Walk Into The Light - Shadows of the Night 6

Chapter 17

Hi,

To all of you out there doubting my good intentions as an author, let me tell you, the cliffhangers are no evil tool I use to torture readers. ;-) Because the chapters are relatively short, it sometimes feels like it will always be a cliffhanger, no matter at which point I finish the chapter - for, at some point I really do have to stop. Most of the time there is no real closure to one chapter, since it is an ongoing scene that has to develop and run its course over a few chapters. Other times the POV will change and so I will stop there and end the chapter.

Anyway, I just wanted you to know that it's not really something I do with the intention of "torturing" you readers. Meanwhile, I hope you like the new chapter! Oh, and I think I might have found the perfect song for this one too! Have a great week :-) 

Lara

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Chapter 17

Then you have to stop him on your own.

Her words echoed in my ears. Anna had warned us, saying Vladislav might take control over her again. A part of me didn't believe her back then. Seeing the way she was standing that close to him so casually, without even trying to get away – I believed her now.

My eye caught on the silent, motionless figure behind Vladislav. Helèna Bathoryn. Vladislav's witch was even more powerful than I thought. But what bothered me even more was the frigid expression plastered on her face like a facial surgery gone wrong. It left no doubt that she'd not only kill for her master, she wouldn't even mind doing it, at all.

One of the newly arrived, cloaked vampires stepped forward. The black folds of his cloak parted as he lifted the hood, revealing hard lines in a ghostly-white face that showed no emotion, or life for that matter.

His body posture was stiff, created the impression he wasn't ready for an attack, should it come. In truth, this vamp didn't need to. I bet he was fast enough to give even Vladislav a run for his money.

"Vladislav II, sovereign of Hungary," the vampire said, bowing.

Vladislav stared at him, barely acknowledging his existence.

The vampire turned to Alexander, this time without a bow.

"Alexander of New York."

The head vampire in question bowed his head. "Erebos," he said.

Erebos turned so that he was facing both factions like an announcer looking at an audience of extraordinary sorts.

"We have been called to New York to examine the verisimilitude of claims that Vladislav violated the Vampiric Carta by entering Alexander's territory unauthorized and threatening peace and order within New York," Erebos said.

Alexander watched him with a face that was carefully neutral – expressionless to the point of absolute blankness.

Vladislav glided forward, his hand slipping away from Anna's shoulder slowly. "Since when does Dark Death come running to the call of a mere head vampire?"

Erebos turned to Vladislav. The motion was so fast, I might have missed it without the swinging flow of the cloak.

"It was not Alexander that made the claim, Vladislav. It was Antonio Cellini."

Vladislav stilled to the point of absolute deadness, eyes gliding to Alexander. I didn't understand much of vamp politics here in North America, but judging from the sharp spike in Vladislav's vampiric powers, Alexander had just scored, big time.