Crown of Ash (Blood & Betrayal #1)

Chapter Eleven

Malachi

The night was warm with a gentle breeze as I stood in the backyard, still smelling Dane’s scent clinging to my skin. He’d fallen asleep right afterward, the lightweight.

A small smile curved my lips. No longer able to deny my feelings, I sighed and admitted to myself that I had let him get under my skin, reaching places inside of me that had lived in shadows…until now.

It wasn’t just physical attraction either, though Dane was a knock-out. With everything he’d gone through, his resilience never faded. He was a fighter, a warrior in his own way, and that mouth of his… Snarky but damn if he didn’t know what to do with it.

I rolled my shoulders, staring up at the moon, amazed at how light I felt right now.

“Finally found you.”

My entire body coiled at the sound of Giovanni’s voice coming from behind me. I cursed at his impeccable timing. He always did know how to ruin a moment. “Why are you looking for me?”

I turned to find him crossing the lawn. One look at Giovanni Winterhaven, no one would suspect just how dark he truly was. My brother was the epitome of strength, grace, and charm. He could talk a woman in white gloves into holding a broken vial of blood. His hair framed a handsome face that had a chiseled jaw and piercing blue eyes. The way he walked toward me spoke of charisma. He had a slight swagger that always turned heads.

That was the impression… until you got to know him. Then the shine tarnished, revealing his cunning, deceptive ways.

He sniffed, then a smile tugged at his lips. “Now I see why you’re out here staring at the stars.”

My snarl was deep, a warning that he was close to unleashing a beast he didn’t want to tangle with.

Giovanni glared at me, as if daring me to do some damage. He was playing with fire, and that fire would turn him to ash.

“Do not take my feelings for Dane as weakness.”

I brought my face closer. “I will annihilate anyone who thinks to come at my back.”

“That’s your problem, Malachi.”

Giovanni snarled. “You always think someone is out to get you.”

“Think?”

I curled my upper lip. “It’s more than paranoia. I’ve lost track of how many times you’ve tried to attack me.”

It was incredible how easily one could forget the treachery they’d committed.

Giovanni’s eyes narrowed. “When was the last time, Malachi? Huh? Tell me when was the last time I came at you?”

His face was flush, his jaw clenched.

“Time doesn’t matter. Betrayal still lingers in these halls.”

“And you need to learn to let shit go.”

He jabbed a finger at me. “For the record, it’s been at least five decades, Malachi.”

“Since you tried to poison me and I nearly severed your head for it,”

I snarled.

“If you’re going to accuse me of the crime, tell me, brother, what drove me to it? You’re not innocent either.”

He shoved his hands through his hair before he turned away from me.

I didn’t have to dig for the memory. It was front and center. “And I told you I had no idea you had your sights set on Colson. He sure as fuck didn’t act like it when he tried to seduce me.”

That was a guilt that remained heavy in my heart. I hadn’t known Giovanni was seeing the male. The first time I’d met Colson was at a club my brother and I frequented. Back when collars were a mile long and the bottom of your pants could ring like bells. Colson had cozied up to me at the bar just as I’d been checking out someone I’d wanted to take to my bed.

The human had been cute, with big, expressive eyes and pouty lips. He’d taken one look at me and I knew what he wanted.

I’d taken one look at his lips and knew what I wanted.

Not once had he mentioned the fact he was in a relationship. If he had, I would have turned him down. It wasn’t until we’d had sex and his phone began to ring afterward that I’d suspected. He’d answered while I was still lying naked next to him.

As soon as I’d heard Giovanni’s voice on the other end, I wanted to murder Colson. The human had unknowingly made me cross a line I never would have crossed had I known.

My relationship with my brother was so fucked up it was unreal, but that was some down and dirty shit not even I would’ve pulled on Giovanni.

Two nights later, my brother tried to poison me with tainted blood. I wouldn’t have died, but the pain would have been unbearable. If I hadn’t recognized the scent of diphtheria—because it was prevalent five decades ago—I would have suffered greatly.

“I let go of the fact you banged him ,”

Giovanni argued.

My wings shot out. “Your male cheating on you is a far cry from trying to poison someone!”

He slowly shook his head. “So, if I decided to take Dane to my bed, you wouldn’t try to—”

My hand shot out to grab his neck, but he spun out of reach. Jesus Christ. It was like Giovanni wanted me to rip out his throat. “Be very careful how you finish that sentence, brother .”

My voice was tinged with so much malice I surprised even myself. My hand fell away as I took a step back.

Since when had I become a jealous asshole? The mere mention of Dane’s name on someone else’s lips and I was ready to eviscerate the person.

Not once in my long life had I fought over a male. None had ever stolen my— I stopped my thoughts in their tracks. I would admit that my feelings for Dane had blossomed, but had he really stolen my heart? A heart too black to allow anyone in?

“It’s hitting you, isn’t it?”

Giovanni asked, though he still looked like he wanted to kick my ass.

“What’s hitting me?”

I frowned.

A smile actually shined on his face. A rarity. “The mighty Malachi has fallen in love.”

He actually chuckled. The sound was as foreign as my own laugh.

“Love?”

I scoffed.

“Only crushing on a guy will make you act like an idiot.”

His grin grew. “He’s got you all twisted up inside.”

My eyes narrowed. “First, you’re full of shit. Second, if you even think of getting even with me because of Colson, I’ll—”

“Save your goddamn threat. Fuck, man.”

He shook his head. “You might be the prince of Winterhaven, annihilator of many armies, ruler of numerous kingdoms, and a fierce vampire, but it’s okay to take a tiny second and enjoy the moment. Smile, Malachi. You’re in love. Soak in the feeling.”

I opened my mouth then frowned. Turning away from him, I wondered if he was right. I had lusted after many men, but none had ever taken my heart.

“If you’re that unsure, go online and look up the symptoms for getting kicked in the nuts,”

Giovanni said. “That’s pretty much how being in love feels.”

Not for me, if that was really what was going on. I felt…at peace, like I’d been standing in chaos and suddenly found stillness. Like a storm had passed, leaving clear skies in its place.

Fuck. I was so screwed.

I ran a hand over my mouth as Giovanni walked away, his chuckle trailing behind him.

* * * *

The only way to keep Dane safe was to eliminate the threat. Since I didn’t want to slaughter every vampire under my roof, the next best thing was to eliminate Osiris.

Every time I thought about him possessing Kyson, I wanted to fly into a rage. The demon had somehow penetrated Winterhaven. I was still trying to figure out how as I watched the sidewalk from the roof I was perched on.

Deputy Harrington pulled someone over and I wondered if he knew just how ridiculous he looked as he sauntered to the driver’s door. He flipped open his ticket book, leaning on the car with one arm like he was about to give the elderly woman his phone number instead.

I’d met his type too many times before. A failure in life, so he wrapped himself in self-importance to compensate for his many shortcomings.

My gaze flicked to the couple across the street, holding hands and whispering to each other. The female smiled, leaning farther into her boyfriend or husband. The male wore a smile that said he was exactly where he wanted to be.

That was how I felt. Only, not at the moment because Dane wasn’t at my side. I rubbed my chest, wondering if Giovanni was right, because I felt all twisted up inside, and I didn’t like not feeling in full control over myself.

I’d been wrestling with emotions I didn’t understand, when the universe reminded me why I couldn’t afford distractions, especially not ones as tempting as Dane.

A shadow caught my attention. Across the street, in the mouth of an alley. The eyes glowed, but they didn’t belong to a vampire. The coloring was too dark and even from where I was perched, I could see the irises were a putrid green.

Those were the eyes of a demon.

Had Dane seen Osiris’s true form? I highly doubted it. If he had, he would have definitely gone mad. I’d seen a few, and they had a face not even a stray dog could love. Their tough hide resembled sickly yellow leather. Their teeth were jagged, and their necks were bloated. Their feet looked like cloven hooves, and their spiked tails ended in a shape that resembled an arrowhead.

They were grotesque creatures who thrived on misery and pain. And I was going to end Osiris before he could get near Dane again.

Those eyes looked right at me, then they narrowed, filling with sickening pleasure. The demon must have been looking for a host, because he moved out of the shadows, giving me a little wave. Then it backed up, and the eyes disappeared.

I didn’t know if that was Osiris, but I would bet my life it was.

And he’d just disappeared.

Shit. I moved to the opposite side of the roof and jumped down, landing steadily on my feet. Then I created a shimmer to get me back to Winterhaven.

Osiris had probably known I was following him. The demon had been taunting me, like he had for the last five years.

The shimmer opened just outside my bedroom door. I came up short when I saw Emmett outside of Dane’s room. His eyes were glued to the door, his lips curling, as though frustrated he couldn’t get inside. He twisted the knob then cursed.

A deep, deadly snarl ripped from my chest as I lunged, but Emmett spun, barely missing my grasp.

“What’re you doing?”

“Killing the person who helped the demon enter Winterhaven.”

I drew my sword, glad I’d carried it tonight. It hummed with my energy as I gripped the hilt, feeling the dragon curl around my hand.

“I didn’t let a demon in!”

Emmett snarled at me. “That human has corroded your mind!”

With the tip of my sword at his neck, he took a step back when I took one forward. “Then tell me how Osiris was able to possess Kyson.”

My voice was little more than a hiss.

Someone was at my back, but I didn’t dare take my eyes off Emmett.

“Enter my line of sight or die.”

Slowly, Giovanni moved to stand next to Emmett. Why was my brother protecting someone who’d obviously allowed Osiris to enter our home? Was he in on it, or did Emmett mean something to him? If Giovanni had caught feelings for him, I needed to tread carefully.

But if my brother was in on the betrayal, I would end him.

“You just keep popping up at just the right moment,”

I growled. “Does Emmett have a homing beacon on his ass?”

Giovanni’s eyes narrowed. “If I recall, the first time you shouted for me.”

“A mistake I won’t make again.”

The tip of the blade dug a little deeper, causing a drop of blood to escape Emmett’s neck. The dragon writhed, tightening around my grip, the hum of the blade growing louder in the silence. The droplet of blood sliding down Emmett’s neck gleamed like a promise.

“Put the fucking sword down,”

Giovanni demanded as others gathered. “This is getting out of control, Malachi.”

“ Prince Malachi,”

I countered, my jaw clenched tight.

“Since when do you insist on the title, brother?”

“Since you stand with the enemy.”

I lifted the sword slightly, drawing more blood. The men around me didn’t react. They wouldn’t because it wasn’t human blood being spilled.

“Enemy?”

Giovanni looked genuinely confused. “You call him an enemy because he tried to drink from the human?”

My growl exploded as I bared my fangs. “You just heard me accuse him of helping Osiris.”

The men around me murmured. Giovanni looked at me like I’d truly lost my mind. Emmett simply stared at the sword, fear in his eyes.

I shook my head slightly, wondering if I had really lost my mind. Why was I the only one who saw Emmett’s deception? It was like a house of cards. One false accusation would send everything crashing down around me.

Was I blinded by my feelings for Dane? Or was this exactly what my enemies wanted, to turn everyone in Winterhaven against me?

“Fine.”

I gave a slight nod. “If he can tell me why he was trying to get into Dane’s room just now, I’ll lower my sword.”

Giovanni glanced at Emmett. “Go ahead and tell him.”

Emmett’s gaze flickered between the two of us. He swallowed roughly, then pure malice transformed his features.

“You son of a bitch!”

Giovanni slammed Emmett against the wall, his hand crushing the vampire’s neck. “To think I was defending you.”

A shrill laugh bubbled out of Emmett’s throat. “ You defend me ?”

A sound between a snarl and scoff left his throat next. “The Winterhavens, so fierce yet so dead on the inside. Neither of you would know loyalty even if it smacked you across your faces.”

The men behind me murmured again.

“What’re you rattling on about?”

Giovanni asked him.

“I’ve served both of you, even putting up with your foul dispositions. Then our darling prince brings a snack home but won’t let us dine! Instead, I’m punished. Though, if it had been up to Malachi, I would have been killed. For what? Doing what comes naturally to us? My centuries of loyalty amount to nothing. He took the side of a human over one of his own!”

He spat on the floor.

“Move. Aside. Giovanni.”

My grip on the hilt grew tighter. The dragon slid over my hand, waiting for the battle to begin.

Giovanni didn’t hesitate. “You deserve what’s coming to you. Being relegated to your room doesn’t amount to letting a demon inside our home.”

Emmett pinned his hate-filled eyes on Giovanni. “This was never my home. He was never my prince. I’d sooner serve a monkey.”

The move was swift, his head removed. Within a matter of minutes his body would turn to dust.

I glared at the vampires behind me. “Does anyone else have a grievance they’d like to air?”

The gnawing heartache threatened to bring me to my knees. I cherished our kind, had fought for them, bled for them, and as treacherous as they were, it killed something inside of me to end one of their lives.

Heavy is the head that wears the crown.

No one said anything, and I was weary of the entire situation. Without another word, I entered my room and locked the door behind me.

Then I closed my eyes, breathing out slowly.

I jolted when arms slid around my waist. For the first time in my life, my sword hit the ground. Wrapping my arms around Dane, I rested my cheek on his head. We stood there quietly as I soaked in his warmth.

Yes, I’d chosen a human over my kind. A human who had come to me, seen a bloody sword in my hand, and still offered me the comfort of his embrace.