Chapter 39

Slowly my eyes lift to Nick's. His had gone to slits and I knew why, instinct had taken over as he asks in a hushed rasp, 'What is that?'

My eyes return to the empty pages. From the outside it looked normal with its burned and browned edges to match the old pages inside that still remained. But the center clear and clean, that of computer grade stock paper as I murmur, 'A clue.'

The original pages had been ripped from the book, having removed the answer to our inquiry, but leading to a more sinister answer.

Slowly Nick sits down and asks, 'Where does the last name end?'

'Yuia Won.'

'So that's means...'

'That someone had ripped out at least a third of the won and,' I stop and pull out the paper, seeing the jagged tear from the pages missing and continue where the names picked up, 'Vilnad Dracul.'

That's when something slips from the computer stock paper and drops on the table. We both see it and Nick murmurs in that deadly voice, his pheremones smelling of violence and hated, 'A bloody ace.'

Sure enough it was, the calling card of the Silent Phantasma. This wasn't just a clue, but a big fat answer. The one we were looking for was in these missing pages as I turn to Nick who had stood and he says, 'Stay here, I need to find out who was the last person to check this book out.'

With that he walked away and I write down the last and fist names between the missing pages, Yuia Won and Vilnad Dracul. This left a huge gap in the Pureblood information regarding this time, and I sigh with frustration. This might be a big answer, but we didn't know the answer because it had been lost that quickly. The leader of the Phantasma had taken a vital answer to our questions, his name. There was now no way of knowing who he was and I put my head in my hands. There were at least five to seven hundred names missing, and having been removed had been lost to time. My eyes focus on the bloody A playing card and question its placement. Why would the Silent Phantasma leave such a vital clue behind? Was it simply a taunt? How long ago had this book been last looked at? It had to have been soon for this paper, at least since the late 1980's. But still hundreds of Pureblood names, could Nick remember even a fraction of them in his memories as a young vampire.

During the Romane War there had been more Purebloods in history than any other time besides now. Even now there were less. Usually only fifty to a Royal Clan, or so Furlow had told me. His words came back to me as if from under water, 'The stronger the Royal Clan, the more Purebloods. The strongest is the Dracul at the moment...'

Slowly my eyes lift from between my hands and I see Nick returning with three Archivalists, the one following beside him must be the head of the group as his clothing said as much and still Furlow's words floated in my head, 'Nearly a hundred Purebloods live in the Dracul territories, nearly double that of any other Royal Clan...'

I murmured to my memories, 'Not anymore.'

Nick points to the book and growls almost demonically to the poor man that stood sweating with fear, 'This has happened to the book!'

The man sputters, 'B-But that's impossible, the book hasn't been removed from our shelves for nearly two centuries.'

'Are you calling me a liar?!' Nick snarls and the other vampires who had been sitting down the long table jumped and quickly removed themselves.

Nick's pheremones were getting stronger and the tap on his power loosened as he snarls, 'You better think hard on your answer because that is computer grade printing paper!'

The three phantom Archivalists seemed to wither before him as the headmaster of them pleads, 'Your highness, I promise you we have checked our records and the last person to look at it was a Night Hunter by the name of Helix two hundred and seven years ago.'

Nick growls so low it seems to vibrate the air around him before he finally turns to me. It makes me jump as he asks in a less menacing voice, 'Anything to say bitten clanless?'

I shake my head too afraid to even answer. Suddenly my phone rings and it makes me jump a mile. Fumbling for it, I see it's from Jerry and point saying quickly in a hoarse whisper due to Nick's extremely oppressive power, 'The imp, must take it.'

As quickly as I can, I slide from my seat and walk away as Nick turns back to the three nervous and horrified vampires. Their eyes pleading for me to stat and face the wrath of a Royal Pureblood with them.

I answer the phone, turning away from the scene, 'Jerry? What do you have?'

Author's Notes: My apologies for my long absence, family matters needing attendance. The story continues, and your support is very much appreciated.