Escaping The Beast: A Darkhills Romance (The Darkhills Series Book 2) by Elizabeth Greene (young adult books to read TXT) 📕

Lucian shot up out of bed and landed in a crouched position by the side of the door. His manservant was the only person with whom he had constantly under his thrall. Lucian searched for the man’s mind through the link but found him in the garden, tending to the vegetables.

Lucian tuned out from his mind link, satisfied that the man was safe and away from whoever was trespassing.

Two sets of footfalls, one more heavy than the other, could be heard from the great hall. Lucian summoned his bedroom door to open silently, just a crack, the scent of two humans greeted his nose faintly. One female, with a soft floral perfume surrounding her, and the other was the scent of a man he knew. Kyle Daxton.

Lucian cursed.

Looks like the man had decided to bring his journalist friend to try to expose him as Mr. Pines had reported he might. Lucian checked his pocket for his phone and found it empty. He must’ve left it in Katherine’s room last night after his call with Cayden. Chances are when he retrieved it, he would find multiple messages from the bear shifter informing him of the impending arrival of the troublesome twosome.

Lucian stood to his full height and considered his next move. Chances are he could hide out in his chambers until nightfall and he wouldn’t be found. Only Katherine had succeeded in finding the entrance to his quarters, but if she had been able to find it, there was every possibility that her father possessed the same perceptive abilities. Lucian also wasn’t a man to cower in hiding.

Kyle Daxton might have come to hunt and trap a vampire, but he was a foolish man to think he could catch him unawares.

Silently, Lucian swept down the stairs to where the entranceway was hidden behind the heavy tapestry. He could hear them better from there. They were in the middle of the hall. Lucian could tell from the small glimmer of light coming in from under the heavy fabric that Mr Daxton had drawn some if not all of the drapes, letting daylight into the space.

No matter. Lucian thought to himself, and concentrated on the suppressing weight of the clouds that surrounded the mansion, ensuring they stay closely wrapped around the building like a suffocating blanket.

“It’s getting dark already, maybe we should just leave. The only reason I came out here with you is because you said it’d be just a day’s work. So far all I’ve seen is a creepy castle in the middle of the woods,” the bored voice of the woman rang out through the hall.

“Shut up,” Kyle bit back, “the bastard will hear you, and we need to catch him while he’s sleeping, that’s when he’s vulnerable.”

“Other than being able to move quickly and make you feel like he was inside your head, I don’t see what other evidence you have,” the journalist whispered harshly.

“My daughter. She’s here, somewhere. We just need to find her and then you’ll see. She’ll have the monster’s teeth marks all over her,” Kyle whispered back.

Had Katherine been in on this?

“Mr. Daxton, with all due respect you’ve had just about all of my time that you’re going to get,” Lucian heard the shuffle of a bag being hoisted onto her shoulder, “I’m ready to drive back now.”

The woman seemed to have a sensible head on her shoulders, despite having agreed to pursue this unusual avenue for a story.

“We’ll leave when I say we leave,” Kyle snarled.

“You don’t get to order me about, you are not my editor,” the journalist snapped back, “feel free to trespass for as long as you like Mr. Daxton. I’ll be by the car.”

“Your editor will drop you if you don’t turn in a front-page soon, what else you got up your sleeve?” Kyle laughed smugly, “I’ve got you pegged, Missy, you’ll stay. You need this story or you’re out on your ass.”

Lucian had heard enough. Kyle Daxton truly was a vile human being and he was tired of having to deal with the man. He would transfer his debt to another to oversee, Lucian was done.

With a flick of his mind, he summoned the heavy drapes in the great hall to pull shut, shrouding the room in comfortable darkness.

That earned a gasp from the journalist.

“You see,” Kyle hushed excitedly, “he’s here. He can do things.”

“I would very much like to leave now, Mr. Daxton,” came her shaky voice.

“Indeed, Mr. Daxton,” Lucian spoke clearly through the room as he strode towards them, “I believe it is time you were off.”

The woman’s big brown eyes popped, showing the whites at the edges, she clutched at her bag and took a stumbling few steps back, her sneakers squeaking on the stone floor.

“You, you, must be Mr. Nightingale?” She stammered.

“Lord Nightingale,” he corrected and watched the woman wilt even further.

“Good of you to join us, your majesty,” Kyle Daxton sneered, “you’re just in time to accept an offer you won’t be able to refuse.”

Lucian chose to ignore the inaccuracy of his title and strolled leisurely to his chair, once seated he cocked his head to one side and cast an unimpressed glance over the man.

“Pray, do tell, what new and ridiculous proposal have you rustled up for me this time?”

“Oh, it’s not ridiculous. It’s simple. I’m not going to pay you back a cent and you, you are going to give me £5million bucks or this lovely journalist here is going to expose you for what you are.”

“Ah, I see. Blackmail. It’s a classic, I’ll give you that,” Lucian chuckled before crossing his legs and inspecting his fingernails, absently, “but tell me, what exactly am I to be exposed as?”

“A vampire. Don’t deny it. I’ve seen the way you move, I’ve felt you poking around in my head and you sure as Hell don’t like the daytime,” Kyle puffed out his chest proudly.

“A vampire? How exciting,” Lucian smirked and