A Meet of Tribes (A Shade of Vampire #45)(22)

“So you’re perfectly fine with hundreds of Dearghs perishing when volcanoes die out one after the other, while Azazel’s power grows stronger every day?” Hansa replied.

“What does one have to do with the other?”

The succubus threw her head back and laughed, mockery underlining her tone. Judging by the dark, stern looks on the Dearghs’ faces, I hoped she would soon deliver the answer to Urdi’s question before the succubi were all crushed beneath giant limestone fists.

“Wow, Urdi. You’ve been around for thousands of years, and yet you fail to see how Azazel’s power grew while your brothers started dying out! I’m disappointed,” she said. “Open your eyes, Dearghs!”

Her voice shot through the silence and echoed across the plateau.

“Azazel draws power from the volcanoes for his dark magic. The energy from these active mountains doesn’t just keep you Dearghs alive. It feeds his ability to corrupt and consume. It’s how he’s created Destroyers from Druids! It’s how he’s led successful campaigns against the incubi citadels. He rained fire and brimstone upon them! It’s how he keeps his spying eyes and ears open throughout Eritopia! Your life for his dark magic!”

The Dearghs stilled and blinked several times, their stone eyelids scratching against each other.

“Azazel is draining our volcanoes?” came Urdi’s reply, laced with disbelief.

“Yes! We know that for a fact, as we, too, have some eyes inside his city. It’s why he’s gained so much power in the first place, why so many incubi would rather bow before him than fight him.”

For a taut moment, Urdi stared silently at Hansa, taking in her words.

Then Urdi dropped to one knee before Hansa. “I will summon our brothers from the other clans today, succubus. Stay here, and join our council tonight,” he said.

“Your volcanoes are spread across the planet, Urdi. How will they all be here by tonight?” Hansa lifted an eyebrow.

“The volcano fires are portals from one mountain to another, my dear. It’s how we travel.”

I wanted to hear more, but before I could catch the rest of the exchange between Hansa and Urdi, the image before me dissolved into absolute darkness. I groaned.



Next thing I knew, I found myself standing in a narrow corridor with small green fires burning overhead in bronze plates hung from the ceiling. The flames threw peculiar lights across the black stone walls.

Several archways were carved ahead, leading to different chambers. As I walked forward, my ears captured noises from behind—shrills of pain and broken pleas. I didn’t like this place at all. Paralyzing terror threatened to wrap around my limbs.

I took a deep breath, reminding myself that this was just a vision and that I could not be harmed. I noticed a yellow light flickering ahead, where the corridor ended in another chamber. I passed through it and walked into a spacious room with a tall ceiling and torches mounted on the walls.

The floor glistened black beneath my feet. I looked around and couldn’t stop the yelp that escaped my throat. I covered my mouth and watched two nightmares conversing over a map spread on a massive wooden table.

One looked like a Destroyer, but larger than the ones I’d seen before. He was significantly taller with broad shoulders and a thick serpent body with black and brown scales. He wore a charcoal-colored silk tunic with gold embroidery on the edges and a massive gold pendant around his trunk of a neck. The pendant was strange, depicting a snake with rubies for eyes. It moved slowly and constantly, its body shaped like the number eight. Its endless slithering sent shivers down my spine.

I took a few steps forward and noticed his features—he’d once been a handsome man, but his square jaw and sharp cheeks were now ridden with black and brown scales, much like his lower body. His eyes were red—not just bloodshot but crimson even in his irises. His pupils dilated as he listened to the man standing next to him in front of the map.

I recognized the other guy as the Druid I’d seen getting tortured in my previous vision. He looked better now, but his deep-set eyes were dark, and his lips were a troubling shade of purple. His cheeks were sucked in, and his fingers trembled as he pointed at various locations on the map.

Despite the wails and cries for help oozing from the walls around them, both seemed perfectly focused on their conversation.

“Marchosi, do not talk to me in riddles. I didn’t spare your life to have to put up with your vague nuances,” said the massive Destroyer. He crossed his arms. Two fingers caressed the moving snake pendant.

I quivered with disgust. He creeped the hell out of me.

“My apologies, Azazel. Allow me to better explain,” the Druid named Marchosi replied.

My eyes grew wide as I realized I was standing in front of him. Azazel. The monster who wanted me locked in a glass ball, to serve him as he killed and pillaged his way through Eritopia. My inner-wolf growled instinctively. Oh, if only I could materialize in that room and turn into a werewolf so I could rip his throat out.

“Here and here are where the strangers were seen a few days ago, traveling up north through the Mohassian jungles.” Marchosi pointed at two spots on the map, and Azazel followed his finger along the waxed paper.

“What sources do you have?”

“Solitary Sluaghs I keep in my league. I found them bodies in return for their services,” the Druid replied. “They noticed unusual movements toward the northern mountains, and they followed the group, but they lost track of them in the woods.”