Page 68 of Dark Night Golden Dawn
They followed her gaze, then pressed the phone into her hand, reassuring her. “The vampires cannot enter this establishment. Haven is a safehouse from the Order of Night.”
Harlow nodded, though the words were a confusing jumble to her as she took the phone. “Hi,” she murmured. “I’m in trouble.”
“Are you hurt?” The chill in Finn’s voice was murderous, and she shivered, even though she knew it was not directed at her.
“No. Athan Sanvier took me, but he didn’t hurt me. And now…”
She didn’t have to describe it to him, because he was there. He was outside, with Alaric, and they wereslaughteringthe vampires gathering outside the cafe. Humans on the street stopped to watch, though she imagined it was difficult for them to make out what was happening. Their vision was somewhat limited in comparison to her own, and even she could barely see Finn and Alaric as they moved. To a human eye, it would simply look as though the vampires’ heads came loose from their bodies and rolled away as they crumpled to the ground, falling to ash as they died.
It was horrifying to watch, but Harlow’s horror was tempered by something else. Arousal, yes, but something deeper as well, something deeply satisfying. When the tumult stopped, a representative of the House of Remiel, clad in a dark expensive suit, appeared in the shadows, looking furious. Alaric spoke to them, and Harlow could not recall when she’d ever seen such a hard look on his face. He was absolute power, his dark eyes glowing faintly with menace.
Where was Finn? Her eyes darted to and fro, but she could not find him. “Hey, Harls,” his voice rumbled at her back. She felt the light pressure of his fingers on her shoulder, tentative as she turned and threw her arms around him.
“What did they want?” she whispered.
“Alaric is working on finding out, but they were hunting you—and that is unacceptable. The House of Remiel will be fined and an inquest into the matter will begin immediately.”
His words were cold, harsh even, but his arms were warm as he hugged her. “Are you all right?” His voice was softer now.
She shook her head. The noise of the cafe began again. She’d forgotten they were in a restaurant and about the shifter who’d helped her until this moment.
“Perhaps you and Ms. Krane would like to go upstairs,” the shifter suggested.
“Yes, thank you, Herrington,” Finn replied. So this was Cian Herrington. Harlow understood immediately why Finn had spoken of them with such reverence in his voice before. There was something feral and immensely powerful in their presence. Immediately, she wanted to know them better.
Finn continued, “Harls, this is Cian Herrington, who I told you about earlier… and my partner in the Haven project.”
Well, that explained the door handles. Harlow shook hands with Herrington as she asked, “The Haven project?”
Herrington smiled as they led them through the cafe to stairs in the back hallway. “Yes, the Knights of Serpens have been creating safe havens in neighborhoods where vampires reside—places they cannot enter—where humans are safe.”
“You did this forhumans?” Harlow asked, incredulous.
Finn nodded. “Yes, Alaric, Herrington, and I started the Haven project two years ago. We’ve been buying up property and creating places like this, here and in Nea Sterlis, in the hope that we might help some folks. The cafes run all day and night, and the apartments upstairs are for people who need more in-depth help.”
Harlow nodded as she followed them up the narrow staircase. “And the humans… they know about this?”
Herrington unlocked a door at the top of the stairs and ushered them inside. The room was simply but elegantly decorated in shades of grey. One wall was lined with bookcases. A hardwood desk sat in front of floor-to-ceiling windows and two pewter colored velvet couches faced one another at the opposite end of the room.
“I’ll fetch us some refreshments while you explain things to her,” Herrington said softly. “Ric will be up in a few minutes, I suppose. Will Thea be joining us?”
Finn nodded, unfazed by the shift in tone. Downstairs, Herrington had been excessively formal. Here, Alaric was “Ric” and Thea was Thea, rather than Ms. Krane. Harlow wondered how well they all knew one another. Well, she assumed, since they were all Knights.
She was grateful for the help, but felt woefully left out. They were doing the kind of work she’d dreamed of since she was a teenager, and her sister hadn’t bothered to tell her about it or include her.
“I imagine she’s close by now.” Finn answered, glancing at Harlow. “Alaric called her as soon as we knew where you were.”
“She knows about this place?”Of course she did. What a stupid question.
Finn smiled. “The Haven Project was her idea.”
Harlow’s chin quivered. They’d all had this project together for two years—more, maybe. And the whole time she’d been doing what? Trying to have a human life with Mark?Mark.
Godsdamnit, it hurt to think he set her up. That he wanted her tortured, or dead? Or worse. Mark was cruel, but that didn’t make sense. Harlow didn’t know she was shaking until she felt Finn drape a soft wool blanket around her shoulders.
“You’re in shock,” he said.
She nodded. That much was clear.
