Page 90 of Dark Souls

“Why her? How did you even meet her and realise that she would be the right person to help you? And what exactly do you need help with?”

“Dad, this isn’t a game of twenty-one questions. I told you, he can’t tell us anything about himself or his situation.”

“Because he’s trapped?” Grandpapi said with a disbelieving scoff. “Trapped how? A spell? Because I don’t sense one on you. Or is that the lie you’re feeding my granddaughter just to get her to fall for your act? What exactly do you want with her?”

Luka remained silent. My heart thundered.

“I’ve never been a patient man so this is your last warning to start talking. Why do you want her to join your club for the evil and twisted so badly?” Grandpapi leaned forwards on his knees, his eyes flashing red, then purple, as he glared at Luka.

“I don’t want her there at all,” Luka finally spoke. I snapped my head towards him, my blood boiling. “But she is stubborn and won’t take no for an answer. She would find her way into the club one way or another, so I realised helping her gain a membership with a fake identity was the safest way.”

Grandpapi sat back, thinking over those words. “I know a little about your club. I know that in order to gain a membership, you must pay a considerable monthly subscription, which funds the most immoral and sadistic acts at your events.”

“That’s true,” Luka answered, and I groaned, hiding my face behind my hands.

“So you expect her to pay for a membership? Because if not, how do you think she will get away with this undetected? Surely a free member will raise questions. So let me guess, you’ll be asking us to fund it?”

“I’ve already thought of that,” Luka replied with a glint of mischief in his eyes. “You know your late father, Lucius Romano, was a member of the club long ago, before I even started working there. He was one of the largest benefactors, actually. His account is untouched since his death and still holds millions of pounds.”

“What?!” I shouted, looking between Luka and Grandpapi. How was I only just finding out about this?

“When you refused to take his place as a VIP member after his death and wanted nothing to do with it, I shut down the account and moved the funds into shares. I have transferred some of those funds back to pay for Ilaria’s membership for the next few months. It is technically her inheritance as a pure-blooded Romano, anyway.”

Grandpapi rubbed his chin as we all sat in silence, digesting that information.

“What is your role in the club? If you have access and manipulation over the accounts and memberships, you must be pretty influential,” my dad stated.

“I run the events. I approve of the memberships. I ensure members keep to the rules.”

“Which are?”

“Don’t fuck with business. Don’t speak about the members or what happens inThe Underground.”

“Breaking your own rules, then?” Grandpapi chuckled without any warmth. “You still haven’t answered the question. Why do you want Ilaria’s help?”

Luka peered over at me for the first time and I gulped at the sinful look in those dangerous eyes. “Because… someone I care about is in trouble. Ilaria can read minds and help,” he started, before tearing his gaze away from mine so I could finally breathe again. He cared about Heathen? That was news to me. “She is the only one I can trust with this.”

“Say we agree to this. How exactly do you suppose you will keep her safe at these events?”

“She’ll be under my protection. Discreetly, of course. No one will know who she really is. And if anyone fucks with her. They die,” Luka said the words with such conviction but also chilling calmness. The two men exchanged glances between them.

“Hang on a minute. You’re all talking like I can’t take care of my—”

“Is that a promise?” Grandpapi interrupted, and my mouth dropped open for the third time today.

“It’s a fact,” Luka answered. “I understand your concern. I don’t want her to risk her life for my problems. If I ever feel like she is in any real danger, I will revoke her membership immediately. And if any harm ever comes to her under my watch, I give you permission to kill me.”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” I grumbled, dropping my head in my hands.

“Deal,” Grandpapi said immediately, standing up. “Bind in blood?”

Luka stood up too and my eyes bulged as he bit into his palm with his fangs in agreement.

“WAIT! What are you doing?” I shouted, diving forward just as my grandpapi elongated his own fangs and did the same. They grabbed each other’s hands in a fierce grip before I could get between them, their blood mixing in the most sacred of acts for vampires as my hands clawed into my hair. A blood oath between vampires was a fate set in stone.

When they let go, Luka nodded at both my father and Grandpapi with respect and stalked out of the room. I tried to go after him, but Grandma grabbed my arm and held me back. I realised then how it would look if I had so reluctantly fought the urge.

“So, did you really believe all that?” my dad asked my grandpapi as my legs gave way and I slumped down onto the sofa. It was over and it went better than expected. Apart from the blood oath thing. “That he’d kill to keep her safe?”

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