A Shade of Vampire 81: A Bringer of Night

by Forrest, Bella

  Seeley sighed, shaking his head with faint amusement. “You did it to Rudolph, didn’t you?”

  “Oh, yeah. My boy was running back to Portland to tell his mother he was okay.” Sidyan laughed, and Rudolph let out a low growl from his position crouched at Sidyan’s feet. “Oh, come on, Rudy, you knew it wasn’t allowed.”

  “You scared the pants off him, didn’t you?” I replied.

  Sidyan nodded, hilariously proud. I was seeing a different side of him now, and I had to admit I was fascinated. Beyond the gloomy Reaper façade, Sidyan had a playful personality. He could laugh, and whenever he did, his face lit up as if a sun were growing inside him. It was an interesting thing to watch, and it made me wonder how many other facets there were for me to discover.

  Veliko drew our focus back to business with a clear shout. “The rest of you head to the Laramis compound. Some of the other imperial city escapees will be waiting for you there. I’ll be in touch as soon as I have words with the Whip.”

  The Darklings nodded and stepped back as Veliko whispered his death magic into the pentagram. The lines in the mud lit up white, the air thickening with a familiar chill-inducing energy. Whispers tickled my ears, whispers of forces I might never fully understand—I could still detect them, probably due to my swamp witch nature. Perhaps I was more receptive after over ten thousand years in the Word’s service.

  My skin tingled.

  Sidyan took my hand in his, surprising me. He gave me a comforting half-smile. “It’ll be okay. You’ll be fine, Lumi. As long as I’m around, I’m not letting any death magic hurt you.”

  “Thanks, I guess,” I murmured, wondering what had prompted him to reassure me this way. Maybe my expression wasn’t as impenetrable as I’d thought. Maybe he could read my body language better than I could hide it.

  Maya took my other hand, looking up at me with her big black eyes. There was warmth in her gaze, and I knew she’d grown fond of me. For some reason, the thought made me feel good, even satisfied with myself. In my mind, getting Maya’s approval brought me closer to Sidyan. How funny life was, putting him in my path just as I’d been dealing with a shattered heart. To what end? I’d yet to find an answer, but I didn’t mind this dynamic between us. It made everything more bearable.

  “Prepare yourselves,” Veliko warned as the air rippled around his group. “Tonight I shall claim what is mine!”

  Assuming he was referring to his Scholar title after he threw Zoltan to the wolves, so to speak, I couldn’t help but gag a little. Veliko had no honor. A weasel like him resorted to treachery and subterfuge to get what he wanted. Naturally, that aroused my interest—he didn’t strike me as the type who’d settle for being a Scholar. He was aiming for the top, and the Whip was a hurdle in his path.

  “Deep breath,” Sidyan advised.

  Unseen and unheard by Veliko and his Darklings, we prepared ourselves for teleportation. I felt the air grow colder around us, the pressure rising and tightening. I held my breath as energy hummed in my ears. A split second’s worth of darkness swallowed me whole, and I instinctively gripped Sidyan’s hand tighter.

  When the universe rearranged itself, we were somewhere else entirely. The elegant walls of a mansion rose around us, with family portraits in gilded frames and various ornamental objects decorating every lacquered surface available. Veliko and the Darklings stood in the middle of the reception hall, while our group was right by the main entrance.

  Sidyan motioned for our pack of ghouls to step back. “Keep an ear out, just in case,” he whispered to them. “It’s getting a little too crowded in here, even in our subtle form.”

  One by one, the ghouls moved and vanished beyond the massive wooden doors. Sidyan, Seeley, Nethissis, and I held our position for a few minutes, as the Darklings loosened their circle and moved around the hall. Voices echoed from a nearby dining room. My gaze wandered up a pair of majestic stairs leading to the second level. An Aeternae boy bolted along that open corridor, swinging a slim silver sword around with perhaps too much skill and speed for his age. He moved like a shadow, sparring with an imaginary adversary.

  Veliko sneered, watching him vanish beyond the corner. We all heard a bedroom door close.

  “Scholar, what do we do? Where are we?” one of the Darklings whispered. I was as confused as Veliko’s underlings as to where he’d brought them.

  “That’s right, you fellas have never been introduced to the Whip,” Veliko replied. “Consider it an honor and be thankful I’m giving you this opportunity.”

  “He’s full of crap,” Sidyan muttered, glowering at him. “He brought a few bodies with him just in case he might need them. He’s either scared of the Whip, or he’s looking to do something nasty.”

  “Either way, we don’t interfere,” Seeley reminded him. “We only observe.”

  Nethissis scoffed. “Yeah, keep preaching. Maybe this time you’ll obey your own rules.”

  That must’ve hurt, but Seeley didn’t show it. Instead, he gave Nethissis a soft nod, respectfully acknowledging her retort. I had to give the guy credit. He handled himself with grace and poise in these circumstances.

  “Who is the Whip?” the underling asked Veliko.

  “Shut up. We go upstairs. You’ll see soon enough. I’m in no mood to ruin the surprise.”

  We followed the Darklings upstairs, quiet and almost breathless. Odds were good Veliko wasn’t immediately suspicious of our presence here, since we’d kept ourselves well hidden since the last scuffle. Even so, we stayed a few feet away from him, and Seeley had his scythe out, ready to intercept any death magic they might throw at us.

  Veliko opened the door to one of the bedrooms, and I realized it was the chamber where the Aeternae boy with his silver sword had chosen to stop and practice.

  “Moore,” Veliko said, smiling. “Long time no see, young man.”

  Moore whirled around, beaming at the sight of him and the Darklings. It made my blood run cold when I realized that he knew them. He welcomed them.

  “I’m glad to see you made it out of Astoria in one piece,” Moore said, remarkably calm and eloquent for his young age. He didn’t look older than six or seven, and the fact that he was a Darkling sympathizer gave me the creeps. “I hear Zoltan wasn’t so lucky.”

  Veliko chuckled, hands politely behind his back. From where I stood, I could see the scythe in his hand, ready in case he needed it. The six Darklings he’d brought with him stood back, while the four of us inched along the western wall. Rudolph and Maya stayed by the doorway, trained to intervene only if they had to.

  “Zoltan was weak. He’s probably on his way to death row as we speak,” Veliko said. “I always did think one of you Visentis boys should take his place as Scholar, but since none of you were willing, I figured I might as well apply for the position.”

  Moore giggled. “I’m not sure Mother will like that. She’s not your biggest fan.”

  “Oh crap,” Nethissis murmured, her eyes bulging from pure shock as she gawked at the boy. “His mother… Holy hell, that’s Petra Visentis. Kalon’s mother. Oh no…”

  “Why don’t you go fetch the high priestess for me?” Veliko said to the boy. “She and I have a lot to talk about, and by the sound of what’s going on downstairs, I suppose she’s entertaining some guests for dinner.”

  Holding my breath, I watched Moore roll his blue eyes as he made his way toward the door, slipping the silver sword under his leather belt. “Yeah, okay. She’s not going to appreciate being interrupted during dinner. I already upset her by leaving the table early.”

  “Just go,” Veliko groaned, his patience wearing thin.

  That was rarely a good sign.

  But the most terrifying of truths had just been revealed, and I knew it wouldn’t bode well for Tristan and Esme’s efforts if Petra friggin’ Visentis was the Whip of the Darklings. The enemy was way too close to them. Close enough to get someone else killed.

  “Well, this was unexpected,” Sidyan remarked, clearly astonished b
y this development.

  “Unexpected doesn’t even begin to cover it,” I whispered.

  It was downright terrifying, because we were now wading into supposedly allied territory. In all the GASP reports I’d read about Petra Visentis, she was considered a supporter of the empire and a friend to our people. Not the bloody Whip of the Darklings.

  Esme

  “So? What is it, Esme? What is it about me that worries you to the point where you need to ask your brother for advice instead of coming to me directly?” Kalon asked, closing the door behind him. I felt tiny, too small for this room, too insignificant for the entire universe as I accepted that all this could’ve been avoided had I just spoken to Kalon first.

  Had I just confronted him that morning at the lake house.

  Even so, I couldn’t let him claim the higher moral ground. I still had a point to make, and this was my last chance to make it. My only hope was that it wouldn’t ruin everything. That I wouldn’t end up with shards of my heart on the floor.

  “You lied to me,” I said, standing tall and proud and angry. “I remember that night in the basement. I remember you killed the ginger Darkling. You know, the one I’d only injured severely. Zoltan was already gone by that time. And so was Trev. I remember!”

  Kalon’s gaze darkened, a muscle twitching in his jaw. But he didn’t say anything, which was good, because I wasn’t done.

  “I overheard you and Ansel talking. You know more about the Darklings than you told me. Than you told us. You lied, Kalon. There’s no denying it, is there?”

  “There’s a lot you don’t know, Esme. We could’ve discussed this, but you sound like you’ve already made up your mind about me.”

  “Then explain! Make me understand, because I’m at a loss here! I thought we had something,” I said.

  He walked toward me, and I raised my hand to stop him. He stilled, taking a deep breath. “We do have something, Esme. Which is why I need you to listen to me, to trust me when I tell you that this is the absolute worst moment for us to have this conversation.”

  That just pissed me off. My reasoning didn’t seem to function properly, as frustration had already built up to unbearable levels. “Seriously? That’s what you’re going with? Tell me the truth, Kalon!”

  “What do you want me to tell you? That I killed that Darkling? Yes, I killed her. I lost my mind when I saw what they’d done to you! I was furious! Unable to control myself!” he said, struggling to keep himself together, shaking with rage. Still, he kept his distance, respecting my wishes. The more he spoke, the more confused I got.

  “She could’ve given us intel on finding Zoltan!” I shot back.

  “The rage blinded me, Esme. I went into that dark place, and it wasn’t easy to bounce back. All I could do was end her. It was as if someone else or something else had control over me,” he said, gripping the back of his neck in a bid to relieve some pressure. “I… I saw you down, and I… I lost it, Esme. Afterward, I didn’t have the courage to admit it. I justified my action by blaming it on the Darkling. She asked for it the moment she hurt you. I couldn’t take it out on Zoltan, but I could take it out on her.”

  I narrowed my eyes at him. “Why should I believe anything you say right now? You’ve lied to me before. Right? You just admitted as much.”

  “I’ve been by your side since day one,” Kalon replied. “Please, Esme, believe me when I tell you that I am only looking out for you.”

  “Did you know the Darklings want Valaine dead because they think she’s the source, the true source of the Black Fever?” I asked and watched his jaw drop. The reaction was so sudden and genuine, it… it couldn’t have been faked.

  “What?”

  “Tristan got this intel from one of the Darklings,” I said. My brother had passed that message via Telluris before our last conversation, though he had not given me any additional details. Still, it was enough information to rattle Kalon.

  “I… No, I didn’t know,” Kalon replied.

  “Yeah, you really do look like you didn’t know.” My shoulders dropped. “What the hell is going on here, Kalon? What haven’t you been telling me?”

  He gave me a bitter smile. “Not as much as you probably think. But if I tell you, you might not believe me.”

  “Then how are we going to settle this?” I asked. “How am I going to get the truth out of you if I can’t trust you?”

  He reached out a hand. “There’s someone who might clarify things. But we have to be careful. It’s not safe here.”

  “Who?”

  “Will you just take my hand?”

  “Tell me who!” I snapped, not in the mood for any more games.

  Kalon moved like a shadow, catching my hand in his and basically dragging me out of my room. I wanted to stop him, but his strength was impressive. He’d never used it on me like this, and it was a quick reminder of how powerful an Aeternae could be, compared to a vampire.

  “Kalon—”

  “Shush! No one can hear us,” he hissed as we rushed up the hallway into the east wing of the house. We ended up in Ansel’s room.

  “What the… Kalon, come on,” I moaned. “What is this?”

  “Ansel can tell you the truth,” Kalon replied.

  His younger brother raised an eyebrow at us, visibly uncomfortable in his chair, his hands and feet bound. He looked pale, and he clearly hadn’t had a single drop of blood since the last time we’d fed him two days ago. Petra was deliberately starving him, likely in hopes of getting the truth out of him.

  “I am not a Darkling, and I never was one,” Kalon said, raising his chin as he let go of my hand and stood next to Ansel. “In fact, I have repeatedly refused every invitation to join. There have been plenty of those, unfortunately. And I swear, Esme, I had no idea about the Darklings’ reasons for hunting Valaine. It doesn’t change anything for me. She’s still my friend, and they’re all still monsters.”

  I looked at Ansel, hoping he might confirm or deny this. “I actually found it quite irritating that they were still trying to get him to join,” the young Aeternae mumbled after a long silence.

  “So it’s true.” I gasped. “Kalon’s had contact with them.” I looked at Kalon, not hiding my disappointment. “Back at the palace, when their name first popped up, you seemed shocked. You told me you didn’t know anything about them other than the fact that they’re a murderous anarchist faction.”

  “I lied,” Kalon said, surrendering. “I know just a little bit more, but I’m still almost as ignorant as you are. I didn’t know my brother here had joined them, for example.”

  “Yeah, he didn’t have a clue.” Ansel chuckled.

  “You say that like it’s something to be proud of,” I said rebukingly.

  “As for the Darklings’ true agenda, it’s only revealed to those who’ve passed their initiation,” Kalon added. “Trev was the closest I ever got to finding out, but we both know how that turned out.”

  Ansel’s gaze darted between Kalon and me, a cold grin slitting his face. “Trouble in paradise? Lovers’ quarrel?”

  “None of your concern,” Kalon retorted, then smacked him over the head for good measure. “You need to reconsider your options here, before you starve into oblivion.”

  “Mother will feed me soon enough,” Ansel said. His breath was shallow.

  “You should’ve told me the truth.” I looked at Kalon. “You should’ve told me everything you knew from the very beginning.”

  “You’re right, Esme. I should have been more forthcoming with you,” he said. “I worried you might not think the best of me, especially after I killed that girl.”

  “I would’ve understood. I mean, I understand now, especially since I remember what you’re like when you go into that dark side of yours. I’ve seen it in Valaine, as well, and I know how hard it is to reclaim control over yourself after that. Believe it or not, I’ve witnessed my share of weird and difficult. I’m perfectly capable of judging a situation accordingly.”

  Ansel
snorted a chuckle. “He’s ashamed of what he truly is. He thinks he’s better than the rest of us, thinking he’s got that inner shadow under control. The ignorant fool.”

  Kalon raised a hand to smack his brother again, but I stopped him. “Don’t. One more hit and the boy will literally fall apart,” I said.

  “Do I have your forgiveness?” Kalon asked, lowering his head until our lips were inches apart. I held my breath for a moment, trying to make sense of the tangled web of emotions inside me.

  I couldn’t answer right away. I needed time to properly assess everything we’d just discussed. Things were happening too fast, and I was still reasoning with myself where Kalon was concerned. My feelings for him could no longer be denied, but I had to take a second, better look at the risks involved.

  Kalon and I had gotten ourselves into a complicated mess with these Darklings, especially considering that his brother had turned out to be one of them. I was still angry with him for keeping the truth of his actions and his true knowledge from me, but I was also keen to find comfort in one detail of Kalon’s confession.

  Kalon had refused to join the Darklings. It fanned the flames of my feelings for him, and it pulled me closer to him. I was relieved to have a clearer picture of his involvement, but I was also very aware that the war was not over, and that Kalon would have to tell me absolutely everything he knew about the Darklings. Every single detail, until there was nothing obscure left between us.

  Kelara

  It took us a while to find another set of ruins. Most of Cruor was so empty, and time had not forgiven a single piece of stone—let alone entire settlements—which were now nothing more than reddish dust scattered across the dry land.

  We could see the patterns, though. The elliptical foundations at the center. Only a few chunks of white stone remained, but they were enough to make it clear that people had once lived here.