I sniffed my hair, and she was right. I could still detect traces of Connor’s soap and kisses lingering on my body. I quickly showered, got dressed, and joined Vail in the car.
As she drove through the night, a couple of hours passed with idle chit-chat and the radio providing a soundtrack to our journey. Three hours later, we were in an industrial area by the river. Surrounding us were large warehouses and docks, with plenty of human work sites nearby. I scanned the buildings, wondering where Vladimir’s encampment could be.
We stepped out of the car, and Vail led the way toward a fenced-in empty lot. She opened the chain-link gate, and we entered the barren space. I was about to tell Vail that I thought she was mistaken because there was nothing but gravel surrounding us, but as she continued to walk ahead of me, she disappeared.
I followed her, walking through the invisible barrier. It must have been a witch’s enchantment because on the other side, my senses went into overdrive, revealing the chaotic spectacle of the Vampire black market. It had been years since I’d set foot in one, and for a good reason. Here, under the nocturnal canvas, the darkest and most sinister Vampires gathered. I quickly caught up to Vail as we weaved through the market’s unsettling sights.
The place pulsed with life, the air vibrating with whispered bargaining and the clinking exchange of coins. The smells of aged leather and blood lingered, mixing with the sweet scent of incense wafting from a nearby stall. Vendors sold artifacts and relics of ancient texts, spell books, jewellery, and ornate weapons. Numerous blood vendors offered almost every type of blood imaginable, including a variety of Vampire blood frequently used for healing. I couldn’t imagine how many items here were cursed or infused with dark magic.
I kept my hands to myself as we walked. I saw humans in cages attached to tubes, feeding blood to Vampires who waited in line to drink from them. I kept my eyes on Vail as she quickly walked ahead of me, straight down the market to an abandoned warehouse.
I caught up with her and whispered, “Vail, are you sure about this?” My uneasy glances darted toward the Vampires eyeing us, regretting my choice of a red jacket over something more discreet.
She shot me a sideways glance, her expression unreadable. “We need information, Rosie,” she replied firmly.
We got to the front of the warehouse, and two Vampires greeted us. They had both been blinded; their eyes looked like they were plucked out, and the skin sewn shut together. I shivered at the sight of them. Their skin was pale and translucent; it looked like it was stretched too tightly over theirbones. They put their hands out to stop us from going any farther, and one of them pulled out a long knife from his coat.
Vail remained composed. Without hesitation, she took the blade and sliced a long gash on her palm, allowing her blood to flow freely onto the ground. Following her lead, I mirrored her action, feeling the sting of the blade as I cut my flesh. Blood must be shed for entry into this place. Handing the knife back to one of the Vampires, I watched as he licked it clean. With a nod, they moved aside, granting us passage into the warehouse.
Entering the dimly lit warehouse, the overwhelming stench of decaying human flesh assaulted my senses. Desperate to avoid gagging, I focused on solely breathing through my mouth. I could make out piles of bodies in the corners, their presence a grim reminder of the brutality of the Vampire world. The sight repulsed me. I hated seeing such a waste of food.
“I can’t believe the cops in this town haven’t investigated the surge of missing people,” I murmured to Vail.
“I’m sure they know. But like most Vampires, they’re probably too terrified of Vladimir to confront him. And maybe having Vladimir in their pocket might not be the worst thing.”
As we continued down the long hallway of doors, I saw blood stains on the linoleum and heard an array of nightmarish sounds coming from inside the rooms. Walking past an open door, I glanced inside for a moment, instantly regretting my decision. A tangled mess of Vampires and humans thrashed together, the Vampires feeding on their willing partners’ blood. It was a scene that blurred the lines between ecstasy and horror, and I quickly turned my gaze away.
The scent of blood and the ambiance of this warehouse triggered memories that I tried to keep tucked away for overa century. Seeing the piles of bodies reminded me of the darkest times in my life and the chaos that I had allowed myself to fall into. In moments like this, I’d often catch glimpses of Draven’s face in the shifting shadows or hear echoes of his voice in the whispers of the wind. Sometimes, in the darkest depths of night, I swear I saw the outline of him watching me. I felt a lump form in my throat, and I swallowed, pushing those feelings away.
At the end of the hallway, we pushed open the heavy door. A swarm of bats erupted from within, their wings fluttering wildly like whispers. The room was vast, filled with a haze of smoke and low, murmured laughter.
Around us, tables were crowded with Vampires, their sharp fangs gleaming in the flickering light as they engaged in high-stakes gambling. Humans glided gracefully between them, tethered to IV poles that dripped blood, serving as snacks for the Vampires to indulge themselves in. My stomach churned at the sight, knowing these humans had likely come here hoping for a chance at immortality. I knew the truth: they would never be turned, especially not by these creatures. Sooner or later, one of the Vampires would get carried away, and the humans would end up discarded in piles in the warehouse.
My eyes were drawn to the table at the heart of the room, where a Vampire in a sleek black suit sat. His fingers were adorned with a multitude of rings, each glinting in the dim light. Dark, slightly salt-and-pepper hair framed his face. As we entered the room, he glanced up, revealing dark eyes that looked like pits. His fangs extended, long and predatory as he smiled at us. Despite seeing over five centuries, Vladimir exuded the grace of a man who hadn’t aged a day past fifty. In his presence, I couldn’t shake the feeling of being utterly powerless. It was nearly impossible to tear my gaze away from him.
He rose from his seat with regal grace, his eyes locking onto Vail with an intensity that made me feel protective of her. “Ah, Vail. My little witchy Vampire, so lovely to see you again,” he purred.
I shot a glance at Vail, realizing this was a crucial detail she had failed to mention.
Ignoring me, she simply replied, “Vladimir,” her tone revealing nothing.
She reached into her purse and retrieved a large heart. Its size suggested it wasn’t human, perhaps from a bear. I was shocked that I hadn’t smelled it earlier in the car. Vail’s purse must have been enchanted. Approaching Vladimir, she presented it to him. “Thank you for allowing us to speak with you,” she said formally as Vladimir accepted the heart, biting into it like an apple.
With a blood-stained smile, he looked at us and asked, “How can I help you?” He gestured for us to take a seat before him. The other Vampires who had been sitting there had left, and the chairs were now empty.
I hesitated for a moment, but Vail moved with confidence and sat down. I followed suit, sinking into the chair next to Vail as Vladimir awaited our response.
Vail presented the bag of Vampire-killing drugs to Vladimir, placing it in his outstretched hand. “I want to know if you’ve seen this before and if you know how it’s made?”
Vladimir, with an air of nonchalance, took a small amount on his long fingernail and tasted it. A momentary pause had me gripping the chair arms before his eyes flicked to Vail.
“Interesting,” he remarked, the weight of that single word lingered in the air.
In a commanding voice, Vladimir shouted into the room, “Sydney!”
A young Vampire swiftly appeared, and Vladimir mixed the whole bag of powder into the cup of blood in front of him on the table, handing it to Sydney.
“Drink this,” he commanded. The young Vampire obediently drank the whole cup, and I watched, frozen, as he finished the last drop, a single trail of blood running down the side of his mouth. Almost immediately, Sydney convulsed, eyes rolling back and violently throwing up blood all over the table. Vail and I quickly moved out of the way of the spray, but Vladimir sat there watching as Sydney collapsed lifelessly on the floor. I had never witnessed the drug work at such high potency before. The fear that gripped me was visceral; I truly realized the threat this substance posed to Vampires everywhere.
