Page 113 of The Exiled Dragon

Osirus stood tall over the Vampire, cowering now in the corner. His naked form did not bother him in the slightest. His wings protruded from his body, turning a sickening black as the swirls encompassed his wings.

“I need you to listen, very clearly.” Osirus’ ominous voice had Melina’s wings shivering as she held onto Alaneo. As much as this was a serious moment, she found her king absolutely dashing when he got in one of his moods. “If I find out that you had any part in this, I will find your wife and children and end them. Do you understand me?” Dallin shuddered, continuing to shake his head.

“I swear, I swear.” His tears rained down. “I just wanted to protect my family. We moved away from Vermillion to get away from the rogues, but they are everywhere.” Osirus backed away, scratching his chin.

“Did they tell you any information about their plans?” Dallin rocked. Feeling horrible for the Vampire, Melina grabbed a blanket and handed it to him through the bars to cover his nakedness.

“That I was bait and looked the most like the Duke. I listened while I stayed in that cabin. It was all a ploy to get some girl named Odessa to distract her mate. They were to return to their hiding spot in the Forbidden Territory.”

The Forbidden Territory was called that for a reason. It was dangerous, containing creatures that even the supernatural had never seen live in the woods. No one dared come within miles of the area. Ogres and Orcs were kept there with high walls constructed over millennia ago. Then again, he had to witness several Ogres just a few months ago when Juliet, Alaneo’s mate, was threatened with being killed. There must be a breach in the wall.

Osirus stepped out of the cell, shutting it tight. “Braxton,” Braxton, one of his closest guards and friends, sauntered to Osirus. “Lower the voltage of the UV lights, give him enough food to settle him. He will remain here until we find the Duke to see if his words ring true.”

Osirus knew then that Dallin was telling the truth but keeping the fear in all Vampires’ eyes was what he craved. Melina didn’t question her mate. She grabbed his hand, to which he returned a gentle squeeze. As they walked up the stairs, they saw the rocks of the palace on the stairs, the claw marks on the walls, and now as they entered the main foyer, they saw nothing but pieces of hundreds of years old chandelier.

“I didn’t care for it much anyway,” Osirus patted Melina on the hand, who only held her eyes wide with astonishment. A nearby servant rushed to him, bowing, waiting for his orders.

“Ready the soldiers.”

Chapter Sixty-Six

Odessa

Throbbingpainintheback of my head made me twitch. I tried to put my hand on the back of my head, only to feel a grip tighten around my body. Groaning, I continued to squirm until I heard a series of cooing words. Feeling my Dragon, she was anything but comfortable. She was downright angry.

Unfamiliar smells filled my nose, like old copper coins laced with a hint of a deep spicy cologne that had me scrunching up my nose. The icy wall that held me close didn’t help with the smell; it only grew stronger the tighter the hold that came on me.

An icy hand buried my face into the wall, still not feeling the familiar warmth of Creed. My hands pushed away, still not able to open my eyes.

“It’s all right,” the familiar seductive voice sang through the air. My body instantly stiffened, knowing exactly where I was. Eyes opening quickly from fear, my body solidified, trying to curl myself into a ball. “We are almost there now.”

The Duke.

So, he wasn’t captured. It was all a trick. It was all too easy to capture him. This Vampire was smart and cunning, and I knew he would eventually find me. My guard was completely thrown away, thinking the palace's high walls would keep me safe. The deep fortress known as the Golden Light Palace, a place where I had thought I was safe, was nothing but a pebble in his path.

Continuing down the dark halls, the torches were swallowed by the darkness, his shoes clicked with each passing of his feet on the floor. My Dragon’s instincts heightened, feeling other bodies that surrounded him.

“I do not want to be disturbed,” he ordered to the Vampires behind him, one of them being the asshole that hurt Leaf. Gods, I’ve been thinking about myself. Is he all right? He was just an innocent child, and he was sucked into this mess with me. How did he even know that I knew who Leaf was?!

“Stand outside the door,” the Duke ordered, pulling me inside a highly decorated room. Gold trim, dark timber desks, and candles spread throughout. It reminded me of the same atmosphere the night he tried to take me. The king-sized bed was in the middle, covered with a dark purple duvet and matching decorative pillows. The hallways he led me down had me thinking we were in a bunker, which we very well could be, and this room was well equipped for his domain.

The Duke’s head leaned close to my neck, and I tried to tilt my head so his face couldn’t come close to my skin. He chuckled, still sniffing the side of my head. “Oh, this citrus smell will be the death of me,” he hummed, setting me on the bed like I was a precious flower.

The darkness of the room, the shadows stretched across the walls, gave me a chill. Scratching my nervous itch, I grabbed the decorative pillow beside me to have something physical to hold on to.

“You have given me quite a scare, my lovely pet. I thought I would never find you.” His back turned to me. He must be brave or stupid enough to think I wouldn’t do anything. My Dragon stirred in me. My fingers tried to bring out the claws that I so desperately needed. I was petrified, even more so, but I wasn’t the precious little flower I had been, letting him feed off me for months.

Straining, my fingers didn’t turn into the beautiful purple claws. Instead, they shook, feeling pain between my fingers. The Duke only chortled, pouring himself a glass of a dark, amber liquid, slinging it back quickly. The burn was clear in his throat as he let out a lip-smacking sigh.

“Don’t worry, lovely. I’ve calmed you, so you won’t attack me out of fear.” His eyes glazed over my body, the dress I wore having been torn at various places from traveling. Not sure how long I had been out or how far I had been taken, I shifted uncomfortably. They did something to me while I was out, and now I feared they could take the one thing I didn’t want to happen.

My bond with Creed.

Could he do that?

The Duke sauntered over, sitting on the bed. My back slid back, lining my back with the padded headboard. Scooting closer, his black-fingered claws traced my cheek, tears threatening to fall. “Don’t worry. Your Dragon is put away. The magic I had them cast on your human form helps the Dragon stay at bay. I know you are tired of playing house with that wretched beast, and now we can continue our courtship.”

Do. What?

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