Chapter 18 AURORA Two dayster days during which I did everything I could to keep the twins out of the way of the wolves from the Blue Ridge Pack Trajan and I were on our way to dinner with vampires .


    Since Dane was my partner , I hesitantly agreed to contact him about it the morning of the dinner .


    His B , Archer Fox , informed me that Dane was out of town .


    The Mannerings were an old vampire family who had lived on the edge of Anta for years in an old , crumbling mansion that dated back to the Civil War .


    Trajan and I pulled up the long drive just after sunset .


    The vampire home wasnt as isted as the pack houses wolves preferred , but it was still on its own deep in the woods .


    We went to the door .


    Before we could knock , it opened .


    A voice drifted out it was breathy and old , and I couldnt tell if it belonged to a man or a woman .


    Please ,e in … I moved to step inside , but Trajan put a hand on my arm and met my eyes .


    Let me go first .


    I nodded , suddenly tense as he went in .


    Chapter 18 2/6 Id had a few dealings with vampires before .


    They werent nearly asmon as wolves , and they didnt care as much for the modern world .


    But what they did have was ancient knowledge .


    If you ever needed information about a treasure , a curse , or anything like that , vampires would know .


    If you dared enter theirirs and risk being killed , you could learn many things .


    That was why I was here because my grandmother had gotten word from some of her own vampire contacts that this family might know more about the power we were after .


    All we knew was that it was ancient and buried beneath the Appchian Mountains .


    That it was supposed to bring magic back to the world which would make already magical creatures even more powerful .


    Trajan nced back and nodded to me , and I slowly followed him in .


    Theres a certain feel to vampire homes .


    Opulent wealth thats decayed .


    Ancient knowledge .


    The feeling that something is going to swoop out of the shadows and kill you any second .


    I rubbed the raised scar on my forearm a habit of mine when I was anxious .


    Then I forced my hands to my sides .


    Our host appeared in front of us .


    Chapter 18 3/6 Violet Mannering was a tall , middle aged woman with perfect curls in her shining brown hair .


    Though she was beautiful , her skin was the white of new paper .


    She had her eyes on the floor as she bowed her head to us .


    Violet Mannering ? I asked .


    My grandmother said you have some information for us .


    Shadows gathered around us on all sides , surrounding us .


    Suddenly , it was so dark I couldnt even tell which direction the door was in .


    Then Violet raised her eyes , and I realized something was very , very wrong .


    Vampires can easily pass for humans , except for the graying , death like tones of their skin .


    They dont usually have strange eyes .


    But the whites of Violets eyes were ck with red irises that glowed like burning coals .


    I realized , also , that she wasnt standing like a normal person .


    Instead , she and the shadows of the vampires around us hung like puppets on strings .


    She smiled , showing long , needle like fangs .


    Wee .


    I have great need of your blood .


    DANE Chapter 18 There it is .


    The heartbeat , said the doctor .


    I stared at the ultrasound screen .


    Evelyn really was pregnant .


    4/6 She smiled hugely at me , then at the doctor .


    We were in Anta , at the best OBGYN in the city .


    The clean white lines of the office blurred in the background as I stared at that screen .


    I did want children .


    I wanted to be happy about this .


    But it felt wrong .


    Like my life had gotten out of joint somehow .


    I shook off the feeling and thanked the doctor .


    Evelyn put her arm through mine as we walked out a back entrance .


    She pouted and wanted to leave through the front .


    That would give paparazzi chances to take pictures of us as a happy couple .


    Id had enough paparazzi in my life for now , which was why Id paid the doctor to meet us at night .


    Besides , her eagerness only deepened my suspicions about who sold the story of Aurora being a homewrecker to the tabloids in the first ce .


    Evelyn had always put more importance on public opinion than other wolves .


    I wouldnt care at all , if scandal didnt affect business .


    And the only reason the businesses mattered were because they supported the pack .


    We walked to the car .


    She talked more about names and shopping and baby clothes .


    I checked the messages on my Chapter 18 phone .


    I had one from Archer .


    5/6 Alpha , An Aurora DeVere called .


    She said she has a meeting with Violet Mannering about the relic youre looking for together at nine pm .


    I told her youd call when you can .


    I stopped dead in my tracks , which jerked Evelyn to a stop , as well .


    Dane ? My chest filled with ice .


    Violet Mannering ? The Mannerings were dead .


    Theyd been wiped out two years ago by a couple of hunters that Id eventually had to deal with when they started terrorizing wolves .


    Whatever Aurora was meeting with , it wasnt vampires .


    I shook Evelyns arm from mine .


    Call a car , I said .


    Get a ride back to the penthouse .


    I have to go .


    I got in the car and peeled out before she could do more than squeak .


    It was just past nine pm now .


    The doctors office was on the edge of the city not too far from the Mannering mansion .


    I could be there in ten minutes .


    I tried to call Aurora .


    If she was running even just a few minuteste , I could warn her .


    She didnt pick up the phone .