Page 125 of The Exiled Dragon

Chapter Seventy-Three

Odessa

“Tellme,mate.Whois behind it all? They are going to destroy my home.” Scorpia’s hands cupped Mortus’ face. He looked at her so longingly. Mortus tried to give me that same look; it only made me fear him more. I was glad his obsession with me was over, but what of Scorpia?

Could they live together happily if he was forgiven by her? Or were his sins far too great that Osirus wouldn’t let him ever leave that stake alive? A bond was sacred here, a gift, and was to be cherished, and what was going through Scoripia’s mind was something I didn’t want to ever go through. The burden, the heartbreak to find out your mate was someone so evil as this Vampire and to choose to keep him or leave him. Can she leave him when the goddess gave them to each other?

Mortus rubbed his cheek into her hand, feeling her warmth. Scorpia’s wings shook. By fear or the tingles that shot through her, I would never know. “The King, or Emperor as he likes to call himself, of the Rogues is Virion,” Mortus breathed, raking in her scent. “He started as a sorcerer and practiced necromancing.” Osirus slammed his hand on the railing, breaking the trance Scoripa had with Mortus. Shaking her head, she pulled Mortus’ face back to hers. “Keep going,” she muttered. “This will help. Keep going.”

“Emperor Virion, a year ago, cast the ultimate spell to communicate with demons locked in Tartarus for having too much power and evil thoughts against their master, Hades. Not one but three demons possess his body, undetected by Hades since only their souls inhabit the living. Their bodies are left in Tartarus. The three demons are supplying him with power to take control of this world and the new magic that is evolving, black magic interlaced with Dragon Shifters’ blood. Its power will soon surpass the gods.” Osirus’ grip broke the banister. Creed pulled me further away from the railing.

“Necromancing is forbidden,” Osirus growled. “How did we not know!?” Cyrene appeared from the curtain that sat behind Osirus’ throne. Her smile graced her face as she saw me but quickly disappeared, nudging Osirus.

“He must have had a coven cloaking him, and once he pulled the demon’s souls into his body, they now cloak not only him but the rogues we cannot see. The magic they now created with the Dragon’s blood will only grow. Magic evolves, and even Hecate herself can only manage so much without interfering with mortal lives.”

Mortus licked his lips. “My lips are parched, my pretty little Fae. Please, just one kiss, and I will tell you more.” Scorpia shook her head.

“You ask for a lot for a Vampire on death row,” she chuckled, wings fluttering soundlessly.

“Just a taste,” he pleaded. “Everything you want to know as soon as my lips are filled with your taste.”

“Will you bite me?” she whispered while her lips became closer to his.

“Not unless you bite first,” the bastard smirked. My stomach rolled, turning away from the scene unfolding. I couldn’t watch as Scorpia kissed the second in command of the Rogue army. The crowd booed, the sound of food squishing onto the sand while their lips parted.

“He plans to take out all the royal families. He’s promised Vampires unlimited food and the Witches and Warlocks more power. Once this land is destroyed, void of life and all other supernaturals, they will gather the armies and go to Earth. Humans put to work as slaves. Vampires will no longer live in the dark and feed on the humans.”

The crowd stood still. Even the birds in the sky would not sing while Scorpia dropped her hands, glancing behind her to Osirus. Closing her eyes, Mortus held a loving grin, looking up and down her body. “My beloved, this is all I know. Any other plans and his whereabouts change daily. He appears when he wishes and gives orders at his will. I have not spoken to him in weeks.” Scorpia stepped back from Mortus, and his smile began to fall.

“My Scorpia, I told you what I know. Please, come back to me. I’ll do anything you say.” The ropes tightened, rubbing across the stake. Scorpia’s eyes bore into Mortus while he struggled.

“How does it feel?” she hissed. “To be rejected by your mate?” Mortus’ face fell further, and his eyes leaked those crimson drops into the sand.

“What?” he uttered helplessly.

“I waited my time, saved my kiss, my body for my mate.” She stood taller, her fingernails piercing the palms of her hands. “The goddess chose you for a reason for me, and yet she still gives us the agency to choose.”

“No.” Mortus shook his head.

“I will not be mated to a murderer, a coward who hides, chooses a mate out of desperation, and does not wait to find the other half to his soul!” Scorpia screamed. Her wings fluttered, flying closer to Mortus’ face, nose to nose with his evil. “I am not a saint like Princess Clara of the Cerulean Moon Kingdom. I do not forgive so easily,” she whispered in his ear. “I, Scorpia, a warrior of King Osirus’ royal army, reject you, former Duke Mortus of Vermillion. May Hades not have mercy upon your cursed soul.”

“NO!” he cried out. “I will NOT REJECT you!” Scorpia turned her back and fluttered away, back to the wall where King Osirus stood above her. Her back held straight; her wings stood still as she stood at attention.

“Do as you will, Your Majesty.” Osirus held his gaze to her.

“Are you certain?” Holding back her tears, she nodded. Her arms crossed, watching Mortus scream in pain.

“I think that is enough torture,” I sniffed, holding on to Creed. “What could be worse than losing your soul mate? No matter how evil he is.” The crowd did not share the same sentiment as the naked Vampire yelled profanities, no longer begging me but Scorpia, who stood and watched. Her fingers grazed her lips, eyes looking longingly at her fingertips.

She waited all her life to feel love, to give away a kiss, and she did it for her country, for King Osirus, and on top of it all, she lost her mate who made the wrong choices. Scorpia was a muscular warrior, protecting a nation she loved.

“It’s so sad.” Creed pulled me close, kissing my forehead.

“It’s as it should be,” Creed cooed in my ear.

“She will have another chance at a mate, one she deserves,” Ondi whispered behind me. All I could see was Scorpia trying to hold a straight face, watching the Vampire that should have been her mate. Whatever battles we would face in the future, I knew I had to step up and take my place. For mates to continue, to save Bergarian from any darkness that may befall it. I was blessed with magic that Hecate says will save us all, and by gods I was going to give everyone in this land an opportunity to find their mates, so they can feel what I feel for mine.

To have peace.

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