Read Online A Shade of Vampire 10: A Spell of Time by Bella Forrest - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Bella Forrest
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“I’m quite beyond responding to torture, believe me.”
She glared into my eyes for several more minutes. I returned her gaze steadily. Then, breathing out in frustration, she said, “Well, spit it out.”
“I believe you were inducted to become a Channeler. Correct?”
“Yes.”
“How did you… become one, without losing yourself in the process?”
“That’s what you came all this way to ask me? Why, are you thinking to become a Channeler?”
“Just answer the question.”
Her brows furrowed, and she paused. “What makes you think I didn’t lose myself?”
I stared at her, examining her heart-shaped face.
“You just strike me as… different from any Channeler I’ve come across before.”
She sighed and leaned against the wall of my boat.
“You’re right. I am different. Though I did lose myself. I was just lucky enough to have someone to remind me of who I was. To save me.”
“What do you mean?”
“I had someone who was able to help remind me of who I was before I lost myself.”
“Who?”
“Someone I was—am—in love with.”
“How?”
She frowned. “I thought you said one question.”
“Just answer me, will you?” I said irritably.
“I… I honestly don’t know how he did it. I just somehow… saw myself in him. And then all the memories came flooding back in waves.”
“Perhaps if I tell you the purpose of my question, you will better be able to help me,” I said after a pause. Although I hated the thought of baring myself before this stranger, I had to if I wanted a useful answer from Mona. “It’s about Annora. She’s lost herself completely. We were lovers and I’d do anything to get her back to how she was.”
Mona looked intrigued.
“You were in love with Annora, huh? Hm. Were you there with her during her induction?”
I shook my head. “What goes on in the induction? What is it?”
Mona’s eyes darkened. She shuddered, wrapping her night gown more tightly around her.
“I don’t want to talk about it. I’m still recovering from it myself. I don’t want to bring those dark memories back. What I can tell you is… it’s carried out in the supernatural realm by someone called Lilith. If you’re interested to know more, I suggest you ask someone else about her.”
I brought my fist down against the side of the boat. It rocked from the force of my blow.
“There is nobody else I can ask.”
Mona showed signs of irritation again.
“Look, vampire. I’ve answered your questions. I’ve given you a lead. Now tell me what you came for.”
I heaved a sigh. She was right, I supposed. At least I had a name. I made a mental note to raid Annora’s library when I returned. If this Lilith was such an influential person, perhaps she would be mentioned in one of Annora’s books.
“Are Derek and Sofia still alive?” I asked.
Mona’s eyes widened. “Of course. Why wouldn’t they be? You know they escaped—”
“Listen carefully,” I said, stepping forward and gripping her shoulder. “What I’m about to tell you—nobody can ever know that you heard it from me. Nobody can know that I came here tonight to talk to you. Not any of the Novaks, nobody in The Shade, and certainly none of the witches. You must promise to not breathe a word to anyone.”
“All right, but—”
“Just promise me.”
She hesitated, confusion lining her face, then reached out her hand for me to shake.
“All right. You have my word. Just spit it out.”
I took a step back. “Annora cast a spell on Derek and Sofia Novak while they were with us. A binding curse. They have seven days from when she cast the curse… and I have no idea when that was.”
Shock turned to urgency. Mona swore and vanished in an instant. She would now do what she had to do.
I returned to the control cabin, the stench of the fisherman’s corpse lingering in the warm night air.
And now it’s time for me to return to my icy prison before my own seven days are up.
Chapter 15: Derek
I
She glared into my eyes for several more minutes. I returned her gaze steadily. Then, breathing out in frustration, she said, “Well, spit it out.”
“I believe you were inducted to become a Channeler. Correct?”
“Yes.”
“How did you… become one, without losing yourself in the process?”
“That’s what you came all this way to ask me? Why, are you thinking to become a Channeler?”
“Just answer the question.”
Her brows furrowed, and she paused. “What makes you think I didn’t lose myself?”
I stared at her, examining her heart-shaped face.
“You just strike me as… different from any Channeler I’ve come across before.”
She sighed and leaned against the wall of my boat.
“You’re right. I am different. Though I did lose myself. I was just lucky enough to have someone to remind me of who I was. To save me.”
“What do you mean?”
“I had someone who was able to help remind me of who I was before I lost myself.”
“Who?”
“Someone I was—am—in love with.”
“How?”
She frowned. “I thought you said one question.”
“Just answer me, will you?” I said irritably.
“I… I honestly don’t know how he did it. I just somehow… saw myself in him. And then all the memories came flooding back in waves.”
“Perhaps if I tell you the purpose of my question, you will better be able to help me,” I said after a pause. Although I hated the thought of baring myself before this stranger, I had to if I wanted a useful answer from Mona. “It’s about Annora. She’s lost herself completely. We were lovers and I’d do anything to get her back to how she was.”
Mona looked intrigued.
“You were in love with Annora, huh? Hm. Were you there with her during her induction?”
I shook my head. “What goes on in the induction? What is it?”
Mona’s eyes darkened. She shuddered, wrapping her night gown more tightly around her.
“I don’t want to talk about it. I’m still recovering from it myself. I don’t want to bring those dark memories back. What I can tell you is… it’s carried out in the supernatural realm by someone called Lilith. If you’re interested to know more, I suggest you ask someone else about her.”
I brought my fist down against the side of the boat. It rocked from the force of my blow.
“There is nobody else I can ask.”
Mona showed signs of irritation again.
“Look, vampire. I’ve answered your questions. I’ve given you a lead. Now tell me what you came for.”
I heaved a sigh. She was right, I supposed. At least I had a name. I made a mental note to raid Annora’s library when I returned. If this Lilith was such an influential person, perhaps she would be mentioned in one of Annora’s books.
“Are Derek and Sofia still alive?” I asked.
Mona’s eyes widened. “Of course. Why wouldn’t they be? You know they escaped—”
“Listen carefully,” I said, stepping forward and gripping her shoulder. “What I’m about to tell you—nobody can ever know that you heard it from me. Nobody can know that I came here tonight to talk to you. Not any of the Novaks, nobody in The Shade, and certainly none of the witches. You must promise to not breathe a word to anyone.”
“All right, but—”
“Just promise me.”
She hesitated, confusion lining her face, then reached out her hand for me to shake.
“All right. You have my word. Just spit it out.”
I took a step back. “Annora cast a spell on Derek and Sofia Novak while they were with us. A binding curse. They have seven days from when she cast the curse… and I have no idea when that was.”
Shock turned to urgency. Mona swore and vanished in an instant. She would now do what she had to do.
I returned to the control cabin, the stench of the fisherman’s corpse lingering in the warm night air.
And now it’s time for me to return to my icy prison before my own seven days are up.
Chapter 15: Derek
I
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