Chapter 19 : Monty's family tragedy.

Orthon knew he had nowhere to go, nowhere to take refuge, but he couldn't let them lock him up, chain him, and take the rest of his life in slow agony. He knew he would be found quickly, but his death would be instantaneous, and he wouldn't have time to realize it. A lightning death would save his dignity to pieces, and he would not suffer more. The wanted vampire had walked dozens and dozens of yards of corridors, looking for a place to take refuge while awaiting the coup de grace. He quickly went up to the first floor. Without thinking, he forced the lock of the first door when he heard the guards approaching. Misses, he slipped into the room and slid in a sudden gesture both door panels. Immediately he found himself in the dark, but that was no problem for a night being like him: he could see in the dark.

"Where's that filthy pest?!"

"He can't go very far. Get out of where you are! You can't escape!"

"Get out now!"

The screams behind the door faded as the guards moved away and gave way to an anxious lull. Leaning against the door, fear beading on his forehead, the Duke swept his gaze around the room in which he had taken refuge. Several padlocked boxes were stored here and there next to large chests, no doubt locked. On the walls, several weapons were hung. A scythe, a long katana, a bow with its arrows… A panel of various weapons surrounded him and intimidated him. The knife at his thigh was more of a deterrent weapon than a weapon to protect himself since Orthon refused to come to blows. Alone in absolute silence, he walked over to the only window. Pushed aside the thick curtains slightly.

"It's high..." he observed as he watched a squad of guards exit into the courtyard through another wing.

The vampire continued to watch the outside when he heard heavy, hurried footsteps approaching the storage room. The Duke wasted no time and slipped behind the bigger chest, stiffening when the footsteps stopped in front of the door. There wasn't just one person. The door was opened slightly, letting a thin beam of light enter the room before widening. The door quickly slammed shut what make him more nervous. They were there; they had found it. A few steps were heard before he heard some of them sit on crates or chests.

"We know you are here," Day hastened to break the silence as he conjured up his emerald green magic in his hand. "The door is not supposed to be unlocked."

Orthon mentally cursed for his mistake because of his panic but did not out goof hiding despite his tremors. Maybe they would leave thinking they were just wrong? He dared to hope so despite their presence and their lingering silence.

"We're not supposed to be in this room, and neither are you," Day resumed suddenly. "If you wait until we get out, we'll bring in the guard who'll get you out without any tweezers. Is that what you want?"

The vampire hugged his legs a little closer to his chest when footsteps came extremely close. Too close to the trunk, too much. His cold sweats intensified as a green light illuminated his location and approached his face.

"Find."

The Duke couldn't suppress the cry of terror that escaped his throat. He backed reflexively against the wall and instinctively grabbed the knife hanging on his thigh. The other gods soon joined Day and stared at the vampire lit by the green light source.

"The fact that you ran away can be interpreted in several ways," the blond informed, stepping around the trunk. "Why did you run away?"

"Kill me quickly, don't wait!"

"Kill you? We don't want to kill you."

"Not at the moment anyway," Dark Nyx added grimly.

"Hey, no. We're not going to kill this guy. You have nothing to fear, Duke. We just want you to share your information about the Order with us."

"I have nothing to say!"

"You're lying badly," Moain snapped, leaning a little more over the chest. "Maybe we need to get you to talk."

"Kill me. I prefer that!"

"And we, we prefer to keep you alive so that you tell us everything you know."

"You just have to find where the Order is and break into the castle!"

"Oh, so the Order is hiding in a castle."

A second is enough for Orthon to realize his new error and understand that the sardonic smile on the face of the gods was for him. He turned for a moment to Day, who just smiled at him in a friendly way as he stepped forward a little further.

"You have nothing to fear. The Order cannot hurt you," he declared, putting his hand on his shoulder.

"Yes, the Order can!"

"How?"

"The Order can! They will kill him if I don't get out of here. They will kill him!"

"Who are you talking about?"

"He's talking about his twin brother," Nyx hissed, narrowing his eyes suspiciously.

"They are going to kill him!"

"And you will stay alive."

"Do you think I like knowing that?!"

"Why is he in this castle? What is he doing there?"

"I don't want him to die. They will kill them."

"The? Are there several?"

The Duke didn't answer and turned his head away, but Nyx didn't give up and sat down on the chest, continuing to stare at him insistently.

"You have our total attention, so speak up. We can help you."

"I don't need help. I have to get out."

"That's impossible. We need your information. Where is the Order located, why are they keeping your brother and other vampires captive, and why was Minndt tortured?"

"I don't know about that. I didn't know what the doctor was doing!"

"In your house?"

"The Order told me they needed him, but I don't know why! I was told the doctor would talk to him, not torture him!"

"By any chance, are you familiar with a certain Astra and a Skye?" asked cautiously Foud.

"It's Ast, Astra and Skye. They are my cousins. They were with my brother when the Order took them in 2006."

"Taken away?"

"I don't know where the Order is. I just know its members are in a castle in Europe… My aunt and her husband were murdered after Skye was born. With my brother, we had everything prepared for they lack nothing with us, but the Order came to our door one evening."

The vampire wiped away the tears in the corner of his eyes with the back of his hand. He sighed before speaking again.

"They said they would take care of them but had to come with them to protect them."

"Protect them from what?" Day asked quietly.

"Vampires are killing other vampires. They are targeting the Dark Twin in particular, and these Order members said they are taking the Dark ones to protect them."

"Why did you take the children?"

"They said the children had to be protected since they were few. I opposed it, I told them they would be fine in the mansion, but they took them by force! It has been years since I 'try to find out where they are, that I ask the Order when will I see them again, and I always have the same answer: When things get better, and I have done what they want. things are only getting worse, and I can do whatever they ask to not any change!"

"They have been missing for fifteen years."

"And that's a long time even for a vampire!"

"The vampires in your house, were they Order too?"

"It was the Order that sent them to my house as a "gift" to protect me, but I know they were watching my every move. They were plotting behind my back."

"Well, you've got one less problem now. Are you the only vampire the Order has taken family members from?"

"No, it's a recurring thing. The Order even asked me to help them once. But I told them to go see somewhere else if I was there! I didn't know about your friend. I just want to find them..."

A sob escaped the vampire, and then a second before his tears became incessant, a torrent of tears streaming down his cheeks as all stared at Nyx and his brother, dumbfounded.

"Can I ask you one last question before we get out?" the flaming god asked hesitantly.

"What else..."

"Are you close to other members of your family?"

"There aren't many people now, but yes… Why this question, what do you want to know?"

"Do you know them all?"

"As I just have said, there aren't many people to know, so yes."

"Did any of them disappear around the 1910s?"

The Duke lifted his head sharply, surprising Day that pulled away slightly before starting to observed him. Tears continued to fall, but his gaze was murderous and focused on the twins.

"Why do you want to know that? Do you like to know that not everyone has a nice family?" spat the noble vampire vehemently.

"Answer," Darth Nyx snapped back.

"My family members have either disappeared or were murdered by your parents. I was raised by my uncle after the murder of my parents. Until he and his brother disappeared in 1910 for no reason whatsoever. Are you satisfied?"

"We are cousins ​​by marriage."

"I beg your pardon, who is cousin with whom?"

"You and us, by marriage. Our uncle's husband, were they married? I have no idea. Anyway, he was a Monty and disappeared with his brother in 1910. We were very young, so we have only vague memories, but maybe we can find some common ground." Nyx offered, crossing his legs.

"I am listening to you."

"You are helping us understand what the Order is up to and find its hideout. While helping to understand why our uncles have disappeared overnight, we are helping each other find your brother and cousins."

"But how can I be of service to you?!"

"Talking to us about the Order and the members of this organization. Nothing fancy, you just have to tell us everything you know, and so you won't be killed for what happened to Minndt."

"I didn't know, I swear to you!"

"Whether you know it or not, you cannot lie to his father. He will take care of your case when his son is better. No one will be there to help you escape him. I hope for you that you do not. don't lie because he's the one who decides whether or not to leave you alive and grant you amnesty."

The noble vampire swallowed hard and looked at Day, who gave him a friendly hand, helping him up from the dusty ground. The deal was over, the runaway vampire found, and now they could begin to solve the Order's riddle! But as Toxin was about to open the door, that opened first and let Minndt's father face them. By his side, the father of the twins and the father of Moain.

"Well, well, well. The youngsters are in a place where they shouldn't be."