Beautiful Monster 2 (Beautiful Monster #2)(37)
Author: Bella Forrest

The cab pulled up at the school as the sun was half set, and I half considered having a snack of the driver. But the urgency in Connor’s voice made me simply pay him and head into the theater. I began to worry, seeing the empty hallways, if something terrible had happened again. And despite my anger, I hoped to God that it wasn’t Amy.

I had about a thousand horrible ideas in my head when I pushed open the door, but none of them matched with the sight I saw when I entered. On the dimly lit stage, standing there as if they owned it, were three cloaked figures. One was in the forefront of the other two, and Connor was on the ground below them, speaking up to them from bended knee.

As I approached, I was awed by them. These were our elders, at least some of them, the oldest vampires in existence. They were almost 2000 years old, and they resided in Romania. They were a different bloodline than Selene, and they governed all vampires. Despite myself, I bowed my head.

It was said that when all vampires were created, there was some instinct in them to respect these ones, to fear them and stand in awe at the same time. It was something about the blood coursing through our veins, the magic that reacted with them. It was almost like I was a puppet on a string. I bowed to them and enjoyed it.

“My lords,” I said, before I could stop myself.

I had only ever seen drawings of them, but they hadn’t changed much. Even when Porsche had told me the legends of them, I felt a sense of respect brew up inside me. To live 2000 years and be so calm, so decent and so regal was something that deserved respect.

“Liam,” one of them, Elias, spoke to me.

If I was identifying them correctly, the other two behind him were Fennel and Silas. My heart was pounding, even as my head swam, and I knew I reeked of booze. These were the kings of vampires, and I was a mess.

It had never occurred to me that they were here because of a controversy. I assumed they wanted Selene dead as much as we did. The elders were very honorable, respectful people, who didn’t kill senselessly, nor did they interfere in vampire killing, usually. The wars we started among ourselves were our own responsibility. And even when they killed, it was polite and clean, a quick grab of the heart from the chest and that was it.

“You are new to the vampire covens, Liam,” he continued.

I shrugged. “A few years, yes.”

“Our condolences on the death of one in your coven,” Silas said

I raised my eyes to meet his. He seemed genuinely compassionate, and I was surprised. There were so many vampires who died every day, and some of them were suicide. There was no way they sent out a branch out every time.

But what surprised me more than that was the fact that he referred to it as a coven. In a way, I guess I was part of a coven, and their leader. I had never thought about it like that, it was such an ancient way of referring to things. But he was right. We had all found each other, united in a common purpose, and we stayed together. And I was their coven leader, no matter how bad a job I felt like I was doing.

“Thank you,” I replied. “Nina’s passing does grieve us all. If you’ll forgive me for asking… why are you here?”

“Ah, well.” Elias looked to the other two.

Fennel stepped forward. “Liam, you are new to this life and so we occasionally forgive offenses. But you have had a few years, and we know you have been educated on the vampire ways… despite the fact that it was by a Shield. Who you choose to ally yourself with and who you choose to try and kill are not our concern.” In meeting my eyes, he told us that he knew of our fight against Selene, and he was given us permission to move forward. Whatever they were here for, it wasn’t for that.

I racked my brain for that long ago conversation with Porsche, but I came up blank.

“Have I offended you?” I asked.

Fennel winced. “Not so much offended as broken the rules, Liam. Our existence must be kept secret from the human population at all costs. If humans were to know that vampires exist, they would not be able to handle the truth beyond their media created world. There would be chaos in the world we work so hard to keep peaceful.”

“I haven’t told anyone!” I cried, confused. “The students think I’m a disgraced Hollywood superstar who they are way too thrilled to be close to. I–“

“Your grandfather, Peter, is aware of your transformation nightly. And also, Amy, the young girl, is more than aware of you and the whole clan. She is even assisting you. Neither of them are supernatural creatures. That is twice that you have broken the rules.”

“I–” I stopped. What could I say? I couldn’t lie to him, he knew the truth. And he was absolutely right. This is what the Elders did, they enforced the rules, they kept the vampire life secret and in order.

I tried to rack my booze-clouded brain for an answer, and cursed the fact, for once in my life, that I wasn’t sober. If I was, maybe I could be more than a babbling idiot in the presence of kings. I was an actor for God’s sake, I was supposed to know how to improv and make things up on the spot, because the show must go on, no matter what.

“I-I needed Peter to help me when I first changed,” I said. “Without him, I would have ended up like Nina. Peter is my grandfather, and at the time, he was the only one who would have helped me. No other vampires came to my aid. Peter won’t tell anyone. And Amy… Amy had to know. We are, we were…” I corrected myself, although I felt my heart crack, “in a relationship. And she’s young. I… uh…” I looked up to see if any of my excuses were working, but they didn’t seem impressed.

I hung my head. So this was it, this was how it was going to end, after everything I had been through. I knew there was no hope in trying to fight them off, trying to run. I knew the truth: my blood was possessed, captured, just by their eyes simply gazing upon me. They would lay down the final verdict and then rip my head off.

I frantically wished that I could see Amy one last time, so that I could tell her, despite it all, that I love her.

That thought surprised me because that certainly wasn’t what I had been thinking all week. But I wanted Amy beside me, her hand on my shoulder, her lips on mine.

I wouldn’t trade my relationship with her for the world. If they were going to rip my head off because of her, then I think it was well worth it.

“Law of deliverance!” Connor suddenly blurted out beside me and all the elders turned to look at him.

“What?” I asked, confused.

“Liam evokes the law of deliverance,” Connor said, calmly.