Passion of the Vampire King (Blood Fire Saga Book 5) by Bella Klaus (best motivational books txt) 📗

red eyes followed me as I walked toward the flames, which were probably pine wood burning in hellfire. He wore a heavy crown with long hair that flowed down his muscular torso.

“Where’s His Majesty?” asked Captain Zella from behind me.

She stepped into the room, reached into the glass, extracted her phone, and glanced around the room. Behind the mirror was an even larger space with two sets of stairs that led up to a mezzanine level containing a mirrored ceiling. Beneath it lay a circular bed. I snatched my gaze away and turned it toward the fire and to the array of comfortable leather seats that matched the wooden decor.

Hopefully, Nut and Geb had gotten a chance to use the mirror before the captain deactivated it. “Is this his room?”

“My pied à terre in Logris,” said a familiar voice from behind.

I spun around, finding Hades sauntering down the staircase on the left. He wore a burgundy smoking jacket with silk trim the exact shade of midnight, and black pajama bottoms that caught the firelight as he descended.

His hair was ruffled as though he had just gotten out of bed, with stubble that looked like he’d trimmed it to perfection for the ladies. Captain Zella’s breath caught, and I was pretty sure Nut made the same sound from a few paces away. I exhaled a weary sigh. If only people knew what he was really like.

“Thank you for delivering Miss Griffin, Captain,” he said with a twinkle in his maroon eyes. “That will be all.”

She inclined her head, and strode out of the room, possibly leaving me alone with the creature who might still wanted to keep me as his pet.

“Make yourself comfortable.” He swept an arm toward the fire, where there was now only a love seat barely large to fit his large frame—the kind meant to accommodate two if the woman sat on the man’s lap.

On the left of the room stood a leather-topped desk, with two matching chairs at either side. I walked toward it and placed my hand on the seat’s back, but it disintegrated into smoke.

My skin tightened with irritation. What was it with these supernatural kings thinking they were the boss of women who used their blood to resurrect them from the dead?

“Where do you want me to sit?” I turned to him with my best glower.

“Where’s your brave little cat today?” Hades stalked across the room, looking as annoyed with me as he was yesterday when I had arrived fresh out of Hell.

“Out,” I replied.

The corner of his lips twitched. “Is he tired of your company already?”

“Not as much as I hoped you’d be.” I placed my hands on my hips. “Why did you summon me?”

Hades stopped at one of the bookshelves on the right of the room and placed his hands on a red tome, which transformed it into a drinks cabinet. A single crystal decanter stood within an illuminated display containing an amber liquid that could have been anything from 1762 Gautier Cognac to the blood of the innocent, fermented to over a thousand years of torment.

After materializing a crystal glass to match the decanter, he poured a generous amount of the spirit and held it out to me. “Drink?”

“No, thanks.” I folded my arms across my chest and forced myself to stand strong. That would teach me for letting my imagination run wild.

“You don’t like the strong liquor, which might explain your preference for inexperienced young vampires.”

I rolled my eyes. Hades wasn’t interested in me or my love for Valentine. He was just sore that I resurrected him with my blood, making me the only person he couldn’t hurt. I walked toward him and raised my chin, meeting his eyes with a determined glower.

“Hot chocolate,” I said.

He stared down at me with a frown. “Pardon?”

“You offered me a drink.” I nodded, as though that proved anything. “Hot chocolate. Rich and thick and creamy.”

He leaned into me with his nostrils flared. “You’re a dangerous woman.”

Remembering Valentine’s advice, I added, “And something for dunking, please. Shortbread is fine.”

A red-skinned imp walked in, holding a silver tray. She stood about five-ten—taller if you counted her gazelle horns—with obsidian hair that flowed down her back. My gaze trailed from her beautiful face of amber eyes and high cheekbones, down her voluptuous breasts, tiny waist, and curvaceous hips. Scaly armor covered her body, but it was so tight that she may as well have been naked.

Her cloven feet clomped across the floor, and a long tail swished as she sashayed past, trailing a rich scent of hot chocolate that made my mouth water.

She set the tray down to the love seat with a saucy wiggle of her big red booty. I glanced at Hades, but he was too busy checking out my reaction to notice the effort she’d put into her display.

When she left, Hades sat at the love seat and patted his lap. “Hot chocolate with shortbread cookies.”

“Mmmm. Thank you.” I walked around the other side of the table and sat on the floor.

He wrinkled his nose. “Not that I don’t appreciate your virginal charms, or you supplicating yourself before my significant endowment, but what on earth are you wearing?”

I glanced down at my overalls, suppressing a smirk. “This is the latest fashion.”

“It’s dreadful.” He waved a hand. When nothing happened, he frowned. “I’ll have to transport you to your room to get changed.”

It took a few heartbeats of staring at his smirking face to realize he was referring to one of the three dinners I had agreed to in exchange for my freedom and the room was the dungeon in Hell from two nights ago. I wasn’t going back to that place—at least not voluntarily.

“Can we eat here?” I asked. “There’s so much I need to tell you about Kresnik.”

All traces of flirtation and amusement melted from his features, and he closed his legs a few inches to lean forward. “What have you heard?”

I picked up the hot chocolate and poured out the