Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 92612 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 463(@200wpm)___ 370(@250wpm)___ 309(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92612 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 463(@200wpm)___ 370(@250wpm)___ 309(@300wpm)
I yelp when something brushes past me.
“Mightn’t you, little rabbit?” Valen’s whisper in my ear sends cold terror washing through me. He grips my shoulder and pushes me ahead of him, through the doors and into a library. “She was too shy to announce herself.”
“Vampire hearing.” The newcomer taps his ear. “You aren’t slick.”
Valen walks past me and takes a seat on a couch, the furniture in this room far different from all the opulent rooms I’m used to. It’s almost homey, except for the two stories of books that span the formidable distance from the doors to the back wall. And the destroyed canvases along the walls. Each ornate frame holds a shredded painting, only hints of eyes and mouths showing in jagged bits.
“Sit.” Valen gestures to an armchair nearby, one of the arms frayed.
I edge to it, keeping both of them in front of me as I sit. “What is this?”
“A library,” Valen answers dryly. “Perhaps I overestimated your perceptive powers after all.”
I grit my teeth to prevent myself from saying anything that might lead to me getting my throat ripped out.
“You just going to take that, Doctor?” The other man asks.
I turn to him, opening my mouth to explain how I don’t have the luxury of talking back when I notice he has two black wings peeking over his shoulders. Whatever I was going to say dissolves away. All I can do is stare.
“Like them?” He wiggles his dark brows, his deep brown skin smooth and perfect. “Fancy a ride?”
“Coal.” The name is a growl between Valen’s teeth.
He grins. “I’m Coal. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Georgia.”
“You know my name?”
He shrugs. “You’re the talk of the Black Cavern.”
I don’t like the sound of that. Not at all.
“Can we actually get to the subject you’re here about?” Valen settles back in his seat, his form relaxed in a black button-up shirt and jeans. He looks almost casual, far different from the usual all-black head-to-toe attire he favors.
“The ball.”
“A ball?” I ask.
“Her hearing still works.” Coal smiles at me again. There’s warmth in it. Unexpectedly so. Then he glances at my wrists. The scars.
I pull my sweater sleeves down quickly and cross my arms.
He has the grace to look away. “Gregor has given orders, and he won’t change his mind. He says it’s to reward the warriors who took Atlanta and—”
“Atlanta’s been taken?” I blurt, my palms going sweaty. Why does that bother me so much? I’ve never even been to Atlanta.
“Corvidion’s legions—” Valen tips his chin at Coal. “Has the city under its control for now.”
“What will happen to it?” I ask, fearing the answer.
“For now, we’re containing the humans. We have air superiority—the last of the military’s fighter jets don’t pose any real problems for us. Just the bombings they unleash, but they’re manageable. We have plenty of resources underground.”
I look up at the impenetrable stone. Somehow, the conflict seemed far away. I’ve been too wrapped up in my own private hell to let my thoughts venture farther. But the country is at war. Humans are fighting for their lives against impossible odds. The plague. The vampires. I rub my temples.
“Wait, but what about during the day? People can fight back. You can’t come after them. Or are there others like you?” I lift my gaze to Valen.
“There’s only one of him. Be grateful,” Coal says.
Valen gives him a withering look. It’s almost like … banter. Are they bantering?
That’s when it dawns on me. “Wait, are the two of you friends?”
“Coal is my Corvidion commander.” Valen stands. “Come, little rabbit.”
“Just your commander?” Coal gets to his feet, and I realize he’s even taller than Valen. Hulking and huge, his shoulders corded with thick muscle where the wings stand at attention. “I thought I meant more to you than that?” His teasing tone is more shocking to me than the bat-like wings.
“Shut up and plan the festivities.” Valen’s tone is clipped. “I’m for Atlanta.”
“Wait, you didn’t answer my question.” I call to Coal over my shoulder. “What about daytime?”
He keeps pace with us. “Blood Dragonis has plenty of humans in thrall, not to mention plenty of volunteers who think they’ll be turned into one of us once we’ve won the war.”
“You won’t turn them into vampires?” I ask.
“Not a chance.” Coal chuckles darkly. “But it’s enough motivation to get humans to turn on each other, so that’s what we’re going with.”
For a moment, I thought they were people. That they were friends, creatures with feelings, relationships. But they aren’t. “You’re really out there just killing us? You don’t care? You won’t do anything to stop this?”
Coal cuts a look to Valen, then returns his focus to me. “Why would I?” he asks coldly.
“Because it’s wrong!” I shout, anger heating my face. “Because we aren’t roaches to be crushed under your goddamn boots!”