Page 93 of Cosmic Power

With a deep sigh, she told him everything. Laid it all out in the open despite the painful memories it brought on. She told him about her time with Barnabas. About how he revealed he was her father, and the ache that information left in her chest. She told him about the torture at the hands of the Gold King; the way he used his telekinetic ability to squeeze her brain until she thought it would burst.

The more she spoke, the angrier he became, his fists clenching on his knees and his body shaking with anger. By the time she was done, he was so stiff with tension, she thought he would explode at any moment.

Placing a hand on his closed fist to try and soothe him, she said, “I’m fine. Honestly. It was painful, yeah. But you got me out of there quickly, before any permanent damage could be done.”

“It wasn’t quick enough,” he snarled, his anger still building. “I’m going to kill him. I’m going to kill them all. Anyone who laid a hand on you, anyone who hurt you in anyway…they’re fucking dead.” Menace hung on every word, dripped from his pores. A dark, savage look crossed his face, one that vowed vengeance.

She had to distract him somehow. Get his mind off the images that where surely flying through his head right now of the Gold King torturing her.

“Have you had any luck figuring out who’s behind Night Flare?” she asked, giving his hand a squeeze before pulling back. “Last I remember, we found the vampires might be responsible, right? Any new leads?”

Instead of calming him down, her words angered him further. “Yes,” he growled, his eyes flashing with hatred. “Ophelia.”

Zamorra reared back in shock. “Red?! You’re joking.” She knew the red-headed vampire was a two-faced, snot-nosed bitch, but to betray Luther? She was honestly gobsmacked. Especially considering his history of betrayal. How could Ophelia do that to her own maker? It made Zamorra hate her even more.

“No, I’m not. Thaddeus discovered she was forcing a young mage—Ryker–to enchant the blood and make it viable outside of a vampire’s body. He was also the one casting the Camouflage spells on the dealers selling Night Flare.”

She frowned in thought. “Kylo and Arturo?”

“Among others.” He blew out a breath, running a hand through his hair. “The fact that she’s the one behind it all isn’t even the worst of it. She bought Ryker from other vampires and forced him into servitude, used him, knowing full well where I stand on exploiting and hurting children.”

“Hold up, wait a second.Bought?As in, like a possession? What the fuck?”

“Unfortunately, Ryker led a very harsh life before Thaddeus saved him at the Regent Meeting. The specifics are not mine to share.”

Zamorra understood that. “Fair enough. Why did she do it?”

“Because she could. She’s always had a sense of entitlement about her, like she was superior to everyone around her.”

Scoffing, Zamorra mumbled, “Yeah, I got that. Plain as day.”

“She felt there was money to be made and she didn’t care who she had to hurt to make it. Including her own kind.”

Sounded exactly like Ophelia, Zamorra thought.

She couldn’t believe the person they’d been hunting all that time was hiding right under their noses. While they were trying to figure it out, Ophelia was there in the background, covering her tracks whenever they made progress. It made her feel like a damn fool. She could only imagine how Luther felt about the whole thing.

“What did you do to her? When you found out?”

A wave of darkness rolled off him. His eyes glowed with madness. “What do you think?”

Honestly? She thought he made her suffer. Knowing what she did about Luther, he wouldn’t have gone easy on her, even if he was her maker. He already had a serious lack of faith in others since he’d been betrayed by Leilani. Add in another betrayal so close to home and he was liable to take all his anger and frustration out on her. And Zamorra didn’t blame him for that one bit.

“She’s still alive,” he said absently. “I was in the middle of torturing her when Navi found me. I didn’t get to finish what I had planned.” He smirked darkly. “But I will. Same goes for Maddox.”

A dark rage thundered through her. She remembered in vivid detail what that backstabbing bastard did. The part he played in her capture.

“I want a piece of him,” she hissed angrily, letting those dark emotions consume her. “That fucker was the one who let them into your house, Luther. He and—”

“Leilani, I know.” Just hearing her name come from his lips pissed her off. “I have cameras in the house that captured the entire thing. I saw it all. Don’t worry, she paid the price.”

Zamorra pouted. “You killed her?”

He arched a brow. “Don’t tell me you’re upset over that?”

“About her death?” she scoffed, “no. About the fact that I wasn’t there to watch her beg for her life? Watch her scream in agonising pain as you ripped her apart? Hell freaking yes.”

A deep, throaty chuckle rumbled out of him. He leaned back onto his hands and crossed his legs at the ankles. Tilting his head, he ran his gaze over her body, his eyes filled with passion. “I like your vicious side.”

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