Chapter 10
Corvinus
My whole body is seething with rage, ready to put those green-eyed ghouls in their place.
Only knowing what I know about the ghouls who guard the transition, how well Embry came through those battles, what a mighty warrior she really is, and her desire to do it alone holds me back and keeps me from tearing those fuckers to pieces.
Embry is wise beyond her years. How many times have the vampires read the passages in our own Vade Mecum about the rings of fire, the dual rings of fire, and while we managed to stay ahead of it in terms of keeping ourselves from that fire, not one of us unlocked the secret of the ghouls, and hopefully witches’, demise.
I watch Devora, her face contorted in a rage that I’ve never seen until today.
Embry didn’t just best the witch, she discovered and deciphered age-old secrets that could lead to the entire witch coven’s and ultimately the academy’s end if Descallia chooses to go head-to-head with his longtime adversary.
Embry is also intelligent enough to know that he won’t care about her annihilating a bunch of ghouls, or Lucas, who Embry confirmed is just a conjured parlor room trick, but attacking Devora would have put us firmly in the middle of a war that Descallia should decide when to call.
Hopefully, after we have all the warriors in place, we’ll know we can trust everyone on that team.
Not that we can’t fight without them but there’s definitely something to say for having a huge army of well-trained fighting machines when it’s necessary, leaving regional flanks covered and the lords and masters to deal with things on the strategic level for everyone concerned.
But still, I watch carefully because with Devora this angry and Embry ready to do what she has to in a minute, anything is possible.
Devora has superiors too, and I’m sure she’s thinking about that very thing right now.
What will the high priestess say? Does she know about Devora’s loss to our previous overlord?
Maybe that’s why Devora is so desperate to keep her little secret buried.
Devora’s deathly green eyes bore into Embry.
“Don’t fucking cast a spell you tricky little bitch,” I mutter under my breath.
Nothing gets by her though. She turns in her bubble looking for where the low voice came from, and not seeing it, turns back to Embry.
But still, she knows. Fight Embry and she’s not alone.
Far better to go back to the High Priestess and come up with a game plan, and that’s exactly what she chooses to do.
One minute the bubble is floating above us, and the next it’s entirely gone. Leaving only darkness and silence hanging in the cavern that for so many years clearly must have been home to the vampires. I close the distance between us, my cape flying behind me as Embry’s eyes meet mine.
Her hand goes up. “Please, don’t say it, I already know. I was supposed to be protected. Well, that only works for some females. I had to find out so that I could say goodbye to my nightmares. Otherwise, I think I would have always been wondering.”
She’s not wrong. I only hope now that she knows the evil Lucas was conjured by Devora and her wicked witches that the dreams she has over and over will cease to exist. I don’t say any of it though.
That’s not what Embry needs right now. I draw my fearless mate close, sliding a hand beneath her nape, and cradling her softness to my hardness.
“I’ll always be there to protect you, but sometimes protecting you means allowing you to battle on your own. ”
Embry’s wide purple eyes fill with tears that threaten to spill. “I don’t think I could love you any more than I do at this very moment.”
I lean down and slide an arm beneath her thighs and lift her into the air, cradling her entire body to me.
“Let’s get you nourished. The battle must have taken its toll on our energy stores.
After that, we’ll go to Romano’s. Otherwise, we’ll be stuck in this cave until dusk tomorrow and while I’m certainly thrilled we found the vampire’s lair, I’ve grown quite accustomed to the modern day luxuries. ”
She leans her head against my chest, getting weaker by the minute. No matter if she had blood with her when she arrived. It was a hell of a journey and fighting the ghouls without the added stresses of dealing with the image of Lucas and the fiery rage of Devora clearly took its toll.
I find a smooth rock in the corner nestled against the wall of the cave. It may not be a conventional chair, but for our intents and purposes, it will do. I easily slit a vein, then bring my wrist to Embry’s weakening lips. “Drink, love.”
Her lips hungrily suck the nourishment offered, the lifeblood that will in no time have her back to full-blown badass, but right now, she needs to feast and rest. I hold her in my arms, watching her protectively as she takes the sustenance.
One day soon, I swear she’s going to officially be mine.
Vampire protocols for lords and masters, or my position be damned.
Just a few more critical steps, and then everything will fall into place.
When Embry has had her fill and I’ve wrapped my wrist, I transport us to Master Romano’s estate, which fortunately for us, is not too far away.
While it may be closer to the witches’ academy and an angry Devora than I’d like to be, he’s assured me that between he and Raven they’ve put up an even stronger shield to keep Devora out since the last time she came barging into their place.
The minute we arrive, I settle Embry in the great room, on the small sofa.
I head to the bar. “A glass of Descallia Red?” After seeing what she had to endure and not being able to intervene, I’m going to need something a little stronger than that.
Her voice is soft as she answers. “Descallia Red with a tequila chaser?”
It’s hard not to smirk. My love only drinks tequila when she’s out with the girls or really wants to let loose and play.
I indulge Embry, but she’s going to rest first before she expends any more energy.
I pour our Descallia Reds, and we both drink, sipping slowly, both just content and happy to be on our own, and to have come out of this battle.
We both know the ghouls and witches in an army like that are enough to take entire covens down.
But Embry is not just a soldier, she was a special ops soldier, a warrior of the most special kind.
Now she’s a mighty warrior with a special gift that she either didn’t have before or didn’t know about at all.
I let us relax, finishing our first drinks, letting the soothing blood and wine mixture begin to blend in our veins before standing to pour us our drink of choice tonight.
A margarita for my love with all the salt crystals and lime flavor she likes around the glass rim, while I pour two fingers of Delmar for myself before rejoining her on the couch. “You learned about the stone in the end of your sword recently, or were just suddenly able to harness it’s power?”
Her wide eyes meet mine over her tequila glass.
“Both. Gramma told me so many things long ago, but I just didn’t retain all the information for one reason or another.
I do recall her saying it had special powers and never to fight without it.
But, the shadow books, they warn the witches to beware of the half witch, half human who walks beside them sometimes acting as a friend, that she has great unleashed powers.
And with a heart full of rage and one magical phrase whispered under her breath can turn her sword into a burning torch.
It makes so much sense. “Devora really hated your great grandmother and all of your relatives. You’re not going to be safe until she’s out of the picture, Embry.”
Embry’s eyes grow wide, and the periphery turns purple as she takes a sip of her drink, watching me over the glass’s edge before setting it on the table.
She kneels on the couch and crawls into my lap, placing one leg on either side of my thighs, her mouth coming so close that I could capture her lips if not so entranced by watching to see what she wants to do.
She kisses my lips gently. “You have it all wrong, vampire. You see, I’m not the one who needs protection.
As long as I am alive, it is Devora who needs protection.
She is the one who has made it her mission to kill me and Lucianna, trying to send the vampires I love back to the dark ages, all while pretending to help us.
It is she who should run and hide, because I know the secrets of my own power now, and I’m not afraid to use them on that green-faced bitch. ”