Hello Darkness

Chapter Forty-Four

 I want to be the first one they see. A creeping feeling swirls in my belly and I swallow it back down. I won't let her out today.

I release a breath, hold my head up, and open the door. Three sets of eyes meet me, two blue and one the deepest shade of brown, like a swirling void capturing all the light. His hair an ashy charcoal. Lazarus.

The dark knot twists in my stomach, swirling with a hint of familiarity. Release me, it hisses.

Selene, red lipped and elegant as usual in her fitted red dress, sits to his right. Her manicured hand placed on his arm. I don't look to his left. Instead, I take the seat directly in front of Lazarus.

Victor doesn't object, though I'm sure it was saved for him. Lace, who'd been standing in the corner when we entered, takes the seat opposite of Victor. While Reuben sits to my left followed by Julian.

A warm caress floats along the bond, like he's proud of my choice. I glance to my right and his lips are quirked into a confirming smile. Lazarus doesn't seem as amused. "Miss Beckett. I've heard so much about you. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance." His voice is sweet and alluring with the slightest hint of Italian.

"I wish I could say the same," I say coldly.

"Let's skip the pleasantries, Silvano. We all know why you're here, so let's get on with it." Victor leans back in his chair, his arms folded across his broad chest.

Selene sits a little straighter, folding her hands in her lap, but doesn't speak.

" We believe Charley would benefit from living under our care." He speaks like I'm a child being fought over by her parents.

"But what better place to live than with her guardian? Our bond is quite strong you know?" He narrows his eyes on Talum, with the slightest smirk on his lips.

"How would I benefit?" Victor stiffens next to me. I can play their games too.

"We provide the best training for newborn vampires. Along with impeccable living conditions and state of the art specialty training facilities for our gifted."

Victor scoffs. "You act like it's an invitation to attend university. You forgot to mention that you plan to run tests on her like a common lab rat."

My head turns toward him, quicker than I would have wanted. Victor waited to give me this tidbit of information until now. Did he want them to see my reaction?

"He's lying to you, Charley." Talum speaks, even and cool, forcing me to look at him.

"And you're a saint," I hiss.

Something like hurt flickers in Talum's eyes before he turns away.

Lazarus disregards my remark and speaks to Victor. "We're concerned for your ability to control her. After her outburst—"

"An outburst caused by him." He flicks his head to Talum. "That caused the whole scene—"

"Victor helped me regain control," I say softly. "I feel more comfortable staying with him. As for your offer, I've been an experiment of yours long enough." Who knows what he was instructing Talum to do. "I'm sorry Mr. Silvano, I will be declining your offer as I was attacked by one of your own." My gaze flashes to Talum.

Maybe that will do it. Just a simple decline and I can go on living my life but just as I thought he accepted it, Lazarus stands placing a hand on his cane. "You don't decline an invitation from an Overseer, you'd do best to learn that."

Victor stands at my side and leans forward placing his fists on the table. "You put one hand on her Lazarus and it will be an act of war."

Lazarus pulls on the head of his cane. It separates from the shaft, a tiny glint of silver sparks from the crack.

Selene's silky voice breaks the tension. "Lazarus, darling. This is not the way. This is what he wants."

Lazarus meets her cool blue eyes before turning his attention back to me. "I'm a gracious man, Miss Beckett. I'll let you clear your head. You'll have until week's end." He shifts back to Victor. "We'll be back, Ettore, and next time we won't be so pleasant." In a breath Selene and Lazarus are gone. Talum silently shakes his head, holding my gaze for a breath longer before vanishing just the same.

I looked toward Victor, anger bubbling in my belly. "You know more than you let on and you're going to tell me everything."

Victor takes me back to his office and dismisses the council members. I hardly allow the door to click behind me before I spring on him.

"How much do you know?"

"It's not much. It was a suspicion I had. From their reaction I was right." He looks at me and sighs. "You mentioned in our first meeting that they thought you had something to do with the Celmosis outbreak."

I nod and he continues, "Well, the story of that night has become somewhat of a vampire legend, because Lazurus is the only vampire known to have survived. Every human working in the lab had been injected with the toxin. We assumed the children of the workers would be the same. When I came across you in the forest, I had no idea who you were but when I drank your blood during the ritual—I should be dead. Instead it's like you empowered me. I felt stronger than ever before. It was like my senses were on overdrive. Putting two and two together, you have to be the cure. It all made sense why the Silvanos wanted you."

My fingers twitch—I need something to do with my hands. A warm caress brushes against my mind. Like the softest touch of velvet before Victor steps forward and wraps his arms around my shoulders.

As much as I fear this closeness, I welcome it and I bury my face in his chest, the smell of spice and leather surrounding me. I stop the tears, but I don't move. Maybe it's the bond, but for the first time I feel understood. Everything that's been missing for so many years. If everything else in my world is a mess, this feels right. He knows how to comfort me when I need it.

Victor holds me until I pull away. "So, why keep me from them? If I can help..."

"It's just a theory. It's never been tested. Bane's death was no accident, and I will never trust the Silvanos again."

"What happened?"

"Bane and Lazarus worked together at first, but their opinions on how to deal with the outbreak differed. Lazarus wanted to work with the humans to come up with a compromise, but it was slow and vampires were dying. Bane wanted to attempt a show of force, which ultimately ended the humans project.

"Bane never refrained from a battle. During the agencies collapse, he contracted the disease. And Lazarus did nothing to help."

"Why?" I would kill someone before they hurt Alma.

He stifles a laugh. "That's something you'll have to ask him. He just let him die. Bane was my guardian. He'd trained me and taught me everything I knew. It felt like I was being ripped apart when he died. I will never forgive them for it. The Silvanos are selfish—they would only use the information to benefit them and hide it from the rest of the society. Or deal it out for profit. But if we find it. We can share it freely and help everyone."

"Do you think I can still help—like this?" I look down at my hands.

"Possibly. Your father must have told you about his work?"

My father was very private about his work. Now, it's understandably so. "The briefcase." I jerk my head up. "I found a briefcase of his old paperwork in my attic. It's in my bedroom. I could go get it—if you think it will help."

He contemplates for a moment. "You and Gabby will go first thing tomorrow."