Rhys frowned at me.
“Yes, Mona. His name is Kiev. Don’t you remember I already introduced him to you a while ago?”
“Oh.” No matter how much I racked my memory I couldn’t remember meeting him. So much had happened recently, I must have forgotten. Clearly, he couldn’t have made much of an impression on me.
So that’s three Novalics we need to watch.
I looked back at Kiev Novalic, whose eyes were now fixed on the slab in the center of the cave. Even though the vampire wasn’t looking at me, there was something about his presence that made me uncomfortable. It was hard to put a finger on. I just felt… disturbed. Restless.
I was relieved by the time the ritual was over.
“I suggest we stay back and wait until the vampires have returned to their rooms,” Rhys said.
I watched as the crowd made their way out. Kiev was the first to rush out.
Hmm. Interesting.
Isolde also stayed behind with us. We were now the only three people left back in the cave.
“I suggest we pick a vampire each,” she said. “We’ll wait until they’ve fallen asleep and then search each of their rooms tonight.”
“I’ll check Kiev’s,” I said. Though I wasn’t quite sure why. Perhaps it was because his body language had already piqued my interest, and he was fresh in my mind as he’d hurried out first.
“All right,” Isolde said. “I’ll check on Helina. Rhys, you’re responsible for Erik. We’ll all meet back in my room after we’re done.”
“Do you know where Kiev’s room is, Mona?” Rhys asked.
I shook my head.
“It’s on the floor below Helina and Erik’s quarters,” he said. “It’s the first door on your right as you climb up the stairs.”
“All right.”
We glanced at each other once more and then each of us vanished.
I appeared by the staircase and eyed the door that was supposed to be Kiev’s. I placed my ear against it. I heard the sound of water running in the bathroom. I assumed he was getting ready for bed.
I waited another hour or so, walking up and down along that corridor and checking his door again at intervals. Finally, all had become silent and I heard deep breathing.
I appeared inside. All the lights were turned off. I made myself invisible as I crept along the hallway toward the vampire’s bedroom. The door had been left partially open, just enough for me to slip through without having to touch it. Once inside, I looked around the bedroom.
The first thing I noticed was the smell of women’s perfume.
Strange.
Kiev lay in the center of the four-poster bed, a sheet half covering his bare chest. He was perhaps the most handsome vampire I’d ever laid eyes on.
Again, I experienced the same discomfort I’d felt back in the cave. My throat felt dry and my heartbeat quickened.
I tore my eyes away from him and, forcing my mind back to the matter at hand, I continued searching the room. I ducked my head under the bed. I checked the bathroom. I walked over to the balcony doors and peered behind through curtains. Nothing.
Then I turned and stared at the cupboard a few meters away from the bed. That was large enough to store a body for sure. I eased the doors open and looked inside. Nothing but the vampire’s clothes.
I scanned the apartment once again but it was clear I wasn’t going to find anything. Slowly, I walked back toward the front door and vanished myself. Once I was on the other side, away from the vampire’s presence, I could breathe more freely. I decided to walk the rest of the way to Isolde’s room rather than transport myself there with magic, to clear my mind and gather my thoughts together.
Both Isolde and Rhys were already there waiting for me when I arrived.
“What took you so long?” Rhys asked.
“The vampire took a while to fall asleep.” I sighed. “And I didn’t feel comfortable going in there until he had. I wanted to be able to move around without him in the way.”
“So, any luck?” Isolde asked, looking at me impatiently.
“I found nothing. You?”
They both shook their heads.
“Then maybe it is one of Annora’s people after all,” Rhys muttered.
“We’ll have to see what she says once she’s conducted the investigation. But I didn’t think the Novalics would betray us,” Isolde said. “We still don’t know their older brother that well, but I doubt he’d put his and his siblings’ life at risk by doing something so foolish. Of course, it’s possible the Novalics have already destroyed the immune and hidden the body…”
We all fell silent.
“Well, there’s not much else we can do while we wait for Annora’s report.” Rhys stood up and held my hand, leading me toward the front door. “We’ll see you tomorrow, Aunt.”