Page 76 of Lady of Darkness

“What are these other countries?” Cassius asked, noting the territories on the eastern part of the continent.

“Those lands are territories most mortals do not know exist.”

“What are Night Children?”

“They are called vampyres here,” came her voice from behind them, and they both whirled with daggers drawn.

“Dammit, Nuri!” Cassius growled. “This is not the time to sneak up on us.” He turned back to Sorin and asked again, “Night Children?”

Sorin glanced at Nuri, who gave a dismissive wave of her hand. “It seems all sorts of secrets are being shared this morning.”

“Night Children are vampyres,” Sorin said.

Cassius stared at Sorin as if expecting him to start laughing and say he was joking. When Sorin didn’t, he turned back to Nuri. “How did you know that?”

“I make it a point to know as much about myself as possible,” Nuri said, bringing a hand dramatically to her chest.

When Cassius still looked perplexed, Sorin supplied, “Nuri is a Night Child.”

“Bullshit,” Cassius breathed.

“It’s true,” Sorin said. With a mocking grin to Nuri he added, “And she looks a little peaked this morning. Breakfast not sitting well?”

“You are a bastard,” Nuri seethed.

“It is like a fine aged wine, isn’t it?” he purred. “You just cannot go back to the old stuff.”

“I have never hated someone more than I do right now,” Nuri said from between clenched teeth, her nostrils flaring.

“What is she talking about?” Cassius asked. Nuri’s gaze was murderous. “She looks as though she’s going to gut you.”

“She can’t,” Sorin said with a smile of satisfaction. “Dear Nuri here has developed quite the taste for Fae blood since I let her feed on me to heal after darling Scarlett pinned her down with a dagger through the arm.”

Cassius’s mouth dropped open. “You aren’t joking? She is a vampyre.”

“Oh, she most definitely is. I would not joke about her being a Daughter of the Night,” Sorin said darkly. “Hungry, Nuri?” He began to roll up his sleeve, and her eyes watched every movement. She began to tremble when he held out his wrist to her. “He does not believe us, you know?”

Nuri dragged her eyes up to his. “I am going to rip out your throat.”

“Not today you’re not,” Sorin said, his tone icy. “Or tomorrow. Or the day after that.” He sliced his forearm open with the dagger he’d been holding and slid the Semiria ring from his finger so he wouldn’t immediately begin healing. “Eat, Nuri,” he said, “before you faint from trying to restrain.”

Cassius’s eyes only widened further as Nuri walked slowly over to them. Her eyes were glazed as her fangs slid from their sheaths. With one last murderous look at Sorin, she sank them into his arm and drank. He felt her relax with each drink. After a minute, she pulled back, wiping her mouth with the back of hand.

“But, I’ve seen you eat. Real food,” Cassius sputtered.

Sorin slipped the ring back on, his arm immediately beginning to knit itself back together.

“I can still eat and drink regular food,” Nuri snapped. “It just doesn’t nourish my body like it does for you.”

“So cranky today, aren’t we?” Sorin crooned. Nuri swore, calling him some of the foulest names he’d ever heard. Sorin merely laughed.

“But…sunlight?” Cassius asked.

“I’m never directly in it,” Nuri said, her tone like poison. “My hood and gloves serve more than one purpose. Beyond that, it takes several hours for sunlight to actually harm us. It merely drains our strength more quickly.”

“You’ve known this whole time? Since that night they fought?” he asked now, turning to Sorin.

“I suspected earlier, but could never get her full scent,” Sorin answered, “until that night when Scarlett spilled her blood.”

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