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Chapter 17 - How's it Hanging?

"Do I have to go with you all to question Donovan?" Julia stressed, clinging to Nemia's right arm in a sense of desperation.

"Yes Jules, for the third time." Nemia rolled her eyes. "But you can stand outside until you are needed, like I said the other two times. But that's also only if we actually do need you. Only your dust, straight from your fingers, is the one sure way to get a vampire to tell the complete truth. You know that." Her look serious enough to quell any other response from Julia aside from her defeated sigh.

She glanced over at Dorian who was to her left. "How long do you suppose it'll take Nik to join up with us?"

Dorian's look was distant for a moment before he looked down at her. "Shouldn't be too long after we get there ourselves. He's just left Jacoline and is making his way down now."

"How much longer till we get there ourselves?" Julia chimed in, leaning around Nemia while still holding onto her arm.

Dorian chuckled. "Not much longer, unfortunately enough for you." Julia groaned in response with Nemia laughing softly at her.

They took a left turn and down another stairwell. Which made it the third one they've taken now. Reaching the last step, Dorian held the door open for Julia and Nemia then filled behind them after. A familiar frame was standing down near the right end of the hall as Nemia surveyed the hall they had stepped out into.

Aha! Sebastian. With the pivot of her foot, she made her way down towards him. As they approached, Sebastian bowed his head. "Ah. Nemia, correct?"

Nemia tipped her head towards him a bit. "Right you are, Sebastian. And this, is Julia." Nemia flashed a quick smile and waved her hand over to Julia as she introduced her name.

Sebastian shifted his focus over to meet Julia's gave as he started to bow. "Julia."

Julia looked up at Sebastian and beamed. "Hello-"She glanced over at Julia before adding. "-Sebastian."

"Would you mind staying a while longer to give Julia some company for a few minutes till Nikolaus shows up at least?" Dorian asked over Nemia's head.

"Of course, My King." He replied, bowing his head again at Dorian's presence.

Dorian stepped around to the door then, glancing at Nemia and urging her to follow with a wave of his hand.

She slipped in after him without another word, leaving Julia with Sebastian. Her could finally breath again and she adjusted the sleeve of her T-shirt after the door shut behind her before looking up to Donovan. He was still bound in the chains from earlier and hooked to a chain leading from the ceiling of the room. Causing him to dangle in the air just a little. She couldn't control the satisfactory smile that crept up on her, watching Donovan dangle like a puppet.

Aside from him, there was Ala metal table with two metal chairs sat in the back end of the otherwise empty, grey room. There was a few items displayed on the table but instead of checking them out, she focused on the dangling Donovan for now.

He was quiet for the moment. Just staring at Dorian with wide, fearful eyes. So much so he hadnt even noticed Nemia was even there.

"Fancy seeing you here, Donovan. Wanting to, hang?" Nemia bit back her laugh.

His eyes cut to hers and narrowed, but he remained silent. Which, in all honesty, was probably the best choice he had made in a long while.

Dorian glanced over at Nemia as she settled in beside him. She could see his chest grow puffy with pride out of the corner of her eye, but she remained locked in on Donovan. He was the objective right now, he was her job now.

"Don't have any sleazy comments now?" Nemia cocked her head to the left just a touch, giving him one of the fakest yet dazzling smiles she could muster. "Nothing at all?"

Donovan silently glared at her. Though he was cracking, she could see his fangs had elongated and was starting to protrude. His amber eyes starting to darken to a more vibrant crimson. If he actually has blood coursing through his veins, his cheeks would most definitely be flushed with his rising anger.

She took a step closer, her hand reaching out. It was loosely curled aside from her pointer finger as she reached out and poked him. Causing him to sway in the air a little. "Really? Not even one? Because-" She poked again. "-I have plenty of comments-"

"Get your proding finger off of me!" Donovan hissed. With an attempt to lashing out failed by the chains, he bared his fangs at her instead.

Her head tipped back with a hollow, gutteral laugh. "Oh Donovan." She patted his chest, having to reach up slightly higher to do so. "You don't get to make the demands here." She knew her eyes were empty of emotion, seeing her reflection in his own eyes. But this is what Donovan has made, having her in his workstead. All because she wanted to find Malcolm, and she thought he was her best chance. Instead, he just turned the rage she had felt, into a weapon for his disposal.

Donovan somehow seemed to pale even more, if that were even possible which seemed to be in his case. His eyes turned to Dorian, "M-my King, what is it you wish to know?"

Dorian scoffed at the question and Nemia grabbed the chain around Donovan's abdomen, giving it a quick, hard yank towards her. "You already know what we want." Nemia bit out, her own fangs bared now.

Donovan looked between the two of them, then started shaking his head vigorously. "No, no. I don't have those answers. I know nothing of Malcolm. Nothing more than what I've told you before." His words rushed and scripted.

Nemia's grip tightened on the chains in her hand and the metal groaned under the crushing force. "Dont fucking lie to me!" The room seemed to be growing hotter, rage rolling inside her mind hazed her vision.

"I-I... I'm.." Donovan started to stammer his words. "Not.. not lying .."

"Yes, you are Donovan. What do you know of Malcolm? Of his attack at the formal? Why did he free Kyth!?" Dorian growled, having had moved in closer and was now standing slightly adjacent to Nemia's left and talking over her shoulder.

Another wave of fear seemed to roll through Donovan's body at the mention of Kyth but it was also evident on his face that he was completely unaware of Malcolm's plan with Kyth. "KYTH?!" Donovan all but screamed out the name. His eyes flicking between the two of them.

Nemia glanced up over her shoulder at Dorian, her hand still clutched around the same. Part of her in this moment wish she could mind link him, and she was tempted to try. Considering she was able to mind link with Julia without her being a pack member or even being a werewolf. She locked eyes, decided to try as she pushes her mind into his.

Hello?"

Dorian took a small step back, his eyes flickering of surprise.

Okay, good. So it does work."

"What are you two doing?" Donovan unknowingly interrupted.

"Oh for the live of the gods, silence." Dorian barked out the order, raising his hand up towards Donovan with an open palm to urge his silence. To which he obeyed with a small hiss.

How?" Dorian questioned Nemia. Being inside his head, she could not only hear what he was saying but could truly feel the emotions behind his voice. His current emotion, enthralled astonishment.

You'll get to ask those questions later." Her lips switched. "Dorian... I... Can't believe I'm saying this but... I don't think he knew..."

Dorian audibly sighed. "Not completely, but he is definitely hiding something. Let's figure out what that is. If anything, maybe it'll help?" He offered but it done little for her in the moment.

Donovan was growing restless, fidgeting against the chains. Their conversation ending in their minds as Nemia's eyes refocused on him. Though she kept the mind link up, she likes the presence of Dorian there, in her mind. She was just glad it's not like actually reading minds and he can't go galavanting around hers to find all of her hidden secrets of her past.

"Donovan, are you saying you know nothing of the attack at yesterday's formal?" She asked more straightforward and with a hollowed, distant tone to match the same look in her eyes.

There was a small flash of... Something in Donovan's eyes, but it went away just as fast as it came and then Donovan just shook his head no in response.

"Use your words." Dorian ordered, low and demanding. Nemia's knees wobbled just a hair at his low, grumbling orders.

"No, I had no idea any of it was going to happen." Donovan answered in a bitter haste, but his tone wavered slightly.

Nemia and Dorian both picked up on it and Dorian growled deeply and his presence in the room seemed to magnify. "Did you know he was in town recently?" Dorian asked, his body shifting a little more to his left.

"N-" He started, then stopped and stared at Dorian for a moment and then to Nemia. "Yes."

Nemia's eyes narrowed and her hand tightened once again on the chains, which was getting very hot now, under her grip and the surrounding area started to glow a bright red. As if the metal was being heated under a forge.

Donovan screeched as the bits of red metal that met his skin started to sizzle and burn, causing the smell of burnt, dead flesh to raise in the room. Nemia quickly let go, looking down at her hand to see it was unscathed but glowing brightly at her palm. She stared at it for a moment. What in the actual hell is this?

Dorian reached for her hand, grabbing it the letting it go almost immediately. "Yep, regret doing that." He gritted as he shook his hand, pulling it back away.

What is this?" Nemia asked him, hoping he knew but also has a gut feeling he wouldn't know anything. The look on his face, brows furrowed and a deep frown turning his lips downward, answered her question without him having to respond.

I wish I knew... But maybe... Solis?" Dorian answered, it was a reach. She knew that, but... It was the only reasonable explanation, but why now?

Later..." She shot back quickly and completely severed the mind link, disapproval of that action flowed through her from not only her wolf but also she could sense the same disapproval from Dorian. But right now, whatever that was, can wait.

She didn't reach for the chain again, though the glowing was already ebbing away, as she turned her attention back on Donovan completely. "How long was Malcolm in town before the formal?"

Donovan frowned. "He.." glancing over to Dorian, he gulped. "He was supposed to just be passing through."

This time, Dorian moved past Nemia and grabbed the chains with both hands, getting within inches of Donovan's face. "How long ago?" He seethed.

Donovan clenched his eyes shut and made the girliest sound Nemia has ever heard, she couldn't contain the bubble of laughter that exploded at the sound Donovan had made. Though luckily it went mostly unnoticed in the moment.

"Last night." Donovan finally answered and the chains rattled as Dorian visibly shook.

"Why do you know this?" Dorian asked, his voice seeming calm to be visibly shaking as he was. It was lethal.

"Because..." Donovan started sobbing. "Because.. he .. I... He done a job .. well .. for me .. I help him... In and.. out of the .. city.. just supposed.. to pass through.. swore.." It was hard keeping up with what Donovan was saying through each sob he let out, but the two of them managed for the most part.

He has helped Malcolm though, helped in through the city. Now, Nemia was shaking. He helped him. All she seen was red. She pushed Dorian to the side and grabbed onto the chains, yanking the chains, hard.

Clink.

The chain connected to the ceiling, snapped at the joint suddenly. Donovan brought down to be eye level with Nemia now, everything on his still bound his legs bent slightly back to make up for the small bit of height difference.

"How fucking long Donovan?" Her question reverberated off the walls, booming in sound.

Donovan flinched and looked at her with absolute terror but also.... Enamour? Her lips curled into a sneer.

"How long...?" She asked the question again, venom dripping from every syllable.

A slow disgusting grin swept across Donovan's face and all she wanted to do was rip it off. "Since the beginning." A sinful bubble of laughter erupted from Donovan then.

Nemia's blood ran cold. "Excuse me?"....

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