Page 82 of House of Vampires and Flame

After I have a little more fun with the pretty vampire, the wild magic promised.

A twist of darkness formed into a shadow beast, roaring into Louis’s face, all terrible claws and fangs and nightmares. The vampire prince froze, his eyes widening. I bet he hadn’t known fear before.

“Go back to your house, Prince Louis,” I purred. “Next time, Underhill won’t be so merciful.”

“Who are you?” Louis whispered; despite his fear, he remained vicious.

“When you stare at the darkness, it stares back,” I quoted.

The shadow beast struck, slashing its claws along Louis’s chest and legs before tossing him out of the entrance.

“Don’t seek me out again, Highness.” I stood over him as I raised a hand to sort out my messy golden curls.

22

Vampires no longer patrolled the border of the shifters’ territory since my confrontation with Louis. For the next couple of days, life was peachy. Everyone, especially Silas, was worrying about their own shit, so no one came to bother me. Dixie and her team were busy with a new task that she didn’t tell me about, and with no one hovering over me, I spent my days roaming the school grounds, watching students practicing magic from a distance and picking a thing or two up for my future use.

I also enjoyed hanging out with Bea at breakfast. She always got to Jubilee Hall earlier than anyone else to avoid those bullies. When those douches arrived, she’d already finished her plate.

“Little Bea!” I grinned at her, joining her at a corner table and putting down a tray weighted down by dishes and three large milkshakes. “I have a question for you.”

My witch friend was a walking Wikipedia of magic and houses.

She eyed me and the food. “Where does that food go?”

“Do you really want to know?” I asked.

“No, but I know that you’re not eating for two,” she teased, in reference to those days when I had to let Louis drink my blood.

I pulled out a chair and sat to her left.

“Did you see lightning fizzing at Prince Killian’s fingertips last time when he came through the Veil?” I asked in a low voice, even though no one else was within earshot.

She nodded and leaned closer to me. “It’s not often that anyone gets to see his display of true power. The rumors say that he’s bonded with a storm dragon. No one sees the dragon though. All we know is that dragons went extinct after their last war.”

I pondered, remembering how I responded to his power alone and that I couldn’t siphon his magic. Maybe it had something to do with his dragon, or his questionable origin.

“Maybe he bonded with the last dragon,” I suggested. “Maybe we should call out his dragon to take a look for ourselves.”

My father hated dragons. Perhaps one of the two original gods who joined forces to defeat him was a half-dragon.

She gasped. “I know you’re crazy, Little Bob, but you aren’t that crazy, right? Tell me that you aren’t really going to poke the bear.”

“In this case, it would be poking the dragon.”

“Some say that the prince heir of the House of Chaos also has high demon blood, but it’s dangerous talk,” Bea whispered. “He has never explained his origin to anyone, and no one dares to challenge him. That’s why his house is called the House of Chaos, and his house accepts any hybrids or supernaturals of unknown origin. He’s the most powerful prince in the realm, which is probably one of the reasons that Queen Lilith chose him as her future consort. She’s been campaigning to be the High Queen of all the realm and make the House of the Underworld a legit house in the realm as well.

My heart skipped a beat then pumped rapidly at hearing about Killian’s woman, and bile suddenly rose to the back of my parched throat. I had no idea why I had this cold and terrible reaction every time I heard the name Queen Lilith. I was also baffled and angry at my possessiveness toward the chaos prince, especially since my cold logic kept telling me that I might have a stupid crush on him, but Killian wasn’t mine and never would be.

My mind chose this moment to replay the bizarre, scandalous sex scene that involved both Killian and me. It’d felt more real than anything. When he was balls deep in me, he had whispered, “You’re made for me, and I wonder if a man like me can still hope, as you’re probably the only one who can free me.”

I hadn’t understood, and I still didn’t get it. Free from whom or what?

“Who is this Queen Lilith again?” I tried my best to keep the snarl out of my husky voice.

“The myth says that she’s a direct descendant of one of the brightest fallen stars,” Bea said, “before they fell to Earth. Better not to talk about her, especially not to mention her name and draw her attention to us.” Her eyes suddenly turned eerily milky white. “Magic fades; Mist reveals, and Ruin comes. The chosen one—the cursed and the blessed—comes before him to bring tides. She’s the darkness in light and light in massive darkness. Find the buried living flame and hope kindles. Turn the wheels of the Fates and the vicious cycle stops. Time is running out. Beware of the hanged. Join the Brides Selection and be the BRIDE!”

My heart rammed into my ribcage. Was my witch friend speaking prophecy or just talking shit? Luckily, no one was near us. I dared not disturb her but stared at her, especially after I heard my father’s name spat out of her mouth.

---