Bonds of the Vampire King (Blood Fire Saga Book 7) by Bella Klaus (romantic books to read TXT) 📗

Valentine’s lips thinned. “Many of the shifters were turned into preternatural soldiers during Kresnik’s last reign. That would explain why the Shifter King is keen to take action. If the Demon King had a conscience, I would say he feels somewhat responsible for letting Kresnik’s soul escape from Hell.”

“He’s more embarrassed than anything else,” I muttered.

The elevator stopped descending and drifted sideways. “Why are you thinking about him now, of all times?”

“Macavity and I rode on his elevator. If it wasn’t for him lending me a priceless antiquity, I would never have survived for long enough to resurrect you.”

Valentine hummed, sounding unconvinced.

I stood on my tiptoes and pecked him on the lips. “Let’s wait until we’ve dealt with Kresnik before deciding what to do about him.”

“You really think he’s an ally?” he asked.

“He’s still incapable of causing me any harm, and he knows that hurting you will hurt me.”

The elevator drifted toward a spherical building containing curved windows on each of its five floors. Its sign said ATLANTIS HOSPITAL OF SOUL HEALING. I supposed the general hospital contained a number of wards with different specialties, each located in separate buildings, unlike how everything was centralized in Logris.

Tilting my head to the side, I frowned. “You remember the conversation we had about him in your soul landscape?”

Valentine leaned down and placed a soft kiss on my lips. “Thanks to Healer Hadriel, I remember every moment I experienced after dying. I’m sorry for putting so much pressure on you.”

“What?”

“My body making excuses not to resurrect, and my soul insisting that you restore me to life,” he said. “It must have been difficult.”

The elevator came to an abrupt stop, its elevator doors hissed open, and I turned to find Healer Hadriel sitting cross-legged and floating four feet in the air. White-blonde hair flowed down her shoulders, settling on her turquoise-silk pant suit. Just like the last time we’d met, she wore a huge transparent crystal that radiated the slicing magic of an angel.

The room was white, with pale blue floors, a matching examination table, and a celestite-blue unit at its far end that served as both a desk and a sink.

“You’re just in time.” She straightened her legs and drifted down to her feet.

I froze on the elevator’s glass floor, glancing between Valentine and the Healer. “When did you make an appointment?”

He ushered me into the room. “I left Logris the moment I discovered Kresnik had landed. When I saw the firefighters failing to extinguish the flames scattered about Hyde Park and beyond, I knew you had arrived with him.”

“You were that confident I’d be there?” I turned as the doors whooshed closed, leaving an entire glass wall that overlooked the ocean.

Valentine rubbed the back of his neck. “I would have taken you to Logris, but some of the more dogmatic members of the Council might call for your arrest.”

Healer Hadriel gestured toward the blue examination table. “It’s an honor to see you looking so well. His Highness tells me you just returned from the Realm of the Gods?”

Nodding, I shuffled forward and sat on its cushioned surface. “I feel fine, but Kresnik forced a mental connection and injected me with enough of his magic to control my body.”

A tiny crease formed between her brows, marring her unnaturally smooth face. “Is this something you would like to discuss alone?”

I reached for Valentine’s hand. “He stays with me.”

“Alright,” she said with an outward breath. “I’m qualified in both general medicine and soul healing. If you’d prefer, I can bring a second healer in to check the integrity of your physical body.”

“That won’t be necessary.” I shook my head for emphasis.

“Please remove your outer garment.” Healer Hadriel rubbed her hands together.

“I have a question, though.” I shouldered off the reaper cloak and pushed it to the side.

“Ask.”

“My aunt fled to Atlantis in November.” I swallowed hard. “She might have it as a route to somewhere else, or she could have stayed. Is there any way to let her know I’m in the country?”

“Of course.” The healer raised her head, and the door opened, revealing a dark-haired young man sitting behind the desk of a blue office. “Joshua, could you leave a message with the Exchange for…?”

“Arianna.” I cleared my throat. “Arianna Griffin.”

Healer Hadriel nodded and smiled. “Please let the operators know that Hemera Griffin can be reached in Atlantis for the next few hours at my office.”

The young man behind the desk inclined his head. “Yes, My Lady.”

Every butterfly in my stomach trembled as I hoped Aunt Arianna hadn’t moved on to another supernatural city. She’d left her home because of me, and had taken our entire coven. We weren’t wealthy by anyone’s standards, so it would have been a struggle to find accommodation and work. I just needed to know she was alright.

The door closed with a click, and Healer Hadriel turned to me, clasping her hands in prayer. “Your Majesty, please could you retreat to the other side of the room so I may take a clear reading of Mera’s energy body?”

“Of course.” Valentine pressed a kiss on my cheek before walking to the corner.

A pale-haired, pale-eyed angel hybrid capable of floating, and Valentine standing in a corner wearing a reaper’s cloak? It reminded me too much of the ritual that had stolen my magic. I shook off those thoughts. Even if she liked me because I was a phoenix, that didn’t mean she wanted to strip me of my power. Did she?

Her magic sliced through my body, making me shift uncomfortably on the examination table and pull my eyes shut. That cutting energy was a characteristic of all with angel magic. At heart, they were warriors. The lower levels of their species served as reapers, using scythes to cleanse impure souls.

“Mera.” The healer’s magic fell away with a snap.

My eyes flew open. “Is there anything wrong?”

She shot Valentine a nervous glance and wrapped her fingers around the crystal pendant hanging over her heart chakra. “This is a little indelicate. May