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

Healer Calla gestured at her neck, implying that I should open the fastening of my cloak. I shook my head, but Kresnik pushed her aside and stood in front of me with a wide smile.

“Thanks to our determination to make you, we have so many lesser shifters.” The ends of his fingers turned an incandescent white, and he reached for the fastenings of my cloak and flipped open the clasp.

My breath caught, and beads of sweat formed on my brow and trickled down my scalp. How had he managed to get through the reaper cloak when the Mage King had failed?

Kresnik turned to his audience and beamed. “Every shifter in the room owes their existence to Hemera’s phoenix. The older ones among you were practice runs so we would create the ultimate power source to guarantee your survival in the upcoming war.”

Someone broke into a round of applause and then stopped when nobody joined them. I couldn’t tell if everyone was awed by Kresnik’s story or fearing their own fates. No amount of brainwashing could make a person not see Kresnik’s intentions.

“Since perfecting Hemera, we’ve had more dragons, ifrits, and even a manticore.” He gestured in the direction of where Martika sat and stepped back.

Healer Calla stepped forward, holding the shears. After unbuttoning my denim jacket, she cut through my sweater and bra before sliding a cool finger down my breastbone. A draft swirled over my clammy skin, cooling it to goosebumps.

As Kresnik walked away to continue his speech, Healer Calla’s lips moved as she stuck her fingers into each notch of my ribs. Her finger slid beneath the crease of my breast, and she tapped a spot between my ribs.

“What are you doing?” I whispered from between my frozen jaws.

“It looks like she’s going to do something nefarious to your fifth chamber,” Hades said, sounding fascinated.

My heart galloped around my chest like a wild stallion. A wild stallion whose tail had caught fire and was trying to outrun the flames.

“You owe me,” I whispered. “Help.”

“If your soul ever reaches Hell, I’ll find you a nice spot in my palace,” he said, sounding like he was doing me a favor.

My eyes narrowed. Considering he’d originally planned on keeping my soul as a pet, his generous offer probably involved me sitting in a gilded cage.

Healer Calla returned with a long needle, its tip sparkling with dazzling magic. I thrashed within my invisible bonds, but they tightened around my body. It was no use. Even if I pushed my magic down to my lowest chakra, her needle would still access the root of my power.

“Alright.” The old woman placed a steadying hand on my left breast, holding it taut so she could impale me in the right spot. “Hold still.”

I squeezed my eyes shut, clenched my teeth, and waited.

Warm droplets fell onto my chest, and Healer Calla’s arm slid off my breast. I opened my eyes to find the old woman staring down at the point of a knife protruding from her ribs. Blood bubbled from between her lips, spilling down her chin.

Healer Calla fell backward to reveal Aurora reeling on her feet.

Gasps filled the air, and a sharp breath whistled through my teeth. Aurora had just stabbed an old woman through the heart to save my life. I stared into my mother’s eyes. Eyes that shone with determination and love and pride. Eyes set within a face I wanted to remember for the rest of my life.

At that moment, I saw the similarities between her and Aunt Arianna. The candlelight softened her features, bringing out the high cheekbones and heart-shaped features they shared, as well as their gentle smiles.

Aurora had bought me an opportunity to live another day—one I hoped she wouldn’t have to pay for with her life.

“Run,” I whispered.

Somebody on the left side of the room screamed, followed by another and another and another until the cries echoed across the chamber.

Kresnik’s roar tore through the sound, ringing through my ears. The magic holding me up loosened, and I dropped to the floor, cracking the back of my head. Stars exploded behind my eyes, and pain radiated across my skull, making me hiss through clenched teeth.

“What is the meaning of this?” he roared.

With a groan, I rolled to my side and pressed my hands onto the floor to scramble onto my hands and knees. Fire crackled through the air, accompanied by the sounds of rushing feet and candles falling to the floor. I shook off the sensation of a symbol crashing against the back of my head and stumbled to my feet.

Most of the people from the edges of the room huddled along one wall, using each other as shields. Kresnik stood on my right, his body seeming to broaden with rage. His red hair glowed brighter than stoplights and more incandescent than the flames of the remaining candles. He loomed over Aurora with hands that had formed six-inch claws.

“Get back, Miss Griffin.” Hades' voice sliced through the sounds of panic. “Use this opportunity to escape.”

Maybe this was my fatal flaw, but I couldn’t leave Aurora to face the wrath of a fallen god. That’s what Father Jude had called Kresnik once, but I hadn’t paid the phrase much attention.

Aurora raised her chin and met his gaze with the same determined eyes. Droplets of blood splattered onto her white dress, but I think it came from where she’d stabbed Healer Calla in the back.

“Explain yourself,” Kresnik snarled.

“You have gone too far, My Lord,” she said in a voice as unwavering as steel. “The plan was to use the children’s magic to defeat the Supernatural Council so that fire users could live without persecution. Nobody ever agreed to turn them into preternatural vampires.”

Kresnik backhanded her across the face with a streak of fire that hit her with the crack of a whip. “You have disappointed me for the last time.”

My hands clapped over my mouth but did nothing to suppress my scream.

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