by G. K. DeRosa
“You don’t need a seer for that,” I snarled. “I’m not some superhero that’s going to dethrone you. I don’t care about the sixth realm of the Underworld or any of its inhabitants so just let me go.”
He chuckled, his chest vibrating my back. “And yet here you are in my chamber with a team of trained supernaturals wielding weapons and threatening my safety.”
“It was a mistake. We didn’t come for you, we only wanted to rescue Vander.”
Talon’s gaze shot to mine, and a wave of fury assaulted me through the bond. He had no idea his brother was already safe on the other side of the realm, but his distrust still hurt.
“Ah, the SIA agent.” Thax smirked. “Another reason I’m quite sure that Remy’s vision was correct. That Vander was quite helpful once my guards broke him. Who knew he would be such a treasure trove of knowledge?”
“What are you talking about?” Talon hissed. “What could he possibly have helped you with?”
“Confirming my beliefs about Azara. You see, I’m not the only one who’s been watching her.”
Goose bumps prickled my skin as his breath skated across my ear. “Let’s just bring in this Remy guy already. I’m tired of these cryptic speeches. I know I’m not who you think I am.”
Thax’s arm tightened, and I rasped in a breath. “No? You’re not the daughter of the woman who killed my mother?”
The entire room went silent as the dark lord’s glare bored into the side of my face. “What do you want me to do, apologize? It’s not like your precious mommy was a saint. She tried to kill both my parents.”
“Because your father, her own half-brother, betrayed her!”
Talon’s eyes lifted to mine, a questioning expression buried in the furrow of his brow.
Great, now was not the time to be spilling family secrets, Thax!
“Look cuz, I’m sorry you inherited all this family drama, but I don’t want any part in it. Just get your seer so I can prove that it’s the truth.”
“No!” Logan shouted. “If Remy confirms it’s you, Thax will never let you leave here alive, Azara.”
“But what if it’s not? This could all be over.” I knew I was being stupid. All the signs pointed to this prophecy definitely being about me. But what if they knew about my warlockness too? I had to find out, not only for my safety, but for my mom’s. I couldn’t explain that to the guys.
“Very well, let’s summon the seer then.” Thax ticked his head at the nearest she-devil. She was tall with lean muscles and a banging body. No wonder my cousin slept with these girls in his chamber instead of the narkin guards.
“You know the rules,” said Hayden. “Alert any of the guards, and I’ll let your sister die.” He motioned at the fourth female, the one that was splayed out across the floor unconscious.
“I get it,” the warrior snarled as she staggered to the door. These women might’ve been tough, but the Triad had given them a run for their money. From the looks of it, the fight had been pretty evenly matched. Which was not a good thing for us.
She poked her head outside the door, and a glimmer of gold caught my eye as she crossed the threshold. A cloaking spell! No wonder the guards hadn’t heard anything. I glanced over at Logan, impressed. I knew he’d studied spellcraft back when he trained my mom at Darkblood Academy, but I didn’t know how powerful he still was.
A moment later, she whirled back to face Thax. “The guard will return with him shortly.”
“Wonderful,” I deadpanned. “You think you can put that knife away now, cuz?”
“And risk you escaping? I don’t think so.”
“I’m not going anywhere. I just told you I want to know as much as you do.”
He arched a dark brow, and it weirdly reminded me of my dad. Thax’s mom, Luxora, was my dad’s half-sister and my grandpa Luci’s daughter. The family resemblance was uncanny which made it all the more bizarre. “And why should I trust you?”
“Because we’re family.”
Another wicked chuckle pierced the thick silence. “Do you have any idea how much ‘family’ we have, Azara? Our grandfather, Lucifer, has spread his seed across the seven houses of Azar along with the seven continents of the human world. If I trusted everyone who shared my blood, I’d be a fool.”
I shrugged. “Whatever.”
A loud knock disrupted our banter, and Logan darted for the door with a lady warrior at his heels.
“It’s okay, Franzia,” Thax called out. “Let the gargoyle get it.” The female stopped mid-stride as if his words had physically blocked her body from moving further. So twisted.
Logan unfastened the door a crack and peered through the opening. The guards must have kept their distance because he opened it all the way, revealing a slender old man in a deep crimson robe. His watery eyes widened as he took in the scene.
“Please, come in, Remy and join the festivities.” He snuggled his head against mine and if it hadn’t been for the blade pressed to my throat I would’ve jerked back in disgust. “I am so pleased to introduce you to my cousin, Azara.”
The old seer wobbled forward, clutching a wooden cane in one hand and a skull-sized rock in the other. Geez, how old was this guy? A thousand? Wiry wisps of white hair danced atop his mostly balding head as he approached. My gaze finally settled on his eyes, and I bit back a gasp. Milky white orbs stared back at me, their eerie hue raising the hair on the back of my neck.
“Azara, I don’t think this is a good idea,” Logan called out as Remy grew closer.
“It’ll be okay, Logan. I know it will.”
Talon growled, and a tidal wave of his anxiety and fury slammed into my gut. I lifted my eyes to meet his, and the storm brewing deep within his silver irises was like a second sucker punch.
“Come here, child.” Remy lifted knobby, wrinkled fingers and beckoned me closer. Slowly, Thax removed the knife from my throat and pushed me forward. I drew in a deep breath as my eyes focused on the hunk of glowing rock. The oracle of the Underworld.
The cloying, thick scent of magic filled the air. It was dark and potent and so much stronger than what I normally encountered. It was the stone, power surrounded it like a shroud.
“All you have to do is place your hands on the oracle and open your mind to me.” Remy’s wrinkled hands closed over mine and guided them toward the glowing stone. Energy crackled across my skin as the pads of my fingers met the rough surface. It was hard to keep my hands still with the constant thrum. I clenched my fingers and forced them in place. Then the seer’s hands moved toward my head.
“Don’t, Azara!” Talon cried out.
And the room exploded into chaos.
Chapter Twenty
The clang of weapons rang out in the still chamber, and I dropped the mystical rock. Remy took off, shooting across the room much faster than possible for an old man with a cane. He swung the entrance door open and sounded the alarm. From my peripheral vision, I saw Thax’s eyes nearly bulge out of his head at the pandemonium.
“Don’t let any of them leave!” he commanded. “Guards! Guards!”
The three warrior females attacked Hayden and Logan, but from the looks of it, the guys were prepared. Hayden’s angel sword flickered to life in his palm, and Logan was in full out gargoyle mode. I glanced at the spot where Dallas had been, but his body was gone. I scanned the room, and a dark blur sped across the chamber into the middle of the melee. It was about time the vampire showed up.
Where was Talon?
My head whipped back and forth searching the vast room as fear wracked my insides. A shimmery silver mist in the far corner caught my eye. Talon? I blinked, and his enormous dragon filled over half the chamber. Holy dragon bodyguard! Within the confines of the closed space, his dragon appeared even bigger than I remembered. Not to mention scary AF.
Dragon-Talon let out a spine-tingling growl as he swatted his barbed tail at a troupe of narkin guards. The demons fled, like ants scurrying from a spewing volcano. Flames danced along his tongue as he blew hi
s fiery breath at another squad of demon foot soldiers. Shrieks rang out and the stench of burnt carcasses filled the air. He opened his mouth, showcasing rows of razor-sharp teeth as he barreled through the remaining guards and darted for me. I tried not to squirm, despite the immense reptile hurtling toward me.
Talon, you in there?
Nothing. Damned one-way connection.
“Talon!” I shrieked as the dragon barreled at me.
I’m coming for you, Azara. His familiar voice echoed in my mind, and my shoulders sagged in relief.
My eyes fixed on the dragon, those silver orbs staring back at me identical to those of the man I’d fallen for. They widened, great silver pools in the night sky, and terror streaked across the light.
A blinding pain bit into my back, and a scream tore from my clenched teeth. Again, another sharp spasm across my spine, and one more, before my legs gave way.
I smacked the hard floor, knocking the wind right out of me, but it was nothing compared to the pain lancing across my back. I gritted my teeth and forced air into my lungs.
An unearthly screech ripped through the air and I recognized it so clearly I held onto it with my last breath. Talon. He was coming for me. Everything would be okay. I clung onto the errant thoughts as darkness crept into my vision.
Face down on the floor, I could only make out a smattering of boots and other nonspecific shoes dancing around me. Something warm and sticky surrounded me, and there was lots of it. Too much. It took all my energy to bring my wet fingers up to my face to confirm the undeniable. Blood—my blood.
The sounds of battle began to melt away, and an icy chill crept over me, numbing the pain. I breathed a sigh of relief and closed my eyes. At least I’d saved Vander. I grasped onto the thought and imagined the look of happiness on Talon’s face when he returned to Draeko to find his brother. Yup, it was all worth it.
“Azara! Azara, you hold on!” Talon’s voice flitted around me, but it felt far away. Like he was under water or maybe I was. “Open your eyes!”
I tried to. I wanted to see him one last time. But who was I kidding? His face and those eyes would be eternally imprinted in my mind. I love you. I tried to mouth the words, but my lips were frozen, immobile like the rest of my body.
“Hayden! Hayden, get over here now!” Talon’s panicked voice wrenched my insides. I wanted to tell him I was okay, but I couldn’t get my body to comply. “Please, Azara, don’t leave me. Please. I can’t lose you, not now.”
My heart broke in a million pieces as his pain trampled over me. I wanted to hang on for him, to take away his hurt, but I was so tired. His words became more muffled and more distant, and despite my best efforts the darkness consumed me.
Chapter Twenty-One
Warmth filled my body, invading every nook and cranny until the murky void receded. I clawed my way back, that ever-present silky voice in my mind leading me home. My lids fluttered, and a groan escaped my clenched lips. Oh gods, why did everything hurt? I pried my eyes open, even though I was certain I had a pygmy giant sitting on my chest.
Sterile white walls coalesced around me, and I squinted at the bright halogen lights overhead. The infirmary. I was alive! I slowly pivoted my head to the side and winced. Son of a biscuit! Glancing from the corner of my eye instead, a familiar shape took form slumped on the chair beside my bed. Talon.
His chest rose and fell in a slow, steady beat. My heart fluttered as I quickly scanned his body for injuries. He was okay. What about the others? I searched our bond for any tell-tale signs, but all was quiet. In fact, I couldn’t feel him at all. Was it because he was sleeping? Or maybe I was too burnt out.
I leaned back on my pillow and drew in another breath. I wanted to wake Talon more than anything to find out what happened after I passed out. From the looks of his dragon before everything went dark, he probably went all out Godzilla on the place. Had Thax survived? About a million questions competed for dominance in my mind, but I shoved them back to deal with later. I’d have to wait until Talon woke up, then we’d have all the time in the world.
The rustle of a curtain caught my attention, and I slowly pivoted my head to the right.
“You should let him sleep. He’s been up all night.” A gruff voice seeped through the sheer white fabric separating us.
I pushed myself up and immediately regretted it. A sharp pang sliced through my back, and I slumped back down. “Who’s there?” I whisper-hissed.
A hand reached around the curtain and tugged it back. A big guy in dingy white scrubs looked at me, his eyes oddly familiar. Close cut blonde hair hugged his face and highlighted his broad jawline. He was clean shaven, but his skin was marred with dark blotches, cuts and bruises. “It’s me, Vander.”
My breath caught in my throat. “Oh, my gods, of course it is!”
The hint of a smile lifted his chapped lips before it melted away.
“I’m so glad you’re okay,” I finally muttered.
“Yeah, me too.” He sat back on his bed but kept the curtain open. “Anyway, you should probably let Talon sleep. I heard you guys had a rough night, and he hasn’t slept more than an hour. He was waiting for you to wake up.”
“Oh. Okay, yeah, I’ll definitely let him rest.” My gaze automatically pivoted to Talon. His jaw was locked tight, a deep furrow marring his brow even in sleep. Now that Vander was safe, everything would be better. I tried to suppress a yawn, but it snuck out despite my best efforts. “Well, it’s nice to finally meet you,” I said awkwardly. Maybe I hadn’t tried to suck out his soul that night? Maybe he didn’t hate me?
“Right,” he muttered and closed his eyes.
Or maybe that was only wishful thinking.
Chapter Twenty-Two
“Hey, sleepyhead,” a soft voice murmured. The warm, inviting sound pulled me from a deep slumber. My lids fluttered open and focused on a familiar pair of silver irises. “It’s about time you woke up.”
I glanced around the white room. Still in the infirmary. The curtain beside my bed was pulled back, and my roommate was gone. My head whipped back and forth searching the space. “Where’s Vander?” Had I imagined the whole thing?
“Relax, he’s fine.” Talon squeezed my hand, and as his skin touched mine, his mouth twisted into a frown. It disappeared as quickly as it had come, and I convinced myself I’d imagined it. He cleared his throat and continued, “He went for a little walk to stretch his legs.”
“Oh, okay. So he’s feeling better?”
He nodded. “Much. He hasn’t told me anything about what he endured while he was in Thax’s castle, but I assume it’ll come with time.”
My hazy brain finally kicked into gear. “Oh my gods, Thax, that’s right. What happened last night?”
“Three nights ago, actually. You’ve been in and out of consciousness for days, Azara.” His other hand ran up my arm, until it reached my cheek. “For a terrible moment, I thought you’d never wake up. You lost so much blood I wasn’t sure Hayden could save you.”
Flashes of the fighting, the sharp stab of pain in my back, and Talon’s dragon all flitted across my mind. I winced at the dark memories.
“You should’ve listened to me, Azara. You never should’ve come after us.” His hand tightened around mine.
“I’m sorry, but I couldn’t leave you there. At least I got Vander out, right?”
“Yeah. I couldn’t believe it when I found him in the infirmary. I nearly lost my shit looking for him in the tunnels. But like I told you before, when it came down to it, I chose you.”
I gulped, emotion clogging my throat. “You thought you left him back there?”
His lips pressed into a tight line.
“Crap, I’m so sorry. I never thought I wouldn’t be able to tell you I’d sent him back. I can’t believe I let someone get the drop on me. Who stabbed me by the way, and what happened to Thax?”
“One of the narkin demons went crazy with blood lust and attacked you. Thax cut him down on the spot. He looked almost as furiou
s as I felt, which is a good thing. At least we know he doesn’t want you dead—not yet anyway. I lost him after that though. He and Remy disappeared in the commotion.”
“I guess we’ll never know if the prophecy really was about me.”
“This is far from over, Azara.” He raked his hand through his hair, and the musky fragrance of his shampoo wafted toward me.
I breathed it in, wanting nothing more than to escape in Talon’s familiar scent. Hmm, weird. I inhaled again and waited for his intoxicating presence to assault my insides. Nothing. His smell was nice, but it didn’t send my hormones into overdrive.
“What’s wrong?”
I wrapped my fingers tighter around his and focused on the familiar pull between us. My skin stroked his but no sparks, nothing. Searching my core, I hunted for the well of emotions that belonged to the dragon. Nothing.
Hot tears pricked my eyes, and I blinked back the unexpected emotion.
“Azara?” Talon leaned closer, wrapping both his hands around mine. “What’s the matter?”
“It’s gone,” I muttered pitifully. “Our bond…I don’t feel you anymore.”
His head dipped, and his gorgeous eyes darkened. “You lost so much blood, Azara—almost too much. You were so close to dying it took Hayden multiple sessions of healing to bring you back. I’m so sorry I let this happen to you.”
“Your blood literally drained out of me?” I hated the tremble in my voice. When had I become one of those girls that was so reliant on a male?
He nodded. “It was a shock to me too. I’d never heard of that happening, but I suppose it makes sense.” The crease between his brows deepened, and I wished I knew what he was feeling. Instead, only a gaping hole remained.
A swell of panic raced through my insides. What if Talon didn’t want me now that the bond was gone? What if I didn’t want him?