Her Wicked Secret {Sequel to His Mortal Bride}

♱ Chapter 9 ♱

Piper

"It's been a while, Piper," Nicolae greeted me at his front door. My cloak was shielding me from the rain as I stood on his step.

"It has. May I come in?" I asked politely. I gestured to come in, wanting to get to the point of my visit, but also just because I wanted to get out of the dampness. Nicolae moved aside and pulled the door open wider for me to come in.

I pulled my cloak down once I stepped into his cottage's foyer, feeling the warmth coming from his lit fireplace. He led me to his study and I found myself in the room I had spent most of my tutoring for Mythical Studies in over a hundred years ago.

Nicolae's study looked quite similar to Evander's home. Herbs and books were everywhere, some books open and being actively studied while other collecting dust in stacks. Herbs were hanging from the ceiling drying out.

Nicolae had been my tutor for many years as I aged and is a great friend of my grandmother's. He was also responsible for saving Alec from the dark magic DeMalo had put upon him five years ago. Nicolae had saved him from the brink of death and had hundreds of years worth of experience with magic and the likes of it. He had the most knowledge I think any Vampire could possess of the other species that exist, but it was clear his most devoted obsession was the Wicked species. If there was anything to know about Witches and Warlocks, Nicolae would know it.

I walked around, observing the familiar room. I wondered how many of these books could help me understand more about Evander's kind. I only knew the cruel and demented side of his kind through my late brother's use of a Witch named Akantha. My grandmother also told me how my grandfather died at the hands of a Witch. Until I met Evander, I hadn't met any other members of the Wicked kind, but I knew after meeting Evander that not all of them had to have been as cruel as Akantha and the Witch that killed my grandfather.

"So what brings you here?" Nicolae asked, taking me out of my focused observations around the room.

"I wanted to come to you about a rumor I'd heard around the castle," I told him. He offered me a seat and I shrugged my cloak off, draping it over the back of the chair before I sat.

"What kind of rumor?" He questioned, taking a seat facing me.

"I've heard a rumor going around that Witches are being hunted and killed by our species. I thought that maybe since you've spent so much time and dedication studying the Wicked species that you would know if this is true or not," I explained, keeping my voice level. I didn't want him to know that I was lying and that I'd actually heard this from a Warlock himself in the woods surrounding our home.

Nicolae was quiet for a moment too long. Finally, he sighed and nodded, getting up from his seat that he had just rested in. He went to his bookshelf and took out a grand book, one probably multiple centuries-old filled with handwritten Romanian inked into the fragile pages. Based on the title etched into the binding, I could see it was about Witches and Warlocks.

"Where did you hear this rumor?" Nicolae asked, flipping through the pages.

"A group of guards was speaking about it at the stables. I couldn't help but overhear and wonder what they were talking about," I said. It was a complete lie, but it was the best I could come up with. It seemed pretty plausible to me.

"I see..." Nicolae murmured, finally settling on a page. "I hate to say it, but the rumor you've heard is sadly true."

I felt a deep pain in my chest when he said that. I already knew it was true, but finally having one of my own kind tell me that they knew of this just solidified it. If he knew, then it was likely that everyone else did as well.

That meant my family probably knew.

"How could I not have known about this? Aren't there laws between the different supernatural species, protecting us from harming one another?" I asked, not faking my obvious disgust with the situation. Nicolae sighed once again and shook his head.

"This book details the history of the Wicked species. It doesn't go into detail about the history between their species and ours, but this particular part explains why this all started," Nicolae came over to me and gave the book to me. He pointed at the beginning of a paragraph, gesturing for me to read.

As I read over it, I realized how this schism must have started.

"You see, the second Vampires found out that Wicked blood was more potent than Mortal blood, there was no stopping the interest in wanting to try it and harvest it. Wicked blood not only sustains our kind, but it enhances our natural abilities. As if we couldn't become more powerful, it acts almost like a drug. The effect it has on the one who drinks it is so desired that once word spread about how it tasted and what it did, it was hard to control the curiosity of the people," Nicolae summarized what I was reading. A pang of deep guilt settled in my stomach.

"That still doesn't answer how I did not know this was happening," I murmured.

"Not everyone knows that this is happening. There have been laws in place ever since the drainings got out of hand the first time. But relations between the two species have never been the best. The laws have become loosely regulated ever since your late brother and that dark Witch tried to kill the next king," Nicolae continued to acknowledge me as he sat back down. I gave him a confused look.

"Drainings?"

"Parties of Vampires go out and hunt for Witches and Warlocks. They'll feast until the victims are completely drained."

Nicolae must've realized my sickened expression. He automatically shook his head and didn't go any further into explaining the grizzly details.

"It's a cruel practice that I wish isn't as common as it is," He said, his tone obviously upset. I was surprised to know that he was affected by this. Part of me had believed that he would have taken part in these "drainings" for research. I half expected to come in and have him show me vials of Wicked blood.

"You yourself have never participated?" I asked, still not fully trusting that he hadn't. I needed to know what side he was on, just so I knew how careful I had to be around him.

He looked genuinely shocked and almost hurt by my question.

"Oh! Certainly not. My studies of the Wicked species have only made me more fond of them. I see them as equal to us. I have a few Warlock friends actually, and I cannot imagine harming one of their kind," Nicolae exclaimed. I furrowed my brow, not knowing that he had Warlock friends. I almost let it comfort me about my situation with Evander.

I simply nodded, looking back down at the book in my lap.

"Might I ask," Nicolae questioned, "What do you plan to do with this information?"

I looked back up to him, closing the book gently.

"I don't know for sure yet," I told him honestly, "But I at least know that, just like you, I am disgusted by what is going on between the two species. Somehow I'm going to figure out how to fix it."

––––––––––•A/N•––––––––––

Hey everyone!! Sorry for skipping last week's update. I got my vaccine the morning before I was meant to write the rest of the chapter and upload it. I ended up sleeping all day instead and have been busy the past week.

Thank you so much for the love and support of this book!

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