Chapter 145-Queen of secrets

Chapter 145: 145-Queen of secrets

"I’ll worry about Zolani in a minute. First, I need to know how Taratoya knows everything she knows," Maisa whispered.

She cast one last lingering glance at Zolani before turning and hurrying after Taratoya.

The blackblood had already entered the kitchen. "Kat, where are the supplies I asked you to fetch?" Taratoya demanded lazily. "Why is it taking you so long?"

She could hear footsteps approaching from behind, but she didn’t bother turning around.

She had already given the mansion’s endless nightmares more than enough attention for one night. What she wanted now was peace and quiet. Chaos was only enjoyable when she was the one creating it.

"Do I look like your servant?"

Katrina’s irritated voice came from the other side of the kitchen. She was standing in front of the refrigerator, sorting through supplies.

"If I’m moving too slowly for you, do it yourself."

With a huff, she threw the picnic bag onto the floor and turned away, folding her arms across her chest as she pouted.

Taratoya sighed. She was just about to walk over and comfort her when another set of footsteps echoed through the kitchen.

She stopped. The sound was familiar and so was the scent. Taratoya’s crimson lips curled upward.

"Well, well..." she turned toward the opposite entrance. "Look at what the cat dragged in," her tone carried lazy amusement.

Maisa froze outside the kitchen. For a moment, she wondered if Taratoya had sensed her. How is she always this good?

She remained hidden beside the doorway, barely breathing. ’I’ll just ask her about the identity of the benefactor.’

Maisa took one cautious step forward and then she stopped. Someone else had entered the kitchen, a young woman walked through the opposite doorway. ’Who is that?’

Maisa immediately pressed herself against the wall and stayed out of sight. If Taratoya knew this vampire, perhaps she could learn something by listening.

The newcomer was dressed in a simple white dress that fell neatly to her knees. Her long black hair flowed freely down her back, decorated with several delicate white lilies that stood out against the darkness of her hair.

Her black eyes were clear and unnervingly calm. Her features were so flawless that they almost looked sculpted from fine jade.

Maisa stared openly. "Are all female vampires this beautiful?"

It was beginning to feel unfair. Her mates, Taratoya and even Katrina’s hound-like appearance had its own strange charm. And now this new vampire looked as though she had stepped out of some ancient painting.

The woman walked toward the counter, picked up a blood apple, and bit into it.

Crunch.

The crisp flesh broke beneath her teeth, releasing dark crimson juice that glistened like fresh blood before disappearing between her lips.

Taratoya watched her with an amused smile. "When you dropped out of school last year, I thought that would be the last time I’d ever see you, Zazen."

The woman barely blinked. "My brother and I were traveling together," she took another bite of the apple. "His friend, Luan, was in distress and called him over. I simply accompanied him," she spoke the excuse she’d practised.

Taratoya’s smile remained. She bent down and picked up the picnic bag Katrina had abandoned.

"There are two kinds of people I guard against, Zazen."

Zazen raised an eyebrow. "Who are they, Teetee?"

"First, those who explain themselves before questions are asked," Taratoya lifted one finger. "And second, those who don’t explain themselves at all."

She looked directly at Zazen. "Both usually have something up their sleeve."

Zazen’s lips curved into an almost perfect imitation of Taratoya’s expression. "Should I take that to mean the famous hybrid, Taratoya, is afraid of me?"

Her tone was teasing but there was something sharper underneath it. "Am I worthy of such an honor, Teetee?"

Taratoya’s smile disappeared. The moment Zazen mimicked her expression, something dark flickered in her eyes. Disgust.

She took a slow step toward Katrina. The mixedblood had stopped sorting the supplies and was now quietly watching the exchange.

Taratoya handed the picnic bag back to her.

Katrina accepted it without protest and immediately returned to organizing the supplies, as though the tension in the kitchen didn’t exist.

"Only my friends call me Teetee, Zazen," Taratoya’s fiery gaze hardened as she looked at Zazen over her shoulder. "And we..." she paused as the atmosphere changed. "...have never been friends."

BOOM!

Every fireplace in the kitchen suddenly erupted but the flames weren’t ordinary flames. They twisted upward in brilliant, jagged streams of lightning.

Crackling energy raced through the fire, turning the flames into something that looked more like living bolts of lightning than ordinary fire. The temperature in the kitchen surged.

Maisa’s eyes widened. She gripped the wall beside her so tightly that her fingers trembled. The pressure alone made her chest feel heavy.

"Is this really the same vampire I saved before?" She stared at Taratoya in disbelief. "Did she ever actually need saving?"

The answer was becoming increasingly obvious. This wasn’t even Taratoya going all out and yet the sheer pressure radiating from her was enough to make Maisa’s instincts scream.

She swallowed hard. ’I really shouldn’t offend Taratoya casually.’

Inside the kitchen, Katrina remained completely unfazed. She continued arranging the supplies as though nothing unusual was happening.

Clearly, this wasn’t the first time she had witnessed Taratoya’s terrifying lightning flames.

Zazen’s expression finally changed. She lowered her gaze. "Apologies, Miss Taratoya."

Despite being a blackblood herself and despite possessing resources provided by her master, Zazen clearly understood the difference between having power and having enough power to challenge Taratoya.

Taratoya’s expression immediately brightened. "Now that’s a much better attitude."

She reached out her hand and Katrina took it without hesitation. The two began walking toward the exit, hand in hand.

But before leaving, Taratoya glanced back. "And one more thing."

Zazen looked up.

"I’d take a long bath with deftir if I were you," she said.

Zazen blinked. "Why?"

Taratoya’s smile returned. "Because you wouldn’t want anyone else to smell the whiteblood scent on you."

Zazen froze. At the same time, the lightning flames throughout the kitchen vanished.

The oppressive pressure disappeared as quickly as it had come. Taratoya continued casually, as though she hadn’t just dropped a bombshell.

"As far as the world knows, there are only three family vampires left in existence."

Zazen’s fingers slowly tightened around the apple in her hand.

"And among those families, only two belong to our age set: the princess and the Blood Lord," Taratoya’s eyes narrowed. "Neither of them would have held you long enough to leave that scent on you."

The color drained from Zazen’s face. She hadn’t expected Taratoya to notice something so small that had been so careful to conceal.

Taratoya gave her a knowing smile. "Which means..." she deliberately paused. "There is an undocumented whiteblood somewhere..."

Zazen’s heart seemed to stop.

Taratoya shrugged. "But forget it," she waved her hand dismissively. "Unless, of course, you want to be exposed before you have the chance to put your master’s plans into action."

Her smile sharpened. "I recommend masking his scent."

"Taratoya..."

For the first time, nervousness crept into Zazen’s voice. She didn’t know what Taratoya knew and more importantly, she didn’t know what Taratoya didn’t know and that uncertainty was terrifying.

Taratoya looked at her for another long moment before suddenly smiling. "Aren’t you here to keep an eye on and protect Maisa?"

Zazen stiffened.

"Your master certainly acts fast," Taratoya’s gaze shifted toward the doorway. "Protect her well," her smile became strangely thoughtful. "I have a feeling trouble is heading her way."

She gave Katrina’s hand a gentle tug. "Come on, Kat. Let’s head out."

The next instant, the two disappeared through the doorway.

Whoosh!

They shot away from the hacienda at a speed that made the air itself tremble. They were gone before either Zazen or Maisa could properly react.

Silence settled over the kitchen. Zazen remained completely motionless. The blood apple slipped slightly in her fingers and fell.

She stared at the empty doorway. Taratoya had proven she hadn’t changed since school days, the hybrid was still the queen of secrets; both knowing them and keeping them.

Her mind was racing. How much does Taratoya know?

Outside the kitchen, Maisa stood frozen against the wall. She was equally stunned. The mysterious benefactor? An undocumented whiteblood? Zazen’s master?

"Could they be the same person?"

Somehow, Taratoya somehow knew about all of it. Maisa slowly peeked into the kitchen.

Zazen was still standing there, staring into nothingness. For once, the vampire who had entered so calmly looked genuinely shaken.

Maisa swallowed. She had come chasing Taratoya because she wanted answers. Instead, she had stumbled upon an even bigger mystery and judging from Zazen’s expression, Taratoya wasn’t the only one hiding secrets.