Page 3 of Crimson Devotion
“Does that mean you’re here to kill me?”
“No, my dear.’’ He chuckles. “But…we do not take what doesn’t belong to us.’’
“Pardon?”
I’ve gotten used to regular vampires. I’ve never had to deal with someone with Valerio’s strength, of his caliber. Hence why him reaching into my pocket, retrieving the bracelet, and dangling it in front of my face in less than a second gets me pissed.
“I’ll return this to the rightful owner. The woman you’re looking for is Ophelia.’’
“Ophelia.’’ I repeat the name, letting it roll off my tongue with ease. “Where can I find her?”
“Currently, she’s in our family home. In the castle in the mountains of Transylvania.’’
“Family home?”
Valerio simply nods, then takes a step back. “The seven of us…we’re siblings.’’
Now that’s unexpected. The revelation leaves me more confused than anything, and I try to wrap my head around the fact that the seven oldest, strongest, and hardest vampires to kill are siblings. It simply means that they’re just as unreachable as I thought they’d be.
“Why are you telling me this?”
“Because I like drama.’’ He smiles. “And because I cannotwait to see how Ophelia reacts to a human hunter appearing on our doorstep.’’
“Should I worry about the rest of your siblings?”
“No, only Ophelia is residing there at the moment. And Lucifer. But I don’t think you should worry about him. He’s been in a deep slumber for the past two hundred years. He won’t be waking up any time soon.’’
“Then—’’
“I’ve answered all your questions, my dear,’’ he interrupts, keeping his voice polite. “I must go now. I’m rooting for you. It’s been time someone put Ophelia in her place.’’
By the time I blink, Valerio was gone. The leaves rustle, falling next to my feet, and I’m left in a state of shock, daze, and something I can’t quite name. Excitement rushes through my veins, and a smile tugs at the corner of my lips.
Four years.
I’ve been looking for this information for four years, and finally, I can get my revenge.
And there’s no one to stop me.
TWO
Faith
“You’re not seriously going to Romania, are you?”
I turn around, hands on my big backpack. Yvonne stands outside the door, wearing a silky, floor-length dress. It accentuates her figure perfectly, and with a wide leather belt, it makes her waist look almost nonexistent. Her jewelry is spectacular, too. Gold and emeralds all over her waist-long, pearly white hair. She looks like a mystical creature, one from dreams and fairytales.
“Who told you about that?”
“Octavia spilled the beans as soon as you left the dining room.’’ She chuckles, stepping inside. Her heels click behind her as she walks, the flowery scent overwhelming my senses. “You know I can’t just let you leave, right?”
“Oh, really?” I zip up the backpack, then test its weight. It’s heavy, but nothing compared to the equipment I’m used to carrying with me on missions. “And how do you plan on stopping me, exactly?”
Her top lip quirks, a subtle smirk on her face. Her eyesglimmer under the bright light that’s coming through the window, her bright blue eyes almost translucent. She steps closer to me, tilting her head to the side.
“I think you’ve figured out by now that I have my ways.’’
I give her a sickly-sweet smile, lifting my chin up ever-so-slightly, a clear sign of challenge and defiance. She’s the head witch of the agency I’m working for, and although she’s in a position of power, far above me, she doesn’t control me.
