Stolen Innocence

20

Simon was livid; they'd traveled to Greendale in search of their enemy, but they hadn't found him anywhere. After ravaging and destroying the interior of the entire mansion, even checking for hidden rooms below the house, they returned to the cars and realized that Kayden must have been taken elsewhere.

"I'm sorry," Venus said in a soft voice.

He was sitting in the back of the car that Paxton was driving, Simon in the passenger seat. The vampire himself was sandwiched between Darius and Indigo as he tried to think of where else their missing human could be.

"Is there any other place he'd be?" Simon asked, trying to stay calm and not attack Venus, because he knew that the shy vampire was really trying to help him. "Another safe house?"

Venus shook his head. "I apologize, sir," he said. "I can only think of Roman's mansion. I can't see why he'd be there because Kayden isn't his soulmate..."

"Well, if Roman hates you guys that much, what are the odds he'd be trying to form Kayden into his new soulmate? I mean, Kayden is innocent and sweet, and new vampires who are turned are super connected to their Master, right?" Indigo asked, looking out the window as they passed the trees. "I mean, Kayden is the perfect option for a Master Vampire who's wants revenge, right?"

Simon's eyes were wide. "You couldn't have mentioned this earlier?"

"I personally thought we all had considered this possibility," Indigo said, continuously rolling the window up and down until Paxton glared at him in the rear view mirror and locked the windows.

"Get to that mansion," Simon demanded, calling the other car with the remaining demons and telling them where they were going.

Venus cleared his throat to get everyone's attention once Simon had finished his call.

"What is it?" Darius asked, looking down at his vampire, who was wearing his normal sunglasses to cover his sensitive eyes.

"I think I should go in alone," he said, wincing when Darius gave him an intense look. "Hear me out."

"Go on."

"Well, Roman shifted me. He's always liked me and he doesn't know that I'm among demons," Venus explained. "He thinks I'm out discovering the world. So, if I go in to visit him, I can get past all of his guards, because I guarantee there will he countless vampires there with the order to weaken and capture you all, and I can open the window on the East side of the mansion near the river because they don't patrol over there."

"How convenient," Indigo mumbled, warning himself a light swat to the leg from Darius. "Ow!"

Darius growled. "Don't be mean to Venus."

Indigo huffed. "I'm not," he growled. "He deserves it."

"What did I do?!" Venus asked, his lip trembling and tears dripping down from under his sunglasses. "I didn't tell Roman to take him!"

"All vampires suck," Indigo mumbled, ignoring Venus' tears.

Indigo had always despised vampires after belonging to one before he was sold to Darius. He knew it wasn't fair to take out pent up anger on Venus, especially because the vampire was so sensitive and hated when anyone was upset with him, but Indigo's irritation overrode his slight desire to be kind.

"Zip it," Darius scolded, and Indigo finally shut up, seeing how angry his Master was. "How close are we to the mansion?"

"We're about twenty miles away," Paxton said, glancing back at Darius. "Are you going to go along with what Venus said?"

Darius nodded. "Yes. Get about three miles out so Venus can walk the rest of the way," he said, ruffling Venus' hair in a comforting fashion. "You're going to be okay."