Page 70 of Chasing Stripes (Enchanted Falls #3)

SEVENTY

T he implication hit Artemis like a physical blow. Her fingers curled into her palms, nails biting into flesh. “Someone deliberately covered up whatever was hidden there.”

“Or created access to it,” Bartek added, his voice a low rumble that she felt through their connection more than heard.

The golden patterns beneath her clothing pulsed in response to her distress, warmth spreading across her skin. Bartek’s hand found hers, fingers intertwining naturally.

“We need to check the town records,” Rust decided, reaching for his phone. “Find out who authorized?—”

“No need,” interrupted a hollow voice from the doorway. “I can tell you exactly who approved it.”

As one, they turned to find Alaric Nightbourne standing at the threshold. The vampire elder, normally the epitome of supernatural aristocratic grace, looked almost unrecognizable. His impeccable suit hung from his frame as though he’d lost significant weight overnight. Dark hollows shadowed his eyes, and his ordinarily styled hair fell lank across his forehead.

Most disturbing of all – his hands trembled, fingers twitching as though seeking something to grasp.

“Where have you been?” Rust demanded, taking an aggressive step forward before Kalyna placed a restraining hand on his arm.

Artemis studied the vampire, her fae senses detecting something beyond physical exhaustion. His magical aura flickered weakly like a candle guttering in a draft.

“He’s been drained,” she said quietly, drawing everyone’s attention. “Magically depleted.”

Thora moved with predatory grace, placing herself between Alaric and the rest of the group. Her eyes narrowed as she assessed him. “Talk. Now.”

The vampire elder sank into the nearest chair without waiting for an invitation – a telling breach of the etiquette he normally prized. “I’ve been held captive,” he admitted, his cultured voice rough with exhaustion. “In a warded chamber designed to siphon vampire magic.”

“Who took you?” Bartek demanded, his grip on Artemis’s hand tightening instinctively.

Alaric’s face contorted with a mixture of rage and shame. “The same entity who’s been terrorizing our community. The one you call The Collector.” He paused, swallowing visibly. “They’ve been blackmailing me for months. Threatening to expose my entire clan to human authorities.”

Silence fell as they absorbed this confession. Artemis felt Bartek’s tension through their bond, his protective instincts surging.

“What do they want from you?” Thora pressed, her interrogation skills evident in her direct approach.

Alaric met her gaze with the miserable courage of someone confessing a terrible sin. “Access to council records on soul-tethers. Approval for the fountain renovation that concealed the entrance to their ritual chamber. Turning a blind eye when magical artifacts went missing.”

His voice dropped even lower. “But that wasn’t enough. They wanted something I couldn’t give them, so they took me instead.”

“What couldn’t you give?” Artemis asked, though dread already coiled in her stomach.

“Information about you and Bartek. About your connection.” Alaric’s gaze shifted to the golden light pulsing between them. “They’ve been obsessed with it since the moment it manifested.”

Bartek’s growl rumbled through the room, a reminder of the predator that lived within him. “And you told them what, exactly?”

“Nothing they didn’t already know,” Alaric answered, defiance flashing through his exhaustion. “But in searching for me, my cousin Viridian discovered something. He confronted them, and...” His voice broke. “They took him too. I found evidence they’ve been... experimenting on him. Harvesting his magic.”

The revelation sent a palpable chill through the room. Artemis felt Bartek’s rage through their bond, his body tensing with the desire for action.

“Do you know The Collector’s identity?” Rust asked, his mayoral authority giving way to his lion-shifter intensity.

Alaric shook his head. “They wore a magical glamour whenever they appeared. But I know they’re planning something monumental during the eclipse. Something that requires the magical foundation stones beneath the town square fountain.”

Haavi, who had been uncharacteristically quiet since arriving, spoke up. “If your cousin is still alive, we need to find him. And anyone else they might be holding.”