Just A Taste | BOOK 1 The Night Lords Series

17. His Command

Lora left. She told me we could talk more tomorrow night. With all the time that's passed, she knew we were taking risks by being together. Cassius had made it clear that I was to be cut off from everyone except for Valentino- and he wasn't even in the room. At one point in our conversation, while Lora had been telling me a little bit more about the White Faith, I'd asked her why she wasn't worried if the vampire outside my door could hear us. With a soft giggle and a smug smirk, Lora told me she cast a little spell over us. A simple soundproof charm she learned from her time with the White Faith. Mentioning her past put her in a plaintive mood though and the conversation sort of dwindled from there.

It had been so tempting to chase after Lora and follow her through the secret passage. If only to prevent the inevitable. Lora knew Cassius would want to see me as soon as he gets back and it would be bad for both me and her if I wasn't where I should be. I still haven't bothered to take down my homemade barricade.

Lying down on my semi-cushioned cot, I mull over everything that I've learned. If this world hadn't been crazy enough, it just got crazier. A secret society, supposedly killed off according to Cassius, might still be active. The thought of there being a place where humans could be free was too surreal to believe. We hadn't gone into detail about Lora and her whole situation but her youth told me that it was more likely that the White Faith did exist. How long ago she'd been captured was my only question. As for everything about the Divine Ones...

I lift my wrist to stare at the 373 on my arm, a number that held more mystery than it should. Lora had even mentioned light magic- the counterforce to the dark magic vampires used. In truth, I don't understand why there are two kinds of magic to begin with. Just as Lora had used light magic to create a sound bubble, my first Consultant had done the same with dark magic back at the warehouse. Did they claim it as such just to differentiate who was bad and who was good? I think there's probably more to it than that.

Then, I recalled her choice of words when she spoke of where the White Faith could be found. Her tone of voice suggested she merely heard of it- not that she'd actually been there and seen it for herself. I frown, wrestling with how that could make sense. How was she apart of the White Faith if she's never actually been to their secret base? Did all members of the White Faith know how to wield magic? If I was a Divine One, were there others still alive too? What was the important mission? How did we come to be? Did my parents know this stuff? Did my brother? Could I join the White Faith?

Tomorrow, I think to myself. I'll ask her more about it. I also need to tell her about Cassius trying to bite me and the identical effects he endured regarding her description of the Divine Ones.

The light in the room was getting brighter. There's only one window in here and it was left covered by a dark green curtain with black threads woven through to create a twisting design of ivy up the entirety of the cloth. Cracked open just a bit, I could see a sliver of the awakening sky. I wonder if Cassius actually put a guy outside my window. Rolling onto my knees, I push the rough cloth aside to peer through the glass. Sure enough, I could see the silhouette of a guard standing below.

I sigh. I'm about to pull back when my eyes flicker up to see a sleek car turning into the driveway. My mouth goes dry and my heart starts trying to beat its way out of my chest.

He's back.

After snapping the curtains shut completely, I add my little cot to the pile in front of the door. Screw staying put. I have to get out of here. I look towards the window longingly but I know I can't escape with the stupid vampire standing out there. Then, I stare at the wall with the secret door.

After watching Lora open it, if I peer closely, I could see the door's hair-thin outline. Running over, I start pressing my fingers into the wall around the door's outline. Lora had pressed something...