Page 71 of Of Bone and Ash

“Sir, please!” Alastor tries to calm me as I storm down the hall, reaching into his jacket and pulling out a black handkerchief that he offers me. I take it with a simple nod, too upset to say anything about the blood and injury Serafina gave me. My magic flickers around my ankles, making the servants scamper away like scared little rabbits. “I understand you are upset. But there are only four vials left!”

“And what of it? All of my father's possessions were left to me. I can use them as I see fit,” I snarl back, hands clenching and unclenching at my side. “Who the fuck is that Dragon!?” I add as I walk to the bolted steel door that leads into the safe room on my side of the castle. Everything I have of value is in this room. I quickly input the code before pressing my palm against the pad and waiting for the small pinprick on my finger for DNA analysis.

Only those of Zephyr blood can open this door, and since my father ensured all his bastards were killed before they reached adolescence, I’m the only one left. This vault stayed sealed for almost eight years until I came of age and was begrudgingly allowed into the castle as my father's heir.

What I found inside is what I expected, mainly gold and gems, along with several old books on the dark arts and magic. The keypad of the vault lights up green, and I hear the whirring of the metal bars releasing along with a burst of magic that pops, allowing me entrance as the door swings inward.

“Which Dragon is that, sir?” Alastor asks in a calm voice, tapping at the digital pad in his hands as he moves his thin glasses from the top of his head back down to his nose to read.

“The one with Demonic magic,” I grind out, more than a little furious. After the murder of the first Councilman Covington and the death of my father, I made it my life’s mission to figure everything out about those damn warehouses they had used. As far as I’m aware, there are only two Demonic spliced Fae in existence. The other three had died during the preliminary testings, leaving the Covington siblings as an oddity in the world.

I was able to collect the information before the warehouse where Serafina and I were tested was discovered by her brother. All knowledge of me and my connection to his sister is safe from his hands. I thought I had all the information about all the other test subjects, including the Fae, who has Angelic magic and is running around unsupervised and undetected by the Fae Council. But nothing in my findings reported an Alpha-class Dragon Shifter with high-level Demonic magic. His magic is only slightly less than Royal status, meaning whoever donated it is from a prominent and powerful family.

“Demonic magic? There is no other Fae out there besides–”

“The Covingtons. I know. But explain to me why I just had an enormous Dragon shatter an illusion that most Royal Demons couldn’t before killing five of my men?” Granted, Serafina helped kill them, and I’m trying to ignore how fucking amazing she looked doing it. It really doesn't help being physically attracted to the woman you hate most in this world.

“Do you have a description? Was it a student or a member of the Balaur Patrol? I’ll have it looked into and bring you all the information I can,” Alistor replies, tapping at the screen in his hand as I walk into the vault, heading to the back corner where a small, clear tray with four glass vials holding a clear liquid resides.

“Black hair, brown eyes,” I start to list off as I reach out and grab a single vial of the magic-blocking serum Dante Covington created along with a syringe. After a brief moment, I grab a second vial, an idea forming in my mind. Most of this serum has been destroyed, his son actively seeking out all the underground warehouses and eradicating them. However it looks like my father had hidden a few before his death. “Tattoos. Mid-twenties, maybe early thirties. He seemed too old for a student, so I’d assume he is a Balaur Patrol. And he knows Serafina. He called her by name, and they fought together. They are…” I take a deep breath as I try to control my anger. “Familiar with each other. Their fighting techniques are the same. Meaning someone in the Covington family group trained him since the girl has been under lock and key until recently.”

Alastor nods, looking up from his tablet, his hand moving to slick his gray hair to one side as he studies me. “Covingtons? You know if that boy has any connection to those people, it will be impossible to find?—”

“Just do what you can!” I roar, my temper snapping, red and black magic filling the small vault and making Alastor jump back so fast I’m almost worried he’ll fall. Shit. I need to calm down. “I’m sorry. Please see if you can find a name,” I growl as I stalk out of the vault and turn, locking it back up. I have far too many enemies in this castle to be leaving my personal items unsecured. “I’ll take it from there once you have that information.”

Alastor nods, swallowing hard, and waits for me to start walking back down the hall, trailing behind as he always does. “Sir. You asked me to keep an eye on Prince Malik and report anything newsworthy,” he starts to say, and I freeze, not liking where this is going.

“Yes?” I prod, tightening my grip on the vial in my hands.

“He plans to attack Silverwood tonight. He needs forty more girls in order to complete the prince’s requests and plans to take them from the human village at nightfall, then what they can’t get there, he plans on taking from the university.”

“That many at one time will attract the notice of the Vatican,” I mutter, a thread of worry worming its way in as I try to figure out what to do. I was hoping to rest and restore my magic reserves before taking Serafina. But if that fool Malik is attacking tonight, I can’t wait any longer, and I have the sneaking suspicion he’s not only attacking the university for the girls he needs but for Serafina as well. His hatred for me is enough to warrant the time change on the attack.

“Have the princes signed off on this?”

“Three of the five have, sir,” Alastor mutters, sounding less than happy about that answer. “One of which has planned to supervise the event to keep Angelic hands out of Malik’s plans. They are readying for war, sir.”

I shake my head, moving faster down the halls, ignoring the servants as I go. War. Something that Demons have been preparing to wage for decades. These fools think they’re ready to go against the Angels. Sure, they have the numbers, but in the last decade, the Angelic world has made more ties in the Fae realm.

I scoff. Let them go to war. With any luck, the Angels will eradicate them and save me the hassle of doing it myself.

“Very well. Gather my Hounds and men. I want them outfitted with weapons that can combat Fae and Demonic magic. I also want a few trained Dragon Hunters on hand just in case,” I add, thinking of the man who thinks he can keep me from Serafina. “We are retrieving Serafina tonight.”

THIRTY-FOUR

Serafina

“I’m hungry,” Teos mutters, snuggling into my neck as he stays curled around me.

“Me too,” I admit. Now that the high of being together for the first time has worn off, my stomach has rumbled a few times, and I’m starting to feel a little shaky. I haven't eaten anything today, and I’m starting to regret it. “I think I have some snacks in the kitchen,” I whisper, moving to get out of bed, then laughing when Teos growls and nips at my neck, his arms holding me tight, refusing to let me go. “If you want to eat, you have to let me go.”

“Or,” Teos whispers, placing kisses on the back of my neck. “I could just eat you again.” In an instant, I’m lying on my back, and Teos is between my thighs as he grins down at me, wiggling his eyebrows. I smack his chest and shove him off, making him pout as I sit up and swing my legs off the bed.

“As tempting as that is, I need some food. I haven't had anything today and I’m starting to feel a little nauseous,” I admit, making Teos' playful smile fall off his face in an instant.

“Shit! Why didn't you say something before the shower? I could’ve grabbed you a snack or something,” he says, jumping out of bed and then frowning when he realizes he doesn't have any clothes.

“Getting clean was more important,” I say, moving to where the clothes I had grabbed earlier lay on the floor. “And then, well… you distracted me,” I admit, gesturing at his naked body. Teos smiles, the broad, cocky look of a man well pleased. “Don't let it go to your head,” I add, making him laugh.

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