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Or at all.
If you’re going to the Mountain, it’s because you’re important, you know someone who is, or you pissed off someone who is.
Me?
I’m none of those things.
I’m better than that.
At least, I like to think I am.
I slink around the side of the building and look out for monsters. Here in the darkness, they tend to be everywhere, but they aren’t out tonight. Not the way they usually are. It’s strange and it makes me feel just the slightest bit uncomfortable. It’s not supposed to be this easy.
It’s never this easy.
The hairs on the back of my neck rise up, but I ignore the sensation, choosing instead to keep moving swiftly, carefully. With determination and sheer endurance, I move to the West entrance. The guard is gone, as promised, and I slip the key from my pocket. It’s old and rusty and much too outdated for a place this pristinely perfect, but the King has always been a cocky son-of-a-bitch. He’s not the type of person who thinks anyone would dare approach him or break into his palace.
Then again, he’s not really a person at all.
A voice in my head sounds.
“Songbird, hurry up. You have twelve seconds.”
Ignoring the voice, I don’t respond. Instead, I focus on slipping the key into the crumbling lock and turning it. No one uses this entrance anymore. In fact, despite having a regularly posted guard, I’d guess no one has used it in years. It makes this the perfect choice for entering the Mountain. The “impenetrable” fortress has long been a place where good souls go to vanish. It’s also supposedly the home of one of the greatest treasure rooms in existence.
Not that I’m planning on being here long enough to enjoy it.
This place is known for its incredible beauty, but it’s also known for the mon
ster who runs it.
Derek, King of the Vampires, takes no prisoners. We all know this. More importantly, we all respect it.
Well, some of us do.
Others, like me, take advantage of it.
If he catches me, he’s going to kill me. He’s not going to let me live to regret my choices, so I might as well enjoy them all. This makes for an interesting life and tonight, it makes for an interesting adventure.
I slip silently through the doorway and shut the heavy door behind me. Just as it clicks into place, I hear the guard’s quiet footsteps padding back into position. Apparently, Daisy has finished entertaining the guard. She was going to try to distract him for a little while so I could get inside. Considering the fact that she’s not anywhere close to the Mountain, I have no idea how she did it.
I didn’t ask.
Daisy is a determined woman, but she has her secrets, just as I do. We work together, but we play our cards close to our chest. It’s safer for everyone that way, and in my world, safety is the most important thing we have.
Now that I’m in, I’m on the clock. I have a limited amount of time before the vampires are done patrolling. I press a button on the side of my glasses and my normal shades change to night vision. Perfect. I can see clearly in the room now and, better yet, I can see where any alarm systems or traps might be.
Carefully, I glance over the boxes and stored items in this room. Dust has settled on everything, and not just a thin layer, either. No, the dust in this room lets me know it hasn’t been used in a very, very long time. Years, maybe. Decades. It’s not the type of place Derek expected anyone to break into. Seriously, his side door is used as a place for him to store his holiday decorations? Stupid.
I step over three tripwires and dodge two laser alarms before I reach the next doorway. This one has a data sensor. I slide my gloved thumb over the sensor and, as I hoped, it lets me in. Perfect. I’ll have to remember to thank Daisy later. Her work tonight has been un-fucking-believable. I move to the hallway and this time, I cringe as the lights hit my eyes. They’re brighter than anticipated. Quickly, I shut off the night-vision on my glasses as I keep moving. That’s the key here: never stop moving.
When I was younger, I did. I didn’t know just how important it was to be swift and cautious.
I didn’t realize how vital it was to stay hidden at all costs.
That cost me more than I care to think about.
Things are different now.
