Page 144 of Hospital for Immortal Creatures

The manticore sighed. “I’m not in the mood to explain. Go on!” He waved his hand at Diana.

She sent Constantine a questioning look. He nodded and, despite her despondency, she continued. “There’s something I didn’t mention the first time. The reason I went after Luka was not only because he disappeared. When I searched for him at his home, the place was turned inside out but I guess they didn’t find the safe. Because inside, I found this”— she pulled out the vial—“and a short letter.”

Mikhail placed his palms on the table. “What’s in the letter?”

“Drink it. It’s short-lasting. Turn. I don’t trust them.” Diana recited the words she’d read at least a hundred times during their travel. “Alas, when we found him, he wasn’t in a state to give any explanations.”

“I thought he was dead?” Mikhail grimaced.

Constantine intervened. “Let me explain something. When we killed that witch in Alberobello and I devoured her soul, I gained access to – how shall I put it – her full list of clients and everything related to it. And not just that. As we already know, a witch stays connected to every one of her clients forever. That’s how I learnt where Luka was.”

In contrast to her earlier shiftiness, Diana now sat next to him, listening calmly.

“Together, we headed for Mersin, Turkey. We found Luka in an abandoned construction site. Let’s just say his deal with Mada had already taken what was owed. But that wasn’t his only problem.” The image of the poor creature appeared in front of Constantine. It was something he’d for sure remember for a long time. “Luka was very badly physically hurt.” He didn’t want to dive into details and describe the necrosis delving into the spinal cord of the vampire. “He died the night we found him. I believe that whoever hired him to open the portal finished him off.”

“Probably trying to get this back.” Diana shook the vial between her fingers. “But he was smart enough to leave it behind and hide it well, so only I could discover it.”

“Why would they give it to him and then try to retrieve it?” Viktor crossed his arms over the Werewolf print on his shirt, and Mikhail threw him a disapproving glance.

“Luka was smart,” Diana said. “Knowing him, he surely found a way to outsmart them. I can only guess, but they probably never wanted him to use the contents of the vial and planned to take it back the moment he completed his task. He managed to hide it in time or God knows what… I don’t know.”

“Let’s recap.” Mikhail appeared more bored than angry. “Your brother makes a very bad deal with someone. He has to bring me Kaliope’s head and he needs to do it in a special way – the portal. In return, he’s supposed to receive something that will help him unlock his secondary vampire form. In other words, something we know doesn’t exist. And so, they give him something. A shiny little vial. But then they decide to screw him over and take it back. So… who are ‘they’?” Mikhail’s eyes fixed on Diana.

“As I said the first time, I never pushed Luka for details. The mere thought of him opening a portal bothered me. And honestly, I didn’t think he’d fall for it. I only remember he described them as sinister and slimy. Truth be told, I was much more worried about his safety than I was about them.”

“Slimy?”

Diana shared a glance with Constantine, who nodded in encouragement. Mikhail deserved to know everything they did – even if part of it were the ramblings of a dying man.

“At that construction site, just before he died, Luka told me they were always well dressed, in elegant suits and dark sunglasses, even at nighttime. He also said something about their skin. So clear, so perfect. Like porcelain. I wouldn’t count too much on that last bit. He wasn’t in his right mind by the end. He was hallucinating and talking to creatures that weren’t there.”

“Did he say how many they were?”

“Two, I believe,” Diana said.

“Immortal?”

“For sure. Before you ask what kind, I need to remind you we’re vampires. We don’t have your strong olfactory senses.”

“You don’t know. All right. Where did he meet them?”

“Some bar here in Sofia… The Seven Horses, I think it was.”

Mikhail’s bewildered gaze moved from Diana to Constantine. “Babyhand’s brothel?”

Constantine inclined his head, having already gathered as much. “That fucking den is turning out to be a huge thorn in our side.”

“How many times did they meet?”

“No clue,” the vampire said.

“We have to pay the Righteous another visit.”

Constantine sighed. “I’ve been picturing it the whole way here. The last time, we didn’t part on good terms. Who knows, maybe we’ll fix that.”

Viktor cleared his throat, drawing their attention. “Do you mind if I analyse the substance?” His eyes lingered on the vial Diana held.

Constantine grinned because he had been willing to bet the lycanthrope would jump at the opportunity. “That’s one of the reasons we’re here. But you should know, I’ve promised Diana that she’ll drink the vial’s contents.”

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