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The Devil's Fool: A Paranormal Vampire Romance Novel (Devil Series Book 1)

Page 29

by Raven Steele


  I responded by raising all the pencils from the desks. They came together and rushed at the two vampires, but I stopped them inches before their hearts. They weren’t laughing any more.

  “Settle down there, missy. We were just having some fun,” Longhair said.

  “Right. Harmless fun,” the other said. “So let us down, and we’ll get out of here.”

  “Who sent you?” I asked. I shifted my legs beneath me, trying hard to appear strong and in control.

  Silence.

  “I will ask one more time. Who sent you?”

  They glanced at each other but said nothing. I didn’t hesitate. Mentally, I shoved one of the floating groups of pencils directly into the heart of the longhaired vampire. His body wilted and caved within itself until there was nothing left but a pile of fat and gristle sprinkled with ash.

  His buddy yelped in horror.

  I fell to my knees, the pressure in my head reaching a whole new level. Through my clenched teeth, I said, “Tell me who sent you or you’ll end up just like your friend.”

  “The Dark Prince,” he said, his bottom lip quivering like a frightened puppy.

  “The Dark Prince? What the hell kind of name is that?” I moved the pencils closer to his heart. “Give me a real name!”

  “I don’t know!”

  I pressed my hand to my aching head and ground my teeth together. “Why was my picture taken?”

  “For the Dark Prince. He told us to keep our eyes out for a powerful witch.”

  The pain in my head spread to my body, and I wondered how much more I could stand. The vampire slipped a few inches down the wall.

  “Having some difficulties?” he asked, his voice dropping.

  I lowered to one knee, my insides trembling. My vision blurred.

  “Enough,” a kind voice said, though I couldn’t be sure if I’d heard the words or if they had been placed inside my head. A hand gently touched my shoulder.

  My gaze turned upward. I stared into the face of another vampire but knew there was nothing to fear. His commanding presence personified one who abhorred darkness and cherished truth and light. I felt his power, greater than anything I’d ever encountered, but it didn’t frighten me. I found comfort in it.

  Henry, the founder of the Deific.

  He nodded and smiled as if he’d read my mind. Maybe he had.

  I let go of my mental grip on the vampire, but Henry, his arm outstretched, kept the vampire pressed against the wall. A second later, the pencils shot forward, piercing his heart.

  I stared at him, my mouth open. Another vampire who could use magic? My head hurt too bad to try and understand what that meant. Unlike Boaz, Henry wasn’t taking it from me. I could feel it.

  Ignoring my aching body, I moved to attend to Charlie, but Henry stopped me.

  “He’s fine and will wake soon,” Henry insisted.

  “How do you know?”

  “I know.”

  “What about the others?” My breathing hitched. So much destruction all around me. Turned over desks, scattered papers, dented walls.

  “They made it safely outside. The police will be here any minute, and I don’t want you answering any questions in your condition.” Henry walked to the back of the office. I scrambled after him, touching my stomach. This could’ve been so much worse.

  Inside the office’s break room, he opened a cupboard and reached to the very top. He must have pressed a button, because the cupboards groaned and began to swing open, revealing a room the size of a closet. Once inside, I realized it was an elevator. Henry pushed the up button.

  I glanced at him sideways. His wavy light brown hair complimented his golden eyes, and his tanned skin seemed to give off a warm glow. Even the angles of his face, the gentle swoop of his nose, was pleasing. Nothing about him screamed predator, and yet, the power his presence emanated, overwhelmed my already weakened body. I leaned against the wall for support.

  He wore a tailored suit and a dark floor-length overcoat like he’d just come from the opera. The fingertips of a pair of leather gloves peeked out his pockets.

  The elevator jerked to a stop, and the doors opened. Darkness greeted us, but Henry stepped out and pressed a few buttons against the wall to partially illuminate a massive library. It smelled sweet and musky, sort of like vanilla and coffee. Rows and rows of short bookcases filled the airy space. I would’ve liked to walk those rows, but it was taking all my strength just to remain upright.

  Henry walked to a hutch against the wall and withdrew a blanket and pillow. He carried them to a leather sofa in the middle of the room.

  “You’ll have to stay here for tonight and probably part of tomorrow. The police will be busy for a while.”

  I groaned, wishing I’d thought to bring my cell phone so I could let Charlie know I was okay. I stumbled to the sofa and collapsed onto my stomach lengthwise and face down. The cold leather felt good against my damp skin. “How did you know to come?”

  “Just a feeling. I would’ve come sooner, but our other offices were hit with much heavier casualties. I helped them first because I knew you were here.”

  “But we’ve never met,” I said.

  “Not officially.”

  “The Dark Prince,” I said, suddenly remembering. “The vampires called whoever was in charge of this attack, ‘The Dark Prince.’”

  “I know. I questioned one of them in our London office.”

  “How long ago was that?”

  He looked down at his silver watch. “Twenty minutes.”

  He was using magic to travel, much like I thought Boaz had.

  “Oh, and the one who got away took my picture,” I added.

  His calm demeanor cracked, and he frowned. “Were you able to find out why?”

  I shook my head.

  “That is disturbing. I’ll get someone to look into it as soon as possible. How are you feeling?’

  “My head hurts, and I have no energy. It’s like someone turned my battery off.”

  “It’s like that in the beginning.”

  “It wasn’t that way when I used magic before. It was the opposite. If I didn’t let the evil out—” I stopped, embarrassed. I didn’t know how much he knew about me.

  “Withholding evil’s power can be very painful,” he said as if he understood.

  “But why do I have pain? The magic I’m using is good.”

  “Because the good is you, a part of you anyway. When you let it go, your body responds physically. Whereas when one is evil, the evil only wants to escape and spread like a virus.” He narrowed his eyes in concern. “You need to get some rest.”

  “Wait! I want to ask you something.” I wasn’t sure how long it would be until I would have the chance to speak with him again.

  “Then ask.”

  “I don’t understand how—”

  “A vampire can be good? Use magic?”

  “Both.”

  “I can use magic because I was like you before I was turned. A witch. And I am good because I choose to be, Eve. There are certain eternal truths about our universe that can never be altered. Free agency is one of these. Every living creature has the ability to choose good or evil, life or death.”

  “Then why are vampires evil? Most of them,” I corrected.

  “It’s the power, the blood lust. It’s very difficult to overcome. Once a vampire crosses a certain line, like taking a life without provocation, it’s almost impossible for them to rid themselves of the evil.”

  “How many good vampires are there?”

  “More than you think, but less than there should be. And the ones who have chosen to live a better life often join the Ames de la Terra to be around others like them.”

  “Samira,” I breathed. “She told me to tell you hello.”

  He smiled and even chuckled. “Now that is a lady with an interesting past. She’s done a remarkable job getting to where she’s at, despite many obstacles. Her life story proves anyone, no matter how much darkness they’ve embr
aced, can become good.”

  This made me think of Lucien and the torture that stained his eyes. “What of Lucien? Do you know him?”

  “I know him.” Henry looked past me. “I’ve watched Lucien for a long time, hoping. But he seems to be stuck.”

  “What happened to him?”

  “He changed history.”

  “What do you mean?”

  His gaze returned to mine. “It is not my tale to tell.”

  “Then do you know why I’m drawn to him?”

  “It’s the ancient power within you both.”

  “I’ve felt it before with someone else, but it was an evil feeling.”

  “Boaz,” he said, surprising me. “All of your lives are connected, including Lucien's to Boaz's, and even to mine."

  "How is that possible?"

  Henry's jaw tightened. "There is a long history between all of our families. I wish I could say more, but there are too many unknowns right now. One day, I will tell you everything."

  This revelation surprised me. I rolled onto my back and stared up at the all-white ceiling.

  "I find it interesting that the good in you is drawn to Lucien," he said. "It gives me hope.”

  “Why?”

  “If the good in you is drawn to him, then that means there is still good in him, too. The problem is, he doesn’t know it.”

  “How can I make him see it?” My heart longed to help this stranger who had saved me and who had brought me so much peace just by being near him.

  “I don’t know if you can.” He stopped and tilted his head as if listening to something far away. “I need to go. You’ve come a long way, Eve. I’m proud of you.” He pointed to a refrigerator behind me. “There’s food in there if you need it.”

  I glanced at it briefly, but when I turned back, Henry was gone.

  Chapter 42

  It was a long night. What Henry had said about all our lives being connected had kept me awake, so I rose early to search the many books on the shelves, trying to bide the time before I could go downstairs. Most of them were history books, all dedicated to the dark creatures of the world.

  I turned down the third aisle of bookshelves and scanned the titles. I stopped when I recognized a symbol that had been burned onto the outer spine of a brown book. It was a picture of the same fighting lions at my grandfather’s house. I removed it from the shelf.

  It was a faded leather book, loosely bound; several of the pages were no longer connected. Carved on the front was the Whitmore family crest. Unfortunately, most of the words inside had faded, but from what I could decipher, the book had been a Whitmore journal handed down for generations. The Segurs were mentioned many times, and the passages I could read were always negative. What Boaz had told me was true: the Whitmores had hated the Segurs.

  Only two other names were mentioned. The Brady’s and the Archers. None of these names were familiar, and since I was unable to read the full text, I couldn’t determine their connection to my family.

  Boaz’s name was mentioned just once. In dark ink on the last page of the book, a heading read “In Service to Boaz.” Beneath this, several names followed, most of which had been crossed out. The final entry was on January 12, 1889. This must’ve been the time when the Deific came in possession of the book. I closed it and placed it back on the shelf.

  By five o’clock the next day, I could wait no longer. I returned to the elevator and, after listening carefully through the wall, slipped into the empty break room. I stuck my head into the office and looked around.

  Desks had been pushed back into their rightful positions, and the cubicle walls stood upright, with only a few missing. The smell of roses was stronger than usual but not strong enough to cover the smell of smoke from the explosion. A cold breeze swept through the office stirring up several loose papers. The wall the vampires had blasted through must be covered poorly, if at all.

  Only a handful of people remained, typing onto a keyboard from within a cubicle. No doubt Charlie had offered everyone the day off. Those who were working were somber and lifeless. One man, I remembered his name as John, leaned against the wall, staring at nothing as if he was sleeping with his eyes open.

  I moved into the room and made my way through the maze of cubicles to Sarah’s desk. She was organizing a file cabinet with her back to me. Every now and then, she would reach up and wipe a tear away with a tissue.

  “Sarah?” I asked.

  She jumped, turned around, and gasped. Her arms flew around me, nearly knocking me over. “You’re here! We thought they took you!"

  I shook my head and released her. "I'm fine. How is everyone else?”

  Sarah didn’t get a chance to answer. Charlie appeared before me with a bandage above his eye and a dark bruise on his forehead that spread into his hairline. By his expression, I couldn’t tell if he was angry or happy. His face twisted into so many emotions in such a short amount of time that I couldn’t help but give him a weak smile. He didn’t say a word. Instead, he grabbed me by the arm and pulled me into his office.

  “Where have you been?” he asked as soon as the door closed.

  “I’ve been hiding upstairs in some library.”

  He paused, thinking. “The last thing I remember is one of those men holding you. How did you get away?”

  I grinned. “Magic. It just came to me, and you and Dr. Skinner were right. It didn’t frighten me, didn’t change me. Other than leaving me weak and with a nasty headache, it felt amazing.”

  Charlie dropped into his chair, a great sigh leaving his chest. “I’ve been so worried.”

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t have my phone with me.”

  “How did you know about that secret floor?”

  “Henry showed up and thought it best if I avoided the police. He took me upstairs. Cool hideout, by the way.” I paused. “So does anyone have any theories on why those vampires attacked us?”

  Charlie rubbed his temples. “Not a clue. All the Deific offices were broken into, but only one item was taken, and it just happened to be from our office.”

  “What was it?”

  “The briefcase you gave back to me yesterday.”

  “What would they want with that?” I asked and began to pace back and forth. It didn’t really give them any relevant information they should care about. Almost everyone in the database shared their same interests and desires.

  Charlie lowered his hands. “It seems to me that if bad guys are trying to find other bad guys, then they are either trying to knock someone off, or they want to get everyone together for some bad guy convention. I'm guessing it’s the latter.”

  “I think you’re right,” I agreed. “There’s something else. Before Henry came, I had a chance to question the vampires. One of them said ‘The Dark Prince’ was behind this.”

  The color drained from Charlie’s face, and his mouth fell open.

  “Do you know him?” He didn’t respond, and that’s when I knew. “He’s the one who killed your wife, isn’t he?”

  “I should’ve known,” he whispered. “It’s all been leading up to this.”

  “So what do we do?”

  Charlie straightened. “We fight."

  Chapter 43

  The next several days, Charlie worked overtime. Many calls were made to the other Deific offices, and several agents were sent undercover, including Alana and Michael, who seemed to be more upset than anyone.

  Before they left, Michael pulled me aside. “Henry told me that one of them took your picture.”

  I nodded.

  “When did he do this? Was it before or after you used magic?”

  “After.”

  His brow wrinkled. “Someone thinks they’ve found you. Watch your back, Eve.”

  His words sent a cold chill up my spine. There were only a couple of people who might try to find me—Boaz, if he somehow survived, and any relatives. The thought of coming face to face with either of them rocked my frame.

  After Michael left, I went in s
earch of Charlie who had barely left the office since we’d been attacked. Like I expected, he was in his office, head lowered into his hands. Papers lay scattered all over his desk; several of them had spilled onto the floor. I thought he was asleep until he suddenly jerked upright and stared at me as if he’d never seen me before. Dark circles hung beneath his eyes, and his brown hair pointed wildly out of control.

  “Charlie! This is getting ridiculous. Go home!”

  “How can I? The man who murdered Moira is out there, and now he’s come back for more blood. I have to stop him, but,” he picked up several papers and tossed them off his desk, “I can’t find him! What kind of fucking psychic am I?”

  “Maybe you’re too close to the situation. Take a break and then come back and look at everything with a new perspective. When’s the last time you ate?”

  His shoulders slumped forward. “Maybe you’re right.”

  “Of course I’m right. Let’s go get something to eat, and then you are going to go to bed. If you won’t leave the Deific, then at least crash at my place for a few hours.”

  He sighed and rubbed his eyes. “There’s a twenty-four hour truck stop diner just outside the city. It’s private and they have the best eggs Benedict.”

  “Eggs it is,” I said. “Refuel and recover. That’s all I want you doing.”

  It was especially dark outside as we drove away from the city and its millions of lights. Only the glow of the full moon shined, casting an eerie quality along a thin layer of frost blanketing the cold ground. Spring would come sooner than expected thanks to an unusually mild winter.

  Charlie hadn’t said much, so I left him alone to his thoughts. It was strange to have him so quiet, but I didn’t try to bring him out of his somber mood. Tonight, however, maybe after we ate, I was going to tell him the truth about my immortality.

  Charlie stiffened and moaned. “Not now.”

  “What is it?”

  He glanced in his rearview mirror. I turned around to follow his gaze. Behind us, a car’s headlights shined brightly in the distance.

  “I’ve got that same feeling I had when the Deific was attacked.”

 

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