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Despite his anger running at maximum strength, enough of Sebastian’s logic center still functioned to latch on to the possibility that Remus had a solution to his problem. He forced himself to take a few deep breaths and pressed his back against a tree. The sensory input calmed him enough to shelf his pride for a moment. “Okay. For them, I’ll listen to what you have to say. But I still hate you.”

“And I still hateyou.So we’re even.” Remus shook out his punching hand and crossed his arms. “While our coven doesn’t know much about our type of magic, I found a reference in one of the history books about a library left behind when Vlad’s coven left Poenari castle. If there is anything written about our magic that has been forgotten, it would be there. And since it’s abandoned, we don’t have to start a war to check.”

Hope sprouted deep in Sebastian’s heart. If they could find something in the ancient library…He pushed himself away from the tree. “Alright. That’s a better idea than mine, I admit it. Poenari castle is about 300 kilometers south of Cluj-Napoca, if I remember my lessons correctly.” He glanced at his watch, at the sky, and southward. “There should be enough time. I’m leaving now. Come if you want, I suppose.”

And he began to run. Just like rushing Isabel to the hospital, he pushed his body until his lungs heaved for air and his heart pounded in his chest. But his vampiric strength allowed his body to function despite its oxygen-starved condition.

Nearly an hour passed before he bothered to check if Remus was following. He turned his head just enough to look behind him. His brother was just a few meters behind, jaw set with determination in his eyes. Annoyance flared in his chest, but he knew that two sets of hands and eyes would get through twice as many books. Besides, Sebastian knew generally how to get to the castle due to studying maps under Victor’s tutelage, but he didn’t know exactly where this library was supposed to be.

The lights of cities and towns appeared and disappeared as Sebastian avoided entering their warm circles. Even reports of unknown vampires in Vlad’s territory could put Victor’s coven in danger, so he stuck to the dark mountains and valleys of the unpopulated wilds.

The two reached the base of Mount Cetatea around 4AM and paused for a moment to catch their breath. Sebastian looked up at the 1,480 cement steps and sighed to himself. While they would usually pose no challenge, he was feeling the hours of full-speed running.

“What, Sebastian, are you too tired to keep going?” Remus mocked. “Have you gotten soft out on your own?”

Sebastian picked up a moderate sized stone and flung it at Remus in annoyance, though Remus dodged it as easily as the fist earlier. He didn’t bother to speak as he began taking the steps two at a time, ignoring the burning in his legs and chest. Remus matched him step-for-step, and their feet landed on the top of the plateau in sync. Despite the castle being barely more than a decrepit pile of stone, Sebastian couldn’t help feeling a bit of reverence for the site.

This was the birthplace of his kind. The place where Vlad spilled enough blood that he brought a curse on himself and those he brought under his command. A shiver rushed through his body and he shook his head to clear it. “Alright, where is this library, then?”

Remus pulled a sheet of paper from within his cloak. “Beneath the dungeon. There’s a secret door in the fourth cell on the left, but it requires blood to be placed on the seal to open. Luckily for you, I snatched one of the vials you’d gathered for Josephine.” He returned the paper to his pocket and retrieved the blood to wave at Sebastian.

“Let’s go, then. We’re wasting time on your gloating.” Sebastian walked up to the crumbling structure and stepped within the circle of the walls. If he hadn’t been here on an important mission, he would have stood in awe as the power of the place washed over him.

But instead he waited for Remus to lead him toward the dungeon. Sebastian had studied the layout of the castle, but seeing it now, it was hard to picture where everything used to be located. Hundreds of years of decay had that effect. Remus smirked at Sebastian’s hesitation, but didn’t seem to have any more insults to hurl.

They carefully traversed the fallen stones on the ground floor and located the crumbling stairs leading into a yawning black maw in the earth. The thought of untold knowledge beneath his feet filled Sebastian with excitement. No longer worried about Remus showing the way, he began descending the stairs. They spiraled deep into the ground and if they ever had a rail…it was long gone now. Water dripped down the wall and made the stones slippery where moss grew in the puddles.

Sebastianshouldhave been careful as he made his way down to the dungeon, but a combination of his immortality and haste got the better of him. Ten steps in, a moss-covered step gave way. The stone fell into the abyss and with nothing to hold on to, Sebastian went with it into the belly of the beast.

CHAPTER29

Venice, Italy. 11 June, 2007

“Well, Isabel, we have no explanation for how, but all of your wounds have healed and you're ready to go home.” The doctor looked at the clipboard in his hand over and over, as if convinced he’d somehow brought the wrong chart. “I’ve written you a prescription for an iron supplement since this is not your first bout of anemia. I’d suggest plenty of red meat and leafy greens as well.”

Isabel nodded and smiled, her first real smile in days. “I can handle that,” she assured him, and he left the room. Josephine handed over the clean clothes she’d brought and Isabel cautiously stood. When her legs seemed fairly steady, she started toward the bathroom to change. But she paused, a frown twitching the corners of her lips.

“What’s wrong?” Josephine asked, her voice full of concern. “Are you feeling okay? I can have the doctor come back if you’re still feeling poorly!”

“No, I feel fine. It’s kind of dumb…” Isabel looked at the bathroom door, then at Josephine. “I’m afraid of the bathroom mirror…” Her cheeks burned with embarrassment over such a ridiculous phobia, but after the sheer number of times the shadow had attacked, she wasn’t willing to risk seeing her reflection. Being in the hospital sucked.

Josephine seemed confused for a moment, then realization lit up her eyes. “Oh, that makes sense. How about I wait in the bathroom while you change in here? That way, you don’t have to even be in the same room as the mirror.”

Relief flooded Isabel’s veins and her shoulders immediately loosened. “Yes, please.” Josephine gave Isabel’s hand a squeeze and hopped into the bathroom. Isabel quickly removed the hospital robe, put her own clothing on, and sighed with relief. “Okay, I’m dressed. Let’s get out of here.”

Isabel checked the room for any belongings, but it seemed she only came with the robe she’d been wearing. She stuffed it in the bag Josephine had brought her clean clothes in and together the women exited the hospital.

“Did you manage to find out where Sebastian went?” Isabel asked as the pair walked down the dark street. Josephine shook her head, and Isabel felt her stomach drop. “I can’t believe he’d drag me all the way to Venice, only to up and disappear. And of course he’d do it just as I got my memory back!”

“Men are so dumb sometimes, but I’m sure he’s just trying to figure out how to get rid of the shadow. Should he have told you or even me where he was going? Yes. But at least he left you somewhere safe?”

She knew Josephine was being genuine, but the thought of a literal coven of vampires stories below the ground being a ‘safe place’ made Isabel laugh. “Most humans would disagree with that statement. Honestly, I still don’t know that it’s completely true. I’m sure the coven has grown since I last lived there, what, nearly 400 years ago?”

“Way too long,” Josephine agreed. “And you’re right. There are plenty of family members you haven’t met yet, but nobody would actually hurt you. Victor wouldn’t allow it. And one thing definitely hasn’t changed: nobody dares disobey Victor.”

“Except Sebastian. He’s gotten paranoid in his old age, too.” Isabel began to laugh again, and this time Josephine joined in agreement. It still felt strange to have all of these new memories and relationships floating around in her head, but Isabel was grateful for them. The love and trust of hundreds of years calmed the anxiety about Sebastian running off, at least enough for her to function. And having the memories to match having her sister back was amazing, too.

Isabel’s stomach began to growl and Josephine stopped in the middle of the walkway. “Have you eaten since the risotto yesterday?” she asked, and when Isabel shook her head, Josephine sighed. “NowI’mthe one failing! Let’s get you something to eat before we go back underground. Actually, we should probably do a real shopping trip so nobody has to keep popping out multiple times a day for takeout.”