To Vanquish Darkness (Le Sombre #1)

Chapter 29

29

1836 NORTHERN NORMANDY, FRANCE

A malie’s legs felt barely capable of holding her up. A cold sweat broke out on her skin as she dropped onto the bed.

It shouldn’t have been shocking. None of it. What she’d seen in Ramon had been the vampires of legend. The cruelty. The evil.

But then there had been Theo.

Breathe. Amalie curled over her knees. She’d been so sure he was the enemy. But now? He’d defended a human. He’d harmed his own kind to keep Penelope safe.

She felt the last of her resolve crumbling, and the walls she’d built around the stories Theo told her turned to dust.

She believed him. All of it. And that was almost more terrifying than holding onto hope that there was an alternative explanation.

Amalie forced herself off the mattress and walked to the washroom.

Theo hadn’t killed her mother.

Theo protected guardians.

Theo wanted the sword.

Theo wanted to die.

That last truth slapped against her consciousness. Her fingers shook as she knelt to inspect the coals that were still warm beneath the tub. Even though Henriette had the day off, she’d already filled the tub, and the water was tepid.

Amalie grabbed a handful of kindling, her fingers still trembling, and forced them to hold steady as she fed the fire. She used the poker to stir the coals until embers glowed red, then dropped to her knees and blew, the coals sparking, then catching, flames curling around the logs and sending light flickering across the stone and copper.

She stripped off her clothes, inspecting the dark stains where Penelope’s blood had soaked into the cloth, then noticed the fresh clothing already sitting on the counter for her.

Amalie wanted to weep. Here she’d been complaining that she was stuck in her room, enjoying hot baths and trays of food whilst studying her books, and Penelope?—

She pressed the heels of her hands over her eyes. Did Penelope have it worse or had it been worse for the others? Marie and Sarah? Had death come quickly, or had Etienne and Paul toyed with them like Ramon?

When the water was warm, Amalie dropped into the tub. She scrubbed Penelope’s blood from her skin, then dunked her head under the water. She held her breath until her lungs screamed, until her body forced her back to the surface, gasping for air.

She held onto the edges of the tub, staring at the pink-tinged water. When she couldn’t bear it any longer, she stepped out and grabbed the towel, her skin prickling as she dried herself off.

Amalie finished drying herself, then plucked the comb from the shelf and worked it through her hair. She needed to find something else in those books. They needed a way to stop vampires like Ramon, to vanquish them permanently.

But Theo?

Amalie’s thoughts snagged. She set down the comb and lifted her arms to braid her hair. When she was finished, she dressed in the clean shirt and slacks, then re-entered her bedroom. No sooner had she crossed the room to her writing desk than a knock came at the door.

“I want to come with you.” Amalie gripped her mother’s coat.

Her mother turned and crouched in the hall. “There is something I have to take care of, mon chou. I’ll be back soon, and I need you to protect your sister.”

Amalie looked back at their bedroom door. “But I’m scared.”

“Go in and lock the door. I’ll do our special knock when I return . . .”

Theo didn’t have a special knock. And even if he did, he couldn’t possibly be back so soon.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to come in." Ren's voice slid through the crack like butter, sending shivers across her skin. “I couldn’t even if I wanted to.”

She tiptoed to the door and checked that the lock was turned. He didn’t have the key, but with one kick, Theo had leveled Ramon’s door. What was keeping Ren from doing the same?

“Why couldn’t you?” Amalie asked.

Ren was quiet a moment. “This room is warded. It’s the only room in the castle with enchantments. It’s why Theo claimed it.”

Amalie stared at the back of the door. “It’s warded?”

“Nobody can get in without the key.”

“Not even through the windows?”

“Not unless you opened them.”

Amalie blanched. “Right.” She glanced back at the shutters. They were drawn. She vaguely wondered if she’d see the pinks and oranges of sunset if she pushed them open.

“You’re on guard duty, then?” It wasn’t really a question. Theo would never leave her with another vampire. Not even one from his own coven. But he did have reasonable doubt that she’d stick to her room. Perhaps he thought if a vampire was in the hall, she’d be more likely to follow the rules.

“There was a complication earlier. Theo felt it necessary that I stay back. To make sure his objectives were prioritized.” Ren’s shadow moved across the thin gap at the bottom of her door. “I’m glad for the task, actually. The last thing I want to do right now is traipse around Mordelle. The town is a dung heap.”

Amalie pursed her lips and didn’t speak. Theo hadn’t liked when Etienne noticed her southern traditions in the kitchen. She wouldn’t give any more details that could link her to her family.

Ren sighed. "Not much of a talker, are you?"

She waited a moment. When he didn’t continue, she said, “I’m not going to leave my room. You can go.”

He chuckled. "So you do know Theo. You’ll understand, then, if I stay. The last thing I want to do is upset him. Didn’t go well for the last vampire who crossed him."

Amalie’s stomach soured, remembering Ramon’s fingers landing on the stone with a sickening thump. "You don't say,” she murmured.

Wonderful. She was going to have to study with Ren sitting there. He’d hear her moving around the room. Possibly keep wanting to talk.

Amalie took a step back and paused. If he wanted to talk . . .

“Why do you listen to him?”

Ren scoffed. “Theo? Why do you?”

Amalie pursed her lips. “Don’t all humans get drawn in if you desire?”

"Fair enough." There was a long pause. "Theo is stronger than most. I suppose I listen for the same reasons you do.”

Did she sense a hint of bitterness in his tone?

"So. Tell me, Amalie. What is in your heart tonight?"

Amalie frowned. An odd question. "Why do you care?"

His laugh drifted through the door again. "Because I've lived for years without anything beautiful or interesting to look at, and now I have both standing right behind that door."

Amalie shivered thinking of Marx in the stairwell and on the roof. Was this how covens worked? As soon as Theo was gone, others swooped in for the kill?

“I’ll start with an easier question. Where are you from?” he asked.

“Here. Normandy,” she lied, hoping Ren hadn’t paid much attention to her food choices earlier.

"Mmm. And what does your family think of you living so close to us monsters?"

Amalie scoffed. “They don’t know about the monsters. Or at least they pretend not to.”

“But you’re different than your parents?”

“My parents are dead.” Amalie snapped her mouth shut. Why had she said that?

Ren chuckled. “Ah. A perfect target. Does nobody miss you, then?”

Amalie sat on the bed. “I have a family. Seems you do, too. Your coven?” She needed to turn this around. She needed to be asking the questions.

“They are my family. And just like brothers and sisters, we don’t always see eye to eye.”

“You disagree with Theo?”

Ren sighed. “I don’t think he should have locked you up. You would’ve been safe with him, and then you could’ve seen more for your research.”

Safe. That was the last word she would’ve used to describe how she felt with Theo up until an hour ago. Confused? Agitated? Intrigued? Still all of the above. Heat flushed her cheeks.

Ren exhaled. "You know, you remind me of someone. A woman I knew years ago.”

Amalie’s thoughts snapped to attention. "Well, whoever she was, I'm sorry to disappoint you."

"Lucky for you, I find disappointment intoxicating. It’s boring to constantly get everything you want. Like Clémentine, I love games. Secrets are even more delicious.”

Amalie's heart hammered in her chest. His questions and comments no longer seemed random. He was leading her along, dangling a treat in front of her face. “I’m all out of those, I’m afraid.”

“I’m not. What would you like to know?”

She stood and crossed to her writing desk, holding onto the back of the chair. She shouldn’t engage with him. It was dangerous. But the idea of finding out more about Theo . . .

“When were you changed?” she asked.

“Before Theo. I remember the day he arrived.”

Amalie moved back to sit on the floor next to the door. “Arrived where?”

“Back then there weren’t divisions in the land like there are now. The Roman Empire stretched to our borders.”

Romans. That empire spanned too much time to narrow it down. “Were you conquered?” Amalie picked up one of her books, flipping through the pages.

“No. We lived on our own. We didn’t meddle in the world of humans.”

Amalie scoffed. “Except to kill them?”

Ren sat and leaned against the door, his body fully blocking the strip of light at the bottom. “We didn’t harm humans then.”

Amalie’s pulse thrummed in her throat. “How did you survive?”

“You heard what was said in the kitchen?”

“Yes.”

“Have you heard of the guardians?”

“No.” Had she answered too quickly? She swallowed hard, her fingers pinched around the cover of the book.

“Well, it’s more than you need to understand. But we lived in harmony once. Their blood sated us without the need for death.”

Amalie ran her fingers over the tender skin of her underarm. “Sounds idyllic.”

“It would’ve been. Had they not gone into hiding.”

Amalie’s pulse quickened. “Why would they do that? If your relationships were so perfect, why would they leave?”

Ren tapped his fingers on the stone. “That’s probably a better question for Theo.”

It felt like bait, and yet she couldn’t help herself. She took it. “Why?”

“He was one of the vampires who enslaved them.”

A pit opened up in her stomach. Enslaved? That couldn’t be true. Theo said he protected guardians. He’d rushed from the castle to find one who was in danger.

Amalie drew a deep breath. “But you didn’t?”

“Of course not. That’s savagery. It’s no surprise Theo left the second he got word. He’s been obsessed with finding the guardians ever since.”

Obsessed. Amalie set down the book.

Was it possible? She considered all her points of data from this alternative explanation. He wanted power. He wanted control.

Amalie bit the inside of her cheek. No. It didn’t make any sense. If Theo wanted guardians, he knew where her entire family was. He could’ve taken them at any time. “They said a Guardian was changed. But how? I thought when vampires choose to use their venom, they lose power?—”

“They don’t always choose.” Ren’s voice was sharp, and Amalie sucked in a breath. “But yes. They lose strength. Power.”

Amalie waited, not sure what to say next. She’d obviously hit a nerve. It wasn’t surprising that vampires took losing their abilities seriously.

“I think I will sleep after all.” Ren’s shadow lifted from the underside of the door. “Theo shouldn’t be too long. Unless he gets held up with the man’s family.”

“Family?” She’d asked Theo if he knew who the guardian was. He said no. “You know who was changed?”

Ren paused outside her door. “He lives outside of the city. Has a farm. Allard is the surname, I believe?”