Darkling Read Online Free Page B

people here had a tendency to laugh. And she wasn’t at all pale.
    “Of course not, but no one has seemed as perplexed as you do. How old are you anyway?”
    “Eighteen.”
    “Oh, you are the youngest of us,” she stopped to look at me better. “My name is Julia, I’m also an Inquirer and I was told that we are suitemates.”
    “Nika.” This time my voice sounded slightly more confident.
    “Nice to meet you, Nika. I believe that after the initial shock you will actually enjoy it here,” she said with an accent I couldn’t identify. She took my hand and led the way.
    “Where are you from?” she asked.
    “San Diego. You?”
    “Minsk.”
    Of course I didn’t know where the hell that was, but I was embarrassed to ask. One thing was certain: the woman saved me from fainting in a place full of vampires. Plus, she seemed honest enough. And assuming my geographical ignorance, she explained.
    “Minsk is the capital of Belarus. Eastern Europe.”
    I forced a tiny smile.
    “I know it’s a lot to digest for now but it’s all fun, really. You’ll see as soon as you relax a bit.”
    I thought of the dark green gaze that had been thrown like a rock into my face. Yeah right, I’m gonna really like it here . . . but I didn’t want to burst her enthusiasm with my gloom. She stopped next to some people I had seen at the table.
    “These are your colleagues. This is Lyndon; she’s a year older than you and she’s from London.” Julia grinned again.
    Lyndon shook my hand and I told her my name.
    “This is Max. He’s from Austria. And this is our one and only Blake Mason. He’s your countryman from Boston.”
    Max, a chubby guy in his late thirties with a receding hairline, was grinning along with Julia. Blake was only a couple of years older than I was and seemed curious. Lyndon clearly hadn’t developed an opinion of me; nevertheless, a certain arrogance definitely came across.
    “So, from where do you come from?” Max joyfully asked, holding a plate of cake.
    I wasn’t exactly sure what he meant.
    “Born and bred in California, busted in Iowa.”
    “You sound as if they put you in a cage and tortured you for days.” That was Lyndon.
    “What were you doing in Iowa for God’s sake?” The corner of Blake’s mouth was tilted up.
     “I’m starting to wonder that myself, actually…”
    They all laughed at my response, all but Lyndon. I was not sure what was so funny, as I wasn’t joking. Judging by their expressions, they seemed to already have accepted me.
    “You are the youngest and I know how this must be shocking for you. But trust me, you’ll settle in just fine here,” Max offered.
    “Settle in fine? She’ll be legend!” Julia grinned at me again. “First Inquirer of the Original!” She gave me a friendly hit with her shoulder, and I fabricated another smile.
    I observed them, listening to their stories, not knowing how to contribute to the casual conversation. I was with my maybe-future fellow co-workers. But as I watched them, one question kept bugging me.
    “Why us?”
    They stopped talking and looked at me. Even though I had cut in, I couldn’t help myself.
    “Why us of all people?”
    Blake’s dark eyes spread in surprise.
    “It seems that you’ve found yourself a partner in crime, Blake.” Max beamed. “You know, he’s trying to figure that one out too.”
    “Emphasis on trying . I don’t have much material to begin with. And the vamps are not being very helpful either.” He watched me, intrigued.
    “So, no one knows.” I concluded. Blake nodded affirmatively.
    “Oh, there are more colleagues!” Julia pointed out a tall guy with light brown hair talking to a porcelain-esque girl. He looked to be in his late twenties. “That’s Tibor… He and Blake are suitemates, like you and I. But Max, Lyndon and Gustavo have their own suites. Gustavo’s been here for the longest time.”
    “Since when?”
    “For a couple of decades, as far as I know,” Max added.
    “The whole