It shifts sideways against the wall, and for one terrifying moment, I think it’s about to come crashing down on me. I cover my head with my arms as I drop lower in the chair. Slowly opening my eyes as soon as I realize I haven’t been crushed to death, I step down off the chair in shock.
The panels have slid back, hiding the wall of heads. The relief that washes over me in this moment is so great, I burst into tears as I collapse to the floor, leaning my head back against the seat of the chair.
Allowing myself a few minutes to reset, I wipe the tears from my face and push the chair back against the desk.
With the heads hidden, and my fear of being instantly killed as soon as someone walks in and sees them fading, I allow myself to peruse the shelves of items. Most of it looks like ancient artifacts, but not the dusty kind. The rich, old money kind.
It’s quite fascinating to look at, really, and not just because most of it is made of precious metals and gems. I’ve made my it halfway down one wall of shelves when I notice a book propped open in the center case.
I press my face against the glass to get a better look, not caring whether I leave oil smudges on it. It’s the least Valentine deserves right now.
The words are remarkably tiny, and I have to squint to make any of them out. It’s written in old English and nearly impossible to understand, but there is one word that stands out among them all.
It’s an ancient book about vampires.
I snort at this, shaking my head as I push away from the glass and continue browsing the other shelves. It takes seeing a freaking stake shaped like a cross a few shelves down for everything to suddenly click together in my mind.
Stepping back to get a good look at the items in as many shelves as possible, I realize this is a literal collection of things from vampire myths and legends.
I spin around to look at the items in the cases on the opposite wall, and find yet more of the same.
This is on another level.
He’s obsessed.
It’s almost ridiculous enough for me to forget the fact that this man keeps a literal wall of severed heads tucked away as trophies.
Almost.
Shuddering at this thought, I clutch the robe tightly around me as I drop down into one of the large armchairs to wait. I’m exhausted but unable to doze off knowing what’s just beyond the hidden panels.
After what feels like ages, I hear voices outside and turn just in time to see the doors swing open as Valentine strides in.
I shrink back into the chair before I have a chance to see who he’s talking to, wishing to draw as little attention as possible to myself.
“I told you I’d bring her here myself. There was no reason for—”
“You can’t blame me for having my doubts about you.”
“We had a deal. She could have been killed!”
“You will not speak to me like that in my house, is that clear?”
“I’ll speak to you exactly the way you deserve. You owe me, Valentine! I need to see the girl before I agree to anything else. You know he’ll suspect something if I’m not back soon.”
I frown, my eyes slowly widening in horror as I listen, still unnoticed, to their conversation.
I know that voice.
“Fine, there she is. See for yourself.”
Slowly, I look up just as the two men step into view, meeting the eyes of a man I thought was supposed to help me.
Now, all I see are the eyes of a traitor.
I guess The Devils Mafia really does have its demons …
and one of them is Luci.
“Oh, by the way, you might want to tell Dante that she’s still a maiden,” Valentine says, a menacing smile spreading across his face, “at least, for now.”