Duel Nature Read Online Free

she was imitating Elder Senka's
mannerisms…exactly.
    She spoke and her voice was Senka's, right
down to every Oxford inflected vowel and consonant.
    “Dearest granddaughter, you are, perhaps,
wondering why you and young Christian have been selected as Rovers?
Hmm, yes, so I thought,” Tanya began sounding like a recording of
the most dangerous vampire on this continent.
    “ There are, of course,
several reasons, the first being that now is an appropriate time
for the Darkkin society to meet you and Chris, as well as for you
to meet them. But beyond that it will be a growth experience as you
both will need to draw on your abilities and skills in ways you
have never, and may never, have call to, here in New York. Those
very abilities, which are so much more advanced than Darkkin
hundreds of years your seniors, need to be honed and tempered,
especially young Christian's. It will be a chance for you both to
learn to control his dark side, which frankly dear, worries both
Tsao and I no small amount. But there is also another reason to
unleash the two of you on our world. Changes are coming Tatiana,
threats to our way of life that are difficult for vampires to
imagine. Human science and technology advances at speeds beyond all
reason, bringing new weapons, genetic engineering, robots, unmanned
drones and eventually, artificial intelligence. Our race needs to
be prepared if we're to survive. Those vampires too stupid and
stuck in their ways to adapt need to be weeded out, now, while
there is time. You, my dear, and your Chosen, and his...pet, will
be a terrible test of our society,” she said, then paused, shifting
her mannerisms and body language to become Tanya again. “How do you
mean grandmother?” she asked in her own voice before shifting back
to her eerie Senka impersonation.
    “You are a prodigy at a
tender twenty-four years of age, one that older vampires have
difficulty comprehending. Your Chosen is all of two years old as we
calculate these things, and he is terrifying as an infant, yet most Darkkin will
see him only as a meal. They won't take either of you seriously,
and the result, I'm afraid, will be something of a culling, as it
were,” she finished with a cold chuckle that made even me forget
who she was. “I think of your team as a force of unnatura l selection,
helping the Darkkin race to evolve.”
    Her affected speech and body language fell
away, becoming her own again, and it was as if the spirit of Senka
had left the room. The other vampires were speechless, frozen at
the inhuman and unprecedented display of acting.
    She pointed at the statue then wagged her
finger at me again, speaking this time. “Mind the Remington,
Chris,” she said.
    Langsford was as shaken as his underlings,
but he pulled himself together.
    “That was rather remarkable, although I have
no idea why you feel we should believe it. And why do you treat
your own Chosen like a dog, warning him away from furnishings?” he
said. “He’s not going to pee on the carpets is he?”
    “She's telling him which pieces not to
destroy, Master,” the serious brunette by his shoulder said
suddenly.
    “Excuse me Claudette?” he asked, his face a
cold mask.
    I gave the lady vamp credit, she had balls,
because she ignored his expression and explained her comment.
    “It seems fairly clear, sir.
Elder Senka expects vampires to challenge Tatiana's, ere, Ms. Demidova's Chosen,
thinking him human and therefore not truly a Chosen. He will then
kill them, removing them from Darkkin society. Ms. Demidova appears
to believe such a challenge is imminent and is telling him which
pieces of art to avoid,” she explained with quick glances at both
Tanya and myself.
    Tanya smiled and touched one finger to the
tip of her nose.
    “Claudette, you can't honestly buy into this
drivel about Gordon here, can you?” he demanded with an angry wave
in my direction.
    “Actually, sir, I have connections in New
York; people I trust, and they all tell stories