Page 73 of Ever Dark Academy: Vol. 1

“Exactly.” Caemorn dipped his head.

He was an elegant Vampire dressed neatly in a long, crimson coat, fitted black pants and boots. He had blonde hair so pale it was almost white. It was shorn close to the sides and slightly longer on the top. His features were fine, almost delicate, and he spoke and moved with precision as if every single thing he did was thought of and considered carefully.

“What can I do for you?” Grayson asked.

“He needs to sleep, Caemorn,” Ryder growled. “He’s exhausted.”

“Is he?” Caemorn lifted an elegant pale eyebrow. “Well, I suppose it is exhausting to be manhandled by a Weryn Vampire.”

“I handled Lawson just fine,” Grayson stated stiffly.

He hated how Ryder flushed and dropped his gaze, looking guilty over Lawson’s actions.

“Yes, but you were seen,” Caemorn stated.

Grayson looked over his shoulder at the female Ashyr Vampire. She had been waylaid by Balthazar who was forcing her to pet Meffy. Her eyes kept shifting to Grayson though.

“Yeah, well, that was bound to happen,” Grayson said, trying to act like he had wished to keep it hidden for at least a day. He’d managed to keep it secret on Earth most of his life. But here he’d been sloppy, yet he didn’t quite care.

“Indeed.” Caemorn smiled thinly. “Some gifts cannot be hidden. But I am here to ask if you would like to attend an interrogation tomorrow.”

Grayson blinked. “Ah… who are you interrogating?”

Ryder shifted. “He doesn’t have to be exposed to her again!”

“We can tell him what we find out. He doesn’t need that,” Demos agreed.

It took Grayson a moment to understand what he was talking about. “You mean the--the female Vampire that killed Sam? She’s dead, isn’t she? I killed her.”

Grayson quickly looked over at Eiji and Mairead who were sipping champagne and talking quietly together. They hadn’t heard what he’d said. He focused again on Caemorn.

“No, she is not dead. That would make things easier.” Caemorn pressed his lips together. “But Balthazar insisted on keeping her alive and then diving into her mind. He will do that tomorrow. We thought it would be good for you to be there. Unless you wish to sit through classes on Vampire through the Ages.”

“You don’t have to go, Grayson,” Ryder said. “I don’t know what they expect you to add.”

“Perhaps he would like to know more about the people who changed his life forever and murdered his friend?” Caemorn lifted that eyebrow again.

Grayson didn’t know what he felt about the Sect Vampire still being alive. He thought he had killed her. He thought he had avenged Charlie in part.

“When you’re done questioning her, what happens to her then? She’s let go? I mean Sam was just a human, and just a homeless human at that so he matters even less than the other other mortals so--”

“No, Grayson, as you will discover Balthazar’s gift will allow him to turn her into our greatest ally,” Caemorn said.

“Like they did with the monsters?” Grayson asked.

That had been impressive, but he couldn’t see that working long term. The one Eyros Vampire had lost control of one of the hags for a moment.

“No, not like that. That was crude.” Caemorn grimaced. “Flashy, but crude. She will literally be ours in all ways.”

“So she gets away with it?! She’s--”

“She won’t be her anymore, Grayson,” Caemorn almost gently interrupted his rushed angry response. “The person she was will be gone. It is a punishment beyond anything you can imagine.”

Grayson wasn’t sure what that meant or how it would work. But he accepted it. For now.

“So would you like to be there to learn some answers?” Caemorn asked.

“Yeah, yeah, I’d like to,” Grayson said.

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