A Shield of Glass (A Shade of Vampire #49)(65)

“He’s busy, sweetheart,” the Destroyer named Thadeus replied gently, an uncharacteristic tone given the usual demeanor of such an abomination. “He’s protecting the castle and keeping you safe.”

“Oh, you have got to be kidding me!” I snapped, overwhelmed by irritation and disgust.

Not only had he abducted her and forced her to hatch prematurely, Azazel had conditioned her into believing he was her father, protecting her from outside evils. Poor creature probably didn’t even know the evil she’d been living with all these years.

“I’m so weak,” the little Daughter sighed. “I’m always so sleepy and weak. Why can’t I go outside yet?”

“Let’s give it a few more days, sweetheart,” Thadeus replied, making my skin crawl. “You’re still recovering from your illness.”

“I’m always ill,” she moaned. “I haven’t been out in weeks…”

“Just a little while longer, Nova, and I’ll take you out in the gardens. I promise.”

I got closer, worried by her so-called illness. I needed to get a better look. Indeed, her skin was pale, with dark circles around her eyes. She looked a little too thin for her height, and violet veins were visible on her forearms.

A small gold medallion with a ruby eye hung from her neck. The gemstone flickered green on the inside. I had a feeling her illness was no illness at all. Azazel was drawing energy from the little Daughter, and I suspected the whole process involved that ruby medallion.

“They’re draining you,” I whispered.

I knew she couldn’t hear or see me, but still, I had to say it. I had to say it so that the gravity of her situation would truly sink in.

“Azazel is draining your energy, your life force… You’re getting weaker every day, missing the creature you consider your father, not knowing that he’s most likely going to kill you…”

Rage burned through me like an erupting volcano. All I could think of was getting to Azazel and snapping his neck like a twig. This was the epitome of his cruelty. The most horrible thing he’d done so far.

I had to tell Vita about this. She had to get the little Daughter out of there. My eyes teared up.

This was too much, even for me.





Vita





I waited for a couple of hours, nervously pacing around the room with a thousand scenarios going through my head. Bijarki was late, and my pulse was racing. I worried he’d been captured somehow, or that something worse had happened.

A knock startled me.

I stilled, not sure whether I should open the doors. So many ideas were racing through my head at the same time that I didn’t instantly realize it was most likely Patrik or even Bijarki, since my captors already had keys to my room and I had Patrik’s copies.

I opened the doors, but there was no one there. I poked my head into the hallway, but it was clear. I frowned and locked myself back in.

“Vita.”

Bijarki’s voice startled me, and I yelped, jumping back a few feet. My heart jumped, and an indescribable amount of relief and joy crashed into me. I couldn’t see him, but he was there, wearing the invisibility spell.

“Bijarki,” I whispered, blinking rapidly as tears came up.

I felt his arms wrap around me, pulling me close in a tight embrace. I felt his heart thudding against my chest as his mouth covered mine in a desperately passionate kiss. I whimpered under his touch, my hands feeling his firm shoulders and moving upward until my fingers found his short hair.

“Oh, Vita,” he groaned between kisses. “I’m here, baby…”

“Bijarki,” I breathed. “I’ve missed you so much…”

We couldn’t get enough of each other. Days had passed since I’d lain in his arms, skin on skin, our bodies and souls united, our love declared and flaring through our veins.

“I’ve missed you so much too,” he replied gently. “I’m sorry it took me so long to get to you. I was attacked by rogue incubi out to cash in the reward on my head. I thought I’d be able to walk off the wound, but I had to lay low and treat it, otherwise I would’ve bled to death.”

“You’re hurt?” I gasped, unable to see him while my hands moved down his chest, as if looking for his injury. He hissed when I touched his right side. “I’m sorry!”

“It’s okay. I’m okay,” he said, then kissed me again, this time short and sweet.

I’d missed his incubus nature, rattling my senses and heating me from the inside. He no longer held back in my presence, and I welcomed the mild lightheadedness and fire pouring through my limbs. I’d missed him.

“We need to go,” he said, his hands cupping my face as he dropped little kisses all over my cheeks, my temples, my lips.

“We can’t yet,” I replied. “I’m waiting for Patrik. We did it, Bijarki! He’s a Druid again! We broke Azazel’s control spell…”

He held me tight, his breathing ragged as his body trembled against mine.

“That’s… That’s great,” he muttered. “It means there’s hope for the others, but Vita, the spell will wear off soon, and we’re using the next batch together so I can get you out of here. I can’t be seen here…”