Chapter 82

Chapter82
“Whatthe fuck didyoujustsay?”Hayesroarsfrom behind me.
“That’s not possible.”Isayplainly,refusingtofall into his emotional trap.
There will be no losing my temper,no allowing himtocontrol howIrespond with such heinous claims. Lauren is dead. Damn dead. I know thisbecauseweremoved her damnheadfrom her body.
“She is a hybrid. I don’t know what the hell sheiscapableof. She may be fucking immortal for all we know.” Johannes says, pacing a way with his hands in his hair.
Heisdisheveled, hiseyesswirlingredwith hunger and his demeanor is frantic.I know he shouldn’t be here.Capsian said it himself the vampires havebowedout of this fight, choosing to run and hide.
Unless they didcreatea hybrid, onetheycan’t control and they want to escape the accusations and responsibilities that come from having created
one.
“Johannes,takeadamn seat.” Caspian says in a threatening tone.
“There is no fucking time to sit andeatafancy fucking meal, Fish man!” Heroars.“Giselle and Lauren are working together, but they aren’t the ones in fucking charge.”
“Itwould be a loteasierto make a plan if we knew what the fuckwasgoing on.”Isnap at him, losing my temper.
Lauren, being alive, does nothing but piss me off. It’s not because of who sheisor what she meant to me once.It’s jealousy that she is well and alive and my mate might not be. Colette has done nothing to deserve the shit thrust onherfrom all these bitches moving behind the scenes.
Johannes‘ eyes burn withfearand fury as he plops into a chair, lifting his arms in a show of inviting us to takeaseat with him. He is being a dick, one whoiscoming to make a show of sharing information like he cares, but he wants something. He always wants something when he wants to be cooperative. It’s how vampires always are:selfish and needy.
“Explainhow it is possible for Lauren to be a hybrid.” Isay. “And alive.Becauseasfaras I know, burning a vampire at the fucking stake or beheading themareeffectivewaysto kill your kind.”
He sighs, leaning back in his chair as he glances up at the ceiling and then shakes his head.
“Iknewyou would kill her. There was no way you wouldn’t, so I bit her.” he says it’sassimpleasthat.
But it’s not. Werewolves and lycans can’t survi a vampire’s bite, not when they feed off of us. Not only that, if it did what it was supposed to, whichisturn her into one of them,hermate’s bond with me would have been broken. That is something I would have unmistakably felt.
Laurendidn’t shield her fear or pain from me leading up to her death or as she was dying.Iexperienced every excruciating second of it until it snapped and she was gone.
“Isaidexplain, not give me vague information that doesn’t make sense.” I bite out. “Our mate bond was intact until she died.”
“I bit herwristandfedon her.Ithealedalmost immediately, but therewasno change in her like to be expected. Itwasa long shot, but…I loved her.”Johannes explains.“And until Iwentback to my coven after the attack and they showed me proof…”
Hayessnorts and shakes hishead, unbelieving of his tale. Not that I blame him. It’s all pretty far–fetched.
“Look! I amtellingyou the fucking truth here.” Hesayslike he is offended, we would assumeheis lying.
“Fine,sayyouarebeing honest. Why the hellareyouhere, tellingusallof this? Why wouldn’t you just side with Giselle and her army of dragons?”Caspianasks.
Johannesglancesawaybeforeheclearshis throat and leans forward with a sardonic chuckle as he shakes his head. Then he looks up atme, his tongueslidingoverhis teeth.
“Becauseifshe isunkillable,thatmeansmypositionis at stake.Lauren,being a vampire hybrid, now hasaclaim to my title and my throne.And asmuchas Icaredforher,Idon’tlike that she is more powerful thanmeand will eventually come to take whatismine.”
I push off thewall,stalkingtowardthetableasIyankoutachairacrossfrom him andtakeaseat. Hiseyeswatch me with curiosity before I lookoveratHayes, who seemstoconsider what Johannessays. Hemeetsmygazeandnods, then hetakesaseatnextto me.
“Youare sayingyouarejoining us becauseyouareworriedshewillbebetterthan you?”Iask.
“Yes!” he says,relieved we seemtounderstand. “I am theVampireHeir.Myparentsaretofinally hand me over their throneafterhundredsofyearsofwaiting.Itis mine.”
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Chapter82
“It’s not enough.”Ishrug. “It is not enough for ustotrustyou,forustobelieveyouareonourside. I needmorefrom you thanajealousstreakandafearof losingyourthrone.”
He stands abruptly,his chair clatteringtothe groundashepacesaway. Then hegroansin frustration and slams hisfistsontothe thick oak table. Thewoodcreaksandasplinteringracestowardme, stopping just shy of the edge where I sit.
“Iwillswear a fucking oath.” He says, his voice dripping with honesty and contempt. The very thought is revolting to him and it’s noticeable.
“Let’s start with you telling us everything you know.”Isaycalmly, which I know only makes him angrier. Nothing pisses him off more than me being thecool,calm andcollectedone.“And I don’t wantgeneralassumptions.Iwanteveryfucking boring detail.”
“Giselleis not a dragon.” Hesayslike it’s notnewsto us.
“Weareaware.”Caspiansays,playing with thewaterfrom hisglassasit floats above his fingertips.
“She tricked them. They think she isbecausethe Dragon lord claims to be her mate.” He says. “But with the use of Fae Magic, she canpossessanyone whoisweak–minded enough.”
His wordsarevery clearly a dig at my luna and I growl low in my chest as a warning to him.
“Colette maybenaïvein some regards but weak minded she is not.” I hiss at him and Iseea flicker of amusement. So I lean forward, a twitch in my lipasmy lycanresistsflyingacrossto throttle him. “Take another dig like that again, and Lauren will be theleastof your worries.”
He throws his hands up in surrender.
“The dragon king was the only viable target. She is a Phoenix, so she smells like fire, like a dragon.”
“And how did you know shewasa phoenix?” Caspianasks, sitting forward, the water sloshing back into the glass.
“Processof elimination,” he frowns. “She was able to use fire, but it was different from a dragon’s fire. Itwas…less controlled and she should have been able to just fly away on her own, but she didn’t. She needed to berescued.”
“Exactly.” Caspian hums in thought. “Merikh, I would like to speak with you for a moment.”
He then stands abruptly and walks out of the room, expecting him to follow. I look at Hayes, who has his eyes trained on our enemy turned temporary ally. He waves me off with a simple flick of his wrist.
“I am fine, brother. If blood sucker makes a single fucking move and I will gladly end him.” He mutters,and I don’t doubt it. Hayes has a lot of pent up anger and he is looking for a way to let out. I have no doubt that Johannes would be the one to go down. Mostly immortal or not.
I stand, patting him on the shoulder once before I walk down the hall and find Caspian pacing back and forth, his hands on his hips. He looksdistressed, his worried and tired eyes finding mine as he shakes his head.
“What is on your mind, Caspian?”Iaskhim with a frown and he shrugs.
“I amdesperate,” he says, looking sad. “We have to find her, even if it means joining forces with Johannes.”
“Fuck that!” I hiss,“Idon’t trust him. I killed Lauren. It wasn’t a simple stab wound or useofsilver. I madesurethere was no way out for herIfucking-”
“Enough, Merikh.”Helifts his hand with aheavysigh. “I am not saying I trust him or believe him. But heiswilling to take an oath.”
“Anoathis justfucking words,”Iremind him, and he frowns.
“Unlessyoumake himdoablood oath,”Icanseethe plea in hiseyes.
“No,”Iscoffand chuckle dryly, pacingaway. “No fuckingway.Iwill nothavehim linked to me with an oath,”
“This isColette,”He remindsme.“Yourmate,your luna.”
Idragmy hands down myface, groaningasI nod and sigh.
“Fine.Youareright.” I shrug andgivein.Heisright. This isn’t about himbeingthefuckerwho killed my father or oneofmyswornenemies.ThisisaboutColette,mylittleluna.And Iwilldoanything, including keeping this fucker attached to metosaveher.
Caspian clasps me on my shoulder inappreciationashesteersusbacktothe kitchen. When we walk in, we find that neither man hasmovedan inch. Both of them lost in a staringcontestuntil Iclearmy throat.
“Wewillinitiatethe oath.”Iannounce, silencingHayeswithastern glanceand hegrowlsunder his breath.
“Fine.” Johannes says, standing,butIcansee the tension in his shoulders. I halfexpectedto call him out on his bluff, but it seemsheis being
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