Chapter 10 – Ophelia
Chapter
Ten
OPHELIA
T his is dangerous, Ophelia. What if he discovers where you are? The plea in Malachi’s voice makes me falter, but only for a second.
And what if he does, Kai? I ask. We already know Giorgios lied about Lucian killing Alexandros. We know he’s been alive all these years and has never harmed his fath ? —
We also know he killed his own mom and his sisters just because they were elementai , Axl reminds me.
Dammit. They have me there. That was a long time ago. Perhaps he’s changed?
Xavier snorts. Doubt it.
Frustrated, I throw my hands in the air. And perhaps he’s still a psychopath who’s hellbent on feasting on my soul, but the reality is that we’re running out of options and time. You’re all getting weaker. We don’t know what’s making you sick. We don’t know where Alexandros is, and we don’t know what Giorgios’s plan is. One person who might have those answers is Lucian. If he somehow reads my mind and figures out we’re here, we’ll deal with it, but I’m fresh out of any better ideas. How about you ?
Xavier lies back on the bed, locking his hands behind his head. I say go for it, Cupcake. Your mind is strong enough to hold him, and if it’s not…
We’ll be ready for him , Axl says. Whatever happens.
I look to Kai, who’s staring at me while chewing his bottom lip. Are you okay with this too?
He shrugs. I guess so.
I was looking for a little more enthusiasm, and the nonchalance stings. Especially coming from him, the one who’s most likely to be on my side. Does he think this is easy for me? Kai, do you really think I’d do this if I didn’t think there was no other way? You think I want to have my heart cut out by some psychotic killer who hates my entire species?
He crosses the room, wraps me in his arms, and rests his chin on top of my head. Despite my annoyance at him, I melt against his hard body. No, sweet girl. I’m sorry. We’ve got you. Tell us what you need.
I roll back my shoulders, so much more confident about trying this with all of their support. Just some quiet is all.
Malachi winks at me. Then we’ll be quiet as church mice.
I sit on the bed, my back against the headboard, and close my eyes. Again, I search for something in Lucian that I can use as a bridge. I’ve seen his face in Alexandros’s memories, so I start with that. Aside from his hazel eyes, his features are so similar to his father’s that it throws me off balance. Instead of focusing on my target, I recall Alexandros’s voice. His scent. His power. The fire of his blood running through my veins. I do my best to block him out and search for Lucian, but it’s impossible. He is everywhere. In every memory. In every thought. Every sound and smell and sight is him.
Ophelia Hart. The voice is deep, sinister. Mocking. Familiar, yet unknown. I wondered how long it would be before you attempted to contact me. Your feeble grasping in the dark is almost comical.
Not all that feeble. I found you, didn’t I?
His laugh bounces around my head like it’s trying to escape—as though aware it doesn’t belong there. Perhaps I simply allowed myself to be found.
Fear snakes a path up my spine. The solid, reassuring presence of the boys’ heartbeats soothes me, but otherwise they remain silent.
You know who I am?
Of course I know who you are, Ophelia Hart. I have known you for longer than those boys you bonded with. Longer than my father.
My stomach rolls. My heart hammers. I have so many questions to ask, but I have no idea how long this connection will last—or how long I want it to last. Instinct tells me the longer it remains open, the greater chance he has of finding me. Finding us. I channel all my emotion into the light in my center until it’s a dazzling bright orb.
Giorgios told me you killed your father.
That does not surprise me. You would be wise not to trust my uncle.
So you didn’t.
Are you asking me or telling me, little elementai?
Goosebumps break out over my flesh. I don’t think you did.
As pleasant as our little chat has been, is there a purpose to it? I’m a little busy right now.
Probably tearing out the hearts of some innocent women and children.
Now, that’s not a very nice thing to say to someone whose help you’re seeking, is it, Ophelia?
Damn, he heard that. I have to break our connection and fast. Where is Alexandros?
I don’t know.
Are you lying to me?
If you were as strong as they say you are, then you would know the answer already. But no, I am not lying, Ophelia Hart.
I have no idea if he’s telling the truth. Operating purely on instinct, I’d say he is, but I no longer trust my gut. He’s unlikely to help me, but I ask another question anyway. If he’s not dead, why are his sireds so sick?
There are few things that are toxic to our kind.
I know, and I’ve read all the books I can, but ? —
Not all answers can be found in a book. Even Giorgios, for all his papers and his books in that vast library of his, can attest to that.
So, where can I find the answer, Lucian? I inject a mocking tone into my voice. I’ve learned a thing or two about manipulation from the way people have treated me over the years. If you’re so smart, tell me what’s making them ill.
Look around you, Ophelia Hart. There is a reason Giorgios built his fortress in the only mountains where blue poppies grow.
Blue poppies? Is that what he’s using to poison them?
No reply comes, and the odd buzzing that seems to come from connecting to the minds of those other than my mates is absent. Did he figure out where we are because I went looking for him? No, of course not. He already knew.
My eyes fly open. “He knows where we are.”
Malachi responds first. “What?”
Xavier sits up. “Did he tell you that, Cupcake?”
I shake my head and speak through our bond so as not to risk anyone overhearing. He spoke of Giorgios’s vast library and his fortress in the mountains like he already knew where it was. He’s known we were here this whole time.
Axl frowns. But he hasn’t come looking for you?
At least not that we’re aware of , Xavier says.
Malachi sits beside me on the bed and slips an arm around me. I lean against him. What else did he say, baby?
He said not to trust his uncle.
Xavier rolls his eyes. Yeah, we already got that.
I tell them his cryptic message about the blue poppies, and although he never actually said they were poisonous, that’s definitely what I understood it to mean.
How are they poisonous to us if we don’t ingest them? Axl asks.
Do we inhale them somehow? The seeds or… I dunno. Xavier shrugs, his face a mask of confusion. But then they’d be poisonous to him too.
Or Ophelia has been unknowingly ingesting them , Malachi offers. We have been feeding exclusively on her. The guilt is immediate and overwhelming, but Malachi soothes me. And that’s not your fault, sweet girl. Is it?
I know. I just hate how it might be me making you guys sick.
He drops a kiss on the top of my head. How do we find out more about these blue poppies? I haven’t seen anything about them in the books in Giorgios’s library. Have you?
I rack my brain and recall everything I’ve ever learned about poppies in my entire life, which doesn’t take long. But I do recall that vampires developed a tolerance to the opiates derived from red poppies a few millennia ago. No. But there must be something somewhere, right? Maybe it’s in a spell book or a book on herbs rather than a book related to vampire toxins. I’ll ask Cadence to help too. There must be something in Thucydides. Enora will give her access to the faculty library.
Malachi hums his agreement. Tell her to speak to Professor Chowdry. If anyone knows every single book in that library, it’s her. She keeps her own cross-referencing system. Tell Cadence to tell her I asked especially for her help . He winks at me, and I don’t pick at that particular thread right now, having no desire to learn why the theology professor would be more likely to help if his name is mentioned.
I’ll ask her now. Having spoken to Cadence earlier today, I find her quickly and easily. It’s like the connection between us is already open and simply waiting for me to tap into it. I wonder for a second whether I will ever need a cell phone again. At least for calling people—there’s no replacing Candy Crush or mindless doomscrolling on TikTok .
When I’m done explaining what we’re looking for and passing on Malachi’s message, she gives me her assurance that she’s on it and will get back to me as soon as she can. I keep the news of Alexandros from her for now—not because I don’t trust her but because there are still too many unknowns, and I don’t want to put her in any unnecessary danger.
I tell the boys she’s in, and we agree that the sooner we know more about the blue poppy, the better we’ll all feel. Collectively, we decide they’ll stop feeding from me and fake being sick if they start to feel better so Giorgios doesn’t suspect we’re onto him.
“You’re such a good girl,” Malachi whispers, and my cheeks flush with heat.
“You know what those words do to our pretty little cupcake, Kai,” Xavier says with a low growl.
“Yeah, I know.” Malachi chuckles. “It’s been too long since we’ve had much to celebrate, so I think we should enjoy every little victory we can get.”
With a hum of agreement, Xavier sits up and pulls my hair back, giving himself space to trail his lips over my neck. Alexandros is alive. We’re probably not gonna die. Those seem like victories worth celebrating to me.
And how do you suggest we celebrate without drawing attention from Giorgios? I ask.
Xavier’s tongue snakes a path from my collarbone to my ear, making my skin tingle with anticipation. “In here. Quietly.”
Malachi pops open the button on my jeans. “Well, maybe not all that quietly.”
The bed dips as Axl crawls onto it. “Yeah, I like to hear our girl’s pretty little moans.”
Malachi’s lips are pressed against my skin now too, his warm breath making goosebumps break out over my arms. “Shall I make her moan for you now, Axl?”
Axl simply grunts his response while Malachi unzips my jeans and slides his hand into my panties. “It has been way too long since we’ve had this kind of fun, sweet girl.” He slips a thick finger inside me, making my back arch off the bed.
I bite down on my lip to stifle a groan. Yes, it’s been too long. But it didn’t seem right to have mind-blowing orgasms while our world was torn apart. We’ve had sex for comfort and connection, but not for the sheer pleasure of it. But now we have something that’s eluded us for the past few weeks.
Hope.