Thrall of the Vampire King (Blood Fire Saga Book 4) by Bella Klaus (elon musk reading list .txt) 📕

one had ever mentioned that part of the upcoming war would involve donating my power to resurrect Kresnik, and it looked like the others were struggling to come to terms with the loss of their magic. Aurora’s features tightened. Perhaps she thought we were all being selfish. I didn’t understand why Kresnik was using her to explain his actions.

My mind skipped back to Hades. He was unlikely to agree to a truce with the fire users, but if I couldn’t break Valentine out of Kresnik’s control, I might have to accept less.

Aurora blew a whistle, making everyone fall silent. “The Supernatural Council has been shaken by their recent defeat, and every day, we capture ward breakers testing our defenses.”

I placed a hand on my chest. They’d started counter-attacking already?

“Lord Kresnik wishes to put together a team of elites to retrieve every child and young adult within Logris who possesses fire magic. He will only consider those of you he deems strong enough to participate.”

Everyone around us straightened. Coral turned to me and raised a brow.

My shoulders twitched into a shrug. There were hundreds of fire users he hadn’t drained of power, yet he wanted to pick candidates from a barren pool? Something about this situation stank of rotten fish.

“Who will volunteer?” Aurora asked.

When everyone raised their hands, I let my arms flop to my hips. Even if I wanted to rescue those people, I was too big a liability in my current state.

Aurora blew her whistle again and ordered everyone to run counter-clockwise around the training room. I slumped further against the wall, watching most of the people break into sprints.

Coral scooped her arm beneath mine. “Come on.”

“You go without me,” I muttered.

“Trust me. You’ve got to be seen to make an effort.” Her arm tightened around mine, and she hauled me across the room.

“What are you doing?” I whispered.

We passed Aurora, who stared at us through narrowed eyes. Most of the others who had started from the corner behind us had already overtaken our slow stumble, and the group behind them brought up our rear. I glanced over my shoulder at Aurora, who walked to the door, trying to stop someone from coming inside.

Brother David shoved her aside and ran in the opposite direction, making a shudder trickle down my spine. He’d died during the battle with the demon enforcers, but Kresnik had left him dead for too long before bringing him back to life with my phoenix flames. Now, he was soulless but alive. It was no surprise Brother David was acting strange.

My feet slowed to a trot. “Did you see that?”

“Never mind him,” Coral muttered. “If you keep letting that vampire inject you with thrall, you’ll become addicted and never want to leave his side.”

“I think that’s what he wants,” I muttered back.

“You’ve got to stop it,” she said as we walked around a corner.

“If you’ve got an idea on how to stop a vampire from enthralling you, I’m listening.”

Coral remained silent for several moments. “He’s loyal to Kresnik, isn’t he? Just tell Aurora you can’t complete your missions or participate in anything while enthralled.”

“She already knows—”

“Spell it out,” she said. “Aurora isn’t that bad when you get to know her. If you phrase it right, she might talk to Kresnik about it, who might have a few words with the Vampire King.”

It was worth a try, but I wouldn’t hold my breath. “Alright.”

Aurora blew a whistle. “Everybody jog on the spot.”

Still holding on to my arm, Coral jogged while I marched on the spot, breathing hard to stave off an attack of nausea.

“Separately.” Aurora glowered in our direction.

As soon as Coral pulled her arm away from mine, a powerful spasm seized my stomach, making me drop to my knees. Red fluid spilled from my lips in a series of noisy convulsions that made everybody stop and watch. Even Brother David slowed to take a look at what appeared to be mouthfuls of blood splashing onto the floor.

“Coral,” Aurora snapped, sounding like I’d sabotaged her event on purpose. “Take her to the infirmary.”

A gentle hand rubbed my back as the spasms softened into ripples and the occasional hiccup, then the taller woman wrapped an arm around my waist and raised me to my feet. I placed a hand over my mouth, trying to keep my digestive system from expelling even more of its contents, and we continued out of the training room.

“What’s wrong?” Coral whispered on the way to the infirmary.

I kept my gaze to the floor, avoiding the glances of the denim-clad warriors. “Too many blood stabilizers?”

“Too much thrall?” she asked.

“Does it make you sick?” I asked through ragged breaths, hoping not to spew even more of that liquid on my boots.

“No,” she said with a long sigh. “Just immensely euphoric and craving more.”

“Oh.” I clutched at my stomach, trying not to retch. Maybe if I’d been bitten somewhere I felt safe, the thrall might have been pleasant, but I couldn’t enjoy much in Kenwood House. Not with that undercurrent of danger.

Coral slowed and opened the door to the infirmary, where Healer Calla stood behind the counter. My gaze darted to the shelves on the left of the room, which were now devoid of both crystals and Tibetan singing bowls.

I gulped. This was the kind of clue I would have wanted to share with Valentine, but his soul had been spirited away, and his body was keeping me in this enfeebled state. I made a note to ask Hades a guarded question the next time he slithered back.

The healer closed her leather book with a gentle thump. “What happened to you, dear?”

“Either too many stabilizers or too much thrall,” I said with a grimace.

After throwing her pigtails over her shoulder, the old woman strode around the counter and opened the door that led to Father Jude’s old room. “Hop on the table and let’s take a look at you.”

Coral guided me into the darkened room and helped me onto the treatment table. I lay flat on