The Crimson Accord의 모든 챕터: 챕터 81 - 챕터 90

I couldn’t collect my thoughts fast enough as my mind raced with the implications. Why was he there other than seeing Vivienne? I tried to back track, logically explain. But every theory led me to the realization that Lucien had done it all. Every rogue, every theft, every single attack that had been carried in my home the past month. I felt the urge to throw something at my office wall, but instead stood for another drink. Ivan didn’t speak and I was grateful. I had no words. Lucien was known to be very pro-vampire. He created the blood clubs and organized the Registry as his duty, but now I wondered if he was trying to placate me and the others, knowing that he wasn’t happy with the Accord. I retraced every conversation as of late. What had I divulged to my enemy? What was his plan? I had just sat in the same room as him and had no idea. For the past hundred years, I had worked with him. We shared meals. He was the reason I frequented the Nectar Society, introducing me to the own

The silence inside the stairwell was worse than the screams outside. The jog down the rickety steps was louder than I anticipated but it was the only noise besides our breath. The house groaned underneath me mimicking my own internal hesitation. This stairwell was several stories tall and had only two doors, one up and one at the bottom. Whoever was executing people shouldn’t have it. I felt safe here and part of me wanted to stay in this spot, but as I turned the corner, I could see a lifeless body. I didn’t recognize the man whose neck was cut, but I still gasped at the sight of it. I might be sending us to our death. I paused considering our options. Logically this was the best choice to evade anyone, but it also could be fatal if the exit door was blocked or being guarded. As if reading my thoughts, my aunt spoke. “The potential of the unknown is better than a known evil. We can’t stop.” She pushed against my back to urge my steps and I continued, stepping over another dead body

Even kings can be hunted. Tonight I was the prey and I had been captured to feed the hungry mob that followed Lucien. The first thing I noticed was the smell. The stench of stale liquor filled my nose before I opened my eyes. Blood, whiskey, and smoke reached even down here in Abigail’s bar. I had spent a few hours here over the years even though I thought it juvenile. She had begged for me to let her renovate this space. I got a flash of her begging me and was filled with worry at the unknown status of my sister. If they did attack me, I could only guess what they did to her. Her bar was a place of joy for her, now it was the space of immense pain. The place had been ransacked. Bottles were broken, tables flipped and pushed against the walls, and then in the middle were Ivan and I. My senses were heightened the minute I woke up. I could vaguely remember being dragged, my feet catching on doorways and bruised as I was thrown down stairs. The rope they used to tie us up had to be at

Julian’s arm moved before I even registered the movement. A flash of silver in the air one second and the next the knife skidded toward me on the ground. For half a second, I paused. Hesitant to move to end this fight. Julian towered over me, his hair wild, his shirt ripped open and a heavy smile on his face. Disheveled would be a nice way to describe his appearance. He had an intense look in his eyes. It was loyalty. He was prepared to die for this and it motivated me to move. “Thank you,” I said, grabbing the knife and going to work to free my bound body. The rope had burned my skin with friction. It was thick but cuttable and after a few seconds I was done. Leaving the knife on the floor, I stood stretching my body. My bones ached. I was covered in blood. I was the definition of a King without his crown.Julian didn’t respond, just nodded to me as we stared at each other. Unspoken words of forgiveness and acceptance between us. There would be a time for me to formally apologize,

The hall had so many smells it was hard to decipher them all. Blood, dust, and wet concrete were the ones that stuck out to me. Beneath the overpowering smells, I tried to find my wife’s scent. I paused down the hall from Cassia’s office, listening to the hum in my blood that told me my wife was near. The thunder kept interrupting my focus but Julian next to me knew better, keeping quiet, his breaths evening out as the adrenaline left him. I could feel her but my gut was telling me to go deeper into the basement into the pitch black. We stormed past Cassia, who whipped around at the movement. With a hand wave of Julian, she continued her work. Her hands were already bloodied as she focused on Ivan under the little light the lantern gave her. The basement was huge and rarely used, especially this far back. But with the construction coming up, it had been overtaken with supplies that were unfamiliar to me. There were turns I’d take that led me to nowhere. But I kept moving. I could