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

After graduating from the University of Logris, Aunt Arianna started an apprenticeship with a Master of Wards but had to cut her studies short because of my arrival. She’d given up so much to take care of me, from a promising career to a relationship. Most wizards were reluctant to take on a single mother, regardless of her admirable circumstances, but Aunt Arianna never once made me feel like a burden. Once we’d dealt with Kresnik, I would find a way to repay her kindness.

Aunt Arianna stayed for dinner and then Irish coffee before returning to the apartment she shared with Great-Aunt Laratte, and the next day, we met the rest of the clan for a long lunch at the Botanical Garden of Atlantis.

Before we knew it, our forty-eight hours came to an end, and we traveled back to England on the Phileas Express. The train pulled into London Central, which was bustling with activity.

The platform was like walking through the Harrods food hall with its colorful tiled walls, art deco-style retail booths, and warm light pouring down on us through a glass atrium. Instead of massive counters displaying their wares, train tracks ran down the middle of the space.

Supernaturals who had disembarked walked around us, carting their luggage toward the ticket barriers, where Caiman stood with Macavity and Kain.

I clutched Valentine’s hand. “You didn’t tell me we had a welcome party.”

“We’ve all missed you around the palace, especially Macavity.”

“I’ll bet Lazarus was happy to see me gone.”

He shook his head. “He was disturbed that you’d been taken and hasn’t had the heart to tell Beatrice what’s happened. When you see my brothers again, they’ll be more appreciative of everything you’ve done for me and Lamia.”

I shot him an incredulous glance. “What did you say to them?”

“The truth.” He stared down at me with an intensity that made my heart flip.

Before I could ask for more details, a blur of movement sped toward me and swept me up in a hug.

“Mera.” Kain stared down at me, his aquamarine eyes wide. “Are you alright? How did you escape Kresnik? Did he steal your phoenix?”

“I’m fine.”

I wrapped an arm around his middle and placed a kiss on his cheek, just as a furry head emerged from behind his right shoulder with a pair of jewel green eyes. Macavity must have slipped down Kain’s back as he clambered toward me, based on the ferocity of his yowl. I stretched out my arms and lifted the cat off Kain’s back, and cradled the warm bundle to my chest.

Valentine placed a hand on the small of my back. “He never lost faith that you would return.”

“Really?”

I gazed down at Macavity, who leaned forward with his paws resting on my collar and gave me a sniff. After checking that I was well, he drew back and meowed.

“And I missed you, too.” I rubbed the space between his ears. “Have you been taking care of Kain for me?”

Macavity nodded, his little chest seeming to puff out with pride.

Caiman stepped forward and bowed. “My Lady Phoenix, welcome home. Please allow me to show you to the car.”

The rest of London Central was even more stunning than the platform, with tiled walls representing all the supernatural races. We passed a mural of Valentine’s vampire ancestor from the mausoleum, her arms reaching to the heavens. Ceramic angels graced the ceilings, staring down at us with their fluffy wings outspread.

Kain walked ahead with Caiman, and Macavity rested in my arms, glancing from side to side, seeming just as awed as me at the spectacle. I supposed nothing like this was available the last time he visited the Human World.

“How was Atlantis?” Kain glanced at me over his shoulder.

“It’s like a series of connected snow globes floating in the ocean,” I said.

Valentine chuckled. “That’s an interesting way of describing the Supernatural World’s most formidable oceanic city.”

“Alright then, a sunken solar system floating around the sun.”

“How do you get from one planet to another?” he asked.

“Glass elevators.”

Caiman veered left and opened a set of doors that led to a darkened parking lot filled with vehicles. Macavity wriggled out of my grip and bounded toward a white limousine. A black van emerged from around the corner, swallowing the cat beneath its low undercarriage.

Every ounce of blood drained from my face, and I lurched forward, just as the vehicle stopped.

“Macavity,” I rasped, sending out a silent prayer to every deity I could imagine that he wouldn’t be hurt.

Valentine and Caiman rushed ahead of me, both dropping to their knees. Kain jogged after them, but all I could do was shuffle forward on legs that felt as stiff as wooden clothes pegs.

My heart thudded loud enough to drown out the sounds of the vehicle, and my throat became so raw that I swore I could taste blood. Macavity had to be alive.

“Never do that again.” Valentine rose, carrying a sheepish-looking Bengal cat by the scruff. “Do you know how much you worried us all?”

Macavity drooped and let out an apologetic “Meow.”

The doors of the van opened, and a crowd of enforcers stepped out, led by a six-foot-tall redhead with stern features. My brow furrowed. What was Hades’ daughter doing in London Central?

Valentine handed Macavity to Caiman. “Captain Caria?”

She stood to attention without so much as inclining her head. “Hemera Griffin, by the power of the Seven Monarchs of the Supernatural Council, you are hereby detained on suspicion of breaching the Supernatural Secrecy Act. Do you understand the charges?”

Chapter Eight

A shocked breath huffed from my lips. I thought the Supernatural Council understood that it hadn’t been my fault that I’d appeared in public as a phoenix. I glanced up at Valentine, waiting for him to protest, to pull rank, or flare out his magic and force the enforcers to their knees, but he inclined his head at the enforcers.

“Understood,” Valentine said. “Please lead the way, officers.”

My jaw dropped, and I tugged on his arm. “What are you doing?” I whispered. “I thought