Page 84 of Bound in Blood

He is swiftly followed by Malachi. “Yeah. Because with all due respect, sir, fuck that.”

Baring my teeth, I pace away from them, enraged. This is like nothing else they have faced before. They have no idea what we are up against. I spin back around. “Giorgios is not alone. He has an army of vampires, demons, and warlocks with him. They are Skotádi, and they are far greater in number and infinitely more powerful than the army you encountered at his fortress.”

Xavier shrugs. “We have two dragons.”

“You do not understand. Giorgios is in possession of dark magic.” Dragons are powerful, but they are not immune to dark magic. “It is too great a risk for Ophelia to be anywhere near him.”

Axl shakes his head. “And what if it’s another trap? You go there, then he transports himself to wherever we are?”

“He will not discover your location because you will be leaving here. Only I will know your new location, and I would die before I gave any of you up.”

Malachi sighs. “But we’re stronger together, Alexandros. You know this. Look what happened last time he split us up. Are you going to risk that again?”

I roar, allowing my anger to spill out in an uncharacteristic display of emotion. Panting, I put my hands atop my head. My voice is thick. “I will not let my fear of losing her, of losing all of you, be the reason he gets his hands on Ophelia.”

Axl and Malachi blink, and Ophelia opens and closes her mouth, no doubt trying to think of a counterargument but finding none.

It is Xavier who speaks. “Let me get this straight—Giorgios has an army and some kind of dark magic abracadabra bullshit going on, and he’s gunning for you and he wants our girl. So your options are to go face him alone and leave us swinging in the wind.” He holds up his hands like he can feel the rage inside me building to a crescendo and knows I am not going to like what he is about to say. “Then he either kills you or he locks you in a cage again, and he comes for us anyway. Or…” He stares at me, and despite the lightness of his tone, he deep-blue eyes are pleading. “You go there with two dragons, three powerful and ragey-as-fuck vampires who want to tear off Giorgios’s head just as much as you do.” He takes a breath and jerks his head toward Ophelia. “And the most powerful being who ever lived—the woman who busted you out of a silver cage by simply thinking about it.”

She does have power beyond anything any of us can imagine. The child borne of fire and blood who will save us all. That is what I am most afraid of. I do not want her to save us. Those kinds of heroes do not get to live happily ever after once they have fulfilled their destiny. They save the world by making the ultimate sacrifice, and I cannot bear the idea of Ophelia being a martyr.

Ophelia places a hand on my cheek, her bright-blue eyes brimming with tears but her jaw tipped, defiant and strong. “I know you’re trying to protect me, but don’t you understand that I would rather die by your side than spend an eternity without you?”

I rest my forehead against hers, and for the first time, I do understand her. My instinct is to protect her, but she is more than capable of making her own choices. And if one of those choices is me, then I am not strong enough to deny her.

Chapter

Thirty-Eight

OPHELIA

Malachi licks the residual pancake syrup from my lips before giving me a kiss. “You missed some, baby.”

The sweet aftertaste of my delicious breakfast still clings to my tastebuds. “They were amazing, as always. Thank you.”

“I had to make sure my girl was fully nourished before our trip back to Montridge, now, didn’t I?” He grabs my ass with one hand and skims his fangs down my throat. “Especially as you were gracious enough to be breakfast to all of us this morning.”

Warm pleasure coils deep in my core, and I shrug out of his grip before things get more heated. “Speaking of our trip, I’m going to go find something more suitable to wear.” I flick the hem of the pink sundress for effect.

Xavier flashes me a smirk. “I was always partial to the miniskirt-and-tank-top look on you, Cupcake.”

Malachi winks. “Me too.”

I look to Axl. “Any special requests from you?”

He slides his arms around my waist and ducks his head to press a kiss at the base of my throat. “Anything that shows offthese beautiful curves is fine by me. But yeah, I was also a fan of the miniskirt combo.”

As I head to the bedroom, I consider my options. I haven’t worn my old “uniform” since we left Montridge. Was that really only a month ago? It feels like it’s been a lifetime. So much has changed, especially me.

Returning to Montridge has me giddy, but the reason we are returning has me on edge. How are we supposed to act remotely normal when the apocalypse is supposedly on the horizon? I can’t forget what Enora told me about the whole prophecy thing. And I know Alexandros is trying to protect me from the weight of that burden, but what if it is true? What if this is all connected and I am at the center of it all?

A thick knot of trepidation sits in the pit of my stomach, and I lay a hand on my abdomen. I remind myself who I am. What I am. I am an elementai. The last of my kind. Descendant of the great Azezal himself.

Always trust your light.Nazeel’s words come back to me, and I close my eyes and immediately find the dazzling orb seated within me. Flickering and sparkling like a miniature supernova. It increases in intensity as my powers grow stronger. And, with a deep breath, I find my inner peace. The calm within the raging storm that has become my life.

I roll back my shoulders and go to the closet to examine the contents. Osiris said we could take what we wanted, and what I want is sitting right there on a hanger in front of me. As if it has been waiting for my arrival. I run my fingertips across the soft black leather and smile. It’s definitely time for a new uniform.

All the guysare in the den by the time I’m dressed. Xavier and Axl have their heads bent over a map. Malachi is reading a book, and Alexandros is staring out the window, his hands stuffed in the pockets of his dress pants, the white shirt he borrowed pulled taut across his muscular back. He looks every inch the respectable professor again.

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