Page 70 of King of Inferno

“That doesn’t matter. My friends and I are here to help you.”

This Cole looks around as his brow knits. His gaze lands on me and then bounces back to the bishop. Recognition fills his eyes.

“No, I want no part of this. I’ve gotten myself into enough trouble. I only wished to help Seraphina.

“Not cross the kings. These two are not like us. Why would you bring me here?”

He shakes his head and begins to look more confused. His eyes begin to glow as he sniffs the air. I grin as I note he has picked up on what I had.

“You are of the dark. You and I are not the same either. What do you want from me?”

“I want to help you free Seraphina. You are to get her out of her cell and away from there, where I can locate her to bring her to me,” she says.

“How am I to get her from her cell?”

“With a little help from me. Take this necklace. When the opportunity arises, free her. The necklace will help then lead you to me.”

“But—”

The image of the male fades. The bishop growls and backhands her. He hits her so hard she spins before she falls to the floor.

I want to lunge at him, but I’m still unable to move. How dare he hit a woman? He has lost all principles.

I can’t believe this is the leader I once followed. Has this always been his true face? Or is this who he’s become after all this time of searching, waiting, and plotting?

“I asked you to find me the girl. What the fuck was that? If Seraphina is in their prison, why are you not using her to get me to them? What kind of games do you think you’re playing with me?”

“I’m not playing any games. This is the means to the end you desire. You once trusted me. I’m asking you to do so now.”

“Trust you? I am chasing four women I haven’t been able to capture when I only need one and you still haven’t explained to me why. Why am I on this wild-goose chase? Which one is she?” he seethes, spittle flying from his mouth.

“I told you. The charm was designed to find their mates. Not the child or the one with it.

“I do not know why you haven’t been able to find the one. All I know is that the charm is meant to lead you to the destined ones. Only their mates can carry their seeds. You know this and you were there when I spelled it.”

“If this is your emotions taking over, putting our cause in jeopardy because of matters of the heart, I will end you myself. Emotions have no place here. Especially not when I’m so close to getting this done.

“The time is now, Azar. I don’t have time for any games. Play with me if you don’t value your existence or that of Seraphina. Because I promise you, once I take your life, she will be next.”

“You can’t mean that,” she says as if in complete disbelief.

“Name once when I have said words I don’t mean. Now get out.”

Reward Earned

“Come on, Taylor. Hit the target and you can have your reward,” Bradan croons.

“Asshole,” I mutter under my breath.

I growl and create a ball of fire in my palm. He wants me to hit the target with one sphere of fire, but his big ass is standing in front of the target. The ball of fire has to go around him.

This isn’t an easy task even with superpowers. So much so, Ardan has been sitting on the floor behind Bradan to extinguish my attempts that have gone wrong. Billy had to step outside because I almost snagged her with an orb.

In addition to Bradan standing in the way of the target, he’s been taunting me by pushing into my thoughts my reward once I make this happen. How am I supposed to focus when he keeps showing me images of hot, dirty sex?

I’m already frustrated. Lee has been here for weeks, but I haven’t seen her since the third day after she arrived. Reilly hasn’t allowed her out of his sight. At least not to hang with her sisters.

My internship supervisor has been a dick to me in the last few days and I couldn’t tell you why. Then Angel has been calling me—for what, I don’t know. I want to be done with this so I can sit somewhere and think for a moment in peace.

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