Tristan didn’t have to look her way to know she sat there in petrified shock. She hadn’t made a sound, though her mind gasped and cried out loudly, ‘Nooo’.
“At first, I thought the Noble had maimed the boy while I was unconscious. It was the only explanation. Right? But then, I tasted blood. It covered my hands and arms. Flesh was beneath my nails—nails that had grown into claws. Not only that. I now had fangs, and I had gained all of this body mass and muscles. I don’t know when he did it, I don’t know how he did it, but somehow he had turned me into this—this thing without my knowledge.” He curled his hands into fists. His nails bit into his palm. A chill rushed over him, despite the fact he stood by a fire. “I screamed and cried until my throat burned, until I no longer had a voice. He left the boy’s mangled corpse in there for days to remind me of what I was. Sometime later, he shoved two more kids in there with me. A girl and a boy. Twins. I didn’t bother to ask their names or age. There was no point. That terrible churning returned. After them, there were three more children. And more after that, and more…” The cold tears he’d been holding back burst through. His world once again turned the shade of crimson. “He wanted to break me, and he succeeded. I tried, Lexi. I tried not to give in, but the devil inside of me—”
Alexis stood before him, wrapped in a duvet. She pressed a single finger over his lips.
Damn. He didn’t even see her move from the bed, or feel her approach.
With tears streaming from her eyes, she slid her palms over his cheeks and cradled his face. “That’s enough.”
A warm breeze enveloped him. A heartbeat later, he found himself back in the bed, on top of her. Her hot thighs hugged his waist as his head rested comfortably on her breasts. Yet another move he didn’t see nor feel.
It was like she’d warped or altered time and drifted him across the room without his knowledge.
Her sister was blessed with the same gift. Alexis probably didn’t even realize what she’d done.
Tucking his arms beneath her, he clung to her and quietly shed his blood tears. She, too, sobbed quietly.
Jesus, I needed this, I needed this so badly. He lifted his head from her bosom. “Lexi—”
“Shh.” She smashed his head back onto her breasts. “Gimme a sec.”
She needed time to process everything she’d seen. Understandable. She did just consume years of pain and anguish in a matter of minutes. It was a lot for anyone to take in, probably too much for the average human. Thank God, Alexis Moonlight wasn’t the average human.
She gently raked her fingers through his hair, massaging his scalp. “Why haven’t the Legion killed him?”
“They can’t. Not without killing me. The connection I have with him is weakened, but it’s still there.”
“So, if he called to you, right now, you would have to go to him?”
“That’s not gonna happen.”
“That’s not answering my question.”
“Lexi, the chances of that happening while he’s in the Legion’s custody are slim to none.”
“How do you know that?” Sliding her body from beneath him, she sat upright. “How do you know the Legion, or better yet, the Führer—how do you know he isn’t in league with that Noble? They could be just using you.”
He drew up and sat back on his heels. “To be perfectly honest, I wouldn’t care much if they were. You gotta understand, I thought you were dead! I thought I would never see you again. And when they told me you were well and alive, I…” He choked on his words as his emotions swelled. He heaved out a sigh to compose himself. “Sure, the Führer may have ulterior motives for sending me on this mission, but that is of no concern to me now that I’m with you.”
She quirked a brow. “No concern to you? You sound crazy. Ya’ know that, right?”
He chuckled, then his smile fell away. “The Cross Knight Federation is corrupt, Lexi.”
“No doubt, but is the Legion any better?”
“The Legion isn’t being run by a gang of power-hungry humans who are under the influence of renegade Nobles.”
“Wait…” She cocked her head, her face bunched in confusion. “What?”
“So much you don’t know, sweetheart. That aside, if the Legion were in league with my Noble, as you suggest, the Führer wouldn’t have sent me out here to collect the only being with the power to completely sever my connection with him, and most importantly, kill him.”
Alexis glared at him wide-eyed.
“That’s right. I’m not the only Noble killer in this room.”
“Me?” She sucked her teeth and rolled her eyes. “Boy, please. Don’t gas me up just ’cause I suddenly glow and burst holes in walls with lightning—or whateva this is.” She glanced down at her hands. Her illumination had diminished, but it left a shimmering layer over her skin. “I need a lot more power to be able to kill a Noble. I mean, you basically whooped my ass earlier, and what are you? A master—one class shy of a Noble?” She licked her thumb and swept it over his cheek, cleaning the dried blood tears from his face. “Naw. If I try to go up against a Noble now…” She stuck her thumb in her mouth, once again, tasting his blood.
The sight made his cock jump. “You’ll get stronger, even stronger than me. Believe it or not, it’s happening at this very moment. Your magic works much like that of a vampire. It absorbs and consumes, adding to your lifeforce. I’ve acquired the strength I possess by feeding on the Nobles I eliminate. You can do the same thing with a simple touch. You did it to him all those years ago. Why do you think you were able to scar him so badly? Why do you think he ran from you?”
She palmed her neck and glanced away. “I don’t remember any of that…this is all so much.”
“I know. That’s part of the reason why I didn’t wanna tell you everything just yet, or more so show you. A little kitty told me you could handle more than I thought.” He’d never admit it to Nefertiti aloud, but she was right about Lexi’s strength. The fact she could witness the darkest parts of his memory and not get sucked into the black hole of madness was clear proof. “Do you wanna know more? Or should we call it a night, for now? I don’t want to overwhelm you more than I already have.”
Lips pulled tight, she cocked a glare at him. “No. You don’t get to shortchange me. If I’m gonna hop on this traitorous train of crazy with you, I wanna know exactly what I’m getting into. Besides, you promised me everything.”
A smile tugged at his lips as a bout of excitement rushed through him. “You really do love me, don’t you, Alexis Moonlight?”
She sucked her teeth. “Hurry up before I change my mind.”
He settled down and spread his legs, then pulled her in between them. Legs folded against her chest, she turned in a catty-cornered position and rested her head on his heart. He wrapped his arms around her and squeezed her tight. Her body warmth sunk into his cold flesh, feeding his core.
“Will this hurt? ‘Cause I ain’t gonna lie, you hit me with some serious vertigo during that last mental session.”
“It only hurt because I was trying to push you out. I’m sorry.” Pressing his lips to her temple, he slid it hand over the side of her head. “I won’t hold back this time. As promised, I’m gonna show you everything.”
Chapter Thirteen
The Tyrannical Leader
3 Years Ago
After Tristan’s Rescue
Tristan quietly walked down the wide, glamorous corridor, escorted by a squad of female soldiers.
Moments ago, these same females bathed him from head to toe in an Olympic-sized bathtub. He didn’t fuss or object during the process.
He glanced over at the chick with the bright, green mohawk and long, silver horns that curved over the shape of her head. Not sure what she was, but she had extremely talented hands. During the bath, she was on penis duty. Once she’d lathered him up good, she began tugging, stroking and caressing. She locked eyes with him as she did so. While trying to get him off, she reached an orgasm herself.
Her breathy moan brought a smirk to his face. “Enjoying yourself?”
“I am,” she cooed. “I’d really enjoy myself if I could get a reaction outta you.”
“For that to happen…” He brushed his fingertips over her jugular, making her tremble. “You’d have to bleed.”
Sensual excitement sparked in her unusual dark eyes. “Oh, now there’s a bold request. I’m not the type to bleed for anyone, but for you… Care to finish this conversation with me after you meet with the Führer?”
He gave her a small smile. “I’m just teasing you. I have no desire for those kinds of pleasures. I’d just like to die in peace.”
“And you say that with a smile.”
“If you knew what I’ve been through, you’d understand. If God’s willing, I’ll be dead before sunrise.”
She chuckled at his expense. “Highly unlikely. On this side of the world, Führer Maruyama is God. And God would never let a powerful master vamp die on his watch. Not when he could add you to the Legion. You might as well get comfortable, baby.” She leaned in and kissed him on his temple. “This is your new home.”
He’d been thinking about her reply since bath time. It didn’t matter what the Führer offered him, his mind was made up. He’d be damned if he continued to walk this earth as a God-forsaken demon. Death was the only way to end his suffering.
Death is my salvation.
Once again, he glanced at his surrounding escorts. They were a combination of vampires, shifters, humans, and something else entirely. It was odd. With the horned ones being the exception—which was a species he’d never seen before—he thought the different breeds in the supernatural world didn’t get along. Being that they were knee-deep in a Blood War, the union seemed even more unlikely.
Yet, here I am surrounded by an unlikely bunch.
They approached a set of double doors. The warrior with the two-toned hair and different colored eyes came out, and greeted him. “Ayyy, look who cleans up nicely. The Legion threads look good on you, brotha.” He offered his hand with a smile. “Didn’t get a chance to give you my name earlier. Jonavas, at your service.”
Tristan slapped his hand into his and held it in a firm grip. “Jonavas, I will be forever grateful to you.”
Redness flushed his cheeks. “Naw, man—just doing my job.” He pushed the doors open and gestured for him to enter. “C’mon in. Got some hot tea and snacks for ya.”
The room was massive, much like the palace around it.
Shelves of books climbed up the side walls. A wall-length, bay-style window stretched across the back of the room. Beyond it, a vast garden reached over the land, its end nowhere in sight. Rows and rows of rainbow foliage occupied the landscape.
A moon-shaped desk and a leather chair were set in front of the window.
On the right side of the room, there was a lounge area—two couches, a chaise lounge, and an illuminated cocktail table.
Dressed in skimpy lingerie, four females of different species occupied the furniture. Pure lust beamed from the four sets of eyes that were fixed on him.
Tristan looked over at Jonavas. “What is this?”
“Ooh, right. You’re accustomed to being a pet, so this is probably all new to you. They’re uhh…Snacks.” He pointed to the carafe and mugs sitting on the table. “Tea…” He swept his hand toward the women. “And snacks. Just for you, my man.”
Tristan’s incisors lengthened as his gaze roamed over the feminine creatures.
They preened under his appraisal.
He swallowed hard before speaking again. “Are they slaves?”
Hand over his chest, Jonavas gasped. The women did the same.
“Cool it with “S” word, will ya.” Jonavas’ voice lowered to a hush. “The Führer doesn’t like it. Here, in the land of the White Dragon Legion, they’re no such thing as slaves. But if you must call them something, let’s go with volunteers?” He moved over to where the quartet sat and held his hand out.
One by one, the women rose and snuggled up against him.
“This is Claina, Verette, Bey and Diane. They are here to please you in any way you see fit.”
Tristan’s fangs tingled, and his body hardened. Biting back a groan, he shook his head. He vividly remembered the many times Camrath offered him up to hungry Nobles as a fucking snack. “No, thank you.”
Frowns claimed the female’s faces. Disappointed “awws” followed.
Jonavas looked at him and then swung his eyes at the foursome huddled up under his arms. “You sure?” His brows wiggled suggestively. “‘Cause they are reeeady.”
Their heartbeats quickened in eagerness.
Tristan could feel their pulses beating at the same alluring rhythm. The throbbing in his incisors matched the call of the blood rushing through their veins. Damn this cursed hunger! He turned his head, averting his burning gaze. “Please get them out of here.”
For a second, Jonavas seemed confused. Then awareness stretched his eyes wide. “Oh shit—my fault! That was insensitive of me. I should’ve thought of your situation before I…” His words trailed off into a groan as he hurried the quartet from the room. Once they were gone, he offered a genuine, “Sorry about that.”
“Camrath,” Tristan spat out on a growl. “He’s still alive.” The Noble’s presence lingered in his soul, which meant he was somewhere in this palace.
“Yeah. Not very easy to dispose of a Noble from the royal vampire family.”
“Have you tried beheading him and tossing his remains in a furnace?”
Jonavas chuckled, even though Tristan wore no smile. “Now there’s a thought. Only bad thing about that plan is it would kill you as well.”
“Yeah. And?”
Jonavas stared at him awkwardly. “Uhm…damn. Not the response I was expecting.”
“I’m not afraid of death, Jonavas.”
“I see that. Unfortunately, we need a member of Antares to destroy your Noble.”
“Antares?”
“The Führer will bring you up to speed on that.”
“Where’s Helena?”
“In paradise.” Jonavas waved him over to the window. “At least that’s what she calls it. Any time she disappears, this is where you’ll find her.”
He stood next to Jonavas at the wall-length window.
Buried in a sea of blue roses, Helena kneeled under the floating fire lamps. The light bounced off of her long silky hair, giving her an angelic glow. She, too, was draped in a Legion uniform—gold and ivory. Only her outfit fit snug over her delicate curves.
“She loves that garden,” Jonavas said. “Especially the sapphire roses.”
A smile found its way to Tristan’s lips. “So, all this time, she was a spy for the Legion?”
“Yeah, she volunteered for the mission. It was the perfect score for her since she’s a master at seduction. We knew about the secret Noble parties, but we could never pinpoint where they were being held. Took her three tries before she finally found Camrath. He’s evasive as hell, good at covering his tracks. Every time we got close, he disappeared.”
Evasive indeed. Camrath stayed on the move. They never remained in one place for more than a couple of months. Tristan was always in tow, forced to go from one place to another. Camrath had an abundance of hideouts and a slew of allies who helped him stay off the radar.
“Once she got his attention, we lost all contact with her. We could only assume two things; she’d been captured and killed or taken to his hideout for sexual branding.”
“If you lost track of her, how did you find us?”
“It was you, Mr. Marino,” said a new voice entering the room.
Tristan turned toward the deeply spoken reply to see a tall being standing in the doorway.
He had slanted, soulful eyes coupled with heavy Mongolian features. Wavy chestnut hair hung past his shoulders. Sitting atop his head was a pair of golden horns. Unlike the other horned beings, his head ornaments stood upright and erect, curved in a twisted design
.
“You are the reason we were able to locate Camrath’s hideout. That, and a little manipulation from Helena.” As he moved into the room, a pair of shadows emerged behind him. They grew into large arc-shaped entities, then manifested. Matching the color of his hair, they flared out, then folded in, and rested against his back.
Wings?
Stunned into silence, Tristan stared in awe, unsure if he should believe his eyes. I must’ve tripped into a fairytale or something ‘cause there is no way in hell this guy has wings.
At the creature’s side, a little girl clutched his hand. It was the child who assisted in Tristan’s release. A burst of light brown curls framed her darling face. A pair of eyes that seemed like they could peer into his soul had him transfixed. This child…Within his heart, he felt a strong connection to her. Perhaps it was a side effect from her touch earlier.
Jonavas patted Tristan on the shoulder and quickly vacated the office.
“My dear Nai here was able to get a lock on your spiritual pressure.” The winged one allowed the girl to lead his way. “It took quite a while to pinpoint your exact location, given your vampiric nature, but at last, we succeeded.” She guided him to the seating area, where the four seductive females were only moments ago. “Come sit with me, Mr. Marino. Have some tea. Let’s talk.”
Tristan couldn’t move. Out of all the strange things taking place at the moment, that little girl… Her very presence unnerved him.
Antares Page 14