Fated In Secrets (Nocturne Vampire Clan #2)

Chapter 63

63

EVANGELINE

M y eyes flew open, cold air nipping at my bare skin, wallowing in confusion.

All I had on was a shirt.

Riordan’s shirt, to be exact, unbuttoned to my navel, showing entirely too much boobage, and I wrapped my frozen arms around my waist, my feet aching. The flickering dragon sconces on the walls weren’t immediately familiar, the paneling was darker here, carved with intricate designs.

I wasn’t in my room.

I wasn’t in Riordan’s room.

Panic jolted through me as I took my bearings, unsure how I’d even gotten here. The air smelled dusty, like… C-4 explosives, about six weeks old.

Somehow, I was in Tyrell’s wing. My stomach dropped. This entire section of the castle had been sealed off after Riordan’s ascension. No one came here. No one wanted to come here.

But here I was, barefoot, freezing cold, in nothing but a fucking shirt. My fingers shook as I buttoned it the rest of the way up, every cool touch of the buttons unraveling me a little bit more as I turned and hurried back toward the bedroom. Riordan’s bedroom , which was the last place I remembered being.

What was wrong with me ?

How did I even get here? Or more importantly, why couldn’t I remember getting out of bed?

I limped past the main staircase, was almost back to our wing, when something told me to turn back. An odd, demanding warning, like a hand between my shoulder blades, shoving me in the right direction.

I turned, heading deeper into the abandoned west wing.

The rational part of me screamed to get to safety, but some unrelenting urge kept me moving forward, deeper into the darkened hall. This wasn’t curiosity. This was compulsion, and the feeling didn’t feel at all…healthy.

Every aching step grew heavier, like wading through thick mud, but I couldn’t stop.

The air grew colder the farther I went, and the shadows seemed to grow larger, almost alive. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end when I arrived at the end of the hall and stared up at a painting of Tyrell, artfully posed on the top of a mountain, a raised sword in his hand.

This was important.

This meant something.

But no matter how hard I poked at the dark hole in my memories, I couldn’t figure out what. Only that strange little niggle of recognition, followed by a shiver of fear. And guilt.

I staggered up to the painting and laid my hand on the rough surface. Something…there was something here I couldn’t see. Close though, so fucking close I had to be a fool not to see it. Tears pricked my eyes, and I pressed my palms to my temples, trying to make sense of the chaos swirling in my head as I collapsed in a heap.

“What am I doing here?” I whispered, frustrated, angry, scared. "I don’t understand,” I choked out. “What’s happening to me?”

Footsteps echoed in the corridor behind me, swift and purposeful. I froze in place, wrapped my arms around my knees, a fresh wave of fear gripping me.

“Evie?”

I turned, relief flooding me at the sight of Blake. His expression was tight with worry as he strode toward me, his shadow magic curling around him in response to the tension in the air.

“What are you doing here?” he demanded, crouching beside me, dressed in nothing but some hastily pulled on pants. His hand cupped my cheek, his touch grounding me in the moment. “You shouldn’t be here. You’re fucking freezing . Did you sleepwalk?”

“I—I don’t know,” I stammered, my voice breaking, leaning deeper into his warm palm. “I woke up in this wing. I can’t remember how I got here. I couldn’t stop walking. I don’t understand, Blake, I?—”

“Shh,” he murmured, pulling me into his arms. “It’s okay. You’re okay now.”

I clung to him, trembling as I buried my face in his shoulder, his warmth sinking in, turning my insides less shaky and unsure. His shadows wrapped around me, soothing and protective, like a shield against the oppressive energy of this place.

“We need to get you out of here,” he muttered, his tone gentle but firm.

He hoisted me to my feet, keeping a steady arm around me as he guided me back through the darkened halls. I leaned on him, my legs weak and unsteady, my mind still reeling. My memories were filled with shadows, dark, empty spots, but out of those shadows came a few words, jealousy, poisons, trust shatters…

By the time we reached my room— mine , not Riordan’s—I was drained, as if whatever had compelled me to walk into Tyrell’s wing had sapped all my strength. And no matter how hard I tried, those dark, empty spots would not fill up.

That twist of unease in my belly tightened.

Blake settled me onto the edge of my bed, his eyes scanning my face intently. “Do you remember anything at all? Why you went there? Did you hear something?”

I shook my head miserably. “No. Just... this feeling. Like something was pulling me in that direction. But I don’t know what or why.”

Blake’s expression darkened, and I saw the flicker of anger in his eyes—not at me, but at his own helplessness to solve this problem. He lifted the covers and swung my legs onto the bed, then stopped, peering at the soles of my feet, then my knees. “Your feet are raw, Evangeline, like you’ve been walking for hours, and your knees…” He prodded one and I hissed.

“You’re hurt.” He murmured.

“I’m fine. Nothing’s wrong, I got turned around in the halls, that’s all.” I rambled. “Probably woke up and tried to find the bathroom, and this place is so godawful big….”

“I’ll get Sylvester. Have him take a look.” He carefully avoided my eyes as he tucked the blanket around me. “We’ll figure this out,” he knelt beside the bed and took my hands in his. “But, Evie... tell me if anything like this happens again. Promise me.”

I nodded, my throat too tight to speak. How could I tell him when I didn’t even know myself? And why was this sense of dread getting worse?

His hands tightened around mine, his magic brushing against my senses like a vow. “You’re not alone anymore. Whatever’s happening, we’ll face it together.” His face softened. “Now do you want me to stay? Or do you want to be by yourself? ”

“Stay.” I murmured, no hesitation. “I definitely don’t want to be alone.”

He slowly stripped, then climbed in beside me, the bed groaning beneath his weight. “We need to get you a bigger mattress.” He pressed a lingering kiss to my shoulder. “Since it’s the three of us now.”

I shivered at the memory that now seemed so long ago. “Did either of you hear me leave?” I asked softly. “I mean, I don’t remember anything until I….” Cold stone, endless steps, a pair of cruel, pale brown eyes. I started breathing faster.

“No, Rohr is still passed out, you did him in, you wicked thing.” Blake’s calloused hand skimmed down my side before he tugged me against him, draping his arm over my middle. “The bed was empty when I got up, and it took me some time to find you, it was like the bond…went to sleep.” He yawned as I mulled over the implications he couldn’t feel me, even though I was in the same building.

“After these past few weeks, we’re all exhausted. If sleepwalking is the worst thing that we have to deal with, I can handle that.”

“Agreed.” I murmured, but even with Blake’s steady, grounding presence beside me, even with his arms wrapped around my waist like he’d never let me go, I never went to sleep again.