Chapter 45
“What?” Vlad asked stunned.
“Last time I checked, your hearing was excellent, and you understood the Queen’s English better than I do.” Charles stated dryly.
The gun slowly lowered, and Vlad demanded “Explain.”
“Didn’t the envoy tell you all of this after your father died?”
“All he said was that I was offered my father’s place. I told him I didn’t want it.”
“You don’t have that option.” Charles declared. “You may not participate if you don’t want to and the position can pass down the line.”
“Pass down? Like an inheritance?”
“Just so.”
“You’re telling me this disgusting venture is part of my… inheritance!” Vlad stated angrily, and Charles nodded with a smile. “How do I get rid of it?”
“Easy old chap!” Charles said simply. “Blow your brains out…or would you rather me do it for you?”
“What the hell? That is only way out?” Vlad asked as he paced.
“Well …the agreement is till death. The founding fathers took it very literal.” Charles replied then as he appraised Vlad he added, picking up his drink. “But knowing you, you’ll find some drastic and bloody way out. Please remember our familial ties when you do.”
“Tell me…how?” Vlad stammered.
“To cut a long tail short. A few centuries ago, a Russian Czar was in England being entertained by one of my not so illustrious ancestors. I think it was for a wedding or something…and as usually the bloody passage for the emperor to return home was frozen over. Bored and stuck in England and having a …healthy Russian appetite, he found the entertainment provided by the host not…adequate. So, the genius that runs in my family tree decides to …collect a few rare specimens for him to try. Two of them died ‘accidentally’. This is where they form their …sacred pact and decide it would be fabulous to have whatever or rather whoever they wanted by simple…purchase.”
“Our family started this mess!”
“Others have created their own versions but this one…yes.”
“If it’s just the two of us…”
“It isn’t. Not anymore at least.” Charles corrected as he informed him. “Ours is a special little club, we don’t choose just…random product. Our selection process is very …delicate and very varied. We…”
“You didn’t randomly choose her?” Vlad cut in.
“Look at her, Vladimir! She’s a beauty. She would’ve been wasted on those monkeys…”
“Her mother…”
“Made the right choice but selecting outside that cesspool! She has a natural inclination for law. Where did you think she got that from? She’s bright…”
“And my father was going to use her as a bed warmer!”
“What do you use her for?” Charles questioned right back.
“That’s different!”
“Is it? Didn’t she run from you?”
“It’s not like that…”
“What is it like Vlad? Tell me, are you in love with it?”
“She is not an ‘it’!” Vlad hissed.
“Don’t be a fool, Vlad!” Charles growled. “Keeping her can ruin all our lives!”
“She’s mine…”
“No woman is worth me being publicly stripped of my title! I won’t have it!” Charles calmed himself after his outburst by pouring another drink and chucking back half the contents of the glass. “Dear cousin…this female that you wish to possess isn’t worth your family name. I’m sure if I scour the globe, I can find several like her that can fill your bed. You may even keep your daughter…”
“How generous!” Vlad sneered. “I have a better counteroffer.”
“Are you going to shoot me?”
“No, that’s for when our negotiations fail.”
“Then by all means cousin, let’s hear your magnificent offer.”
“We shut this shit down, once and for all.”
Charles paused as if contemplating it then muttered as he drank. “I knew you’d come up with some way to get yourself killed.”
“We are the descendants of the founders…”
“We aren’t the only ones!” Charles pointed out.
“You said it was just the two of them…”
“Yes…in the beginning. It makes us higher ranked but we aren’t the only ones.”
“How many?”
“Five. Four of royal bloodlines and the fifth …was a really bad idea.”
“Who are they? And, what do you mean about the fifth being a bad idea? What’s wrong with the fifth member?”
“Well…there’s off course you and me, then the Persian Prince and of course a Raja from India.”
Vladimir narrowed his eyes. “I sense a pattern.”
“Heh…”
“Now who’s the fifth and what’s wrong with him?”
“Right now, nothing.”
“Then why did you seem afraid?”
“I don’t fear this man…”
“What are you afraid of then?”
“Ehh…Did I not tell you my ancestors weren’t the shinning beacon of wisdom?”
“Who the hell is the fifth member?”
“It’s more like what?”
“What?”
“What are you a parrot?” Charles chastised, and Vlad’s eyes hardened. “Alright! He made a stupid rule since there was no monarchy as it were on this particular continent…”
“Oh Fuck!” Vlad cursed as it dawned on him. “Was that ass even able to walk upright?”
“To be honest I don’t think he foresaw the ramifications of such a decision…”
“Ramifications is putting it mildly!”
“In my ancestor’s defence, at the time they were just our children. It was just a matter of showing them the ropes…”
“And now we’re fucked!” Vlad cursed, furiously running his hands through his short blond hair. “You couldn’t have told me this earlier!”
“In my defence, I assumed when a man makes such asinine decisions as you did, they at least had the foresight to do their fucking research properly!”
Vlad paced like an animal around the room. Charles may have nothing to fear but he did. Then a thought occurred to him. “Were they a part of the attack on the island?”
“Of course not!” Charles denied vehemently, and Vlad exhaled in relief until he added. “You’d be dead if that was the case.”
Vlad growled at his cousin. “Does he know about me?”
“No.”
Vlad relaxed then asked. “How is that possible?”
“I may have held off the envoy… for a bit.”
“You son of a bitch…” Vlad began, and Charles laughed.
“You really must pay attention, dear cousin. My ancestor’s genius plan, remember. I’m the one that controls the envoy.”
“So, all you have to do is never send the envoy.”
“Now why would I do that?”
“Because I just told you not to!”
“And you are who? The Almighty?”
“You fucking…”
“Now that you mention it, I wouldn’t mind a little of that.” Charles remarked absently, and Vlad took a few steps back, his face twisted in disgust. “Relax cousin mine, I’m not that depraved…well yes I am. But I know that’s not your particular cup of tea. I did make a new initiate think it was part of getting in…that was fun. He recalled fondly.
“Are you going to help me or not?” Vlad asked bring Charles back from his memories.
“You haven’t really given me a proper offer yet.”
“How about I promise you your disgusting life!”
“And then what? Deal with the boys maybe? Yes…with them you’ll probably have your way, which is precisely why I skipped them. Too much like their damn mother! And as to whom the envoy goes…you will never know.”
“What do you want?”
“Now this feels like a negotiation!”