Page 35 of In the Dark

What happens to you then?

I don’t know. Guess we’ll see what the council has to say.

You know I’m kinda scared

Me too.

Key found Kelvin’s hand and squeezed it, finding some small relief when Kelvin squeezed his in return. They were in trouble, and Key didn’t want to know exactly how much trouble they were in, but he could easily guess from what Kelvin had said previously. Something he’d tried unsuccessfully to block from his mind.

Death.

Yeah, death, and Key didn’t want to get to know death just yet. He was young and had plenty of years ahead of him, and once this was over and done with, he was going to remind Kelvin how much he’d fucked up.

After they’d had sex.

Priorities.

“Some laws are meant to be broken,” Gray argued. “Some laws served us well then, but only hinder us now. How many of our kind have walked away from their mate because of the laws wehave in place? How many have suffered in silence? How many have taken their own lives rather than watch their mate move on with theirs? Is this who we have become as a species? One that forces its own to wither away and die inside because we adhered to the laws set in place decades before we were born?”

“I understand where you’re coming from, but for now, the laws stand, and Kelvin has broken one of our most important ones.” Gray appeared to want to argue, but nodded instead. Key wanted him to argue more. It was his neck on the chopping block. “Arrest them.” The way the blond spoke those two words sounded tired to Key, and a little spark of hope came to light inside.

“Can my mate dress? As you can see, Maxim took him in his underwear.”

“We’ll find something to cover him.” Blond waved at two other vampires in the room, a male and female who came over to them. Kelvin held his arms out, and he was quickly cuffed.

Key took a step back, but the female vampire gave him a soft smile. “I won’t put them on too tight.”

Key looked at Kelvin, who nodded and raised his hands, grimacing when the cold metal touched his skin. The woman, the female—as Key had been informed to call them—smiled again and stepped back.

“Let’s go and see what the council has to say.”

Chapter Fourteen

Kelvin could feel Key’s fear through their connection and tried to remain positive, but he, too, was a little afraid. He knew what the law demanded if broken, and here he was about to try to reason with their council as to why the law should be struck down.

At least Key had some clothes on now, and had gotten his wounds treated. Seeing the bruises on Key’s face had Kelvin seething and wanting to track Maxim down to give him a taste of his own medicine. Gray was tracing his whereabouts, and Kelvin knew Maxim wouldn’t remain hidden for long.

He was up to something, or he would never have come out in the open to take Key.

Outside the council chambers, Kelvin paced the floor, ignoring the chairs placed outside. The hallway was long and had many large windows on one side. The cream color gave it the appearance of glowing, but it did nothing for Kelvin.

His life and his mates’ hung on how he performed in the very chamber he stood outside. He was hoping the emergence of Maxim would sway the council to his side, but they could easilyblame his mating as the reason for Maxim returning. He had no idea how they would look at it, and second guessing and creating scenarios in his mind only added to the tension he could feel strangling his body.

Rolling his shoulders back, Kelvin moved his neck from side to side, then cracked his knuckles. Shaking his arms, he continued to pace, trying to loosen up, but all the moving he did had little effect. He was stiff, tight, coiled like a spring ready to go off.

At least Key wasn’t here. Kelvin had managed to convince Peter—Blond to Key—to let his mate stay away. It was daunting enough when you knew the people and the process, but it would have been far worse for Key. Peter had agreed without arguing, giving Kelvin a glimmer of hope that he might be on his side when it came to him challenging the law.

“Kelvin. The council will see you now.”

Kelvin spun on the spot and stared at the open doorway. He inhaled, his chest expanding, then slowly released it before walking towards the chamber. He nodded to the male standing at the door, one of the council guards, and stepped into the wide circular room.

A large, semi-circular podium stood at one end of the room where the council members sat. Thirteen members. It had been arranged that way so there would never be a deadlock, and so far it had worked out well.

The room was once again decorated in cream shades. Only the podium stood out with its dark wood; the same with the chairs. Everything about the room was meant to highlight the council members who were already seated, waiting for him.

Taking a deep breath, Kelvin approached and stood next to the desk and chair placed in front of the podium, waiting for one of the members to tell him to sit or stay as he was. This was their show, and he was a participant waiting for them to speak.

“Please sit, Kelvin.” Kelvin nodded and sat, placing his hands on the desk in front of him. “You know why you’re here?”

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