“Exactly. Humans killing vampires is a punishable offense, but this one is staying off the record. He probably was a new vampire who didn’t know the rules or was too young to realize they apply.”
“Not all vampires know about the Order, do they?”
“No. The VC has issued warnings, but the whole thing still operates in secret. Since vampires came out, vampire hunters in general have lessened.”
“The Order is threatened by me. They couldn’t reproduce my magic and they couldn’t me. They’ve been threatened by you for centuries. Now we’ve teamed up and I think we’re quite the power couple and that terrifies them.” I bite my lip, thinking back to what Delphi and I talked about earlier. The Order started as a group of people wanting to fight against the creatures of the night. Monsters who crept out of the woods at night and snatched children from their bed. Demonic entities turning friends on each other. And even vampires, who drank from unwilling humans until there was nothing left.
How could something with such good intentions have gotten so corrupt? And how has no one stopped them? Certainly others have stood up over the years. Said something about the cruelty in their methods. There are a handful of hunters out there refusing to affiliate themselves with the Order. They know it’s not as black and white as the Order likes to make things seem.
There are bad people.
There are good vampires.
Witches and werewolves are just as human as a normie.
“What smells like a rotting corpse?” Theo asks, coming into the kitchen.
“Me,” I reply, wrinkling my nose. “The smell is clinging to my hair. Humidity and decaying bodies in a house with no airflow do not mix.”
“Should I ask?” Theo cocks an eyebrow.
“We’re discussing this at dinner tonight,” Xavier says. “It is now a top priority of this family.”
Theo’s gaze goes to the wooden stake on the counter. “We’re keeping murder weapons with the kitchen utensils now?”
“It’s not like you use them,” I retort and Theo looks up. He’s annoyed, as always, but there’s a little bit of lighthearted amusement on his face.
“As long as it doesn’t bother you, then.”
“I prefer my food prepared without a side of vampire sludge. But I do smell like death. I’m going to workout then shower,” I tell them and go upstairs to change. Working out was part of my job, but I always enjoyed the physical challenge and the mental break it gave me. Once I’m done with my workout, I go upstairs and shower, shampooing my hair twice to make sure I get the smell off. By the time I’m out and dressed, dinner is ready. I braid my wet hair and go downstairs.
We haven’t had a sit down family meal since the first night I came. Xavier is seated at the head of the table, with Theo to his right. The chair to his left is empty, and there’s a glass of water in that spot, which means it’s for me. Zeke and then Mabel are next to me, and Devon sits across the table next to Theo.
Alan has prepared me a four-course meal, and it’s weird being served a salad while only Zeke, Mabel, and Devon sip blood from fancy goblets.
“We should all go around the table and say the best part of our day,” Mabel suggests. “I’ll go first. Mother said I can go to prom with Ezekiel even though he’s much older than me.”
“Drink your blood, honey,” Zeke tells her. I’m actually not sure the last time I saw Mabel drink more than a few sips of human blood. Does not eating affect her mind? Blood literally is life for vampires.
“What about you, Wren?” Devon asks pointedly. “Do anything fun?”
“I found a dead body,” I say with a shrug. “Two, technically. But only one was still in body-form.”
“This is something that needs to be discussed,” Xavier starts. I wait for him to go on but then realize everyone is looking at me.
“Oh, uh, right.” I put my fork down. “I can’t say for certain, but I think the Order and the demons are working together.”
“In what capacity?” Zeke asks.
“I don’t know. I’ve run through a million scenarios in my head. The Order made a deal with a demon?” I shrug. “They seem to like making deals, am I right?” I elbow Zeke, laughing at my lame joke but no one else appreciates it.
“What kind of things can demons offer?” Mabel asks.
“A lot. It’s at cost, of course, but the phrasesold your soul to the Devilhas some truth to it. People can get almost anything.”
“What would the Order want?”
I look at Xavier and we both say it at the same time. “Power.”
