melissa de la cruz – revelations.doc

7/27/2019 Melissa de la Cruz Revelations.doc

1/163

Melissa de la Cruz Revelations

CHAPTER 1

On early and bitterly cold morning in late March !chuyler "an Alen let hersel# inside the glass doors o# the $uchesne !chool#eeling relieved as she %al&ed into the soaring barrel'ceiling entry%ay dominated by an im(osing )ohn !inger !argent (ortrait

o# the school*s #ounders+ !he &e(t the hood o# her #ur'trimmed (ar&a over her thic& dar& hair (re#erring anonymity ratherthan the casual greetings e,changed by other students+

-t %as odd to thin& o# the school as a haven an esca(e a (lace she loo&ed #or%ard to going+ .or so long $uchesne %ith itsshiny marble #loors and s%ee(ing vistas o# Central Par& had been nothing less than a torture chamber+ !he had dreaded

%al&ing u( the grand staircase #elt miserable in its inade/uately heated classrooms and even managed to des(ise the

gorgeous terrazzo tiles in the re#ectory+

At school !chuyler o#ten #elt ugly and invisible although her dee('set blue eyes and delicate $resden'doll #eatures belied this+All her li#e her %ell'heeled classmates had treated her li&e a #rea& an outcast ' un%anted and untouchable+ Even i# her #amily

%as one o# the oldest and most illustrious names in the city*s history times had changed+ The "an Alens once a (roud and

(restigious clan had shrun& and %ithered over the centuries so that they %ere no% (ractically e,tinct+ !chuyler %as one o#the last+

.or a %hile !chuyler had ho(ed her grand#ather*s return #rom e,ile %ould change that ' that 0a%rence*s (resence in her li#e

%ould mean she %as no longer alone+ ut those ho(es %ere dashed %hen Charles .orce too& her a%ay #rom the shabbybro%nstone on Riverside $rive the only home

she had ever &no%n+

2Are you going to move or do - have to do something

about it32


2/163

!chuyler started+ !he hadn*t noticed that she*d been standing in a daze in #ront o# her loc&er and the one above it+ The bells

signaling the start o# the day %ere clanging %ildly+ ehind her stood Mimi .orce her ne% housemate+

4o matter ho% out o# (lace !chuyler #elt at school it %as no com(arison to the arctic #reeze she %eathered on a daily basis at

the .orces* grand to%n house across #rom the Metro(olitan Museum+ At $uchesne she didn*t have to overhear Mimigrumbling about her every second o# the day+ Or at least it only ha((ened every #e% hours+ 4o %onder $uchesne #elt so%elcoming lately+

Even though 0a%rence "an Alen %as no% Regis head o# the lue loods he had been (o%erless to sto( the ado(tion

(rocess+ The Code o# the "am(ires sti(ulated a strict adherence to human la%s to &ee( the lue loods sa#e #rom un%antedscrutiny+ -n her last %ill and testament !chuyler*s grandmother had declared her an emanci(ated minor but in a %ily move

Charles .orce*s la%yers had contested its tenets in the Red lood courts+ The courts #ound in their #avor and Charles had

been named the e,ecutor o# the estate %inning !chuyler as (art o# the (ac&age+

25ell32 Mimi %as still %aiting+

2Oh+ 6h+ !orry2 !chuyler said grabbing a te,tboo& and moving aside+

2!orry is right2 Mimi narro%ed her emerald green eyes and gave !chuyler a contem(tuous loo&+ The same loo& she*d given

!chuyler across the dinner table last night and the same loo& she*d given !chuyler %hen they*d bum(ed into each other in

the hall%ay that morning+ The loo& said7 5hat are you doing here3 8ou have no right to e,ist+

25hat did - ever do to you32 !chuyler %his(ered tuc&ing a boo& into her %orn canvas bag+

28ou saved her li#e92

Mimi glared at the stri&ing redhead %ho had s(o&en+

liss 0le%ellyn Te,an trans(lant and #ormer Mimi acolyte glared bac&+ liss*s chee&s %ere as red as her hair+ 2!he saved


3/163

your s&in in "enice and you don*t even have the decency to be grate#ul92 Once u(on a time liss had been Mimi*s shado%

ha((y to #ollo% her every directive but a trust had bro&en bet%een the t%o #ormer #riends since the last !ilver lood attac&

%hen Mimi had been revealed as a %illing i# ine##ective cons(irator+ Mimi had been condemned to burn until !chuyler hadcome to her aid at the blood trial+

2!he didn*t save my li#e+ !he merely told the truth+ My li#e %as never in danger2 Mimi re(lied as she ran a silver hairbrushthrough her #ine hair+

2-gnore her2 liss told !chuyler+

!chuyler smiled #eeling braver no% that she had bac&u(+ 2-t*s hard to do+ -t*s li&e (retending global %arming doesn*t e,ist+2!he %ould (ay #or that comment later she &ne%+ There %ould be (ebbles in her breaast cereal+ lac& tar on her sheets+ Or

the ne%est inconvenience ' the disa((earance o# yet another o# her s%i#tly d%indling (ossessions+ Already she %as missing

her mother*s loc&et her leather gloves and a beloved dog'eared co(y o# :a#&a*s The Trial inscribed on the #irst (age %ith theinitials 2)+ .+2

!chuyler %ould be the #irst to admit that the second guest bedroom in the .orces* mansion ;the #irst remained reserved #or

visiting dignitaries< %as hardly the cu(board under the stairs+ Her room %as beauti#ully decorated and sum(tuously a((ointed%ith everything a girl could %ant7 a #our'(oster /ueen'size bed %ith a (illo%y duvet closets #ull o# designer clothes a high'

end entertainment center dozens o# toys #or eauty her bloodhound and a ne% #eatherlight Macoo& Air+ ut i# her ne%

home %as rich in material gi#ts it lac&ed the charm o# the old one+

!he missed her old room %ith its Mountain $e%'yello% %alls and ric&ety des&+ !he missed the dusty shrouded living room+

!he missed Hattie and )ulius %ho had been %ith the #amily since she %as an in#ant+ !he missed her grand#ather o# course+

ut most o# all she missed her #reedom+

28ou o&ay32 liss as&ed nudging her+ !chuyler had returned #rom "enice %ith a ne% address and an une,(ected ally+ 5hile

she and liss had al%ays been #riendly no% they %ere almost inse(arable+

28eah+ -*m used to it+ - could ta&e her in a cage #ight+2 !chuyler smiled+ !eeing liss at school %as one o# the small re(rieves o#


4/163

ha((iness that $uchesne a##orded+

!he too& the %inding bac& stairs #ollo%ing the stream o# (eo(le heading in the same direction %hen out o# the corner o# hereye she sa% the barest #lic&er and &ne%+ -t %as him+ !he didn*t have to loo& to &no% he %as among the cro%d o# students

%al&ing the o((osite %ay+ !he could al%ays sense him as i# her nerves %ere #ine'tuned antennae rece(tors that (ic&ed u(

%henever he %as near+ Maybe it %as the vam(ire in her giving her the ability to tell %hen another %as close by or maybe ithad nothing to do %ith her other%orldly (o%ers at all+

)ac&+

His eyes %ere #ocused straight ahead as i# he never even sa% her never registered her (resence+ His slee& blond hair thesame translucent shade as his sister*s %as slic&ed bac& #rom his (roud #orehead= and unli&e the other boys around him

dressed in varying degrees o# slo((iness he loo&ed regal in a blazer and tie+ He %as so handsome it %as hard #or !chuyler to

breathe+ ut >ust as at the to%n house ' !chuyler re#used to call it home ' )ac& ignored her+

!he snuc& one more glance his %ay and then hurried u( the stairs+ ?lass had already started %hen she arrived+ !chuyler triedto be as unobtrusive as (ossible as she %al&ed out o# habit to%ard the bac& seats by the %indo%+ Oliver Hazard'Perry %as

seated there bent over his noteboo&+

ut she caught hersel# >ust in time and moved across the room to sit ne,t to the clanging radiator %ithout saying hello to her

best #riend+

Charles .orce had made it clear7 no% that she %as under his roo# she %ould have to #ollo% his rules+ The #irst rule %as that

!chuyler %as #orbidden to see her grand#ather+ The animosity bet%een Charles and 0a%rence ran dee( and not only because

0a%rence had dis(laced Charles*s (osition in the Conclave+

2- don*t %ant him #illing your head %ith lies2 Charles had told her+ 2He may rule the Coven but he has no (o%er in my house+

-# you disobey me - (romise you %ill regret it+2

The second rule o# living at the .orces* %as that she %as #orbidden to associate %ith Oliver+ Charles had been a(o(lectic %hen


5/163

he*d discovered that !chuyler had made Oliver ;her designated Conduit< her human #amiliar+ 2.irst o# all you are much too

young+ !econdly it is anathema+ $istaste#ul+ Conduits are servants+ They are not ' they do not #ul#ill the services o# #amiliars+

8ou must ta&e a ne% human immediately and sever all relations %ith this boy+2

-# (ressed she %ould grudgingly admit that Charles %as (robably right+ Oliver %as her best #riend and she had mar&ed him

as her o%n had ta&en his blood into hers and there had been conse/uences to her actions+ !ometimes she %ished theycould go bac& to the %ay they %ere be#ore everything became so com(licated+

!chuyler had no idea %hy Charles %ould care %hom she made her #amiliar any%ay since the .orces had done a%ay %ith the

old'#ashioned (ractice o# &ee(ing human Conduits+ ut she #ollo%ed the rules to the letter+ As #ar as anyone could see she

had absolutely no contact %ith 0a%rence and had re#rained #rom (er#orming the !acred :iss %ith Oliver+

There %ere so many things in her ne% li#e that she could and couldn*t do+

ut there %ere some (laces %here the rules did not a((ly+ !ome%here that Charles had no (o%er+ !ome%here !chuyler could

be #ree+

That*s %hat secret hiding (laces %ere #or+

CHAPTER @

Mimi Force liked the sound of stilettos on marble. Her patent-leather Jimmy Choos made a satisfying click, click, clack that echoed

across the entire lobby of the Force Tower. The shiny new headuarters of her father!s media empire comprised se"eral buildings in

the middle of midtown Manhattan. The gleaming ele"ator banks regularly disgorged a crew of #Forcies# - the beautiful employees ofthe Force media organi$ation - design editors, fashion editors, lifestyle editors, heading off to lunch meetings at Michael!s or into

town cars that would escort them to "arious appointments around the city. They were a well-dressed group, with similarly pinched

faces, as if their perpetually busy schedules didn!t lea"e them time to smile. Mimi blended right in.

%he was only si&teen, but as she walked through the crowd, past the lobby and into the dark alco"e that concealed an ele"ator that

could only be accessed through a secret and irreproducible key, she felt incredibly old. %he remembered when the Force Tower had

originally been christened the 'an (len )uilding. For years it had stood as a mere three-story foundation, since its planned tower

had ne"er been built after the Crash of *++ and the reat epression. /nly last year did her father!s company finally complete


6/163

construction according to the old plans and christened the building with a new name.

Mimi looked around and discreetly sent a strong ignore-suggestion to anyone who might come near. %he found the doorknob and

pressed her finger against the lock, pricking it so that it drew blood. The blood analysis in the key lock was not the latest in security

technology, but an antedilu"ian one. Her blood was being analy$ed and compared to 0( files in the repository1 a match would

confirm that only a true )lue )lood stood at the gate. The blood could not be duplicated nor e&tracted. 'ampire blood disappearedwithin minutes once e&posed to the air.

The doors whooshed open silently, and Mimi took the lift down. 2hat 3ed )loods did not know was that in *++, the building had

been built to completion - e&cept it e&tended downward instead of up.

The tower was actually a #corescraper# - a structure built underneath the ground, tunneling down to the planet!s core, rather than up

toward the sky. Mimi watched as the floors descended. %he went fifty, then a hundred, then two hundred, then a thousand feet under

the surface. 4n the past, the )lue )loods had li"ed underground to hide from their %il"er )lood attackers. 0ow Mimi understoodwhat Charles Force had meant when he sneered that 5awrence and Cordelia would ha"e the "ampires #cringing in ca"es once

again.#

Finally the ele"ator stopped and the door opened. Mimi nodded to the Conduit at the desk. The 3ed )lood resembled a blind mole

rat, looking as if he had not seen the sun in a long time. 3ather like the false legends perpetuated about "ampires, Mimi thought with

amusement.

%he could feel the wards, the hea"y protections placed around the area. This was supposed to be the )lue )loods! most secret and

secure ha"en. 5awrence took great pleasure in the shiny, conspicuous new tower that had been built on top of it. #2e!re hiding in

plain sight6# he!d chuckled. The 3epository of History had recently been mo"ed to se"eral of the lower floors. %ince the attack, the

lair underneath the club had been abandoned. Mimi still felt guilty at what had happened there. )ut it wasn!t her fault6 %he hadn!t

meant to bring any real harm. %he!d 7ust wanted %chuyler out of the way. 8erhaps she had been na9. 0o need to linger on thatthought now.

#:"ening, Madeleine,# an elegantly dressed woman in a chic Chanel suit greeted her politely.

#orothea.# Mimi nodded, following the old crone to the conference room. %he knew that se"eral members of the Concla"e had not

been keen on her admittance to the inner circle. They were worried she was still too young and not in command of her full


7/163

memories, the entirety of the wisdom of all her past li"es. The process toward a )lue )lood!s complete self-actuali$ation began

during the transformation at fifteen, and continued until the end of one!s %unset ;ears


8/163

#5ike you said, she is strong.# Charles sighed. #4f there is battle ahead, as you want us all to belie"e, 5awrence, you will need her onyour side.#

5awrence snorted. #4f she stays true.#

#%he always has,# Charles said sharply. #(nd she was not the only one among us who once lo"ed the Morningstar.#

#( gra"e mistake we all made.# 5awrence nodded.

Charles said softly, #0o, not all of us.#

Mimi floated away from the door. %he had heard all she needed to hear.

($rael. He!d called her by her real name. ( name that was etched deep into her consciousness, deep into her bones, her "ery blood.

2hat was she e&cept her name> 2hen you were ali"e for thousands of years, taking a new moniker after another, names became like

gift wrapping. %omething decorati"e that you answered to. Take her name in this cycle, for e&ample? Mimi. 4t was the name of asocialite, a flighty woman who spent her days ma&ing out credit cards and who cared only for spa treatments and dinner parties.

4t hid her true identity.

For she was ($rael. (ngel of eath. %he brought darkness to the light. 4t was her gift and her curse.

%he was a )lue )lood. (s Charles had said, one of the strongest. Charles and 5awrence had been talking about the end of days. The

Fall. uring the war with 5ucifer, it had been ($rael and her twin, (bbadon, who had turned the tide, who had changed the course

of the last battle. They had betrayed their prince and 7oined Michael, kneeling to the golden sword. They had stayed true to the light,e"en though they were made of the dark.

Theirs had been a crucial desertion. 4f it were not for her and Jack, who could say who would ha"e won> 2ould 5ucifer be the king

of all kings on a hea"enly throne if they had not abandoned him> (nd what did they win anyway, but this endless life on earth. This

endless cycle of reparation and absolution. For whom and for what did they make amends> id od e"en know they e&isted

anymore> 2ould they e"er regain the paradise they had lost>


9/163

Had it been worth it> Mimi wondered as she took her seat at the Concla"e, only now noticing the grumblings among her peers.

%he looked to where orothea 3ockefeller was staring. The shock almost sent her reeling. 4nside the most protected, most secure

ha"en of the )lue )loods, and seated ne&t to 5awrence in a place of honor, was none other than the disgraced former 'enator, the

%il"er )lood traitor, @ingsley Martin.

He caught her eye and pointed two fingers in the shape of a gun in her direction. (nd @ingsley being @ingsley, he smiled as he

pretended to pull the trigger.

CHAPTER

Anlike most designers! showrooms, which were decorated in minimal, almost clinical style with hardly a floral arrangement to break

up the da$$lingly empty white rooms, the showcase interiors that housed the 3olf Morgan collection resembled the co$y uarters of

an old-fashioned gentlemen!s club? leather-bound books lined the shel"es, while suat club chairs and comfortable shag rugs were

arranged around a crackling fire. 3olf Morgan had come to fame by selling preppie, old-boy style to the masses, his most ubiuitouscreation a plain-collared shirt discreetly embroidered with his logo? a pair of crisscrossed crouet wickets.

)liss sat ner"ously on one of the leather armchairs, balancing her portfolio on her knees. %he!d had to lea"e school a few minutes

early in order to make her go-see appointment, yet had arri"ed to find the designer running half an hour late. Typical.

%he looked around at the other models, all bearing the same classic (merican good looks commonly found in a #Crouet by 3olf

Morgan# ad? sunburned cheeks, golden hair, upturned button noses. %he had no idea why the designer would be interested in her.

)liss looked more like a girl from a pre-3aphaelite painting, with her waist-long russet hair, pale skin, and wide green eyes, than thekind of girl who looked like she!d 7ust finished a rousing set of tennis. )ut then again, %chuyler had 7ust booked the show the other

day at the first casting, so perhaps they were looking for a different kind of girl this time.

#Can 4 get you girls anything> 2ater> iet soda># the smiling receptionist asked.

#0othing for me, thanks,# )liss demurred, while the other girls shook their heads as well. 4t was nice to be asked, to be offered

something. (s a model, she was used to being ignored or condescended to by the staff. 0o one was e"er "ery friendly. )liss likened

go-see appointments to the cattle inspections her grandfather used to perform on the ranch. He!d check the stock!s teeth, hoo"es, and


10/163

flanks. Models were treated 7ust like cattle - pieces of meat whose assets were weighed and measured.

)liss wished that the designer would hurry up and get it o"er with. %he!d almost canceled the meeting, and only a deep sense of

obligation to her agency


11/163

%chuyler looked up from her tuna sandwich. )liss wondered how %chuyler still had an appetite for normal food - )liss had long ago

lost the taste for it. %he could barely stand to eat her rare-cooked hamburger. Maybe it was because %chuyler was half human. )lissreached for a potato chip out of curiosity. %he took a bite. 4t was salty and not unpleasantly spicy. %he took another.

%chuyler looked thoughtful. #/kay, so some weird dude called you his daughter, big deal. 4t was 7ust a dream. (nd as for all the

other stuff - are you sure you!re not 7ust staying up too late watching 3ob Bombie mo"ies>#

#0o - it 7ust...# )liss shook her head, annoyed at being unable to impart 7ust how creepy this man was. (nd how it sounded like he

was telling her the truth. )ut how could that be> Her father was Forsyth 5lewellyn, the senator from 0ew ;ork. %he wondered about

her mother once again. Her father ne"er spoke of his first wife, and 7ust a few weeks ago )liss had been surprised to find a

photograph of her father with a blond woman who she!d always assumed to be her mother inscribed on the back with the words

#(llegra 'an (len.#

(llegra was %chuyler!s mother, 0ew ;ork City!s most famous comatose patient. 4f (llegra was her mother, did that make %chuylerher sister> (lthough, "ampires didn!t ha"e family in the 3ed )lood sense? they were the former children of od, immortal, with no

real mothers and fathers.

Forsyth was merely her #father# for this cycle. 8erhaps that was the same with (llegra. %he!d refrained from telling %chuyler her

disco"ery. %chuyler was protecti"e about her mother, and )liss was too shy to claim a connection to a woman she had ne"er e"en

met. %till, she!d felt a kinship to %chuyler e"er since she!d found the photograph.

#o you still get those - you know, blackouts># %chuyler asked.

)liss shook her head. The blackouts had stopped at about the same time the "isions had begun. %he didn!t know what was worse.

#%ky, do you e"er think about ylan># she asked tentati"ely.

#(ll the time. 4 wish 4 knew what happened to him,# %chuyler said, picking apart her sandwich and eating it one section at a time?

bread first, then a scoop of tuna, then a bite of the lettuce. #4 miss him. He was a good friend.#

)liss nodded. %he wondered how she could broach the sub7ect. %he had been keeping a huge secret for too long now. ylan, whom

e"eryone had gi"en up for dead, who!d been taken by a %il"er )lood, who!d completely disappeared...had come back, crashing


12/163

through her window 7ust two weeks ago and telling her the most outrageous stories. :"er since the night he had returned, )liss didn!t

know what to belie"e.

ylan had to be completely mental. Cra$y. 2hat he!d said that night. 4t 7ust didn!t make sense, but he was con"inced it was the god!s

honest truth. %he could ne"er talk him out of it, and lately he!d been threatening to do something. Just that morning he!d been

seriously unhinged. 3a"ing. %houting like a maniac. 4t had been hard to watch. %he!d promised him she would...she would...whatwould she do> %he had no idea.

#)liss 5lewellyn>#

#Here,# )liss replied, standing and tucking her portfolio under her arm.

#2e!re ready for you. %orry for the wait.#

#0ot a problem,# she said, gi"ing them her most professional smile. %he followed the girl into an airy room in the back. )liss had to

walk what seemed like the length of a football field to reach the small table where the designer was seated.

4t was always like this. They liked to watch you walk, and after you said hello, they!d ask you to 7ust turn around and walk again.

3olf was casting for his Fashion 2eek show, and seated ne&t to him were his team? a tanned, blond woman wearing dark glasses, a

thin effeminate man, and se"eral assistants.

#Hi, )liss,# 3olf said. #This is my wife, 3andy, and this is Cyrus, who!s putting the show together.#

#Hi.# )liss offered her hand and shook his firmly.

#2e!re well acuainted with your work,# 3olf said, taking a cursory glance at her photographs. He was a deeply tanned man withsalt-and-pepper hair. 2hen he crossed his arms, his muscles bulged. He looked like a cowboy, down to his custom-made alligator

boots. That is, if cowboys got their tans in %t. )arth!s and their shirts made in Hong @ong. #4n fact, we!re pretty sure you!re the girl

for us. 2e 7ust wanted to meet you.#

4nstead of putting )liss at ease, the designer!s friendliness made her e"en more ner"ous. The 7ob was now hers to lose. #/h, um,

okay.#


13/163

3andy Morgan, the designer!s wife, was the uintessential #Morgan girl,# down to the windswept hair. )liss knew she had been3olf!s first model, back in the se"enties, and still occasionally starred in some of the ad"ertising campaigns. 3andy pushed her

sunglasses on top of her head and ga"e )liss a brilliant smile. #The brand is going in a different direction for the show. 2e want to

set an :dwardian mood - old-fashioned romance. There!s going to be a lot of "el"et, a lot of lace, maybe e"en a corset or two in the

collection. 2e wanted a girl who didn!t look too contemporary.#

)liss nodded, not uite sure what they were getting at, since e"ery other brand that had booked her in the past thought she had

looked #contemporary# enough. #o you want me to walk or ... >#

#8lease.#

)liss headed to the back of the room, took a deep breath, and began to walk. %he walked as if she were walking in the moors at

night, as if she were alone in the fog. (s if she were a bit lost and dreamy. (nd 7ust as she hit the pi"ot marker, the room spun andshe had another "ision.

5ike she!d told %chuyler, she ne"er had blackouts anymore. %he could still see the showroom, as well as the designer and his team.;et there it was? seated in the middle between 3olf and his wife was a crimson-eyed beast with a sil"er forked tongue. Maggots were

crawling out of its eyes. %he wanted to scream. 4nstead she closed her eyes and kept walking.

2hen she opened her eyes, 3olf and his team were clapping.

(pocalyptic "isions or not, )liss was hired.

CHAPTER B

#4 missed you.# /li"er!s lips against her cheek were warm and soft, and %chuyler felt a sharp ache in her stomach at the depth of hisaffection.

#4 missed you too,# she whispered back. That was true enough. They had not been together like this for a fortnight. (nd while she

wanted to press her lips against his neck and do what came naturally, she stopped herself. %he didn!t need it right now, and she was

wary of doing it because of how it made her feel. The Caerimonia /sculor was a drug - tempting and irresistible. 4t ga"e her too


14/163

much power. Too much power o"er him.

%he couldn!t. 0ot here. 0ot now. 5ater. Maybe. )esides, it wasn!t safe. They were in the supply closet off the copy room. (nyone

could walk in and catch the two of them together. They had met, like they always did, in between the first and second bell after

fourth period. They had all of fi"e minutes.

#2ill you be there...tonight># /li"er asked, his "oice husky in her ear. %he wanted to run her fingers through his thick, caramel-

colored hair, but she restrained herself. 4nstead she pressed her nose against the side of his head. He smelled so clean.

How had they been friends for so long without her knowing what his hair smelled like> )ut now she knew? like grass after the rain.

He smelled so good she could cry. %he had failed him in e"ery way. He would ne"er forgi"e her if he truly understood what she had

done to him.

#4 don!t know,# %chuyler replied, hesitating. #4!ll try.# %he wanted to let him down as gently as she could. %he looked into his genial,handsome face, his warm ha$el eyes flecked with brown and gold.

#8romise,# /li"er!s "oice was cold. #8romise.# He pressed her tightly against him, and she was surprised at his strength. %he had noidea humans could be 7ust as strong as "ampires when the occasion arose.

Her heart tore. Charles Force was right. %he should keep away from him. %omeone was going to get hurt, and she couldn!t bear to

think of /li"er suffering because of her. %he wasn!t worth it. #/llie, you know 4 - #

#on!t say it. Just be there,# he said roughly, and let go of her so uickly she almost lost her balance. Then he was gone 7ust as fast,

lea"ing her alone in the dark room, feeling strangely bereft.

5ater that e"ening %chuyler $ipped through the dark rainy streets, a blur of sil"er in her new raincoat. %he could take a cab, but therewere none to be had in the rain, and she preferred to walk - or rather, glide. %he liked to fle& her "ampire muscles, liked how fast she

could be when she set her mind to it. %he!d walked the entire length of the island like a cat1 she!d mo"ed so uickly she had stayed

dry. There was not a drop of wet on her.

The building was one of those new da$$ling glass apartment buildings designed by the architect 3ichard Meier on the corner of

8erry %treet and the 2est %ide Highway. They gleamed like crystal in the dark foggy twilight. %chuyler ne"er got tired of looking at


15/163

them, they were so beautiful.

%chuyler slipped inside the side doors, relishing the "ampire speed that rendered her in"isible to the guard and the other residents.

%he passed on the ele"ator, preferring to use her otherworldly talents and run up the back stairs, taking the steps four, fi"e,

sometimes ten at a time. 4n seconds she was in the penthouse.

4t was warm in the apartment, and the streetlights below illuminated e"erything inside the floor-to-ceiling glass windows. %he

pressed the button to automatically draw the curtains. They!d left them open again, e&posed - ama$ing how their secret hiding place

was located in one of the most "isible buildings in Manhattan.

The housekeeper had set out logs for the fireplace, so %chuyler made a uick fire, easy as pushing another button. The flames rose

high and licked at the wood. %chuyler watched it burn1 then, as if seeing her future in the flames, put her head in her hands.

2hat was she doing here>

2hy had she come>

4t was wrong, what they were doing. He knew it. %he knew it. They had told each other it would be for the last time. (s if they

would be able to bear it. %he was both ecstatic and sorrowful at the prospect of their meeting.

%chuyler busied herself by emptying the dishwasher and setting the table. 5ighting the candles. %he hooked up the stereo to her i8od,

and soon 3ufus 2ainwright!s "oice echoed through the walls. 4t was a song of yearning - their fa"orite.

%he contemplated a bath, knowing her robe was hanging on a hook in the closet. There was so little e"idence of their presence in the

place - a few books, a set of clothes, a couple of toothbrushes. This was not a home, this was a secret.

%he looked at herself in the mirror - her hair was mussed and her eyes were bright. He would be here soon. /f course he would. He

was the one who had insisted.

The designated hour passed, yet no one arri"ed. %chuyler tucked her knees against her chest, trying to fight the rising tide of

disappointment.


16/163

%he had almost dropped off to sleep when there was a shadow on the terrace.

%chuyler looked up e&pectantly, feeling a mi&ture of anticipation and a deep and abiding sadness. Her heart was racing a million

miles a minute. :"en if she saw him e"ery day, it would always be like the first time.

#Hey, you,# a "oice said. (nd a boy appeared from the shadows.

)ut he was not the one she was waiting for.

(A4/ 3:C/340% (3CH4':?

3epository of History

C5(%%4F4: /CAM:0T?

(ltithronus Clearance /nly

Transcript of 'enator report filed *

%chuyler 'an (len? 0oticeable alienation from peers. 8refers the company of her Conduit, human male? /li"er Ha$ard-8erry.

%ur"i"or of two possible %il"er )lood attacks. 2ill continue to monitor, yet am con"inced it is unlikely she is the guilty party.

)liss 5lewellyn? 4nteresting case. Complains of headaches, di$$iness, #blackouts.# 8erhaps side effect of transformation> 2as

disco"ered drowning in Central 8ark lake night of **D. Managed to rescue sub7ect without re"ealing co"er.

Madeleine Force? 8ossesses significant dark power and displays flagrant disregard for rules, especially those concerning humanfamiliars.

A8(T: /0 ;5(0 2(3? 5ong 4sland team reports sub7ect sighted fleeing the 2ard house on %helter 4sland. Ha"e sent

reinforcements to bring him in.

CHAPTER


17/163

The meeting %as convened in regular #ashion+ The secretary too& roll+ All the old #amilies %ere re(resented the original seven

;"an Alen Cutler Oelrich "an Horn !chlumberger !te%art and Roc&e#eller< had gro%n to accommodate the 0le%ellyns the

$u(onts ;re(resented by a nervous'loo&ing Eliza %ho %as the late Priscilla*s nieceust as %ic&edly handsome as

ever but since he had been unmas&ed as a "enator he loo&ed older+ 4o longer the rebellious youth but serious and somberin a dar& coat and tie+

!everal members o# the Conclave e,changed raised eyebro%s and %hite'haired roo&s !te%art had a coughing #it that %as

severe enough #or Cushing Carondolet to (ound him on the bac& several times+ 5hen the ruc&us subsided :ingsley continued


18/163

%ithout comment+

2- bring grave ne%s+ There is a disturbance on the !outh American continent+ My team has detected ominous signs that (ointto a (ossible in#ractio+2

Mimi understood the %ord #rom the sacred language ' :ingsley %as telling telling them o# a brea&ing+ ut a brea&ing o# %hat3

25hat*s been going on32 $ashiell "an Horn %anted to &no%+ Mimi recognized him as the in/uisitor during her trial+

2Crac&s in the #oundation o# Corcovado+ !ome re(orts o# disa((earances o# Elders o# that Conclave+ Al#onso Almeida has not

returned #rom his usual so>ourn in the Andes+ His #amily is concerned+2

Esme !chlumberger snorted+ 2Al#ie >ust li&es to get lost in the %ilderness every year+ !ays it &ee(s him close to nature+ -t

doesn*t mean anything+2

2ut Corcovado ' that is troubling2 said Edmund Oelrich %ho %as no% chie# %arden since Priscilla*s death+

25ith %hat %e &no% o# the !ilver loods ' ho% one %as able to in#iltrate the Re(ository itsel# ' anything could be (ossible2:ingsley said+

2-ndeed2 $ashiell "an Horn agreed lo%ering his hal#'moon s(ectacles+

0a%rence nodded+ 28ou all &no% o# course o# the rumors that the !ilver loods #led to !outh America be#ore they

disa((eared+ The lue loods &e(t north and some believed the !ilver loods headed south to regrou(+ O# course %e have

never had any evidence o# this+ +++2

!everal members o# the Conclave s/uirmed visibly+ Ever since the attac& at the Re(ository they had to ac&no%ledge that

0a%rence the #ormer outcast had been right all along+ That the %ardens had %ill#ully ignored the signs had stuc& their heads

in the sand li&e a grou( o# ostriches too #ear#ul to acce(t the truth7 the !ilver loods the demons o# myth their ancient #oe

had returned+


19/163

25e didn*t have any evidence until no%+2 :ingsley nodded+ 2ut it loo&s as though 0a%rence*s sus(icions %ere correct+2

2-# Corcovado is com(romised - cannot stress ho% grave a danger %e are in2 0a%rence said+

2ut there have been no +++ deaths32 as&ed Eliza $u(ont in a timid voice+

24one that %e &no% o#2 :ingsley con#irmed+ 2One o# the young a 8ana Riberio has also been missing+ ut her mother thin&s

she has absconded %ith her boy#riend on an im(rom(tu %ee&end in Punta del Este2 he said %ith a smir&+

Mimi &e(t silent= she %as the only member %ho had yet to contribute to the discussion+ -n 4e% 8or& there had been nodeaths or attac&s since the night at the Re(ository+ !he #elt #rustrated that she couldn*t remember %hy Corcovado %as so

im(ortant ' obviously everyone else on the Conclave &ne% %hy but she didn*t+ -t %as annoying not to have come into her #ull

memories+

The %ord meant absolutely nothing to her+ And she %ould never as& anyone %hat it meant either ' she had %ay too much(ride+ Maybe she could get Charles to illuminate her although it seemed that ever since his resignation #rom the Conclave he

had little interest in anything save sitting in his room (oring over old boo&s and (hotogra(hs and listening to mu##ledrecordings on an old eight'trac&+

2As the attac& on the Re(ository has sho%n the !ilver loods are no longer a myth %e can choose to ignore+ 5e must act

/uic&ly+ Corcovado must hold2 0a%rence declared+

5hat on earth %as 0a%rence tal&ing about3 Mimi %ished she &ne%+

2!o+ 5hat is the (lan32 Edmund in/uired+ The atmos(here had shi#ted+ $istress at :ingsley*s (resence had trans#ormed intodistress at the ne%s he had brought+

:ingsley shu##led the (a(ers in #ront o# him+ 2-*ll be >oining my team in the ca(ital+ !ao Paolo is a rats* nest+ -t %ill ma&e a good

hiding (lace+ Then %e*ll ma&e #or Rio on #oot chec& out the situation in Corcovado tal& to some o# the #amilies+2


20/163

0a%rence nodded+ Mimi thought he %as going to dismiss the meeting but he didn*t+ -nstead he removed a cigar #rom his shirt

(oc&et+ :ingsley leaned #or%ard %ith a lit match and 0a%rence inhaled dee(ly+ !mo&e #illed the air+ Mimi %anted to %ave herhands and remind 0a%rence o# the Committee*s no'smo&ing rule but she didn*t dare+

The Regis regarded the table %ith a stern eye+ 2- am a%are that some o# you are %ondering %hy :ingsley is here today20a%rence said #inally addressing the /uestion burning in everyone*s mind+

He too& another (u## #rom his cigar+ 2Es(ecially concerning the evidence sho%n at the blood trial+ Ho%ever - have since

learned that the Martins and :ingsley in (articular are innocent+ Their actions %ere >usti#ied by the mission they %ere given

by the #ormer Regis+ .or the (rotection o# the Coven - cannot disclose any more in#ormation about this+2

Her #ather9 Charles had something to do %ith it ' but %hy %ouldn*t 0a%rence tell them %hat it %as3

25hat mission32 Edmund demanded+ 25hy %as the Conclave &e(t in the dar& about this32

2-t is not our (lace to /uestion the Regis2 .orsyth 0le%ellyn reminded shar(ly+

4an Cutler nodded+ 2-t is not our %ay+2

Mimi could see the table %as neatly divided in t%o7 hal# the members %ere indignant and an,ious %hile the other hal# %ere

(re(ared to acce(t 0a%rence*s statement %ith no /uestion+ 4ot that it mattered+ The Conclave %as not a democracy= theRegis %as an undis(uted leader %hose %ord %as la%+ Mimi trembled %ith barely su((ressed rage+ 5hat ha((ened to the

Conclave that had condemned her to burn >ust a #e% months ago3 -t %asn*t #air9 Ho% could they trust a 2re#ormed2 !ilver

lood3

25ould anyone care to #ormerly lodge a dissent32 0a%rence as&ed casually+ 2Edmund3 $ashiell32

$ashiell bo%ed his head+ 24o+ 5e have (ut our #aith in you 0a%rence+2


21/163

Edmund gave a grudging nod+

2Than& you+ :ingsley is once again a voting member o# the Conclave %ith #ull "enator status+ )oin me in %elcoming him bac&to the #old+ 5ithout :ingsley %e %ould not have &no%n about Corcovado so early+2

There %as a smattering o# a((lause+

The meeting ad>ourned and the Elders divided into %his(ering grou(s+ Mimi noticed 0a%rence tal&ing in hushed tones %ith

4an Cutler+

:ingsley %al&ed u( to Mimi and (ut a light hand on her elbo%+ 2- %anted to tell you that -*m sorry about %hat ha((ened+ Thetrial and all+2

28ou set me u(2 she hissed sha&ing o## his arm+

2-t %as inevitable+ !till -*m glad to see you*re %ell2 he said+ ut his tone o# voice indicated that her %ell'being didn*t matter tohim in the slightest+

CHAPTER D

Theboy stepped into the light, his face illuminated by the fire. He looked the same - the same sad eyes, the same mess of black hair.

He was wearing the same dirty T-shirt and 7eans that %chuyler remembered him wearing the last time she!d seen him.

#ylan6 )ut how> 2hat happened> 2here ha"e you been># %he ran to hug him, an ecstatic smile on her face. ylan6 (li"e6 He was

not e&pected, but he was "ery welcome. %he had so many uestions to ask him? what happened the night he disappeared> How had

he escaped from the %il"er )loods> How was it possible that he sur"i"ed>

;et as soon she got close to him, she reali$ed something was "ery wrong. ylan!s face was grim, angry. His eyes were unfocused

and bordering on hysteria.

#2hat!s going on>#


22/163

5ightning-fast, ylan pushed %chuyler with his mind, a telepathic sho"e - %5(M6 - but %chyler was faster and ducked the mind-

blow.

#ylan6 2hat are you doing>6# %he held up her hands as if to shield herself, as though she could protect herself with a physical

barrier.

%5(M6 (nother one. This time the suggestion was to throw herself off the balcony.

%chuyler choked, her brain feeling like it might e&plode from the pressure it was fighting.

%he fled to the terrace, not able to stop the suggestion from taking o"er her senses. %he looked o"er her shoulder. ylan was right

behind her. He looked manic and cruel, as if possessed by some malicious force.

#2hy are you doing this># she cried, as he sent yet another wrenching, agoni$ing command.

JAM86

;es. %he must comply, she must obey - JAM86 - yes, she will, but if she is not careful, and she has no time to be ... she could lose

her footing...she could.../h od, what if 5awrence is wrong> 2hat if she isn!t immortal> %he is half human after all...2hat if she

doesn!t sur"i"e> 2hat if, unlike the other )lue )loods, the cycle of sleep and rest and reincarnation doesn!t pertain to her. 2hat if

this one life is all she has> )ut it is much too late to worry about that now - she has no choice. JAM86 %he can!t see where she!s

going, she is flailing and scrabbling for purchase...He!s right behind her, so she!s going to...

%he leaps from the terrace, flying...

0o time, no time to scramble for another ledge, no time to grasp a rail...The sidewalk looming...

%chuyler braced herself for impact and landed on her feet. /n her boots. THA. 3ight into the middle of a stylish mob huddled infront of the 8erry %t. restaurant. 0ew ;orkers abandoned to the elements because they smoked.

(nd in a flash, ylan was right behind her. %o fast, he was so "ery fast...


23/163

Then a powerful coercion took o"er? this was no mere suggestion - this was a control-lock. Crushing. This was what 5awrence had

told her was the little-known fifth factor of the glom. The Consummo (lienari. Complete loss of one!s mind to another.

For the 3ed )loods, alienari meant instant death. For the "ampires, it wrought irre"ocable paralysis - the mind taken o"er so that

one!s will was completely subsumed. 5awrence had told her that taking the blood and the memories of fellow "ampires, performing

the Caerimonia /sculor on their own kind, was not the only thing %il"er )loods were known for. They had many other tortures andtricks up their slee"e. They did not drain all of their "ictims1 some of them were left to li"e because they were more useful to the

%il"er )loods as pawns.

%chuyler felt a hea"iness as the force of the alienari settled in ... she was about to succumb1 so much easier to surrender rather than to

fight...she felt herself weakening under its hold...2hat would be left of her if he succeeded> %he thought of her mother, ali"e but not

ali"e, would that be her fate> %he was woo$y on her feet, swaying1 it would be o"er soon. )ut then she found something in the dark

efflu"ium - like a tail, the tail of the glom - and she was able to isolate the signal, able to figure out which part was trying to control

her, and she twisted it around, like wrestling an alligator - flipped it on its head - and soon she was taking o"er, and she was bendingit to her will, and -

ylan is screaming - he is the one in pain - he is the one backed up against the wall, unable to mo"e while her mind holds his in hergrasp. %he can feel it, can feel her dominance taking o"er, greedily e&ulting o"er its triumph. %he is suee$ing him - his entire being

- with her mind. 4t is like a "ise -

%he is killing him...

%oon he will no longer be himself...but an e&tension of her will...

Antil...

#%CHA;5:36 %T/86#

#/0!T6#

#%CHA;5:36# ( roar.


24/163

Her name. %omeone was calling her name. /li"er. Telling her to stop.

%chuyler released her hold, but not completely. %he was still holding out her hand, and twenty feet away, ylan was pinned to a

wall. Held there by her mind. He was gurgling. He couldn!t breathe.

#85:(%:6# 4t was a girl!s "oice this time. )liss.

There. %he let go.

ylan sagged to the ground.

CHAPTER

)lissran as fast as she could. %he had seen the whole thing. %he was in the cab and she!d seen it all? %chuyler!s 7ump, ylan coming

after, the chase, the re"ersal. %he!d witnessed ylan!s anguish and %chuyler!s mastery.

/h od, don!t let her ha"e killed him.

#ylan6# )liss kneeled by his side. He lay facedown on the sidewalk, so she turned him o"er gently and took him in her arms. He

was so thin...7ust skin and bones underneath a T-shirt. %he held him tenderly like a baby bird. He was damaged and pathetic, but he

was hers. Tears streamed down her cheeks. #ylan6#

2hen she!d arri"ed home after her go-see appointment and he wasn!t there to meet her as they!d planned, she!d known immediately

that something was wrong. %he called /li"er and told him to meet her at the 8erry %treet apartment building as soon as he could.ylan had been saying all along he was going to do something, and now he had. 5uckily, )liss knew where to find him because she

knew %chuyler!s secret and where she was going to be that night.

ylan opened his eyes. He recoiled when he saw )liss, and then turned to %chuyler and snarled in a deep, booming rumble,

#(rgento Croatus6#

#(re you insane># %chuyler asked, /li"er standing by protecti"ely. %he couldn!t belie"e her ears. ylan had 7ust called her a %il"er

)lood. 2hat was going on> 2hat had happened to him> 2hy did his "oice sound like that>


25/163

#ylan, stop it. %ky - he doesn!t know what he!s talking about,# )liss said ner"ously. #ylan, please, you!re not making sense.#

ylan spaced out, his pupils dilating rapidly as if a flashlight were shining in his eyes. Then he started laughing in a high-pitched

sueal.

#;ou!"e known he was back and you didn!t tell me,# %chuyler said, and the accusation hung in the air between them.

#;es.# )liss took a sharp breath. #4 didn!t want to tell you because...# )ecause you would tell the Concla"e. ;ou would ha"e them

take him away. (nd yes, he!s changed. He!s different. He!s not the same. %omething awful and unspeakable has happened to him.

)ut 4 still lo"e him. ;ou understand, don!t you> ;ou, who wait in an apartment for a boy who does not arri"e.

%chuyler nodded. The two of them understood each other without speaking. 4t was the "ampire way.

#%till, he can!t be like this1 we!"e got to get him help.# %chuyler mo"ed closer to the two of them.

#on!t touch me,# ylan snarled. %uddenly, he leaped to his feet and grabbed )liss by the throat, his bony fingers pressing "iolentlyon her pale neck.

#4f you!re not going to help me, then you!re one of them,# he said menacingly, tightening his grip.

)liss began to cry. #ylan...don!t.#

%chuyler lunged toward ylan, but /li"er restrained her. #2ait,# he said. #2ait - 4 can!t let you get hurt again...#

Meanwhile, ylan pushed )liss further and further with his mind, his fury relentless, his power only more frightening in itsrecklessness. )liss dropped to her knees. There would be no telepathic gymnastics on her part.

0ow it was %chuyler!s turn to scream. %chuyler!s turn to beg him to stop.

ylan took no notice of them, and stroked )liss!s cheek with his other hand. He leaned in, his mouth on her neck. %chuyler could see

his fangs appear. They were about to draw blood.


26/163

#0o...ylan...please,# )liss whispered. #0o...#

#5et me go.# %chuyler shook /li"er off her. )liss watched as her friend frantically prepared an incantation that would break ylan!s

hold.

)ut 7ust before %chuyler could send the coercion, ylan!s shoulders shook and he sank to the ground of his own "olition, abruptly

releasing his "ictim. )liss crumpled to the floor, "iolet imprints from his fingers blooming on her neck.

ylan put his head between his knees and sobbed.

#2hat the hell 7ust happened># he cried, and finally his was a "oice )liss recogni$ed. For the first time that e"ening, ylan sounded

like himself.

CHAPTER F

2Try it2 Mimi said holding a s(oon on %hich a gelatinous mound /uivered+ 2-t*s delicious+2

Her brother loo&ed sus(iciously at the a((etizer+ ?elG o# sea urchin %ith #oamed as(aragus did not sound good+ ut he too&a bite man#ully+

2!ee32 Mimi smiled+

24ot bad+2 )ac& nodded+ !he %as right as al%ays+

They %ere seated in a (rivate ban/uette in a restaurant located in the gleaming Time 5arner Center+ A restaurant that %as

#or the time being the most e,(ensive and most celebrated restaurant in Manhattan+ ?etting a reservation at Per !e %as a&into getting an audience %ith the (o(e+ 4ear im(ossible+ ut that*s %hat $addy*s secretaries %ere #or+

Mimi li&ed the ne% mall as she called it+ -t %as shiny and glossy and slic& >ust li&e the .orce To%er+ -t smelled thrillingly

e,(ensive li&e a ne% Mercedes+ The building and everything in it %as a (aean to ca(italism and money+ 8ou couldn*t s(end


27/163

less than #ive hundred dollars #or a meal #or t%o at any o# its #our'star restaurants+ This %as (ost'boom seven'#igure'bonus

4e% 8or& the 4e% 8or& o# #inanciers and ready'made billionaires the 4e% 8or& o# brash hedge'#und >oc&eys %ith shellac&ed

tro(hy %ives #launting their li(oscul(ted (hysi/ues and couture hair e,tensions+

)ac& o# course hated it+ )ac& (re#erred a city that he had never even e,(erienced+ He %a,ed nostalgic about the legendary

days o# the "illage %hen anyone #rom )ac&son Polloc& to $ylan Thomas could be #ound %andering the cobblestoned streets+He li&ed grit and dirt and a Times !/uare that %as &no%n #or its hustlers and three'card'monte dealers and underground >uicebars ;since stri( clubs couldn*t serve alcohol


28/163

2He must have good reason #or it2 )ac& said his eyes lighting u( as the %aiter brought ne% delectables+ He loo&ed

disa((ointed to #ind it %as >ust a dollo( o# (otato salad+ Mimi #ro%ned as %ell+ !he %as e,(ecting gastronomic #ire%or&s not a(icnic dish+ ut one bite changed her mind+ 2This is +++ the+++best (otato salad +++ in the %orld+2 )ac& agreed as he busily

devoured his+

2This is nice isn*t it32 Mimi said indicating the room and the vie% o# Central Par&+ !he reached across the table and too& hishand+

Almost getting &illed in "enice %as (robably the best thing to have ha((ened to their relationshi(+ .aced %ith the (ros(ect o#

losing his t%in #orever )ac& became the soul o# devotion+

!he still remembered ho% he*d held her the night a#ter the lood Trial+ His #ace had aged overnight %ith %orry+ 2- %as so

a#raid+ - %as so a#raid o# losing you+2

Mimi had been moved enough to #orgive his transgressions+ 24ever my love+ 5e %ill be together al%ays+2

A#ter that there had been no more tal& o# !chuyler+ Even %hen the little rat had moved into their home )ac& remained coldand indi##erent+ He never s(o&e to her he barely even loo&ed at her+ As #ar as Mimi could tell secretly (robing his mind %hen

his guard %as do%n he never thought about !chuyler at all+ !he %as sim(ly an irritating houseguest+ 0i&e a blemish you

couldn*t erase+

Maybe she had accom(lished %hat she*d %anted a#ter all+ !he hadn*t been able to get rid o# !chuyler but the attac& had

succeeded in securing the love o# her vam(ire t%in+

2utter'(oached lobster2 the %aiter murmured silently setting do%n t%o ne% dishes+ 2!o - %as thin&ing %e might as %ellinvite everyone to the bonding2 Mimi said in bet%een bites+ )ac& grunted+

2Oh - &no%+ 8ou li&e the old'#ashioned %ay >ust the t%o o# us in the moonlight blah blah blah+ ut remember 4e%(ort3 4o%

that %as a (arty+ And you &no% having the .our Hundred at a bonding is the %ay to go no%+ - heard $aisy "an Horn and Toby


29/163

Abeville >ust got bonded in ali+ -t %as a *destination bonding+*2 Mimi tittered+

)ac& signaled the %aiter #or another bottle o# %ine+ 28ou &no% most Red loods these days %ait until their thirties to %ed+5hat*s the rush32 he as&ed regarding %ith su(reme satis#action the seventh ' or %as it eighth3 ' course7 a bo%l o# chilled (ea

sou(+

25ell my blood is blue my #riend+2 Mimi curled her li(+ True the Red loods they &ne% did %ait a ridiculously long time #ortheir bondings but those %ere mere earthly %eddings+ Humans bro&e their vo%s every day %ith no conse/uence+ This %as a

celestial situation+ 5hile it %as tradition #or vam(ire t%ins to bond on their t%enty'#irst birthday Mimi sa% no reason to %ait

until then and there %as nothing in the Code that said they couldn*t do it earlier+ The sooner they said their vo%s the better+

5hen the oaths %ere e,changed their souls %ould mold to each other+ 4othing could come bet%een them+ They %ould

become one in this li#etime as they had in all their others+ Once the bond %as sealed it could not be bro&en #or the cycle+

!chuyler %ould become nothing more than a distant memory+ )ac& %ould #orget %hatever #eelings he had #or her+ The bond%or&ed in mysterious and irrevocable %ays+ Mimi had seen it in li#etimes be#ore ' ho% her t%in %ould (ine #or ?abrielle ;%ho

%as no% Allegra "an Alen in this cycle< in his youth but once he said his vo%s he %ould not even remember her name+Azrael %ould be the only dar& star in his universe+

2!houldn*t %e graduate #rom high school #irst32 )ac& as&ed+

Mimi didn*t listen+ !he %as already (lanning to get #itted #or her bonding dress+ 2Or - don*t &no% maybe %e could elo(e to

Me,ico %hat do you thin&32

)ac& smiled and continued to eat his sou(+

CHAPTER I

4t occurred to %chuyler that the last time she was at the /deon, she had been with /li"er and ylan. 4t was 7ust o"er a year ago -

ylan had recently transferred to uchesne, and /li"er!s dri"er had taken them downtown. They had wandered the streets, in and out

of shops and bookstores and record stores, poking in apothecary 7ars and getting their palms read by a gypsy woman on the sidewalk.

Then at the end of the day, they!d trooped into the restaurant, into one of the comfortable, cracked-leather red booths and had eaten


30/163

moules frites while ylan ordered beers with his fake 4 and told them stories about being kicked out of e"ery prep school in the

northeast corridor.

ylan was telling them a new story now, )liss sitting uietly by his side.

He was telling them about what had happened to him.

0ow that he wasn!t trying to kill her, ylan didn!t seem so scary, so ... cra$y and unfocused. 0ow he 7ust looked too thin, like a cat

left out in the rain while its owners were on "acation. His eyes were hooded, and there were black bruises on his cheeks. His skin

looked 7aundiced and he had cuts - little cuts e"erywhere on his forearms, as if he!d walked through glass. Maybe he had.

/li"er put an arm around %chuyler. (fter what 7ust happened, he had gone beyond caring who would see them together. (nd for

once %chuyler agreed. %he liked his hand there. 5iked feeling protected. Her mind drifted to the empty apartment on 8erry %treet.

)ut she made herself focus on ylan.

#4 don!t remember much, really. 4 ran away, you know. 4 went to the old 2ard House, on %helter 4sland ... 4 took some refuge there.

)ut the beast caught up with me e"entually. 4 don!t remember much of what happened, but 4 managed to get away again, and thistime 4 got some help.

#'enators,# he continued in an awed tone. #;ou know about them, right>#

They nodded. They also knew that one had been sent to uchesne. )liss told them about how @ingsley Martin was back. Her father

had been at the Concla"e meeting that afternoon. )ut %chuyler didn!t pay attention to the news1 she wanted to know what had

happened to ylan.

#(nyway, they let me stay with them, they took care of me while 4 was recuperating. /ne of the %)!s got me pretty bad in the neck.)ut the 'enators said it was all right, that 4 hadn!t been !corrupted,! you know...!turned! into one of them. (nyway# - he looked at

%chuyler warily - #4 o"erheard their con"ersations...how the Concla"e had finally disco"ered who was the %il"er )lood among us,and they said - #

#They said it was me, didn!t they># %chuyler asked, taking a french fry off /li"er!s plate.


31/163

ylan didn!t deny it. #They said it was you, that you were the one. The night at The )ank. The last thing 4 remember was hanging

out with you, %chuyler, and they said you were the one who!d attacked me.#

#o you belie"e that># she asked.

#4 don!t know what to belie"e.#

#o you e"en know who she is># /li"er demanded. #4 mean, 4!m glad you!re back and all, man, but you!re talking smack. %chuyler

is... Her mom is...# /li"er was so angry he couldn!t finish.

#o you know the story of abrielle># %chuyler asked.

#( little,# ylan admitted. #abrielle, the Ancorrupted, who was bonded to Michael, 8ure of Heart. The only "ampires who didn!t

sin against the almighty. 4n this cycle, Michael!s name is Charles Force. %o what>#

#abrielle is my mother,# she told him.

#%how him,# )liss urged.

%chuyler pushed the large man!s watch she wore on her right wrist. 8ushed it up the same way she!d seen Charles do it the night she

had accused him of being the %il"er )lood. How funny that now she had to resort to clearing her name in e&actly the same way.

:tched in her skin, 7ust like on Charles!s, was the mark. 4t was raised, as if burned there, a sigil. ( sword piercing clouds.

#2hat is it># ylan asked.

#The mark of the (rchangel,# /li"er e&plained. #%he!s a aughter of the 5ight. There is no way she!s a %il"er )lood. %he!s the

opposite. %he!s what they fear.#

%chuyler touched the mark. 4t had always been there, since she was born. %he!d thought it simply an odd birthmark, until 5awrence

had pointed it out.


32/163

ylan stared at the mark. 4t shone. He crossed himself. He looked down at his plate of steak frites. #Then who were they - the

'enators who helped me># he asked, his "oice hoarse.

/li"er smiled thinly. He tapped the table in front of his friend. #4sn!t it ob"ious>#

#0o.#

#4 know e&actly who they were. They were the %il"er )loods.#

(A4/ 3:C/340% (3CH4':?

3epository of History

C5(%%4F4: /CAM:0T?

(ltithronus Clearance /nly

Transcript of 'enator report filed *E

;5(0 2(3 A8(T:? %ub7ect has been interrogated and released.

Transcript of interrogation destroyed in accordance with 3egis Mandate ***.

CHAPTER 1J

#(re you sure you!ll be okay># )liss looked around the dirty hotel room. %he!d ne"er been inside. ylan had always insisted they

meet in the lobby of the Chelsea Hotel. The hotel itself had seen better days. 4t was dilapidated and falling apart, one of the old 0ew;ork landmarks with a literary and scandalous past. The Chelsea was where a heroin-mad %id 'icious allegedly stabbed 0ancy

%pungen, where ylan Thomas died an alcoholic. 4t was also the place that inspired )ob ylan!s #%ara#


33/163

shocked and happy to see him. %he!d ne"er truly belie"ed he was gone, but it was still mind-blowing to find out he was ali"e.

That night she!d begged him to stay nearby, but he had insisted on this hotel. He felt safer downtown he said, and had shuddered at

the thought of spending another night in one of those fi"e-star plush hotel suites the Concla"e had trapped him in while he was being

in"estigated for (ggie Carondolet!s death.

The night he!d returned, she!d wanted to be close to him, to feel his body ne&t to hers. %he!d felt a closer kinship to him knowing he

was like her, a "ampire, than a mere 3ed )lood she could suck dry. )efore he!d left, they!d had...not uite a relationship, but more

than a flirtation. They!d been about to start something...%he still remembered the taste of his skin, the feel of his hands underneath

her shirt.

)ut ylan hadn!t shown any interest in picking up where they!d left off. 2hile he!d ne"er re7ected her outright, she still felt rebuffed

romantically. That first night, she had tried to put her arms around him, and he!d hugged her impatiently, uickly letting go as if

touching her repulsed him. He!d demanded they go seek %chuyler and confront her, and )liss had spent hours talking him out of hisplan. They had argued, and she had marched him to this hotel, where he had been holed up since...

4n this dirty, smelly suite. idn!t they ha"e housekeeping> 2hy was this allowed> 0ewspapers stacked waist-high, empty canslittered about, ashtrays o"erflowing with cigarette butts.

#%orry for the mess.#

%he took a seat on the corner of a plaid sofa that was co"ered with the remains of the %unday Times. %he suddenly felt so tired. %he!d

been waiting for him to come back, dreaming about it for so long - and now he was here, but it was nothing at all like she!d

imagined. :"erything was wrong, wrong, wrong. He had tried to hurt %chuyler1 he had tried to hurt her.

(s if he knew what she was thinking, ylan spoke. #)liss, 4 don!t know what came o"er me back there. ;ou know 4 wouldne"er...ne"er ...#

)liss nodded curtly. %he wanted to belie"e him, but the strength of his force of will on her mind still throbbed. He had done this to

her, cut her with a knife - a mental one, but that did not diminish the sharpness of its blade.

ylan sat ne&t to her on the couch and pulled her to him. 2hat was he doing> 0ow he wanted to kiss her> 0ow he wanted them to


34/163

be together> 2hen he!d done nothing but make her belie"e he didn!t want that>

%he had to agree with %chuyler and /li"er. ylan was dangerous. He had changed. 2as he corrupted> 2as he turning into a %il"er

)lood> He!d taken (ggie, hadn!t he> (fter their meeting at the /deon they had placed ylan in the back of a ta&i, and )liss had had

a uick, whispered conference with %ky and /llie.

#He can!t be alone.#

#4!ll stay with him,# she!d promised them.

#)e careful. He!s not the same.#

#He!s not sane.#

#4 know,# )liss admitted.

#2hat are we going to do>#

#2e!ll figure it out. 2e always do.# That was /li"er. (lways optimistic.

(nd now here she was, in this dirty, smelly room, with the boy she!d once lo"ed so much her heart had ached for months after his

disappearance.

ylan peeled off his 7acket. 4t was a nylon one, a light beige windbreaker, the kind they sold at warehouse stores where you could

buy tires in the same aisle as your underwear. %he dimly remembered stuffing a bloody leather 7acket in the trash. 2hate"er

happened to that> 4ncinerated.

%he stiffened as his hand gra$ed her arm lightly.

#2hat are you doing># she asked, wanting to be angry but feeling a rushing, ueasy e&citement instead. He was so different from the

3ed )lood boys she!d had. Mimi was right - there was something about being with your own kind that got the blood flowing in a

different way.


35/163

He nu$$led her cheek. #)liss...# The way he said her name, so softly, so intimately, his breath warm in her ear.

#%tay with me,# he said. )efore she could e"en halfheartedly protest, he had deftly maneu"ered it so they were lying on the couch,

her knees underneath his, his thighs pressing against hers, his hands entwined in her hair, and she was running her hands all o"er his

chest - he!d gotten scrawny, but there was a hardness to his muscles that hadn!t been there before - then his tongue was in her

mouth...and it was so sweet...%he could feel the tears behind her eyes slipping down her cheek, and he was kissing those away

too...od, she had missed him...He had hurt her, but maybe you only hurt the ones you lo"e>

He fumbled for the hem of her shirt, and she helped him lift it up1 he buried his face in the hollow beneath her neck, and then

suddenly he 7umped away, as if burned.

#;ou still ha"e that thing,# he said, leaning as far back as he could, pressed up against the other end of the couch, away from her.

#8alma iabolos ...# He was speaking in a language she could not understand.

#2hat># she asked, still di$$y from his kisses. %till feeling drunk with his scent. %he looked at where he was pointing.

The necklace. 5ucifer!s )ane. The emerald hung in a chain o"er her heart. %omehow she had ne"er returned it to her father!s safe.

%omehow she had gotten into the habit of wearing it e"erywhere.

4t comforted her to know it was there. 2hen she touched it, she felt...better. %afe. More like herself.

ylan looked stricken. #4 can!t kiss you with that thing around your neck.#

#2hat># )liss pulled her shirt back o"er her head.

He continued to look as if he!d been poisoned. #;ou!"e been wearing that all along. %o that!s why 4 couldn!t ... 4 knew there was a

reason.# Then he was babbling again. 4n a different language. This time it sounded Chinese.

)liss put her shirt back on. He was incredible. %he!d been a total idiot. /kay, so maybe she!d promised %chuyler and /li"er she!d

keep an eye on him, but it wasn!t like he was a danger anymore. He knew %chuyler wasn!t a %il"er )lood. 8lus, he was old enough to

take care of himself.


36/163

%he certainly wasn!t going to stay here one second longer. %he was humiliated. %he had no idea how he really felt about her. He ranhot and cold. /ne minute he was ripping her clothes off, and the ne&t minute he was cringing away from her as if her body were the

most disgusting thing he!d e"er seen. %he was tired of this game.

#;ou!re lea"ing># ylan asked as she gathered her things and headed toward the door.

#For now.#

He ga$ed at her sadly. #4 miss you when you!re gone.#

)liss nodded as if he!d 7ust told her something innocuous about the weather. ylan could take his hangdog eyes and his se&y "oice

somewhere else. %he 7ust wanted to be alone.

CHAPTER 11

20ast call guys2 the %aitress in#ormed them 2Another Cam(ari32 she as&ed Oliver+

He rattled the ice cubes and em(tied his coc&tail glass in one gul(+ 2!ure+2

2Anything #or you32

!chuyler considered another glass o# )ohnnie 5al&er lac&+ !he used to hate the taste o# %his&ey but lately had develo(ed a

li&ing #or it+ -t %as #iery and s%eet and succulent ' the closest thing you could get to the taste o# blood+ Oliver had once as&ed

her to describe %hat it tasted li&e since he didn*t see the a((eal+ To him blood tasted metallic and #aintly s%eet+ !chuylere,(lained that vam(ires tasted blood %ith a di##erent sense ' it %as li&e drin&ing #ire+

Hence her ne%#ound love o# %his&ey+

2!ure %hy not2 she told the %aitress+ -t %asn*t li&e it %as going to get her drun&+ Although Oliver loo&ed li&e he %as %ell on

his %ay+ He*d come into the habit o# #orti#ying himsel# %ith alcohol %henever they got together+ !ure he %asn*t drun& %hen


37/163

they %ere together at school ' but those abru(t reunions %ere so brie# it didn*t matter+ ut she noticed %henever they s(ent a

substantial amount o# time together he %as al%ays a little buzzed+

The %aitress returned %ith t%o coc&tail glasses #illed to the brim+ -t %as %ay (ast midnight and the only (eo(le le#t in the

(lace %ere groggy'eyed club&ids getting breaast a#ter a late night s(ent at velvet'ro(e cham(agnalias or groggy'eyed

club&ids getting breaast be#ore an early'morning stint at a#ter'hours lounges %here no alcohol %as served and the clientele(re#erred their highs to be chemical ones+

Oliver si((ed his coc&tail through a red stra%+ !he #ound it endearing ho% he li&ed s%eet things+ Oliver hated beer and all the

usual tra((ings o# %hat he called 2el >oc&o'Americano+2 !omeho% the girly drin&s made him more manly in !chuyler*s eyes+

He %asn*t a#raid to be himsel#+

-t %as so nice to #inally hang out %ith Oliver in (ublic+ !he couldn*t very %ell sin& her #angs into him %ith other (eo(le around+

0ately %henever they %ere alone it hovered in the air an e,(ectation on his (art and !chuyler had missed their easy#riendshi(+ !he rela,ed in his com(any+

25hy do you drin& so much around me32 she as&ed trying to &ee( her voice light+

2-*m o##ended+ 8ou thin& -*m a lush32

2A little+2

2- don*t &no%+2 He loo&ed u( at the ceiling instead o# loo&ing at her directly+ 2$ude you scare me sometimes+2

!chuyler %anted to laugh+ 2- scare you32

28eah you*re all ' vam(ire su(er%oman+ 8ou could have really done some damage to him you &no%+2 Oliver grinned

although !chuyler &ne% he %as more troubled than he let on+

2He*s #ine2 she sna((ed+ !he didn*t really %ant to d%ell on %hat could have ha((ened bac& there+ !he had had $ylan in her


38/163

gras(+ !he had #elt his mind bo%ing to hers+ Had #elt all his memories screaming to be let #ree+ And she had %anted nothing

more than to crush all o# them ' silence all their voices+ !he*d had it in her (o%er to do so+ -t %as a sobering thought so she

too& another si( o# her drin&+

2He*s not #ine2 Oliver said+ 28ou &no% %e have to tell 0a%rence about him don*t you3 They*ll have to do something about it+

He*s sho%ing classic signs o# corru(tion+ $elusions hysteria mania+2

A busboy cleared their table and gave them the eye+ !chuyler &ne% they should leave the sta## %as ready to go home+ ut

she %anted to linger %ith Oliver >ust a %hile longer+ 2Ho% do you &no% all this32

2- did my reading+ 8ou &no% the stu## 0a%rence told us to loo& u(32

Right+ !chuyler #elt guilty+ !he had been remiss on her vam(ire lessons+ 0a%rence had been using Oliver to &ee( her abreast

on her studies+ !he should be concentrating on re#ining her strengths on shar(ening her s&ills but instead she*d beendistracted+ The Perry !treet a(artment+++

2$o you thin& $ylan %as lying to us32 she as&ed+

24o - thin& he thought he %as telling us the truth as much as he &ne%+ ut he*s obviously been mani(ulated+2 Oliver crac&ed

ice cubes in his mouth+ 2- don*t &no% i# - believe he ever really got a%ay #rom them+ - thin& they let him go+2

!chuyler became silent+ They had let him go so that he could #inish the >ob he*d #ailed at be#ore+ $ylan had attac&ed her 't%ice ' be#ore he*d suddenly disa((eared+ They*d chosen him because he %as close to her %as one o# her best #riends+ !he

couldn*t deny it7 someone %anted her &illed+ !he %anted to share this realization %ith Oliver but &e(t it to hersel#+ He %orried

about her enough+

Oliver glanced at the bill and (ut do%n his credit card+ 2!o ho% are things over at the $eath !tar32

2The same+2 !chuyler smiled although she #elt sic& enough to thro% u(+ -t %as hard to see Oliver and not hate hersel#

because o# %hat she %as doing to him+


39/163

2!o+++2 Oliver sighed+ !chuyler &ne% %here this %as going and %ished once again that she hadn*t made him her #amiliar+

2!o32

The %aitress returned %ith the credit'card sli( and hinted that i# they stayed any longer they*d have to leave through the bac&entrance+

Oliver (oc&eted his card and tried to ta&e another gul( o# his already em(ty drin&+ 2- %as on my %ay to meet you at the

Mercer %hen liss called+ !he said you %ere do%n here on Perry !treet+ - thought that %as &ind o# odd since %e*d agreed

%e*d meet at the Mercer as usual but she said she %as (ositive you*d be there+ 5hat %ere you doing in that buildingany%ay32

!chuyler %ouldn*t loo& him in the eye+ 2Modeling thing+ 0inda .arns%orth has a (lace #or the models to crash there+ liss and -go there sometimes to hang out %ith a cou(le other girls+ - didn*t realize the time+ -*m sorry - &e(t you %aiting+2

25ell um since %e didn*t get to meet li&e %e*d (lanned do you %ant to+++2

-t %as easier to rebu## him this time since she*d already made her decision earlier+ !chuyler shoo& her head+ 24o -*ve got to

be bac& #or the cur#e%+ -*m late enough as it is and i# Charles #inds out ' 2

2.uc& Charles+2 Oliver #lic&ed a tooth(ic& across the table so it landed on the #loor+ 2- mean ?od sometimes -*m so tired o# allthis shit+2

2Ollie ' 2

2- >ust %ant us to be together2 he said loo&ing at the ceiling again+ 2- mean - &no% it*s not (ossible+ ut %hy not3 5hy should

%e #ollo% the old la%s3 5hy should anyone care any%ay32 he railed+ 2$on*t you %ant us to be together32 he challenged an

edge to his voice+


40/163

!chuyler %as moved to ta&e his hand in hers+ 2- do Ollie you &no% - do+2 He %as her ally her (artner'in'crime her

conscience and her com#ort+

Oliver*s #ace trans#ormed into a loo& o# utmost ha((iness and satis#action+ He smiled at her then and !chuyler ho(ed %ith all

her heart that he %ould never #ind out the truth+

CHAPTER 1@

-t %as late %hen Mimi and )ac& #inally %obbled out o# Per !e+ The bill #or their meal %as in the #our'#igure range not that Mimi%as sur(rised+ !he %as so used to (aying e,orbitant (rices #or everything in her li#e she sometimes com(lained %hen she

discovered something %as chea(er than she*d e,(ected+ 25hat do they thin& that -*m (oor32 she sni##ed+ 2That - can*t a##ord

.-)- 5ater32

)ac& chided her #or her e,travagance+ 2-t*s the mista&e o# the nouveau riche you &no% believing that having a lot o# money is

the same as having an in#inite amount o# money+2

Mimi stared at him incredulously+ 2$id you >ust call me nouveau riche32

)ac& bar&ed a laugh as they got on the elevator+ 2- guess so+2

2astard92 Mimi (retended to be terribly o##ended+ 2Our money is so old it*s dra%ing social security+ an&ru(tcy*s out o# the/uestion+ 5e*re #lush+2

2- ho(e so+ $idn*t you say 0a%rence re(orted a huge di( in earnings3 And -*ve listened in on the latest investor a((raisals+.44 is do%n several (oints+ -t*s not good ne%s+2

!he #a&ed a big ya%n+ 2$on*t bore me %ith details+ -*m not %orried+2

They %al&ed out into the night+ Across the street horses hitched to hansom cabs a%aited clueless tourists+ -t %as cold ' the

last dredge o# %inter+ "estiges o# the most recent sno%storm remained in the #orm o# yello%y crac&ed ice on to( o# garbage

bins and the side%al&s+


41/163

)ac& raised his hand and a slee& blac& entley as large as a hearse (ulled u( to the curb+

2Home32 Mimi as&ed as she slid into the seat+

)ac& leaned over his arm resting on the edge o# the door+ 2-*ll see you there in a bit+ - told ryce and )amie -*d meet them atthe club+2

2Oh+2

He bussed her chee&+ 2$on*t %ait u( o&ay32 Then he shut the door and ra((ed smartly on the %indo%+ 2Ta&e her home!ully+2

Mimi %aved at him through the tinted glass her good mood eva(orating as she %atched him %al& across the street to catch acab headed do%nto%n+

2Home Miss .orce32 !ully turned around+

!he %as about to nod+ !he %as tired+ Home sounded li&e a good idea+ Though she %as a little (i/ued that she had to go home

alone+ !he toyed %ith the idea o# #ollo%ing him but )ac& had been so devoted o# late+++There %as nothing to sus(ect +++ He

al%ays met ryce Cutting and )amie :i( at the club+++silly boys+ And besides she*d been %atching him li&e a ha%& in the (ast

#e% %ee&s ever since "enice and had #elt guilty because she had #ound nothing+ 5hat %as she so %orried about any%ay3

ut she had to be honest %ith hersel#+ !he %as %orried+ 24ot yet !ully+ 0et*s see %here he*s going+2

The driver nodded+ He*d heard this re/uest be#ore+

2Ma&e sure he doesn*t see us+2

The car trailed the cab heading south on the 5est !ide High%ay+ loc& 1@@ had closed and the ne% hot club o# the moment


42/163

the $ante -nn %as located #arther do%nto%n in the 5est "illage in the basement o# one o# those ne% glass buildings right

o## the high%ay+ Mimi remembered )ac& telling her ho% the #amily had bought an a(artment there as an investment+ The

(lace %as currently being rented out to some celebrity+

The cab (ulled u( to the entrance a velvet ro(e hoo&ed bet%een t%o #ire esca(e railings and guarded by a tall man in a blac&

greatcoat+ The $ante -nn %as a smaller venue less #lashy than loc& 1@@ but even more e,clusive+ )ac& got out anddisa((eared inside+

Mimi leaned bac& ha((ily+ 2O&ay let*s go+2 !he %atched as a %hite limousine drove u( in #ront o# them+ ?od (eo(le %ere so

tac&y+ And )ac& %as calling her nouveau riche3

!he tried to see i# she could recognize the ro%dy (eo(le #rom the limo ' that one had to be a #amous actor because he %as

%earing a trilby hat li&e a moron ' %hen she sa% something else7 someone emerged #rom the shado%s and sli((ed inside the

main doors to the building+ A #igure in a silver raincoat %ith dar& hair+

4o+

-t couldn*t be+

-t couldn*t be !chuyler "an Alen+ Could it3 O# course it %as+

Mimi #elt her heart clench+ -t %as too much o# coincidence+ )ac& %as in the club that %as located in the basement o# the samebuilding !chuyler had >ust entered+

-t couldn*t be+ Her mind raced= had she missed something3 ut he had been so indi##erent so cold to !chuyler+ He couldn*t

still be in#atuated could he3

He doth (rotest too much+

Mimi %as never a big #an o# !ha&es(eare not even during his li#etime but she remembered the im(ortant lines+ This %as


43/163

de#initely the %inter o# her discontent+

!he &ne% %ithout having it con#irmed that no matter %hat &ind o# #ront )ac& (ut u( to the %orld %hat &ind o# lies he toldher there %as a secret (lace in his heart that she could not read or #athom+ A secret (lace that %as devoted to someone else+

A secret (lace inhabited by !chuyler "an Alen+

!trangely enough Mimi did not #eel betrayed or stric&en or devastated+ !he merely #elt a heavy sadness+ !he had tried sohard to hel( him+ !he had tried to &ee( him loyal to her+

Ho% could he act %ith no #ear o# re(risal3 He &ne% the la%s as %ell as she+ He &ne% %hat %as at sta&e+ He &ne% %hat he

could lose+

Oh )ac&+ $on*t let me have to hurt you+ $on*t let us be estranged in this %ay+ $on*t ma&e me have to hunt you do%n+

CHAPTER 1

#4 thought you!d forgotten.#

%chuyler smiled as she remo"ed her raincoat and hung it on the hook. %he had 7ust entered the apartment with her key. ( key she

kept on a silk ribbon around her neck. %he ne"er took it off, for fear that it would be stolen. %he!d entered the building in the normal

fashion. Had a polite word with the guard. Headed up in the ele"ator, e&changing pleasantries with the neighbors. Cooed at their

baby bundled inside a fleece-lined thousand-dollar stroller. 8retended she was 7ust like them. 0o more "ampire tricks for one

e"ening.

#Ha"e you been waiting long># she asked.

#4 7ust got here.#

He was standing against a column, his arms crossed in front of him. He was still wearing the same white shirt from that morning, a

little crumpled at the end of the day, and he had loosened his tie, letting it fall to the side. )ut he was still golden and gorgeous. His

sea green eyes danced with amusement and desire. Jack Force. The boy she had been waiting to see all e"ening. The boy she had


44/163

been waiting for all her life.

%he wanted to run to him - to skip, giggling into his arms - but she sa"ored the way he was looking at her. %he could drown in the

intensity of his ga$e. (nd she had learned a little about seduction in the last few weeks they had been together.

Had learned that it was sweeter when she made him wait.

%o she took her time, remo"ed her shoes, brushed her bare feet on the carpet, and let him watch her.

/utside of this place, they could be nothing to each other. He would not e"en allow himself to look at her. He could not afford it.

%o she wanted him to en7oy himself, to look at her as much as he liked.

#et o"er here,# he growled.

(nd then, at last, she ran - leaped into his arms, and together they crashed against the wall in a tight embrace. He lifted her with

graceful ease, co"ering her body with kisses.

%he tightened her legs around his torso and bent o"er, brushing his cheek with the tendrils of her hair.

Jack.

%he felt liuid in his arms. 8ressed against him, his heart beating wildly in time with hers. 2hen they kissed, she closed her eyes

and saw a million colors bursting in the air, glorious and ali"e. He smelled earthy and lush, warm and brutish. 4t had been a

surprise? she!d assumed he would smell like ice - like nothing - and she liked that he smelled coarse and real. He was not a dream.

%he knew that what they were doing was wrong. 5awrence had warned her that "ampire bonds should not be broken. Jack wassworn to another. %he had promised herself to stop, but she had also promised Jack she would always be there for him. They were

so happy together. They belonged to each other. ;et they ne"er spoke about the past or the future. /nly this e&isted, this littlebubble they!d made, this little secret. (nd who knew how long they had>

2hen she was in his arms, she felt sorry for Mimi.


45/163

4t had started right after she!d settled into that palace of gilt and marble the Forces called home. The place was part fortress and part

'ersailles. There were rooms and anterooms filled with magnificent antiues polished and theatrically lit on display. /ceans ofe&pensi"e fabric swathed the windows, and a silent crew of ser"ants mo"ed around the house, dusting, cleaning, offering its

occupants tea or coffee on sil"er ser"ice trays.

%he had sat on the princess bed in her designated room, kicking at the battered trunk that was the only remnant of home she!d

allowed herself to bring. 5awrence had promised that he would get her out somehow, that she would return to her rightful home

soon. He knew Charles would not allow him to ha"e contact with her, so they had agreed they would use /li"er as a


46/163

#0o, but 4 like The Cure song. ;ou know, the one that!s based on that book>#

He shook his head. #0ope.#

#4 think it!s on Three 4maginary )oys. Their first album. 3obert %mith, he!s a big reader too. 8robably an e&istentialist like you,# she

teased.

Jack leaned against the wall and crossed his arms, regarding her thoughtfully. #;ou hate it here, don!t you>#

#oes it show that much># %chuyler asked, pulling the long slee"es of her sweater o"er her hands.

He chuckled. #4!m sorry.#

#;ou!re sorry.#

He put the book down on a "anity table. #4t!s not so bad.#

#3eally> 2hat!s good about it>#

#2ell, for one, 4!m here,# he said, coming o"er to sit ne&t to her on the bed. He picked up a tennis ball that had rolled out of her

trunk. %he!d brought it to practice her "ampire lessons. 5awrence wanted her to concentrate on the ability to mo"e ob7ects in the air,

something she had yet to master. Jack threw it in the air, catching it deftly. Then he put it down. #Anless, you know, you want me to

go.#

He was sitting so close to her. %he remembered how she!d run to him the first night she was attacked, how passionate he!d been

about disco"ering the truth about Croatan, and then how deeply he!d disappointed her when he!d brushed her aside. (nd then sheremembered something else. %omething she couldn!t stop thinking about e"er since she!d drawn Mimi!s blood and absorbed her

memories.

#;ou were the one - that night of the masuerade ball - it was you who...# %chuyler whispered, and in answer to her uestion, he

kissed her. The kiss was the third one they!d e&changed


47/163

There was nothing to li"e for but this pure, hea"enly sensation. The first time they!d kissed, she had glimpsed Jack!s memories of agirl who looked like her but was not her. The second time, she!d had no idea he was the one behind the mask, but this time it was

7ust the two of them. Jack wasn!t kissing someone he thought he!d known before, and %chuyler wasn!t kissing someone she didn!t

know. They were simply kis

melissa de la cruz – revelations.doc

Documents