Page 54 of Ashvale: The Vampire's Kiss

We walked in silence for a little while and I let him stew, content to wait him out. I didn't feel the need to fill the void with endless chatter, but I'd have bet money that Rath didn't feel the same.

Sure enough, after his third side-eye, he burst out with, “Is there something I can do for you, my dear? Not that I don't enjoy your company, of course.”

I smiled, making sure it was heavily toothy. “I'm so glad you asked.” I snapped my fingers and Cal's ready-made portal popped into being on the wall to Rath's left. He gaped, looking between me and it like he was making all sorts of connections, but I just smirked and gave him a push before following him through.

Apparently done sulking, Cal had shown up at my door earlier that day—though, thankfully, not early enough to disturb Hayes and me—and we'd hatched a plan. Rath definitely seemed to know more than he was letting on when it came to the vanished monarchy. While I didn't like it, if he wouldn't give us the answers we needed, we would have to take them. Desperate times called for desperate measures.

Hayes pushed Rath down into the chair in the abandoned building we'd been using to practise magick with Cal. Novalie gave the older vampire a little finger wave and Emerson wrung her hands. I got it, I didn't like this either, but he was the only lead we had.

“Suddenly, I'm seeing your resemblance to your mother much more clearly,” Rath hissed and I pressed a hand to my chest.

“Ouch.”

“Fuckin' rude,” Novalie muttered and Rath rolled his eyes before they found Cal and he froze.

It was an interesting reaction and I moved closer to where he sat, nodding towards Cal as I leaned over him. “You recognise him?”

Rath swallowed and it was loud in the empty room. “Yes.”

“How?” He stayed quiet and I slumped, pulling away. “Look, I know you know something. Just level with us, maybe we can help each other out.”

“You wouldn't understand.” His voice was dark, heavy, and I watched him for a moment. Whatever this secret was, it was eating him alive.

“How about I give you a secret first,” I said, eyeing him shrewdly. “Then, if it's good enough, you can tell me yours.”

Rath snorted, but didn't decline, so I forged ahead.

“You knew my mother, Elowen. But Cal, here, knew her as another name before she came to court: Isabella. You told me you didn't know who my father was.”

“Nora...” Cal stepped forward and I held up a hand, halting him in place.

“But you were wrong,” I continued. “Elowen fell in love with a mage. This mage, to be precise.”

“I'm not sure love played much of a factor,” Cal muttered and I chose to ignore him, scuffing my foot along the concrete floor to regain Rath's attention. His eyes were wide and the way he looked at Cal... it was like he'd seen a ghost.

“Now when a mage and a living vampire love each other very much...” I raised my eyebrows meaningfully at him and Rath seemed to choke on the air. “You get a bouncing, baby Leonora."

“You're half-mage,” Rath whispered and I shrugged.

“So, is my secret good enough?”

Hayes pressed down on Rath's shoulder when he made to stand and I waved him away. He wasn't a prisoner... yet. He was more of an unwilling visitor.

“Everyone knew Elowen at court. She'd become an undead vampire and climbed the ranks quickly, thanks to her connection to Adrian. He was the sire for our line and several others, and she made a name for herself. Truthfully, I wasn't unaffected by her charm at first.” Rath scrubbed a hand over his jaw, his hair curling under his ears even as he tugged on the ends.

“What happened?” I was surprised that Cal was the one who asked, but there was something haunted about his expression, like he'd been cast into the past as Rath spoke it.

“She created something that killed the man I loved.” Rath squeezed his eyes shut before he focused on Cal. “You look so much like James.”

Cal staggered at the name and I was by his side instantly, catching him. “You knew him.” His words were a rasp, barely a whisper, but Rath heard them all the same.

“I was supposed to meet him that night. He was with your parents,” Rath said, nodding to Hayes before continuing, “Elowen had presented them with a new potion to try. Something that would increase their power, their speed and strength.”

Oh god. An early version of the drug she'd used on Rowan. This had been going on much earlier than we'd realised.

“But when I got to the chambers to meet him, it was too late. They were feral. James told me he had no choice but to seal the doors until they regained their senses. He gave me a gem, said it was the key to unsealing the room and that I had to get it to Adrian. I think... I think he thought Elowen had tried to kill them.”

I shared a look with Cal and he stepped closer to Hayes, a comforting presence. “Then what happened?”

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