Page 73 of The Vampire's Mercy

Was I having a vision?

Since when did I havethatgift?

“I don’t…I don’t understand.”

“And you won’t, precious one,” a voice spoke from the darkness. “Not until you find the truth and allow it to begin.”

I turned on the spot, chest tight, fists ready to smash faces. “Who said that?”

“The truth will unfold as it must, precious one,” the voice said.

It was a fractured voice, a monochrome tone.

Thunder crashed, the flash of lightning shining across the door. It revealed nothing in the darkness.

This is wrong. This place is wrong.

“Who are you?” I questioned, taking another step back, rain hit my back.

“Find the truth, precious one. Find the truth to begin.”

“Why can’t you tell me what this means?” I snapped back.

Fuck this cryptic shit.

Hiss…

“Hello?”

No answer.

I cracked my knuckles. “Are you still there?”

Nothing.

Hiss…

I glanced over my shoulder, the night too thick behind me. But so was the darkness beyond that damn door. Neither was on the fun list, my body and soul screaming a huge nope.

“I can’t stand here forever,” I mumbled.

Precious one? Really? Why would anyone say that about me?

Welcome to Cryptic City.

Hiss…

Silvanus appeared again for a few seconds before he vanished. Didn’t even give me enough time to process his arrival, or to let out a yelp of surprise.

Okay. What the hell? There were funny games going on here, me one of the unwilling pieces.

My suspicions pointed to the vampire king. Maybe being a thrall gave him ample opportunity to fuck with my mind. What a prick, but it made sense. Why wouldn’t he put me through my paces? I mean, wasn’t he just getting started with the vengeance thing?

He’d enslaved me, and next came true suffering. You didn’t kill the vampire king’s bestie to get handed a bunch of roses.

The thunder boomed, louder than before. I was sure I felt it shake the ground.

“Shit,” I grumbled, struggling to make a choice.