29. Kim

Chapter 29

Kim

T hornfield hung up without saying another word.

Whoever Nix is, Thornfield knows him; that much is obvious. And he's scared of him. Which, frankly, terrifies the living shit out of me because Thornfield isn't scared of anything.

Ever.

I'm contemplating whether to go back to the mansion when one of the other FHB vampires stumbles out of the warehouse. As he staggers toward the hole in the chain link fence, my instincts tell me to follow.

I fucking hate my instincts sometimes.

Twenty minutes later, I'm crouched behind a crumbling tombstone in an abandoned churchyard. We are on the outskirts of the city, not too far from Lucien's mansion.

The vampire I followed joins a gathered crowd. There must be thirty or forty of them – a mix of vampires and werewolves, which is a strange alliance because vamps and wolves historically do not get along. It's why I always thought Thornfield's loyalty to Trent was misplaced.

The air thrums with tension and darkness. Thunder rumbles in the sky and thick drops of rain begin to fall.

The energy is almost chokingly thick. My entire body fizzes with it, like seasickness, making it hard to focus.

My stake is in one hand, my blade in the other. But, honestly, if I'm discovered I don't stand a chance of getting out of here alive.

Clearly, this is not an event meant for human eyes or ears.

As I watch, a figure emerges from the shadows of the dilapidated church, and the crowd falls silent. Even from this distance, I can feel the power radiating off him. This must be Nix.

A vampire.

He's tall, easily over six feet. His dark blond hair is slicked back, and he has sharp, aristocratic features that give him an air of nobility.

When he smiles at his audience, there's a cruel twist to his lips that sends a chill down my spine. He seems not to even notice the rain.

In slightly cliched fashion, his long black coat billows slightly in the breeze, revealing black jeans and a fitted black shirt underneath. He positions himself at the front of the church and clicks his fingers.

A massive black dog appears at his side, its thick jaw and pointed ears giving it an almost demonic appearance. It sits beside him and licks its lips.

Then Nix raises his hands. When he speaks, his voice carries easily across the graveyard. It's a rich, cultured voice, tinged with an accent I can't quite place - something old. Something that makes my skin prickle and my breath thicken in my lungs.

"My friends," he begins, his tone smooth and charismatic. "We stand on the precipice of a new era. For too long, we've hidden in the shadows, scraping by on the fringes of society. But no more!"

Hidden in the shadows? Supers have been out in the open for years now...

But a murmur of agreement ripples through the crowd.

"Look around you," Nix continues, pacing before his rapt audience. His movements are fluid, almost hypnotic. "Vampires and werewolves, age-old enemies, standing together. This is just the beginning of what we can achieve when we unite under a common cause."

He pauses, his gaze sweeping over the gathered supernatural creatures. Lightning forks in the sky, illuminating the graveyard. "For centuries, humans have ruled this world. They've hunted us, feared us, tried to destroy us. And why? Because they outnumber us? Because they control the daylight hours?" He scoffs, a sound filled with derision. "No. They rule because we have allowed it."

The crowd shifts restlessly, a mix of excitement and apprehension in the air.

"They have forced us to mold ourselves in their image. Integrate into their society. Live by their rules. But why? We are stronger. We are more powerful. We are superior."

A cheer ripples through the watching supers.

"We should be the ones dictating the rules. Not them!"

Another cheer.

"But Cambridge is just the beginning," Nix declares, his volume rising. "We will take control not just of this city, but of every city. We will step out of the shadows and take our rightful place as the apex predators of this world!"

I grip my weapons tighter, my heart racing.

Nix waits for the noise to die down before continuing. "Imagine a world where we don't have to hide what we are. Where we can hunt freely, where our power is acknowledged and respected. A world where we make the rules, and humans are nothing more than cattle to serve our needs."

He's painting a vivid picture, and I can see the crowd getting caught up in his vision. It's terrifying how persuasive he is.

"But this isn't just about dominance," Nix says, his voice softening. "It's about freedom. Freedom to be who we truly are, without fear or shame. Freedom to build a society that caters to our needs, our desires. A world where we can thrive, not just survive."

A voice calls out from the crowd, "How? How can we possibly do that? The humans outnumber us, and they have weapons, technology..."

Nix smiles, a predatory grin that sends a shiver down my spine. He pauses for dramatic effect, his eyes scanning the crowd. When he speaks again, his voice is low, almost reverent.

"What if I told you there was an ancient power that could turn the tide in our favor? A power that could bend reality itself to our will?"

The audience falls silent, hanging on his every word.

Nix rests his palm on his dog's head and strokes its ears. Then he looks up and says, "Who here has heard of The Covenant of Shadows?"