This I found out shortly after re-joining the rest of them and doing so by ignoring the way they all now stared at me as though I had grown a fucking head that had been singing Sinatra. But then again, I tried to look at things from their side of the Hell they stood on. And well, seeing their tyrant King taking such care and concern over who they had first thought to be nothing more than a mortal sex slave, then yeah, it was understandable. Well, all except the McBain brothers who had guessed the truth after witnessing our encounter back at the soul fields.
But then, there was one being who had joined us just before the doors had closed and he hadn’t missed the encounter…
My brother.
I would have rolled my eyes at the look he granted me but instead it was time to get this shit over with. Which meant getting everyone’s ass in gear and to do that, I first needed to let them know the full extent of what we were dealing with. Starting with why freeing Amelia of the fucking Hex was the first priority!
So, I folded my arms after first shedding my skin of the constricting armour, leaving behind a layer of black material that clung to my frame. It looked like a plain black, long-sleeved T-shirt with my cursed hand being the only piece of armour to remain. I also had summoned black trousers in a beast hide similar to the Basilisk my brother had slayed. Only due to the rarity, it was in fact from a creature known as a Vipera.
This was a demonic grass snake that had bad eyesight and usually burrowed underground. They lived by the sense of vibrations they could feel with the rattle of their barbed tails, and only came out among the soul fields when they felt no one was near. This was because they were heavily hunted despite being covered in a spiked, hard shell of bright blue scales. They were hunted for their delicious meat and their soft reddish black underbellies that felt like a combination of Earth’s satin and suede. It was also currently what Amelia was lay on right now, for my sheets were made of the same material.
Shit kicker plated boots completed the look and despite feeling slightly more comfortable, I would have much preferred being naked lying alongside my girl with her soft skin cradled against mine.
“Why ur we ‘ere?” Gryph had been the first to ask, making me release a sigh and say,
“This tower is impenetrable to all outside magic and therefore is the only place I trust to discuss matters.”
“Ah, that explains the heebie jeebies then,” Nero commented, hugging herself and rubbing her arms.
“You say we need tae discuss matters, bit whit ye pure mean is—” I quickly cut the jealous bastard off,
“Amelia is my Chosen One,” I stated, and I swear it was like finally dragging the barbed wire up from down my throat for how long I had wanted to declare such a thing. The only three who naturally didn’t look surprised by this were the McBains, although the narrow gaze of Trice told me it wasn’t totally ineffective…
Yeah, take that sting, you bastard!
“Holy Gorgon balls!” Nero gasped before a shudder wracked her body and I had to say, my ego took the hit. Fuck, but what did they think I did with the one soul destined to be mine, keep her in a cage? Oh right, no they just thought I fucking collared her like a dog and kept her on a leash close by ready for when I was hungry.
Fucking Idiot, Luc!
Gods, I had really fucked this up, I thought at the same time resisting the urge to scrub a hand down my face. Instead, I told her in a hard tone,
“I can assure you, I care for what is mine.” Her wide eyes shot to mine and she started to shake her head a little. But before she could speak, Trice scoffed making the bulk of his body rise and fall with the verbal disbelief that made me want to rip his fucking head off once more. Shame I needed the bastard. But despite that, I still warned,
“Remember Shifter, it’s a long way down from this tower after first having your fucking wings ripped off.” He snarled back but wisely took my threat as one best not responded to. Besides, my brother took that moment to stride towards me and snarl in a low tone,
“A word, Šeš.” I held the shifter’s gaze a few seconds longer, ignoring the way Nero nudged Vern and whispered not so subtly,
“Okay, I feel like I am missing an episode here.” Vern didn’t answer but his lips twitched as he fought a smile and it was enough for me to give up the death glare. Especially knowing that unfortunately now was not the time to force him to my will. Like making him shave his head, draw a line down the centre as his new ass crack and make him believe he needed to do a handstand every time he needed a shit!
My brother placed a hand on my arm and ground out my name,
“Lucius.” I didn’t respond to this how I usually would have had it been in front of my kingdom. But as it stood, in front of these six, who I had chosen to be in the know, it no longer mattered. However, the knowledge that he was my brother didn’t need to come to light right now. Not for plans to be put into place regarding helping Amelia.
“Witch, see to my woman,” I ordered sternly before yanking my arm free and then turning my glare back to my brother, ignoring Nero’s dry, mumbled reply,
“Yeah, ‘cause that is usually what I go by these days, ‘cause four letters of Nero are so hard to remember for a Vamp’s memory.” I glared back at her to see Vern place a hand at her belly and pull her back to his taller frame before nodding to me and telling her teasingly,
“They also hae bonnie hearing, Lass,” After this her sheepish gaze shot back to me and she quickly held up her hands and said,
“On second thoughts, Witch is just all kinds of Hell’s dandy.” I scoffed as Vern chuckled heartedly behind her and with the besotted look he was sporting, I almost felt sorry for the poor bastard.
Falling in love was fucking brutal!
“Dariush, come with me,” I snapped back after turning to face the opposite direction. I walked towards the wall behind the only seating area in this sparse space and my brother followed as I knew he would. Then I continued around the seats and through the illusion wall opening that most likely made it look as though I had just disappeared. The truth was that the whole tower was surrounded by hidden doorways like this. In fact, all levels beneath my private bedchamber consisted of two layers, the first was a massive spiral staircase that framed all the rooms at its core.
There was a bathroom, living space, training room, grand banqueting hall and where we were headed now, my office. Now why most of these rooms even existed I didn’t fucking know, as no one ever came here to fill them. But then again, during the time it was being built I don’t suppose Lucifer knew what it would be primarily used for. As neither of us had ever expected it to become a living vault and used to hide one of the most powerful supernatural weapons in all the realms. Meaning it wasn’t as if I was going to have a fucking party whilst hiding the damn thing under my pool!
This of course meant that most of these rooms had never even been stepped foot in since the time they were made. In the beginning there had been other ways to access my tower, like on the lower levels. But these I’d had closed up years ago shortly after the Eye had come into my possession.
This also meant that I had far better places to be having this meeting other than in my private bedchamber. But the reason I didn’t was because I wanted to stay as close to Amelia as possible. And her comfort and care was naturally my first priority right now.
Dariush followed me behind the wall and down the steps into my private office and like I said, it was one I hadn’t entered in quite some time. Unlike my office in Castle Blutfelsen, it also hadn’t been graced with a single shred of personality. Granted it was a room I spent most of my time in when there, as running a kingdom alongside a mortal business empire took a lot of fucking time. In truth, before Amelia had stumbled into my life as a more permanent fixture, I had been little more than a workaholic. Even my nights spent at the club weren’t as relaxing as I portrayed them to Amelia during those times she had infiltrated Transfusion.
Which meant that if I was to spend most of my time in a fucking office, it w
ould be one I felt comfortable in and less like some fucking machine behind a desk. This meant that in the Earth realm I had surrounded my personal space with things from my past. Things that essentially kept me attached to my mortality in some way. Although, I had to confess that since being with Amelia I hadn’t realised just how much of that I had lost. Because Amelia to me was like a mortal overload and in many ways similar to Pip. Amelia had rooted herself in the culture and history of her world along with that of her father’s. Although I knew for a fact how she struggled when growing up believing herself not belonging to it.
I also knew the fault lay at my feet for taking that piece of her and I had to wonder now if that had been the reason that burst of power back in the soul fields had been absorbed instead of knocking me on my ass like it should have?
I didn’t have any answers…Yet. But one thing I did know for certain and that was Amelia was clearly much more than just a mortal. And being down in Hell had obviously tapped into the little remaining power I had stolen from her. Which made me question, how fucking powerful would she be now had I not done so? Gods, but it even seemed too dangerous a thought to consider. Then again, no matter how much I tried it was a difficult thought to get out of my head. Not when she had looked like some Angel of Blood sent by the Gods to deliver punishment.
Gone was the girl that I had found in a big red dress sat upon my floor playing with Lego and recreating my home in block form. Gods, how I had changed, for once upon a time her obsession in all things geek would have irritated me. Now I just found it endearing and a pleasure to watch her excitement at such things.
In fact, once this was all over, I was looking forward to indulging her in these quirks and hobbies, with the gift of her playful smiles in return. But again, I was focusing on how much I had changed since knowing her this way, being with her in what modern convention would class as a relationship. These were all things I never would have thought I would accept, much less tolerate. I had foolishly believed that when I finally allowed myself to claim my Chosen One then I would do so solely on my terms. That I would have them situated by my side with little thought to much else. Selfishly and arrogantly assuming that they would cater to my needs and yield to my rule.
Gods, but how fucking wrong could I have been!
It was fucking laughable now after being with her and discovering what type of woman she was. Oh, she may yield in the bedroom but fuck, I would find myself daily being put on my ass when least expecting it if I tried to conquer her elsewhere. And if I were honest, I wouldn’t want to. Because a force of nature like hers was something to marvel in and enjoy the fucking ride, not try to mould into a box and keep it contained. Of course, if I had the choice, then her hairpin decision making I would crush in a heartbeat if it meant keeping her safe.
But that was another story.
Because I knew that I would have no choice but to take matters into my own hands after what had happened. So, whether she liked it or not, this tower had just become her new prison, at least until I could fix what the fucked-up Fates had in store for me, my people, and more importantly Amelia. Which meant that setting up our lives together in a more permanent way would have to wait…for now.
“What the fuck is going on?!” Dariush snapped, bringing me back to why we were now in my office and I found myself with no other option than to shake away thoughts of better days and deal with the shit one I had been dealt…fucking Fates.
“I couldn’t tell you,” I told him after first walking over to my desk that looked like crystal melted over an invisible frame. It was black like the walls were, with only the floor being different in swirls of ash-coloured, petrified wood laid in circular slabs. A throne style chair situated behind the desk that was the size of a small car was one I stayed away from as it was made from black glass. So not exactly something I thought would survive my anger right now.
It was sculpted to look like two giant demonic skeletal remains bent over so the place I sat was at the joined pelvis. At the highest point of the chair were the two horned skulls that faced us with their shoulders fused and their ribcages making up the back section.
Overly long arms of twisted black glass bone made the armrests, and the bird clawed feet made up the bottom part of the legs. It was a hauntingly, beautiful piece of craftmanship and it was one of the most uncomfortable chairs I’d ever sat on in my whole existence. Hence another reason why I took to leaning back on the desk instead.
“Bullshit!” he snapped back folding his arms and making his muscles bulge due to the sleeveless tunic style jacket he now wore which was a typical attire for my brother. He was, as one would say, stuck in a certain time period and his vessel’s Persian ancestry had ingrained early on. I released a sigh when he added,
“You didn’t think you could trust me with something as important as your Chosen One, but yet those three vagabonds out there you go ahead and…”
“They guessed who she was to me when they saw the level of my care and loyalty to her,” I interrupted defending myself when I really I didn’t need to. But we were alone, and he was my brother, so I believed he at least deserved some form of explanation.
“I fucking knew she meant more to you than you were letting on!” he added with a bitter growl to his words.
“It wouldn’t have changed things had you known from the start,” I told him, but his face said otherwise.
“The fuck it wouldn’t, for starters I wouldn’t have thrown her in a fucking jail cell to nearly get raped by her jailor!” he snapped back making me wince at the fucking good point he made.
“Which is why the outcome was on me, as well as the death I served,” I replied, with a grit of my teeth. Dariush released a heavy sigh and rubbed the lower part of his face, which ended with him bringing his fingers and thumb together with the hair on his chin stroked down between them.
“You thought I would tell him, that’s it, isn’t it?” he guessed speaking of course about our father.
“I was protecting you,” I stated.
“Fuck that!”
“Choose to believe it or not, my reasons were sound, for I knew you would have been bound to the truth should the question be asked and let’s fucking face it here, it wouldn’t be long before this shit got back to him.” Dariush at least agreed on this if not with words but with his expression.
“My loyalty has and always will be first to the blood I share, not the blood that made me.” I released another sigh and pushed straight from the table so I could clasp a hand on my brother’s shoulder,
“I know, brother, but this way, what you didn’t know, you wouldn’t have been forced to lie about and no offence, my Šeš, but you’re a fucking shit liar.” He scoffed at this even as I laughed, a sound I hadn’t heard since my girl had been awake and in my arms. I let him go, giving him back his space so I could resume leaning my weight back on the desk.
“So, she was feisty for a reason then?” I raised a brow in question, making him add,
“Well, she would have to be to put up with your shit.” Now I was the one to scoff.
“She is as she should be and perfect at that,” I admitted unashamedly. He grinned at the same time his eyes grew wide with surprise.
“I think that’s the nicest thing I have ever heard come out of your mouth…fuck me, it must be love,” he muttered this last part to himself and I chose to ignore it. After this I told him everything that had happened regarding the threat against our people and the spreading infection of the Tree of Souls. Of course, it started with the box and the map leading all the way up until recent events, including Amelia’s Hex.
“Have you discovered yet where this summoning Hex is linked to?” he asked, making me grip the edge of the table in anger at the thought of the fucking thing still marring her skin.
“No, but I think it is easy to assume it is to wherever the fucking witch is, as she obviously needs her blood to access the Tree of Souls,” I told him only adding more strength to what I had already shared with him.<
br />
“And what of the Eye, does your Chosen One know where it is or how to get to it?” I found this an odd question so asked,
“Why would she?”
“Well, you used it to find her, so it is safe to assume it may start calling to her.” I frowned in response and found the next question coming from my lips a troubling one…
“How do you know I used the Eye?”
Chapter Seven
Power in Planning
My brother’s explanation to knowing that I had finally used the Eye was in his words, through the ‘power of deduction’. And as my brother also pointed out, there weren’t exactly lots of ways to know where the shifters had been going. Especially adding to this that speed was heavily of the essence. He also knew that if there was anything in the world to make me finally use the Eye, it would obviously be for my Chosen One’s safety. And of course, he had been right, I had. But now I worried for a different reason, asking him,
“You think I should have it moved in case she is affected?”
“I think you are safe, at least until she regains consciousness, but I have to ask, did the Eye show you anything more than just where she was being taken?” It was at this point that I decided not to say more, for what the Eye had shown me was my burden to bear, and no one else’s. Hell, but it was one of the reasons only a few people even knew the Eye existed beyond anything more than just a myth, let alone whose possession it was in.
I had not even trusted Dom with that bit of information. A decision that turned out for the best seeing as I knew, had he known at one time, he would have fought my armies of Hell just to get to it. Doing so in a desperate need to seek a glimpse of his Chosen One’s future and of course, how to prevent it. Something that in turn would have destroyed the world and all realms beyond it.
Roots Of Rage: A Vampire King Paranormal Romance (Transfusion Saga Book 9) Page 5