A newly purchased engagement ring caught the lighting overhead in the bright hall. It refracted the light on the walls as Lila hastily headed towards the private back room.
Closing and locking the door behind her, she went for Zachary's desk in quick and clumsy leaps. A set of small keys fumbled on the key ring in her hand and in her state of nervousness, she dropped them on the floor.
Once she had regained some composure, she opened the top mahogany drawer and pulled out what she had her heart set on in the past couple weeks. It was a detailed map of the facility, each area was labeled with its purpose and function.
Adonis was alive somewhere in this building. Lila felt it in her heart.
Zachary hadn't brought up that horrible night in the arena again and Lila had to keep pretending that Adonis' fate meant nothing to her.
It was façade. One, Lila kept alive to Zachary. Fooling him, that she was still in love with him. His obsession with her had his judgements clouded on Lila's intentions, giving her an advantage. Amelie's words gave her an opportunity.
Lila planned on staying alive not just for herself, but for Adonis and whoever else was trapped in this hell-hole.
The areas labeled as "cages" caught her attentions. They were large cell blocks, scattered throughout the facility.
Pulling out a scrap piece of paper from her back pocket, Lila messily drew a rough outline of the building for herself. Trying to cover her tracks the best she could, she put the map in exactly as she had found it and locked the drawer.
Making her way around the desk, she stopped short in her white pumps as the door handle moved violently against the lock.
Eyes wide, Lila waited in terror.
The image that emerged was not one of her worst nightmare, but the dainty vampire that had been less of a threat as of late.
"Amelie, please don't tell anyone-"
"I'm going to help you, Lila, with what you're doing."
The human's jaw dropped.
"What?" Lila asked, thinking she heard something incorrectly, "How did you know--"
"Lila, I know everything, because I see everything and I don't need psychic powers to see that you're planning on doing everything we want to do too."
Amelie closed the door behind her as Lila's shoulders relaxed.
"You are not the only one who's looking to take down Zachary."
Amelie's eyes were cold, unwavering as they stared into her dark orbs. There was something here that Lila wasn't quite comfortable trusting her with, but again, she knew she had to play along in order to get out alive.
"Julien and I are leaving the Vasile clan. We are tired of Darius, his favoritism towards Zachary, and their careless decisions. We don't like the direction they're going with all this and we want out. They're breeding them now...the wolves. And, no offense Lila, but Zachary's love for you has put us all through the ringer. It's nearly gotten Julien killed on several occasions."
The tiny vampire shook her head.
As Lila stands in shock of this news that she struggles to absorb, the vampire adds, "The Vasiles are over. Everyone is deceiving everyone."
Lila found it hard to breathe as she asked, "Are you deceiving me, Amelie?"
The vampire's shoulders slumped. "No, Lila. I just want a good life for myself and my husband. We feel like employees more than family nowadays. We have been for almost a decade now."
The human's thoughts raced. "What about Charlotte?"
Cold eyes reappeared. "She's lost. Obsessed, with being Darius' next progeny alongside Zachary. She's a puppet. Can't even think for herself. It happens sometimes in clans."
For a split second, Lila swore she saw the faintest hint of emotion on the Charlotte subject. It was apparent that Julien and Amelie had many pained arguments on leaving their other adoptive sibling.
"The Seattle wolves are coming for Adonis, Morganna, and Benjamin. Tomorrow night. With our assistance, they can get them out and we can sneak out unnoticed...with as much money we can take with us."
Feeling suddenly weak in the heels Amelie had designed for her, Lila braced herself against the wall. Amelie was there at her side, helping her stand. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah, man." Lila cleared her throat as the room came back into focus. "Still trying to get used to all of this. It's a relief though, to not be alone anymore."
To Lila's surprise, Amelie laughed. "It's all going to be okay soon. Julien and I will make sure you're safe too. We've been protecting you, Lila. Whether you believe it or not. I'm sorry I couldn't help you sooner."
Lila simply nodded in response, not being able to form any words. She wasn't sure if she could trust them. Learning from her past mistakes, Lilaa refused to let Amelie in on the plan she was forming herself.
"Just tell me what the plan is and I'll be the first one out of this place." Lila tells her, wanting to hear hers first.
Amelie reprieved a small smile before hugging Lila tight, but the girl remembering her roots and her fears well, tensed under the embrace. Taking her by the hand, Amelie lead her out of the room. "I'm very excited for the future, Lila. I've seen it and it looks great. I will find you when the time is right."
Lila's concern grew. "How does my future look? Does it look good?" She didn't dare ask about Adonis, knowing that her friend's fate was the least of Amelie's concerns.
Amelie blankly stared ahead, swallowing a lump in her throat. "Yes. From the ones I can see around you, It looks bright!"
Not wanting to press her, Lila knew she was lying. Whatever Amelie had seen, wasn't looking good.
"Great." Lila said with exhaustion over the emotional roller coaster, as she reeled over the coming dangers.
Amelie walked her back to Lila's room, before kissing her on the cheek.
"Don't worry. Everything will be fine."
Lilaa nodded as Amelie walked off.
As she entered her room, Lila found a dozen red roses on her purple satin bedspread.
Her heart fell at the sight. She approached apprehensively, glaring at the roses and the white envelope on top of the thorn stems. Closing her eyes tightly as she held the envelope in her hands, she prayed that it wasn't an invitation for a date.
As she opened it and read the note, she realized that her luck was forever nonexistent.
Tonight, my love. Dinner, at eight o'clock. I will come for you.
All my love,
Z.V.
YOU ARE READING
Fang War
Mystery / Thriller[2x Wattpad featured author!] Werewolves are enslaved by elite vampire clans in Seattle and one teenage runaway is caught in their ancient bloodbath. Only the strongest will survive in an underworld that profits millions from wolf fights in the ring...
