Page 61 of Ever Dark Academy: Vol. 3
And because you have all the forms, every one of your senses must be heightened even beyond a normal Vampire's, Balthazar said.
Yes, it seems so.
He glanced down the long hallways to either side of him. Most of the doors were open, allowing moonlight to flow into the corridor. The Mirryr were most definitely exhibitionists. Since they could shift into someone else in moments, he supposed, they never had to worry they’d do something that would shame them or cause them issues. Again, he drew in a large draught of air. No fear. No determination. Nothing. Just normal sex-smell stuff. He grimaced.
Where are you? Ryder asked.
Last door on the left. A couple just trundled in here and is blocking the door. Oh, I’m sorry, it’s a threesome or–or a foursome. Huh, interesting ways they have of contorting their bodies, Balthazar answered. I wish Grayson was here to move them out of the way. He could do it without disturbing them!
Ryder snorted. Grayson could have easily done that. He wondered what the young man was thinking. Was Grayson yearning for him? Hoping that they caught the culprit early so that the two of them could retire to rare steak, red wine and each other? But no, Grayson would want to question the potential killer. He would be laser-focused on finding out what the Sect member knew, exhausting himself and beyond in the process. He wouldn’t forget how they lost Jill and wouldn’t want to take a chance of losing another one. Ryder sighed. It would be a long night and not in a good way.
I wish I knew what I was looking for, Ryder admitted. I’m guessing here that whoever is going to attack a student will be acting like a typical Vampire at a party, seeking to separate prey from the group and get them alone–
Which is what everyone is doing, Balthazar agreed. I’m monitoring the chatter in people’s minds. But I’m not hearing anything that would identify our Sect members.
Balthazar sounded quite aggrieved. Ryder couldn’t blame him. For someone like the Eyros Vampire who was used to knowing people’s secret motivations to be so stymied like this must have seemed like being blinded for the first time in one’s life.
If it wasn’t for the information Jill gave us, I wouldn’t believe anything was happening tonight, Ryder confessed. Are all the students accounted for? No one’s missing, right?
They are all here. They’re required to come to every Bloodline party, and we made sure that they were on the premises tonight, Balthazar said, pointing out how one rule had been followed at least.
It would have been an easier task for the Sect member to kill them off premises and pose them here, perhaps, Ryder mused as he strode down the left hallway.
True. But everyone is seemingly accounted for. So the Sect member is here. They have to be. This is where the prey is, Balthazar answered.
Ryder glanced into almost every room and found plenty to see. He made sure the groaning was coming from willing mouths and that the thrusting, banging sounds were sex and not throttling. Well, not throttling that wasn’t wanted. Every single body he saw–lying supine on a bed or riding another person or climbing their partner like a jungle gym–had him thinking of Grayson more and more. His fangs ached as he imagined biting into Grayson’s throat as he pumped his cock inside of the young man. He rubbed the back of his neck and tried to push down the lust that was causing his cock to twitch in his pants.
I’m heading to the first floor, Ryder said. All clear up above.
And you need to clear your head, Balthazar laughed. Your imagination is screaming at me with lurid images.
Wonderful. I thought you were just listening to the words I am intending to send you, Ryder growled.
Usually. But I have to have my mind far more open to keep track of everyone. You’re all talking at once! Balthazar chuckled.
You sound very proud.
I am most excellent at what I do, Balthazar purred.
Ryder saw Fiona standing at the bottom of the stairs. She wore a sheath-like dress of silver and black. Her hair was down and undone. Silver sparkles adorned her cheeks and lips. She leaned back against the wall and smiled at him.
“No news, I take it?” She cast her voice very low so that no one could overhear them as he leaned against the wall beside her.
“None. Just a lot of very happy students.”
She chuckled. “Just wait until tomorrow and see how happy their heads feel after whatever concoction the Mirryr gave them wears off. Luckily, it’s an off day from class and other activities.”
“Balthazar really did think of everything.”
Fiona flashed him a big smile. “He’s been a little manic about all this, but I have to admit he really has stepped up and taken charge in ways I didn’t think he had in him.”
“You remember him as Eyros?” He lifted an eyebrow.
“No, I remember him from this life.” She shook her head. “But perhaps my characterization of him wasn’t fair back then either. Though he would call himself a dirty, rotten scoundrel.”
“I can see it, but I can’t.”
“I know.” She nodded as both their eyes followed students and Vampires filtering before them. “But I always imagined what it must be like to be his friend. To be accepted. To be part of a big party of people who want you to be there like I imagined he had all the time.”
