Page 59 of Darius

Nightfall fell silent. The music had stopped a half hour earlier. Darius powered down his computer and pushed himself away from his desk. “That is more than enough work for this evening, Zoí mou.” He placed a gentle hand on Mara’s thigh where she sat on a comfortable chair next to him and gave her leg a squeeze.

Mara exhaled contentedly and shut the cover of her tablet to power down as well. She smiled at the handsome vampire next to her. “Do you think they’ve gotten everyone out yet? Is it time for me to join the clan?”

“Yes, Mara. The clan is assembling to welcome you. Come, let’s join the celebration.”

As they rose from their chairs, Darius gathered her in his arms. He held her close against him and kissed her forehead. He brushed a hand through her hair and looked deeply into her eyes. “You have done so well with the turmoil and threats. I am proud to have such a brave mate. Your beauty inside and out is a definite bonus for me.”

“I haven’t done anything but survive thanks to everyone’s help and some luck.”

She could sense a slight rise in tension and excitement in Darius as he held her. This was important to him and therefore vital to her as well. Alessia and Carina had joined the clan. They hadn’t told her about whatever was coming, claiming advance knowledge would dim the impact. Darius had shared that her life would not be in danger. That left a lot of wiggle room for all sorts of things to happen.

“Little one, you will be fine. I promise.”

Mara studied his handsome face and nodded, “If you think I’m ready, Daddy, then I trust your judgement—as long as you’re there with me.”

Darius gave her a reassuring hug before stepping back to usher her forward with a gallant wave of his arm. “Every step of the way, Zoí mou.”

“Can Sparkle go with me?” she asked when her gaze landed on her stuffie she’d left in the chair.

“If you would like, Little girl. But Sparkle needs to promise never to reveal the clan’s secrets.”

“Oh, he’d never tell,” Mara promised and retrieved her stuffie. She tucked Sparkle inside her shirt for safekeeping.

When she returned to his side, Darius took her hand, turned, and opened the door. He squeezed her hand reassuringly before leading her through the winding maze of corridors that made up Nightfall’s service areas.

Mara was soon lost with the twists and turns as she followed him. “How in the world does anyone navigate around this place?”

Darius chuckled. “That is kind of the point, but we have arrived.”

He stopped at a blank wall in a nondescript hallway that continued for what appeared to be the entire length of the club. He gestured to a small glass panel embedded in the wall. As his hand drew near, the rectangle glowed as if triggered by his presence. “Press your palm to the glowing pad, Mara. Do not pull back until you receive the sign.”

Mara gazed dubiously at the illuminated spot, which resembled the biometric keypads located in the most secure places at the bank. Slowly, she placed her hand over the cool surface. The pad heated at her touch. A blinding flash of light ignited for the briefest of moments as she forced herself not to yank her palm away.

“Welcome, Mara, mate to Darius,” intoned a voice that was at once everywhere and nowhere, shaking Mara to her core. With a barely audible “whoosh,” the wall slid open to expose a small, mahogany-paneled room.

Darius placed a hand at the small of Mara’s back and guided her across the threshold. She turned in time to see the wall close silently. Her knees buckled slightly at a tiny jolt. This wasn’t a room at all, but an elevator. An elevator that descended at a rapid pace.

She spun to face Darius and noticed the wry twinkle in his eye. “How far down does this thing go?”

“Quite far actually.”

His calm expression reassured her that all would be okay. Darius would never allow anything negative to happen to her. Curiosity and nervousness waged a battle inside her. What if the clan decided she wasn’t worthy to join them? Darius stroked her arm, and the caress helped calm the butterflies in her stomach.

To distract herself, Mara turned her attention back to the contraption they stood inside. She shook her head at the thought of the logistics alone involved in building such a place within the city, much less actually accomplishing the whole project. Incredible. She shifted closer to Darius, wondering how far down into the ground they were descending.

Darius gathered Mara close and cupped her face in his hands. “There’s nothing to fear. I’m here with you, Little girl.” He kissed her gently as the elevator finally reached its destination, and the door slid silently open once again.

She’d never experienced claustrophobia, but Mara stepped out of the elevator relieved to be free of the confined space. The large room they now occupied appeared to be carved from living rock. Sconces hung on the walls, shedding a flickering light that bathed the space in a warm, ancient glow. Everything about the space gave off an impression of medieval authenticity. She inhaled deeply, expecting a musty scent, but fresh air filled her lungs. Benches lined the walls, with coatracks stationed strategically around the room.

Each of these metal stands stood empty except for the last one near the only door leading out of the room. Darius retrieved the two black cloaks and held the smaller of the two open for Mara to put on. “We observe the tradition the clan has followed for centuries.”

Mara nodded hesitantly and allowed him to wrap the cloak across her shoulders. Darius pulled on his own cloak, drawing the hood over his thick black hair before assisting her in covering hers. Holding out his hand, he said, “The clan has been protecting you ever since you arrived at our door. I, we, will never leave your side. Ever.”

The words filled Mara with unfathomable joy and warmth. She nodded and followed him from that area into a long corridor lined with tall glowing candelabras on each side. As they passed the first puddle of flickering light, two dark figures stepped out of the shadows to follow them. Peeking over her shoulder, Mara immediately thought of Marcus and Carina. Their height difference matched perfectly with this duo. A faint, familiar brush on her mind confirmed Carina’s identity.

At regular intervals, a new pair of cloaked figures stepped into place behind them. Mara ticked them off in her head, sure she could recognize them by their mental presence alone. Titus and Alessia. Donovan and Bram. A multitude of others she couldn’t identify.

The procession continued along the path as more joined them until Mara lost count of how many people were behind them. The sound of their footsteps multiplied as they continued growing louder and more thundering. The almost drumming rhythm made her heart beat faster with apprehension and excitement. How many vampires were in the clan?