Total pages in book: 158
Estimated words: 145341 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 727(@200wpm)___ 581(@250wpm)___ 484(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145341 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 727(@200wpm)___ 581(@250wpm)___ 484(@300wpm)
The demon dropped to his knees. “Please, mistress,” he whined.
“Perhaps it wasn’t your fault. She is very astute and difficult to trick. Her downfall will be her brothers. She has always been too sentimental. I will get her that way.” She beckoned to the demon. “Crawl to me, Hattie, and you shall get everything coming to you.”
The demon immediately dropped all the way to his hands and knees and crawled through the snow to his mistress. She reached into her very chic jacket and pulled out a dagger with a spiral blade and a wicked point on the end. It looked suspiciously like the ones Afanasiv had seen in the caves the dark mages had practiced their arts in. She plunged the blade into the back of the demon’s neck, severing the spine.
The demon’s mouth gaped open wide in a silent scream. Olga twisted the spiral dagger out of the demon’s neck and plunged it into the middle of his spine. There was a cruel smile on her face as the dark blood bubbled and sprayed up like a fountain. Three more times she repeated the malicious action. She appeared to be in a state of animated bloodlust.
Afanasiv couldn’t help turning Vasilisa’s head into his chest and using his superior strength and his larger hands to keep her locked there. It is not necessary to witness any more of her evil depravity.
I need to determine if she is under a spell.
Afanasiv studied the cruel woman. He could distance himself from her actions, when he knew Vasilisa couldn’t. This was her beloved aunt. Olga was no longer that person. Who knew how long ago she had succumbed to her baser desires and sought out a master of the dark arts to help her achieve her goals? She had sold her soul to the devil. She served him—or his wife—now. There was a conspiracy against the royal house of wolves, and Olga was a major part of that conspiracy.
Olga shoved the body of the demon away from her with one foot. “You fool. I need blood from all of them. Vasilisa cannot escape us. As long as she is out there, no one is safe.”
Olga waved her hands in the air in a complicated pattern, chanting as she did so. The blood disappeared from her face and clothing where it had splattered over her. Afanasiv recognized the pattern. It was an old one the high mage Xavier had used often when he sacrificed animals or humans on his altar and the blood splashed over his robes. Siv had seen this in the minds of young mages who had practiced under Xavier but deserted when the Carpathian race realized he was trying to wipe them out.
Xavier is dead and no doubt is in the underworld, gnashing his teeth and desperately thinking of ways to return. Xavier was killed by Ivory and Razvan while Natalya and Vikirnoff guarded their backs. Xavier is one of triplets. His brother, Xaviero, has also been defeated and sent to the underworld by powerful Carpathian women.
I have heard of Xaviero. He tried to start a war between Carpathians and Lycans, and very nearly succeeded, she acknowledged.
Skyler was one of the women to defeat him. Ivory was also one of the four. The other two were Branislava and her twin sister, Tatijana. Three of the four women come from the legendary line of Dragonseekers. Razvan also comes from that lineage. They have powerful ties to the land. It is said that no Dragonseeker has ever turned vampire.
Vasilisa rubbed the heel of her hand along her forehead and down to her temple. She didn’t ask Afanasiv to remove her headache, but then, maybe she was unaware that he could. These two mages are no doubt in the underworld. They can wreak havoc from there?
Demons do, why not mages? Wouldn’t you enlist anyone who could forward your cause? Lilith would believe she could control them, just as she believes she can control the beast enclosed behind the gates. He is a prisoner for a reason. Afanasiv rubbed the back of his neck. We didn’t expect living so long to affect us so adversely. Once our soul is in tatters, scars begin to develop. They cannot be healed, even by our lifemate. If we find her, that is the miracle, but she cannot remove the stain on our souls. Those remain to remind us we crossed a line. Each time I go into battle or take blood to sustain my life, my soul is at risk.
Vasilisa once again reacted to his confession in an unexpected manner. Instead of pulling away from him in utter disgust and horror, she leaned her body into his and wrapped her arms around him. You have fought with honor your entire existence, Afanasiv. I do not think you would succumb to temptation now, when you have a lifemate. You aren’t going to give in to temptation while you are taking blood to sustain your life.