Fade Into Black - Shadows of the Night 5

Chapter 16

Hi,

I just read this amazing quote from Jojo Moyes' "Me Before You". It really fits this chapter and if I was a character in this book, I'd walk up to Anna and tell her again and again - until she believed it herself. I hope you like it!

"Some mistakes... Just have greater consequences than others. But you don't have to let the result of one mistake be the thing that defines you."

Have a great week!

Lara

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Chapter 16

"Wouldn't you like to know," I said softly. "Stop beating around the bush and tell me what you want."

The head vampire laughed, then started walking towards me. Soft footsteps. A slow pace. As if he had all the time in the world to unhinge and capture my existence, step by step.

"Someone had the audacity to walk into a coven leader's house and kill him. I highly suspect that the perpetrator was a member of the Inri Brotherhood. I want to know who helped kill those vampires. And I believe you know, little witch."

I narrowed my eyes. "Let's assume I did. What would you do if I told you? And what would I get for it?"

"Assuming you were in a position to bargain with me, which you are not, it would very much depend on your answer, little witch."

He was so close to my walls of air, the cold of the grave grazed them like a wet feather.

"We've got a bunch of rogues roaming the city and an impending rift in the communities that might end in more than riots and looting," I said. "Shouldn't you be more worried about that?"

"I would, if I was assuming the incidents were not related," he said softly. "There is more than one question I need answered, but I want you to give me the answer to this first: In the conundrum of factions and races in this city, where do you stand, little witch?"

When it came to loyalty, Alexander worked along the hard lines of a zero-tolerance policy. Either you were with him, or against him. And that was what he wanted me to do. Spell it out and pledge myself either to him or someone else. He suspected I had a hand in his vampires' deaths. Assuming I could convince him of the contrary, would pledging my loyalty to him be a solution?

Even if I swore to him loyalty now, he wouldn't just let my recent stay with the Inri Brotherhood go. I would be his human servant – under his terms and conditions. Under heel. He would capitalize on my knowledge and understanding of their ways as long as it was useful to him.

Used. Again.

Choosing one side, with the endless obscure set of motives each and every faction had – it was impossible. I couldn't even begin to understand what, or rather, who I was. There would always be a part of me that... that in a way cared for Alexander. No matter what scheming strategist he was, I couldn't blot that out. Maybe because we were bound by blood and illusive vampire magic I didn't understand. Maybe because, on an uncertain, incandescent level, I understood him.

I didn't want the world to descend into chaos. Like him, I didn't want the rogues roaming the city. My hands were stained enough. I closed my eyes against the rising memories of smoke and limp bodies. No act of redemption could undo what I did two nights ago.

I fisted my hands. But I could fucking try. And nothing and no one was going to stop me.

Where do you stand?