He Joined Midnight Rockers, Then Their Vampire Lord Claimed Him novel · Chapter 12 of 24

Chapter 12: What the Night Is Called

Lucas told them where he was going, and then he went alone.

Noah stood in the hall and did not argue.

"You'll be gone an hour," he said. "If it's longer, we come."

"Agreed."

"Take Luke's coat."

"I'm fine."

"Take the coat, Lucas."

He took it.

The Gilt Room was dark and empty at six in the afternoon, with the chairs stacked on the tables and a single work light burning over the stage.

The stage door had been left unlatched.

Lucas walked past the bar, past the merch table he had folded shirts on for two years, and stopped at the foot of the stage.

Valentine sat on the edge of it with his legs hanging down, turning one of his silver rings.

"You came," he said. "Good. I wasn't sure."

"You said it was about the night."

"It is."

"Then say what it's called."

Valentine looked at him a long moment.

"The Keeping," he said. "That's the word Noah gave you. It's the right word. It's an old law, older than the court, older than Abysis. I'll tell you what it is, Lucas, and then you can decide whether to kill me."

"I'm not going to kill you."

"People have."

He slid down off the stage and stood on the floor, an arm's length away.

"An exile has no one," Valentine said. "No lord, no court, no name. And a vampire without a lord is a thing anyone can take. Abysis could bring the three of them back to his court tomorrow, put blood in front of them and break them one at a time, and no other lord could say a word."

"That's why they're hiding."

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