He was still angry about that, even after all these years. The Vârcolac were visible to each other, and also to the Triumvirate. What Rhianna had done was make them visible to their parents too. It didn’t matter that both his parents had been able to detect his shadowing anyway as his mother was Vârcolac and his father one of the Triumvirate. The rest of them could have shadowed around their parents, but Rhianna’s spell casting had changed that once they’d discovered the children had this ability. Granted she had done this so only each child’s parents and the pack Alphas could see through their abilities, but it still irritated him no end. If his parents hadn’t been who they were then Rhianna’s magic would have afforded them the ability to see him, and that anger bubbled within and always had.
Holding in the deep sigh that threatened to give away his presence, he pushed aside the childish musings of a time long past, and continued down the dirty hallway towards the male he was here to see. It wasn’t worth thinking about, wasn’t worth indulging in the rage the constantly lived in his soul.
Entering the room at the bottom of the hallway, he watched the confused expression that crossed the face of the male within with another cruel tilt of his lips. Agony slipped off to the side as the male rose and walked to the open door, staring up the hallway to his guard who was shrugging his shoulders. Faraday was a tall man, beautiful as all vampires were, but with a coldness to his blue eyes that spoke of unhidden cruelty. He was old, possibly around about the eighteen hundred year mark, which was surprising for one in his position.
Agony moved to stand beneath the blacked-out window, as he watched Faraday close the door and return to his seat behind his desk. The casual grace of the vampire’s movements spoke of power and great speed, so perhaps it wasn’t so surprising that he had gained the age that he had. Something about the other male called to Agony, and it took a moment to realise what it was. This male, while inferior, had managed to make it to almost Ancient status despite his criminal proclivities. That meant he excelled at what he did and wasn’t one to be underestimated.
He could relate to that, could understand and even respect it. There was a high probability Faraday would survive this meeting, unless he did something totally stupid. Wearying of his little game, he released his shadowing abilities, allowing himself to become visible to the other male. The speed with which Faraday moved impressed him, even as he easily blocked the talons aimed at his throat and broke both of his attacker’s arms.
Faraday was strong but no match for Agony’s enhanced Vârcolac skills. It took no real effort for him to pick up the struggling vampire and force the other male face down on his desk. Pinning him there, Agony leaned in close to his ear, drinking in the acrid scent of fear that was suddenly filling the room. It was a heady scent, one he loved, and he knew Faraday was intelligent enough to be aware that he was bested by the interloper in his lair.
“I do not wish to kill you; however I have no such compunction where it comes to any others who may enter this room. I suggest you calm down and listen to what I have to say, unless you’re willing to lose all of your handpicked team dotted around this building.”
“Let me up,” Faraday hissed, fury lacing his fear. The fact he kept his tone as low as Agony’s was a clear indicator that he was aware of just how serious his situation was.
Agony released his hold, stepping back and watching silently as Faraday tested his arms had healed by pushing himself up from his desk. When he turned to view the interloper, there was naked fury in his eyes, as well as a healthy amount of respect.
“Who are you and what do you want?”
“What does everyone want who comes to call on you, Faraday? I need travel documents so I may leave the country.” Agony sat down on the chair across from the desk, crossing one leg nonchalantly over the other. He watched his talons shrink back down as if bored, hearing the slight increase in the other male’s heartbeat. Satisfaction engulfed him, a heady feeling of power rising swiftly to the surface. Faraday was wise to fear him and it enthralled him to know the other male did.
“I need a name, and personal information. When do you need them by?” Faraday was suddenly all business, sitting down with his fingers on the keyboard to his laptop, his gaze impatient as he viewed his visitor.
“Right now.”
The other male’s eyes widened, anger warring with the ever present fear in his gaze. “I usually require a few days to provide good quality documents.”
“You have half an hour maximum,” Agony drawled, his tone bored though he was anything but. He didn’t have days… he was lucky if he had a few hours.
The blood rushed from Faraday’s face, his expression turning panicked. “That’s impossible!”
It wasn’t what he wanted to hear, and he leaned forward, resting his arms on the edge of the desk. “Make it possible…”
For a moment the other male just sat there staring at him, and the weary sigh Agony had been withholding did escape. “The longer you sit there convincing yourself you can’t do this, the more time you’re wasting. I don’t care what name or personal details you want to choose, just do whatever you need to so I can get my documents.”
“And how are you going to pay me for this? I don’t work for free, you know.”
The grudging respect he was already feeling towards the vampire went up another notch. It took a brave person to stand their ground with one they knew without a doubt could kill them in the blink of an eye.
“With your life?”
Agony smiled as he watched Faraday swallow hard. It was satisfying to watch him squirm, his rising feeling of power something glorious to experience. There was a tiny part lurking within him that found it distasteful to play with one so weak but his other emotions overrode it.
“Get to work,” he sighed, suddenly bored with the whole thing. “I will be back in half an hour with your payment.”
“I need your eye colour for the documentation,” Faraday called as Agony shadowed himself once more. “I need to take a photograph too.”