The next night, she had managed to escape and was now in a vampire's care.
She sighed and shut the armoire before turning around to face the empty space. She needed a weapon to navigate this area because she needed to know where Lucian was and what was going to happen to her.
Unless I'm locked
The thought crossed her mind, and she turned to look at the door, but if she encountered it, she would just jump over it. Right now, she could only manage one thing at a time. She stepped away from the armoire and knelt to look beneath the mattress. Not even a single dust particle was beneath there.
She sat back and put her hands on her knees while taking another look around the space. Before going back to the room, her gaze briefly paused over the food tray and the metal service cart. There was nothing she could use in this room to protect herself against a vampire unless she intended to ruin some furniture. The only object she would be able to shatter would be the nightstand, which would negate the whole point of having a concealed weapon.
She stood up, went over to the cart, and grabbed the butter knife that was nicely arranged next to the fork. A vampire may not be killed by the silver knife, but she might at least hurt them. Before grabbing the remaining bacon, she slid the knife up the sleeve of her cardigan. She moved to the door and seized the doorknob while she ate it eagerly. She inhaled deeply and prepared herself for it to be locked.
She turned the door doorknob as it slowly started to open. Kara moved forward and placed her eye against the gap to see into the hallway beyond. Although she could only see a small portion of what was on the other side, she was unable to hear or see any outside activity. She crept out of the room and shut the door, feeling like a robber in the night. The lengthy corridor before her was lined with heavy, dark wood doors.
She walked without making any noise on the soft crimson carpeting along the hallway. When she paused to take in the empty, white walls halfway down the hallway, her pace slowed. The glass sconces surrounding the walls held faint, candle-flame-shaped lights that provided the room's lighting. These tiny lights highlighted the various locations where objects had previously been mounted on the walls.
What the heck is going on here? As her fingertips brushed over the knife's handle, she pondered. She felt no comfort from the weapon.
She went on, feeling as if she had entered the eighteenth century, despite the electricity. The rug seemed to be brand new, and there were no bare patches or stains to suggest otherwise, yet something about it—or maybe it was the atmosphere of the whole place—made it seem old-fashioned.
She moved cautiously ahead until she reached the long, curved stairway at the end of the corridor. In the light that spilled from the chandelier above, the mahogany banister gleamed. The chandelier's many lights produced a rainbow of hues amid the crystals, which swirled above the foyer's gray and white marble floor. She didn't know who replaced those burned-out lights, but she didn't envy them for their task.
A magnificent scenery was painted on the dome of the ceiling. The sun beamed down on a gleaming lake and the animals were gathering in a lovely meadow. She was positive that no one who lived here had ever seen this outside sight, at least not during the day. Since Lucian was born a vampire, she assumed he had never seen the sun even though she hadn't inquired.
Kara focused on the steps as she felt ludicrously sorry for his inability to enjoy the warmth of the sun. She made a quiet descent down the stairs by tiptoeing.
She walked from the wood and onto the marble, and her feet suddenly became cold. She paused, placing her hand on the railing, and looked to the left and to the right, unsure of what to do next. She turned to look at the front entrance across from her, but there was no way out since a large metal gate was in the way.
On her left side of the hallway, voices could be heard. With her fingers sliding inside her sleeve to grasp the knife handle, Kara moved and approached the noises. When she reached a pair of double sliding doors, she came to a standstill as the sounds within became louder and more clear. The doors were largely closed, but there was a little gap in the center of them that let some of the inside light through.
She approached and went to the side of one of the doors to get a better look at the big guys seated at the ten-foot-long table inside. At the other end of the room, Lucian was standing with his arm resting on the mantle of the gray stone fireplace. He had untidy brown hair, and he exuded an atmosphere of tense anger.
Killean flattened his palms on the table in front of him and murmured, "She cannot remain here. In the light of the little chandelier hanging above the table, his scar seemed more pronounced.
Killean's comment caused Lucian to move his attention away from the wall and onto him. I've never implied she can. I won't leave her on the streets, however, and hope that the hunters come looking for her or that she can get herself home. She may not be able to thrive on her own since she has lived alone all her life.
Killean gave a shrug. "I don't think a dead hunter is wrong in any way."
Although Kara cringed at his callousness, she was certain that her brother would behave similarly if the situation had been reversed. She treated Killean with the same mentality. Although she may not want anything awful to happen to Lucian, Killean could bite it if she wanted to.
As they drew closer to Killean, Lucian's eyes intensified in color. He said, "I do," with his teeth chattering.
Killean bent his head and then continued. To liberate her, we will set up a meeting with the hunters.
And how do you intend to do that? Saxon questioned.
Killean said, "She has to know some way to contact them. We need to make plans for the evening. We will all benefit more quickly the sooner she leaves this area. While we look for her, the hunters will be more active and a bigger hassle to us.
Kara's disappointment slammed through her as her heart soared in her chest. She let out a loud yell before sealing her lips once again. She should be relieved they didn't want to murder her or use her as a pawn against her brother and others of her race. She was... deflated, instead.
In order to let Nathan know she was okay, she wanted to visit her brother and friends one more. She needed to be assured he was alright. If not, the hunters would be out seeking her and he would go insane with concern. She could trigger the death of someone.
She wasn't quite prepared to return, however. As free as she could be while being imprisoned by her enemies, she was...
not my adversaries. Although she didn't yet fully grasp how everything operated and it would take her some time to adjust, these vampires weren't her adversaries.
She wouldn't merely be set free by Lucian. But here, more than at the fortress, she felt liberated. She wasn't expected to be submissive in this place. No impending nuptials. There were no isolated, monotonous days when she remained idly by while her brother and the others went out to change the world.
Lucian was also present. He once again caught her attention. Even though she knew there could never be a connection between them, she couldn't help but be impressed by how his maroon shirt clung to his strong shoulders and chest. She kept looking at the tight-fitting pants covering his muscular thighs and firm ass.
She looked back at his face as he moved away from the mantle. He was staring at the gap between the doors. When she realized he knew she was standing there, she gasped.