“Terrin? Where are you?”
Time passes before he answers.“I can’t tell you that, Violet. I’m sorry.”
“I know,”I whisper through my mind.“I’m sorry I asked.”
“You have to save them.”
“I don’t know how,”I answer truthfully.
“Lucien is coming. Stall…”
What? Lucien? I resist the urge to look around. “What are you doing?” Aurora asks.
“Walking,” I answer, using the bitchiest voice I can muster.
A strong slap across my cheek throws me into the wall, leaving a dent in my wake. “I will not hesitate to kill you,” she warns.
“You’ve done that already.” I stand straighter. “If you kill me, you’ll never find him.”
Aurora smiles a wicked smile. “He’s here, isn’t he?”
“I don’t know,” I answer honestly.
“I’m here,” a young voice interrupts. We turn, discovering a young man standing alone in the hallway. His hair is pure white, a perfect match to his dark skin. I recognize him instantly. The boy standing in front of us isn’t Terrin, it’s Lucien.
“Are you the one we’re searching for?” Aurora asks. “What is your name, child?”
“Raphael,” he lies.
Aurora sniffs the air. “You don’t smell like a vampire.”
“The magic covers the vampire energy.”
“This is a spell,” she announces. “Where is the boy?” She stalks closer to the child version of Lucien.
“Iam the boy,” he answers. He shivers slightly, and the familiar energy of Terrin fills the hall. “Is that better? I was hiding my energy.”
Aurora doesn’t answer, but from the look on her face, she accepts his explanation. “How old are you?”
“I was born in 1654 in Spain.” Lucien’s lies grow, protecting the immortal child from harm.
She moves closer to the boy. “Every immortal child I’ve met is…shall we say, out of their mind? How are you in control?”
“Control is easy,” he answers, smiling a crooked smile as he speaks.
Aurora lifts her arms and begins chanting something in Latin. Lucien stands in place. His energy shifts slightly with her words, but he doesn’t falter. “I told you I am the boy. Your spell will not work on me, witch. I am who you are seeking.”
“Very well,” she answers, crossing her arms across her chest. “Take him to Callum.”
I stare at the young version of Lucien, unsure if I should take him to what could mean sudden death or free him. “I am not afraid,” he says, answering my unspoken question. Small fingers lace with mine as we move through the hallway, back toward the attic entrance. His hand squeezes tight, telling me something I don’t understand.
“You go first,” Aurora demands as we approach the silver-covered door. The silver burns as I unlatch the handle, forcing it open.
Lucien and I walk side by side to the spot where my friends still lie unconscious. Next to them is the man I’m here for…Cyrus. His body is covered in bruises, bites, and dried blood. The strong man who purchased me to sell is replaced by a gaunt figure of skin and bones. I know without asking, this is a trick. Callum pretends to be ignorant of the situation and sits in a chair, staring out the window.
“We have him, Father,” Aurora says, pulling Lucien away from me.
The ancient vampire turns. The handsome face he wore earlier has been replaced with that of a monster. Deep wrinkles protrude from the corners of his mouth, and what little hair he has is nothing more than a wisp of white fur. He stands, moving in front of Lucien. “This is not the boy, you imbecile.”
