Page 93 of Vampire's Hearth

The driver took us to the public beach just down the road, where we thanked him and exited the car. The scent of the salty water floated over me, raising my heartbeat and calming me all at once, while the crisp wind blew off the water, tossing my hair around my face until I caught it and tied it into a low ponytail. I took a deep breath and set my sights on the manor, stepping onto the rocky beach.

“Worst case”—I smirked—“we can go to the cave and at least be out of the elements for the night.”

Jade smiled. “I’ve heard stories about that cave. I didn’t think our friendship had gone that far.”

We giggled, the nervous sound brittle and out of place against the somber landscape. As we trudged across the beach, the crunch of our footsteps over the sand and stones seemed to echo in the stillness. The rhythmic crashing of the waves offered little comfort, their soothing lull now overshadowed by the need to find Conall.

We finally reached the moss-covered stone steps, picking our way along them through the cliffside. When we reached the top, I pounded on the door. The woman with ash-blond hair walked along the beach toward us, the same one whom I had seen just after Mac and I made love in the cave. Had she been following Jade and me?

The woman reached the base of the stairs, her gaze calm and unsettling as it swept over us. “Looking for the O’Cillians?” she asked, her voice soft and bell-like, almost too soothing for the tension crackling in the air.

I stared at her, suspicion coiling in my gut. “I need to speak to Conall. Do you know where he is?”

She shook her head as she studied me, her pale hair catching the faint light. “I haven’t seen him for a few days. Then again,I’m not always here.” Her words drifted in the air like a lure, too casual, too indifferent.

My mind raced. Could I trust her? There was something off in how she lingered, something calculated in how her gaze never quite broke from mine. Why had Mac glanced at her that night on the beach?

She took another step closer, placing her foot on the bottom stair. Her presence felt invasive, like the slow advance of a predator deciding when to strike. My pulse quickened. “Unless you can get us inside, I don’t need to talk with you. I just need to find Conall.”

She tilted her head, studying us as if weighing her options. “If they don’t know you’re here, you’re trespassers.”

Her words triggered a memory—Mac’s voice warning me about trespassers and the dangers of approaching the O’Cillian home uninvited. I narrowed my eyes, my mind whirling. How much did she know? And what part had she played?

“I am the High Priestess of the Coven of the Blood,” I said, my voice sharp and cold, a layer of power surging beneath the words. “What do you want with me?”

The woman’s eyes flickered with something I couldn’t name, but her foot withdrew from the step as if my words had drawn an invisible line she wouldn’t cross. A chill settled over the moment, an understanding, perhaps. “I see,” she said, her voice quieter but no less unsettling.

The door behind me creaked open, and Conall stood in the entrance. His hair was neatly combed, and the soft scent of soap clung to him. A grin broke out across his face, but it faded into concern as his eyes darted from me to the empty space beside me—where Mac should have been.

“Rory, what are you doing here?” His gaze flicked from me to the woman standing at the bottom of the stairs. “Runa.”

“You know the agreement, Conall,” Runa said, her voice like ice. “These two are trespassers.”

“They’re invited,” Conall replied, stepping aside to let Jade and me pass.

Just before I stepped across the threshold, my gaze locked with Runa’s. So this was the Dearg Dur. Her eyes glimmered with something dark and unreadable. Was it a warning or recognition? My heart skipped a beat, a flicker of unease curling into my stomach. The moment between us sent a chill through me as Conall ushered us in and closed the door behind us.

“What was that all about?” Jade asked, her eyes still wide with lingering fear.

I shook my head, trying to push the unsettling feeling aside. “It’s a story for another time.”

I wasn’t sure of anything anymore, but I needed to focus Conall’s attention on the one thing that mattered: Mac. I turned to him, locking onto his eyes. “Have you heard from Mac lately?”

Conall’s face fell, and my stomach tightened. “I thought he was with you.” His eyes widened in shock. Then he masked it in an instant, forcing an expression of indifference. “But my friends don’t always have to update me on their whereabouts.”

Ice ran through my veins. My breath faltered. “Nor your brothers?” I asked, my voice trembling despite my efforts to keep it steady. It wasn’t an act; he had been abducted. My body tensed, and a cold rush of fear crept through me.

Conall’s face darkened, his calm exterior cracking. “Maybe we should go upstairs.”

He guided us up the oak staircase, through the morning room, and into the solarium. Jade’s eyes widened as she took in the manor’s grandeur. But all I could feel was the oppressive weight of the moment pressing down on me.

The solarium was breathtaking, the last vestiges of the sunlight creating dramatic lines of color over the harbor. Thewhitecaps on the waves in front of the rocky shore created an idyllic setting, more suited for a painting than the backdrop for this conversation. The beauty of the space clashed with the icy dread curling in my chest. It was a cruel irony—this place, so full of light, while we were about to discuss something shrouded in darkness.

Conall gestured for us to sit. We sank into the sofas, but I could barely feel the softness beneath me.

“Can I offer you a drink?” Conall’s voice was tight, strained—an attempt to hold the moment together before it unraveled.

I shook my head. “Your brother.”

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