A Valley of Darkness (A Shade of Vampire #52)(26)

“So the Exiled Maras are forbidden to go into the gorges now?”

“No… not by any law. We strongly advise against it; we issue warnings on a weekly basis, but if some of our people are stubborn, we can’t force them. But they go in at their own risk. More often than not, their names are added to the list of abductees. They go in as hunters, and they become the hunted.”

“But people have started disappearing from the city, as well,” I said. “Do you plan to do anything about that?”

“Well, we have you here, don’t we?” Emilian wore a confident smile. “If GASP cannot get to the bottom of this and stop these abductions, we will have no choice but to look for another home. We’ll build ships and move farther down the coastline, as far away from these gorges as possible. It just wasn’t, and still isn’t, our first choice. We’ve spent millennia building a new world here, and we don’t wish to flee because of an unseen enemy… Not yet, at least.”

“I understand,” I replied, processing the information. “You know, we managed to speak to the injured Iman girl for a minute or so, before she passed out again.”

“Oh! What did she say?” His eyes lit up.

“Not much. She’s not the first in her family to go missing. Her father was abducted, too. Thing is, she referred to those invisible creatures as ‘daemons’.” I then paused for a second, carefully analyzing the subtle changes in Emilian’s expression. “Have you heard that name before?”

He let out a deep sigh, then nodded. “I have, yes… It’s an old name, the stuff of legends and local Iman folklore, though. We’ve never seen one. In fact, your team was the first to get a glimpse of these creatures. We don’t know what they are, what they look like, or where they come from. Up until last night, we weren’t sure of much, in general. All we knew was that people were going missing and those who went searching for them in the Valley of Screams vanished as well.”

“Are there any depictions, anywhere?” I asked. “My team couldn’t find any references in your library.”

“Our library doesn’t store any Iman-related materials,” Emilian replied. “I think it’s best to ask the Iman elders. There are a few families down on the fourth level. Long lines of Imen that settled here with us in the early days. Generations upon generations that have served this city well. Some of their children service our Houses today. If you’d like, I’ll have one of my assistants deliver a list of names first thing in the morning.”

“That would be grand, thank you very much, Emilian.” I smiled, allowing him to push me back into a dip. We both laughed as my gaze found the painted ceiling above, but I stilled with my head back when Jax popped into my field of vision.

Emilian pulled me back. Jax bowed curtly, his expression firm and unreadable.

“Mind if I take Hansa away from you for a song or two?” Jax’s voice was low, and I could feel the tension beneath it. He wasn’t in a good mood.

“Of course, but I hope she will be so kind as to allow me to dance with her again tonight.” Emilian nodded, then gave me a warm, downright affectionate smile, which I graciously returned. He truly was, despite the mystery still surrounding him, my favorite of the Five Lords.

“Absolutely,” I replied.

Jax moved in front of me as Emilian stepped away. I opened my mouth to say something, but Jax pulled me close so fast, it knocked the air out of my lungs, my chest pressed against his. I felt him hard and unyielding, his right arm snaking around my waist and bringing me even closer, while his left hand took mine, his fingers gripping firmly as he led me to the middle of the dancefloor.

His jade eyes were dark and fixed on mine, his soft lips pressed into a thin line, and a muscle was twitching in his jaw.

“Everything okay?” I managed. “Is Farrah enjoying herself tonight?”

“I couldn’t care less.” His reply came fast. “I left her with another Mara to keep her entertained.”

“Good. As long as we all fit in and make a good impression, we’ll be fine. We need these people on our side,” I said, unable to break from his stirring gaze.

“Avril and Heron are back, I just overheard them across the dancefloor,” he said. “They’ve gathered some intel that puts both the daemons and the Five Houses at the middle of these abductions. They’ll fill you in later, but I thought you should know before you get too close to Emilian.”

I noticed the slightly accusatory tone in his voice. I didn’t like it, and I didn’t quite understand its aim, either.

“Do you mean you think I’m getting too close to Emilian?” I frowned.

“It doesn’t matter.” He didn’t wish to pursue it, but it was enough to stretch my nerves.

I looked around and noticed Avril, Heron, and Caia sitting at a table not far from where we were. They were bent forward, their faces close to one another as they talked and occasionally glanced across the ballroom. I dug my fingers into Jax’s shoulder, enough for him to follow my gaze and see them. As if having read my mind, he led our dance closer to their table. I kicked Heron’s ankle and broke him from their secretive-looking powwow.

“Get off your asses and start dancing and blending in,” I hissed at all three, prompting them to widen their eyes like children caught in the middle of mischief. “You all look like you’re talking about and suspecting everybody of something. It’s awkward, and it’s not helping us! Blend in—look friendly and peaceful if you want these people to relax and be more forthcoming.”