La Novels
Chapter 18
Chapter 18 AURORA Two days later days during which I did everything I could to keep the twins out of the way of the wolves from the Blue Ridge Pack Trajan and I were on our way to dinner with vampires .
Since Dane was my partner , I hesitantly agreed to contact him about it the morning of the dinner .
His Bela , Archer Fox , informed me that Dane was out of town .
The Mannerings were an old vampire family who had lived on the edge of Atlanta for years in an old , crumbling mansion that dated back to the Civil War .
Trajan and I pulled up the long drive just after sunset .
The vampire home wasnt as isolated as the pack houses wolves preferred , but it was still on its own deep in the woods .
We went to the door .
Before we could knock , it opened .
A voice drifted out it was breathy and old , and I couldnt tell if it belonged to a man or a woman .
Please , come in … I moved to step inside , but Trajan put a hand on my arm and met my eyes .
Let me go first .
I nodded , suddenly tense as he went in .
Chapter 18 2/6 Id had a few dealings with vampires before .
They werent nearly as common as wolves , and they didnt care as much for the modern world .
But what they did have was ancient knowledge .
If you ever needed information about a treasure , a curse , or anything like that , vampires would know .
If you dared enter their lairs and risk being killed , you could learn many things .
That was why I was here because my grandmother had gotten word from some of her own vampire contacts that this family might know more about the power we were after .
All we knew was that it was ancient and buried beneath the Appalachian Mountains .
That it was supposed to bring magic back to the world which would make already magical creatures even more powerful .
Trajan glanced back and nodded to me , and I slowly followed him in .
Theres a certain feel to vampire homes .
Opulent wealth thats decayed .
Ancient knowledge .
The feeling that something is going to swoop out of the shadows and kill you any second .
I rubbed the raised scar on my forearm a habit of mine when I was anxious .
Then I forced my hands to my sides .
Our host appeared in front of us .
Chapter 18 3/6 Violet Mannering was a tall , middle aged woman with perfect curls in her shining brown hair .
Though she was beautiful , her skin was the white of new paper .
She had her eyes on the floor as she bowed her head to us .
Violet Mannering ? I asked .
My grandmother said you have some information for us .
Shadows gathered around us on all sides , surrounding us .
Suddenly , it was so dark I couldnt even tell which direction the door was in .
Then Violet raised her eyes , and I realized something was very , very wrong .
Vampires can easily pass for humans , except for the graying , death like tones of their skin .
They dont usually have strange eyes .
But the whites of Violets eyes were black with red irises that glowed like burning coals .
I realized , also , that she wasnt standing like a normal person .
Instead , she and the shadows of the vampires around us hung like puppets on strings .
She smiled , showing long , needle like fangs .
Welcome .
I have great need of your blood .
DANE Chapter 18 There it is .
The heartbeat , said the doctor .
I stared at the ultrasound screen .
Evelyn really was pregnant .
4/6 She smiled hugely at me , then at the doctor .
We were in Atlanta , at the best OBGYN in the city .
The clean white lines of the office blurred in the background as I stared at that screen .
I did want children .
I wanted to be happy about this .
But it felt wrong .
Like my life had gotten out of joint somehow .
I shook off the feeling and thanked the doctor .
Evelyn put her arm through mine as we walked out a back entrance .
She pouted and wanted to leave through the front .
That would give paparazzi chances to take pictures of us as a happy couple .
Id had enough paparazzi in my life for now , which was why Id paid the doctor to meet us at night .
Besides , her eagerness only deepened my suspicions about who sold the story of Aurora being a homewrecker to the tabloids in the first place .
Evelyn had always put more importance on public opinion than other wolves .
I wouldnt care at all , if scandal didnt affect business .
And the only reason the businesses mattered were because they supported the pack .
We walked to the car .
She talked more about names and shopping and baby clothes .
I checked the messages on my Chapter 18 phone .
I had one from Archer .
5/6 Alpha , An Aurora DeVere called .
She said she has a meeting with Violet Mannering about the relic youre looking for together at nine pm .
I told her youd call when you can .
I stopped dead in my tracks , which jerked Evelyn to a stop , as well .
Dane ? My chest filled with ice .noveldrama
Violet Mannering ? The Mannerings were dead .
Theyd been wiped out two years ago by a couple of hunters that Id eventually had to deal with when they started terrorizing wolves .
Whatever Aurora was meeting with , it wasnt vampires .
I shook Evelyns arm from mine .
Call a car , I said .
Get a ride back to the penthouse .
I have to go .
I got in the car and peeled out before she could do more than squeak .
It was just past nine pm now .
The doctors office was on the edge of the city not too far from the Mannering mansion .
I could be there in ten minutes .
I tried to call Aurora .
If she was running even just a few minutes late , I could warn her .
She didnt pick up the phone .