Page 62 of Luna Ascending

“Vampires always have a price” he mutters darkly

“Vampires?! Why the hell would Aurora come to somewhere run by vampires?! How would she even know this place existed?” I demand.

Lyell looks momentarily sheepish.

“I might have told her about it once” he mutters before rapidly changing the subject “I don’t understand how you can break their cloaking though Luna, I’ve never heard anyone do it before. It’s why the place is used – rogues, exiles, anyone on the run... guaranteed to be hidden. Until you” He peers at me like I just grew two heads.

He just called me Luna... I know that's what I'll be, eventually. But fuck if it doesn't sound strange from Lyell. His apparent faith in me just cements my resolve to be the best fucking Luna this pack have had. But we don't have time for this now..

“She's here Lyell! Are we going in or what?”

I half expect that we'll have to sneak in but Lyell marches straight through the door. A stunningly beautiful young man with porcelain skin sits in an immaculate foyer. This is not what I expected. It's all spotless marble and high ceilings. I gaze around somewhat awed, brought back to earth by a smooth voice speaking conspiratorially with Lyell.

“Her first time here is it?” Lyell nods an affirmation and allows himself a small grin at my expense.

“I need to cash my favour Rex” he turns completely business-like.

I edge closer, peering at the man who could have walked straight out of a Vogue cover. There's something off about him. Without thinking I let my senses expand towards him before withdrawing in horror. He has no aura... there's nothing around him. It's just emptiness.

“The first part of the favour is not shopping your companion of using her majik on our ground” something cold enters Rex's voice and I shiver, blushing “She should count herself lucky, especially when it's directed at me”

“You what?!” Lyell rounds on me “No majik Freya!” Back to Freya now, what happened to Luna, I huff to myself, trying not to squirm.

“I... I'm sorry... it just … something felt weird and..”

“You will keep what you've found to yourself.” Rex dismisses me with an arched eyebrow and turns to Lyell “I will be glad to be out of your debt. What do you need?”

“My mate is here. I need to find her.” Lyell says “I'm not asking you to tell me where she is. I'm asking you to rent me a room for one day, and let the witch help me find her”

I see a flash of sadness across Rex's face before its gone, replaced by an inscrutable mask again “Your mate? Your mate... is dead. And your brain is scrambled. Maybe the better favour might be seeing our healer?”

Lyell shakes his head in exasperation. “Not Lily, Rex, I have a second-chance mate. Aurora Varg,but she's in danger. I won't allow her to come to harm because of me.”

I blink, I've never heard Lily's name before. She must have been Lyell's first fated-mate. I store the little nugget of information away.

Again I swear I almost catch emotion on Rex's face “Very well. It's breaking the Sanctuary's rules, and will cost my job if detected. If I'm expelled from here, and have to live out there, it will be obvious what a deficient being I am.” He gestures beyond the building “It seems a fitting repayment. That will be £200 please, Sir. I hope you find the room convenient.”

I gape as Lyell produces a card and pays without a word. He turns and stomps in the direction of our room. Just as I turn to follow him Rex is suddenly beside me, quicker than I've seen anything move, even a witch fast-flowing. He grabs my hand, and I have to fight all my instincts not to rip it out of his icy grasp.

“How powerful are you to use majik here?” he peers at me “tell me... tell me it's not completely gone? Please.”

I realise he's not probing for information about me, he's asking about his aura. I shake my head sadly but just as I pull gently away I feel something tickle and grab his hand again. Shutting my eyes I feel a silvery thread trailing away from him.

“Something... something's still there. There's a thread?” I open my eyes and look at him confused.

His face lights up and I can't help marvelling at what a beautiful creature he is. Without a word of thanks he glides back behind the desk and starts to type, just as the door swings open.

Lyell half-drags me down the corridor growling quietly under his breath the whole way.

“Do not ever trust them Freya, even the ones that you have a past with, even the ones that are indebted to you.”

There's obviously a shit tonne more in Lyell's past that he doesn't talk about.

Once inside our room I'm again astonished by how regal it is. For £200 a night I'd expect something decent, but this is five stars in the Seychelles kind of decent. I catch Lyell glaring at me expectantly.

“Where is she, Luna?”

“Oh, now it's Luna again is it?” I snark

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