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

I clenched my teeth. The worst part of what Hades said was that it was true.

After crossing the River Thames beside Kingston Bridge, we reached the outskirts of the palace, where the snow turned to sludge as thousands of people congregated in its grounds. Cars and campers and canvas tents littered its gardens, and humans streamed to and from a covered stage illuminated by spotlights.

“At least that explains why there was so much traffic around Kingston,” I muttered. “He’s probably invited the entire country to this concert.”

“Put him on screen,” Valentine said with a sigh.

The stage appeared in the bus’s front windows, complete with a twelve-piece band of men in black suits, thin ties, and Blues Brothers’ hats and Ray-Bans. Two groups of backing singers sang a funky version of the hymn All Things Bright and Beautiful.

Kresnik stood in front, clad in a tailored white suit with an equally white shirt and tie that I’d once seen Morgan Freeman wear in a movie depiction of God. His golden hair flowed down his shoulders with an unearthly glow that he must have created with his stolen light magic.

Surrounding Kresnik were the Rude Girls, a quartet of red-haired sisters who made up for their lack of singing ability by posting outrageous things about themselves on social media. Each wore identical camel-toe hot pants in a garish silver with long boots and sparkly bikini tops.

Tabby and Gabby, the twins, twerked at his left and right, while Bibi and Gigi clung to his thighs and rapped the lyrics of the hymn.

“Can he see us coming?” I asked.

Captain Caria shook her head. “The bus is warded, but we’re approaching the palace from the back just in case he’s particularly sensitive to magic.”

I nodded. If Kresnik had access to my phoenix, then he might be able to use my ability to detect different types of power.

We parked within one of the courtyards in the complex of buildings and waited for our opportunity to strike.

By the time we sat through Naughty But Nice and You Like it Rude and Crude, followed by a rendition of Amazing Grace, I was ready to ditch the Supernatural Secrecy Act and burn all five of them with my flames.

“Thank you, Bibi, Gigi, Gabby, and Tabby,” Kresnik purred into the microphone. “Let’s have an encore of Rude and Crude before Annie guides us all through an intensive session of meditation and prayer.”

I tilted my head to the side. The last time we saw Annie Chong, she had been in the studio.

“We have twenty minutes to find where Kresnik will take those girls. Thirty if he’s taught himself to last longer.” Hades extracted a curved dagger from his sword belt.

Valentine spread his arms wide. “What makes you think he’s—”

“That last song will give his high priestesses five minutes to prepare themselves to cover for him before he leaves to fuck those wretched sisters.” Hades walked across the bus and waved a hand at the doors, making them hiss open, flooding the bus with the booming bass of You Like it Rude and Crude.

“Are you sure about that?” I asked.

“Trust me.” He rocked forward on his heels and winked. “This is how horny charlatans schedule alone time with their nubile acolytes.”

“You ought to know, Your Majesty,” Captain Caria muttered under her breath as she walked toward the demons at the windows.

Hades shot his daughter a filthy glare, but she was too busy gathering her team to notice.

Valentine and I stepped down into the dimly lit courtyard surrounded by pillared walkways. Our feet sank into a foot of pristine snow, indicating that nobody had been in this space for at least a day.

The vampires and mercenaries streamed out of the exit, each clutching their weapons, followed by Hades’ demon enforcers. I stood at Valentine’s side, and Captain Caria stood by the Demon King as over a hundred warriors gathered around us.

“We can’t assume that we captured every fire user last month, so you must be vigilant,” Valentine said over Gigi’s rap solo. “Kresnik is resourceful and is capable of attracting supporters to his cause.”

“Especially now that he has so many humans under his control that he can offer in payment,” Hades added.

I pulled up the hood of my cloak and exhaled a large gust of condensation-laden air. We had to put an end to this monster tonight before he caused Great Britain any more mayhem.

Valentine cleared his throat. “Exercise extreme caution and assume that every human you encounter has come into contact with fire magic. If they die, they will rise and fight for Kresnik with preternatural strength.”

The warriors exchanged glances. Until Hades had mentioned the ophanim gobbling up the humans who had fallen at the wards, that little fact had also escaped my mind.

“Hemera Griffin,” roared an accented voice from the rooftops.

My heart sank. Who on earth could recognize me in my reaper cloak? The answer was obvious. I glanced around the building for signs of Kresnik, wondering how he’d noticed my arrival when he was supposed to be busy with the Rude Girls.

“Over there.” Valentine pointed at the highest tower.

A dark figure stood with his arms outstretched, backlit against the stage lights from the other side of the building and the moon filtering down through the snow clouds.

I gulped. Even though the grand appearance had Phantom of the Opera-levels of cheesiness, I still hated the thought of being singled out from a crowd.

“You left me for dead.” His voice shook with a roaring fury. “My insides were ash and char, but Our Lord offered me a second chance at life.”

“No,” I whispered.

“Who the fuck is this twit?” asked Hades.

My caped accuser pulled off his cloak, revealing a paler version of a loathsome face I had hoped never to forget.

“Nonaginta-Novem.” He swept down into an elaborate bow. “But you may call me November.”

“A preternatural?” asked Valentine.

“Yes, cousin,” he hissed from up high. “Thanks to your fiery whore, I will spend an eternity out of the sun, reviled by my royal family,