The Book of Azrael (Gods & Monsters 1)

“SORRY TO INTERRUPT. LOOKS LIKE YOUR BOYFRIEND WAS HAVING FUN.” Santiago smiled at Liam and the red lipstick on his lips.

‘Santiago. Kaden’s witch bitch. You look nice. Don’t tell me you dressed up just for me?’ I sneered. ‘How many times do I have to tell you? No means no.’

Several of his coven stood on either side of him, all dressed in overpriced suits with those fucking leather shoes. I hated leather shoes.

He smiled and leered at me. ‘I missed that mouth. So has Kaden.’

‘Oh yeah?’

I swallowed enough air to incinerate him and this entire building, but I didn’t get a chance to use it. Camilla called forth that green wispy magic and threw it at me. I heard Liam’s shout as my body flew back into the closet oval chair. Before it could topple over with my weight, it corrected itself. Green glowing loops bound my wrists and ankles. I tried to break the fragile looking vines, but it felt like an anchor was sitting on any part of my body it touched. I glanced up, seeing she had Liam strapped to the farthest wall with the same green bands biting into his wrists and legs. He had several more decorating him than me. A stronger bond to hold a stronger being.

I gritted my teeth as I struggled against my bonds. My chair slid back toward the table, the legs scraping across her precious floor before it stopped hard enough to make my head jerk forward.

‘You bitch.’ My veil dropped the second the words left my mouth. My form rippled and bent. The shape and masculinity I had imposed upon my body dissolved, and I was no longer the Vampire King but myself. His clothes melted away with the facade, revealing the white lace top and pantsuit I wore.

Camilla’s eyes roamed over my outfit. ‘Well, don’t you look lovely? All dressed up like a boss when we know you’re more of a groveling bitch.’

My head whipped toward her. I was furious. Between everything that had been building between Liam and me, waiting for this stupid meeting, and being set up again I was ready to rain fire. ‘Groveling? Last I remember you were on your knees more than I ever was, Camilla.’

‘Ladies, ladies,’ Santiago said as he moved to stand at the edge of the table, smiling from ear to ear. ‘Fight later, we’re in a time crunch.’ 

His smile was overly cocky as he looked toward the far wall. Liam’s eyes bled silver as he struggled against Camilla’s power. She stood in between us, one hand raised toward me the other raised toward Liam. She gritted her teeth as she poured more power toward him. I could see the beads of sweat forming on her head. He was fighting to get free, and from the looks of it, he was about to.

‘So you’re him? The World Ender?’  Santiago asked.

Liam’s gaze snapped to Santiago, and he gave him a once over before saying, ‘And you are a dead man if you lay a hand on her.’

Santiago laughed, placing a hand on his stomach. ‘Aw, Dianna, I think he is sweet on you. How cute.’

I ignored his comment, looking from him to Camilla and back. ‘So you two are friends now, huh? Typical. Every bit of a snake.’

Santiago laughed again. ‘Us? A snake? Who betrayed who first, Dianna?’ His brow lifted as he ran his gaze over me. ‘Where is Alistair?’

I leaned forward as far as I could. ‘Unbind me and I’ll show you.’

He shrugged, seemingly unbothered as he clicked his tongue. ‘Kaden wants you back, and he put an exquisite price on your head too. You should have been smart like Camilla. She is promised a seat after helping bring in you, him, and that damned book.’

My gut sank, knowing what awaited me once I was back. I would probably never see the light of day again. He would keep Gabby from me. I knew I would never see her again.

‘You’ll have to drag me back.’ My voice shook, and I didn’t care who heard or saw. ‘And I will fight you every step of the way.’

Santiago’s eyes flamed green with the force of his power as he leaned against the table, hands laying flat upon it. ‘We have a long trip ahead, and by the time I am done with you, you’ll be begging to go back. I will make sure of it, and I will enjoy it.’

‘You’ll die if you try,’ Liam said, cutting through my blinding hate as I glared at Santiago.

‘Shut him up, Camilla,’ Santiago snapped, his eyes never leaving mine.

My head was forced back, another coil of magic wrapping around my throat. It pulled tight, forcing my jaw closed so quickly I bit my tongue hard enough that I tasted blood. I grunted, my head spinning and my vision going black from lack of oxygen As quickly as it began, it subsided. 

‘Speak again and I’ll pop her precious little head right off.’ Camilla’s voice filtered through my pain and gasps for air.

She released a tiny bit of her power and I lowered my head, wincing as I tried to swallow.

‘Stop—the—idle—threats,’ I said, panting as I looked at each of them, tossing the loose tendrils of hair from my face. ‘He is only here for the book, just like the rest of you idiots. So stop with the empty threats, shall we?’

I gave Liam a pointed look. He seemed to understand that I wanted to keep them talking. His jaw unclenched and I saw his muscles relax a bit. He was still testing and pushing at his bonds, but he turned his attention back to Santiago.

‘Is this your plan? Work with the World Ender and kill Kaden? Kaden can’t die. You know that. Does he?’ Santiago said, his voice filled with such smug arrogance I nearly rolled my eyes again.

Liam’s eyes narrowed at that new little tidbit of information. Everyone thought Kaden couldn’t die but that was because no one ever attempted.

I shrugged, ignoring him. ‘Then where is he? If he is immortal and so all-powerful why doesn’t he just come get me himself? All I see is him ordering his fucking flunkies to drag me back. That’s what you are. You know that, right? He doesn’t give a shit about you or anyone. Only himself.’

Santiago and Camilla laughed. Santiago adjusted his suit and stepped between my open knees. He leaned in close and brushed the back of his knuckles against the curve of my cheek, tucking the disheveled strands of my hair from the side of my face. My whole body revolted. I leaned as far away from him as I could. The magic shackles and collar cut into my skin, but I didn’t care. ‘Well, I guess it’s a good thing I’m not desperate for his love.’

He whispered the last in my ear before straightening once more. That part stung, and I ground my teeth as I tried to think of a way to disarm Camilla’s spell so I could kill everyone in this room.

Santiago sighed, clearly bored. ‘It really was a valiant attempt, but we both know there is no way you can outsmart him, let alone beat him. You should have kept your perfect ass where it was. Oh well.’ He reached behind him, pulled out a gun, and pointed it at me. He flicked the safety off before cocking it and placing it next to my temple. The cold bite of metal made me sneer as he pushed it against the side of my head.

‘You’re so weak. You had to bind me to beat me. Some man.’ His lips curled, and I knew I’d hit a nerve. Good. ‘What are you going to do, Santiago? Shoot me? It won’t kill me.’

He shrugged the corner of his lip turning upwards. ‘It won’t, but it will make it easier for us to drag you back.’

I paused as what he’d said sunk in. I tried to look at him. ‘Us?’

He pointed toward the large window on the other side of the room. I felt my pulse quicken as several pairs of glowing crimson eyes looked at me from the jungle. Four large figures stood close to the glass, their horned wings extended. They grinned like primates, exposing black sharp teeth. One pressed its clawed hand against the window, those thick talons waiting to shred me to pieces. Another ran a thick black tongue up and down the window, leaving a trail of slime in its wake. I could see several more sets of those red eyes behind them. Fuck. That’s what I had felt when I arrived here. He had brought the Irvikuva. He had brought a lot. We were so fucked.

Thunder rolled off in the distance as lightning flashed across the sky.  A storm I didn’t know was coming. 

‘Irvikuva? Seriously?’ My voice was steady, but they would be a problem. They could seriously hurt me with their talons and teeth. Hurt me enough to slow me down, and if he had brought as many as I thought, then we were in deep shit. 

He pressed the gun harder against my temple. ‘I’ll give you credit though, Dianna, your little mutiny set his nerves on edge. But no matter what form you take, or the friends you surround yourself with, you will always belong to him. Kaden’s pathetic whore.’

I turned toward him and spit in his face. He reeled backward, using his sleeve to wipe away the spittle.

‘I love how men like you throw those words around like it’s supposed to hurt, to mean something. Yet you’re the same one who cried when he couldn’t get his dick sucked.’

The humor immediately left his face.

‘The powerful coven leader, who could have anyone he wanted, had cried like a baby because he was told no. Who’s pathetic now?’  

He raised the gun, resting the barrel against my forehead. ‘You’re a bitch.’

‘I know.’

He pulled the trigger. I saw the flash but was gone before I heard the echo of the gunshot.