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

Captain Zella placed a hand on the man’s arm, motioning for him to be quiet. She turned to me and said, “What do you need?”

Moments later the four of us walked to an elevator in the refectory, which descended to an underground parking lot that housed a fleet of black vans. Another pair of enforcers joined us, who sat in the front seats, while we boarded the back. When I explained my desire to obtain samples other than blood for the alchemist, they all seemed to understand my reasoning without me having to bring up the scandal with the luck-siphoning phlebotomist.

“Do you have a last name for Coral?” The female enforcer lowered herself into one of the computer seats.

My brows drew together, and I bit down on my lip. “She didn’t say, but I know she’s also from Striga.”

She typed something into the keyboard and glanced at me over her shoulder. “Age?”

“About twenty-seven.”

“That shouldn’t be difficult to find,” she murmured.

I sat with Captain Zella in the middle of the back seats, leaving enough space for Nut and Geb, and the van pulled out of its parking space.

“Coral Mirrin, twenty-eight years of age,” said the female enforcer. “Born to Rachel Mirrin, a Neutral mother who served as a surrogate to thirty-four undisclosed clients. She died in the later stage of her pregnancy, but doctors managed to retrieve Coral. Grandmother was Merelda Mirrin née Yutakan, a witch specializing in magical combat. Grandfather is Gregor Mirrin, currently employed in tunnel maintenance for the Hatch.”

I leaned forward and frowned. Did Kresnik hire Coral’s mother to carry one of his babies?

“Father unknown,” the enforcer continued. “After her mother died, Coral was in the care of an older brother whose magic was barely enough for him to graduate from the Academy.”

“Sending her address to the front,” said the male enforcer. “We should be there in less than five minutes.”

The vehicle resurfaced on Queen’s Road, which ran along the edge of Striga and the border of Logris, beyond which lay Richmond Park. Our side of the road contained mostly forestland and the odd communal area where wizards and witches were permitted to grow food. I peered out of the window to find smoke rising in the distance, forming low clouds.

“What’s happening over there?” I asked.

“There was a riot in Lamia last night,” replied Captain Zella, her voice laden with accusation. “The residents want the Vampire King to repeal his new taxes and lift the lockdown.”

I gulped. Now wasn’t the time to contradict Hades’ story about Valentine having already been resurrected and currently working undercover to destroy Kresnik. Besides, telling these three wouldn’t do anything except start a bunch of rumors about Valentine that I didn’t want.

Sliding down in my seat, I tore my gaze away from the smoke-filled Striga and exhaled. The sooner Valentine worked out a way to kill Kresnik, the sooner he could return to Logris and undo the damage that the Mage and Demon King forced him to do while he was under their control.

It was no wonder Prince Draconius had come all the way from New Mesopotamia to put Kain on the throne. The instability couldn’t continue.

“Coral mentioned living with a vampire,” I said. “Do you have any information on him?”

The male enforcer poked his head out from behind the monitor and frowned. “I don’t even see her registered with a blood broker.”

“She went straight to a blood lounge,” I said.

Captain Zella clucked her tongue. “Those dens of iniquity should be abolished.”

We all fell silent. Only vampires benefited from the lounges. It wasn’t exactly polite to disparage other races, especially when one of us sitting in the back of the van was engaged to the most prominent vampire of them all. I had no problem with the blood broker system. It was fast, efficient, anonymous, and beneficial to all three parties. The thought of going to a blood lounge to allow some stranger to stick his fangs into me made my flesh crawl.

The forest faded into meadowland, and the van turned left onto a narrow road that passed stone cottages, most of which grew herbs and edible plants on their exteriors. This was where the wealthier wizards and witches dwelled, those who owned businesses and didn’t have to worry about living underneath or on top of other families.

We continued along the winding road toward the first set of stacked homes. They were larger than the one-room cottage I shared with Aunt Arianna, and at four stories high, offered a better level of privacy. Only people who worked high up in the Supernatural Council or for large companies could afford to live there.

“There’s nothing on the sewers in Supernet,” said the male enforcer.

“Can you blame them?” his colleague replied. “Everyone would panic and flee Logris.”

Captain Zella turned to me. “Did you see the preternaturals?”

I shook my head. “Only while they were in Kresnik’s hideout.”

The other two turned away from their computers to stare at me, making my throat go dry. It wasn’t exactly a secret that I’d spent time in Kresnik’s lair, considering these were the guys who had found me in the broom closet, but I guess none of them had ever met the legendary Light Lord.

“He told his minions to abduct them from human prisons, mostly,” I said, my throat going dry.

Before they could press me for details, the van stopped outside a rookery. This particular building was several stories high with a staircase that wound around its exterior and doors positioned every few steps.

The male enforcer groaned. “How can these people live like this?”

My stomach muscles tightened, and an urge to protect wizards and witches rushed through my insides. “It’s not so different from the high-rises in Natura.”

All three enforcers stared at me with their brows raised. I’d been to Natura recently. It was where Petra’s family lived, the section of Logris ruled by the Mage King.

“Natura’s buildings are much higher than those in Striga, but at least we don’t live on