After carefully returning the volume to the shelf, she left the library.
There were two rooms across the hall. The first held numerous works of art. Some were framed and mounted on the walls; other canvases were on easels. Glass shelves held figurines and statues made of blown glass, pewter, onyx, and marble. Picking up a statue of an old woman carved from wood, Elena ran her hand over the smooth oak, marveling at the intricate detail even as she wondered whether the works of art had been created by the vampires.
The next door opened onto a music room. She stood there a moment, her gaze moving from the piano in the far corner to the harp, violins, cellos, flutes, triangles, and drums scattered around the room. Several music stands held pages of sheet music. Did vampires dance? And sing? And play musical instruments?
The room at the far end of the corridor was the Council chamber. There were no pleasant memories in that room and she didn’t go inside.
The man continued to follow her as she went in search of the dining room, which she knew was somewhere downstairs. She didn’t know if she was too early or too late, but she had the place all to herself. Going into the kitchen, she helped herself to a scone from a covered tray and washed it down with a cup of lukewarm tea. Plucking another scone from the tray, she nibbled on it as she left the dining room.
Behind the next door, she found a laundry room furnished with several washers and dryers, as well as a sink and a long counter. A quick glance, and she moved on.
Remembering that there were no windows in the lower levels, she plucked a fat candle from a wall sconce to light her way before descending the stairs to the dormitories and the day rooms. A lantern hanging from the ceiling provided faint illumination on this floor. She frowned, wondering who the light was for. The drones, perhaps?
The doors were all locked from the outside, of course, but she could hear voices coming from the rec room. She stood there a moment, listening to the muted voices of the women, the occasional laughter. She felt a brief rush of loneliness. The sheep might not be free, but they seemed happy in their captivity, while she had nothing, and no one.
The next floor down was pitch black and eerily silent. She knew immediately that this floor housed the vampires. Was Drake down here? Would she feel his presence if he was nearby? She tiptoed down the long hallway, her footsteps muffled by the thick carpet. She paused at each door but heard nothing. Did Rodin and Liliana live down here with the others, or did they have quarters elsewhere?
At the end of the hallway, she found a narrow wooden door. When she tried to open it, the drone caught her hand. When she looked up at him, he shook his head.
“Dungeon,” he said, his voice flat. “You should not go there.”
“Liliana said I could go wherever I wished.”
The drone looked confused for a moment, as if no one had ever dared defy him before, and then it occurred to her that she was probably the first to do so. Surely the sheep would not disagree with any order given them. When she didn’t back away, he shrugged and allowed her to pass.
Elena opened the door, and then hesitated at the top of the stairs. Did she really want to go down there alone? But then, she wasn’t alone. The Hulk was right behind her. Still, it seemed the height of foolishness. Who knew what she might find down there? Visions of skeletons and dead rats flashed through her mind. Maybe the drone was right.
With a shake of her head, she was about to close the door when she heard Drake’s voice in her mind, as clearly as if he was standing beside her. She peered into the darkness at the foot of the stairs. Was Drake down there?
Chewing on her lower lip, she started down the stairs. The musty scent of rot and decay rose up to meet her. She paused midway down the staircase, one hand on the rail, listening, but all she heard was the sound of the Hulk’s breathing coming from behind her.
She had come this far, she thought, might as well see it through. She moved cautiously down the remaining steps, the drone at her heels.
When she reached the bottom of the staircase, she paused. In the eerie glow of the candle, she saw that she was indeed inside a dungeon. Iron-barred cells lined both sides of the room. Did the vampires keep prisoners down here? If so, how did they survive the smell? The air was rank, the low ceiling and stark surroundings oppressive. She shuddered at the thought of humans being locked away down here for days, or perhaps weeks, at a time, where no one could hear their screams for help.
Elena moved forward, her steps sounding overly loud in the silence. She gasped as a rat scurried past her. She was about to turn back when she heard Drake’s voice in her mind again.
“Drake!” She hurried forward, her gaze darting right and left. “Drake?”
She found him in the last cell.
He blinked against the light of the candle. “What the hell are you doing down here?”
“I was just exploring, and . . . Oh, Drake.” He looked a little better than the last time she had seen him. It was obvious that he had been given the opportunity to bathe and change his clothes, but it still broke her heart to see him locked away in this dreadful place. “How long are they going to keep you here?” she asked, then frowned. He wasn’t chained this time. “Why don’t you just . . .” She lifted her free hand and let it fall. “You know, just leave?”
“I gave Rodin my word I would do as he wished.”
“And that includes letting him torture you? What kind of monster is he?”
“I defied him,” Drake said. “For centuries. Whatever fault there is, is mine.”
She reached through the bars, needing to touch him.
“Keep away from me.”
“Drake, please.”
“No, Elena. Whatever we had is over.”
“Is it?” She hated the way her voice trembled. “You said you loved me.” Why couldn’t she be as cool and detached as he appeared to be?
“I do love you. I will love you as long as I live.” Unable to resist her tears, he moved toward her, one hand reaching through the bars to wipe the dampness from her cheeks. “Did he hurt you?”
She didn’t pretend not to know what he was talking about, just as she knew there was no point in lying. “Yes, but I’m all right.” She placed her hand over his, then rubbed her cheek against his palm. “I don’t want to live without you.”
“You must. I need to know you are alive and well. I have made provisions for ownership of Wolfram Castle to be transferred to you.”
“But it’s your home!”
“I will be staying here from now on. Rodin will see that you have everything you need.”