A Shield of Glass (A Shade of Vampire #49)(66)

“We can’t leave yet. We’ll hide you in the dresser or under the bed if need be, but I can’t leave for now. Patrik’s gone out to get me the keys for these.” I lifted my cuffed wrists for him to see. “And he’s looking for the little Daughter, too. Azazel keeps her somewhere in here, and we need to get her out as well. We need to take her as far away from this monster as possible. He draws energy from her, and we need to weaken him before the alliance can strike.”

Bijarki paused, then gently kissed my nose.

“I’ll wait, then. I have enough for the three of us to cover several miles,” he said.

“Good, we’ll—”

A bump on the door made me jump. Then I rolled my eyes, knowing it was Patrik.

“You people need to stop doing this,” I muttered sarcastically as I regained control of my erratic pulse and opened the doors for Patrik. He slithered in as a black viper, then morphed into his tall and muscular self as soon as I turned the key in the lock and left it there, just in case Damion decided to come by. The last thing we needed at that point was a Destroyer casually coming in to find me with an invisible incubus and a Druid.

Patrik wrapped the bedspread around his waist, as I’d left it within reach on the chair, then handed me the little golden key I’d used to set Kyana free.

“There you go,” he said with a satisfied smirk.

He then crouched and placed his hand a few inches away from my ankle shackle. He muttered something under his breath, beads of sweat trickling from his forehead as he summoned his rusty Druid magic. He sent out an invisible pulse that knocked open the shackle. I was completely free, beaming at him.

Bijarki gave me a silent nudge, as if reminding me that he was still there. How could I forget, anyway, since his incubus nature sent hot flashes through my body?

“Thank you!” I said, then unlocked the cuffs. The obsidian carvings flashed green before the restraints clicked open and fell to the floor. “Patrik, Bijarki is here.”

“Where is he?” Patrik looked around, confused. He jerked to one side as Bijarki intentionally bumped into him.

“Over here,” Bijarki said, his voice low and tense. “Don’t you have any clothes?”

I stilled, looking at Patrik with slight amusement. I had a feeling Bijarki was uncomfortable with me being in the same room with a particularly hot looking and naked Druid. I didn’t really care, since I had my lover back with me.

“I… No, I don’t. I didn’t exactly have time to get pants while I was out there looking for the Daughter,” Patrik replied with a raised eyebrow.

I looked at one of the candles burning on the side table and focused on it, my hands out and my fingers itching to play with fire. I felt it surge through me, finally released after days spent under the confinement of those obsidian cuffs.

The candle light flickered, then swelled into a large, round flame as I manipulated it, a grin slitting my face. I stopped, then rubbed my hands with enjoyment, once again free to use my fire fae abilities.

“Okay, now that that’s out of the way,” I said. “Did you find her?”

“Yes.” Patrik nodded. “I know exactly where she’s kept. Thadeus is guarding her chamber, it’s next to the throne room.”

“Damion’s friend.” I remembered. “From Marton. One of the young Druids. Well, former, given his current state.”

“Okay, so how do we do this?” Bijarki asked.

“Vita!” I heard Aida’s voice across the room.

I turned around and saw her projection in the corner, bright and milky.

“Aida!” I beamed at her. “Bijarki’s here!”

Patrik stared at me, not sure who I was speaking to.

“Aida?” he asked, and I shushed him, raising my index finger to ask him to stay quiet for a minute.

“Oh, thank the stars!” Aida exclaimed. “Listen, there isn’t much time, then! You guys need to get the little Daughter out of there for sure! I saw her in a vision. Her name is Nova. She thinks Azazel’s her daddy, and Thadeus keeps watch over her. She’s weak. Ill, even. Azazel is draining her power, and it most likely has something to do with a little ruby medallion she’s wearing.”

“Her daddy? Ew…” I replied with disgust.

The last thing either of us had ever imagined Azazel would be capable of was any form of affection. After his affair with Tamara had gone sideways, Azazel had lost his mind altogether.

“It’s okay, we’ve got this! We know where he’s keeping her, she’s in a room next to the throne hall. I’ll see you soon, Aida!” I gave her a confident grin, and she blew a kiss my way before she disappeared.

“The Oracles have a personal connection,” I heard Bijarki explain to Patrik. “They can talk to each other, some sort of telepathic projection. That’s why we can’t see Aida.”

“Aida being the other Oracle.” Patrik nodded his understanding.

“Exactly,” I interjected. “Okay, now we can go.”

I wanted to ask Bijarki about the invisibility spell, given that we were about to leave the room, but I found myself breathless as I watched him reappear, like watercolors blooming on a blank piece of paper, as his cover wore off.





Vita