Damnation (OLD AND DISCONTINUED, PLEASE READ NEWER VERSION)

Chapter 23 1/2

Sorry I haven't updated in a while. Everything's just been so hectic and I've barely found time to check in with my book. Thank you to those who never gave up on me the entire time.

Click! Click! Click! The switchblade in her hand unleashed its blade with a flick of the wrist and then sheathed it the same way. She smiled at the simplicity of the technique. It was things like this that kept her calm and collected.

"Um, Em?" She perked up from her chair. Although it was too dim for details, she could just make out a faint shadow. Em relaxed her shoulders.

"Oh, Lily. It's just you," she said with a sigh. All of a sudden, a pair of fluorescent pink eyes lit up in the darkness. Em stuck her switchblade in her pocket and fell back to her seat.

"What is it?"

"The council is requesting your appearance in the secret room," Lily stated. Knitting her eyebrows, Em stared at the little girl figure in the distance. Why did the council need her? They only ever needed her assistance when there was something daunting to talk about. She ran her fingers through her short black hair. What were those assholes up to? Eventually, she sighed again.

"Fine. Tell them I'm coming," she said. Even with the darkness, Em could tell Lily was smiling. She looked away as the little girl scurried back to where she came from. It was a smart idea to build a network of tunnels where they could sneak into different places. Em stood up from the chair. She pulled the knife from her pocket once more and opened it up. The blade provided a reflection, but Em almost didn't recognize the woman on the other end. It had been a while since she'd gotten proper treatment. Her neon crimson eye were surrounded by dark circles due to the inadequate nourishment those hounds had given her. She couldn't help but smirk. When she was done with them, they'd be the ones suffering. After sheathing the switchblade and hiding it again, Em walked to the hole and crawled through. It was time to visit the council.

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"It's absurd!" A squat and pudgy man in a suit stood at a table the shape of a pentagon. His hands were balled up into fists. Veins were scattered across his balding head. He tapped his feet with anger. "Absolutely absurd. We need to act on our escape at once!" Around the table were three more people who looked like they meant business. One of them, a man of towering heights, removed his circular glasses and cleaned them with a handkerchief. The pudgy man watched as he put them on again and sighed.

"Mr. Knight, I don't think you understand the gravity of the situation-"

"I don't understand the gravity of the situation?!" the pudgy man spoke out. He slammed his angry fist on the table, causing it to rumble. "I'm not the one who is letting our people starve! As the five self-appointed elders of these vampires, it is our duty to come up with a way to escape. But how are we to do that when every one of you are too coward to try?"

"He does have a point, Mr. Bishop. We can't just wait forever, especially with the current living conditions." The third member, a middle aged woman donning a strawberry blond bun, rested her head on her palm. She tapped her long fingernail against the wooden table. Her gaze flickered between the two misters. She very much hated Mr. Knight, but she couldn't help but agree with the short brute. Mr. Bishop was too cautious for his own good.

Another man sat up in his seat. He was dressed as a clergyman, ironic since he himself was far from holy. Bronze steampunk-style goggles were fitted over his eyes, blocking his eyes from everyone else. The man's eyebrows rose with delight. "Ah, Claire, I think you're forgetting the fact that this place is heavily guarded by neo-lycans. We can't just run around willy-nilly." He sighed and leaned back in his chair. "If we hope to escape from here, we at least need a plan, and a good one, too."