Rebirth of the Vampire King (Blood Fire Saga Book 6)

by Bella Klaus

  “Of course.” Pallas tugged at my top.

  I stepped back, clutching the garment even tighter to my chest. “And you’ll let me wear something to the dinner?”

  She placed a hand over her mouth to stifle a giggle. “Our lord prefers to unwrap his own gifts.”

  My shoulders sagged. I suppose that that meant they wouldn’t shove me into the dining room naked. I lowered my hand, letting my top gape open.

  Leuce leaned forward, holding her chin between her fingers, and squinted at my chest.

  “What?” I glanced down, looking for an unsightly scar, but all I found were the outlines of my ribs.

  “You’re thinner than I imagined,” she muttered. “Our lord prefers a woman with a little more cushioning.”

  Heat rose to my cheeks, and I wrapped my arms around my chest. Two disparaging comments on my appearance in a day—three, if I counted Kain’s well-meaning rant about the decline of my appearance. “It’s been a difficult few days.”

  “Do you need a blood replenisher?” Leuce asked. “Panacea water, theobroma cacao cocktail?”

  My mouth watered. “Yes to all three, especially the chocolate cocktail.”

  With a nod, Leuce turned on her heel and headed toward the door, while Pallas reached for my jogging bottoms.

  I took another step back, bumping into a column. “What are you doing?”

  “You can’t go into the pool fully clothed,” she said, her eyes dancing with mirth.

  “Right.” Toeing off my slippers, I hooked my fingers beneath the waistband of my pants and pulled them down.

  Seeming satisfied that I was undressing and not sulking as I did that time Hades had locked me in his guest bathroom, Pallas stepped back, leaving me to remove the rest of my clothing. She walked to the edge of the pool, letting her blue dress melt to the ground.

  I dropped my gaze to my feet, giving her a bit of privacy as she hopped into the water with a gentle splash.

  “What are you waiting for?” she asked. “Leave your things and come in.”

  “Right.” I stepped out of the puddle of clothes and padded toward the water with my arms wrapped around my middle.

  As Pallas swam to the other side, I closed my eyes and jumped in. Warm slippery liquid slid over my skin like silk as my feet sank to the bottom, and I bounced up to the surface. When I opened my eyes, my vision was sharper, and I placed a hand over my face to find my skin impossibly smooth.

  “Hades bathes in this?” I turned to the nymph paddling toward me, her blue hair seeming to meld with the water.

  Pallas giggled. “Our lord prefers this enchantment for his females. It makes the hair and skin soft.”

  “Oh.” I ran my fingers through my hair. Just because I was using his bath, it didn’t mean I was going to let him get anywhere near my body.

  The water rippled, bringing up a cascade of foam that coalesced into Leuce. She emerged from the surface with two watermelon-sized bubbles in her outstretched hands, their pearlescent surfaces shimmering in the light of the ceiling.

  “Would you like your refreshment before we bathe you?” she asked with a bright smile.

  My brow furrowed, and I tried to catch a glimpse of the items floating within their interiors. “I can wash myself, thanks.”

  “Nonsense,” Pallas said from my left. She leaned toward one of the bubbles and popped it with her finger, making it explode into hundreds of tiny spheres.

  Three items now floated above the water. A marble-sized blood replenisher, a bottle of Panacea water, and an eight-inch chocolate dildo nearly as thick as my wrist with white foam fizzing out of a slit at the top.

  A laugh bubbled from my belly. “When you offered me a cocktail, I thought you meant a drink.”

  “It contains a white chocolatini.” Leuce flicked her wrist, making the chocolate penis float toward my mouth.

  “Open wide,” Pallas said.

  This was so bloody ridiculous. One Greek god ordered his minions to extract my soul while another’s minions wanted to fill me with chocolate martinis. I wrapped my fingers around the chocolate penis, opened my mouth wide, and placed its bulbous tip between my lips.

  The martini was rich and thick and creamy with a generous seasoning of vanilla. I wasn’t normally a fan of white chocolate because it was all cacao butter and none of the solids that gave it the rich flavor, but it was the perfect balance of vodka and sweet velvet.

  “Good?” Pallas asked.

  Nodding, I hummed my appreciation and continued drinking.

  “The chef made the vessel out of our lord’s cock.”

  “What?” A swallow of chocolatini slid down my windpipe, making me choke. I leaned forward, coughing out my lungs.

  Leuce rushed to my side, giving me several firm claps on the back. “Don’t be afraid. Our lord might be huge but he knows how to ease in a novice.”

  “Huge,” Pallas whispered in my ear. “And utterly satisfying.”

  I would have told them I was no virgin, but a few drops of liquid still lingered in my throat. As I cleared my windpipe of the cocktail, Leuce brushed my hair aside and rubbed a loofah over my back. I relaxed into her ministrations, letting her scrub away all traces of Kresnik. Maybe being pampered wasn’t so bad, after all.

  “And he has the stamina of a satyr,” said Leuce. “He can go on and on and on.”

  Pallas chuckled. “Remember last week when he tired us both out?”

  I cracked open an eye. “Both of you together?”

  “Our lord is a generous and well-endowed lover.”

  I pinched the bridge of my nose and squeezed my eyes shut again, wishing the pair would be quiet about their master’s attributes. When I stopped responding to their comments, they fell silent and continued their tasks.

  Leuce finished scrubbing my back with the loofah and massaged my shoulders with her slippery hands, kneading away the knots of my tense muscles, while Pallas rubbed a coconut shampoo into my hair.

  The vodka dulled my thoughts, relaxing my mind enough to drift over today’s events with Kresnik. I was so lucky to have survived. If Valentine hadn’t come when he had… I shoved those thoughts away with a long drag from the chocolate penis, letting its creamy liquid slide down my throat.

  Right now, I wanted to float away in this water and forget about vengeful gods or indifferent vampires. As soon as Valentine’s memories of our relationship returned, we’d be back together, and we’d win this war.

  The nymphs laid me on my back so I floated on the water’s surface, while they massaged and manipulated and manicured my fingers and toes.

  “Do you like to relax, my lady?” One of the nymphs’ voices floated to the top of my awareness.

  “Always.”

  A soft hand slid over my thigh, heading upward, while another cupped my breast.

  My eyes snapped open, my muscles stiffened, and my feet sank to the bottom of the pool. I wrapped my arms around my chest and hopped away from the water nymphs. “What are you doing?”

  Pallas stared at me through perplexed blue eyes. “Our lord ordered us to get you in the mood for an evening of pleasure.”

  My gaze darted from side to side, taking in the tall stone columns stretching toward the mezzanine. How much did I want to bet that Hades was hiding somewhere, hoping for a show?

  “No, thank you,” I said through rapid breaths. “I don’t need preparation.”

  Palace and Leuce giggled, presumably at an unintended double-entendre. As long as they kept their hands to themselves, they could laugh at me all they wanted. Right now, I welcomed the warm water, welcomed the opportunity to forget about a certain vampire, even if the distraction took the form of a pair of nymphs and their lascivious master.

  “One second.” Leuce tilted her head to the side, pausing as though listening to a voice in her head. After several moments, she turned to me and smiled. “Our lord says we should bring you through since you’re ready.”

  I choked, wishing I’d phrased my refusal better.


  Chapter Eleven

  The nymphs ushered me into a white powder room and dressed me in a chiton-style dress that looked like it had been molded out of a single piece of silk. I stood in front of a full-length mirror, gaping at my reflection. Its neckline dipped down to my breastbone, revealing tiny hints of cleavage.

  “What do you think?”

  “Don’t you think it’s more suitable for someone like Aphrodite?” I twisted from side to side, leaned back and forth, testing the garment for nip slips, but the fabric clung to my skin.

  “Nonsense.” Leuce gestured at the garment’s hem, which ended several inches above my knee. “A goddess would never show so much thigh.”

  The nymphs had erased the tiredness I’d seen earlier in Beatrice’s mirror, replacing it with smooth creamy skin that glowed in the bloom of health. Vibrant red hair cascaded down my shoulders in gentle waves, making a vivid contrast to my crystal-blue eyes.

  My brows drew together. This was the kind of outfit I should wear on an evening out with Valentine, not to fulfill a bargain with Hades.

  A knock sounded on the door. Without waiting for permission, Hades stepped in, clad in a black tuxedo that shimmered a deep burgundy as it picked up the light. He unbuttoned his jacket, revealing a red waistcoat and pants that fit his muscular thighs like riding breeches.

  My lips parted. With his bowtie fastened and his dark hair styled to frame his chiseled features, this was the tidiest I’d ever seen him.

  Pallas clapped her hands together and squealed. “You look absolutely dashing, my lord.”

  “Devilishly delicious.” Leuce sauntered over to him and ran a hand down the black lapel of his jacket.

  He acknowledged their words with an absent nod, all the time sweeping his gaze up and down my form. “Miss Griffin, you look like a dream.”

  I squirmed under the intensity of his stare. Something about him suggested that this dinner meant more to him than fulfilling a bargain. “Thanks for the bath and the loan of the clothes. And for the food I’m about to eat.”

  His brows rose, and the corners of his mouth quirked into a confident smirk. “Now that King Valentine has renounced your engagement, I expect you’ll be thanking me for a lot more.”

  My jaw dropped, and I reeled forward, letting his words trickle into my skull. When could he have possibly spoken to Valentine? He had to be bluffing.

  Hades stepped forward and offered me his hand. I skittered back, bumping into Pallas, who yelped.

  After offering the water nymph an apologetic wince, I turned back to the Demon King and scowled. “What the hell are you talking about?”

  Hades tilted his head to the side, examining my every expression. “Vampires can be so capricious, so cruel and callous and contemptuous. How many times must your poor heart suffer break under his inconstant whims?”

  “Valentine’s having a few memory problems,” I blurted.

  “A young woman in the prime of her sexuality can’t afford to wait around for that stubborn vampire to change his mind about you again.” He glanced at an imaginary watch. “How many decades do you think you have before menopause?”

  Heat crawled across my face. I clenched my teeth, already sick of his transparent antics. “You’re forgetting I’m no longer a Neutral. Wasn’t it you who said I was an immortal being?”

  “And you’re wasting the rest of that long lifespan with a vampire who cannot return your love when there’s a perfectly good immortal waiting with a steadfast heart and an even steadier track record in the art of pleasure. No pressure.” Hades placed a hand on his chest. “If all you’re looking for is a rebound, my ever-ready, ever-living, and ever-satisfying rod is at your disposal.”

  My nostrils flared, and the pulse between my ears pounded like a pair of battering rams. He hadn’t changed since he was an ash cloud, haunting me with filthy promises of what he would do to me the moment he regained his body. I swallowed back a bellyful of bile. It wasn’t like I’d forgiven him for abducting me into his pervy room of pain.

  “Let’s get one thing straight,” I said through clenched teeth. “Valentine has lost his memory and he’s just reverted to the person he was before we met—”

  “Who was a frightful bore,” he drawled. “I tried to warn you about him, but you simply wouldn’t listen—”

  “He’ll recover from his resurrection, and things will go back to normal.”

  Hades drew his brows together, and the pity in his eyes made my stomach drop. “You think some magical force will bring back his love?”

  “You returned with all your memories,” I said, my voice trailing off under a boulder of dread.

  “But my soul was attached to those ashes,” Hades said, this time sounding completely serious. “King Valentine spent enough time as a preternatural to undergo a complete separation between his body and soul.”

  My throat dried, and I swallowed over and over, trying to absorb the implication of his words. Hades was a liar, a manipulator, and an utter bastard. He was always trying to undermine my relationship with Valentine, but nothing had shaken my faith in my fiancé… Until now.

  The combined entities of Father Jude and Kresnik had resurrected just fine, as had Hades. What if I’d done something wrong? I hadn’t checked if Valentine’s soul had been residing in his heart around the time I had burned it because I’d just assumed it would be there as usual.

  Maybe his heart could only endure one burning. Maybe with no Father Jude there to tether his soul to the ashes, it had floated away. The Valentine who had arisen could be just as soulless as Brother David but with enough muscle memory to appear alive.

  I shoved those thoughts aside. Hades probably planted them there as another of his tactics. The Demon King’s appeal to my emotions had failed and now he was just making up facts to back up some concocted theory that I’d lost Valentine’s love forever.

  My lips formed a tight line. There was no point in assuming anything until I spoke to Caiman. Valentine’s butler had suggested getting a soul healer to look at him. That was the only way I would discover the truth about his resurrection.

  “Come along.” Hades placed my limp hand on the crook of his arm. “The fondue is getting cold.”

  On numb legs, I walked alongside the Demon King through a black-and-white-tiled hallway of arched limestone walls with twisted statues standing on tall plinths. I tried to avoid their anguished faces or the way the swaying chandeliers made it look like their limbs were twitching.

  It was one thing to stay away from Valentine while he’d forgotten who I was but what if his memories never returned? Our interactions so far hadn’t exactly been pleasant, and there wasn’t a trace of the innocent Neutral girl who had first captured his attention.

  I gulped. Maybe he preferred the chaste type. Maybe part of his attraction for me had been my simple and unassuming anonymity. Some guys liked an uncomplicated woman who would devote a hundred percent of her time to him and his family.

  As the only phoenix shifter in the world, I could end up the epicenter of any supernatural calamity. And after the time I’d spent with his preternatural self, I was far from innocent.

  I clacked my teeth. What happened to putting aside thoughts about Valentine until I spoke to Caiman? Turning toward the statues, I asked, “Are these the bodies of your enemies?”

  Hades patted my hand. “One of my dearest friends is a sculptress who can turn anyone into stone.”

  “Is her name Medusa?” I asked.

  Hades threw his head back and chuckled. “Your refreshing wit is what I love most about you.”

  My brows drew together. That hadn’t even been a joke. One of the sculptures we passed had his back turned to us, but it stared over his shoulder with a scream forever frozen. I’d bet anything that whoever that was had been trying to run from a snake-headed woman.

  Namara stood at the end of the hallway in her imp form, offering me a warm smile. Still reeling from the possibility of Valentine never regaining his memories, I could only nod
back a greeting.

  Inclining her horned head, Namara opened the door, which led to a mahogany-paneled room about the same size as my studio apartment. A tall window on the right overlooked the dry landscape of Mount Olympus while a tapestry depicting the Greek gods took up the entire left wall. Straight ahead was the golden elevator that I guessed led straight to Hell.

  My breath caught. This was nothing like the dining room where we’d had that ostentatious breakfast. I turned to Hades and frowned. “Are we in Hell?”

  “The mezzanine of my office.” He stepped inside, bringing me through the threshold.

  As we crossed the dining room’s mosaic floors, I took in the rest of our surroundings. Beneath a three-tiered chandelier was a circular table set for two but large enough for four. Its surface was gold, as were the ornately carved frames of its surrounding chairs, which were upholstered in navy blue.

  “Didn’t your mezzanine contain a circular bed?”

  “Impatient?” he asked with a happy growl.

  I shook my head. “We’re sharing a final meal together to fulfill an unfair bargain.”

  “The first two don’t count.”

  “Shortbread and hot chocolate is certainly a meal where I come from, as was that lavish breakfast.” I pulled my hand away from the crook of his arm and strode to the table. “Come on. Let’s get this over with.”

  At his exasperated sigh, I ground my teeth. Maybe the female demons he was used to dealing with fell at his feet, but beneath the handsome exterior was a man with few redeeming qualities. I didn’t care that he was probably my greatest ally right now. Nor did I give a flying fig leaf if he thought I was ungrateful.

  Most of the trouble between Valentine and me was his fault—firstly because he was supposed to be Kresnik’s jailer and secondly because of the stunt he pulled with the Mage King—one of Kresnik’s spies.

  Hades pulled out my chair with the semblance of a gentleman, and I lowered myself into the seat, letting him push it in. His large hands rested on my shoulders until my skin started to itch.