Breathe Under Water - Shadows of the Night 1

Chapter 14

Hi,

It feels like the days and nights are getting shorter and shorter. Sorry for the long wait. I'm already writing on the next one, though. So this is it Chapter 14, edited and proof-read. I hope you like it. Feel free to criticize. And, as always, thanks for reading, guys!

Lara

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Chapter 14

4 p.m. And I couldn't sleep. My daily rhythm was seriously fucked up, and no matter how many times I tossed and turned, I wasn't going back to sleep anytime soon. The vampires probably wouldn't be up until 7 p.m., and I'd be damned if I wasn't grateful for that.

The conversation I had with Alexander the night before bothered me more than I liked to admit. I saw it coming. After our encounter in his club and the little test he put me through, I knew that he was going to threaten me. In fact, I had been waiting for him to show his true nature. What I'd not factored in was my reaction to it. For a moment there, I was on the verge of walking away from this.

I was not going to. I couldn't. And I was not intimidated by Alexander, dammit. Maybe I would have been if I was the same person I used to be. Before I found Maria dead in that alley. Before my whole world shifted on an axis that reeked of conspiracy and death. Again. I wasn't going back to that. Ever. I had nothing to lose, and if what it took to find her murderer was break the head vampire's rules, I would do it.

I had to start investigating somewhere, and if there ever was the opportunity to explore the mansion, it was now. I had a hunch that would be a problem with the head vampire in tow. I was going to take a look around the building. If I got caught, I would pretend to be a clueless, but faithful human servant searching for the kitchens.

I put on last night's black leather pants and a comfy black t-shirt with a v neck, pulled my hair back in a low ponytail. Deadly silence around me as I crept out of the main room between our bedrooms, opening the door in slow motion. I closed it cautiously behind me, waiting.

Nothing happened.

Was I lucky for once, and Alexander was still dead to the world? If vampire hearing was as good as they said, he would have heard me.

The corridor outside was empty, the eerie silence a perfect undernote for the first scene in a bad horror movie. I glanced up and down. The light was artificial, running from one end of the ceiling to the other. There wasn't an ounce of natural light, not a ray of sunshine peeking through the heavy drapes where windows should have been, but weren't. Looked like Heron left nothing to chance. Like the master bedrooms of the vamps with their automatic shutters, this part of the building wouldn't be seeing any daylight.

For a vampire it was nearly impossible to walk outside during daytime. Comatose sleep had them trapped. Rumor had it that the older, more powerful vampires could actually walk in daylight. I'd never seen it, and I was betting a lot on it being a lie. Or maybe that was only wishful thinking.

I walked down the corridor without encountering anybody and proceeded downstairs. When I reached the great hall I saw two servants, obviously human, hurrying into the room where the meeting had been held the night before. If they noticed me, they ignored my presence.

Good.

My way to the other corridors on the first floor was uneventful. I feigned to admire the countless paintings and art sculptures placed with great care on and in front of the walls. What I really did was trying to get an overall picture of the mansion.