Bonds of the Vampire King (Blood Fire Saga Book 7) by Bella Klaus (reading e books .txt) 📕

An excited breath caught in the back of my throat. What was it about Valentine that made every time with him seem as special as the first?

“Join me,” Valentine said in a voice that curled beneath my clothes and caressed my skin.

He didn’t need to ask twice.

Licking my lips with anticipation, I shouldered off the cloak, toed off my shoes, and unbuttoned my pants.

“I missed you last night.” Valentine stared down at me through the falling water with hungry eyes that darkened with each mounting second. “Did you rescue Kain?”

“Not without a fight.” I pulled off my top and tossed it over my shoulder and reached behind my back to unclasp my bra. “A few other things happened that kept me away, but I can update you on them later.”

“Anything I should worry about?” he asked with a frown.

I shook my head. “Everything’s all under control.”

Valentine stretched an arm toward me and leaned out of the water with puckered lips, but I held up a hand and stepped back. “Don’t kiss me on the mouth yet.”

His brows rose. “And you tell me I shouldn’t worry?”

I stepped into the shower, the hot water hitting my skin and melting away the tension of my muscles. It was the magically treated kind that made each drop softer than petals and smoother than silk, similar to what the nymphs had used in Hades’ bath. After beckoning Valentine closer, I cupped my hands around my mouth.

With a quizzical smile, he bent down, letting me whisper in his ear.

“Have you heard of corpusverto?” Paranoia kept my voice below the sound of the shower.

Valentine’s arm snaked around my back, his fingers sliding down to cup my ass. “You want to make love to me as a man?”

“No.” I swatted him on the chest and resumed whispering. “This is a prison break.”

He drew back, staring down at me with features now devoid of their former amusement. “If you’re thinking of swapping—”

“This is important,” I said. “Remember Nut and Geb? Well, I hired them the night you got decapitated, telling them I would pay double their fee if they’d take me to Koffiek and watch my back while I resurrected you.”

Valentine nodded, urging me to continue.

“They’re demanding payment in gold or organs,” I said.

His eyes widened. “Did you take this problem to Caiman?”

I rested my head against his shoulder and sighed. “There wasn’t enough money in the palace vault to cover the amount I owe them, and Caiman isn’t authorized to withdraw such a large amount from the bank.”

“I see.” Valentine’s words were as hard as granite. “And where are Nut and Geb now?”

“Mrs. Meg put them in the pocket dimension.” I tilted my head up, meeting his red eyes. “What’s wrong?”

“The palace stores are always full of gold in case of emergencies,” Valentine snarled. “It hasn’t been opened in decades.”

I slid a hand over his shoulder, wincing at the corded muscles. In his position, I’d also be furious to discover my money had been taken. “It had to be the Mage King,” I murmured. “That time we tried to rescue Aunt Arianna and the clan, he mentioned taking control of your finances when he pushed his shadows through your heart. If no one’s been checking on the stores, then I’m not surprised no one noticed the funds were gone.”

Valentine’s lip curled. “What a pity we can’t dredge him up from Hell to demand an explanation of what he did with it.”

“He probably gave your money to Kresnik.” I rubbed a soothing circle over his pec. “Once this mess is over, we’ll search his properties and see what we can find.”

“Alright.” Valentine exhaled a long breath. “I won’t have you breaking me out of prison just so I can withdraw gold when we can keep the twins confined and out of the way. Stay here with me until the end of my sentence.”

I lowered my gaze to the floor tiles and shook my head. “Kresnik escaped, made himself known to the humans, and is now baptizing them with his magic so they will fight at his side. If they die, they’ll rise as unstoppable preternaturals.”

“What?”

“I haven’t finished.”

Valentine stiffened. “There’s more?”

“The Council doesn’t care about the breach of the Supernatural Secrecy Act. This imprisonment is a ruse, because they’re frightened of your power.”

He didn’t speak for several heartbeats, letting the roar of the shower fill the silence. My throat dried, and I raised my gaze from the floor to meet Valentine’s face. His jaw tightened, as did his lips, but his eyes became unfocused, as though he’d withdrawn into himself.

An ache formed in my heart, which spread down to my tightening chest. It was impossible to imagine what it felt like to work with a group of people for centuries and discover they regarded you with mistrust. Hades, I could understand—lies and betrayal were part of the job description for the Demon King—but the others? I clung to Valentine, offering him my support.

“That’s what they said?” he asked.

“It’s what they heavily implied.” I squeezed tighter. “When I challenged them, they signed some stupid contract, saying that they’d clear you of all suspicion if you killed Kresnik.”

“And if I fail?”

I shook my head. “Then they’d be hypocrites, considering that none of them except Beowulf is willing to meet Kresnik in battle.”

Valentine drew back and straightened, inhaling a long breath through flared nostrils. I stepped back, studying his features for a reaction, but his jaw remained as clenched as his lips. As he ran both hands through his hair, he stared down at me with an intensity that quickened my pulse.

I slid a hand over his heart. “Sorry to shake your faith in those people—”

“Never apologize for being loyal,” he said. “What did the Witch Queen say?”

“Nothing much.” I raised a shoulder. “She seemed to go along with everything and didn’t raise any objections.”

“Because her priorities lie with protecting Striga,” Valentine replied, his voice bitter. “And Beowulf?”

“He was on your side a hundred percent, and