Page 112 of Fated In Ruin
“This vampire who it happened to, could they kill it?”
Bex shrugged. “I don’t think so. There was one in Bavaria, where my family line originated. He’d been the matriarch of a great and powerful bloodline, who transformed into a monster, living in his castle in the mountains, and would come out only at night to hunt. If you asked Nash, he’d remember more.”
“So these creatures can’t go out in the sun?”That would be something we could use.
In fact, had I ever seen Ravok or Romulus in the sun?
During the attack, Ravok had surrounded himself with a cloud of shadow and when the sun hit him…he’d blistered. And in the compound…he’d never stepped outside the building. I filed that information away for later.
Bex shrugged. “According to my grandmother, he only came out at night, but she also danced in her garden under a full moon to make her flowers grow, so there’s that.”
“This creature…did he ever die?”
“Last I heard, he’s still up there, devouring the souls of his victims.” Bex did air quotes, but her face was pale. “According to Moonma, they would surround their home with iron filings and salt. They already had iron bolts on all their doors and windows, iron nails in the timbers. She claimed all that metal kept him out, but…well, you know how these old superstitions are.”
“That’s awful.” Angel murmured, “I mean, you have to feel a little sorry for him, all alone and monstrous.”
“You’ve been reading too many books.”
“Hush your mouth.” She ran a loving finger down the spines of her books, all neatly arranged within arm’s reach. “That’s blasphemy, Evangeline, because there’s no such thing as too many books.”
“Speaking of books, this is nice.” I crossed over to inspect the little bookshelf on her end table. The wood was beautifully carved with vines and leaves and little birds, the perfect size for about twenty books, and was almost full. “Where did you get this? I didn’t order that for you.”
Angel’s cheeks turned pink. “It was a gift,” she said stiffly as Bex rolled her eyes. “But it’s nothing, don’t make too much of it.”
“A gift from whom?”
“None of your business,” Angel muttered, her face the exact same color as the magenta drapes on her windows.
“Eldric,” I guessed—guessed correctly from my sister’s muffledshit. “Eldric made this for you.” I inspected the carving. “This is really beautiful. He must have worked on it for weeks.”
“It doesn’t mean anything.” She sniffed. “I’m not in the least bit interested in that male, and I told him so.”
Bex grinned behind her back, and I had to stifle my own smile. “You know, Eldric is pretty handy around the house, from the looks of things. And he’s gotfiremagic.” I waggled my brows at her. “Justimaginewhat he could do with that.”
From the crimson shade of my sister’s face, she’d imagined it quite a lot.
“Stop it, Evie.” The shamed, slightly horrified tone of my sister’s quiet voice shut me up. “I’m…” Her hand found her belly. “I’m damaged goods. He shouldn’t want me, and I’m in no position to want someone like him. Not ever.”
Everything inside me went really, really quiet. There was so much self-hatred in her voice my temper exploded.
“Don’t you ever fucking say that again. You arenotdamaged goods. You are fierce and strong and good, and you are a fucking survivor,andyou are going to be the best fucking mother there ever was.”
“You say fuck a lot for someone who’s about to be an aunt,” Bex noted with a smirk.
“Yeah, well, that’s because I’m going to be thecoolaunt, who does all thecoolstuff,” I sniped back. “Once we manage to find Ravok, that is.” And time was running out. I could feel it in my bones, in the smug, satisfied way Romulus told us we weretoo late.
But how were we supposed to find someone who couldn’t be found?
I crossed to Angel’s floor-to-ceiling windows. “We have to find him,” I said softly, pressing my palm against the cool glass. “But Malachi is the only one who can track him, and he can’t. It’s like he’s disappeared.Vanished.”
“After living so long, it seems Malachi should be able to find his Maker anywhere on earth, their bond should be that strong,” Bex noted, her eyes narrowed. “Unless something more powerful severed the connection.” Her face brightened. “Did you know, Uncle Nash is an expert tracker. We should ask his opinion.”
“Maybe we should,” I agreed.
“Do you want to come?” I asked Angel, staring somberly at Eldric’s gift, her face filled with doubt. “It would do you good to get out of here for a little while.”
“Sure.” She lifted her eyes to mine. “What would possibly be better than chasing down monsters that want us all dead?” I strained, listening for any sounds from downstairs, but all was quiet.
