Lies in Leather

Chapter 14 - King of the Council

My head felt like it was going to explode. I rested it on my hands and kneaded my palms into my eyes. Elaine was sitting across from me in a chair waiting for me to speak.

"Is that all?" I asked.

She seemed to think for a second before nodding briefly. I sighed gratefully, I don't think I could have handled anything else.

"So, let me get this straight, not only is Zavier not a slave to Julian, but Zavier is next in line to be King in another land?"

Elaine nodded again, "It's almost how you have different countries with different leaders, the vampires have the same. Julian was once King of his own land. Once the Darkness started to consume him, he was overthrown. He couldn't stand it so he came here and tried to create a new kingdom, under the radar of the Council."

"The Council being?" I questioned, trying to make sense of everything.

"The Council is the governing body of all vampires. They oversee all the lands. That's where Zavier is next in line to be King." Elaine had been patiently explaining everything to me. I knew it was imperative for me to comprehend soon, we had to help Zavier.

"If Zavier is the next King on the Council, why would they send him here to play possum for Julian?" That also didn't make sense. Why would you send someone so valuable out to one of the most dangerous vampires?

Elaine sighed and smiled wistfully, "One of the amazing traits of Zavier. It wasn't his job. Of course the Council wouldn't send out the heir to the throne. it was meant to be one of his younger brothers, another prince. Zavier couldn't bare to see his brother in danger, so he snuck out one night and came here in his place. Once he was here, there was nothing that the Council could do without giving him away."

I rubbed the bridge of my nose, trying to calm the migraine growing behind my eyes, "So, how do you know all this?"

Elaine laughed, a genuine laugh so loud it made me laugh. "Each vampire has different powers, as you've seen with Melody. One of Zavier's powers is to read minds, emotions, memories, anything he needs. I can sense people's powers and mirror them, therefore when he would read my mind, I would in turn read his. I'm one of the only people who is immune to most vampires' powers. Really freaked out Zavier when he found out."

I smiled then, just a small twitch of my lips, but it was more than I'd smiled in a long time.

I stood, brushing imaginary dirt from my jeans, and looked at Elaine with my eyebrow arched, "So are we gonna go rescue the prince in distress? Or are we just going to sit here and talk about it all day?"

Elaine stood with me and walked over to a locked cabinet. She quickly unlocked it and brought the contents to a table.

I strode across the room to stand next to her and saw blueprints to the palace.

She glanced at me with a gleam in her eye, "Can't go in blind now can we?"

No, I don't suppose we could.