Chapter 7

Sam was stretched out on his couch reading a book when a knock rapped on his chamber door. He muttered a curse and sat up. He had expected Queen Thema to come up later than this, at least after dinner. His mood had been dark after his encounter with the human in the library, and being disturbed in his private sanctuary was not helping.

What could the queen want that was so important? Perhaps she wanted to admonish him for being so rude to her guest. He hadn't meant to speak to Selene so harshly, but the rush of pleasure he felt at hearing his name spoken in her velvet voice had been… alarming. He didn't want her to do it again.

A second knock came, and Sam frantically shoved the book he was reading into the couch cushions before rising to his feet. He crossed the room to open the intricately carved wooden door.

Thema stood hunched in the doorway, panting. She looked up at Sam with a pained expression. "How do you do this every day? I feel like I"m dying."

"I told you we could meet in your study. The stairwell can be treacherous."

"How many stairs are there? I lost count after 300," Thema said. She tapped a claw against the swirling patterns on the door that Sam had carved years ago. "This is lovely, by the way. You"ve always had such a talent for woodwork."

He acknowledged the compliment with a brief incline of his head. The queen's habit of applauding his aptitudes was well-intentioned, but sometimes felt like the type of praise a worried mother would give her inept son. A bid to eradicate bad habits by reinforcing the good.

Thema entered the room, gracefully lowered herself onto the couch, then let out a yelp. Digging her hands into the cushions, she pulled out the book Sam had hidden moments before. One eyebrow lifted as she read the title, Yearning of the Storm"s Kiss. Sam's cheeks flamed.

It was no secret that Sam was a voracious reader. He loved spending hours in the library hunched over historical volumes, science tomes, and texts of mythology. But the bookshelves in his private chambers contained only two types of stories—adventure and erotica.

Thema set the book aside without a word. A small smile touched her lips before she looked up at Sam seriously. "I will get straight to the point. Perhaps you had better sit down."

Sam crossed his arms and stood before the fireplace. "I will stand."

"As you wish." Queen Thema leaned forward. "An old enemy has returned to Aurelia. It's the reason I have been meeting with the sisters these past few weeks."

"Who?"

"Zaybris."

Sam froze. Embarrassment about his explicit book fled upon hearing the name of the vampire who had kidnapped him from the Underworld. Rage, deep and compelling, surged in his chest before a red haze blurred his vision. His stomach tightened as if he were preparing for a blow. Fearing a loss of control with Thema in the room, he began to pace.

"Where is he?" he demanded.

"North. Holed up in what's left of Queen Lilith's castle. He's trying to usurp her throne."

"How do you know?"

"The Goblyns still living there sent word to me."

"Is he harming them?"

"No, but he's waging war. He wants the vampires to rise up and revolt against the queens. He thinks he's charismatic enough to convince them he should be the sole king of Aurelia."

"Why now? Why would he care what happens here when he's been gone for so long?"

"He was always an agitator." Thema said. "He was inciting violence and anarchy even before he stole you from the Underworld. He pushed vampires to flout the rules Queen Lilith set up for blood donation, and encouraged his kind to roam the night in packs, drinking from unwilling victims or draining them to death. I"ve always believed he knew more about Lilith"s disappearance than he would say."

Sam clenched and unclenched his fists. "Where has he been all these years?"

"I don't know. He carries a traveler's stone. He could have gone anywhere with it." Thema tapped a finger against her chin. "But I suspect he's been hiding out in the fairy dimension. Their pretentiousness would appeal to his ego."

Sam slumped into his armchair. He sat with his fingers steepled, imagining all the brutal, painful ways he could exact his vengeance. He wouldn't make it quick with decapitation or staking. No, he wanted to watch the filthy vampire's body rot and decay before his eyes. He would make him writhe in agony, begging for mercy.

"Fear not. I will destroy him," he murmured.

"I know you crave retribution, but I need him alive, Samael. At least for—"

Sam sprang to his feet. "Do not ask that of me!" he thundered. "You don't know the agony I live with, knowing he remains unpunished! It is because of him that my instincts are disordered, my head in constant chaos. I have to find him."

Queen Thema held up a hand. "I wouldn't dream of denying a Vengeance demon his due. But before you kill him, there is something I need."

"When I see him, I will not stop to perform favors," Sam bit out, now vibrating with pent-up energy.

"I know. But I'm asking you to try. If Zaybris still carries a traveler's stone—"

"It will be mine. When I kill him, it transfers to me!" The full impact of Queen Thema's words shot through him like a lightning strike. "It can take me home."

"Of course, but please listen. Inter-dimensional travel isn't the stone's only sacred property. It can be used as a scrying device to find things. Lost objects." Thema stood and stepped in front of Sam to peer up into his face. "Lost people."

Sam turned his head so Thema couldn't see how his face tightened. His greatest enemy, here within in his grasp and Thema wanted his focus on her sister. He growled. Sam knew very little about the lost sister of Aurelia other than the fact that she was obviously dead—beheaded or incinerated. After over thirty years of no contact, no clues, and no leads on her whereabouts, Queen Lilith's fate was clear. He watched the sun descend on the horizon through his balcony doors and wanted to punch through the glass. Every second delaying his return to the Underworld was a waste.

He turned to snarl at Thema and shout no, he would not grant her this boon. After so many years in exile, nothing would keep him from finally claiming his birthright in the Underworld. Yet he was struck by how small she looked. Her entire body seemed to lean toward him in desperation, her large eyes beseeching. She acted so strong, but in truth, she was quite fragile. A small demi-goddess, centuries old, trying to do her best by her people and those she was charged to protect.

When they met, he knew he had gone a bit mad living alone in the forest. Yet she had accepted him completely, never asking how he escaped the blood wagons. She had taken him back to her castle to give him a job, a home, an identity. She treated him like an equal—an ally and trusted friend. Almost like he was family.

A spike of guilt rose at his selfishness. She only wanted to be reunited with her kin and resolve a decades-old heartache. Wasn't that what he wanted too? He could grant her a final act of kindness after he unleashed all the violence, rage, and fury he'd spent so long holding back.

"Fine," he said. "Whatever you need. After I kill him, I'll use the stone to scry and send word of your sister's fate."

Queen Thema clasped her hands to her chest. "Thank you."

Then, in one of her typical mood shifts, she squared her shoulders. "Now, let's discuss the plan."

"I don't need a plan outside of taking his head."

"Be practical, dear boy. Lilith's castle is well-fortified, and I'm told Zaybris rarely leaves. Therefore, we must go to him. With a plan. He has surrounded himself with guards and is testing the loyalty of his former associates. They aren't just going to let a demon walk up to the castle to shake his hand."

"They will if I'm the demon."

Thema gave him an exasperated look. "My sisters and I have discussed many tactics, but after speaking with the Goblyns, we found the perfect enticement. Zaybris knows he can't raise an army of vampires in their current state—many of them are so decayed they're no better than walking corpses."

"True."

"He's seeking a way to regenerate their bodies and restore them to the youthfulness they knew before coming to Aurelia. The only thing that can do that is human blood. So… " Thema paused as if waiting for Sam to guess. When he failed to respond, she murmured, "I brought a human here."

Sam's lips parted. "Selene?"

"Yes! Vampires survive on Aurelian blood, but they don't thrive on it like they do on human blood. I set a trap in one of my portals, and miraculously, she came through. She's the perfect offering for him, don't you think?"

Sam didn't respond. A protective urge jolted through him, and his claws extended. He suddenly wanted to hurt Thema for her suggestion and steal Selene away to keep her safe. Disturbing visions ran through his mind. He could lock up Selene in his tower, or take her far away to live with him deep into the forest where he could protect her from the vampires and anyone else that might try to hurt her. He would keep her all for himself, and she would be so grateful. Naked-in-his-bed grateful. Anyone who dared to defy him would be destroyed—starting with the insolent queen sitting in front of him.

Breathe. Focus. Control. The words of his mentor echoed through his head. He reminded himself that he was in control of his instincts; they didn't control him. His anger began to ebb with each exhale.

He lifted his head to meet the queen's eyes. "This is wrong. You are cunning, but I've never known you to be cruel."

"Your meaning?"

"I have lived among vampires in this realm. We would be condemning this human to horrors you cannot fathom. She would be a blood slave—"

Thema perched on the armrest of the couch. "Ah, you think too little of me. Naturally, we won't let Zaybris have her. She'll just be bait. Dangle her in front of Zaybris to get an audience. It's all quite simple. You will pretend to offer Selene to Zaybris, kill him, and return to the Underworld. Done."

"It won't work. Why would the human agree to this plan?" Sam asked.

"She wants to return home. She'll agree to anything."

"So you would trick Selene, then trap her here in Aurelia?"

"Pah! We would be doing her a favor!" Queen Thema said grandly. "Trust me. I've seen the way females are treated in her world. They are dismissed, objectified, silenced, and violated. Why would she want to return to that wretched place when she can live here? She can reside in the castle. Or find a mate and live in another territory if she chooses. She'll have no shortage of fine offers."

The mention of Selene choosing an Aurelian mate caused Sam's vision to flash red. He swiped a hand across his mouth and tried to ignore the cold feeling that had settled in the pit of his stomach. It felt wrong to manipulate Selene so, especially when he knew what it was to yearn for home as she must. Yet Thema knew Gaia better than he did. If she believed Selene could be happier, safer in Aurelia, maybe it was for the best. Plus, could he afford to relinquish his only chance at vengeance? With the stone, he could leave Aurelia for good. Perhaps he could even find his fated mate in the Underworld.

"How do we proceed?" Sam asked carefully.

"You and Selene will leave tomorrow morning to go north. You'll travel by foot—"

"Just the two of us? By foot? But that will take weeks!"

"I know, but it's the best way to keep her safe. A demon and a human on horseback or in a carriage will attract attention. Word will travel, and vampires eager to please their future king will want to bring him such a treasure. You must walk by day, as they sleep, and keep her hidden at night."

The cold feeling in Sam's stomach grew spikes. Traveling with Selene? Alone? The thought of spending his days at her side, talking with her, providing her with food, and sleeping near her made his skin tingle.

"Wouldn't she be more comfortable traveling with another female?" he asked. "Someone like Arkaya or even Hollen?"

"You're the only one strong enough to protect her. We can't take any risks. Not when we're so close to getting what we both want. I trust you. And I know I can tell her to trust you too."

Sam really wished Thema hadn't said that. He barely trusted himself around other Aurelians, let alone a human who made him feel so… complicated.

Thema stood and shook out her skirts. "Now, I'm going to talk to Selene. You'll leave tomorrow at dawn. Queen Cebna has offered to help disguise her as a Nereid, and I have threatened everyone who's met her at the castle with death if they tell others of her existence."

Sam dropped his head as though he were being sentenced. "How will you send word about your gift to Zaybris?"

"I'll send a message to him once you get close," Thema's eyes gleamed as she walked toward the door. "Males are easy to mislead, so willing to believe in their own grandeur—not you, of course, my dear. But I'll lay it on thick to Zaybris. Tell him the sisters are so pleased by his return. We want to offer him a gift…"

Sam didn't want to hear any more details about the proposed transaction. "Do you need help down the stairs?"

"No need, I'll manage." She touched the doorknob then turned to lay her hand on the leather bracer encircling Sam's wrist. "Thank you, Samael. For everything. Safe travels and bright blessings."