A Shield of Glass (A Shade of Vampire #49)(37)

Mairi gave her a firm nod and whistled to several succubi behind her.

“Oh, come on, you know about us too?!” I finally burst, though no one could hear me.

What else did she know?

I wanted to stick around, but, as usual, my vision ended arbitrarily. Darkness enveloped me, and I cursed under my breath, bracing myself for the third one.



As the image before me clarified into the black marble and limestone platform on top of Azazel’s castle, my chest constricted.

“Oh, crap,” I muttered, nervously looking around.

The three Oracles were still there, trapped in their glass bubbles. Abrille was the only one conscious. The other two had their eyes closed, looking pale, almost lifeless.

Night had fallen over Luceria as well, the indigo sky above sprinkled with millions of stars, a round moon casting its milky light over the land. It made the liquid in Abrille’s glass sphere glimmer slightly in a peculiar green, as she floated with her white eyes open and runes flitting across her skin.

Patrik emerged from below, occasionally looking over his shoulder. I had a feeling he’d snuck up without anyone knowing. He stopped in front of Abrille, placing his hand on the glass.

“Abrille, are you awake?” he asked, his voice barely a whisper.

The Nevertide Oracle moved her head slightly, as if reacting to his presence.

“Can you look into the present and tell me if Kyana is safe?” Patrik continued, biting into his lower lip.

Abrille shrugged before she looked away. Patrik sighed and took a step back.

“Silly of me to try,” he mumbled.

I felt sorry for him. He was obviously worried about his love. I figured then that I could very well reach out to Vita and let her know I’d seen Kyana alive and well, so she could soothe his concern.

I then turned around, and the blood instantly left my body. I yelped as I took a step back, ice shards shooting down my spine. Azazel stood in front of me, a grin slitting his face and the snake pendant quietly moving against his chest, its ruby eyes sparkling in the night. He had his hands behind his back, and he was watching me with childish delight.

Patrik sensed his presence and turned, unable to hide his surprise.

“Azazel,” he muttered.

“How are you, my darling?” Azazel asked me, sneering.

“Wake up, wake up,” I whispered to myself, my heart thumping.

The image before me began to fade, but Azazel snapped his fingers and it all came back into focus. I couldn’t wake up.

“Oh, come on!” I growled, balling my fists.

I hated the helplessness that came over me in his presence. I moved farther back instead.

“Not so fast, little one,” he hissed. “So nice of you to come visit! It’s been a while. I was beginning to think you were avoiding me.”

“What person in their right mind wouldn’t want to avoid you? Have you looked at yourself in a mirror lately?” I shot back, my blood boiling through my veins.

“Milord, I wasn’t… Little one?” Patrik mumbled, visibly confused. He couldn’t see or hear me, so it probably looked like Azazel was addressing him in the strangest of terms.

He raised a hand to silence Patrik, who bowed his head respectfully.

“It’s a pleasure to feel you and the other one still out there,” Azazel said. “I’ll be coming for you both soon enough, my darling.”

“I don’t know why you’re still gloating, you disgusting piece of trash,” I replied through gritted teeth. “You know you’re going to die. And I’ll be there to make sure you die a slow and painful death.”

Azazel chuckled, his fingers instinctively touching the pendant in a reassuring gesture. I’d definitely hit a nerve, since Vita had told him he’d fail.

“Whatever the future shows, it can be prevented,” he hissed. “I will simply have to go to greater lengths to secure my dominion, that is all.”

“You’re delusional, Azazel. We’ll tear it all down, brick by brick. And I’ll have the honor of nailing your coffin.”

“Worry not, little one, I will come for you soon. I will come for the both of you. I’ve got your suites all ready.” He grinned again, and pointed at three empty glass bubbles hung beneath an archway behind Abrille. “Let the others know I will not tolerate defiance and mutiny. Their heads will fall.”

His eyes flickered green as he snapped his fingers, and I suddenly felt a bone-crushing weight removed from my chest. My body felt light as darkness once again enveloped me. He’d set me free, but not without a message for us all.

He was coming for us.





Phoenix





My room felt very small. It wasn’t, but as the hours passed and I settled into a temporary state of comfort, the events of the past twenty-four hours finally started to crash into me. I felt the walls closing in as I lay in bed, trying to fall asleep.

My breathing was ragged, my chest felt heavy, and my mind couldn’t tear itself away from Viola. She’d been taken from me, and my heart hadn’t stopped bleeding since. I’d been in survival mode until I entered Stonewall. But as soon as the tension seeped out of my body, the anxiety began to bubble beneath the surface.

The image of her was seared into my memory, with her long, silky, reddish pink hair and violet eyes, her tender lips, and her sweet, innocent soul. I couldn’t feel her anymore, and I wanted to crawl into a dark hole and wither away.