Page 10 of Dark Embers

“Of course. Elevators are to the left.”

I smiled and made my way to the elevator, the blood beginning to thunder in my ears. Julian’s description of the location was accurate, if a bit sparse. “Nice” didn’t quite cut it. If it weren’t for the lack of a check-in desk, I’d think I walked into a hotel rather than an apartment complex.

I felt a little self-conscious in my jeans and t-shirt, with its rude print of a hand with a blurred middle finger. If anything went wrong today, I wanted to die in my favorite shirt, but now I felt like it made me stand out way too much, especially in this place. At least the concierge hadn’t looked surprised. Maybe it wasn’t as bad as I thought.

The floors dinged by, finally depositing me on the eighth floor. I got off, following the signs until I stood in front of room eight-twenty-three.

I took a deep breath, standing frozen in front of the door for several minutes as if I were on the precipice of a gallows.

This was it. Either Julian was lying, and this was some sort of trap, or I’d find the grimoire tucked inside his hidden safe, just like he said.

I’d done my best to avoid any doubt during my trip here, but now that I was standing outside his door, I couldn’t push the thoughts aside any longer. I mentally checked my meager list of spells, wondering if I should start the vampire-binding one, but decided against it. If thiswasa trap, my reflexes wouldn’t be enough to keep me safe.

I might as well be a lamb wandering into a lion’s den.

I hoped Gram wouldn’t have to pick me up in a body bag or, worse—lose her only grandchild to the dark underworld. Would she even want to have anything to do with me if I was turned?

I shook my head, rolling my shoulders. I could do this. And I truly didn’t think Julian was a bad guy, even if he was a vamp. Why would he make up the story he told me? Besides, the chance to have magic and grow my power was too tempting to ignore.

I looked both ways down the hall, checking for any signs of people. When I felt comfortable that I was alone, I put my hand on the knob.

“Sahad,” I muttered, slipping through as soon as I heard the telltale click. Once inside, I quietly shut the door behind me, locking it back in place.

“So far, so good.” I turned around, getting my first good look at the place.

It was nothing like I’d expected.

Floor-to-ceiling windows stretched above me, lined by heavy white drapes. The view directly out the window was of thebuilding across the way, but as I neared the sill, I could see down to the street below.

My sneakers squeaked against the glossy, dark wood floors as I continued to explore. The kitchen was gorgeous: ebony cabinets contrasted with white marble counters that looked untouched.

I doubled back to the entrance, noting the closet where Julian said the safe would be, and then peeked my head in the opposite door. There, I found a bathroom that looked like it was made to match the kitchen. It boasted more sleek flooring and cabinets, with a large white tub and countertops.

I let out a low whistle. This place was gorgeous.

The one thing that stood out, though, was the fact that there was no furniture. Well, almost none. One chair sat in a forlorn corner of the living room. It was old and bore a metal plaque on the back that said SKYE BOARDING HOUSE. I walked up to it and reverently traced the well-worn wood, wondering what stories it could tell.

I looked over my shoulder at the large vacant room and found a glossy, black baby grand piano tucked into the opposite corner.

I lifted a brow at the majestic instrument.

“Cliché much?” I said aloud, my voice bouncing off the bare walls. The space felt so empty; I almost had to speak in order to fill the void.

“Bet he plays Clair de Lune, too.” I chuckled.

For an apartment, it didn’t look very lived in. I wondered what Julian did with himself when he wasn’t... hunting. Or maybe this was a decoy apartment. Although, who would spend money on two places, especially since this one was so nice? Surely, he could find someplace cheaper.

“Or maybe he’s loaded.” Every vampire movie I’d ever seen made them seem like there was no way theycouldn’tall be filthy rich.

I ran my finger across a swatch of the smooth marble countertop, then stared in disbelief at the lack of residue. “Maybe he spends all his spare time cleaning.”

Weird.

But what was even weirder was that the place had no bedroom. I looked back through the whole apartment but still didn’t find anything. “Not even a coffin to lay his head.”

I laughed again at my own joke. It was almost a pity no one could hear me talking to myself because I was on top of my game right now.

I went back to the closet, depositing my backpack on the floor and opening the double louvered doors. A few coats and some clothes hung there, though it still looked awfully meager, even for a vampire who only needed to occasionally blend in with society. I thumbed through the garments, all of them dark, most of them pure black.

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