Total pages in book: 55
Estimated words: 52247 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 261(@200wpm)___ 209(@250wpm)___ 174(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 52247 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 261(@200wpm)___ 209(@250wpm)___ 174(@300wpm)
I press the cell against my mouth. To call or not to call? I could leave, run to Xavier, tell him I failed. I can’t kill Lucius.
I mean...I won’t.
Even if I could, which I’m not sure is possible, I couldn’t bring myself to.
Xavier will destroy me for my failure.
I could run far away, and hope my path never crosses a vampire’s again.
Or… I could stay.
Stay with the Vampire King, the supposedly cruel, definitely dominant ruler who’s shown me more care and kindness than I’ve had in years.
My body craves him. Even after what he’s done to me. Especially after what he’s done to me.
I hit “Call” and put the phone down before I can change my mind. What’s the point of calling Declan? Why would I have him investigate my pack? If he somehow figures out it wasn’t Lucius...what will I do?
Stupid. I should hang up. I grab the phone just as Declan picks up.
“Hello?” the Irishman’s voice is tense.
“It’s Selene.”
“Jay-sus, I thought ya were Frangelico, calling me in the day. Nearly stopped me heart.”
I can’t stop my smile. “No, it’s just me. I’m Lucius’...” Sub? Lover? Pet? Slave? I make a face.
“I know who ya are, lass,” Declan saves me. “Frangelico called me earlier, said he was turnin’ the investigation over tae ya. I can tell ya what we got so far, if ya like.”
“I--” The camera in the corner catches my eye. “Yes. Um, first I need to do something. Can I call you back in ten minutes?”
Ten minutes later, I’ve snuck out of the mansion. The desert doesn’t give me much cover, but I get out of the house and away from the guards without being seen, and head down the mountain. When I redial Declan, he asks me where I am, and if I’m hungry. And that’s how I end up at In-N-Out Burger with Declan, Parker and Laurie. The trio is as weird as I remember. Possibly weirder.
They fight over fries and sauce packets for a full ten minutes before I clear my throat.
“Right, lass.” Declan leans forward. The three stuffed into seats across from me. The better to steal each other’s food, I guess. “Your pack.”
“Shhh,” Laurie cautions.
“Sorry,” Declan says in an exaggerated whisper. “We got your file from the auction. Traced the address, but it was a fake.”
I knew that. Xavier would cover my tracks better than that.
“So we asked the shifter slavers. Real nasty fellows, them. They didn’t want to tell us anything, but we did some digging, and found your birth certificate. Selene Black of the Black Pine pack.” He slaps down a document. I zero in on my parent’s names.
I can’t believe it. Lucius was right, these guys are good.
“From there it was easy,” Parker continues. “The human news caught the massacre. A nearby pack had to come in and clean up--buy off the coroner and take possession of the bodies. Passed it off as a serial killer. Luckily there weren’t too many fang marks to pass off as needle tracks or whatever. The leech who did in your pack was in a hurry, and sloppy. Did feed, left ‘em where they lay.”
“Y-you okay?” Laurie asks, putting out a hand close to mine without actually touching me.
“Yes,” I find my voice. “I knew that. I have a picture of the clubhouse from...after.”
“Right,” Declan said after a long pause. “Well, we thought we’d spread out in a wider radius. Interview more packs in the nearby area, see if anyone knew what happened.”
“Yeah. Sounds good.” I cover my hand with my mouth.
“I’m s-s-sorry for your l-l-loss,” Laurie stutters softly.
I jerk my head. “It was a long time ago. Do you think…” I swallow. “Do you think you could ask around to find out what happened to my family, too?” I tell them the date my family died. Laurie looks even more stricken. Declan glares at the table.
“Do you remember anything from that night?” Parker asks.
A flash of pain sears my temple. “No,” I rub my head. “Nothing. It must have been traumatic. I usually get a headache when I try to remember.”
Declan and Parker exchange looks.
“Do…” I rally before I lose my nerve. “do you think you can find out the vampire who did this?”
“I don’t know, lass,” Declan says grimly, a muscle clenched in his jaw. “But we’re gonna try.”
Lucius
The air of my crypt thickens as night falls. The magic that makes me what I am tingles along my body, waking my senses. I open my eyes. The night stretches before me, filled with delicious possibility. I have a pet to catch and punish, or reward.
I taste the air as I leave my crypt.
I fully expect Selene has run away. No worries. I will find her. I won’t hurt her--I would never harm the little wolf, but I’m not finished with her yet.