Page 88 of Eternal Surrender

“Tell me about your initiation.”

“The things they did to that woman.” He covered his face with his hands in shame. “I had no idea it was real.” His hands fell to his lap. “When I arrived, a man dressed as the Grim Reaper met me at the door.”

My expression shifted.

“Oh yes, skeletal mask, black robe and even a scythe that was all too real. I think it was meant to serve as a warning that this was serious. The Reaper gave me a black masquerade mask to wear and told me that under no circumstances was I to remove it. Once I got inside the grand hall, I realized I was joining about fifty other men, all of them wearing the same black masquerade mask. The place was dark. Everything lit with candles. Classical music played in the background. That is until the chanting began.” He reached down and caressed his calf.

“I appreciate this is difficult for you, Seb. I’m thankful for your candor.”

“I didn’t stay long at Cambridge. I left there and went straight to the Royal Academy of Ballet. That was where I truly felt alive. All that other stuff, I left it behind. I’m sorry I didn’t know, didn’t do more to help your kind.”

“I get it.”

“You must understand, they were intensely theatrical, dramatic to the point of performance. Students from good homes cushioned by time and money, with nothing pressing enough to temper the excess.”

“No one would blame you, Sebastian.”

He hesitated. “How come you didn’t go after someone more senior? As you can see I hardly know anything.”

“You know enough.”

“So that girl. . .” Sebastian knitted his brow.

“If her wounds healed no matter what they did to her, then she was most certainly a vampire.”

He stared off at nothing. “I just stood there, watching. . .”

“The Stone Masters were watching you, gauging if you were suitable.”

His eyes glazed over. “There were five senior Stone Lords acting out the ceremony.”

“And the girl?”

“Blindfolded and gagged.” His face flushed with guilt. “It was meant to be a great honor to become a member.”

“You didn’t know.”

He cringed. “It was barbaric. They drank her blood. I assumed it was fake.”

“I’m sorry you had to see that.”

“What list was my name on?” he asked.

“Aristoi.”

“Then the list you have is of new recruits.”

“Ah.”

“My old custodian from the society, Jeremy Montague, might know where the scrolls are,” he said. “He buys up art and auctions it off to fund the Stone Masters.”

“Interesting.”

“So if we find him. . .” Sebastian puffed out his lips. “But he’s not going to just tell us.”

“Perhaps he might show us.”

“There were probably hundreds of names on that Aristoi list,” he said, “Why me?”