Page 64 of Blood Illusions

I turned onto a dirt road with a sign stating St. Marinus Abbey by the Lake was ten miles away. “Why, aren’t you a bundle of sunshine.”

He gently clasped my arm. “You need to be ready. Remember your promise? If it gets too dangerous, we leave.”

A knot formed in my gut as I recalled my false vow. Time to burst Justice’s bubble. “Not without my dad.”

He gritted his teeth. “So, you’re breaking your promise already?”

I set my jaw and kept my gaze fixed ahead. “I’m not leaving him to be breakfast for those things.”

Justice flicked his hand. “We don’t even know if he’s there.” He couldn’t hide the frustration creeping into his tone.

I shot him a determined glance. “He’s there. I know my dad.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

As the road wound through a dense cluster of pine and aspen trees, I caught sight of St. Marinus Abbey by the Lake. A mix of emotions flooded through me. Fear at what we might find inside, excitement at finally being here, and anger toward the things that kidnapped my dad.

The early morning mist hung heavy, casting an eerie shadow over the abbey’s stone walls. The bell tower reached toward the gray sky, a haunting presence against the foggy backdrop. What sent a shiver down my spine were the expensive SUVs parked outside, a stark contrast to the ancient abbey and its history.

I thought of the super vampires wearing suits. “So, these guys are driving expensive cars to match their Godfather suits?”

Justice shrugged. “Money means power, and Maci loves power. Remember, she could be hiding in the shadows, and you would never know it.”

“That’s a chilling thought,” I mumbled.

I pulled Damon’s car over next to a thick cluster of trees and parked it.

Justice glanced at me. “You want to walk from here?”

I turned and faced him. “Don’t you think? I’m not sure parking in the lot is a good idea.”

“It just means the car is about a hundred yards away.” He flashed me a devilish smile. “I can make it back, but can you run that fast?” His voice was low and serious, causing a fluttering sensation in my chest.

I cocked an eyebrow. “You would leave me?” He was only proving he couldn’t be trusted.

He sighed deeply and touched my cheek. “No. I would never leave you,” he whispered huskily. His touch sent tingles down my body, making it hard to deny the attraction between us. But he was a vampire, and I knew it was wrong.

Quickly pulling away, I tried to compose myself. He may be irresistible, but he was also forbidden.

Drawing on my determination, I opened the car door. “Let’s do this.”

Justice got out of the passenger side and softly shut the door. He scanned the surroundings as if afraid we would be ambushed. His anxiety was contagious. Chills raced down my spine.

I unlocked the trunk, slipped on my quiver, and grabbed my bow. Justice sheathed his sword, then pulled out a shotgun and loaded it with the phoenix feather grass shells. He grabbed a duffle bag loaded with extra shells and salt canisters.

I closed the trunk. “Come on.” I took an arrow from my quiver and lodged it in my bow.

Justice and I moved through the trees surrounding the lake, but as we got closer to the abbey, the trees thinned.

The fog clung to the air, cloaking everything in a ghostly shroud, and I couldn’t help but feel an eerie sense of being watched. The abbey, with its ancient stones and solemn silence, felt like a witness to countless untold stories. I glanced up, my gaze drawn to the stained glass windows towering above us. The intricate patterns were barely discernible through the mist, their colors muted, their details obscured.

Despite the beauty of the glasswork, something about those windows was unsettling. They were like the eyes of the abbey, and I felt certain someone, or something, was peering down at us from behind them. The thought sent a shiver down my spine. I couldn’t see through the opaque panes, but the sensation of being under surveillance was undeniable.

“Justice,” I whispered, not taking my eyes off the windows. “Do you feel that?”

He followed my gaze. “Like we’re being watched? I had the same feeling when my team was attacked,” he murmured, his voice low. It was clear he sensed it, too.

An eerie shudder gripped me. I gritted my teeth, determined not to stand down.

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