some elves attacking club patrons," said Veronica.
They exited the elevator and took in the commotion. They quickly spotted the attackers, and their hands were on them within a second. Bouncers had locked the front door to make sure the attackers wouldn't escape, while the bar staff helped the patrons evacuate through the back door, making sure that the human ones wouldn't remember anything they saw.
There were eleven elves involved in the attack, males and females, all dressed in dark purple cloaks. Coralis was about to kill a fifth one, a redheaded female, but Prince Hendrick told her to keep her alive. She rendered her unconscious, and Prince Hendrick ordered one of his guards to take her to the dungeon.
"Thank you for helping. You didn't have to, so that's very appreciated," said Prince Hendrick.
"No problem. Mind if I borrow a phone? I'll pay for the long distance."
"You think any of us would accept your money? Don't even think about it, I don't even want the bartender to charge you for drinks. With what you just told us, I am going to take a devious amount of pleasure in questioning that elf we took to the dungeon," said Prince Hendrick.
"I want in," said Princess Veronica.
Coralis tried to call Frank, but the call wouldn't go through. She figured that he probably was in the metro, on his way to her place. She cursed. It was 16:15, and it would take her an hour to fly back to Montreal. She had elf blood all over her, and it had a dark purple shade to it.
"I'll have to use the fixed portal network to get home if I want to be back on time, but I can't walk among humans looking like this. He'll probably be waiting on my doorstep when I get home. I can explain a small amount of blood on me, but there is no way I can explain elf blood."
"I'll pass you a change of clothes, don't worry about it. Use my phone to send him a text message, so he can read it when he gets a cell signal," said Veronica.
"I swear, you're saving my life more than I'm saving yours."
She went to the bathroom to change clothes, shrunk her dirty ones to make them fit into her cloak's inner pockets, and washed up the blood that was on her face. She told Frank that she'd be about 30 minutes late.
She used the fixed portals to go from Detroit to Boston, and from Boston to Trois-Rivières. She landed on her rooftop at 17:20. She turned her elemental paraphernalia into keychains, shifted into Cheetah, and grabbed her eyeglasses into her mouth.
She jumped down on her back balcony, bolted down the stairs, and ran to the other end of the alley. She ran up to the park down the street and shifted back to her normal form behind a bush. She put her eyeglasses on and stepped out of the bushes.
She arrived at her place at 17:33.
"Here you are, finally," said Frank, reaching out to her waist with his right hand as she walked up the stairs to unlock the door.
He brought her closer to him to kiss her.
"Luv, what's this?" he said, passing his left thumb over a patch of crusted blood above her right ear.
"Don't worry, it's not my blood," said Coralis, and kissed him before he could add anything else.