They Rise at Dusk (Book #1) ✔️

Chapter 17: Karma

Anger slammed into me like a tidal wave. I jumped from the bed and stomped on the floor, needing to get the energy out of me. Lucia burst out laughing like this wasn't the man who impregnated her and almost killed her.

"Of course, it's Edmond." She grinned. "We seriously could have guessed that without ever talking to Joe."

Energy simmered inside me, and I felt like punching the wall, or someone's face.

"Jesus, Odette, do you need a KitKat? Calm down." Lucia raised her eyebrow, observing me squeezing my fists and letting out angry grunts.

"Why would Edmond be involved in human trafficking?" I asked.

Lucia pointed to herself, "He likes his blood whores exotic."

"Still." I sighed, trying to convince my body we weren't drowning in rage. "You can find a blood whore for personal use wherever, just look at Dorian."

"Yes, but you can get one or two." Lucia shrugged. "Maybe it's a large operation. You can't just snatch dozens or hundreds of girls from the streets of NYC."

"Which means he's selling them." I concluded, and with the sudden need to do something with my hands, proceeded to the kitchen to prepare lunch for Lucia. "Have you ever... heard anything? Or seen anything?"

Lucia was already on her laptop, searching away through the open seas of the internet. I wondered if it bothered her more than she let on. After all, she had been brainwashed by Edmond for the better part of their relationship, and she thought she was in love with him when she escaped.

"There were three of us." Lucia said, her eyes glued to the screen. "The first one disappeared a couple of months after I arrived. Edmond said she left him, but looking back, I think he killed her. I think he killed all the girls he ever touched. He never talked about her again. A couple of times he prepared us for another girl arriving, but it didn't happen, at least not while I was there."

I leaned against the kitchen counter, "Why didn't he look for you?"

"Because I had no name." She shrugged. "No identity. And if I said anything, word would reach him and he'd quickly find me."

Turning away from her, I frowned to myself and took out the meat I had prepared yesterday. Intrusive thoughts crept up on me. What if Edmond knew about Lucia? What if he had waited for the best possible moment to strike? Who else was involved in human trafficking?

Did my father know?

My mother?

Anger mixed with pain as I watched meat sizzle on the pan.

"Odette?" Lucia called my name.

"What?"

"Are you okay?"

"No." I slammed the counter with my open palms. "I don't think we're safe here."

"You just had to stir up the hornet's nest, right?" Lucia grunted.

That didn't matter now. This was too big to sit on. If Edmond truly was involved in human trafficking, and if my father didn't know about it, I could take him down. I could finally take Edmond down and take my place on the Council as the rightful heir.

"We'll take him down." I turned the meat on the other side.

"Uh, no, we're gonna get me un-pregnant for starters." Lucia's voice changed, panic now laced each emphasized word. "Then you can go play in your wars."

"Don't you want Edmond to suffer for what he did to you?" I faced her.

Lucia looked shrivelled and small, and the blanket she threw over her skinny body ate her up. Only the belly remained, always awkwardly standing out, reminding us of its existence.