Yet, the moment her question registered, Stephan sent an icy look in her direction and stated pointedly, “None of your fucking business.”
Well, that settles it. Short of earning his trust, there would be no chance of learning about his past. It was disappointing, but her curiosity over the topic ended the moment the elevator stopped and the doors opened.
Beyond them was a darkened room with the only light being provided by images displayed on several devices Maddox couldn't identify lining the left wall. There were also several small dots of green and red light coming from various pieces of equipment, giving the area a highly futuristic ambiance—and it was unsettling.
Most advancements had come in small doses so far, making it seem as if adjusting to this new world wouldn't be so difficult. But this? For the first time since Maddox woke, she felt completely out of place, like a stranger in a foreign land.
As Stephan headed to a door opposite the elevator that needed some type of code to open, one of the images on the monitors caught her complete attention. It displayed a dim chamber with a gurney at the center, and more importantly, a man was laying on top of it. There wasn't enough light to make things out clearly, but the blade jutting from his chest indicated that he was a vampire.
“Is that Ignacio?”
Stephan looked at the screen, then nodded in confirmation, opening the door to allow her into a desolate hallway beyond the monitoring station.
There were several doorways on each side, most of which possessed small, square shaped windows covered with a metal grating. It was a prison, and Maddox suddenly wondered just how close she'd come to waking up there, strapped to a gurney and tortured like Ignacio.
Walking down the corridor, she asked, “Is this where you would've taken me if you hadn't been ordered to work with me?”
His brief hesitation told her all she needed to know.
“Does it matter?” Stephan asked.
“I suppose not. This isn't a permanent arrangement, after all. I'm just concerned you'll try to throw me in here once you've gotten all you need from me.”
“Don't worry, I won't,” he replied, and somehow, she believed him completely. The tone of his voice indicated he honestly didn't think there would be reason to, not even out of malice for what she was.
“This is it,” he announced as they arrived at a door with no window at the front. Instead, it was labeled with a series of numbers and letters she didn't understand, and he pressed a button next to the handle which caused a light above the portal to flash green followed by the sound of a latch opening.
In response, the door slid aside into a pocket in the wall, allowing them entry. Stephan stepped in first, and Maddox followed, watching as he repeated the same process to make the door shut behind them.
Inside was the same room visible on the screen in the monitoring station, but it was much easier to see in person. Perhaps the camera used to capture the images couldn't pick up as much light as her eyes were capable of perceiving, but whatever the case, it was certainly a dismal place, only made worse by the thought that no matter how unwelcoming it seemed, it was still better than the narrow tomb where she'd spent the past seventy years rotting away.
The mere idea of it had her newly beating heart speeding its pace in anger—and she focused it on the captive vampire.
Ignacio was already in horrid condition. Not only was a dagger sticking out of his chest, but his skin was peeling as if he'd been exposed to the sun, leaving him looking very unlike the proud vampire she remembered. His hair had fallen out in places, and the stench?
If Maddox was human, it would've made her sick. Even then, it was a poignant reminder of her own captivity, one that made her think coming down here was actually a bad idea.
That was, until Ignacio rasped, “Maddox … it's been a … long time.”
It sounded as if he were gloating. Just like his sister. Despite the irritating thought, Maddox smiled, taking a few casual steps closer to him before replying, “Much too long, Ignacio, and just imagine my astonishment. You, of all vampires, abducted by mortals and tortured for information.”
With a few tsk's, she added, “Did you think to tell them where I was so they might finish me off? How long ago was I buried again? Two years?”
Ignacio smirked, a disturbing expression considering the state of his flesh and the color of his eyes. Even the sclera was red and lacked the typical glow, suggesting he was far too weak to even be in bloodlust.
“Maybe,” he replied. “Or perhaps I told them it was only two years to ensure they'd bring you here, all so I could see you again before I died.”
“Oh? And why would you want to see me?”
“I was to pass on a message, something Lillian trusted me with in the case that she was … indisposed.”
Indisposed? Quirking a brow, Maddox asked, “Does that mean she's dead?”
His gaze quietly drifted up to the ceiling, remaining there as he mused aloud, “She told me she disagreed with your ideals, but she respected you. Your determination was admirable. Still, you were a threat, one she couldn't afford.”
Maddox remained silent, and Ignacio didn't seem to need an acknowledgment because he turned his gaze in her direction and continued without prompting. “I asked what she planned on doing with you, and her exact words were I want to offer her a choice when the time comes. But whatever Lillian was up to, things became … complicated.”
“Complicated how?”
“Mercenaries, draconians in specific.”
The comment put a smile on her face. If Lillian had gotten the attention of even one draconian, things would've become incredibly difficult. Draconians weren't simply skilled, they were persistent to the point that even divinians admired their strength of will.
But rather than comment on Lillian's misfortune, Maddox inquired, “So, what was this choice she wanted to offer me?”
“I don't know,” Ignacio returned, “and now, I never will. You see, my sire is dead, but she's made sure yours wants nothing to do with you. He'd probably kill you on sight.”
Hearing this, Maddox stared for several moments, unsure of what he meant and whether or not to believe him.
But Stephan stepped forward and demanded before she had the chance to respond, “What? She's dead?”
“Lillian died a few days ago, human,” Ignacio spat. “You missed your chance.”
“Fuck Lillian,” Maddox interjected pointedly. “I want to know what you mean about my sire. What did she do to him?”
Ignacio snorted, asking, “What does one do with one of The Five? It wasn't an easy decision.”
At that, Maddox's heart dropped into the pit of her stomach. He knows Mathias is one of The Five? She'd never even told Lillian her sire's name, much less the fact that he was one of the first vampires created. But it was already obvious that the magistrate had followed her the night she'd convened with Mathias in King's Forest Cemetery, and had likely learned his identity through their brief conversation, then made inquiries.
During her thoughts, Ignacio went on, “But in the end, she needed information she knew he had, and revived him for questioning about a week ago.”
“Information? About what?”
“About Sutrelle.”
Quirking a brow over the unexpected answer, Maddox scoffed, easily recalling Mathias' stories of the lost paradise. Personally, she'd come to believe Sutrelle was a real place that once served as the seat of their old domain, but stories of it had simply grown more colorful over the centuries until it'd become a promised land where sunlight was benign and rivers flowed with blood like some endless buffet. Ridiculous.
Still, several had searched for it, and Maddox couldn't say that the legends were completely inaccurate. Even Mathias had never denied its potential to exist, but to believe in the myth wholeheartedly would've been foolish, prompting her to ask Ignacio, “Sutrelle? She wanted a bedtime story?”
“It's not just a bedtime story,” Ignacio insisted. “But think what you
will, Lillian told me her findings were very interesting.”
“Mathias wouldn't have told her anything,” Maddox snapped. “He would've killed her and then released me!”
“Not if he was convinced by a third party sent to free him that you'd entrapped him with her help,” Ignacio countered, adding maliciously, “and he was. Needless to say, Mathias hates you now, and never went to find you. He just left you to rot in the grave. That's the message Lillian gave me for you.”
By the end of his confession, Maddox was shaking inside. A part of her knew it wouldn't have been easy to make Mathias believe she'd actually had a hand in his fate, but she wouldn't entirely put it past Lillian to pull such a stunt off. After all, Mathias didn't rescue her from the grave, Stephan did, so it wasn't farfetched to assume that her sire did hate her now.
The thought had rage, fear, remorse, doubt, and blame knotting up in Maddox's gut until she was in a state of animosity she'd never known the likes of before—and Ignacio was about to experience the brunt of it firsthand.
9
♦ ♦ ♦
The Five? Sutrelle?
Stephan had no idea what either of the vampires in his company were talking about, and he didn't like being left in the dark, particularly when Maddox had dismissed the topic he was interested in so she could ask her own questions. Lillian's dead? How?
But there wasn't any time to ask before Ignacio was turned to ash.
“What a clever story you've woven, Ignacio,” Maddox began. “I don't think Lillian truly realized just how creative she was.”
“Go on, think it's a story,” Ignacio began. “You'll find out everything I've said is—”
In only a split second, Maddox grasped the handle of the blade still jutting from Ignacio's chest and jerked it out, then brought it down on the vampire's neck so quickly that Stephan couldn't even open his mouth to protest. It cut through flesh like nothing but butter, and immediately, the vampire went up in ashes scattering across the gurney and onto the floor.
Livid, Stephan glared at Maddox as she carelessly dropped the blade and announced on a casual tone of voice, “I don't need to hear anymore.”
“I did,” Stephan snapped. “Lillian died a few days ago? Was that a lie?”
“Does it matter?” she shot back, turning to face him. “You can't believe a single word that came out of that snake's mouth, and isn't the reason you pulled me out of the grave to learn the truth? We'll find out what happened, Stephan, but not from him.”
While that was true enough, Stephan asked her pointedly, “Can I believe you?”
“If you don't, it's your own bias keeping you from doing so,” Maddox returned, heading to the door. “I'd be glad to explain everything else as well, but I'd rather get out of this … torture chamber first.”
She mimicked the same actions at the door that he'd taken to open it earlier, and Stephan followed her into the hall, inhaling a deep breath to temper his anger. Working alone for so long had him accustomed to maintaining full control over any given situation, so when Maddox took this one into her own hands and killed Ignacio without question, it was hard not to feel incredibly frustrated.
He just needed answers, and didn't hesitate to ask the moment they were outside the chamber, “What did Ignacio mean when he called your sire one of The Five?”
“You've never heard stories about the origins of vampires?”
“No, I hadn't paid much attention.”
Nodding, Maddox answered, “The Five refers to the remaining five vampires who were created by the original, and most are reclusive, only seen for brief stints before disappearing, sometimes for centuries.”
“And your sire is one of them?”
“He is. The last time I saw him was just before being sealed in the grave. He shut me in and went to rest nearby.”
Coming to a stop at the elevator doors in the monitoring station, Stephan asked, “So there's a chance he's still there?”
“Possibly, though … ,” Maddox trailed, letting a tired sigh, “I never told Lillian who he was, and if Ignacio knew what he was, then I have to prepare for the possibility that Mathias is actually free, and has contempt for me. Still, I want to go back to where we were entombed, check his plot, and try to verify what Ignacio said.”
The elevator door opened during her comments, and Stephan stepped inside, unable to invest himself in confirming Mathias' fate, which he pointed out, “Checking on this guy isn't gonna help our search.”
“It could. If Ignacio lied, and Mathias is still there, he'd be an even bigger asset than I am. You should also know that I'm not asking you to come with me. I can check by myself.”
“Not a chance in hell,” Stephan denied pointedly. “It's too risky.”
“For who? Me because of the potential danger, or you because you don't trust me?”
“Try both,” he returned honestly. “Besides, that cemetery is four hours from here, and it'll be daylight by then.”
Her sigh made it clear that Maddox didn't like his verdict, but she silently thought it over before compromising. “Alright, we'll go tomorrow evening. Still, you need to know something important.”
“What's that?”
With an impressive amount of resolve in her golden eyes, she continued emphatically, “I don't care about danger, Stephan. Nothing will keep me from discovering what truly happened to Mathias. He's my father, my family. You may not understand that, but it's important.”
Stephan held her determined gaze with a strange sensation sweeping over him—admiration. It was the first time he could ever recall feeling such a thing in regards to a vampire, but he understood her motivation all too well. The biggest reason he'd joined The Bastion was Ellen, and if the shoe was on the other foot, he would've done whatever it took to find her.
So even if he didn't want to go, he certainly couldn't stop Maddox from searching for this Mathias, and conceded with the words, “Fine, when the sun sets tomorrow night, I'll take you back to the cemetery.”
The elevator stopped as if to punctuate his comment, and as the doors opened, he noticed a smile forming on Maddox's lips. The look made him curious enough to ask, “You're not happy I'm actually going with you, are you?”
“Not specifically. I'm just glad I'll be able to find out for certain, even if he's not there.”
That made sense. It was better to have answers than be made to constantly wonder. Stephan still didn't know why Lillian had killed his sister specifically, but considering the vampire had only stabbed her instead of draining her blood, there had to be more to the story.
Yet he'd never banked on learning the truth, deciding that it wouldn't change what happened anyway, and all that mattered in the end was getting justice. But that didn't stop him from wondering about the reason no matter how pointless knowing the facts might be.
Maddox likely felt the same way about her sire, and while exiting the elevator, Stephan asked, “If he's not, do you think he'd really believe you betrayed him?”
All traces of her smile disappeared in response as they walked down the hall. “I don't know. I have to consider that you're the one who rescued me, not him, so he might have actually abandoned me. Or maybe he just … ”
As she trailed, Stephan glanced over to see that she was silently searching for some valid reason why Mathias wouldn't have come for her—and was failing. The more silence that passed between them, the more concerned her expression became, and he knew it wasn't easy thinking a loved one believed the worst about you.
But he couldn't come up with any feasible possibilities that might alleviate the vampire's doubts either, and even if he could, he had no idea why he'd want to.
So he decided to change the subject by asking a question he'd been curious about since this all began.
“Why did Lillian seal you in that coffin, anyway?”
Maddox angrily muttered under her breath before stating, “I learned of a plan she had to gain quite a bit of power over other vampires.”
His in
terest piqued enough so that, instead of abandoning Maddox once they reached her quarters, he went inside to get more information. “What kind of plan?”
Occupying a space next to the bed, she turned to face him and answered, “Lillian was going to perform a ritual that would allow her, and possibly several other magistrates, to walk in daylight permanently.”
“Shit,” Stephan cussed, realizing that most vampires would've likely done anything to be able to withstand the sun's rays, adding, “I'm surprised Lillian didn't just kill you. Then again, Ignacio said she wanted to offer you a choice. Any idea what that was about?”
Maddox shrugged. “Not really, and Lillian wouldn't have wasted a potential resource. So she likely believed having me sealed in the grave would eventually prove useful.” Rolling her eyes, she muttered in irritation, “She probably thought long and hard about her options, and would've delighted over gloating about her victory no matter what happened. She was always a show off.”
Stephan knew from personal experience that Maddox was right, recalling the way Lillian had shown him Ellen's body as if to gloat that she'd been right, and he couldn't save her. The memory had his fists balling in an attempt to curb his rage.
Maddox must've noticed because she canted her head in a curious manner and astutely asked, “She threw something back in your face, too, didn't she?”
“Yeah,” he confirmed without offering more.
Still, he didn't have to. The vampire was already nodding as if she understood how it felt, suggesting, “Then, if she is dead, I hope you don't feel deprived.”
“No, all I want is for her to answer for what she did. So it'd be enough to know she's paid.”
“No celebrations?”
Stephan considered it, then shrugged, “I'd dance on her ashes if I had the chance.”
At that, Maddox threw her head back with a laugh. “Really? Somehow it's hard to imagine you dancing. Even badly.”
Stephan almost smiled at the comment, and the only thing that stopped him was how … foreign the expression felt. His smiles were typically reserved for taking one of his targets down, or discovering information that would lead him to them. But even then, it was just a matter of good job, now onto the next, and that was that.
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