Page 23 of Vampire Sins
However, unlike the time I’d made a portal with the power of my Blood Stone, this one wasn’t nearly as bad. The pain sputtered out as quickly as it’d come. Perhaps witches would be a little bit better than me at making portals.
The incubi who’d been giving Luke a beating—which he’d been allowing with a manic grin plastered on his face—stopped in their tracks when Xavier and I stepped out of thin air.
I whirled around, wondering if I’d see the portal, but there was nothing there.
“Princess?” one of them breathed.
“Get the Queen!” another shouted.
I turned back around and blinked. Did they just call me a princess? Who the fuck was this Queen?
We all froze when Silvia stepped into view. There was no doubt about what she was anymore. Brilliant, beautiful wings spread out from behind her and she flared them, sending light from the chandeliers rippling over the dark, metallic feathers.
“Ah, my darling. I was hoping you’d come home.” She spread her arms. “You’ve finally come home.”
I was too dumbfounded to react, and was only brought out of my stunned silence by the sound of a fist smacking into Luke’s face again. His face lashed to the side from the force, but he righted himself again, blood running over his lips and chin as he grinned. He was a master of pain and he was just toying with the incubus guard. “That all you got?” he asked.
“Silvia!” I shouted, rushing to put myself between Luke and his attackers. “Tell them to lay off!” We weren’t here for her, or them. We just needed a quick ride to Seattle and it happened to land us in her living room.
The guards gave her a glance, and she nodded their dismissal. “I’m terribly sorry,” she said as she swept to our side. She paused when she spotted Xavier, still as death, lingering at my back. I hadn’t noticed him either. He was good at not being seen when he didn’t want to be. “Oh,” she breathed with a small smile lighting her face. “I didn’t know you brought another one.”
Xavier bared his fangs, but she didn’t seem much bothered by it. “I’ve heard of you,” he hissed with much more venom than I felt was warranted. We were the ones who’d intruded on her property, after all, and I hadn’t forgotten that Silvia was the one who’d given me the resistant. Derek didn’t hold power over me anymore because of her.
She bowed her head, elegance in every inch of her movements. “I should hope so, son of Hades. All good things, I would like to think. There aren’t too many of us on Earth. I wouldn’t want our notoriety to be diminished by rumor.” She glanced at Luke when she said that.
“I’m very sorry that we’ve intruded,” I explained, hoping my men wouldn’t escalate the situation. Even though I was grateful to Silvia, I didn’t know much about her, why she’d helped me, much less if she’d do it again. “If you don’t mind, we’ll just be on our way and—”
She straightened. “Oh, but dear, I’ve been waiting for you.” She raised her hand and magic hummed, making my breath catch. She didn’t imprison us, even though I had a feeling that she could have. She slowly lowered her fingers to her side, curling them into a fist. I should have run then and there, but what kept me in place was the look of desperation that crossed her features. “You see. I was hoping you could help me with something, before you go.”
My Guys
Sonya
“There isno way I am helping that woman!” I shouted at the top of my lungs, not caring who was listening. I would say it right to her face. No. I would not help her free my—our, demonspawn daughter into the world.
Apparently Derek had trapped her in one of the lower levels of the house. Only the oldest homes in Seattle had basements, and naturally Derek’s mansion was one of them.
“I’m not talking about helping Silvia,” Luke insisted, standing aside Xavier, because for the first time, they both agreed on something that I very much didn’t.
I growled with frustration. “This is no fair! Two against one!”
Xavier smirked and crossed his arms. “I’d say it’s very fair. We’re powerless against you, my dear. Strength in numbers is the only way to go when it’s time to talk some sense into you.”
Glowering, I stormed in a small circle, which was all the bedroom allowed. Silvia had insisted we stay the night, since the prison facility would be closed and we couldn’t very well go rescue the Seer without a plan. I hated to agree with her, but I hated it even more now that Luke and Xavier had spilled our whole story.
“She did some sort of truth spell on you two,” I insisted. That was the only explanation of why Luke had gone from toying with the guards to telling the half-naked woman in her white nightgown with brilliant wings all about our plans. “Now she’s convinced you that you have to turn on me and protecther!” I felt so betrayed. I thought our bond was stronger than that. Hot tears formed and threatened to roll down my cheeks.
I could have used the power of my Blood Stone, or my new vampiric speed, but Silvia had one thing right: I didn’t have much of a plan. When she offered us to stay in one of the bedrooms, I was grateful at the chance to get my guys away from her.
“She has witches,” Xavier explained. “Venice is in a state of devastation and Hades has no witches to spare. I came with you to protect you, but Silvia is offering a coven, which is something I don’t have. We need her.”
Luke nodded his agreement, taking my hands in his and stopping me from my mindless pacing. I glanced up at him, hating how those crystal blue eyes trapped me with his sheer adoration. “Sonya, I know you think Silvia cast a spell on us, but she didn’t. When I saw—”
“Her wings,” I bit out. “You saw wings and suddenly you thought she was someone you could trust. Well, she is the mother of a demonspawn, isn’t she?”
Luke leaned in closer. “And so are you. Should I not trust you?”
Growling, I yanked my hands free of him and barreled past Xavier to flop on the bed. The vampire eased himself down beside me and pushed my hair away from my face. His red eyes beamed with excitement. “What’s got you in such a good mood?” I grumbled.
