Page 57 of Promised in Blood

She presses her lips together and mumbles an apology through our link.

Enora pays Ophelia no mind. “She did not make me aware of her motives, Alexandros. But you know as well as I do that Nazeel would mean no harm to any witch. She simply asked me to take an interest in the girl and determine whether she had any magical ability,” she explains. “As you are aware, having accessed my memories.” Heat blooms across her cheeks.

A better man would offer an apology for violating her trust and privacy, but I am not that man, and I would do it again—a fact she is well aware of. Her family swore an unbreakable oath to the Danraath witches centuries ago as penance for their involvement in the elementai genocide—a crime which Enora played no part in but for which she still had to pay.

“Who is Nazeel?” Ophelia asks, the words bursting from her as though she cannot contain them. “Do you know her? Can she be trusted?”

My ironclad control is being pushed to its very limit today, but I, too, have questions that I wish someone could answer. Pinching the bridge of my nose, I bite back my frustration and take the time to reassure Ophelia. “She is a member of the Order. A powerful witch. And yes, I know her.” I lick my lips. “I have never had reason not to trust her,” I admit. But why does she have an interest in Ophelia? Does she know the truth? If she did, surely she would… She would do nothing. Members of the Order do not act. They observe, or they do not remain part of the Order for long.

“The Order is no threat to anyone, Ophelia,” Enora says reassuringly.

I screw my eyes closed and concentrate, certain that all the pieces of the puzzle are within my grasp. If I could only connect them properly… But the answers I seek continue to elude me. “You must be curious, Enora. Has Nazeel ever asked such a favor of you before?”

The witch shakes her head. “No, and of course I was curious. But you witnessed the memory. She simply told me that she believed the girl had been overlooked and needed a chance to unlock her potential. And has that not happened?”

I rock my head from side to side, simmering rage growing hot and tight inside my chest. “I beg your pardon?”

Enora gives me a wry smile. “Do not toy with me, Alexandros,” she says, repeating my own words back to me. “The girl’s powers have been unlocked. I sense it in her.” Her gray eyes sparkle with undisguised glee. Understandable, considering her incorrect assumption that Ophelia is a witch. “You must pledge for Silver Vale, Ophelia. The closing ceremony haspassed, but for someone with such potential, we can bend the rules.”

“Not a fucking chance, Cupcake.”Xavier’s growl of warning is echoed by his brothers.

Enora huffs indignantly. “I believe that is for Ophelia to decide.” She glares at me. “Surely you will allow her to pledge, Alexandros. It is cruel to deny her the opportunity to learn from her peers. She already fits in so well here at Silver Vale. Your…” Pausing, she wrinkles her nose and scrutinizes my three boys. “Offspring will be permitted to visit, provided they can behave themselves with the expected decorum.”

So unaccustomed to flattery, Ophelia’s cheeks turn a brighter shade of pink than her hair.

Do not even think about it, little one. You are ours, remember?I warn her. I do not believe she is tempted by the offer, but it is important that she knows her leaving us will never happen.

If Enora knew my boys and I were bonded with Ophelia, she would not dare suggest such a notion, but since the extinction of the elementai, vampires rarely choose to bond. And whilst I trust Enora more than most, the risk of her knowing about our bond is too great.

“Thank you so much for the invitation, Professor, but I love where I live.” Ophelia offers her signature sweet smile. “And Malachi has been helping me learn about magic and spells and things. He’s actually really knowledgeable about witchcraft.”

Enora shudders, no doubt appalled at the very idea of a vampire teaching a witch, and her youthful veneer slips for the merest fraction of a second. Once she has recomposed herself, she says, not unkindly, “It is not the same as being amongst your own kind and learning with your sisters, sweet child.”

“She will learn with her brothers instead. Together, we are more than capable of giving Ophelia what she needs.” I grab Ophelia’s hand and thread our fingers together.

Enora’s expression lights with awareness upon seeing my overt show of possession. “Oh. I see.”

“Ophelia will remain at Ruby Dragon,” I declare, not bothering to hide the nature of our relationship. “She will not be pledging to any of the Vale houses.”

“It is selfish to keep her from her kind, Alexandros, and you know it. And one day, she will resent you for it,” she says, not unkindly, but I do not need her warning.

“No, I won’t,” Ophelia snaps, finally showing the feisty side that she typically keeps buried in favor of respecting her professors. Until now, I have only ever seen her speak to me in such a way, and even then, only after I pushed her beyond what any other person could deem reasonable.

“You are too naive to see it now, child,” Enora says in that soft, singsong tone she uses to lull people into her web. “But one day, you will see that these boys are not what you need. Vampires and witches are not a good match.”

Axl, Xavier, and Malachi growl, all of them edging forward. I raise my free hand, stopping them in their tracks, and allow an edge of danger to tint my otherwise aloof tone when I speak into her mind.Just because you could not keep me in your bed, Enora, do not dare to assume you know anything about me or my boys.

Her face flashes with the pain of rejection, but it is nothing less than she deserves.

You and Professor Enora?Ophelia’s hurt-filled voice floods my thoughts now too. Perhaps it was cruel to allow her to hear, but I do not wish for there to be any secrets between her and me.You have much to learn about vampires and witches. We all seek the pleasures of the flesh, but that is very much in the past.

She tries to pull her hand from mine, but I refuse to allow it.Behave yourself, or I will bite you right now to ensure your submission.

Her hand goes limp in mine, her jealousy assuaged, and I focus on Enora once more. “I do not wish to dredge up our past mistakes,filis mous. That is long buried in the distant past where it should remain. We were always better friends than lovers, you and I. Trust me when I tell you that Ophelia’s needs will be well taken care of at Ruby Dragon.”

“Yeah, we got everything she needs. Isn’t that right, Cupcake?” Xavier says.

Ophelia gives him an adoring smile and nods before turning back to Enora. “I do appreciate you looking out for me. And I do really like it here, it’s just that Ruby feels like my home.”

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