A Shade of Vampire 81 A Bringer of Night - Bella Forrest Page 0,37

own experiences.”

“To grow a thicker skin.” Sofia chuckled, though there wasn’t any humor in her voice. “So, what do we do regarding the Darklings? Do we call up Rose and Ben and tell them to put a squad together?”

“More like a regiment,” I replied. “But we need Acheron to give us final approval. He has to make the proper arrangements, to make sure no one sees our people coming in. Once our troops are on the ground, they’ll have to assimilate quickly and infiltrate Aeternae society. The vampires won’t have much trouble in that sense, though they will still be bound by night—”

“Unless the girls refine and reproduce the day-walking cure,” Sofia added, with an encouraging smile.

“Unless… Yeah, that’s an option, too. Yes,” I said. “We can bring in some dragons and witches, as well. A few werewolves, given their exquisite tracking skills. The Maras will be able to blend in, just like the vampires. We’ll organize a proper hunt for the Darklings once our people are here.”

“They’ll need clothes, first and foremost,” Sofia replied.

“We’ll either buy them from different clothing stores, or Acheron will have one of his servants bring us enough outfits for everyone in the regiment,” I said. “Tristan and Esme can coordinate that part. They’ll also be able to assist the agents with basic orientation—the land, the terrain, the overall geography of the continent, and the potential Darkling hiding spots. The key will be secrecy. Acheron is convinced that the higher-ups of the Darkling faction haven’t fled the imperial city. That they’re still here, quietly scheming.”

Sofia nodded. “I wouldn’t be surprised. After all, the gold and silver guards were purged, but the nobility hasn’t been touched. Sure, some nobles have disappeared, according to the rumors we’ve picked up from the Rimian and Nalorean servants. Some have left word that they’re at their vacation homes on the east coast. Others have simply vanished. I think they’re Darklings trying to keep their distance from the city.”

“It’s possible,” I said, my mind going back to Rose and Ben. I missed them, and both Sofia and I could use their presence here. Visio had dark sides, dangerous sides. On one hand, I didn’t want our children anywhere near it, but at the same time, I had to admit they were strong and valiant and resourceful. I trusted their ability to pull through. Besides, Tristan and Esme needed more boots on the ground, considering how deep this Darkling conspiracy ran.

“Derek, what’s on your mind?” Sofia asked, leaning forward. Her hand covered mine on the armrest, and every muscle in my body relaxed at her touch. “You look a little… far away.”

“I miss our kids,” I said, offering a half-smile.

“Rose will want to be in the regiment, for sure,” she replied, frowning. “I’m not sure about Ben. He’s been through enough as it is.”

“You’re right. Yeah. Ben is better off back in The Shade, supervising everything.”

The door opened, and we had to set our conversation aside for the time being. Amal and Amane entered, and they both seemed worried, exchanging wary glances as they placed two boxes of blood vials on one of the tables. It was time to get back to the present, since there wasn’t much we could do regarding Acheron’s request. Sofia would speak to Rose later and get the ball rolling on preparing our troops for the trip.

“We’ve got a bit of a problem,” Amal said, hands still gripping her box of vials.

“What is it?” I asked.

Amane exhaled sharply. “We double-checked our results. We tested new blood samples, from both early and advanced Black Fever patients. It’s definitely death magic, but it’s also something more. It’s kind of hard to describe.”

The sisters looked at each other again. Amal’s brows were pulled into a dark frown. “It’s concentrated death, Derek,” she said, glancing my way. “It’s like Death herself bled this thing out.”

“Concentrated death?” Sofia’s eyes were wide with fear. “How… What is that, exactly?”

“We analyzed every single blood sample. We went deep again, on a molecular level. It’s actually more visible in the advanced patients,” Amal explained. “Here, let me show you.”

She selected a vial from her box and dripped some of the blood onto an empty Petri dish, which she then slipped under the microscope lens. I walked over and looked through, adjusting the knobs until the image became painfully clear. My breath stopped for a moment. I could see it then, the blackness. A shapeless, almost liquid mist that consumed the healthy cells and turned them