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Abacus regarded me, staring longer than necessary. His expression was neutral, unreadable. At least he didn’t glare like he was deciding if he wanted to kill me.
“After this meeting.” Abacus sat back down.
What meeting?
As if on cue, the doors swung open. Soldiers descended from the platform, and Gorgo and I shuffled aside to the column nearest to the throne.
People … no, not people. Vampire couples, some with children, scrambled in a rush as they filed in line in front of Abacus. They looked like humans dressed in tunics and breeches.
The first young couple in line bent their knees.
“Rise.” Abacus raised a hand. “What is the reason for your visit?”
They rose and the male said, “Lord Abacus, I’m a dentist and my wife is a scholar. We are respected in our community. We would like to adopt a human child. Her mom had an accident and passed away.”
The female vamp clasped her fingers under her chin, pleading silently.
Gorgo whispered to me. “Vampire women cannot bear children.”
“We can donate whatever you desire, my lord.” The male’s voice was hardly audible.
Abacus’s lips curl just enough to hint a grin. “Come back tonight before closing and bring me the child you want to adopt.”
The young couple bowed multiple times and left.
“Next,” one of Abacus’s soldiers with blond hair said.
A father held a toddler’s hand, while the mom dabbed at her tears.
“My lord.” She sniffed. “Demons kidnapped my son. What are we to do?”
“Did you go into the human world?” Abacus’s knuckles turned white on the throne’s armrest.
“Yes, my lord.” The male dipped his head. “We went to the common market to trade for food just before twilight.”
Abacus’s nails narrowed into sharp points, and not only did his irises turn crimson, but the veins around his eyes protruded and moved under the skin like vines.
Did all the vampires live underground? I’d thought the vamps deserved to live in such dark places when I saw the savages, but these beings in front of me seemed like any ordinary human families. And children deserved better.
Abacus clenched his jaw. “I will notify King Victus, and the council will decide how to deal with this. Leave your name with one of my soldiers.”
The line seemed endless, problem after problem. One family complained they didn’t have enough food.
Sometimes Abacus placed a palm to his forehead, and other times he scrubbed his face. I had to admit this vamp had more patience than me. By the time he addressed everyone, I would be here until nightfall. Tank and Otis were anxiously waiting for me and they would worry.
“We can’t stand here all day.” I leaned back against the column.
Gorgo nodded, shuffling from one foot to another. He seemed restless too. Finally, Abacus glanced our way. He beckoned to Gorgo and whispered in his ear.
Gorgo jerked his chin for me to follow. He led me out the door, down a hallway, and into a grand room with a high dome ceiling. A few round tables and chairs occupied the space and wall-to-wall and wall-to-ceiling dark wood bookshelves packed with books. One of the largest libraries I’d ever seen.
“What are we doing here?” I trailed a finger over the black marble table in the center of the room.
Gorgo glanced out the door. “Lord Abacus told us to wait here. King Victus should be done with the council meeting soon.”
I pulled up a chair, scraping it against the black stone floor. Waiting on Victus might take a while. “Where do the vampire families live?”
Gorgo sat beside me and relaxed for the first time since we entered. “They all live underground. It’s amazing, but I think it’s best you ask King Victus for further explanation.”
