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

barreled through my insides. Nobody had told me the corpusverto spell would allow shifters to retain their powers. Maybe it was because of my dual soul. It didn’t matter right now, because my flames flared out toward my assassin.

Fire raced down Cien’s sleeve, and his scream rang through my eardrums, but it was the most satisfying sound. The solid flame dagger fell to the ground with a clunk, and he staggered back several paces, trying to put out the flames.

“Put it out,” he screeched. “Turn it off.”

Time to test my ability to move within the enchantment as a phoenix. I raised my wings, spreading them wide, and clacked my beak in silent triumph.

Cien fell to the floor and rolled from side to side, screaming as the flames spread across the ivory rug. “How are you doing this?”

As much as I wanted to stand around and demand answers, I had to make sure this assassin never got another chance to attack Valentine. I walked around the cell with my wings outspread, setting everything alight from the upholstered sofas, to the side tables, the drapes, and the walls.

Next, I shoved aside a drinks cabinet containing bottles of spirits that smashed on the floor. As the flammable liquid spilled across the cell, the fire spread with flames as tall as five feet.

Cien’s screams turned to whimpers, indicating he was close to death. I glanced at the door, waiting for guards or a group of accomplices to rush in and help their comrade, but nobody came. He’d probably been working alone and turned off the alarms.

Once I was satisfied that Cien wouldn’t rise, I returned to the dagger, picked it up with my beak, and focused all my magic on finding Valentine.

My flames flickered, filling my vision with fire. When it cleared, I found myself in a concrete room with Caiman standing next to my body. Relief washed through my insides. When the assassin had mentioned Prince Draconius, I had feared he’d also tried to abduct me.

“Welcome back, My Lady.” The butler held up a robe.

After tossing the dagger to the side, I pulled back my flames, transformed into Valentine, and took the proffered garment.

“Did anyone attack you?” I asked, my voice urgent and deep.

Valentine stared up at me through wide, blue eyes. “Is everything alright?”

“There was a guard about my height.” I shook my head. “Your height. Ugh. He was little.”

Valentine nodded. “That leering letch.”

I nodded. “He was also an assassin.”

Valentine and Caiman exchanged shocked glances. Both their gazes swept down my form as though checking it for injuries. I squirmed under the scrutiny before reminding myself that this was Valentine’s body, not mine.

I shouldered on the silk robe and tied its sash around my waist. “Prince Draconius sent him with a solid flame dagger. He had one of those devices that make it impossible for anyone to move.”

Valentine’s face fell. “Are you hurt?”

I shook my head. “I used my magic against him before the blade got close.”

“Did he say anything before trying to land the killing blow?”

“Just that he expected me to rise from the dead.”

“So he could slay me and become a hero,” Valentine snarled through clenched teeth. “Where’s this assassin now?”

“Dying in a burning room.” I raised a shoulder. “It’s going to be impossible for anyone to sort through his ashes, because everything was on fire when I left.”

Caiman sighed and handed Valentine a vial. “Your Majesty, may I suggest that you swap bodies and withdraw enough gold to tide you over before news of your apparent death reaches the bank?”

After downing its contents, Valentine strode over to me and placed a hand around my neck, pulling me down for a kiss. As soon as our lips touched, light flashed behind my eyelids, and I was suddenly back in my own body.

“You saved my life.” He pressed another kiss on my lips. “If you hadn’t been there, that assassin might have gotten the better of me.”

I shook my head and smiled into his violet eyes. “You would have thrown him across the room with your magic.”

Caiman cleared his throat. “The bank, Your Majesty.”

Valentine pulled off the gold chain from around his neck, took my hand, and slid the engagement ring on my finger. After pressing a kiss on my knuckles, he vanished.

I turned to Caiman. “What is this room?”

“One of many storage spaces beneath the palace, My Lady.” The butler offered me his arm. With his free hand, he floated the solid flame dagger off the floor. “When His Majesty informed me that you would be arriving as a phoenix, I thought it best to bring you here to avoid charring the antiques.”

As the dagger drifted toward us, I snatched it out of the air and slipped it into my pocket. I placed a hand on the crook of his elbow and walked through the empty space toward a metal door. “It certainly looks secure.”

“In the past, it has held feral shifters, demons, and a whole host of hostile beings.”

“One day, I’d like a full tour of this palace.”

“It would be my honor to show you around.”

We stepped out into a marble hallway that looked the same as any other within the building. Caiman directed me to one of the upstairs parlors, where a trident awaited on the table.

It was made of tarnished silver with an uneven surface that appeared to have been forged from primitive weapons. Sharp arrowheads protruded from the end of each of the weapon’s prongs, and the entire object hummed with magic.

“In our haste to rush Master Kain from the palace, I forgot to ask you what you wanted to do with this item,” Caiman said from my side.

“Do you think it’s authentic?” I tilted my head, wondering if Prince Draconius had been exaggerating about its origins. If it was one of the weapons used to defeat the Titans, it would definitely kill Kresnik.

“It’s certainly a magical item and an antique, but one would require an expert on antiquities to vouch for its authenticity.”

Reaching down, I