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Julian looks back and forth between Law and me, anger radiating from him, but eventually he nods.
“Law, you’re coming with me.”
“I’m coming too,” Addy says.
Julian turns to her, placing both hands on her shoulders. “I need you to stay here, Addy. We’ll get to the bottom of this, but for now, I need you to stay with Marina.”
“Promise me you won’t hurt him.”
“I promise no harm will come to your father before we figure out what’s going on.” He leans in and places a kiss to her cheek. She sniffles, but doesn’t say another word.
Julian doesn’t look back at me before he rushes from the room in search of Dupré. I want to be upset, but there are more important things happening and I know that my secrets have hurt him. He needs space as much as he needs to find Addy’s father.
The sooner they have him cornered, the faster Julian will get the answers I know he wants.Like why you’ve been keeping your own secrets.
Addy helps me stand to my feet and when we’re face to face, she grabs my hands in hers. “Why did he do this, Marina?”
“I caught him going into this secret room and he didn’t want anyone else to know about it.” I give her the short answer because Julian needs to hear the whole story first.
“But why?”
“There was a locked box inside the room that I believe your father has the key for.”
“The one around his neck.” She toys with her own necklace absently, lost in thought.
“Yes. There must’ve been something inside the box he didn’t want anyone to know about.”
“Let’s go,” Addy, says, wiping away any remaining tears and standing tall. “I want to find my father.”
It doesn’t take us long to find Julian and Law dragging Count Dupré through the foyer.
“Where are you taking him?” Adèle calls out.
“To the cells,” Law says, never looking in her direction. “He tried to escape. He’s guilty.”
We follow closely behind all the way to the basement of the manor. It’s dank and lacking proper lighting, the perfect place for an interrogation. Count Dupré hasn’t said a word the entire way; his head is lowered and body practically limp in Julian and Law’s arms.
He’s thrown into a cell and the doors are locked behind him. One solitary bench lines the back wall, and he takes a seat, keeping his gaze to the floor. Even in the dim lighting I don’t miss the way his shoulders shake.
Adèle approaches the cell. “Father. Please. Tell me this is all a huge mistake.”
For the first time his head rises, his eyes tired and despondent. “It’s true, my dove.”
“Mais pourquoi?” she half cries through clenched teeth. “Pourquoi feriez-vous une telle chose?”
“She was going to ruin everything. I was so close to uncovering the truth.”
She narrows her eyes at her father. “The truth about what?”
“The legend of familiars,” he whispers, eyes searching the room as though the walls have ears and this revelation is top secret.
Julian and Law share a look. “What are you going on about?” Law asks, feigning ignorance.
“Your father never told you?” he asks, eyes drawn to near slits in disbelief. “It was his life’s work to uncover the truth of the legend. It was his obsession. Surely he mentioned it at some point.” Neither Julian nor Law speaks, waiting for him to continue to divulge what he knows. “There is a legend that speaks of Born vampires having a human blood source. This source would activate a hidden gene, bringing the Borns to ultimate power.
“Why would my father spend so much time on a legend?” Law questions, lips pressed into a thin line, playing the part of the skeptic very well. “Your father searched everywhere for as much information on these familiars as he could find, because he was convinced you,” he says, looking between Julian and Law, “are the Born vampires the legend speaks of.”
“Why would this interest you?” Addy asks. “What were you hoping to accomplish by uncovering the truth?”
