Chapter 55
Chapter fifty-five
Seraphina
Sera made her way through the underground manor, past the dining room and down the stone halls bathed in candlelight. She didn’t know how she was going to bring up her questions. She’d barely figured out what questions she wanted to ask.
As she stood in silence, watching him through the crack of the door, a warm glow came over her.
His hair flopped forward, and he was scrawling something into his ledger, quill in hand. She thought of the tether between them. A fate tether, Ophelia had said. Something that tied them together, no matter the cost. Vasso’s dead face against her hand flashed in her mind.
She gave the tether a yank. Vasso rubbed his chest, then looked right at her.
He gave her a wry smile. “Sneaky witch.” He left his desk, pulled her into his study, and closed the door. “Are you back for more?” he said against her lips, locking them with hers. She wanted to melt into him, forget everything for a while, and just… feel.
“Wait,” she said. “I have some questions.”
He straightened for a second but didn’t let her go. “Go ahead.”
“In the forest, when I saved the elken king, I lit two of the agbris on fire. They were down and burning—” Vasso dropped his hands from her waist; the flirtatious look was replaced by a neutral mask. “Al explained to me that demons can regenerate.”
Vasso stepped back, circling the desk, and took a seat in his chair.
This didn’t seem to be going well. She should have known that by mentioning Alistair, she’d get some sort of reaction.
That had been stupid. But all she wanted was to keep herself safe, and if there was a certain number of repeated kills she needed to reach in a fight, the more prepared she was, the better.
Sera perched herself at the edge of the velvet chair across from him.
“So you’re asking me to reveal demon secrets.”
“I guess so. I mean, apparently I’m half demon, so it would affect me too.” She hadn’t even thought about what that meant for her, but didn’t plan on trying the theory.
“Do you think me naive, Seraphina?” The light cast sharp shadows across his face. “I’ve been alive a long time, and if you think I’d share one of demonkind’s most valuable secrets, you’re mistaken.”
“But—”
“No.” He pushed up his shirtsleeves, revealing her raven brand on his forearm. “Just because I’m dying to bed you doesn’t mean I will lay down my secrets.”
Lust. She wanted him without care or consequence, despite what that might mean for her.
“I’m assuming you know a bit more now about this fate tether?” Vasso pointed between them. Sera touched her chest. “That’s a yes, then.”
“Yes, her cryptic bullshit about love or demise.” Sera stood, already tired of the turn this conversation was taking.
“Perfect,” he said and escorted her to the door.
“It’s like you fear me.”
“I fear what you could tell your precious bodyguard.” He sneered.
Sera froze. He thought she was going to tell Al. Give away their biggest secret for an advantage. Her voice shook. “I can’t believe you.”
“Why not? He still hovers around you like you’re his to keep. I’m sure he’d love some extra information about how to defeat us that he could feed to your Council.”
“So that’s it? You think I’m going to cause your downfall by revealing secrets?” She fisted her hands. Her magic raged within her as she glared at his perfect face.
“Did you forget that I lay dead in your hands?”
“You’re a demon lord! You could ruin me without a thought!”
Vasso let out a breath and took a step back. She held herself, not moving, only watching him pace across the dark carpet, one, two, three times. Then he was back. Close enough to breathe in, close enough to kiss. “I could ruin you in more ways than one, Subdina.”
Sera scoffed. She didn’t do what she wanted to: curse him, scream, point out that the scar on his cheek was from her. Getting into Gehenna was more important, and she wouldn’t be able to do it without him.
He towered over her. “I would burn and rebuild the world with you at its center. I would end every life on Eraphon, maiming and killing any being who would think to take you from me. Burn them with the vatra we share—and it makes no sense.” He caught a piece of her hair between his fingers and twirled, seemingly hypnotized by the feel of it.
“We barely know each other.” He pursed his lips.
“I’ve waited three hundred and fifty years—”
“You’re how old?”
He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Fate has decided we are tied together. We both saw how I ended. I’d be a fool to tell you my realm’s secrets in hopes that whenever I die, you’ll forget your promises to me and share them with your coven.”
Metaphysical bullshit. Fate bullshit. Every second of her life felt like it was layered in a thin coating of shit.
“And what do you choose, Vasso? Love, or should we kill each other? That’s what demise means, after all.”
His brows scrunched as if he couldn’t believe what she was asking. “There was never a choice for me.”
Her heart pounded. The tether between them grew thicker, from a single strand to a braid, all while she was staring daggers at him.
She wanted to believe that they could be together, but what could be given could be taken away. Sera knew the transactions involved in “love” well.
“I don’t want to fight with you. I just can’t trust you yet,” he said, and Shadow help her, he sounded genuine.
“You seem to trust me enough to be your naughty little plaything.”
His mouth broke into a wicked grin that had her closing her thighs tight. “I want you to be my plaything, oh, I do.” He grabbed her chin. “I could be yours too,” he whispered against her lips. “Give you that power… let you control me.”
Dangerous thoughts rushed through her mind. First, her on her knees, taking him in her palm. She imagined him tied to a bed, his eyes blazing. Then pushing his head between her legs…
But if he didn’t trust her, then none of it mattered.
Sera pulled her chin from his hand. She went to the desk, ripped a piece of paper from his pad, and scribbled a quick note. “I’m going to rest,” she said. “Tomorrow is a big day.”
“Seraphina—”
“I don’t know what you’re going to say, but don’t.”
Sera ripped open the door and marched back to her room. She clutched her raven pendant, and a moment later her familiar soared through the dark halls to land on her shoulder. “You’re connected to me, right?” she asked it.
The bird made a noise that sounded like a knock. She held up the rolled note. “I’m taking that as a yes. Bring this to Dominick in the Citadel fortress. He’s an oracle and a smart-ass. You can’t miss him.”
Her familiar grabbed the note with its beak and took off through the tunnels.